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    The Watchtower, January 1, 1947

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    The Watchtower—1947

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    "They shall know that I am Jehovah?

    -Ezekiel 35:15.

    Vol. LXVIII

    Semimonthly

    No.

    CONTENTS

    JANUARY 1, 1947

    ' tit;

    Unity and Peace ........................................

    The One Visible Organization of Peace A Unitary Corporate Organization ......

    Interdependence of Members ................

    For International Unity..........................

    The Common Objective............................

    Persons Of Good-Will in Antitypical Jerusalem ..............

    Asa in Action Against Religion............

    Field Experiences......................................

    “God’s Truthfulness”

    Testimony Period................................

    1947 Yearbook of Jehovah’s witnesses

    1947 Calendar..............................................

    “Watchtower” Studies ............................

    Published Semimonthly By

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

    Officebs

    N. H. Knorb, President W. E. Van Amburgh, 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 that the creature Lucifer rebelled against Jehovah and raised the issue of His universal sovereignty;

    THAT GOD created the earth for 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-wiiL 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 tor 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.

    Notice to Subscribers: Remittances should be sent to office In your country In compliance with regulations to guarantee safe delivery of money. Remittances are accepted at Brooklyn from countries where no office Is located, by International money order only. Subscription rates in different countries are stated below in local currency. Notice of expiration (with renewal blank) is sent at least two issues before subscription expires. Change of address when sent to onr office may be expected effective within one month. Send your old as well as new address.

    Please address the Watch Tower Society in every case.

    Offices Yearly Subscription Rate

    America (U.S.). 117 Adams St., Brooklyn 1, N.Y.

    Australia, 7 Beresford Rd., Strathfield, N. S. W.

    British West Indies, 21 Taylor St., Port of Spain, Trinidad

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    Translations of this journal appear in many languages.

    ALL SINCERE STUDENTS OP THE BIBLE who by reason of Infirmity, poverty or adversity are unable to pay the subscription price may have The Watchtower tree 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.

    Printed In the United States of America

    Entered as second-class matter at the post office at Brooklyn, N. F., under the Act of March S, 1879.

    “GOD’S TRUTHFULNESS” TESTIMONY PERIOD

    The Testimony Period during February, stressing God’s truthfulness, will catch up the four-month-long subscription campaign for The Watchtower and Awake! and will carry it forward through this midwinter month. Hence, the same as during the campaign’s initial month, January, all active readers of these magazines will keep on offering jointly the subscriptions for both of these magazines, together with the premium of two bound books (Watchtower publications), all at the regular rate for the two subscriptions, namely, two dollars. By determined efforts on the part of all having strong convictions concerning the truthful contents of The Watchtower and Awake! the subscription campaign will suffer no lag during this month of heavy winter up north, and we believe your field-service reports for February will show this. Many Watchtower readers will want to swell the ranks of the house-to-house subscription-takers, and so we say to all-those-who want to make a start during “God’s Truthfulness” Testimony Period: Write us at your earliest for all needed information and references.

    1947 YEARBOOK OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

    The first postwar year of action by the Lord’s kingdom publishers in more than fifty lands is reported on in the 1947 'Yearbook of Jehovah’s witnesses. This report was prepared by the president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. It discloses the growing magnitude of Jehovah’s visible organization and of the “strange work” he is accomplishing through it. Supplementing this interesting report is the president’s comment on the yeartext for 1947, together with a daily Bible text for the year’s 365 days and a comment thereon as taken from this past year’s issues of The Watchtower. The limited printing obliges us to post the contribution rate for this 1947 Yearbook at 50c a copy, mailed postpaid to you. All group units should combine the orders of their members and forward same here through the appointed servant, to bring about economies of time and expense at this end.

    1947 CALENDAR

    The yeartext for 1947 is “Oh praise Jehovah, all ye nations”. (Ps. 117:1, Am. Stan. Ver.) The Society’s new calendar features this over a composite three-color picture that differentiates it from any previous calendar and shows the tangible agencies that will be used for time to come in extending the call of the yeartext to earth’s many nations. The calendar date-pad beneath is a real service reminder, designating the six testimony periods and the special objectives of the alternate months. The contribution is 25c a calendar, mailed postpaid, or $1.00 for five copies to one address.

    “WATCHTOWER” STUDIES

    Week of February 2: “Unity and Peace,” fl 1-20 inclusive, The Watchtower January 1, 1947.

    Week of February 9: “Unity and Peace,” fl 21-40 inclusive, The Watchtower January 1, 1947.

    ANNOUNCING JEHOVAH’S KINGDOM

    Vol. LXVIII January 1, 1947 No. 1

    UNITY AND PEACE

    “Keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.”—Eph. 4: 3.

    JEHOVAH is the great Unifier and Peacemaker. He is the Father of “The Prince of Peace”. He gave mankind a natural basis for being united and at peace with one another, and that is that they are all of one flesh and blood. Jehovah God “hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth”. (Acts 17:26) This natural basis for human harmony and oneness as of one human family was upset when selfishness entered and led to disobedience to Him the Creator, which disobedience is sin.

