8
1
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download/literature/watchtower/1900-13.pdf
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(194
195)
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1
()
LV'S
TIVA
T
C
H
TO
TV
Ii
R
a
ulc,,~iug,
it
c\
idell(e,.;
to
{JUl'
mind~
whitt
i,
auundantly"tate,l
cbewhere
111
Scnpturc,
that
nothing
that
we
have
or
could
offel
to
the
Lord
would
bc
more
acceptable
in
his
sight
than
faith
faith
in
him,
m
his
power,
in
his
love
and
in
his
promises,
'VllOcver
wIll
not
exerCI~e
faith
in
the~e
things
cannot
grow
in
kuowledge
of
the
Lord,
cannot
make
development,
cannot
be
overeomen,
gaining
the
desired
victory,
for,
"This
is
the
victory
that
overcometh
the
world,
even
0111'
faith,"
and
'~Vithout
faith
it
is
impo~sible
to
please
God,"-l
John
5:4;
Heb.
11
:6,
Thele
is
little
that
any
of
us
possess
that
we
could
reason
ably
hope
would
be
acceptable
to
God
outside
those
mercies
which
11e
has
be~towed
upon
us
through
Christ-faith,
trust
In
God,
IS
one
of
tho"e
heart-qualities
which
we
can
bring
to
the
Lord,
that
he
will
not
despibe;
honesty
of
heart
is
another,
humility,
realizing
our
utter
dependence
upon
him,
and
con·
fessing
it,
is
another,
These
various
sentiments
were
expressed
by
the
woman
in
the
narrative,
by
her
actions
and
by
her
words,
and
as
these
brought
to
her
divine
favor.
even
before
it
was
due
to
come
to
the
Gentiles,
much
more
should
our
humility,
faith
and
candor
prevail
and
make
us
endeavor
to
do
that
which
IS
pleasing
to
God,
who
has
already
accepted
us
in
the
Beloved,
and
with
whom
he
is
well-pleased
in
pr'"l
portion
to
the
measure
of
our
accepting
through
the
Lord
all
the
exceeding
riches
of
his
grace,
which
he
has
promised
to
them
that
love,
reverence,
trust
and
obey
him.
YOLo
XXI
ALLEGHENY,
PA.,
JULY
1.
1000
"THE
SERVANT
OF
THE
LORD
MUST
NOT
STRIVE,
BUT
BE
GENTLE
UNTO
ALL"
2
TIMOTHY
2:
24-26.
~O.
13
We
commend
this
text
and
its
context
to
the
careful
con
~](ICr,lbon
of
all-e~reciallv
do
the
"Volunteers"
need
to
re
member
it
in
connection
with
the
service
they
are
seeking
to
render
to
the
Lord's
true
sheep
still
in
Babylon.
All
thus
en
gaged
are
"minbters"
and
"teachers"
and
hence
amenable
to
the
same
instructions
as
Timothy.
Some
have
exposed
themselves
to
rebuke
and
criticism
justly,
by
intruding
into
church
property
uninvited.
It
is
usually
best
to
keep
off
the
pavement
fronting
a
church
where
there
is
any
reason
to
think
the
scrvice
would
give
offence;-
and
to
apologize
if
a~ked
to
move
off
it.
If
po,.;~ible
it
is
df'
sirable
to
keep
at
such
a
distance
from
the
buildinO'
as
to
avoid
seeming
to
want
to
serve
its
attendants
more
tha"'n
other
passers-by.
Especially
make
sure
that
your
lleart
is
so
full
of
the
love
of
the
Lord
and
his
brethren
that
it
will
shine
out
in
your
face
;-then
it
will
not
be
necessary
to
urge
your
gift,
but
merely
to
say-Accept
a
free
paper!
Lay
stre~s
upon
the
word
free,
because
some
refuse
thinking
that
eitlH'r
a
price
or
donation
will
be
expected
in
return.
"LOVE
AS
BRETHREN;
BE
SYMPATHETIC;
BE
COURTEOUS"
"1'
ea,
all
of
yOtt
be
subject
one
to
another,
and
be
clothed
with
humility
..
fcr
God
resisteth
the
proud,
and
showet
h
fa
t
or
to
the
h
IImble.
Humble
yourselves,
therefore,
under
the
mighty
hand
of
God,
t/wt
he
rna!J
exalt
Y01t
1n
due
tIme."
1
PETER
3:
8;
5:
5,
6.
