Publication date
4/15/01
Volume
22
Number
8
The WatchTower
Views From the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1901/8/1901-8-1.html
 
 
 
AFRIL 
1, 
1901 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(131-132) 
sible 
from 
churches 
or 
governments 
under 
the 
present 
dispen­ 
l'lation; 
to 
hold 
themselves 
ready 
for 
tremendous 
convulsions, 
ann 
changes 
of 
all 
things 
established, 
and 
to 
expect 
their 
good 
things 
only 
from 
Christ's 
second 
advent." 
VOL. 
XXII 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
APRIL 
15, 
1901 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
No. 
S 
MISAPPREHENSIONS 
CORRECTED 
Some 
misunderstood 
an 
item 
in 
our 
March 
1 
View, 
namely, 
that 
we 
commended 
the 
course 
of 
the 
Boers 
and 
Filipinos 
and 
condemned 
Socialism. 
Nothing 
of 
the 
kind 
was 
meant. 
( 
1) 
THE 
UNITED 
STATES 
AND 
THE 
FILIPINOS. 
The 
Filipinos 
would 
have 
been 
much 
wiser 
to 
have 
thrown 
themselves 
upon 
the 
mercy 
and 
justice 
of 
the 
United 
States 
and, 
expressing 
thanks 
for 
deliverance 
from 
Spanish 
misrule, 
to 
have 
asked 
for 
civil 
and 
religious 
liberty 
under 
the 
protec­ 
tion 
of 
this 
great 
Republic. 
But 
theIr 
ignorant 
f.ailure. 
to 
take 
this 
course 
did 
not 
make 
it 
right 
to 
ignore 
theIr 
aspIra­ 
tIOns 
for 
liberty, 
and 
to 
treat 
them 
as 
enemies 
on 
this 
ac­ 
count. 
Rather 
they 
should 
have 
had 
from 
the 
v~ry 
start 
distinct 
assurances 
and 
guarantees 
of 
as 
much 
lIberty 
as 
they 
could 
show 
capacity 
for 
;-eventually 
full 
free~o~. 
But 
the 
right 
policy 
was 
offset 
by 
land·hunger, 
commercIalIsm 
and 
the 
spirit 
of 
empIre 
building, 
will~ng 
to 
s.pend. 
thousan.ds 
of 
hves 
and 
millions 
of 
money 
for 
Its 
gratificatIOn. 
ThIS 
we 
('onnemn 
as 
being 
contrary 
to 
the 
spirit 
of 
Christ, 
the 
spirit 
of 
love, 
and 
as 
sure 
to 
bring 
its 
own 
reward 
in 
due 
time. 
(2) 
TH~; 
BRITISH 
AND 
THE 
BOERS. 
Others 
thought 
that 
we 
commended 
the 
Boers, 
because 
.we 
l'l'1lUked 
the 
British 
Ministry's 
lust 
for 
empire 
extensIOn 
that 
would 
give 
British 
capitalists 
the 
control 
of 
Boer 
.g?ld 
and 
diamond 
fields, 
at, 
however, 
a 
far 
greater 
cost 
of 
BrItISh 
lives 
and 
money 
than 
they 
expected. 
No 
one 
is 
deceived 
by 
the 
claim 
that 
the 
war 
was 
precipitated 
by 
Mr. 
Chamber­ 
lalli's 
desire 
to 
free 
the 
Boer 
slaves 
and 
correct 
the 
Boer 
morab' 
everybody 
knows 
that 
he 
had 
plenty 
of 
room 
to 
work 
along 
those 
lines 
at 
home, 
where 
thousands 
of 
white 
eh 
l/dren 
are 
still 
the 
wage-slaves 
of 
commercial 
selfishness, 
and 
need 
deliverance 
and 
schooling 
and 
moral 
training. 
Xeither 
are 
sensible 
people 
deceived 
by 
the 
plea 
that 
the 
war 
was 
precipitated 
by 
lo~.e 
of 
liberty 
and 
the 
desire 
to 
give 
the 
Lallot 
to 
the 
assorted 
white 
foreigners, 
called 
Uitlanders. 
