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    The Watchtower, September 1, 1946

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    The Watchtower—1946

    Published Semimonthly Bt

    WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY 117 Adams Street - - Brooklyn 1, N.Y., U.S A-

    Officers

    N. H. Knobs, President W. E. Van Ambuboh, Secretary

    “And all thy children shall be taught of Jehovah; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” - Isaiah 54:13.

    THE BIBLE CLEARLY TEACHES

    THAT JEHOVAH is the only true God, from everlasting to everlasting, and is the Maker of heaven and earth and Giver of life to his creatures; that the Word or Logos was the beginning of his creation and his active agent in creating all other things; and tiiat the creature Lucifer rebelled against Jehovah and raised the issue of His universal sovereignty;

    ' THAT GOD created the earth tor man, made perfect man for the earth and placed him upon it; that man yielded to unfaithful Lucifer, or Satan, and willfully disobeyed God’s law and was sentenced to death; that by reason of Adam’s wrong act all men are born sinners and without the right to life;

    THAT THE LOGOS was made human as the man Jesus and suffered death in order to produce the ransom or redemptive price for obedient men; that God raised up Christ Jesus divine and exalted him to heaven above every other creature and clothed him with all power and authority as head of God’s new capital organization;

    THAT GOD’S CAPITAL ORGANIZATION is a Theocracy called Zion, and that Christ Jesus is the Chief Officer thereof and Is the rightful King of the new world; that the faithful anointed followers of Christ Jesus are Zion’s children, members of Jehovah’s organization, and are His witnesses whose duty and privilege It is to testify to Jehovah's supremacy and declare his purposes toward mankind as expressed in the Bible;

    THAT THE OLD WORLD, or Satan’s uninterrupted rule, ended A.D. 1914, and Christ Jesus has been placed by Jehovah upon the throne, has ousted Satan from heaven, and now proceeds to vindicate His name and establish the “new earth”;

    THAT THE RELIEF and blessings of the peoples can come only by Jehovah’s kingdom under Christ, which has begun; that His next great act Is to destroy Satan's organization and establish righteousness completely in the earth ; and that under the Kingdom the people of good-will surviving Armageddon will carry out the divine mandate to “fill the earth" with righteous offspring, and that the human dead in the graves will be raised to opportunities of life on earth.

    ITS MISSION

    HIS journal Is published for the purpose of enabling the people to know Jehovah God and his purposes as expressed In the Bible. It publishes Bible instruction specifically designed to aid Jehovah’s witnesses and all people of good-wilL

    It arranges systematic Bible study for Its readers and the Society supplies other literature to aid in such studies. It publishes suitable material for radio broadcasting and for other means of public instruction in the Scriptures.

    It adheres strictly to the Bible as authority for Its utterances. It is entirely free and separate from all religion, parties, sects or other worldly organizations. It Is wholly and without reservation for the kingdom of Jehovah God under Christ his beloved King. It Is not dogmatic, but Invites careful and critical examination of Its contents in the light of the Scriptures. It does not Indulge In controversy, and Its columns are not open to personalities.

    TEARLT SUBSCRIPTION PRICE

    United States, *1.00; all other countries, *1.50, American currency; Great Britain, Australasia, and South Africa, 6b. American remittances should be made by Postal Note cr by Postal or Express Money Order or by Bank Draft. Outside of the United States remittances should be made direct to the respective branch offices. Remittances from countries other than those mentioned may be made to the Brooklyn office, but by International Postal Money Order only.

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    Please address the Society In every case.

    Translations of this journal appear in several languages.

    ALL SINCERE STUDENTS OF THE BIBLE who by reason of infirmity, poverty or adversity are unable to pay the subscription price may have The Watchtower free upon written application to the publishers, made once each year, stating the reason for so requesting It. We are glad to thus aid the needy, but the written application once each year Is required by the postal regulations.

    Notice to Subscribers: Acknowledgment of a new or a renewal subscription will be sent only when requested. Change of address, when requested, mav be expected to appear on address label within one month. Old and new addresses must be given. A renewal blank (carrying notice of expirationl will be sent with the journal one month before the subscription expires.

    Printed In the United States of America

    Entered as seconu-class matter at the post office at Brooklyn, N. F., under the Act of March S, 1819.

    “NEW SONG” TESTIMONY PERIOD

    The month-long “New Song” Testimony Period falls in October of this year. All throughout it the singing of the new song to Jehovah’s praise will take on a very new feature, and that is the Society’s magazine Awake! first introduced to the world at the Glad Nations Theocratic Assembly in Cleveland this past August. Kingdom publishers among English-speaking populations will therefore specialize for this one month on taking subscriptions for Awake! at the regular rate of $1 a year. Individual copies, five cents. Every person anxious to join in singing the new song of God’s kingdom should find special incentive in taking part in the Testimony during October in offering Awake! It will be fine if the reports we receive after the close of the Testimony Period show more publishers than ever in the field. To this end we invite all Watchtower readers not yet engaged in the field witness work to write us for information and for references to veteran workers as companions. If as a Watchtower reader you have not subscribed for Awake! do it now. It is published twice a month, on the 8th and 22nd. You get your Watchtower on the 1st and 15th. By subscribing for both magazines you get weekly service.

    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING

    The regular annual business meeting of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society will be held Tuesday, October 1, 1946, at 10: 00 a.m., in the registered office of the Society located in the Wabash Building, 410 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh 10, Pennsylvania.

