Publication date
2/15/01
Volume
22
Number
4
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1901/4/1901-4-1.html
 
 
 
FtBIlUAIlY 
1. 
1901 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(64-67) 
and 
they 
therefore 
count 
themselves 
base 
unbelievers, 
when 
they 
may 
be 
exercising 
all 
the 
faith 
that 
is 
required 
of 
them, 
and 
should 
'rejoice 
with 
joy 
unspeakable 
and 
full 
of 
glory,' 
because 
they 
are 
receiving 
the 
end 
of 
their 
faith, 
even 
the 
sal· 
vation 
of 
their 
souls.-l 
Pet. 
1 
:8, 
9. 
It 
will 
therefore, 
be 
a 
desirable 
thing 
to 
disprove 
this 
unwholeso~e 
doctrine, 
and, 
in 
order 
to 
do 
so, 
it 
will 
be 
only 
necessary 
to 
show 
that 
the 
Lord 
Jesus 
Christ 
was 
sick, 
for 
he 
"did 
no 
sin" 
(1 
Pet. 
2 
:22), 
"and 
in 
him 
is 
no 
sin" 
(1 
John 
3: 
5 
), 
and 
he 
could 
boldly 
ask, 
while 
he 
walked 
the 
earth, 
"Which 
of 
you 
convinceth 
me 
of 
sin?" 
( 
John 
8: 
46 
), 
a: 
nd 
, 
therefore, 
personal 
sin 
could 
not 
have 
been 
the 
cause 
of 
s~ck. 
ness 
in 
him, 
as 
it 
was 
not 
in 
the 
case 
of 
the 
man 
born 
blmd, 
and 
may 
not 
be 
in 
a 
thousand 
other 
instances. 
Jesus 
was 
a 
very 
sick 
man 
in 
the 
garden 
of 
Gethsemane. 
Luke, 
who 
was 
a 
physician, 
tells 
us 
that, 
being.in 
an 
agony, 
he 
prayed 
more 
earnestly, 
and 
his 
sweat 
was, 
as 
It 
were, 
great 
drops 
(thromboiclots) 
of 
blood 
falling 
down 
to 
~he 
gr~und. 
This 
sickness 
with 
which 
Jesus 
suffered 
was 
dmpedestS, 
a 
sickness 
not 
very 
common, 
and 
yet 
frequent 
enough 
to 
rec~ive 
note 
and 
attention 
in 
the 
medical 
works 
and 
the 
cyclopedIas. 
In 
McClintock 
and 
Strong's 
great 
work 
we 
have 
several 
in­ 
stances 
given, 
under 
the 
phrase, 
"bloody 
sweat," 
especially 
that 
of 
Charles 
IX, 
of 
France, 
and 
allusion 
is 
made 
to 
Dr. 
Stroud's 
book 
on 
"The 
Physical 
Cause 
of 
the 
Death 
of 
Christ," 
where 
the 
matter 
is 
scientifically 
treated. 
. 
. 
Noone 
can 
read 
the 
fifty-third 
chapter 
of 
Isaiah, 
in 
the 
orig~nal, 
without 
bemg 
full!, 
co~vi~ce~ 
that 
(the 
chapter 
c~n­ 
tainmg 
a 
prophecy 
of 
Chnst) 
It 
IS 
mtended 
to 
present 
hIm 
as 
one 
suffering 
from 
sickness. 
In 
the 
third 
verse 
we 
have 
the 
words, 
"a 
man 
of 
sorrows 
and 
acquainted 
with 
grief," 
Here 
the 
Hebrew 
word 
for 
sorrows 
is 
"makaboth," 
and 
means 
pains, 
while 
the 
"ord 
for 
grief 
is 
"choli," 
and 
is 
from 
the 
verb 
"C'halah," 
which 
means 
to 
be 
sick, 
weak, 
diseased. 