Thi~ 
was 
till' 
pretext 
by 
which 
the 
st~tesman 
who 
engine.e~ed 
the 
\\ 
ar 
for 
commercialism 
and 
empIre 
deluded 
the 
BrItIsh 
mAsses 
and 
got 
their 
support. 
Indeed, 
the 
claim 
that 
Britain 
for(,l'd 
the 
WHr 
by 
insl~tance, 
that 
her 
own 
sons, 
known 
as 
"Cltland!'rs," 
~hould 
be 
allowed 
to 
expatriate 
themselves 
as 
Britl~h 
and 
sweal 
alll'giance 
and 
support 
to 
the 
Boer 
repub­ 
hcs, 
I~ 
tmghaLh'. 
The 
Boers 
well 
knew 
that 
such 
an 
oath 
to 
~uch 
lllen 
who 
openly 
avowed 
their 
hostility 
would 
be 
nH'aningle~s-that 
at 
the 
very 
time 
they 
were 
ready 
to 
take 
the 
oath 
of 
a 
l1eglance 
these 
men 
were 
conspiring 
for 
a 
revo­ 
lutIOn. 
In 
refu'olllg 
the 
franchise 
under 
such 
circumstances 
to 
such 
persons, 
they 
did 
what 
C\ 
ery 
Briton 
would 
have 
done 
I 
f 
ill 
their 
stead. 
'Ve 
by 
no 
means 
('omll1cnd 
the 
Boers! 
\Ve 
deprecate 
their 
low 
i,lea.., 
of 
civilizatIon, 
theu 
practice 
of 
slavery 
of 
the 
na­ 
tnt' 
blacks, 
and 
thclr 
lack 
of 
hberality;-their 
narrowness 
,lIlel 
sl'lfishness. 
But 
two 
wrongs 
do 
not 
make 
one 
right; 
and 
III 
Oil! 
opmion 
the 
Boers 
should 
have 
been 
permitted 
to 
pos­ 
'-e~~ 
their 
land, 
and 
gradually 
improve 
its 
government 
as 
their 
Idpas 
enlarg"d. 
It 
is 
but 
very 
few 
years 
since 
Britain 
took 
t1.l' 
"tt'll 
o( 
giving 
the 
ballot, 
even 
under 
limitations, 
to 
her 
0\\ 
II 
'oon~ 
\r 
e 
lovp 
and 
respect 
British 
character 
far 
more 
111 
til 
that 
of 
till' 
Boers; 
and 
we 
refuse 
to 
believe 
that 
the 
llntl~h 
masses 
\HJUld 
have 
sanctioned 
this 
land-stealing 
war 
1'1 
South 
Atric,l, 
hall 
they 
not 
been 
blinded 
and 
deceived 
by 
tltl'll 
tI 
ll'otC<! 
political 
and 
financial 
leaders. 
Our 
appreciation 
or 
th(' 
Bllton~ 
does 
not 
mean 
a 
love 
for 
their 
rulers, 
but 
for 
the 
peoplp 
who 
more 
than 
once 
have 
shown 
their 
sturdy 
love 
of 
pI 
inciple 
to 
the 
extent 
of 
compelling 
thetr 
rulers 
to 
adopt 
at 
home 
the 
"ery 
hhpral 
government 
which 
they 
now 
enjoy 
as 
a 
consequence. 
But 
as 
the 
"god 
of 
this 
world" 
is 
using 
Do<·toni 
of 
Divinity 
to 
bhnd 
many 
to 
the 
divine 
plan 
and 
its 
Justice 
and 
love. 
~o 
he 
uses 
Do(·tors 
of 
Finance 
and 
Doctors 
ot 
l'ohtil's 
to 
Llm,l 
noble 
and 
liberty-loving 
nations 
to 
the 
rIghts 
and 
lIbertIes 
of 
others. 