    2 The first man, Adam, was created a “son of God”. (Luke 3: 38) Had he and his wife Eve kept on in an obedient childlike relationship with their Creator, their children would naturally have been born as children of God, and in righteousness and perfection. Continuing as such, men would have loved one another and consequently been at peace with one another as in one amiable family circle. Moreover, their earthly parent Adam, as the head of the human household, would have taught them all the love of God and the worship of God. This perfect human family would thus have been all united around the worship of the one true and living God, and. such common worship and love of God would have barred out all division, confusion and discord with one another. The rule would have applied to them as much as it now applies to God’s spiritual family: “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” (1 John 4:20,21) But Adam and Eve let themselves be turned from the love of God by his great adversary, Satan the Devil. Thereupon peace left the earth.

    3 What was essential for humanity’s unity and peace back at the start of our race remains true in this the sixtieth century since then. The simplicity

    1. What basis for unity and harmony did God first give humankind? and how was it upset? •

    2. Around what would the perfect human family have been united? and what rule of love would have applied?

    3. (a) What is the essential basic principle for an undivided, peaceful new world? (b) What has acted as a divisive force, and who confesses to that fact? of this truth should not make us scoff at it as too elementary and as not on a level with this highly educated, far-advanced, worldly-wise twentieth century of the so-called “age of brains”. The harmonious worship of the one living and true God, whom all the scriptures proclaim to be Jehovah, is the basic principle for an undivided, peaceful new world. Religion, or “more religion” than what this earth has had for the past six thousand years, will not pacify the peoples and nations and bring mankind into unity with God, the one Source of life. The part that religion has played in keeping men apart from one another is owned up to by all honest thinkers. And now comes the noted clergyman the minister emeritus of the Riverside church in New York city and publicly admits the same thing. Incidentally he shows up the difference between religion and Christianity, which is the worship of God as Christ Jesus taught it. Sunday, September 29, 1946, this clergyman addressed a sermon to an overflow’ congregation ; and, to quote from the report of his sermon in the New York Times of the next morning:

    “Asserting that ‘Christianity’s hope nowT depends on presenting to the world the universal profundities of the Gospel,’ Dr. Fosdick said that religion today, ‘which ought to unite humankind, divides mankind instead and helps to increase the world’s confusion.’ ” “Referring to recent riots in India, he said: ‘The wmrld is certainly a mess and what helps to make it a mess is not simply politics, nationalism, imperialism and all the ungodly forces that divide us, but alas, religion.’”—New York Times, September 30, 1946.

    ‘ The truth of what this religious clergyman says is so obvious that other clergy, Protestant, Jewish and Catholic, dare not deny it. Everywhere, by the conditions inside and outside of Christendom, the truth stands demonstrated that Jehovah God, the almighty Peacemaker, has removed his peace from this messed-up world and its organization of politics, commerce and religion. Is he, then, to be charged with its wars, tribulations and woes upon the people ?

    4. If God has removed his peace from this world, why Is he not responsible for its wars, tribulations and woes on mankind?

    No; but Satan the Devil, who is “the god of this world”, is the one chargeable. As many times published in this magazine, The Watchtower, backed with Scriptural and factual proof, God’s kingdom by his anointed King Christ Jesus was brought to birth in the heavens A.D. 1914. War ensued up there against the opposers of the newborn Theocratic Government. In the outcome of that war beginning A.D. 1914, Satan and his invisible demon hosts were worsted and they were, so to speak, “cast out into the earth” and have been restrained thenceforth down to this earth’s vicinity. Therefore a voice sounded out in heaven, saying, according to the prophetic account at Revelation 12:10-12: “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. . . . Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” That shows this world does not have God’s protection against woes from Satan.

    5 Till this cast-down Satan the Demi is bound by Jehovah’s King Christ Jesus for the thousand years of his reign there will be no unity and peace among mankind in general, regardless of how feverishly the politicians, big business men, militarists, social reformers and religious clergymen plan and scheme together. Satan the Devil is not just interested in driving mankind farther and farther away from Jehovah God and his King Jesus Christ by embittering them with woeful sufferings. He is also desperately anxious to break up the peace and unity of Christ’s brethren on earth whom he has continuously accused falsely before God in heaven day and night. His accusation against them has been that none of Christ’s brethren on earth would keep their integrity toward God and hold fast to God’s universal sovereignty and kingdom by the time that Satan the Devil got through tempting and persecuting them. This accusation has, of course, been proved false by the faithful practicers of Christianity, because, as Revelation 12:11 says, “they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb [Christ Jesus], and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

    THE ONE VISIBLE ORGANIZATION OF PEACE

    6 There is only one visible organization on earth where peace and unity should and must exist, and where they do exist, and it is the organization of

    5. What is Satan now interested in doing? and how have Christians proved him a false accuser?

    6. What is the one visible organization of unity and peace? and why does it need God’s protection and preservation?

    Christ’s falsely accused brethren. They stick to the fact that they were bought by the blood of Christ Jesus and are no longer their own, and therefore they are obligated to serve God, who thus bought them, and not serve men of this world. They publicly give their word of testimony; and, by thus bearing witness, they are the witnesses of Jehovah God in behalf of his Son Jesus Christ, the Lamb. They do not care if this course of action costs them their human lives. They do not let Satan’s terrorism make them surrender to his world organization by denying Jesus’ blood and by silencing their testimony as Jehovah’s witnesses. They cling fast to God’s Theocratic organization, which is His woman and their mother. Hence Satan, God’s enemy, wars upon such children of God’s woman; as we read: “And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child [the new Government]. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Rev. 12:13,17) Whereas Almighty God does not protect this world against the malicious Devil, he does protect and preserve the organization of the faithful remnant of the brethren of Christ against the warlike attacks of Satan the Devil.

