Publication date
7/1/01
Volume
22
Number
13
The WatchTower
Views From the Watch Tower
../literature/watchtower/1901/13/1901-13-1.html
 
 
 
JUNE 
15, 
1901 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(207-211) 
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 
apostleB 
llte 
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 
"veg-etable 
only," 
believing 
this 
course 
to 
be 
more 
health­ 
ful 
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 
nnder 
the 
new 
conditions 
of 
the 
kingdom 
even 
the 
lower 
ani­ 
mals 
will 
return 
to 
vegetable 
diet, 
when 
"The 
lion 
shall 
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 
parnivorous 
(flesh-eaters) 
are 
not 
now 
in 
their 
original 
con­ 
dition, 
but 
have 
been 
sharers 
with 
mankind 
in 
the 
result'! 
of 
the 
catastrophe 
which 
came 
upon 
our 
earth 
in 
the 
flood; 
like­ 
wise 
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 
es­ 
tabliAhed, 
and 
shall 
bless 
the 
groaning 
creation.-Rom. 
8: 
19-22. 
All 
that 
God 
did 
was 
in 
full 
accord 
with 
what 
he 
had 
pur­ 
posed, 
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 
decla­ 
ration, 
very 
bad-sin 
has 
marred 
all; 
and, 
as 
the 
Apostle 
ex­ 
presses 
it, 
nothing 
is 
very 
good 
in 
God's 
sight 
now. 
"There 
is 
non(' 
righteous, 
no. 
not 
one." 
This 
is 
another 
testimony, 
therefore, 
to 
the 
effect 
that 
the 
fall 
of 
man 
was 
decidedly 
downward, 
and 
that 
the 
Evolution 
theory 
of 
gradual 
and 
persistent 
rise 
is 
fallacy. 
The 
creation 
of 
man 
was 
just 
in 
the 
close 
of 
the 
sixth 
day 
or 
epoch. 
It 
was 
the 
crowning 
feature 
of 
creation, 
and 
fin­ 
ished 
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 
ex­ 
ecuted 
against 
Adam 
and 
his 
race, 
and 
the 
whole 
creation 
be 
caused 
to 
groan; 
knowing 
also 
that 
while 
he 
would 
thence­ 
forth 
withhold 
his 
creative 
power, 
he 
would 
provide 
for 
the 
necessities 
of 
the 
fallen 
race, 
in 
the 
person 
of 
Jesus, 
"a 
Savior 
and 
great 
one," 
who, 
by 
giving 
the 
ransom-pI 
ice 
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 
procel:'~c~ 
to 
all 
that 
was 
lost 
in 
Edcn. 
This 
seventh 
day, 
in 
which 
God 
has 
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 
has 
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 
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 
be 
the 
all-in-all 
throughout 
eternity.*-Heb. 
4:4-10 
Further 
reading 
matter 
upon 
the 
suhJect 
of 
the 
Sabbath 
fr"e 
to 
the 
interested. 
-- 
----- 
VOL 
XXII 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA 
.. 
JULY 
1, 
HIOl 
-------- 
-----------~------- 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
THE 
MESSENGER 
OF 
THE 
COVENANT 
\\ 
are 
loth 
to 
utter 
one 
word 
of 
personal 
criticism 
in 
these 
columns: 
we 
much 
prefer 
to 
discuss 
doctrines 
rather 
than 
personA. 
And 
yet 
at 
times 
it 
seems 
absolutely 
to 
the 
interest 
of 
the 
LOld's 
flock 
to 
identify 
persons 
with 
false 
teachings. 
But 
even 
in 
such 
cases 
we 
seek 
to 
deal 
with 
the 
doctrine" 
of 
the 
p('r"ons 
and 
not 
with 
their 
personal 
affairs. 
This 
rule 
has 
Scriptural 
precedent. 
See 
the 
references 
to 
HymenlEus, 
Philetus 
and 
Alexander.-l 
Tim. 
:20; 
Tim. 
2: 
17. 
man 
styling 
himself 
"Rev. 
John 
Alex. 
Dowie" 
has 
come 
prominently 
before 
the 
public 
during 
the 
past 
ten 
years. 
His 
~p('cialty 
until 
about 
t\\ 
~'earA 
ago 
was 
the 
healing 
of 
the 
sick, 
in 
which 
he 
was 
to 
con~id('rable 
extent 
Ruccessfnl, 
according 
to 
his 
own 
accounts. 
\Ve 
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 
fOvery 
such 
work 
done 
by 
sorcery, 
hypnotism 
and 
other 
Satanic 
influence 
to 
deceive-such 
as 
Christian 
Science, 
Spiritism, 
etc. 
-we 
watched 
Mr. 
Dowie's 
career 
with 
very 
friendly 
interest. 
Appealed 
to 
by 
\YATCH 
TOWER 
readers 
for 
advice 
as 
to 
whether 
or 
not 
1\lr. 
Dov;ie'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 
rea(lers 
and 
their 
friends, 
as 
follows:- 
We 
are 
expecting, 
according 
to 
the 
Scriptures, 
that 
our 