    Notices and proxy forms will be mailed to the members. Any member who for any reason cannot attend in person should mail his proxy to the office of the secretary of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn 2, New York, on or before September 20, 1946.

    “WATCHTOWER” STUDIES

    Week of October 13: “Pure and Undeflled Worship,” fl 1-16 inclusive, The Watchtower September 1, 1946. Week of October 20: “Pure and Undefiled Worship,” fl 17-20 inclusive, also “Keeping Unspotted from the World,”

    fl 1-14 inclusive, The Watchtower September 1, 1946.

    Week of October 27: “Keeping Unspotted from the World,” fl 15-31 inclusive, The Watchtower September 1, 1946.

    ffieWWCHTOWER

    ANNOUNCING JEHOVAH'S KINGDOM

    Vol. LXVII September 1,1946 No. 17

    PURE AND UNDEFILED WORSHIP

    "For the worship [ministry*; serviced] that is pure and holy before God the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction, and that one keep himself unspotted from the world." —Jas. 1:27, Murdock’s Syriac; *Lamsa; iR. A. Knox; Luther.

    JEHOVAH God the Father is not worshiped and served by those who are spotted with this world. He is the Creator of this spinning ball of earth upon which human creatures live, but is not the Creator of this world which at present dominates mankind. This world is religious, being filled with many, many varieties of religion but it does not worship or serve Jehovah God.

    2 Religion, as well as politics and commerce, is one of the three integral parts in the present structure or organization that makes up the visible part of this world. On that account religion is not “pure and holy before God the Father”. It excites no surprise, therefore, that the practice of religion will perish from this old world. But those who worship Jehovah God “in spirit and in truth” will live forever, as a reward for serving Him and not this world. Unlike the religionists, these pure and undefiled worshipers have obeyed the divine command through the apostle John: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15-17) Multitudes of worshipers now doing the will of Jehovah God will abide forever on this earth, where paradise will be restored and made earth-wide.

    3 Organized religion can hardly deny that this world is impure, unholy, defiled and polluted. Religion’s own declared intentions in the United States are to “put God in government”, and that is an indirect confession that God is not in the politics of this world. Believing, as religion unscripturally does, that God and Christ are one and the same person, then her intentions are at the same time to put Christ Jesus in the government of the United

    1. By whom is Jehovah not worshiped’

    2. What command do his worshipers obey? and with what reward?

    3. What are religion’s efforts as to political governments? but with what results?

    States and the rest of this world. With such intentions organized religion pays no attention to the plain words of Christ Jesus to Pontius Pilate, one of the governors of this world, saying: “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” (John 18: 36) Elect or engineer as many religious politicians into government offices as she can; yes, fill all such offices of government, if possible; yet organized religion will never succeed in forcing God or Christ Jesus into the political governments of this world and thereby forestall the passing away of this world. Organized religion is accomplishing no reform for the world, but is simply defiling herself, spotting herself up with this world and proving that she is a lover and a part of it. Therefore the disciple James says that her form of worship is not pure and holy in the sight of God the Father. It is a vain form of worship. Practicers of such worship are deceived with false hopes.

    * In addition to having the leading politicians of the world in her congregation, organized religion pays special honor and deference to the rich of this world. She sells them the best pews in her cathedrals and other religious buildings. While she interprets Jesus’ parable of the rich man Dives and the poor man Lazarus in such a way as to put the rich man in a religious hell of literal fire, brimstone and red devils, she at the same time courts favor of the rich and throws her doors wide open and gives the rich her heartiest welcome. (Luke 16:19-31) She makes the way of the rich easy into her congregation, whereas Jesus said: “Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” (Matt. 19: 23, 24) “And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the king-

    4. In dealing with the worldly rich, how does religion ignore Jesus’ words ?

    dom of God. But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.” (Luke 6:20,24) This is because those who seek their comfort in the riches of this world make themselves a part of this world, and the woe of these worldly rich ones will come at the passing away of this world in the worst political, financial and religious crash this world will ever have had, at Armageddon.

    5 In making herself the boon companion of the worldly rich, organized religion evidently does not fear the warning cry of the disciple James: “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth [or, Jehovah of hosts]. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.” (Jas. 5:1-6) Hence the rich will perish with the world, just like a flower of the grass. “For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.” (Jas. 1:10,11) Organized religion, therefore, by going after the financial support and membership of the commercial element of this world, is again showing herself to be a part of this world. For being such a parasitic ally of the selfish commercial element, organized religion will share in the woe and miseries that will shortly come upon the religionists who are rich in this world but who are not rich in the good works of the pure, undefiled worship of Jehovah God of hosts.

    6 In trying to keep unspotted from this world the honest person finds no safe guide and example in the course taken by organized religion of Christendom. Her course is the way of sanctimonious pretense and hypocrisy. Consequently it brings reproach upon God and Christ and it leads to divine condemnation and destruction. The unselfish seeker after the true and living God desires to worship Him because it is right to do so. He wants his to be worship in the right way so as to be acceptable and pleasing to God. Hence he takes seriously the description of such kind of worship as given by the disciple James, namely: “And if any one thinketh that he

    5. How does religion show she does not £ear the warning regarding the fate of the rich?

    6. How does the unselfish seeker after God want to worship Him? worshippeth God, and doth not restrain his tongue, but his heart deceiveth him; his worship is vain. For the worship that is pure and holy before God the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction, and that one keep himself unspotted from the world.” (Jas. 1: 26, 27, Murdock) Or, if he is an honest Catholic and prefers a translation with an ecclesiastical Nihil obstat and Imprimatur, as of February 10,1944, then here it is, by Monsignor R. A. Knox: “If anyone deludes himself by thinking he is serving God, when he has not learned to control his tongue, the service he gives is vain. If he is to offer service pure and unblemished in the sight of God, who is our Father, he must take care of orphans and widows in their need, and keep himself untainted by the world.”—Jas. 1: 26, 27.