    7 Under the driving force of fear of the things threatening to come upon the earth the political, commercial and religious leaders are working anxiously for the unity and peace of the world. If we peep behind the visible scene by means of the revealing Word of God, we see also the Devil and his demons, who know they have but a short time left, gathering all nations and their rulers into a united opposition to God’s kingdom by his Son. They have no peaceable feelings toward that kingdom, but are bent upon a showdown fight against it at the field of Armageddon. (Rev. 16:14-16) Faced with such united world opposition to God’s kingdom, and under the stress of the war which the Dragon, the Devil, is malting upon them, the faithful remnant of Christ’s brethren need to look very carefully to peace and unity within their own ranks. For certain the wily adversary is bent on disturbing the visible organization of God’s remnant. Since God prevented him from destroying the remnant in this last global war, he now tries to break up the organization and thus hinder them from together keeping God’s commandments and together holding forth the testimony to God’s name and kingdom, which testimony Jesus Christ now commits to them to hold forth.

    8 In an effort to weaken and break down the

    7. In view of world developments, why do the remnant need to look carefully to peace and unity within their own ranks’’

    8. In an effort to weaken and break down the organization how does Satan now use certain professed Christians ? organization Satan causes certain professed Christians to get filled with a spirit of independent thought and action. He raises these up to publish and declare that Jehovah God has no recognizable united, compact organization of his people upon the earth, which organization He uses as his chosen servant and through which he feeds his people with spiritual truth and sends them instructions as to how they may jointly serve Him with a combined effectiveness. The persons with such anti-organization ideas say that for us to hold to God’s organization of His servants is “channelism”. Such persons argue in favor of making God’s consecrated people loose, insubordinate to all organization, subject to their own decisions as to how to serve God, and left foot-loose to wander hither and yon seeking spiritual food wherever they think they see it, from indiscriminate sources or channels, themselves to be the judges as to whether it is truth or not and “meat in due season”. They argue that they themselves are individual channels of divine truth as much as anybody else or any organization; that they are specially chosen of God as individual purveyors to provide the present truth. They say that the channel they once recognized has denied the Lord and his voice is no longer heard in or through it, and hence God’s consecrated servants should break loose and look to new channels, themselves.

    9 The intent of all that is to disjoint all members of God’s organization and make them fly apart, to depend upon direct individual leadings of the Lord God with no organization to bind them together as brethren, as members of God’s family with one standard of faith, hope and action. Thus disconnected from all organization, they become easy marks for the adversary and his hosts to pick off one by one and to shoot down with his fiery darts. All who care for their own spiritual safety will resist such disruptive arguments of men who seek to draw away disciples after themselves. They will keep their vision of Jehovah’s Theocratic organization clear and unblurred and will preserve their unity with it.

    10 All mankind are one human family. They are like one big human organism, of one flesh and blood. Naturally what hurts one member hurts them all, and neglect or oppression toward one member leads to injury of-the whole corporate humanity at last. Man’s failure to appreciate this fact is reaping frightful consequences today. Quite aptly, then, the apostle Paul compares the congregation of Christ’s followers to a perfect human body. He does so in order to illustrate that there must be unity between

    9. What is the intent of all such? and what will those careful for their own spiritual safety do about it?

    10. By comparing the Christian congregation to the human body, what does the apostle show as regards organization? this body of Christians under Jesus Christ their Head. In likening this body of Christians to the most wonderful organization known to man, namely, the human organism, the apostle shows that Jehovah God has a visible organization and that his consecrated people under Jesus Christ the Head must be that visible organization. Let the opposers and the self-governing independents call this “channelism”, if they will, but the Bible shows that Jehovah God anointed this body of Christ, and it alone, with his holy spirit. By it he carries on his work in the earth. Upon it, and it alone, he bestowed his gifts of the spirit through Jesus Christ. In support of this truth we have but to consider the apostle’s argument in his several letters to the organized Christian congregations of his day.

    11 Paul founded the congregation at Corinth. Writing it, he says: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led.” (1 Cor. 12:1,2, Am. Stan. Ver.) Jehovah God did not use those speechless idols as channels to convey spiritual gifts. Those images had no power to speak or see or teach and could not give any spiritual gifts of speaking out truths or prophecies or foreign languages, to the ignorant pagans that worshiped them. God gives the spirit and spiritual gifts through Jesus Christ. “Wherefore I make known unto you, that no man speaking in the spirit of God saith, Jesus is anathema; and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the holy spirit.” (Verse 3) The spirit or active force of God does not operate contradictorily and contrary to itself. It does not cause one man to say that Jesus is accursed and another man to say Jesus is the Lord and Master. Any spirit or active force that causes any person to say a curse upon Jesus must, therefore, be of God’s adversary, the Devil, for God’s spirit is one and is at agreement with itself. It is holy, and therefore it causes Christians to confess God’s holy Son Jesus as the Lord who bought them with his precious blood of human sacrifice. That spirit of God promotes and preserves unity among all those upon whom it operates.

