Publication date
3/15/00
Volume
21
Number
6
The WatchTower
Which Is the True Gospel?
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1900/6/1900-6-1.html
 
 
 
 
 
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33 
I 
h<1'.p 
a-bumed 
tIle 
libClt,Y 
to 
celelJlat<' 
thi- 
MCIllOI'J,t1 
at 
"arion, 
times-weekI), 
monthly, 
quartedy, 
e 
l 
e, 
but 
in 
h,llmony 
"Ith 
the 
caIly 
church 
we 
understand 
OUI 
LOltl 
to 
mean 
that 
"e 
-hould 
celebrate 
this 
as 
we 
celebrate 
am 
oth('l' 
eHnt-on 
it­ 
anni,'ersary; 
just 
as 
we 
now 
mIght 
~ay. 
',\s 
oft 
a 
~ 
the 
Fourth 
,A 
July 
is 
celehrated 
it 
shows 
forth 
the 
Independence 
of 
thi;; 
nation. 
Those 
who 
celebrate 
our 
Lonl'b 
dcath 
ill 
t;le 
"Last 
Supper" 
at 
noon 
everv 
Sunda\', 
mistake 
it 
for 
the 
\\cl'kh' 
"Lon' 
Feast" 
,,1' 
"Breakin~' 
of 
Br~ad" 
practiced 
enry 
Lor(l's 
Day 
by 
the 
,'allY 
clnll 
eh 
in 
memory 
of 
our 
LOrtl'b 
rcsll 
treel 
IOn 
and 
hi" 
,)pel;ing 
of 
the 
cye~ 
of 
their 
undel 
~tanding 
in 
the 
breaking 
of 
bread.. 
Rightly 
undprstood, 
nothing 
in 
thl'~e 
''. 
l'ekly 
feast" 
of 
JOY 
rescm 
bled 
the 
annual 
commelllOl 
a 
tlOn 
of 
our 
JHastcr's 
SOlI'OW 
and 
death-nor 
j" 
the 
"eup" 
ev~'r 
lllentioned 
in 
con­ 
nection 
with 
them. 
The 
church 
at 
Allegheny 
will 
celeln,lte 
the 
JUemorial 
Supppr 
commemorative 
of 
our 
RedeemP1"'; 
dcath 
for 
U", 
anti 
of 
our 
Pass-orcr 
from 
death 
unto 
life 
throu::;h 
the 
merit 
of 
IllS 
f'acJifice, 
and 
of 
our 
consecration 
to 
"be 
dl'old 
,vith 
him"­ 
to 
drink 
his 
"cup"-on 
the 
evemng 
of 
April 
12th 
at 
7 
::JO 
I)'clock 
at 
Bible 
Hous(' 
chapel, 
Allegheny, 
Pa. 
Friends 
of 
the 
truth 
who 
can 
make 
it 
convenient 
to 
mept, 
with 
Us 
'viII 
bp 
\1 
elcomed 
cordiallv: 
bnt 
we 
advise 
that 
wherever 
there 
all' 
home-meetings 
or 
\vherever 
such 
gatherings 
seem 
possible 
they 
he 
not 
deserted, 
No 
other 
season 
seems 
so 
favorable 
for 
the 
.!rawing 
of 
the 
hearts 
of 
the 
Lord's 
people 
closely 
together;­ 
,'wn 
as 
it 
seems 
also 
to 
be 
specially 
an 
hOUl 
of 
temptation 
to 
all 
professing 
to 
be 
the 
Lord's 
followers, 
\"ho 
like 
Peter 
of 
olrl 
"ppm 
to 
be 
specially 
sifted 
nt 
thi" 
sen 
son 
of 
the 
yenr. 
'J 
he 
achice 
of 
our 
LOlli 
to 
the 
early 
di~clples. 
at 
tlll~ 
tllne 
of 
thp 
~ear. 
~eem~ 
still 
spcciall.\' 
appropriate, 
'\V,1tch 
anr! 