Thank 
God, 
the 
liberty 
of 
"the 
prinl'e 
of 
this 
world" 
will 
soon 
be 
curtailed, 
that 
he 
shall 
"DecClI'e 
the 
peoples 
no 
more."-Rev. 
20 
:3. 
However, 
it 
is 
not 
and 
has 
never 
been 
our 
wish 
to 
dabble 
in 
worldly 
politics 
\Ve 
are 
citizens 
of 
another 
country, 
even 
a 
heavenly, 
and 
have 
our 
Lord's 
Word 
for 
it 
that 
none 
of 
the 
earthly 
k'mgdoms 
are 
his; 
but 
that 
they 
all 
are 
under 
the 
dommation 
of 
"the 
prince 
of 
this 
world"-"the 
god 
of 
this 
world;" 
Satan, 
who 
will 
continue 
to 
blInd 
and 
deceive 
the 
masses 
until 
our 
Master, 
according 
to 
promise, 
takes 
tne 
kingdom 
and 
restrains 
Satan. 
(Rev. 
20: 
3 
) 
Then 
the 
blind­ 
ing 
influences 
being 
removed 
and 
the 
true 
light 
shining, 
all 
men 
shall 
see 
clearly, 
and 
all 
the 
worthy 
will 
rejoil'e. 
Our 
object, 
in 
these 
occasional 
Views 
from 
the 
Tower, 
of 
Babylon's 
matters 
and 
affairs, 
is 
to 
have 
all 
those 
who 
belong 
to 
the 
"holy 
nation" 
(I 
Pet. 
2: 
9) 
see 
how 
widely 
astray 
are 
all 
the 
kingdoms 
of 
this 
world, 
even 
tho 
they 
call 
themselves 
"Christian 
nations"-"Christendom." 
We 
who 
are 
in 
har­ 
mony 
with 
the 
Lord 
and 
his 
righteousness 
must 
realize 
that 
the 
entire 
social 
structure 
is 
out 
of 
joint, 
else 
we 
could 
not 
so 
honestly 
and 
earnestly 
pray, 
"Thy 
kingdom 
come, 
thy 
WIll 
be 
done 
on 
earth 
as 
it 
is 
done 
in 
hcaven,"-knowmg 
that 
the 
coming 
of 
God's 
kingdom 
means 
the 
utter 
wre('k 
of 
earthly 
kingdoms, 
in 
a 
time 
of 
trouble 
su('h 
as 
was 
not 
since 
there 
was 
a 
nation. 
vVhoever 
sees 
no 
fault 
in 
present 
arrangements 
and 
con­ 
ditions, 
but 
approves 
them, 
is 
not 
very 
fit 
for 
the 
kingdom. 
nor 
to 
be 
made 
one 
of 
the 
rulers 
under 
the 
new 
regime. 
On 
the 
other 
hand, 
however, 
we 
do 
not 
understand 
it 
to 
be 
the 
duty 
of 
the 
Lord's 
consecrated 
people 
("the 
saints") 
to 
ti­ 
rade 
and 
fight 
against 
the 
world. 
but 
to 
,sldJ1ntt 
to 
Its 
ordi­ 
nances, 
except 
when 
conscience 
would 
be 
violated 
(I 
Pet. 
2: 
13), 
waiting 
patiently 
for 
the 
Lord's 
promised 
kingdom 
as 
the 
only 
hope. 
Such 
are 
to 
realize 
that 
the 
worldly 
are 
blinded, 
and 
not 
to 
expect 
any 
to 
see 
the 
truth 
except 
such 
as 
have 
been 
c;pecially 
blessed 
of 
the 
Lord 
and 
called 
to 
joint­ 
heirship 
with 
Christ 
in 
the 
kingdom, 
on 
condition 
that 
now 
they 
shall 
suffer 
with 
him 
for 
righteousness' 
sake. 