    12 But, you may ask, if it is one spirit or active force coming from Jehovah God and through his one channel, Jesus Christ, why is it, then, that Christians do different works? Why would they not all be equal to one and the same work by the spirit of God? The apostle replies: “Now there are varieties of gracious gifts, but the same spirit; and there are varieties of services, and the same Lord, and there are varieties

    11. How does Paul show the former worshipers of dumb idols that God’s spirit is not self-contradicting?

    12. What varieties of operations does Paul next describe, but by what does he say all are done ? of workings, and the same God is he who works all things among all. And to each is given the manifestation of the spirit for the benefit of all. For to one is given, through the spirit, a word of wisdom; and to another, a word of knowledge, according'to the same spirit; and to another, faith by the same spirit; and to another, gifts of cures by the same spirit. And to another, operations of mighty works; and to another, prophecy; and to another, discriminations of spirits; and to another, different languages ; and to another, interpretation of languages.” —1 Cor. 12:4-10, The Emphatic Diaglott.

    18 The varieties of spiritual gifts and powers bestowed upon various Christians do not argue against there being just the one God over all of them, and one Lord Jesus as his appointed Head over them, and one and the same spirit or active force from the one divine Source. The fact that all Christians did not speak with miraculous gifts of foreign languages does not mean that those lacking the gifts of tongues were lacking God’s spirit. The gift of tongues was not the one exclusive test to prove they were accepted with God and were accepted with his Christ and had the spirit of God. And the fact that God’s consecrated witnesses of today do not miraculously speak and preach -with foreign tongues does not, therefore, mean that Jehovah God’s spirit has not been poured out upon them in these last days. (Joel 2:28,29) Those gifts of tongues and of healings were especially bestowed by and through the twelve apostles and passed away with their death. (Acts 8:14-20; 10: 44-47; 19: 6; Rom. 1:11) But the spirit or active force of God is capable of a great variety of manifestations in harmony with God’s holy purpose. Hence varied manifestations of the spirit are not meant to counteract one another and produce disunity and friction. They are meant to be for the profit of all Christians who have been anointed with this one and the same spirit of Jehovah God.

    14 It is not the individual Christian that makes the choice of a particular gift of the spirit. If it were left to each individual Christian to choose, there would likely be an overweight or preponderance of one kind of gift as against others, leading to an unbalance and to an artificial scarcity of other valuable gifts. It is Jehovah who governs those consecrated to him through Christ, and he determines what particular gifts shall be bestowed by his spirit or active force and upon whom. To this effect Paul says: “But all these things performs the one and the same spirit, distributing to each in particular as it will.”—1 Cor. 12:11, Diaglott.

    13. Why is not the variety of gifts and powers a reason for disunity and friction?

    14. Who determines’ the spiritual gifts to be bestowed? and why?

    A UNITARY CORPORATE ORGANIZATION

    15 God’s one corporate organization can be acted upon by the one spirit of the one God but •with varieties of manifestation through the active organization members. How so? The apostle illustrates. All these organization members are anointed with the one spirit of God. “Now he which establisheth us ■with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God,” writes Paul to his Corinthian brethren. (2 Cor. 1:21) The title Christ means Anointed One; and thus all these organization members under Christ Jesus their Head are members of the Christ company or congregation or body. Their anointing with God’s spirit is unto service, as the apostle has shown above. So, with this understanding, Paul continues his explanation, saying: “For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, many as they are, form one body, so it is with Christ. For we have all—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free men—been baptized in one spirit to form one body, and we have all been saturated [imbued] •with one spirit.”—1 Cor. 12:12,13, An Amer. Trans.

    16 There is no more closely knit, compact and harmonious organization than the human body. The Christ company under Jesus their Head is like that body and is therefore a united organization. It must stay closely bound together and at peace with itself, so as to get the benefit of all the varied services of all its members. Differences of services rendered by the many members do not mean the organization is not one body under Jesus the Head; no more than the different performances by the different members of the human organism make it a disunited, shapeless, unidentifiable, inharmonious collection of different things. No; but the body is outfitted with various parts and members so as to be suited for life upon this earth •with dominion over the lower animal creatures. It is one soul, with one head, and with one life-force which is in the one blood-stream that feeds the whole body. Likewise with the organization of God’s anointed Christians under their Head Jesus; they are members many in number and with a variety of service and activity, but they have all been made to drink of one spirit, namely, the one holy active force that descends from the Power Plant, Jehovah God, and through their one capital member, Jesus Christ. Although they were, to start with, Jews and non-Jews, slavemen and free, male and female, they have all been imbued or saturated with this one spirit, because they are a unitary organization under one Head.

    17 Difference and variety of service do not divide them, but the one spirit binds them together. All

    15. By reason of their anointing what do these Christians compose? and unto what is their anointing?

    16. Why is the Christ company like the human body?

    17. For what common good and purpose are all services? services are for the benefit of all those of the organization, and for the carrying out of the one over-all purpose of the organization, namely, the service commission which was put upon Jesus, the Head of the organization, when he was anointed with God’s spirit, namely: “The spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the year of Jehovah’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified.”—Isa. 61:1-3, Am. Stan. Ver.; quoted by Jesus Christ, at Luke 4:16-21.

    INTERDEPENDENCE OF MEMBERS

    16 In Christ’s body Jehovah God finds a usefulness and service for each and every member, and therefore he anoints each and every member with his holy spirit or active force. Mindful of this comforting fact, no member of the body will feel so inferior that, because he does not have a more outstanding and far-reaching part in God’s service, he will view himself as no part of the body of Christ. Because Paul, as an apostolic member of the governing body of the church, declared: “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection,” and, “I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence,” that does not mean that women devoted to God and anointed with his spirit are no part of Christ’s body nor given a certain service therein to render. (1 Tim. 2:11,12) To correct such a discouraging, divisive outlook the apostle further wrote, using the body to illustrate:

    19 “If the foot says, ‘As I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,’ that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, 'As I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,’ that does not make it any less a part of the body. If all the body were eye, how would we hear ? If it were all ear, how could we have a sense of smell? As it is, God has arranged the parts, every one of them in the body as he wished-them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I do not need you,’ or the head to the feet, ‘I do not need you.’ ”—1 Cor. 12:14-21, An Amer. Trans.