    T In agreement with both the foregoing translations is that of the Aramaic translator, G. M. Lamsa, namely, “If any man thinks that he ministers to God, and does not control his tongue, he deceives his own heart, and this man’s ministry is in vain. For a pure and holy ministry before God, the Father, is this, To visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (Jas. 1: 26, 27) All three translations are noteworthy for not using the customary words “religious” and “religion”.

    8 In the foregoing definition of pure worship everyone will note three essentials, namely, bridling the tongue, visiting the fatherless and widows, and keeping unspotted from this world. To those in search of life the right use of the tongue is very important, for by letting the tongue speak for an unclean heart or mind a person defiles himself. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” So said Jesus. (Matt. 12: 34, 35; 15:18-20) Showing that the right use of one’s vocal powers leads to life, the psalmist says: “What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.” This counsel is so good that the apostle Peter takes it up and quotes it to the Christians. (Ps. 34:12-14; 1 Pet. 3:10,11) The psalmist further says: “I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.” (Ps. 39:1) To effectively bridle the tongue or mouth, one must begin with the heart or mind, which expresses itself through the mouth. The heart or mind must be filled

    7. Whose translation also agrees with the above-quoted ones as to worship? and for what are these three translations noteworthy?

    8. Why is it important to bridle the tongue? and how is it done? with the truth from God’s Word, to the point of abundance, and then his mouth will overflow from his heart abundance and his lips will not speak the guile and hypocrisy of religion, which is of this world. Such mouth, tongue and lips will preach the gospel of the kingdom of God and -will thus replace evilspeaking with good.

    LEGAL PROVISION FOR THE HELPLESS

    ’Visiting the fatherless and the widows in their affliction is another requirement to pure, undefiled worship. There is a good reason why, and it is because Jehovah God is the Defender and Caretaker of the fatherless and widows. His own Word tells us: “A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.” (Ps. 68:5) “The Lord [Jehovah] preserveth the stranger; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.” (Ps. 146:9) In his law given to the Israelites through Moses, Jehovah strongly emphasized considerate care and protection of the helpless widows and fatherless children. He commanded: “Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; and my wrath shall wax hot, and I ■will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.” (Ex. 22:22-24) “Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow’s raiment to pledge.” (Deut. 24:17) Hence Moses said to His people: “Jehovah your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the terrible, who regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward. He doth execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loveth the sojourner, in giving him food and raiment.”—Deut. 10:17,18, Am. Stan. Ver.

    10 When his covenant people neglected or positively violated his provisions in behalf of these helpless and needy ones, Jehovah at once raised objection by his prophets. By Isaiah he cries out for a clean worship of Jehovah, saying: “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord [Jehovah].” (Isa. 1:16-18) By his prophet Jeremiah comes this command: “Thus saith the Lord [Jehovah]; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do not violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.” (Jer. 22: 3) To the city of Jerusalem in her last days 0. Why, according to law, is visiting the fatherless and widows another requirement to pure worship?

    10. When the fatherless and widows were oppressed, how did Jehovah express himself through the prophets? before destruction, Ezekiel says: “In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression -with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow.” (Ezek. 22:7) And to the remnant that returned from captivity in Babylon to rebuild Jerusalem, the prophet Zechariah says: “Thus speaketh the Lord [Jehovah] of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.”—Zech. 7:9,10.

    11 An outward form of worship of God combined with oppression and neglect toward the fatherless and widows is not a pure and undefiled worship of God. All the money contributed by the rich oppressors to the collection plate of a religious organization will not make it acceptable in God’s sight. Contributing from gains by oppression is Pharisaic. The apostle Paul was once a Pharisee. In court he testified: “After the most straitest sect of our religion [or, form of worship] I lived a Pharisee.” (Acts 26:5) In practicing such Pharisaic form of worship Paul was associated with the oppressors of the fatherless and ■widows, against whom Christ Jesus cried out: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour -widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.” (Matt. 23:14) Christ Jesus condemned the robbery and injustice to widows and orphans back there. Today, since his coming to God’s spiritual temple A.D. 1918, he acts as Jehovah’s swift witness against those guilty of such oppressions now. Accordingly Jehovah God, by his Messenger whom he sends to the temple for execution of judgment, says: “I will come near to you to judgment; and I ■will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord [Jehovah] of hosts.” (Mal. 3:1-5) This warning was especially meant for Christians since A.D. 1918.

    WIDOWS

    ” In the early Christian church the widows came in for due notice, and when they were neglected there was complaint. As we read: "In those days, as the number of the disciples was increasing, complaints were made by the Greek-speaking Jews against the native Jews that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. So

    11. How is Christ Jesus distinguished for protesting against the oppression of the fatherless and widows?

    12. How did widows begin to come to notice in the early church? the Twelve called in the whole body of disciples,” and then the matter was promptly taken care of satisfactorily and pleasingly to the Lord God.—Acts 6:1-7, An Amer. Trans.