This 
word 
"choH" 
is 
the 
word 
used 
when 
the 
sickness 
of 
Hezekiah 
is 
spoken 
of, 
also 
when 
it 
is 
said, 
"Elisha 
was 
fallen 
sick 
of 
his 
sickness 
whereof 
he 
died 
(2 
Kings 
13: 
14), 
and 
in 
num­ 
erous 
other 
instances 
of 
bodily 
sickness. 
The 
same 
word 
is 
used 
in 
the 
fourth 
verse, 
when 
it 
is 
said, 
"Surely 
he 
hath 
carried 
our 
griefs." 
In 
Matthew 
8: 
17 
this 
word 
is 
trans­ 
lated 
in 
the 
Greek 
asthencias, 
"infirmities" 
in 
our 
version, 
but 
it 
is 
the 
word 
that 
is 
used 
in 
the 
singular 
when 
the 
sick­ 
ness 
of 
Lazarus 
is 
spoken 
of 
( 
John 
11: 
4), 
and 
as 
a 
verb 
in 
various 
other 
instances 
of 
unquestionable 
bodily 
illness. 
Again, 
in 
the 
tenth 
verse, 
"he 
hath 
put 
him 
to 
grief," 
where 
the 
reading 
in 
the 
Hebrew 
is, 
"he 
hath 
made 
him 
sick," 
as 
in 
the 
margin 
of 
the 
Revised 
Version. 
Thus 
the 
proof 
from 
the 
Scriptures 
is 
ample 
that 
Jesus 
Christ 
was 
sick, 
and 
so 
able 
to 
sympathize 
with 
us 
in 
our 
sick­ 
nesses 
and 
"infirmities" 
(Heb. 
4: 
15) 
; 
being 
without 
sin, 
per­ 
sonal 
sin 
could 
not 
have 
been 
the 
cause 
of 
his 
illness, 
and, 
therefore, 
may 
not 
be 
of 
ours. 
W. 
S. 
URMY, 
Pastor 
of 
Potrero 
M. 
E. 
Church, 
California. 
DEAR 
BROTHER 
IN 
JESUS 
CHRIST:-Your 
divine 
theology 
is 
certainly 
a 
helping 
hand 
to 
me. 
I 
hope, 
dear 
sir, 
that 
you 
will 
let 
me 
have 
many 
tracts 
and 
ZION'S 
W 
ATCII 
TOWER 
for 
my 
religious 
education. 
I 
do 
certainly 
believe 
that 
the 
"little 
flock" 
will 
be 
an 
instrument 
by 
whom 
all 
the 
families 
of 
earth 
will 
be 
blessed; 
because 
all 
the 
churches 
are 
in 
a 
very 
poor 
situation 
and 
the 
world 
in 
great 
desolation 
[distress]. 
May 
God 
give 
me 
opportunity 
to 
know 
more 
about 
your 
divine 
mission. 
Come 
to 
my 
help 
and 
let 
me 
take 
the 
water 
abundantly 
in 
your 
publication. 
I 
am, 
dear 
sir, 
with 
much 
gratitude 
Very 
truly 
yours, 
J. 
R. 
VILATTE, 
Archbishop 
of 
the 
Orthodox 
Catholic 
Church, 
Canada. 
YOLo 
XXII 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
FEBRUARY 
15,1901 
No.4 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
Naturally 
enough 
at 
the 
opening 
of 
a 
new 
century 
thinking 
wonders 
and 
glor~es. 
~hey 
see 
God's 
(spiritual) 
kingdom 
men 
inquire 
each 
other's 
views 
respecting 
the 
outlook. 
Nat- 
abou~ 
.to 
be 
establIshed 
m 
the 
earth: 
they 
see 
its 
wonderful 
uraUy 
enough, 
too, 
hopes 
and 
fears 
chase 
each 
other 
thro,ugh 
prOVISIOns 
of 
heavenly. 
love-for 
justice, 
equity, 
righteousness 
these 
imaginings, 
according 
to 
the 
temperaments 
of 
the 
thmk- 
and 
the 
resultant 
ble~smgs 
of 
peace 
on 
earth, 
good-will 
toward 
ers 
and 
their 
experiences 
and 
their 
light. 