(3) 
SOCIALISTIC 
PRINCIPLES 
APPROH::U 
Some 
supposed 
us 
to 
be 
antagonistic 
to 
Socialism. 
Quite 
to 
the 
contrary; 
we 
are 
very 
sympathetic 
toward 
its 
alms, 
and 
merely 
object 
that 
they 
are 
wholly 
impracticable 
under 
present 
conditions. 
Unquestionably 
the 
new 
age 
will 
see 
many 
of 
the 
ideas 
of 
the 
Single-Taxers 
and 
SOCialist". 
modified. 
in 
successful 
operation, 
under 
the 
auspices 
und 
backed 
by 
the 
power 
of 
the 
heavenly 
King 
and 
his 
kingdom, 
then 
in 
full 
con­ 
trol, 
and 
Satan 
bound. 
But 
We 
warn 
any 
of 
the 
saints 
against 
building 
their 
hopes 
upon 
any 
relief 
which 
Socialism 
now 
promises. 
That 
anchor 
and 
its 
cable 
are 
of 
sand, 
and 
will 
crumble 
into 
direst 
anar­ 
chy 
as 
soon 
as 
put 
to 
the 
test. 
Our 
faIth 
and 
anchor, 
on 
the 
contrary, 
are 
sure-faith 
in 
the 
promises 
of 
God. 
This 
faith 
anchorage 
fastened 
in 
the 
divine 
power 
will 
endure 
every 
strain. 
In 
proportion 
as 
any 
look 
to 
earthly 
sources 
for 
the 
deliverance 
of 
the 
"groaning 
creation" 
(Rom. 
R 
'1!l-23) 
they 
are 
turning 
their 
backs 
on 
the 
heavenly 
Deliverer. 
And 
in 
proportion 
as 
we 
trust 
in 
the 
deliverance 
that 
I~ 
to 
he 
brought 
about 
by 
the 
second 
advent 
of 
Christ 
and 
the 
glorification 
of 
his 
elect 
"little 
flock," 
to 
be 
the 
king.., 
and 
prH'st~ 
01 
God's 
kingdom, 
in 
that 
same 
degree 
we 
must 
rest 
all 
our 
confidence 
mit. 
True. 
if 
all 
the 
princes 
of 
earth, 
including 
the 
finanl'Ial. 
the 
"captains 
of 
industry," 
were 
to 
combine 
to 
establish 
So­ 
cialism, 
its 
tempolary 
success 
would 
seem 
to 
1)(' 
a~sured; 
but 
no 
sane 
man 
dreams 
of 
such 
conditlOn«. 
And 
if 
('~tablbhl'd 
all 
will 
admIt 
that 
it 
would 
bp 
but 
an 
experiment, 
with 
the 
strong 
probabilities, 
all 
would 
admit 
(with 
the 
certainty, 
we 
would 
claim), 
that 
it 
would 
frequently 
contend 
With 
anarchy 
and 
have 
a 
continual 
fight. 
With 
the 
;:pint 
of 
~l'lfislml's" 
en­ 
trenched 
in 
the 
hearts 
of 
the 
individuals. 
could 
we 
suppo~e 
that 
the 
endeavor 
to 
live 
collectively 
on 
the 
opposite 
basis 
of 
love 
would 
be 
very 
successful? 
Socialism 
('an 
only 
succeed 
to 
a 
limited 
degree 
at 
pus­ 
ent-to 
the 
extent 
that 
it 
benefits 
the 
intellectual 
and 
wealthv 
as 
well 
as 
the 
poor. 
Any 
attempt 
to 
carry 
it 
further 
will 
pr~­ 
cipitate 
anarchy. 
Present 
aggregations 
of 
capital 
and 
indus­ 
try 
are 
favorable 
to 
Socialism-government 
control, 
by 
the 
people 
and 
for 
the 
people. 
The 
masses 
seeing 
this 
wiil 
ere 
long 
attempt 
to 
grasp 
the 
throttle, 
expecting 
capitalists 
to 
submit 
to 
save 
their 
lives. 