    ” About thirty years later the apostle Paul wrote Timothy instructions concerning widows young and old: “Look after ■widows who are really dependent. If a widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety in the treatment of their own families, and to return the care of those who brought them up, for that is what God approves. But a woman who is really a ■widow, and has no children, has fixed her hope on God, and devotes herself to prayers and entreaties night and day. A widow who gives herself up to pleasure is dead while she is still alive. Insist upon these points, so that people may be irreproachable. Whoever fails to provide for his own relatives, and particularly for members of his own family, has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. No one under sixty years of age should be put on the list of ■widows. A widow must have been married but once, and have a good reputation for Christian service, such as bringing up children, being hospitable to strangers, washing the feet of God’s people, helping people in distress, or devoting herself to any form of doing good.

    14 “Do not put young women on the list of widows, for when their youthful vigor comes between them and Christ, they want to marry, and become guilty of breaking their previous pledge. Besides, as they go about from house to house they learn to be idle, and not only idle but gossips and busybodies, and talk of things they ought not to mention. So I would have young women marry and have children and keep house and avoid giving our opponents any excuse for abusing us. For some widows have already turned aside to follow Satan. Any Christian woman who has widowed relatives should look after them, and relieve the church, so that it can look after widows who are really dependent.”—1 Tim. 5: 3-16, An Amer. Trans.

    THE FATHERLESS

    15 All such Theocratic arrangements looked after the visiting of afflicted widows inside of God’s organization with real help, both material and spiritual. But how about the fatherless? These are ever closely associated with the widow as well as the stranger, because all these were most likely to fall victim to the oppression of powerful, conscienceless men. Hence God came to their defense and help. So the appeal is made to Him in these words: “The poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless. Lord [Jehovah], thou hast heard the

    13. Wbat did Paul write Timothy as to support to worthy widows!

    14. What did Paul write concerning young widows!

    15. Wbat Is Jehovah's position toward the fatherless! desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.” (Ps. 10:14,17,18) And to the mighty oppressors on earth who conduct themselves like gods, the great Judge Jehovah says: “Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.” (Ps. 82:1,3; John 10:34,35) Is it any wonder, then, that the disciple James associates ■with the pure, undefiled worship of Jehovah God the visiting of the fatherless and widows ?

    18 The term “fatherless” does not necessarily confine itself to little or under-age children that have lost their father in death. It is also used of adult persons who have lost a beloved friend or guardian and caretaker, and even, in reverse, of parents that have been bereft of their children. Hence it has the meaning of desolate. In giving a farewell talk of comfort to his eleven faithful apostles on the night of his betrayal Jesus said to them: “I will not leave you orphans; I am coming to you.” (John 14:18, The Emphatic Diaglott; Douay) That is to say: “I will not leave you desolate.” (Am. Stan. Ver.) “I will not leave you forlorn.” (Moffatt) “I am not going to leave you friendless.” (An Amer. Trans.) “I will not leave you bereaved.” (Young) Said the prophet Jeremiah when the city of Jerusalem was destroyed and its survivors were carried off captive to Babylon: "We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.” (Lam. 5:3) When urging .Israel to return to God, the prophet Hosea instructs them to say to him: “Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: . . . for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.” (Hos. 14:1-3) And when Job was bereaved of his ten children and his three false friends were wrongfully accusing him, Job said to them: “Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind ? Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.” (Job 6:26,27) “Even upon an orphan you would cast lots, and you would bargain over your friend!”—An Amer. Trans.; Am. Stan. Ver.

    1T The apostle Paul, being forcibly separated from the Christian congregation that he established at Thessalonica, wrote to them and spoke of himself as being orphanized or bereaved, saying: “But we were gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherisheth her own children: as ye know how we dealt ■with each one of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging you, and testifying. But we, brethren, being bereaved [aporphanizo] of you for a short season, in presence not in heart, endeavored the more exceedingly to see your face with

    16. How do the Scriptures show that the term “fatherless” is not confined to minor children that have lost their father?

    17. How were the orphans visited in the case of the apostle Paul and the other eleven apostles? great desire? (1 Thess. 2:7,11,17, Am. Stan. Ver.) Jehovah God, the Helper and Father of the orphan or fatherless, visited his bereaved servant with comfort. He sent to Paul Timothy with a consoling, reassuring message regarding the faithful spiritual condition of the Christian brethren at Thessalonica, where Paul had been practically mobbed out of town. (1 Thess. 3:1-7; Acts 17:1-10) Likewise the Lord Jesus Christ, from the heavens to which he has ascended, visited his orphaned or bereaved apostles at Jerusalem by pouring out upon them the holy spirit as a comforter or helper on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:1-33) In a corresponding way now, those whose worship of God is not vain, impure or defiled must visit with help and comfort both the afflicted widows and also the fatherless or bereaved ones in their need of comfort and help, especially spiritually. Christendom’s religion in particular has left the peoples bereaved, and the best way to visit them is with the comforting message of God’s kingdom.

    18 There is another reason why James specialized upon widows and orphans in connection with right worship. He wrote his letter or epistle about A.D. 62. Almost thirty years had passed since Christ’s death and resurrection and the Christian congregation had gotten into some bad habits contrary to pure worship and service of God. Some were showing favoritism to the rich and finely dressed. As a concomitant of this the poor of the congregation, and particularly the widows and orphans or bereaved ones, were being neglected or even discriminated against. So, after defining what pure and undefiled worship is, James writes in protest, saying:

    19 “My brothers, do you try to combine faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with acts of partiality?

