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FEBRUARY
15.
1901
ZION'S
WATCH
TOWER
(80-83)
in
the
first
resurrection
is
not
to
be
attained
through
perfec
tion
of
our
own,
but
through
his
perfection,
provided
we
shall
have
attested
to
the
Lord
our
full
loyalty
of
heart,
of
inten·
tion,
of
will,
however
imperfect
the
results
of
our
efforts
to
glorify
him
in
our
bodies
and
spirits.
The
Evangelist
records
that
our
Lord
prayed,
"Father,
if
it
be
possible,
let
this
cup
pass
from
me."
It
may
be
that
our
Lord
meant
by
this,
If
your
infinite
love
and
mercy
see
it
possible
in
any
manner
to
accomplish
your
purpose
of
sal·
vation
for
mankind
without
it
being
necessary
for
me
to
die,
then
grant
it
to
be
so.
But
if
this
were
the
Lord's
thought
it
would
imply
that
he
had
not
fully
grasped
the
Father's
plan
of
a
restitution
for
mankind,
made
possible
through
a
ransom
price
for
Adam
and
his
sin;
for,
seeing
this,
our
Lord
could
not
have
~mpposed
that
anything
short
of
the
full
ransom
could
secure
the
results.
Quite
possibly,
however,
the
thought
which
bore
heavily
upon
him
was
the
realization
now
coming
vividly
to
his
mind
that
if
apprehended
as
a
blasphemer
it
would
be
the
policy
of
his
enemies
not
to
destroy
him
secretly,
but
to
deliver
him
over
to
the
Romans;
and
he
could
realize
the
influence
and
power
they
would
exert
to
secure
the
per
formance
of
their
wishes.
and
he
knew
that
the
Roman
method
of
execution
was
that
of
crucifixion,
and
he
knew
also
that
the
Scriptures
explicitly
said,
"Cursed
is
everyone
that
hangeth
on
a
tree."
Here,
then,
seems
to
have
been
the
centre
of
his
thought:
I
shall
be
esteemed
of
all
my
countrymen
as
forsaken
of
God.
and
as
accursed
of
him;
I
shall
die
as
a
blasphemer,
as
a
malefaC'tor;
whereas
my
every
sentiment
is,
and
has
alwavs
been,
fealty,
loyalty
to
the
Father.
This,
we
believe,
was
the
special
feature
of
our
Lord's
anxiety,
called
the
"cup"
of
sor
row,
which
he
wished,
if
possible,
might
be
removed.
We
be
lieve
that
he
knew
his
death
to
be
necessary,
unavoidable,
as
he
had
many
times
informed
his
disciples;
but
that
it
was
this
ignominious
form
of
death,
"even
the
death
of
the
cross,"
that
staggered
him;
for
it
not
only
bespoke
shame
and
mis
representation
before
the
people.
and
those
whom
he
loved
and
to
whom
he
sought
to
do
good.
hut
it
carried
with
it
also
the
thought
that
he
was
aC'cursed
of
God;
and
if
accursed
of
God
he
could
have
no
hope
for
a
realization
of
the
glorious
promise
of
a
rl'~urredion.
But
when
a.,~ured
through
the
angel
that
he
would
not
be
actually
accursed
of
God,
even
tho
he
would
for
a
timp
take
the
place
of
the
accursl'd
Adam
and
he
"made
a
curse
for
us."
his
raC'e.
then
even
the
cross
and
its
shame
could
he
endured
with
fortitude.
WATCH
AND
PRAY
LEST
YE
ENTER
INTO
TEMPTATION
In
thc
case
of
our
Lord
and
the
apostle.,
we
see
illus
trated
the
valne
of
watC'hfulnl's"
and
prayer
m
the
(lark
honr
of
trouhlc.
Our
Lord
followed
the
direction
he
gave
to
the
di~('ipll'~:
he
watehl'd,
he
prayed.
he
got
a
blessing.
he
was
strpngthenpd.
and
came
off
vietor.