The
Apo~tle
ha~
been
addressing
the
elders
of
the
church.
eAhorting
them
to
give
attention
to
the
feeding
of
God's
flock,
and
pointing
out
what
should
be
the
con~training
influe~ce
to
such
a
service.
That
they
may
feel
lus
sympathy
wIth
them
he
points
out
that
he
also
is
an
elder,
and
then
warns
them
against
a
tendency,
natural
to
all
fallen
humanity
in
any
place
of
influence,
to
misconstru~
thei~
position,
and
to
think
of
themselve~
as
100ds
of
God
s
herItage
rather
than
as
sel
vants
of
the
flock.
In
our
day,
the
natural
tendency
in
this
direction
is
greatly
accentuated
bv
the
lon
a
established
custom
of
all
denomina
tions
of
Chris'tians
to
~gard
the
ministers
or
servants
of
the
church
as
of
a
different
class
from
the
others
of
the
flock,-a
('la~~
vested
WIth
authority
from
God,
and
not
amenable
to
the
same
regulations
which
govern
all
the
members
of
the
body.
But
how
great
a
mistake
this
is!
The
Apostle
distinctly
points
out
that
a
servant
is
not
a
ruler,
that
a
se~
vant
has
no
authority.
lnoeed,
so
far
as
the
true
church
IS
<,oncerned,
the
only
authority
in
it
is
the
Lord,
the
Head
of
th!'
church,
and
his
'VOl'll,
and
the
words
of
those
whom
he
specially
chose
to
be
his
mouth-piece,
the
apostles.
Where
these
speak.
all
of
the
body
of
Christ
are
to
give
attention
to
hear.
'Yhere
these
are
silent,
no
one
has
author
ity
to
speak.And
while
an
elrler
should
be
chosen
t?
the
posi
tion
of
servinn
anrl
feedinO"
the
flock
becallse
of
spef'I:11
aptnes~
to
teach
(to
point
out
the
instructions
of
our
Lord
and
the
apostles
upon
any
subject),
and
while
such
an
eloer
shOUld;
therefore,
in
this
,my
be
specially
helpful
to
the
body
01
Christ
in
drawing
the
attention
of
all
to
the
inspired
author
ity
of
the
'YOI'd,
nevert.h~less
any
member
?f.
the
body.
of
Christ
has
the
same
pnvilege-not
of
exercIsmg
authonty,
but
of
callinO'
the
attention
of
his
ft'llows
to
the
Word
of
au·
thOI
itv.
Th~
Apostle
exhorts
the
elders
that
sO
far
from
in
any
nianner
or
degree
exercising
a
lordly
or
authoritative
po
"ition
in
the
church,
they
shoulrl
rnther
be
"ellsamples
to
the
flock."
They
8ho11](1
be
e,amples
in
the
matter
of
meekness,
in
the
mattt'r
of
patience,
in
the
matter
of
brotherly
kindness,
in
the
matter
of
courtesy,
so
that
the
more
any
of
the
brethren
would
copy
these
elders
the
more
would
the
spirit
of
the
Lord
prevail
in
the
flock.
and
the
fruits
and
graces
?f
the
ilpirit
be
manifested.
On
the
contrary,
we
know
that
If
the
elder
or
leader
of
a
little
company
of
the
Lord's
people
be
self-assertive,
dogmatic,
imperious
in
manner,
tone
or
look,
the
effect
upon
the
company
under
his
influence
is
to
produce
bickerings,
rIvah
ies,
ambitions,
strifes
as
to
who
b
greatest,
etc.
Manifestly,
whoever
occupies
the
position
of
an
elder
amongst
the
Lord's
people,
however
small
the
group
may
be.
occupies
a
position
fraught
with
responsibilities
to
the
Lonl
and
to
the
flock,
as
well
as
with
be~etments
to
himst'lf.
Great
care
should
therefore
be
exerei~ed
by
every
company
of
the
Lord's
people,
to
so
far
as
pos~ible
select
for
the
position
of
leaders
or
elders
in
the
church
such
persons
as
would
not
be
likely
to
be
injured
by
the
privilege
of
serviee-sueh
as
oc
cupying
this
post
would
indeed
be
ensamples
of
the
flock
in
humility
and
in
all
of
the
graces
of
the
Lord's
spirit.