    18. For what other reason did James specialize on the fatherless and widows in connection with worship?

    19. What protest did he write as to partiality?

    For if a finely dressed man with a gold ring comes into a meeting, and a poor man in shabby clothes comes in also, and you pay attention to the man in the fine clothes and say to him, ‘Sit here; this is a good place!’ and say to the poor man, ‘Stand up, or sit on the floor at my feet,’ have you not wavered and shown that your judgments are guided by base motives? Listen, my dear brothers. Has not God chosen the world’s poor to be rich in faith, and to possess the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? But you humiliate the poor. Are not the rich your oppressors? Is it not they who drag you into courts? Is it not they who slander the noble name you bear? If you really obey the supreme law where the Scripture says, ‘You must love your neighbor as you do yourself,’ you are doing right, but if you show partiality, you are committing a sin, and stand convicted before the Law as a law breaker.” —Jas. 2:1-9, An Amer. Trans.

    20 In fine, then, the pure and undefiled worship of God requires without omission our exercising mercy, even to the most helpless and needy ones such as the afflicted widows and orphans or bereaved ones. Let no religionist who is merciless deceive himself in this matter. “For the merciless will be mercilessly judged; but mercy will triumph over judgment.” (Jas. 2:13, An Amer. Trans.) Hence, may mercy continue to distinguish the pure, undefiled worshipers of Jehovah God. Let this be so, not only as they visit, help and care for the afflicted widows and orphans and bereaved ones among themselves, but as they go forth publicly and from house to house with God’s message of the Kingdom, visiting all persons without discrimination, not merely the few rich, but also all the many poor, including the widows, orphans and bereaved ones of this world.

    20.I n this connection, then, what does pure worship require of Jehovah’s witnesses?

    KEEPING UNSPOTTED FROM THE WORLD

    ALL persons who are observing see and know what organized religion is and how she conducts herself. Of such observers we ask, Does organized religion measure up to what the disciple James defines as being clean and undefiled worship in God’s sight, at James 1:26,27?—See page 260, paragraphs 6, 7.

    2 Let such observers note that James includes not only God-like mercy to the needy and poor, such as the widows and fatherless in among God’s people, but also keeping oneself unspotted and untainted from the world. Hence honest persons should not let themselves be fooled by the boasted, much-paraded

    1. What question are observing persons asked as to religion?

    2. Why do religion’s “charitable” works count for nothing with God? works of "charity” that organized religion ostentatiously carries on before the public, pointing with self-satisfaction to her many religious orphan asylums, houses of Good Shepherd, old peoples’ homes, and hospitals. Remember, all this counts for nothing with God, because organized religion is at the same time inseparably mixed up with this unclean, corrupt world and is spotted up and filthy from her adulterous association and friendliness with it. James, having pointed out the cause of disunity and strife among professed Christians of his day, said: “You ask, and receive not; because you ask amiss: that you may consume it on your concupiscences. Adulterers, know you not that the friendship of this world is the enemy of God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of this world, becometh an enemy of God.” (Jas, 4: 3,4, Douay) Charitable works do not excuse God’s enemies to Him.

    3 In harmony ■with this same reasoning as to James’ definition of pure and unsoiled worship, we ask this question: The apostle Paul was a house-to-house publisher of God’s kingdom, and went out in the service or ministry of Jehovah God and showed mercy to widows and orphans by preaching the Kingdom gospel to them. But, what would that amount to if the apostle Paul had at the same time, on the side, spotted himself up by friendly companionship -with this world? True, he would have gotten in his time in the field service by actively giving a witness to the kingdom of God; yet he would have soiled his field-service record in God’s sight, and his partial service or ministry to Jehovah God would have been in vain and would bring him no heavenly reward.

    4 Why, to a degree even an enemy of Christ can preach the gospel. Said Paul as he wrote from his prison in Borne: ‘What has happened to me has actually resulted in furthering the preaching of the good news. Thus it is generally known throughout the Imperial Guard and elsewhere that it is for the sake of Christ that I am in prison, and so most of the Christian brothers have been exceedingly encouraged by my example to declare God’s message -without any fear of the consequences. Some of them, it is true, are actually preaching the Christ from jealousy and partisanship, but there are others who are doing it out of good-will. These latter do it from love for me, for they know that God has put me where I am to defend our right to preach the good news. But the others are preaching the Christ not sincerely but for their own ends, imagining that they are making my imprisonment harder to bear.” —Phil. 1:12-17, An Amer. Trans.

    5 Therefore to those associating with Jehovah’s witnesses today be this said: No one should think his taking part in preaching activities in the field completes a clear, clean record for him in the sight of God and that, in off-times when he is not engaging in field activities, he can be excused for imitating, copying, fellowshiping with or hanging close around the fringe of this world, for selfish pleasure. This world is dominated by invisible demons and by commerce, politics and religion. It is unclean and filthy in God’s sight and is His irreformable enemy and the enemy of all Christians who give allegiance to His kingdom.

    3. If Paul as a publisher had also indulged in friendship with this world, what would have been the result?

    4. How does Paul in prison show that even an enemy of Christ can preach the gospel?

    5. What must be said to publishers who, in off-times, would copy or fellowship with this world?

    • Hence, to admire this world, to find pleasure in its doings, and to seek friendly acquaintance with it means one’s going over to God’s enemy and commit-ing an unfriendly act toward God. It denotes indulging in spiritual fornication or adultery. It means compromise and results in lukewarmness toward God. Neither God nor his Christ wants such a lukewarm one as his mouthpiece on earth. Speaking to professed Christians in this Laodicean state of affairs, Christ Jesus says: “These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:14-16) Christ Jesus, in order to be a faithful and true witness of Jehovah God, kept himself clean from all compromise and friendship with this world.