1'1 
:l;' 
!",t 
; 
c 
enit'r 
inti) 
temptation 
'I" 
Anrl 
recogni7ing 
thh 
thl 
ohler 
sy-tclll<; 
Homan 
Cllthohc 
ani! 
Epi~copalinn 
<;till 
IJlceede 
the 
~Icmorial 
,nth 
a 
fa"t 
or 
Lenten 
season-wlllch 
l'ntel"tl 
mto 
not 
formally 
but 
III 
the 
spirit 
"I' 
beliel'e 
i~ 
a 
\(>1':' 
helpful 
custom 
to 
many-uot 
only 
physically 
but 
~IJll1t' 
uall\'. 
'~(;ootl 
Fd,],);" 
\I 
,1 
<; 
~uu-tItutecl 
fOl 
the 
~Iemol 
Ltl 
~ll!,PCI 
a" 
otiginall:- 
olbPl'I'l' 
l 
ll~: 
the 
1"']11', 
people 
- 
the 
R,I 
~t('m 
of 
coullting 
bl'illg 
~Iight: 
\' 
,:hange·'l. 
The 
mOl 
e 
fl 
cquent 
('ekhr,l 
tioll" 
or 
tIl(' 
LOl'l]''i 
Sup!,"\' 
by 
rlot("·tant~ 
ate 
ba~ed 
';prm 
l'apacy'~ 
celebratIOn 
of 
the 
'~LI-<;." 
an 
institu1 
Jon 
",hIt 
h 
both 
l!l 
fact 
n1l'! 
th('or\, 
i, 
:\11 
:1hOlll'll.ltlOl\ 
to 
our 
Lord--drll\ 
mg 
as 
it 
doe~ 
the 
flllim·-- 
oi 
the 
d1lt-aey 
of 
thl' 
01 
iginal 
san'ili,,' 
at 
Calvary 
\Ve 
tI'11'ot 
O':1t 
j 
l 
l" 
L"nl'- 
l'I',,!,I,· 
('\('lnvh.·],· 
\1111 
',10 
I"i~" 
in 
remembrance 
of 
thp 
gore.lt 
sin-,arnf!rl'-not 
me](']y 
a- 
all 
outward 
111emorinl 
hut 
,t1so 
awl 
spccially 
at 
the 
~:lIlte 
tim.' 
fecding 
on 
the 
Lon! 
h,1! 
faith 
in 
their 
he,Ll'ts, 
and 
afre,I' 
pledging 
tlwir 
cOll-pcrati01l 
unto 
death 
with 
him 
while 
par­ 
taking 
of 
the 
"cup" 
For 
fudhrr 
pa 
1 
tIcllhl1-~ 
~ee 
ollr 
J~SIl'· 
of 
~Iarch 
1. 
lSDH. 
\Ve 
will 
be 
glad 
to 
ha\-e 
plOmpt 
po,t,l! 
cald 
J('porb 
flom 
the 
appointed 
seeretary 
or 
bPrilJe 
of 
eaeh 
little 
group-\\here­ 
ever 
"two 
or 
three" 
meet 
in 
his 
deal' 
name 
tu 
do 
thIS. 
Makl' 
all 
your 
arrangements 
heforehand 
that 
the 
prccious 
season 
of 
heart 
"communion" 
he 
not 
disturbed 
by 
business 
affairs, 
Let 
us 
not 
onl:' 
unitt, 
in 
IHayer 
amI 
communion, 
but 
also 
so 
far 
as 
practicable 
in 
our 
song" 
of 
prai::<e-using 
nUlllbH" 
2:1. 
122 
and 
1 
of 
Hymns 
of 
nUl! 
II. 
AVOID 
FLATTERY 
In 
a 
recent 
letter 
one 
of 
the 
"Ptlgdll1~:' 
after 
giYing 
l'<1rtieulars 
respecting 
his 
efforts 
to 
ieed 
the 
Lord's 
sheep 
:lnd 
lamb., 
concludes 
thus:- 
"Pray 
for 
me. 
dear 
brother, 
that 
I 
may 
be 
b:pt 
a 
'servant.' 