day 
will 
abound 
in 
deceptions 
specially 
prepared 
by 
the 
ad­ 
versary 
to 
"deceive 
if 
it 
were 
possible 
the 
very 
elect;" 
and 
that 
in 
his 
extrl'mity 
Satan 
will 
even 
cast 
out 
Satan, 
and 
heal 
the 
sick, 
with 
view 
to 
perpetuating 
his 
hold 
of 
power, 
and 
to 
deceive 
God's 
people 
and 
turn 
their 
attention 
away 
from 
present 
truth. 
\Ve 
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 
will 
plainly 
declare 
to 
them, 
never 
approved 
you. 
Depart 
from 
me, 
you 
who 
practice 
iniquity." 
(Matt. 
:22, 
23, 
Diaglott 
translation) 
This 
implies 
that 
Satan 
will 
have 
not 
only 
false 
teachers, 
but 
also 
false 
miracle-workers 
who 
will 
deceive 
them­ 
Belves, 
as 
well 
as 
others, 
as 
respects 
the 
source 
of 
their 
power 
and 
teachings,-and 
only 
awake 
to 
realization 
of 
their 
true 
position-that 
they 
are 
rejected 
from 
membership 
in 
the 
elect 
church-that 
they 
have 
failed 
to 
make 
their 
calling 
and 
elec­ 
tion 
Rure 
to 
place 
in 
the 
kingdom 
class, 
when 
"the 
11(1 
rVl><"t 
iA 
paqt 
and 
th(' 
qummpr 
iq 
cnded."-Jer. 
:20. 
Nevertheless 
we 
are 
not 
to 
hasbly 
aRsume 
that 
lIlr. 
Dowl 
.. 
is 
of 
this 
deceived 
class 
;-let 
us 
wait 
little, 
and 
not 
hastil~ 
decide, 
lest 
we 
think 
or 
speak 
evil 
of 
servant 
of 
the 
Lord. 
However, 
there 
are 
few 
very 
unfavorable 
symptoms 
in 
thi!! 
case-foreign 
entirely 
to 
the 
Spirit 
of 
Christ 
as 
we 
under­ 
stand 
it. 
I) 
Mr. 
Dowie'A 
very 
apparent 
vanity 
and 
boastful­ 
ness-so 
differ('nt 
from 
the 
Lord's 
example 
followed 
by 
th(' 
apostles-manifested 
if'. 
his 
continual 
reference 
to 
himself 
in 
laudatory, 
boastful 
terms 
and 
in 
the 
publication 
of 
sundQ' 
photographs 
of 
himself 
in 
his 
own 
publIcations. 
(2) 
Thr 
gentleman 
uses 
extremely 
harsh, 
vulgar 
language 
in 
referring 
to 
any 
and 
all 
who 
oppose 
him 
;-manifesting 
hatred 
rathrT 
than 
love 
for 
his 
enemies. 
(3) 
One 
of 
the 
chal 
ges 
against 
the 
Pharisees 
was 
that 
they 
were 
covetous 
or 
litprally 
"money­ 
lovers"; 
and 
this 
srems 
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 
Headquart('rs, 
they 
have 
little 
chancl' 
of 
contact 
even 
with 
the 
great 
man's 
shadow 
as 
he 
steps 
from 
his 
palatial 
hotel 
into 
his 
carriage. 
The 
occupation 
and 
salal')' 
of 
Mr. 
Dowie's 
followers 
are 
inquired 
about 
considera 
bly 
too, 
and 
each 
is 
given 
to 
understand 
that 
the 
only 
way 
to 
lIve 
at 
peace 
with 
God 
and 
.Mr. 
Dowie 
is 
by 
faithfully 
giving 
01H' 
tenth 
of 
his 
income 
to 
the 
Lord-to 
Mr. 
Dowie. 
These 
arp 
unfavorable 
symptoms, 
and 
unless 
they 
arp 
outgrown 
we 
call 
hope 
for 
nothing 
as 
respect 
Mr. 
Dowie 
and 
the 
harvest 
work. 
for 
it 
is 
written 
that 
"The 
Lord 
resistcth 
the 
proud 
hut 
qhoweth 
his 
favor 
to 
the 
humble." 
As 
respects 
the 
Lord's 
people 
expecting 
miraculous 
healing 
in 
answer 
to 
prayer: 
we 
do 
not 
think 
that 
th('y 
should 
expect 
miraculous 
healing, 
or 
pray 
for 
it. 
All 
of 
God's 
people 
are 
surely 
welcome 
at 
the 
throne 
of 
grace, 
and 
thpy 
arc 
invited 
to 
bring 
all 
their 
burdens 
and 
cares 
there 
and 
to 
obtum 
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 
tile 
Father's 
good 
pleasure 
to 
give 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
to 
them 
that 
asle 
it. 
And 
the 
intimation 
clearly 
is 
that 
phySICal 
ailmentq, 
sorrows 
and 
pain 
work 
out 
for 
God's 
pcople 
the 
grnr('s 
and 
fruits 
of 
the 
spirit 
if 
proppllv 
rereiv('fl 
and 
patiently 
endured. 
It 
is 
to 
those 
so 
affiict('(] 
that 
the 
Lord 
speaks 
ll'! 
to 
St. 
Paul, 
"My 
grace 
is 
sufficient 
for 
thp('." 
\Yjth 
this 
aq~urance 
the 
Apostle 
could 
glory 
in 
afflicttO'Tls 
and 
so 
lIlay 
\\e 
also 
leam 
to 
do.-2 
Cor 
12:7-10. 
ThiR 
on(' 
prayer 
of 
the 
Apostlp. 
repeated, 
he 
tells 
us, 
three 
blllps. 
jq 
thp 
onl." 
pray!'l' 
for 
phv"ical 
healing 
by 
any 
of 
the 
[2837] 
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]

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