It
would
seem
to
be
with
refer('nC'e
to
the
special
trial
of
such
as
occupy
this
position
of
service
in
the
church
that
the
Apos
tle
speaks,
saying,
"Be
not
man~'
of
you
teachers.
brethren,
knowing
that
we
roC'eupying
sneh
a
position]
~hall
receive,
the
severer
testing."-.Tame'l
3:
1.
It
mav
not
be
amiss
that
here
we
notice
thf'
fact
that
al
tho
the
\von!
"Elder"
ha'l
the
significance
of
"older,"
yet
amongst
the
Lord's
brethren
it
is
not
merely
years
of
natural
lIfe
that
is
to
be
taken
into
consideration;
in
the
Lord's
fRm
ily
we
sometimes
~ee
"babes"
with
gray
hairs.
Nor
can
we
even
count
eldership
according
to
the
numher
of
years
that
have
elapsed
since
the
be~etting
of
the
spirit,
for
some
grow
rapidly
and
mature
quickly;
others
who
receive
the
truth
per
mit
the
"thorns"
of
cares
of
this
life
and
the
deceitfulness
of
riches
to
choke
the
word,
and
hence
never
get
beyond
the
position
of
"babes,"-never
bring
forth
the
ripe
fruits
of
the
spirit.
Nor
can
we
reckon
this
matter
of
relationship
merely
aC'('()rrlin!r
to
the
degl'ec
of
knowlpdge
of
the
divine
plan
at
tained;
for,
as
the
Ap0'Jtle
assure~
us,
it
is
possible
for
some
to
have
much
knowledge
and
yet
be
but
"tinkling
cymbals"
according
to
the
Lord's
standpoint
of
estimation.
While
therpforc
an
elder,
in
order
to
be
"apt
to
teach,"
must
have
attained
to
some
eon'liderable
degree
of
knowledge
of
the
di
vine
plan,
nevertheless
the
real
evidence
of
llis
fitness
for
the
service
of
an
elder
must
not
be
determined
by
his
knowledge
merely,
hut
additionally
mllst
bp
measured
by
his
growth
in
grace.
So
then
such
of
the
brethren
in
any
place
as
possei:ls
clear
knowledge
of
the
divine
plan
and
are
"apt
to
teach,"
and
who
additionally
give
unmistakable
evidence
that
they
have
grown
in
grace
and
are
bearing
in
daily
life
the
fruits
of
the
spirit
of
the
Lord,
in
considerable
measure
of
maturity,
[2654]
(194 195) ZION’S a blessing, it evidences to our minds what is abundantly stated elsewhere in Scripture, that nothing that we have or could offer to the Lord would be more acceptable in his sight than faith— faith in him, in his power, in his love and in his promises. Whoever will not exercise faith in these things cannot grow in knowledge of the Lord, cannot make development, cannot be overcomers, gaining the desired victory, for, “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith,” and ‘Without faith it is impossible to please God.”—1 John 5:4; Heb. 11:6. There is little that any of us possess that we could reasonably hope would be acceptable to God outside those mercies which he has bestowed upon us through Christ—faith, trust Vou. XXI “THE SERVANT OF THE LORD MUST NOT STRIVE, BUT BE WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, PA., JULY 1. 1900 AtrecHevy, Pa in God, 18 one of those heart-qualities which we can bring to the Lord, that he will not despise; honesty of heart is another, humility, realizing our utter dependence upon him, and confessing it, is another. These various sentiments were expressed by the woman in the narrative, by her actions and by her words, and as these brought to her divine favor. even before it was due to come to the Gentiles, much more should our humility, faith and candor prevail and make us endeavor to do that which is pleasing to God, who has already accepted us in the Beloved, and with whom he is well-pleased in proportion to the measure of our accepting through the Lord all the exceeding riches of his grace, which he has promised to them that love, reverence, trust and obey him. No. 13 GENTLE UNTO ALL” 2 TIMOTHY 2:24-26. We commend this text and its context to the careful consideration of all—espceiallv do the “Volunteers” need to remember it in connection with the service they are seeking to render to the Lord’s true sheep still in Babylon. All thus engaged are “ministers” and “teachers” and hence amenable to the same instructions as Timothy. Some have exposed themselves to rebuke and criticism justly, by intruding into church property uninvited. It is usually best to keep off the pavement fronting a church where there is any reason to think the service would give offence ;— and to apologize if asked to move off it. If possible it is desirable to keep at such a distance from the building as to avoid seeming to want to serve its attendants more than other passers-by. Especially make sure that your heart is so full of the love of the Lord and his brethren that it will shine out in your face;—then it will not be necessary to urge your gift, but merely to say—Accept a free paper! Lay stress upon the word free, because some refuse thinking that either a price or donation will be expected in return. “LOVE AS BRETHREN; BE SYMPATHETIC; BE COURTEOUS” “Yeu, ull of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and showeth favor to the humble, Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” I Perer 3:8; 5:5, 6. The Apostle has been addressing the elders of the church, exhorting them to give attention to the feeding of God’s flock, and pointing out