Thev
did
not
watch
and
did
not
pray,
failing
to
realize
the
necessitie.,
of
the
occasion.
and
as
a
re~ult
we
find
them
scattered.
bewildered
;-and
one
of
them.
the
very
Rtrongest
of
them
all,
who
boastingly
had
said
a
little
while
hefore,
"Tho
all
men
forsake
thpe
yet
will
not
I."
was
so
overpowered
by
his
surroundings,
and
~o
weak
through
lack
of
the
very
strength
he
should
have
obtained
through
watching
and
prayer.
that
he
denied
the
Lord
with
profanity.
""henever
we
find
the
Lord's
people
attempting
to
live
a
life
of
holiness
and
consecration,
yet
ignoring
the
injunction
of
our
Lord
to
watch
and
pray,
we
know
that
they
are
unwise;
and
that
however
much
they
may
be
virgins,
pure
one."
they
are
foolish:
they
cannot
hope
to
gain
the
victory
over
self
and
sin
and
the
Adversarv,
singlehanded,
alone.
If
the
Master
himself
needed
strengthening,
surely
we
also
need
it;
and
if
he
received
it
in
response
to
supplications
with
strong
cryings
and
tears,
it
is
an
intimation
to
us
of
the
way
in
which
God
is
pleased
to
bestow
the
full
assurance
of
faith
which
is
able
to
strengthen
us
as
good
soldiers
to
endure
any
and
every
thing
in
his
name
and
service.
Those
who
seek
the
Lord
earnestly
and
in
prayer
are
as
sure
to
receive
a
blessing
as
was
the
Lord
Jesus
himself;
and
altho
there
will
not
come
to
them
the
same
kind
of
heavenly
messenger
to
comfort
and
en·
courage
them,
nevertheless
a
heavenly
messenger
of
another
kind
will
surely
be
sent.
It
may
be
in
the
person
of
a
fellow
disciple,
able
to
enter
into
and
sympathize
with
us
in
our
trials
or
difficulties,
as
none
of
the
apostles
could
sympathize
with
our
Lord
or
assist
him.
Or
it
may
be
that
the
messenger
sent
will
be
one
of
the
apostles
themselves,
through
the
many
gracious
words
of
inspiration
which
God
has
communicated
to
us
through
them
in
his
Word.
But
however
the
strength
may
come,
it
must
be
the
assurance,
not
of
men
nor
of
angels,
but
of
God,
that
we
are
pleasing
and
acceptable
to
him,-and
that
we
may
claim
and
expect
the
exceeding
great
and
precious
things
which
he
has
in
reservation
for
them
that
love
him.
So
to
speak,
we
are
now
in
the
hour
of
trial
which
cometh
upon
the
whole
world
to
try
them.
The
present
is
represented
in
the
Scriptures
to
be
"the
hour
of
temptation"
or
testing
at
the
close
of
this
age.
It
is
the
GetlH,emane
hour,
in
this
sense
of
the
word,
to
all
who
are
the
Lord's
true
people,
fully
con
secrated
to
him.
It
is
the
hour,
therefore,
in
which
we,
like
our
Lord,
should
be
seeking
the
Father's
face
to
receive
the
full
assurance
that
we
are
his,
and
that
he
is
ours;
and
that
we
may
1
ely
confidently
on
his
strength
to
carry
us
through
this
timl'.
It
is
the
time
in
which
we
are
to
make
sure,
as
we
sometimes
bing:
"0
let
no
earthborn
cloud
arise
To
hide
thee
from
thy
servant's
eyes."
It
is
a
time
in
which
those
who
negll'ct
the
Master's
words,
"'Vatch
and
pray,
lest
ye
entl'r
into
temptation,"
will
be
sure
to
enter
into
temptation,
and
be
tolerahlv
sure
to
fall
therl'in.