Could 
;vou 
not 
in 
some 
\\ 
ay 
through 
the 
TOWER 
suggest 
tu 
th 
... 
friends 
not 
to 
praise 
a 
'pilgrim' 
to 
his 
face: 
they 
do 
not 
know 
what 
'offences' 
they 
sometimes 
causl', 
what 
fet'ling-- 
of 
latent 
pride 
they 
arouse." 
YOLo 
XXI 
ALLEGHEKY. 
PA 
.. 
MARCH 
15 
AND 
APRIl, 
I, 
1900 
WHICH 
IS 
THE 
TRUE 
GOSPEL? 
Nos, 
G 
A~D 
-; 
"I 
am 
l'Ot 
A.shamed 
of 
the 
Gospel 
of 
Ohrist."-Rom. 
1: 
Hi. 
.\ 
})bcourse 
b~' 
P,lstor 
C. 
T. 
Russell 
of 
Allegheny, 
Pa., 
delivered 
at 
The 
Florida 
Chautauqua 
.\ssembly, 
Defuniak 
SPI 
ing". 
Fla" 
~Iarch 
4, 
1900, 
as 
reported 
by 
the 
Associatl'd 
Ple,,~. 
x 
a 
apology 
~eems 
necessary 
for 
our 
subjed-"Which 
is 
the 
true 
Gospel 
of 
which 
the 
Apostle 
was 
not 
a~hamed?" 
If 
time 
and 
thought 
may 
be 
profitabl,l' 
expended 
in 
the 
study 
o)f 
the 
earthly 
sciences-sociology, 
finance, 
etc., 
etc., 
built 
largely 
upon 
human 
inferences 
and 
conjectul'Ps-surely 
none 
could 
(lispute 
the 
plOpriety 
of 
studying 
the 
~cience 
of 
divine 
1 
evelation. 
If 
it 
be 
profitable 
to 
investigate 
the 
physical 
dis­ 
eases 
of 
mankind 
and 
their 
causcs, 
and 
the 
law., 
of 
medicine 
and 
of 
sanitation 
for 
the 
offset 
of 
these, 
it 
~urely 
cannot 
be 
disputed 
that 
the 
Gospel 
which 
God 
has 
presented 
as 
the 
antidote 
for 
soul-sickne~s 
and 
soul-death, 
and 
as 
the 
science 
pertaining 
to 
life 
eternal, 
is 
worthy 
of 
still 
gn-ater 
and 
more 
profound 
con~ideratlOn, 
The 
greatest 
mlllds, 
the 
noblest 
specimens 
of 
our 
race, 
ha,-e 
admitted 
our 
topic 
to 
be 
the 
one 
above 
all 
others 
in 
impor­ 
tance, 
and 
have 
'I'cighed 
it 
earefuIl)'-whether 
as 
a 
result 
they 
accepted 
or 
rejeded 
it. 
'Ve 
are 
not 
now 
discussing 
the 
weight 
of 
mental 
acumen 
enlisted 
for 
and 
against 
the 
Gospel: 
we 
are 
merely 
noting 
the 
fact 
that 
all 
men 
of 
abIlity 
have 
recognized 
that 
the 
subject 
is 
WOl 
thy 
of 
their 
careful 
con­ 
-ideration, 
and 
as 
having 
claims 
upon 
their 
attention 
para­ 
mount 
to 
an,l- 
and 
all 
oth'lrs. 
Indeed, 
it 
may 
be 
set 
down 
as 
a 
fact 
that 
whoever 
has 
given 
the 
subject 
of 
religion 
no 
con­ 
~ideration 
is 
one 
of 
three 
things,-a 
novice 
in 
mental 
exer­ 
cisc, 
or 
a 
near 
relatIve 
to 
"the 
fool 
who 
hath 
said 
in 
his 
heal 
t, 
There 
is 
no 
God," 
or 
a 
coward, 
preyed 
upon 
by 
fears, 
instigated 
by 
Satan 
to 
hinder 
honest 
investigation 
of 
the 
divine 
message 
of 
love 
and 
mercy. 