. 
. 
men: 
~hey 
see 
the 
bmdmg 
of 
Satan 
and 
every 
evil 
principle 
The 
child 
of 
God, 
with 
his 
Father's 
Word 
of 
revelation 
m 
a.nd 
thmg: 
they 
see 
the 
release 
of 
earth's 
dead 
and 
dying 
mil. 
his 
hand. 
surely 
has 
much 
advantage 
every 
way 
over 
others 
hons 
from 
the 
curse 
to 
an 
opportunity 
then 
to 
be 
theirs 
to 
as 
he 
seeks 
to 
scan 
the 
horizon 
of 
the 
twentieth 
century. 
But 
return 
to 
full 
heart-harmony 
with 
the 
Creator 
throuah 
their 
alas! 
how 
few 
among 
the 
millions 
of 
Christendom 
~r~ 
in 
this 
Redeemer: 
they 
see 
the 
channel 
of 
this 
favor 
to 
b~ 
Christ 
position 
scanning 
the 
future 
through 
the 
glass. 
of 
dlVme 
reve- 
and 
that 
the 
knowledge 
of 
this 
grace 
of 
God 
is 
yet 
to 
fill 
the 
lation. 
The 
masses 
nominally 
assent 
to 
the 
WIsdom 
of 
such 
a 
whole 
~arth 
as 
the 
.waters 
~over 
the 
gn:a~ 
deep. 
course, 
yet 
will 
not 
follow 
it, 
confessing 
themselves 
"babes" 
Seemg 
these 
thmgs 
then 
hearts 
rejOICe 
and 
their 
faces 
are 
as 
respects 
the 
Bible, 
"un 
skilful 
in 
the 
word 
of 
righteousness." 
glad-trul~ 
the 
holy 
anointing 
oil, 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
and 
the 
(Reb. 
5: 
11-14) 
Such 
'"babes," 
realizing 
their 
own 
inabilities, 
ble~Red 
enlIghtenment 
which 
it 
brings 
them, 
is 
the 
oil 
of 
joy 
look 
to 
their 
teachers 
as 
to 
nurses, 
care-takers; 
and 
the 
latter, 
whlC? 
repla~es 
th~ 
spirit 
of 
heaviness. 
True, 
they 
see 
also 
sad 
to 
relate, 
are 
fulfilling 
prophecy 
in 
turning 
away 
their 
ears 
the 
I~tervenm~ 
tn~ls 
of 
faith 
to 
themselves, 
and 
the 
sharp 
from 
the 
truth 
unto 
fables-evolution 
theories 
and 
higher 
expen.ences 
whIch 
he 
before 
them. 
in 
the 
narrow 
way 
ere 
the 
criticism 
unbelief.-2 
Tim. 
4: 
3, 
4. 
goal 
IS 
reached, 
and 
thl'Y 
see 
WIth 
even 
clearer 
distinctness 
But 
the 
few, 
the 
very 
few, 
the 
Lord's 
"little 
flock," 
those 
than 
do 
~he 
worl~ly-wise 
the 
great 
time 
of 
trouble 
coming 
who 
do 
trust 
the 
Lord 
and 
search 
his 
Word-the 
very 
class 
to 
upon 
n?ml.nal 
Chrlstendo~; 
but 
realizing 
all 
these 
things 
to 
whom 
our 
Lord 
declares, 
"To 
you 
it 
is 
given 
to 
know 
the 
mys- 
be 
but 
mCIdentals 
preparmg 
the 
way 
for 
the 
great 
blessing 
so 
teries 
of 
the 
kingdom"-the 
very 
class 
specified 
by 
the 
Apostle 
~oon 
to 
follow, 
they 
can 
and 
do 
lift 
up 
their 
heads 
and 
rejoice 
as 
"taught 
of 
God" 
and 
guided 
by 
his 
holy 
Spirit 
to 
an 
under- 
m 
the 
God 
of 
our 
salvation, 
saying: 
"Great 
and 
marvelous 
are 
standing 
of 
his 
Word-these 
certainly 
have 
much 
advantage 
thy 
works, 
Lord 
God 
Almighty; 
just 
and 
true 
are 
thy 
ways 
every 
way; 
notably 
as 
respects 
the 
kingdom, 
but 
also 
in 
respect 
thou 
King 
of 
saints." 