what should be the constraining influence to such a service. That they may feel his sympathy with them he points out that he also is an elder, and then warns them against a tendency, natural to all fallen humanity in any place of influence, to misconstrue their position, and to think of themselves as loids of God’s heritage rather than as servants of the flock. In our day, the natural tendency in this direction is greatly accentuated by the long established custom of all denominations of Christians to regard the ministers or servants of the church as of a different class from the others of the flock,—a class vested with authority from God, and not amenable to the same regulations which govern all the members of the body. But how great a mistake this is! The Apostle distinctly points out that a servant is not a ruler, that a servant has no authority. Indeed, so far as the true church is concerned, the only authority in it is the Lord, the Head of the church, and his Word, and the words of those whom he specially chose to be his mouth-piece, the apostles. Where these speak. all of the body of Christ are to give attention to hear. Where these are silent, no one has authority to speak.And while an elder should be chosen to the position of serving and feeding the flock because of special aptness to teach (to point out the instructions of our Lord and the apostles upon any subject), and while such an elder should, therefore, in this way be specially helpful to the body of Christ in drawing the attention of all to the inspired authority of the Word, nevertheless any member of the body of Christ has the same privilege—not of exercising authority, but of calling the attention of his fellows to the Word of authority. The Apostle exhorts the elders that so far from in any manner or degree exercising a lordly or authoritative position in the church, they should rather be “ensanples to the flock.” They should be examples in the matter of meekness, in the matter of patience, in the matter of brotherly kindness, in the matter of courtesy, so that the more any of the brethren would copy these elders the more would the spirit of the Lord prevail in the flock, and the fruits and graces of the spirit be manifested. On the contrary, we know that if the elder or leader of a little company of the Lord’s people be self-assertive, dogmatic, imperious in manner, tone or look, the effect upon the company under his influence is to produce bickerings, rivaliies, ambitions, strifes ag to wlio is ereatest, ete. Manifestly, whoever occupies the position of an elder amongst the Lord’s people, however small the group may be, occupies a position fraught with responsibilities to the Lord and to the flock, as well as with besetments to himself. Great care should therefore be exercised by every company of the Lord’s people, to so far as possible sclect for the position of leaders or elders in the church such persons as would not be likely to be injured by the privilege of service—such as occupying this post would indeed be ensamples of the flock in humility and in all of the graces of the Lord’s spirit. It would seem to be with reference to the special trial of such as occupy this position of service in the church that the Apostle speaks, saying, “Be not many of you teachers. brethren, knowing that we [occupying such a position] shall receive, the severer testing.”—James 3:1. It may not be amiss that here we notice the fact that altho the word “Elder” has the significance of “older,” yet amongst the Lord’s brethren it is not merely years of natural life that is to be taken into consideration; in the Lord’s family we sometimes sce “babes” with gray hairs. Nor can we even count eldership according to the number of years that have elapsed sinee the begetting of the spirit, for some grow rapidly and mature quickly; others who receive the truth permit the “thorns” of cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches to choke the word, and hence never get beyond the position of “babes,”’—mnever bring forth the ripe fruits of the spirit. Nor can we reckon this matter of relationship merely according to the degree of knowledge of the divine plan attained; for, as the Apostle assures us, it is possible for some to have much knowledge and yet be but “tinkling cymbals” according to the Lord’s standpoint of estimation. While therefore an elder, in order to be “apt to teach,” must have attained to some considerable degree of knowledge of the divine plan, nevertheless the real evidence of his fitness for the service of an elder must not be determined by his knowledge merely, but additionally must be measured by his growth in grace. So then such of the brethren in any place as possess clear knowledge of the divine plan and are “apt to teach,” and who additionally give unmistakable evidence that they have grown in grace and are bearing in daily life the fruits of the spirit of the Lord, in considerable measure of maturity, [2654]
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