7

1

7

download/literature/watchtower/1901-13.pdf

../literature/watchtower/1901/13/1901-13-1.html

June 15, 1901 of the Gospel truths committed to us by our Lord; let such, on the contrary, remember that our Lord ate meat and fish, both before and after his crucifixion, and that the apostles ate meat, and that in no sense of the word was the eating of it condemned or evil spoken of; and that none of the Lord’s people today have any higher authorities or examples than these. And let those who eat meat not mock those who eat “vegetable only,” believing this course to be more healthful for them. The fact that for beast and for fowl the Lord originally provided the same vegetarian diet, is in perfect accord with some of the prophetic statements which seem to imply that under the new conditions of the kingdom even the lower animals will return to vegetable diet, when “The lion shal] eat grass like the ox.” and when “Nothing shall hurt or destroy in all God’s holy mountain [kingdom].” (Isa. 11:6, 7; 65: 25) Thus we learn that the animals which at present are carnivorous (flesh-eaters) are not now in their original condition, but have been sharers with mankind in the results of the catastrophe which came upon our earth in the flood; likewise that they will be sharers with man, their king, in the great uplift which will come to him and to all nature when God’s kingdom, in the hands of the Sons of God, shall be established, and shall bless the groaning creation—Rom. 8:19-22. All that God did was in full accord with what he had purposed, and in his sight was very good; but we cannot think that man and the general conditions of the world today are in God’s sight “very good,” but. according to his own declaration, very bad—sin has marred all; and, as the Apostle ex: presses it, nothing is very good in God’s sight now. “There is none righteous, no. not one.” This is another testimony, ZION’S WATCH TOWER (207-211) therefore, to the effect that the fall of man was decidedly downward, and that the Evolution theory of a gradual and persistent rise is a fallacy. The creation of man was just in the close of the sixth day or epoch. It was the crowning feature of creation, and finished it. Having finished his creative work God blessed the seventh day (or epoch) and set it apart, and rested therein from any further creative work—foreknowing, however, that during this seventh day, which has lasted from then until now (and will last yet another thousand years), sin would enter through disobedience, and his sentence of death be executed against Adam and his race, and the whole creation be caused to groan; knowing also that while he would thenceforth withhold his creative power, he would provide for the necessities of the fallen race, in the person of Jesus, “a Savior and a great one,” who, by giving the ransom-price for man’s sin would become his Redeemer, his Lord, and thus obtain the right and the power to rescue him from death and to lift up all the willing and obedient by restitution processes to all that was lost in Eden. This seventh day, in which God hag rested, to the intent that Christ may accomplish the great work of redemption, reconciliation and restitution has already lasted six thousand years, and altho this time hag been an evil time under the reign of sin and death, the Redeemer is, according to the divine program, shortly to take unto himself his great power and reign for a thousand years, until he shall complete the work of restitution of the willing and obedient, and finally shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father, that God may he the all-in-all throughout eternity.*—Heb, 4:4-10 * Further reading matter upon the subject of the Sabbath free to the interested. Vou XXII THE MESSENGER OF THE COVENANT We are loth to utter one word of personal criticism in these columns: we much prefer to discuss doctrines rather than persons. And yet at times it seems absolutely to the interest of the Lord's flock to identify persons with false teachings. But even in such cases we seek to deal with the doctrines of the persons and not with their personal affairs. This rule has Scriptural precedent. See the references to Hymeneus, Philetus and Alexander.—] Tim. 1:20; 2 Tim. 2:17. A man styling himself “Rev. John Alex. Dowie” has come prominently before the public during the past ten years. His specialty until about two years ago was the healing of the sick, in which he was to a considerable extent successful, according to his own accounts. We are informed that he used neither hypnotism nor medicine, but prayed for the sick in the name of our Lord Jesus. Being as sympathetic with every good work done in Jesus’ name as we are opposed to every such work done by sorcery, hypnotism and other Satanic influence to deceive—such as Christian Science, Spiritism, ete. ~-we watched Mr. Dowie’s career with a very friendly interest. Appealed to by Watcu Tower readers for advice as to whether or not Mr. Dowie’s work were of God, and whether or not it would be proper for them to seek divine healing as he proposed, we were obliged to answer them, and now think proper to summarize our reply for the benefit of all our readers and their friends, as follows:— We are expecting, according to the Scriptures, that our day will abound in deceptions specially prepared by the adversary to “deceive if it were possible the very elect;” and that in his extremity Satan will even cast out Satan, and heal the sick, with a view to perpetuating his hold of power, and to deceive God’s people and turn their attention away from present truth. We must remember our Lord’s words, “Many will say unto me in that day, Master, Master, have we not taught in thy name? and in thy name expelled demons? and in thy name performed many wonders? And then I will plainly declare to them, I never approved you. Depart from me, you who practice iniquity.” (Matt. 7:22, 23, Diaglott translation) This implies that Satan will have not only false teachers, but also false miracle-workers who will deceive themselves, as well as others, as respects the source of their power and teachings,—and only awake to a realization of their true position—that they are rejected from membership in the elect church—that they have failed to make their calling and election sure to a place in the kingdom class, when “the harvest is past and the summer is ended.”—Jer. 8:20. ALLEGHENY, PA. JULY 1, 1901 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER Ko 13 Nevertheless we are not to hastily assume that Mr. Dowte is of this deceived class;—let us wait a little, and not hastily decide, lest we think or speak evil of a servant of the Lord. However, there are a few very unfavorable symptoms in this case—foreign entirely to the Spirit of Christ as we understand it. (1) Mr. Dowie’s very apparent vanity and boastfulness—so different from the Lord’s example followed by the apostles—manifested in his continual reference to himself in laudatory, boastful terms and in the publication of sundry photographs of himself in his own publications. (2) The gentleman uses extremely harsh, vulgar language in referring to any and all who oppose him;—manifesting a hatred rather than a love for his enemies. (3) One of the charges against the Pharisees was that they were covetous or literally “moneylovers”; and this seems to be one of Mr. Dowie’s weaknesses The poor were drawn to the Lord and got most of his favors, but the poor have very small chance of participating in Mr Dowie’s favors. If they cannot pay $20 to $25 per week to stop at the hotel, Zion’s Headquarters, they have little chance of contact even with the great man’s shadow as he steps from his palatial hotel into his carriage. The occupation and salary of Mr. Dowie’s followers are inquired about considerably too, and each is given to understand that the only way to hive at peace with God and Mr. Dowie is by faithfully giving one tenth of his income to the Lord-—to Mr. Dowie. These are unfavorable symptoms, and unless they are outgrown we can hope for nothing as respects Mr. Dowie and the harvest work. for it is written that “The Lord resisteth the proud but showeth his favor to the humble.” As respects the Lord’s people expecting miraculous healing im answer to prayer: we do not think that they should expect miraculous healing, or pray for it. All of God’s people are surely welcome at the throne of grace, and they are invited to bring all their burdens and cares there and to obtain mercy and find grace to help in every time of need. But the saints are never invited to pray for their own physical healing They are, however, assured that it is the Father’s good pleasure to give the holy Spirit to them that ask it. And the intimation clearly is that physical ailments, sorrows and pain work out for God’s people the graces and fruits of the spirit if properly received and patiently endured. It is to those so afflicted that the Lord speaks as to St. Paul, “My grace ia sufficient for thee.” With this assurance the Apostle could glory in afflictions; and so may we also leain to do.—2 Cor 12:7-10. This one prayer of the Apostle, repeated, he tells us, three times, is the only praver for phvsieal heating by any of the [2837]