, 
to 
the 
affairs 
of 
the 
present 
evil 
world.-l 
Cor. 
2 
:6-16; 
Matt. 
"What 
if 
the 
clouds 
do 
for 
a 
moment 
13: 
il~ 
this 
class 
faces 
toward 
the 
sunrise 
to 
note 
the 
world's 
Hide 
the 
blue 
sky 
where 
morn 
appears? 
b 
t 
Soon 
the 
glad 
sun 
of 
promise 
given 
prospects 
for 
the 
twentieth 
century, 
what 
a 
sun 
urst 
mee 
s 
Rises 
to 
shine 
a 
thousand 
years!" 
their 
eye 
of 
faith 
peering 
with 
the 
aid 
?f 
t 
the 
4~vine 
gla~st 
But 
now 
let 
us 
contrast 
with 
the 
above 
bright 
prospect 
the 
God's 
Word-through 
the 
clouds 
and 
miS 
s! 
ey 
see, 
J?S 
fears 
and 
doubts 
which 
trouble 
the 
wisest 
of 
the 
"children 
of 
beyond 
the 
vail, 
the 
Lord 
of 
Glory 
ready 
to 
t~~e. 
possessIOn 
this 
world," 
because 
they 
see 
only 
with 
their 
own 
mental 
eye6 
of 
earth's 
empire, 
just 
as 
soon 
as 
the 
allott~d 
TImes 
of 
the 
Gentiles" 
shall 
have 
rUn 
out! 
They 
see, 
WIth 
the 
same 
eye 
and 
lack 
the 
cheering 
enlightenment 
of 
the 
Bible 
spy-glass. 
of 
faith, 
the 
Lord's 
jewels, 
his 
bride, 
his 
joint-heir 
in 
the 
king- 
These 
views 
have 
been 
collated 
by 
the 
New 
York 
World, 
which 
dom, 
mostly 
with 
him 
and 
waiting 
nOw 
while 
the 
remainder 
of 
sent 
out 
some 
time 
since 
to 
prominent 
people 
a 
query 
respect. 
the 
144,000 
finish 
their 
course 
and 
make 
their 
calling 
and 
ing 
their 
view 
of 
the 
greatest 
menace 
to 
twentieth 
century 
election 
sure-passing 
one 
by 
one 
beyond 
the 
vail-changed 
in 
progress. 
Some 
of 
the 
replies 
are 
summarized 
as 
follows: 
a 
moment, 
in 
the 
twinkling 
of 
an 
eye, 
to 
the 
glorious 
perfec- 
"I 
believe 
that 
ere 
the 
twentieth 
century 
closes, 
the 
earth 
tion 
of 
the 
first 
resurrection, 
with 
its 
glory, 
honor 
and 
immor- 
will 
be 
purged 
of 
its 
foulest 
shame, 
the 
killing 
of 
men 
by 
men 
tality, 
which 
eye 
hath 
not 
seen 
nor 
ear 
heard. 
neither 
hath 
in 
battle 
under 
the 
name 
of 
war," 
says 
Andrew 
Carnegie. 
entered 
into 
the 
heart 
of 
man, 
but 
which, 
as 
the 
Apostle 
de- 
W. 
T. 