    20 Here the apostle Paul was not likening Christ’s

    18, 19. Why should no member feel so inferior as to think himself outside the body? and what illustration does Paul use?

    20. Why was the apostle not likening the Christ to a body whose various parts existed separately during the successive centuries? body to an elongated body whose length stretched over centuries of time and whose distinct parts come into existence one after another during the successive centuries of time, with the shoulder members existing in the first century in the apostolic times, and the other members coming alive during the later centuries, with finally the feet members coming into existence in this century in the “time of the end”. Such a view would mean that in the first century the Lord’s Theocratic organization was all shoulders, and that down here in these “last days” the Lord’s organization is all feet. It would mean that the organization in the first century did get along as shoulders without the help of the rest of the body and ■without the feet. It would mean that in this time of the end the “feet” do get along without the upper members of the body, including the shoulders. To the contrary of such a view, the apostle says: “The eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.”—Verse 21.

    21 Manifestly, then, the apostle compares the Lord’s visible organization on earth, at any time that it exists, to a whole body having many members, with many forms of service accordingly, and with all members interdependent upon one another. Where there is interdependence of the members of an organization upon one another, there must be unity. Why? In order to work together for the benefit of the whole organization and all its members. Hence, not only should the organization of Jehovah God’s people throughout the world take to heart this illustration drawn by the apostle, but each local company and unit of Jehovah’s organized people should apply the illustration to itself. Take also the organization’s legal servant, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. It has now fifty-seven Branches outside the United States in different countries of the earth. So it is needful for the same principle of unity to govern all Branches and for all to keep at one with the central office and carry out instructions from headquarters in their respective countries or territories. Suppose we take the following example:

    22 Paul and Barnabas had been out on foreign missionary service, and at the time were serving at their posts in Antioch of Syria. Certain divisive elements showed up to stir up much local disturbance, debate and discussion. Paul and Barnabas were assigned to go up to the then headquarters at Jerusalem, to a meeting of the governing body there, to have the troublesome matter fully aired and a decision rendered thereon with the help of God’s spirit. After receiving the decision through the

    21. In what way, then, does Paul compare it to the human body? and who should take to heart this illustration of unity?

    22. What illustration do we have of this in Barnabas, Paul and Silas? governing body at Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas returned and the decision was put in effect in Antioch. Afterward, as Paul and Silas made missionary revisits in other Roman Empire provinces, they published and put into effect the decision of the central governing body at Jerusalem. For so doing, it would be wrong and unscriptural to accuse Paul and Silas of “channelism”. Rather, they saw and acted with the Lord God’s organization. In place of trying to be democratic, self-guiding, self-choosing, independent, they submitted to organization orderliness and worked for peace and unity with the organization and within it, in every land they visited. —Acts 15:1-16: 5.

    23 No one in the organization should feel so superior as to ignore others, such as those doing a very common or menial-looking service. An uplifted, offish attitude of one rendering a prominent or seemingly important service does not build up unity in the organization. An individual ought to remember that he himself is not important or irreplaceable, but it is the office of service that is important and that must be carried out. It has a relationship close or remote with all other offices or kinds of service in the organization, regardless of how inferior. What makes for unity in the organization is the unselfish concern of all the members for one another, with humility and with the effort to aid another member where he may lack. After all, this is all for the good of the organization as a whole and for its proper appearance before the world. This works out for the glory of the Lord God, because it proves his spirit is upon the organization. It oils up and smooths the way for the whole organization to do God’s appointed work with no grinding and clashing in any of its parts. This follows the principle according to which the Lord God fashioned the human body; just as the apostle goes on to illustrate, saying:

    24 “But much more necessary are those members of the body which are thought to be more feeble; and those parts of the body which we esteem to be less honorable, around them we throw more abundant honor, and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness; and our comely parts have no need. God, however, put together the body, having given somewhat more abundantly to that part which was lacking, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may be concerned equally for each other; and whether one member suffer, all the members sympathize; or, whether one member is glorified, all the members rejoice with it. Now you

    23. Why should none exercise a superior feeling over others’ and why should there be common concern for all members?

    24. How does the apostle next illustrate this? are a body of Christ, and members in part.”—1 Cor. 12:22-27, Diaglott.

    25 The little finger and the little toe are in themselves feeble members of the body, and yet how necessary they are to proper handling and walking! In a jostling crowd we safeguard the little toe, because, if this feeble member is stepped on by a heavy heel, how it makes the whole body contort with pain and the mouth give explosive outcry in sympathetic reaction! Likewise, in cold weather, if the hands and feet are kept warm it contributes to the general comfort of the entire body. Hence the members of the human body, despite performing different services, do not isolate themselves from one another, but co-operate with one another, looking to one another’s welfare and proper performance with ease. If the head is crowned with the reward of service, no envy or begrudging is aroused in another member, but all the rest of the body responds to that fact and rejoices. If the feet are shod with unsightly or ill-kept shoes, the rest of a self-respecting person responds to that fact and feels embarrassed and ill at ease in the presence of company.