But 
they 
are 
mistaken. 
Money 
and 
brains 
and 
selfishness 
are 
a 
strong 
combination, 
self-confident, 
resourceful, 
powerful. 
The 
result, 
as 
the 
Scriptures 
foretell, 
will 
not 
be 
Socialism 
but 
anarchy, 
humbling 
to 
the 
pride 
of 
the 
rich 
and 
the 
poor, 
the 
reformer 
and 
the 
demagogue. 
But 
that 
extremity 
will 
be 
the 
Lord's 
opportunity. 
and 
on 
the 
[2799] 
Apri 1, 1901 sible from churches or governments under the present dispensation; to hold themselves ready for tremendous convulsions, ZION’S WATCH TOWER (131-132) and changes of all things established, and to expect their good things only from Christ’s second advent.” Vout. XXIT ALLEGHENY, PA., APRIL 15, 1901 No. 8 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER MISAPPREHENSIONS CORRECTED Some misunderstood an item in our March 1 View, namely, that we commended the course of the Boers and Filipinos and condemned Socialism. Nothing of the kind was meant. (1) THE UNITED STATES AND THE FILIPINOS. The Filipinos would have been much wiser to have thrown themselves upon the mercy and justice of the United States and, expressing thanks for deliverance from Spanish misrule, to have asked for civil and religious liberty under the protection of this great Republic. But their ignorant failure to take this course did not make it right to ignore their aspirations for liberty, and to treat them as enemies on this account. Rather they should have had from the very start distinct assurances and guarantees of as much liberty as they could show capacity for;—eventually full freedom. But the right policy was offset by land-hunger, commercialism and the spirit of empire building, willing to spend thousands of lives and millions of money for its gratification, This we condemn as being contrary to the spirit of Christ, the spirit of love, and as sure to bring its own reward in due time. (2) THE BRITISH AND THE BOERS. Others thought that we commended the Buers, because we rebuked the British Ministry’s lust for empire extension that would give British capitalists the control of Boer gold and diamond fields, at, however, a far greater cost of British lives and money than they expected. No one is deceived by the claim that the war was precipitated by Mr. Chamberlain’s desire to free the Boer slaves and correct the Boer morals: everybody knows that he had plenty of room to work along those lines at home, where thousands of white children are still the wage-slaves of commercial selfishness, and need deliverance and schooling and moral training. Neither are sensible people deceived by the plea that the war was precipitated by love of liberty and the desire to give the ballot to the assorted white foreigners, called Uitlanders. This was the pretext by which the statesman who engineered the war for commerciahsm and empire deluded the British masses and got their support. Indeed, the claim that Britain forced the war by insistance, that her own sons, known as “Uitlanders,” should be allowed to expatriate themselves as British and swear allegiance and support to the Boer repubhes, 1s laughable. The Boers well knew that such an oath to such men who openly avowed their hostility would be meaningless—-that at the very time they were ready to take the oath of allegiance these men were conspiring for a revoIution, In refusing the franchise under such circumstances to such persons, they did what cvery Briton would have done if in their stead. We by no means commend the Boers! We deprecate their low ideas of civilization, their practice of slavery of the native blacks, and their lack of lberality;—their narrowness and selfishness. But two wrongs do not make one right; and in our opmion the Boers should have been permitted to possess their land, and gradually improve its government as their ideas enlarged. It is but very few years since Britain took the step of giving the ballot, even under limitations, to her own sons We love and respect British character far more thin that of the Boers; and we refuse to believe that the British masses would have sanctioned this land-stealing war 11 South Atrica, had they not been blinded and deceived by then trusted political and financial leaders. Our appreciation of the Britons does not mean a love for their rulers, but for the people who more than once have shown their sturdy love of principle to the extent of compelling their rulers to adopt at home the very liberal government which they now enjoy as a consequence. But as the “god of this world” is using Doctors of Divinity to blind many to the divine plan and its justice and love. so he uses Doctors of Finance and Doctors of Politics to blind noble and liberty-loving nations to the rights and liberties of others. Thank God, the liberty of “the prince of this world” will soon be curtailed, that he shall “Deceire the peoples no more.”