    T The apostle Paul was a faithful imitator of Christ. So careful was Paul lest he should make his preaching work count for nothing with God that he refused to do anything even that seemed like commercialism or selfish gain in connection -with it. Scripturally he might have accepted a reasonable financial support from the Christian congregation while he devoted himself fully to missionary and other preaching efforts. Yet he chose not to do so in order to keep his record of witnessing or preaching clean beyond any question.

    8 Study, now, Paul’s argument for personally doing so, as he says: “I have not availed myself of any of these rights, and I am not writing in order to secure any such provision for myself. I would die sooner than let anyone deprive me of this, my source of pride. What I am proud of is not the mere preaching of the gospel; that I am constrained to do. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! I get a reward if I do it of my own accord, whereas to do it otherwise is no more than for a steward to discharge his trust.” Then after explaining how he willingly put himself out so as to accommodate himself to Jew and Gentile alike for the sake of delivering a witness for God’s kingdom, the apostle adds: “Every athlete practices self-restraint all round; but while they do it to win a fading wreath, we do it for an unfading. Well, I run without swerving; I do not plant my blows upon the empty air—no, I maul and master my body, lest, after preaching to other people, I am disqualified myself”—1 Cor. 9:15-17,25-27, Moffatt.

    ’ The chief point in Paul’s argument is this: After having made a record of missionary and preaching

    6. Why are publishers who go over to this world for selfish reasons finally dropped as the Lord's mouthpieces?

    7. What diu Paul do to keep his preaching record clean from any appearance of commercialism?

    8. What did Paul say in his argument for doing so?

    9. What is the chief point in Paul’s argument? and how, while in the world, did he keep from being a part of it? work unsurpassed by any other apostle of Christ, then if he yielded to the self-indulgence of his body and the pleasing of himself selfishly, it would cause him to be cast away, rejected. He would lose the prize or reward at God’s hands. Paul did not deceive himself into thinking that he could spend an ordinary workingman’s day in preaching publicly and from house to house and thereafter, in the time for recreation or in his very private relations, he could go the way of this world. The world’s way is unrighteous, and Paul reminded himself continually that, morning, noon and night, he must be for righteousness, and this in his relations private and public. While he was in the midst of the world, he did not make himself a part of the world or let himself drift into its ways. He did not do this by shutting himself up in a religious convent or monastery so as to avoid personal contact with persons of this world. How, under such circumstances, would he have preached the gospel publicly and from house to house ? He did so by not making this world his friend and companion.

    10 To quote his words, at 1 Corinthians 5: 8-13: “So let us celebrate our festival, not with any old leaven, not with vice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of innocence and integrity. In my letter I wrote that you were not to associate with the immoral. I did not mean you were literally to avoid contact with the immoral in this world, with the lustful and the thievish, or with idolaters; in that case you would have to leave the world altogether. What I now write is that you are not to associate with any so-called brother who is immoral or lustful or idolatrous or given to abuse or drink or robbery. Associate with him? Do not even eat -with him. . . . Expel the -wicked from your company.”—Moffatt.

    11 Paul and his fellow Christians no doubt had to buy flesh at Gentile butcher-shops supplied with meat by slaughterers who first offered the animal carcass to idols in acknowledgment. But that did not mean Paul had to associate with such shopkeepers or slaughterers in good times. Paul and Aquila and Priscilla may have had to buy tentcloth from heathen salespeople whose morals were according to heathen standards. But that did not mean that, besides making tents out of cloth from such source, Paul and his fellow workers had to seek the company of such heathen business-people for entertainment and diversion. Paul and Luke and Silas had to buy travel tickets from heathen shipping agencies and to travel on boats operated by heathen captains and crews. But that did not mean Paul and his fellow voyagers had to go along with such worldlings in their course of life. They had dealings with them only as business transactions for the necessities of life demanded, 10. What are Paul’s instructions on this at 1 Corinthians 5:8-13’ 11. How did Paul and his companions have contact with worldlings in various dealings and yet not become part of this world’ and doubtless they tried to give a witness to the Kingdom gospel while so doing. Under these necessary circumstances contacts with such worldlings could not be avoided, but companionships with them for social purposes were not sought, invited or accepted. Thus, while not completely going out of this world, they still maintained their position of not being of this world. By this way of acting they were avoiding getting spotted with the world. They knew: “Evil companionships corrupt good morals.” —1 Cor. 15: 33, Am. Stan. Ver.

    NOT BEING CONFORMED

    12 The pure and undefiled worshiper will wisely avoid personal, bodily companionships with those of this world. More than that, he will watch against developing any mental sympathy and fellowship ■with this world by privately following its ways and standards and by trying to introduce such among the company of God’s consecrated people. Hence the apostle says: “Set your affection [your mind] on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Col. 3:2; margin) Mental conformity to this world will at last lead to conformity of conduct and also physical association with the world. Knomng this, Paul writes to those who would render reasonable service to God: “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Rom. 12:2) The world indulges in the works of the flesh, for it does not know what the spirit or active force of God is. The apostle lists the worldly works of the flesh for us, saying: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal. 5:19-21) Unclean and defiling things are not part of a true worship of God in spirit and in truth. They belong to this world, the enemy of God and of his kingdom. Hence all the proclaimers of God’s kingdom should shun such worldly things.