And
the
fall
will
be
severe,-and
l'ven'
tho.
like
Peter,
they
Rhould
afterward
be
recovered
out
of
it,
it
will
be
with
weep
ing.
Some
make
the
mistake
of
praying
without
watching;
others
make
the
mistake
of
watching
without
praying:
hut
the
safe
and
only
proper
method
is
that
whif'h
our
Lord
di
rl'C'ted,
to
combine
the
two.
'Ye
are
to
watC'h,
and
to
be
on
our
guard
against
the
encroachments
of
the
world,
the
flesh
and
the
devil.
'Ve
are
to
watch
for
all
the
enC'ouragement~
of
the
Lord's
Word,
the
evidence
of
their
fulfilment.
the
signs
that
betoken
his
presence
and
the
great
changc~
of
rli~pensa
tion
just
at
hand.
We
are
to
watch
for
eyerything
that
will
strengthen
llS
in
faith
and
hope
and
loyalty
and
loye;
and
while
watding
we
are
to
pra~"
without
cca~!I1g
"'p
arc
to
pray
together
as
the
Lord's
pcople;
we
are
to
pray
in
our
homes,
as
families;
we
are
to
pray
in
secret,
in
private.
'Ye
are
to
have
the
spirit
of
prayer
in
all
that
we
sav
and
do:
that
is
to
say,
our
hearts
should
hf'
going
out
contllluall~'
to
the
Lord
for
guidance
in
all
of
life's
affairs,
that
we
may
do
with
our
might
what
our
hands
find
to
do.
in
a
manner
that
will
be
acC'eptablc
to
him.
and
that
we
may
he
~hil'ldf'll
hy
him
from
temptation
that
would
otherwise
bf'
beyond
our
endur
ance,
and
that
we
mav
be
ultimately
delivered
from
the
evil
one
and
haye
a
place'
in
our
Lord's'
kingllom.
Brethren
and
sisters,
let
us
more
and
more
rememher
anll
put
into
practice.
in
eyery
home
in
whiC'h
the
'''ATCH
TOWER
i~
a
Yisitor.
thl'se
wordR
'of
our
Lord,
"'VatC'h
and
pray.
le"t
yc
enter
into
temptation."
VOL,
XXII
ALLEGHENY,
PA.,
MARCH
1,
1901
VIEWS
FROM
THE
WATCH
TOWER
Xo,
:)
CORROBORATIONS
OF
SCRIPTURE
TESTIMONY
Gradually.
but
surely
and
relatively
swiftly,
we
see
un
folding
thl'
various
features
of
the
divine
plan
which
the
Scriptures
have
taught
us
to
expect-pointing
them
out
in
a
genpral
way
in
advance-namely,
preparations
for
the
Millennium
of
blessing
and
preparations
also
for
the
great
time
of
trouble
with
which
it
will
be
introduced.
The
testimonies
following
are
all
the
more
forceful
because
they
come
from
men
who,
so
far
as
we
are
aware,
have
no
such
expectations
as
we
hold-no
such
light
as
we
enjoy,
relative
to
the
teachings
of
the
Scripture.~
on
these
matters.
For
instance,
many
have
opposed
our
presentation
of
the
Bible's
teaf'hingf!
on
1'estitution
(Acts
3:
19-21),
claiming-
(
I
)
That
there
would
not
be
standing
room
for
so
many
as
probably
have
been
born,
reasonahlv
estimated
at
about
fifty
thousand
millions.
We
answered
thif!
by
a
mathematical
demonstration
that
twice
this
numher
could
find
standing
room
in
either
Texa.,
or
France,
and
that
thl'
whole
earth
und!'r
good
climatic
condition'>
will
be
ample
for
all.
They
then
ohjected-
(2)
That
the
earth
can
scarcely
feed
its
present
popula
tion,
as
attested
by
the
famine"
in
India
and
f!outhern
Russia.