Even 
a 
hasty 
glance 
into 
the 
intelligent 
faces 
of 
this 
large 
audience 
assures 
me 
that 
you 
all 
have 
given 
some 
thought 
to 
our 
theme 
;-though 
experience 
assures 
me 
that 
compara­ 
tively 
few 
of 
you 
have 
ever 
reached 
conclusions 
on 
this 
sub­ 
ject 
fully 
satisfactory 
to 
yourselves. 
Hence 
your 
faith 
and 
love 
and 
zeal 
toward 
God 
and 
your 
zeal 
for 
the 
Gospel 
are 
less 
strong 
than 
you 
could 
desire. 
Let 
us 
hope 
that 
as 
we 
reason 
together 
on 
this 
great 
subject 
to-day, 
we 
may, 
by 
God's 
grace, 
see 
more 
clearly 
than 
ever 
before 
which 
is 
the 
true 
Gospel-the 
one 
of 
which 
the 
.\po~tle 
was 
not 
ashamt'd. 
and 
of 
which, 
therefor!', 
none 
of 
us 
need 
feel 
ashamed,-tlll' 
Gos­ 
pel, 
therefore, 
which 
should 
more 
and 
more 
move 
and 
enpl 
g-izp, 
us 
as 
the 
power 
of 
God 
unto 
salvatIOn. 
No 
one 
of 
intelligence 
will 
cllspute 
the 
meaning 
ot 
th,· 
word 
"Gospel;" 
it 
signifies 
"good 
tidings," 
good 
ne', 
",-.1 
good 
messnge. 
Neverthele~R, 
in 
some 
unaecountable 
mnnlll'l, 
by 
common 
con 
Rent, 
"a 
real 
Gospel 
sel 
mon" 
is 
almobt 
unive1' 
sally 
understood 
to 
signify 
bad 
tidings-tidings 
of 
ctprnal 
misery 
to 
the 
great 
mass 
of 
our 
race-to 
all 
except 
the 
littlp 
flock 
of 
God's 
faithful 
people. 
A., 
a 
ponscquence 
the 
preachel 
of 
a 
"Cospel 
sermon" 
i<; 
expected 
to 
figuratively 
shake 
the 
congregatiun 
over 
an 
abyss 
of 
everlaRting 
tortur\.:. 
maklllg 
a~ 
strong 
an 
effort 
as 
possible 
to 
intimidate 
them 
thereby 
to 
a 
thorough 
r~formation 
of 
life, 
in 
hope 
of 
thus 
escapmg 
an 
awful 
etermty. 
True, 
this 
that 
,Ye 
might 
term 
"the 
Cospel 
(1) 
of 
damna­ 
tion" 
is 
not 
so 
gcnerally 
preached 
ns 
it 
once 
was, 
beCaUb\' 
more 
enlightened 
minds 
of 
cultured 
people 
rppudiate 
It 
as 
a 
fetich 
of 
the 
past. 
Yet 
tId., 
pCI've 
1 
sian 
of 
the 
Gospel 
is 
still 
to 
be 
heard 
in 
country 
plael's, 
at 
camp 
mpeting,;, 
occasionally 
in 
the 
city 
pulpit. 
allll 
universally 
in 
SalvatlOn 
Army 
meet­ 
ings. 
Nothing 
is 
furthcr 
from 
our 
intention 
than 
a 
critieism 
of 
the 
conscIences 
alld 
honesty 
of 
intention 
of 
tllOse 
who 
thus 
preach, 
It 
is 
no 
part 
of 
our 
mission 
to 
criticise 
person" 
and 
motives, 
but 
"With 
malice 
toward 
none 
and 
with 
charit, 
toward 
all" 
wc 
consider 
it 
not 
only 
our 
pnvilege 
but 
Olll 
duty 
to 
criticise 
doctrines, 
that 
thereby 
the 
truth 
may 
be 
more 
freely 
established, 
and 
error 
brought 
into 
disrepute. 