    26 The apostle presses the point that the congregation of Christ at any time in its existence on earth during “this present evil world” should be just like the human body in these vital respects. In creating mankind’s first parent, Adam, Jehovah God made him with no design of divisions or schisms to be in perfect man’s body, but that all parts and members thereof should naturally care for one another. Just like that it should be with that larger organization, the body of Christ, of whom the anointed Christians are members in particular. All must bear a responsibility toward one another, and-this should be borne with love, such love as Jehovah God had in making the human body. “But whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?” (1 John 3:17, Am. Stan. Ver.) We should have mutual love for one another as members of the Lord’s organization under Christ Jesus, mainly because the Lord’s commissioned work for the '"body of Christ” is concerned, namely, that of proclaiming the Kingdom gospel. Such love is Christlike. It is a fruit of God’s spirit and is a great unifier and binder within the organization; as it is written, at Colossians 3:14: “And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.” —Am. Stan. Ver.

    " With loving helpfulness to one another in rendering our several services to God there will be no open-

    25 What practical examples of the apostle’s points can we give’ 26. With what quality should all bear responsibility toward one another, and why ?

    27 . Why Is not Christendom with Its sects and cults comparable to the human body and its many different parts? ing for schism and division in His visible organization, such as exists in the religious organization of Christendom which is divided into hundreds of cults, sects and so-called “churches”. Under no circumstances can such various sectarian religious organizations be compared to the various members of the human-body which have each a different function. Why not? Because the members of the human body, despite being many with different services to perform, are nevertheless one body. The religious organization of Christendom is not one body, but is split up and fights within itself over various political and racial as well as religious disagreements. The apostle compares the members of the human body, not to the sects which he deplores in his letter, but to individual members of Jehovah’s Theocratic organization under Christ Jesus the Head. (1 Cor. 12:25; 1:11-13; 3:3-5; 11:18,19) Christendom’s religious organization lias never taken to heart the apostle’s illustration from the human body, and she does not have unity and peace inside her religious structure. How, then, could she be a really effective force for the unity and peace of the proposed “one world created by human hands”?

    28 God is not responsible for the different religious sectarian organizations, Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish, but He is responsible for the difference of services rendered by the many individual members within his Theocratic organization. It is He as Creator of his Theocratic organization that has set the members of the organizational body every one according as it pleased him. It is his purpose that they should all co-operate with one another in love, like the different members of the one human body. Hence the apostle says: “Now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, divers kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? have all gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?” According to the facts, the answer was No!

    29 In one respect all members could be alike. That was in love. Love would abide and endure after miraculous gifts passed away at the passing of the church out of its primitive infancy. So Paul does not give the self-evident answer to his question, but adds this admonition for miraculous speakers with tongues and for prophets and other gifted ones: “But desire earnestly the greater gifts. And moreover a most excellent way show I unto you. If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not

    28. Who Is responsible for the difference and variety of services, and how so?

    29. In what one respect should they be alike in development? love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. . . . But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor. 12: 27-13:13, Am. Stan. Ver.) This is a warning for us regarding all service that we render in the organization as members thereof according to God’s gracious gift to us. We must be moved by love of God and of our brethren in order for the service to count in His sight. Various forms of activity and service may pass out as time moves on, but the development of love within us will remain and will hold us true to Jehovah God and his organization under Christ.

    FOR INTERNATIONAL UNITY

    so The Christian congregation at Corinth, Greece, to which Paul wrote as above, was over 600 miles southeast from Rome, which was in a different nation, of course. Nonetheless, the Christian congregation there at Rome, Italy, was also a part of the body of Christ as thus far expanded. So the apostle Paul wrote them instructions like those sent to Corinth, because the same instructions applied to all parts and members of Christ’s body, whether at Rome or at Corinth or at Jerusalem. Their being of different nationalities according to the flesh did not call for different sets of instruction. To warn the Roman Christians lest any of them grow conceited and think themselves different and superior to others of the body and thereby start divisive schisms among the body members, the apostle Paul wrote:

    31 “In virtue of my office [as an apostle and a member of the church’s governing body], I tell every one of your number who is self-important, that he is not to think more of himself than he ought to think; he must take a sane view of himself, corresponding to the degree of faith which God has assigned to each. In our one body we have a number of members, and the members have not all the same function; so too, for all our numbers, we form one Body in Christ and we are severally members one of another. Our talents differ with the grace that is given us; if the talent is that of prophecy, let us employ it in proportion to our faith; if it is practical service, let us mind our service; the teacher must mind his teaching, the speaker his words of counsel; the contributor must be liberal, the superintendent must be in earnest, the sick visitor [or one acting with mercy] must be cheerful. Let your love be a real thing, with a loathing for evil and a bent for what is good. Put affection into your love for the brotherhood;... Keep in harmony with one another; instead of being ambitious, associate with humble