—Rev. 20:3. However, it is not and has never been our wish to dabble in worldly politics We are citizens of another country, even a heavenly, and have our Lord’s Word for it that none of the earthly kingdoms are his; but that they all are under the domination of “the prince of this world”—‘“the god of this world;” Satan, who will continue to blind and deceive the masses until our Master, according to promise, takes tne kingdom and restrains Satan. (Rev. 20:3) Then the blinding influences being removed and the true light shining, all ™men shall see clearly, and all the worthy will rejoice. Our object, in these occasional Views from the Tower, of Babylon’s matters and affairs, is to have all those who belong to the “holy nation” (1 Pet. 2:9) see how widely astray are all the kingdoms of this world, even tho they call themselves “Christian nations’—“Christendom.” We who are in harmony with the Lord and his righteousness must realize that the entire social structure is out of joint, else we could not so honestly and earnestly pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven,”’—knowing that the coming of God’s kingdom means the utter wreck of earthly kingdoms, in a time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation. Whoever sees no fault in present arrangements and conditions, but approves them, is not very fit for the kingdom. nor to be made one of the rulers under the new regime. On the other hand, however, we do not understand it to be the duty of the Lord’s consecrated people (“the saints”) to tirade and fight against the world. but to submit to its ordinances, except when conscience would be violated (1 Pet. 2:13), waiting patiently for the Lord’s promised kingdom as the only hope. Such are to realize that the worldly are blinded, and not to expect any to see the truth except such as have been specially blessed of the Lord and called to jointheirship with Christ in the kingdom, on condition that now they shall suffer with him for righteousness’ sake. (3) SOCIALISTIC PRINCIPLES APPROVED Some supposed us to be antagonistic to Socialism. Quite to the contrary; we are very sympathetic toward its aims, and merely object that they are wholly impracticable under present conditions. Unquestionably the new age will see many of the ideas of the Single-Taxers and Socialists, modified. in successful operation, under the auspices and backed by the power of the heavenly King and his kingdom, then in full contro], and Satan bound. But we warn any of the saints against building their hopes upon any relief which Socialism now promises. That anchor and its cable are of sand, and will crumble into direst anarchy as soon as put to the test. Our faith and anchor, on the contrary, are sure—faith in the promises of God. This faith anchorage fastened in the divine power will endure every strain. In proportion as any look to earthly sources for the deliverance of the “groaning creation” (Rom. 8°19-23) they are turning their backs on the heavenly Deliverer. And in proportion as we trust in the deliverance that 1s to be brought about by the second advent of Christ and the glorification of his elect “little flock,” to be the kings and priests of God’s kingdom, in that same degree we must rest all our confidence in it. True, if all the princes of earth, including the financial. the “captains of industry,” were to combine to establish Socialism, its temporary success would seem to be assured; but no sane man dreams of such conditions. And if established all will admit that it would be but an experiment, with the strong probabilities, all would admit (with the certainty, we would claim), that it would frequently contend with anarchy and have a continual fight. With the spint of selfishness entrenched in the hearts of the individuals, could we suppose that the endeavor to live collectively on the opposite basis of love would be very successful? Socialism can only succeed to a limited degree at present—to the extent that it benefits the intellectual and wealthy as well as the poor. Any attempt to carry it further will precipitate anarchy. Present aggregations of capital and industry are favorable to Socialism—government control, by the people and for the people. The masses seeing this will ere long attempt to grasp the throttle, expecting capitalists to submit to save their lives. But they are mistaken. Money and brains and selfishness are a strong combination, self-confident, resourceful, powerful. The result, as the Scriptures foretell, will not be Socialism but anarchy, humbling to the pride of the rich and the poor, the reformer and the demagogue. But that extremity will be the Lord’s opportunity. and on the [2799]

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