Before 
we 
proceed 
to 
the 
consideration 
of 
the 
Gospel 
of 
whieh 
the 
Apostle 
was 
not 
ashamed-the 
Gospel 
set 
forth 
in 
the 
Scriptures-it 
will 
be 
expedient 
for 
us 
to 
take 
a 
glance 
at 
the 
different 
gospels 
set 
forth 
by 
the 
various 
denomina­ 
tions 
of 
Christendom. 
It 
is 
not 
our 
thought 
that 
each 
de­ 
nomination 
represents 
a 
different 
gospel, 
for 
the 
differences 
in 
many 
instances 
are 
chiefly 
respecting 
cprcmonies, 
forms, 
methods 
of 
government, 
name, 
etc., 
and 
not 
in 
respect 
to 
the 
[2593] 
Maren 1, 1906 ZION’S nase assumed the libeity to celebrate this Memorial at variou~ times—weekl}, monthly, quarteily. eft¢. but in harmeny with the early church we understand ow Loid to mean that we should celebrate this as we celebrate an, other event—on its anniversary; just as we now might say. As oft as the Fourth of July is celebrated it shows forth the Independence of this nation, Those who celebrate our Lord’s death in te “Last Supper” at noon everv Sunday, mistake it for the weekly “Love Feast” ar “Breaking of Bread” practiced every Lord's Day by the early chuich in memory of our Lord's resurrection and his opening of the eyes of their understanding in the breaking of bread. Rightly understood, nothing in thexe weekly feasts of yoy resembled the annual commemoration of our Master's sorrow and death—nor is the “cup” ever mentioned in connection with them. The church at Allegheny will celebrate the Memorial Supper commemorative of our Redecmer’s death for us, and of our Pass-over from death unto life through the merit of his sacrifice, and of our consecration to “be dead with him’?’— to drink his “cup”’—on the evenmg of April 12th at 7:30 o'clock at Bible House chapel, Allegheny, Pa. Friends of the truth who can make it convenient to meet with us will be welcomed cordially: but we advise that wherever there are home-meetings or wherever such gatherings seem possible they he not deserted. No other season seems so favorable for the drawing of the hearts of the Lord’s people closely together ;— even as it seems also to be specially an how of temptation to all professing to be the Lord’s followers, who like Peter of old seem to be specially sifted at this season of the year. WATCH TOWER The advice of our Lond to the early disciples, at this time of the year, seems still specially appropriate, ‘Watch and pinay lest ye enter into temptation?” And recognizing this the older systems Roman Catholic and Episcopalian still precede the Memorial with a fast or Lenten season—which entered into not formally but in the spirit we believe is a very helpful custom te many—not only physically but spititually. “Good Friday” was substituted for the Memorial Supper as oiiginally observe | by the Lore’. people —the system of counting being slightly changed. The more frequent celebra tions or the Lord's Supper by Protestants aie based npon Papacy’s celebration of the * Mass.’ an instituéion which both im fact and theory is an abom nation to our Lord—-denving as it does the fullness of the efficacy of the original sacrifice at Calvary We trust that the Lord’s people everywhere will * do this” in remembrance of the great sin-saecrifice—not merely as an outward memorial but also and specially at the same time feeding on the Lord by faith in their hearts, and afresh pledging their consecration unto death with him while partaking of the Seup’' For further particular, see our issue of March 1, 1898, We will be glad to have prompt postal card 1eports from the appointed secretary or scribe of each little group—whereever “two or three” mect in his dear name to do this. Make all your arrangements heforehand that the precious season of heart “communion” be not disturbed by business affairs. Let us not only unite in prayer and communion, but also so far as practicable in our songs of praixe—using numbers 23. 122 and 1 of Hymns of Daun. AVOID FLATTERY In a recent letter one of the “Pilgiims.” after giving particulars respecting his efforts to feed the Lord’s sheep and lambs concludes thus:— “Pray for me. dear brother, that I may be kept a ‘servant.’ Could you not in some way through the Tower suggest to the friends not to praise a ‘pilgrim’ to his face: they do not know what ‘offences’ they sometimes cause, what feelings of latent pride they arouse.” Vout, XXI ALLEGHENY., PA., MARCH 15 AND APRIL 1, 1900 Nos. 6 AnD 7 WHICH IS THE TRUE GOSPEL? “IT am not Ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.”