    13 The apostle found it necessary to warn the Christian congregation not to let any leaven of worldliness be planted among them and finally ferment the entire congregation with worldliness. This was especially the case with the company of Christians at Corinth, Greece. Paul had founded the Christian congregation there, and now he was about to revisit them. There were some in that congrega-12. Why will wise worshipers avoid inward sympathy and fellowship with this world and shun the works of the flesh?

    13. Why did Paui find it necessary to warn especially the church at Corinth against the leaven of woridliness? tion who even accused Paul and his fellow workers of having dealt crookedly with them. In expressing his desire to find things in a better condition there, Paul uncovers to us the worldliness on the part of some in that congregation. We read: “You think all this time that I am defending myself to you? No, I am speaking in Christ before the presence of God, and speaking every word, beloved, in order to build you up. For I am afraid I may perhaps come and find that you are not what I could wish, while you may find that I am not what you could wish; I fear to find quarrels, jealousy, temper, rivalry, slanders, gossiping, arrogance, and disorder, I fear that when I come back to you, my God may humiliate me before you, and I may have to mourn for many who sinned some time ago and yet have never repented of their impurity, their sexual vice and sensual practices.” Shocking! you say? Then there was good reason why Paul added: “Put yourselves to the proof, not me; test yourselves, to see if you are in the faith. Do you not understand that Christ Jesus is within you? Otherwise you must be failures.”—2 Cor. 12:19-21 and 13: 5, Moffatt.

    14 When a person solemnly agrees with God to do His will and is taken into His organization, then he should have repented of his aforetime impurity and also of sexual vice and sensual practices, if he indulged in such. However, these things try to cling to the repentant one after becoming a follower of Christ. Nevertheless, a person’s repentance should be proved by his forever turning away from such, and not trying to contaminate the Christian congregation with such. Offensive though it may be to our sensibilities, it was necessary for the apostle Paul to write this Corinthian congregation to disfellow-ship a man that had committed sexual impurity with his own father’s wife. (1 Cor. 5:1-5) The apostle wrote because this breach of purity by a professing Christian, a membei' of the congregation, had become known. It was giving great cause for reproach of the truth, and yet the congregation was too engrossed in other selfish matters to take ahold and purify the situation in the honor of Christ and of God. This endangered the spirit of the Lord within the congregation, and they were about to lose it unless they cleared themselves with regard to this unclean situation. Hence the apostle stirred them up to take proper action in vindication of their own sense of decency and out of care for the safety of the entire congregation. A Christian company is not the place for a repentant sinner to drag in worldly impurity, sexual vice and sensual practices. It is not the place to take up and introduce any practice of such. It does

    14. (a) How should one brought into God’s organization prove his repentance? (b) To what action o£ decency did Paul stir up the Corinthians? not matter that it is committed within the congregation ; it is a spot from the world and it defiles true worship.

    15 To desire another man’s wife is wrong. It is wrong for a so-called brother to come into a Christian company and see another brother’s wife and then, at first sight or later, fall in love with her and now scheme to get her for himself. He might gradually cause an alienation of affections between the brother and his ■wife so as to result in a divorce, and then first marry the divorced woman. But even then, his course of conduct has no alleviating features about it. In the first place it began on a wrong basis, that of a selfish and unjustified desire. The Tenth Commandment of the Mosaic law says plainly: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife.” (Ex. 20:17) That commandment defined covetousness as one form of sin; “for by the law is the knowledge of sin,” says the apostle Paul. (Rom. 3: 20) “For I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” (Rom. 7: 7) “Beware of covetousness,” said Jesus; and his apostle says: “Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”—Luke 12:15; Col. 3: 5, Am. Stan. Ver.

    16 Jesus exhorted the brethren to love one another; and it is no act of love toward another brother to covet his wife and then seek to put her asunder from the man with whom she was joined together before God. God’s law is: “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet.”—Rom. 13: 8, 9; Matt. 19: 6.

    ” Such trouble finds its root in the heart or in the mind, which gives the inclination to the selfish person. “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man.” Those are Christ’s words, at Matthew 15:19, 20. In his sermon on the mount he declared that radical or thorough-going action should be taken by the one who finds in himself wrong desire, which cleaves to him as tight as his own right eye or right hand. Better would it be to rout out, even with keen pain to one’s selfish feelings, that unclean, worldly desire than to let it cleave to one and cause one to stumble into wrongdoing. Christ’s words are: “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That

    15. As to the immoral person’s offense in the Corinthian church, from what source did it spring? and what is God’s Word thereon?

    16. What is God’s law, obedience to which would prevent such offense? 17. Where does such trouble find its root? and what thorough-going action did Jesus advise for its cure, in his sermon on the mount? whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee [cause thee to stumble], pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell [or Gehenna, destruction]. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell [Gehenna].” (Matt. 5:27-30) Not only one’s personal salvation is tied up with the matter, but, higher still, the vindication of God’s name by the keeping of one’s integrity to Jehovah God through faithful obedience to Him.

    PURITY WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION

    18 The Christian church is different from the world and its organized religion. She should be different by being outstanding for the purity of dealing between her members. The true church is likened in the Bible to a virgin that is betrothed to her Lord and Head, Christ Jesus. The keeping of her virgin state towrard him would not allow her to make friendship with this world and to get spotted up with the world of which he said he was no part. Because the apostle Paul was zealous and earnest to help keep the church in that pure, undefiled state fit for her future Bridegroom, he wrote to the church at Corinth : “I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity [or single-hearted devotion] that is in Christ.” (2 Cor. 11: 2, 3) The church cannot afford to let herself be defiled from within herself by consenting to any worldly uncleanness practiced internally between those who are members of her. Hence the faithful members, and, above all, those who are appointed as overseers and special servants, should have the same jealous concern over her purity as the apostle Paul had and exemplified.