Stead 
declares 
that 
the 
chief 
menace 
to 
man's 
prog- 
elares, 
God 
hath 
revealed 
unto 
us 
by 
his 
Spirit. 
ress 
is 
"war, 
which 
threatens 
Christendom 
as 
the 
result 
of 
Then 
looking 
for 
the 
world's 
portion 
through 
the 
same 
in- 
iWloring 
Christian 
principles 
in 
its 
dealings 
with 
one-fourth 
spired 
glass 
and 
with 
the 
same 
eye 
of 
faith 
they 
see 
still 
other 
of 
the 
human 
race 
which 
is 
born 
inside 
a 
yellow 
skin." 
Sir 
[2767] 
Fesruary 1, 1901 and they therefore count themselves base unbelievers, when they may be exercising all the faith that is required of them, and should ‘rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory,’ because they are receiving the end of their faith, even the salvation of their souls.—1 Pet. 1:8, 9. ; . It will, therefore, be a desirable thing to disprove this unwholesome doctrine, and, in order to do so, it will be only necessary to show that the Lord Jesus Christ was sick, for he “did no sin” (1 Pet. 2:22), “and in him is no sin” {1 John 3:5), and he could boldly ask, while he walked the earth, “Which of you convineceth me of sin?” (John 8:46), and, therefore, personal sin could not have been the cause of sickness in him, as it was not in the case of the man born blind, and may not be in a thousand other instances. Jesus was a very sick man in the garden of Gethsemane. Luke, who was a physician, tells us that, being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was, as it were, great drops (thromboiclots) of blood falling down to the ground. This sickness with which Jesus suffered was diapedesis, a sickness not very common, and yet frequent enough to receive note and attention in the medical works and the cyclopedias. In McClintock and Strong’s great work we have several instances given, under the phrase, “bloody sweat,” especially that of Charles IX, of France, and allusion is made to Dr. Stroud’s book on “The Physical Cause of the Death of Christ,” where the matter is scientifically treated. . oe . No one can read the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, in the original, without being fully convinced that (the chapter containing a prophecy of Christ) it is intended to present him as one suffering from sickness. In_ the third verse we have the words, “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief,” Here the Hebrew word for sorrows is “makaboth,” and means pains, while the word for grief is “choli,” and is from the verb “chalah,” which means to be sick, weak, diseased. This word “choli” is the word used when the sickness of Hezekiah Vou. XXII ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, PA., FEBRUARY 15, 1901 (64-67) is spoken of, also when it is said, “Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died (2 Kings 13:14), and in numerous other instances of bodily sickness. The same word is used in the fourth verse, when it is said, “Surely he hath carried our griefs.’” In Matthew 8:17 this word is translated in the Greek asthencias, “infirmities” in our version, but it is the word that is used in the singular when the sickness of Lazarus is spoken of (John 11:4), and as a verb in various other instances of unquestionable bodily illness. Again, in the tenth verse, “he hath put him to grief,’ where the reading in the Hebrew is, “he hath made him sick,” as in the margin of the Revised Version. Thus the proof from the Scriptures is ample that Jesus Christ was sick, and so able to sympathize with us in our sicknesses and “infirmities” (Heb. 4:15); being without sin, personal sin could not have been the cause of his illness, and, therefore, may not be of ours. W. S. Urmy, Pastor of Potrero M. E. Church, California. DeaR BROTHER IN JESUS CHRIST:—Your divine theology is certainly a helping hand to me. I hope, dear sir, that you will let me have many tracts and Zion’s WATCH Tower for my religious education. I do certainly believe that the “little flock” will be an instrument by whom all the families of earth will be blessed; because all the churches are in a very poor situation and the world in great desolation [distress]. May God give me opportunity to know more about your divine mission. Come to my help and let me take the water abundantly in your publication. I am, dear sir, with much gratitude Very truly yours, J. R. Vi~atre, Archbishop of the Orthodox Catholic Church, Canada. No. 4 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER Naturally enough at the opening of a new century thinking men inquire each other’s views respecting the outlook. Naturally enough, too, hopes and fears chase each other through these imaginings, according to the temperaments of the thinkers and their experiences and their light. . The child of God, with his Father’s Word of revelation in his hand, surely has much advantage every way over others as he seeks to scan the horizon of the twentieth century. But alas! how few among the millions of Christendom are in this position scanning the future through the glass of divine revelation. The masses nominally assent to the wisdom of such a course, yet will not follow it, confessing themselves “babes” as respects the Bible, “unskilful in the word of righteousness.’ (Heb. 5:11-14) Such “babes,” realizing their own inabilities, look to their teachers as to nurses, care-takers; and the latter, sad to relate, are fulfilling prophecy in turning away their ears from the truth unto fables—evolution theories and higher criticism unbelief—2 Tim. 4:3, 4. But the few, the very few, the Lord’s “little flock,” those who do trust the Lord and search his Word—the very class to whom our Lord declares, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom”—the very class specified by the Apostle as “taught of God” and guided by his holy Spirit to an understanding of his Word—these certainly have much advantage every way; notably as respects the kingdom, but also in respect to the affairs of the present evil world—1 Cor. 2:6-16; Matt. 13:11. As this class faces toward the sunrise to note the world’s prospects for the twentieth century, what a sunburst meets their eye of faith peering with the aid of the divine glass— God’s Word—through the clouds and mists! They see, just beyond the vail, the Lord of Glory ready to take possession of earth’s empire, just as soon as the allotted “Times of the Gentiles” shall have run out! They see, with the same eye of faith, the Lord’s jewels, his bride, his joint-heir in the kingdom, mostly with him and waiting now while the remainder of the 144,000 finish their course and make their calling and election sure—passing one by one beyond the vail—changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, to the glorious perfection of the first resurrection, with its glory, honor and immortality, which eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, but which, as the Apostle declares, God hath revealed unto us by his Spirit. . Then looking for the world’s portion through the same inspired glass and with the same eye of faith they see still other wonders and glories. They see God’s (spiritual) kingdom about to be established in the earth: they see its wonderful provisions of heavenly love—for justice, equity, righteousness and the resultant blessings of peace on earth, good-will toward men: they see the binding of Satan and every evil principle and thing: they see the release of earth’s dead and dying millions from the curse to an opportunity then to be theirs to return to full heart-harmony with the Creator through their Redeemer: they see the channel of this favor to be Christ and that the knowledge of this grace of God is yet to fill the whole earth as the waters cover the great deep. Seeing these things their hearts rejoice and their faces are glad—truly the holy anointing oil, the holy Spirit and the blessed enlightenment which it brings them, is the oil of joy which replaces the spirit of heaviness. True, they see also the intervening trials of faith to themselves, and the sharp experiences which lie before them in the narrow way ere the goal is reached, and they see with even clearer distinctness than do the worldly-wise the great time of trouble coming upon nominal] Christendom; but realizing all these things to be but incidentals preparing the way for the great blessing so soon to follow, they can and do lift up their heads and rejoice in the God of our salvation, saying: “Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.” “What if the clouds do for a2 moment Hide the blue sky where morn appears? Soon the glad sun of promise given Rises to shine a thousand years!” But now let us contrast with the above bright prospect the fears and doubts which trouble the wisest of the “children of this world,” because they see only with their own mental eyes and lack the cheering enlightenment of the Bible spy-glass. These views have been collated by the New York World, which sent out some time since to prominent people a query respecting their view of the greatest menace to twentieth century progress. Some of the replies are summarized as follows: “TI believe that ere the twentieth century closes, the earth will be purged of its foulest shame, the killing of men by men in battle under the name of war,” says Andrew Carnegie. W. T. Stead declares that the chief menace to man’s progtess is “war, which threatens Christendom as the result of ignoring Christian principles in its dealings with one-fourth of the human race which ig born inside a yellow skin.” Sir [2767]

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