—-Rom. 1:16, -\ Discourse by Pastor C, T. Russell of Allegheny, Pa., delivered at The Florida Chautauqua Assembly, Defuniak Springs, Fla.. March 4, 1900, as reported by the Associated Press, No apology seems necessary for our subject—“Which is the true Gospel of which the Apostle was not ashamed?” If time and thought may be profitably expended in the study of the earthly sciences—sociology, finance, ete., ete., built largely upon human inferences and conjectures—surely none could dispute the propriety of studying the science of divine revelation. If it be profitable to investigate the physical diseases of mankind and their causes, and the laws of medicine and of sanitation for the offset of these, it surely cannot be disputed that the Gospel which God has presented as the antidote for soul-sickness and soul-death, and as the science pertaining to life eternal, is worthy of still greater and more profound consideration. The greatest minds, the noblest specimens of our race, have admitted our topic to be the one above all others in importance, and have weighed it carefully—whether as a result they accepted or rejected it. We are not now discussing the weight of mental acumen enlisted for and against the Gospel: we are merely noting the fact that all men of ability have recognized that the subject is woithy of their careful consideration, and as having claims upon their attention paramount to any and all others. Indeed, it may be set down as a fact that whoever has given the subject. of religion no consideration is one of three things——a novice in mental exercise, or a near relative to “the fool who hath said in his heart, There is no God,” or a coward, preyed upon by fears, instigated by Satan to hinder honest investigation of the divine message of love and mercy. Even a hasty glance into the intelligent faces of this large audience assures me that you all have given some thought to our theme;—though experience assures me that comparatively few of you have ever reached conclusions on this subject fully satisfactory to yourselves. Hence your faith and love and zeal toward God and your zeal for the Gospel are less strong than you could desire. Let us hope that as we reason together on this great subject to-day, we may, by God’s grace, see more clearly than ever before which is the true Gospel—the one of which the Apostle was not ashamed. and of which, therefore, none of us need feel ashamed,—the Gospel, therefore, which should more and more move and energize. us as the power of God unto salvation. No one of intelligence will dispute the meaning ot the word “Gospel;” it signifies “good tidings,” good news,—. good message. Nevertheless, in some unaccountable manner, by common consent, “a real Gospel sermon” is almost universally understood to signify bad tidings—tidings of eternal misery to the great mass of our race—to all except the little flock of God’s faithful people. As a consequence the preachei of a “Gospel sermon” is expected to figuratively shake the congregation over an abyss of everlasting torture. making as strong an effort as possible to intimidate them thereby to a thorough reformation of life. in hope of thus escaping an awful eternity. True, this that we might term “the Gospel (1) of damnation” is not so generally preached as it once was, because more enlightened minds of cultured people repudiate it as a fetich of the past. Yet this perversion of the Gospel igs still to be heard in country places, at camp meetings, occasionally in the city pulpit, and univ ersally in Salvation Army meetings. Nothing is further from our intention than a criticism of the consciences and honesty of intention of those who thus preach. It is no part of our mission to criticise persons and motives, but “With malice toward none and with charity toward all” we consider it not only our privilege but oui duty to criticise doctrines, that thereby the truth may be more freely established, and error brought into disrepute. Before we proceed to the consideration of the Gospel of which the Apostle was not ashamed—the Gospel set forth in the Scriptures—it will be expedient for us to take a glance at the different gospels set forth by the various denominations of Christendom. It is not our thought that each denomination represents a different gospel, for the differences in many instances are chiefly respecting ceremonies, forms, methods of government, name, etc., and not in respect to the [2593]

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