    30. Why were like Instructions sent out, although to congregations in different nations ?

    31. What like Instruction did Paul write the Christians at Rome? folk; never be self-conceited.”—Rom. 12:3-16, Moffatt.

    52 All such instruction had as its purpose the promoting and strengthening and preserving of unity within the Roman congregation of Christians. And as a sister to such organizational unity there would exist harmony or peace. But to remind us specifically of the pacific purpose of Christians one toward another and toward all "with whom we must associate in life’s dealings, Paul makes this further remark: “Be at peace with all men, if possible, so far as that depends on you.” (Rom. 12:18, Moffatt) Those heeding this apostolic instruction will avoid being troublemakers and disturbers, and will carry on quiet dealings with others. They will not intentionally provoke strife, turmoil and quarrel; but if controversy and disagreement are stirred up, they will let it be from the other party, because he objects to their proclaiming the truth of God’s Word. Even the Perfect One, Jesus Christ, ran into controversy, opposition and disturbance because he preached the Kingdom truth. We, his followers, are not above him or better than he and cannot do other than also rouse up opposition and debate because of sharing in the “testimony of Jesus Christ” and proclaiming the truth. The purpose of the gospel is not to stir up strife and controversy, but it is the antagonists of the truth that hatefully stir up such. Such is unavoidable in those cases, and we should not stop publishing the Kingdom truth in order to avoid such. Paul did not do so.

    33 However, among brethren within the Theocratic organization of Christ’s body, such controversy, strife, contention, wrangling and strained relations with one another should not be, because all are understood to be and taken to be lovers and upholders of the truth. As far, then, as depends upon us, we should seek to get along in peace with those devoted to the truth and wanting to serve God. If we love the truth, then let us look above our personal feelings and desires to the one over-all purpose of the Lord’s organization in Christ. Then we will rise above petty personal things of strife and will go along harmoniously with our brethren in the paramount service of God. We must get along accordantly with one another in God’s organization. Are we not all subject to the same regulations and to the same general witnessing obligations? Are we not all targets of the one common enemy, the world? Are we not all bound together in the one purpose of vindicating God’s name and universal sovereignty? Yes! Then, as far as depends upon us, let us be

    32. (a) What was the purpose of Paul’s instruction? (b) Why should peace with all men be as far as possible and as it depends upon us? 33. Why should not strife and strained relations be between the brethren, but, instead, efforts toward peace and unity? dependable to work and live in the interests of unity and peace.

    “ This is the course of heavenly wisdom: “But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth. This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace.”—Jas. 3:14-18, Am. Stan. Ver.

    THE COMMON OBJECTIVE

    35 In every direction this energetic missionary apostle, Paul, found it advisable and timely to send out inspired exhortations to unity and peace. Turning in the other direction from Rome, eastward to Asia Minor, he wrote instructions like those sent to Corinth and Rome and sent such to the congregations in Ephesus and in Colosse, because they, too, were part of the one body of Christ. To the Colos-sians he wrote: "And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body.” (Col. 3:14,15, Am. Stan. Ver.) Today, nineteen centuries from then, the call still is to peace among the remnant of Christ’s body members, now when religious Christendom is split and at odds with herself in a thousand and one ways over one selfish cause or another. The divisive spirit pervading religious Christendom the remnant of Christ’s brethren cannot afford to let infiltrate among themselves, because the body of Christ is called to peace. His peace must rule among them. They are his friends, not his enemies. He must rule among them, his friends, his brethren, as their “Prince of Peace”, especially so now since he was enthroned in the Theocratic Government at the right hand of Jehovah God A.D. 1914. “The government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called . . . , The Prince of Peace.”—Isa. 9: 6.

    38 With like exhortation the apostle wrote to the Ephesians from his prison in Rome: “I exhort you, therefore, I, the prisoner for the Lord, to walk worthily of the calling with which ye were called, with all humility and gentleness; with patience, sustaining each other in love; using diligence to preserve the unity of the spirit by the uniting bond of peace; there being one body and one spirit, as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one immersion; one God and Father

    34. Why is this the course of heavenly wisdom, and not earthly?

    35. What like Instruction did Paul send to the Colossians? and why is this call to peace especially applicable since A.D. 1914?

    36. What corresponding instruction did Paul send to the Ephesians? of all, he who is over all, and through all, and in all. But to each one of us was given favor according to the measure of the free gift of the Anointed One [Christ]. Therefore it is said, ‘Having ascended on high, he led a multitude of captives, and gave gifts to men.’ And he gave indeed the apostles, and the prophets, and the evangelists, and shepherds and teachers.”—Eph. 4:1-8,11, Diaglott.

    3T Here we pause for a question to sharpen our interest in what the apostle next says, namely, What was the objective in all such gifts of different servants in the body of Christ? was it, indeed, to pit one kind of servant against another kind in competition and to create an uppish clergy and a nether laity and thus produce divisive distinctions? Answer to the question comes with a positive No in the apostle’s next words, namely: “For the complete qualification of the saints for the work of service, in order to the building up of the body of the Anointed One [Christ]; till we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the full stature of the Anointed One; .. . but being truthful in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the Head,—the Anointed One; from whom the whole body, being fitly joined and united, by means of every assisting joint, according to the proportionate energy of each single part, effects the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”—Eph. 4:12-16, Diaglott.

    38 Now, in this “time of the end”, is most decidedly the time when the body of Christ, or its remnant on earth, should rightly be expected to attain to that maturity of spiritual growth like the stature of a perfect man, one body, in Christ. Maturity and the full stature of Christ’s body means unity and harmonious, peaceful functioning of all the members of His body with mutual interdependence and helpfulness. It means standing firm in the one faith and in the one hope, immovable in this stormy time when the mighty winds of false religious doctrines and propaganda blow and the smooth-handed trickery of political, commercial and religious men of this world is craftily practiced by means of errors that are against the established kingdom of God. The men and women of Christendom betray themselves to be like immature infants swayed and carried to and fro by these winds of doctrine and propaganda. They are childishly-tricked and fooled repeatedly by the cunning craftiness of power-grabbing rulers and office-seekers of the world.