We
replied
to
this,
that
God
if!
able
to
provide
for
the
fulfil·
ment
of
all
hif!
promises;
and
pointt'd
out
the
declaration
'I
of
the
hoI
v
prophets
respecting
thc~e
"timt'.,
of
restitution,"
that
then
"the
earth
shall
yield
hpr
increase"
and
the
"wilder.
ness
shall
blof!som
as
the
rose."-Isa.
33:
1;
P"a.
67:
9.
Note
now
how
scienC'e
comes
forward
to
corroborate
the
Bi
ble's
testimony;
and
let
m
remember
that
now
i"
just
the
[2775]
ZION’S Fesruary 15, 1901 in the first resurrection is not to be attained through perfection of our own, but through his perfection, provided we shall have attested to the Lord our full loyalty of heart, of intention, of will, however imperfect the results of our efforts to glorify him in our bodies and spirits. The Evangelist records that our Lord prayed, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” It may be that our Lord meant by this, If your infinite love and mercy see it possible in any manner to accomplish your purpose of salvation for mankind without it being necessary for me to die, then grant it to be so. But if this were the Lord’s thought it would imply that he had not fully grasped the Father’s plan of a restitution for mankind, made possible through a ransom price for Adam and his sin; for, seeing this, our Lord could not have supposed that anything short of the full ransom could secure the results. Quite possibly, however, the thought which bore heavily upon him was the realization now coming vividly to his mind that if apprehended as a blasphemer it would be the policy of his enemies not to destroy him secretly, but to deliver him over to the Romans; and he could realize the influence and power they would exert to secure the performance of their wishes, and he knew that the Roman method of execution was that of crucifixion, and he knew also that the Scriptures explicitly said, “Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” Here, then, seems to have been the centre of his thought: I shall be esteemed of all my countrymen as forsaken of God, and as accursed of him; I shall die as a blasphemer, as a malefactor; whereas my every sentiment is, and has always been, fealty, loyalty to the Father. This, we believe, was the special feature of our Lord’s anxiety, called the “cup” of sorrow, which he wished, if possible, might be removed. We believe that he knew his death to be necessary, unavoidable, as he had many times informed his disciples; but that it was this ignominious form of death, “even the death of the cross,” that staggered him; for it not only bespoke shame and misrepresentation before the people, and those whom he loved and to whom he sought to do good. but it carried with it also the thought that he was accursed of God; and if accursed of God he could have no hope for a realization of the glorious promise of a resurrection. But when assured through the angel that he would not be actually accursed of God, even tho he would for a time take the place of the accursed Adam and he “made a curse for us,” his race, then even the cross and its shame could be endured with fortitude. WATCH AND PRAY LEST YE ENTER INTO TEMPTATION In the case of our Lord and the apostles we see illustrated the value of watchfulness and prayer in the dark hour of trouble. Our Lord followed the direction he gave to the disciples: he watched, he prayed, he got a blessing, he was strengthened, and came off victor. They did not watch and did not pray, failing to realize the necessities of the occasion. and as a result we find them scattered, bewildered;—and one of them. the very strongest of them all, who hoastingly had said a little while before, “Tho all men forsake thee yet will not I,” was so overpowered by his surroundings, and so weak through lack of the very strength he should have obtained through watching and prayer, that he denied the Lord with profanity. Whenever we find the Lord’s people attempting to live a life of holiness and consecration, yet ignoring the injunction of our Lord to watch and pray, we know that they are unwise; and that however much they may be virgins, pure ones, they are foolish: they cannot hope to gain the victory over self and sin and the Adversary, singlehanded, alone. If the Master himself needed strengthening, surely we also need it; and if WATCH TOWER (80-83) he received it in response to supplications with strong cryings and tears, it is an intimation to us of the way in which God is pleased to bestow the full assurance of faith which is able to strengthen us as good soldiers to endure any and everything in his name and service. Those who seek the Lord earnestly and in prayer are as sure to receive a blessing as was the Lord Jesus himself; and altho there will not come to them the same kind of heavenly messenger to comfort and encourage them, nevertheless a heavenly messenger of another kind will surely be