    19 With regard to the position that the members of the church or body of Christ have before God it is true that “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus”. (Gal. 3: 28) But that fact is true of us only as respects the requirements laid upon Christians one and all. There is no difference of treatment by God because of difference of race, social standing, or sex. Be one Jew and another Greek-speaking Gentile, be one

    18. In her relationship to Christ, why should the church be different from the world in her purity?

    19. In what way are all one in Christ regardless of race, social standing, or sex? slave and another freeman, be one male and another female, all, yes, one and allrare required to exercise the one and the same faith in Christ. All are required to follow his one example and to give their allegiance to him as their one Head and Leader. All are obliged to co-operate and serve together as one corporate body under him. Eace, economic status, and sex make no exceptions to this one rule.

    20 However, that transcendant fact does not wipe out our fleshly, earthly conditions in which we were when becoming members of Christ’s one indivisible body. These still continue with us and must be recognized as realities. Hence, after writing the above, Paul still spoke and wrote to the Jews as specially knowing the Mosaic law and as having once been under the law covenant; he wrote to slaves and slaveholders instructing them how to act one toward another; he wrote to brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, advising them as to sex relations and the single state and the married state and the relative position of man and woman within the church. All this he wrote that none might selfishly overstep the due bounds.

    21 All the apostles recognized the sex difference. Hence they encouraged all Christians to the greatest purity between the sexes within the church. To Timothy, who was a young unmarried overseer in the church, the apostolic instruction is given: “Rebuke not an elder [man], but exhort him as a father; the younger men as brethren: the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, in all purity.” (1 Tim. 5:1,2, Am. Stan. Ver.) Many are the temptations of a young single man in a responsible position, but, in regard to perfect and unre-proachable propriety in all things, this same young overseer is exhorted: “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an ensample to them that believe, in word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity.” (1 Tim. 4:12, Am. Stan. Ver.) If such was to be the example, then all the rest of the Christian congregation were to follow the same rule of conduct and be pure. Because of their prominence and special responsibilities, all other overseers and appointed servants in the company were required to be without reproach in these vital matters. When instructing Timothy as to the required qualities in overseers and servants in the church the apostle Paul is careful to say: “The overseer then must be irreproachable, a husband of one wife, vigilant, sedate, orderly, hospitable, fit to teach; . . . Let assistants be husbands of one wife, presiding well over their own families.”'—1 Tim. 3:2-12, The Emphatic Diaglott.

    20. How and why did Paul still take notice of the difference as to race, social standing and sex?

    21. Because- of the sex difference, what did Paul instruct as to overseers and servants In the church?

    22 In fact, the apostle’s instruction to all the congregation, to special servants and general members alike, is very plain to the same effect. It reads: “Now, brothers, we ask and entreat you, in the name of the Lord Jesus, to live as you learned from us that you must live, to please God—as indeed you are doing, only do it more and more. For you remember what instructions we gave you on the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God’s will that you should be consecrated, that you abstain from immorality, that each of you learn to take a wife for himself from pure and honorable motives, not to gratify his passion, like the heathen who know nothing of God. No one is to wrong or defraud his brother in this matter, as we told you before, in the most solemn terms. God has not called us to an unclean life, but to a pure one. So whoever disregards this is not disregarding man, but God, who gives you his holy spirit.”—1 Thess. 4:1-8, An Amer. Trans.

    23 Far be it, then, from any worshiper of Jehovah God to wrong or defraud his brother by breaking up that brother’s marriage relationship, to gain something for his own selfish personal pleasure. If a brother wants to get married, then let him seek a mate that is free and clean, and not someone else’s matrimonial mate in disregard of God’s law against covetousness and fornication. The Christian standards of conduct do not lower themselves to consent to any so-called brother’s cooling off in affection for his own legal wife and coveting the legal wife of another brother and then taking advantage of legal means in the world to drop his own wife and become husband to the other. Such practice is nothing less than conformity to the standards of this world. Wife trading or swapping has been reported as practiced up in the Arctic by Eskimo Indians, as a normal established custom, but it hardly finds a place inside of God’s organization on earth. (Lev. 18:20-30) Servants, as examples to the congregation, and all members of the congregation are under one requirement to practice the pure, undefiled worship of God.

    24 Therefore, let all who fix their hopes on the kingdom of God be settled on this clean principle laid down by one of the apostolic pillars of the true church, namely: “Never let any sexual vice or impurity or lust be so much as mentioned by you—that is the proper course for saints to take; no, nor indecent, silly, or scurrilous talk—all that is improper. Rather, voice your thanks to God. Be sure of this, that no one guilty of sexual vice or impurity or lust (which is as bad as idolatry) possesses any inheritance in the realm of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with specious arguments; these are the vices that bring down God’s anger on the sons of disobedience. So avoid the company of such men.” (Eph. 5:3-7, Moffatt) The debased, passionate world of which Satan the Devil is the god is given to such things named. So, then, the first and reasonable step to keep from indulging in them or from being induced to indulge in them is to keep separate from the world. There is, as a result, nothing else to withdraw to for purity of life and worship but Jehovah’s Theocratic organization. And if any unstable ones therein yield to selfish desire and choose to mix in with the world, with the certainty of becoming spotted and soiled, then refuse to go along with such. (Prov. 4:14-17) Instead, remain close to the organization that represents the new world of righteous--ness.

    …