    37. What was the Lord’s objective in giving such gifts of different servants?

    38. What do maturity and the full stature of Christ’s body mean now?

    38 But not so the mature remnant of the body of Christ yet on earth, and not so their loyal companions of good-will. The remnant, with their goodwill companions inseparably at their side, stand upright like mature, strong men, unbending, unswayed, uncompromisingly firm and steady for the truth and for clean-handed, above-board dealings in publishing the truth. The Theocratic organization which holds them stands united in its immovableness, its members fighting fearlessly “shoulder to shoulder” for the faith of the gospel of God’s kingdom. (Phil. 1:27, 28) Unitedly they uphold the universal sovereignty of their one God, Jehovah. Unitedly, they hold fast to the Headship and Leadership of their one Lord, Jesus Christ. Unitedly they resist the confusing, selfish spirit of this world, but pray and open their hearts fully for the one spirit proceeding from God and through Jesus Christ, and which holy spirit is an active unifying force, energizing them to combined, concordant activity in the service of God.

    10 Jehovah God now makes peace within his visible organization on earth. (Ps. 147:14) To the wicked, however, he decrees no peace, and there is no peace in this world. (Isa. 48:18, 22) His “Prince of Peace”, Christ Jesus, now reigns at His side in the kingdom that was born A.D. 1914. Jehovah’s command to Christ is: “Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.” (Ps. 110: 2) With those enemies Jehovah will make no peace negotiations. At the field of Armageddon where all nations are lining up for the final display of their might against Jehovah’s universal sovereignty He will smite through them and destroy them, to give ever-enduring proof that he is the rightful sovereign over all the earth and all the rest of the universe. In blessed contrast therewith, Jehovah’s enthroned “Prince of Peace” rules in the midst of his remnant and their good-will companions with all peaceable purposes, to hold them together in one under his protection and blessing. Hence, in the midst of a strife-torn, disquieted world, there should be one visible organization where permanent peace and unity exist, and that should be Jehovah’s organization of His •witnesses under the “Prince of Peace”, Christ Jesus. It should stand, and, by God’s grace, it does stand, to the glory of Jehovah God, as a visible, tangible sample of the everlasting peace and unity of the righteous new world which He will early usher in by his kingdom under Jesus Christ.

    39. How do the remnant and their loyal companions show maturity iu contrast with the men and women of the world?

    40. What is now the contrast between Jehovah’s rule toward his enemies and that toward his remnant and their companions?

    Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; and let them say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth.

    —1 Chronicles 16:31, A.S.V.

    THE Jewish prophets, Ezekiel and Jeremiah, both of them priests of the tribe of Levi, were contemporaries. However, Jeremiah was selected to prophesy thirty-three years before Ezekiel. In the twenty-ninth year-of Jeremiah’s prophesying, Ezekiel was one of the young men who was carried away captive with King Jehoiachin to the far-distant land of Babylon by Emperor Nebuchadnezzar. This deposing of King Jehoiachin and carrying away of thousands of Jewish captives to Babylon was because of the abominations that Jehoiachin and many of his subjects were committing religiously in the capital city Jerusalem and the rest of the kingdom of Judah.

    Although carried off captive, Ezekiel was not slaughtered, and the reason was that he was a faithful servant and witness of Jehovah God and was not guilty of the religious abominations committed by the majority of his fellow countrymen. Hence, in the fifth year of his captivity in Babylon God raised up Ezekiel to be his prophet among the Israelite captives in that heathenish land. There Ezekiel protested against the many abominations still being committed in Jerusalem and he gave numerous prophecies against such. In this protest against abominations of religion, Ezekiel was associated with Jeremiah, although far away, because right in Jerusalem itself the prophet Jeremiah made like protests in the name of Jehovah God against the religious abominations committed in that city and the rest of the kingdom. These prophetic protests by both Ezekiel and Jeremiah continued until the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C., when many thousands of Jews, guilty of religious abominations, were slaughtered by the conquerors.

    Jerusalem of that day professed to be a holy city, dedicated to God and the capital city of his Theocratic kingdom organization on earth. In such regards unfaithful Jerusalem was a type of modern-day Christendom, which likewise professes to be holy to God and to be His visible organization of his people. Therefore Christendom is the antitypical unfaithful Jerusalem. In the ninth chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy is recorded a prophetic picture of the “abominations” that refer ahead to the wickedness done in Christendom of the present time. The prophetic picture is symbolic and shows six men, each of whom is armed with a weapon of destruction called a “slaughter weapon” and standing ready to destroy the city. This has a present-day meaning for the religious organization called “Christendom”. The city of Jerusalem is the city meant in Ezekiel’s prophetic picture and symbolically represents the corresponding organization of Christendom, which claims to serve God and Christ but in fact serves Satan the Devil. Along with those six armed men of the prophetic picture is another man, but “clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side”. This man compared with Ezekiel and Jeremiah who were faithful witnesses of Jehovah back there, and hence he pictures Jehovah’s witnesses of today, the faithful followers of Christ Jesus who go to make up his remnant of heirs of the heavenly kingdom of God yet on the earth. On the other hand, the six men with slaughter weapons picture the invisible forces of the Lord that will destroy antitypical Jerusalem (or Christendom) at the battle of Armageddon.

    …