sent. It may be in the person of a fellowdisciple, able to enter into and sympathize with us in our trials or difficulties, as none of the apostles could sympathize with our Lord or assist him. Or it may be that the messenger sent will be one of the apostles themselves, through the many gracious words of inspiration which God has communicated to us through them in his Word. But however the strength may come, it must be the assurance, not of men nor of angels, but of God, that we are pleasing and acceptable to him,—and that we may claim and expect the exceeding great and precious things which he has in reservation for them that love him. So to speak, we are now in the hour of trial which cometh upon the whole world to try them. The present is represented in the Scriptures to be “the hour of temptation” or testing at the close of this age. It is the Gethsemane hour, in this sense of the word, to all who are the Lord’s true people, fully consecrated to him. It is the hour, therefore, in which we, like our Lord, should be seeking the Father’s face to receive the full assurance that we are his, and that he is ours; and that we may iely confidently on his strength to carry us through this time. It is the time in which we are to make sure, a3 we sometimes sing: “O let no earthborn cloud arise To hide thee from thy servant’s eyes.” It is a time in which those who neglect the Master’s words, ‘Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation,” will be sure to enter into temptation, and be tolerably sure to fall therein. And the fall will be severe——and even tho, like Peter, they should afterward be recovered out of it, it will be with weeping. Some make the mistake of praying without watching; others make the mistake of watching without praying: but the safe and only proper method is that which our Lord directed, to combine the two. We are to watch, and to be on our guard against the encroachments of the world, the flesh and the devil. We are to watch for all the encouragements of the Lord’s Word, the evidence of their fulfilment, the signs that betoken his presence and the great changes of dispensation just at hand. We are to watch for everything that will strengthen us in faith and hope and lovaltvy and love; and while watching we are to pray without ceasing We are to pray together as the Lord’s people; we are to prav in our homes, as families; we are to prav in secret, in private. We are to have the spirit of prayer in all that we sav and do: that is to say, our hearts should be going out continually to the Lord for guidance in all of life’s affairs, that we may do with our might what our hands find to do, in a manner that will be acceptable to him, and that we may be shielded by him from temptation that would otherwise he beyond our endurance, and that we may be ultimately delivered from the evil one and have a place in our Lord’s kingdom. Brethren and sisters, let us more and more remember and put into practice, in every home in which the WatTcu Tower is a visitor, these words of our Lord, “Watch and pray, lest ve enter into temptation.” Vou, XXII ALLEGHENY, PA., MARCH 1, 1901 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER CORROBORATIONS OF SCRIPTURE TESTIMONY Gradually. but surely and relatively swiftly, we see unfolding the various features of the divine plan which the Scriptures have taught us to expect—pointing them out in a general way in advance—namely, preparations for the Millennium of blessing and preparations also for the great time of trouble with which it will be introduced. The testimonies following are all the more forceful because they come from men who, so far as we are aware, have no such expectations as we hold—no such light as we enjoy, relative to the teachings of the Scriptures on these matters. For instance, many have opposed our presentation of the Bible’s teachings on restitution (Acts 3:19-21), claiming— (1) That there would not be standing room for so many as probably have been born, reasonably estimated at about fifty thousand millions. We answered this by a mathematical demonstration that twice this number could find standing room in either Texas or France, and that the whole earth under good climatie conditions will be ample for all. They then ohjected— (2) That the earth can scarcely feed its present population, as attested by the famines in India and southern Russia. We replied to this, that God is able to provide for the fulfilment of all his promises; and pointed out the declarations of the holy prophets respecting these “times of restitution,” that then “the earth shall yield her increase” and the “wilderness shall blossom as the rose.”—Isa. 35:1; Psa. 67:9. Note now how science comes forward to corroborate the Bible’s testimony; and let us remember that now is just the [2775]
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