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VOL.
XXIII
ALLEGHENY,
PA.,
JUNE
1,
1902
VIEWS
FROM
THE
WATCH
TOWER
No.
11
"MAKING
VOID
THE
WORD
OF
GOD
BY
YOUR
TRADITIONS"
-MARK
7:13
Comparatively
few
of
the
"common
people"
of
Christendom
realize
how
thoroughly
the
Word
of
God
has
a7ready
been
rej~cted
by
the
leading
Doctors
of
theology.
When,
over
twenty
years
ago,
we
pointed
out
from
the
Word
of
God
that
all
classes
-
of
Christendom
were
about
to
be
tested
on
the
fundamentals
of
Christian
faith,
and
that
according
to
Psalm
91,
a
thousand
would
fall
into
unbelief
to
one
who
would
stand
faithful,
some
mocked-considering
that
no
more
absurd
proposition
could
possibly
be
made.
Apply
this
rule
now
to
the
300,000,000
of
Christendom
and
the
number
to
stand
would
be
30,000.
In
our
last
issue
we
noted
that
some
candidates
for
minis
terial
office
in
the
Presbyterian
church
had
publicly
disowned
belief
in
Adam
and
Eve
as
the
first
parents
of
our
race
considering
that
portion
of
the
Scripture
mythical,
unreal,
untrue;
and
how
the
Elizabeth
(N.
J.),
Presbytery
finally
passed
such
an
one,-who
purposes
to
become
a
missionary.
Since
then
the
subject
has
been
considerably
discussed
in
the
secular
and
religious
press,
and
so
far
as
we
have
noted,
generally
in
sympathy
with
the
unbelieL"er
;-generally
in
con
demnation
of
those
who
called
in
question
the
unbeliever's
right
to
acceptance
as
"orthodox."
This
is
truly
a
peculiar
world:
anyone
who
believes
in
the
second
coming
of
our
Lord
to
be
the
King
of
earth,
as
foretold
in
the
8eriptures
SCOl
es
of
times,
is
"off-color,"
"tainted"
or
"non·orthodox,"
according
to
the
bias
of
his
critics.
The
man
who
denie'l
eternal
torment
as
both
unreasonable
and
un
scriptural,
and
who
calls
for
proof
texts
from
the
Bible
(not
parable
and
symbolic
statements,
but
literal),
or
who
denies
that
the
BIble
otTers
immortality
in
any
sense
or
condition
to
the
wicked,
amI
asks
for
proof
texts,-is
denounced
as
a
"heretic,"
as
is
al~o
the
man
who
declares
that
he
believes
in
the
Father
and
in
the
Son
and
in
the
holy
Spirit,
and
that
these
are
at
one,
or
in
full
harmony,
but
who
denies
that
it
can
be
true
that
they
are
one
tn
person,
or
that
the
Scriptures
so
state,
and
invites
proof
texts.
On
the
other
hand,
whoever
professes
to
believe
these
things
which
the
Bible
does
not
teach,
and
which
reason
repudiates,
and
who
denies
the
Bible
record
of
crea
tion.
accepting
instead
the
un
scriptural
theory
of
evolution,
tha
t
man
is
promptly
labeled
orthodox,
and
any
unWIlling
to
so
eon
cede
are
promptly
denounced
as
unenlightened
fossils.
Rurely
this
is
what
the
Lord
referred
to
as
putting
light
for
darkness
and
darkness
for
light-calling
evil
good,
and
good
eviL-Isa.
5:20.
The
following
is
from
the
comment
of
the
New
York
Independent,
one
of
the
leading
"orthodox"
religious
journals
of
the
world:-
"We
venture
to
say
that
there
is
not
a
competent
educated
professor
of
biology
or
geology
in
the
obscurest
Presbyterilln
college
in
the
United
States
who
believes
that
the
Adam
and
Eve
of
Genesis
were
historical
characters.
One
would
have
to
rake
all
our
colleges
and
universities
with
a
fine-toothed
eomb
to
find
such
a
teacher,
and
very
few
they
would
he.
The
belief,
in
scientific
circles,
of
such
an
Adam
and
Eve
is
dead,
and
is
no
longer
considered
or
discussed.
Of
course,
the
doctrine
of
a
literal
Adam
lingers
in
popular
belief,
just
as
once
did
the
belief
in
the
world
made
in
six
literal
days;
but
it
is
held
by
those
who
got
their
education
a
generation
or
two
ago.
or
who.
never
got
any
education
at
all.
'l'he
older
men
m
the
presbyteries,
especiaUy
those
who
have,
for
ont'
reason
or
another,
dropped
out
of
the
educative
stress
of
pastoral
life,
have
not
learne~
what
the
colleges
now
teach;
and
1t
is
they
that
oppose
their
large
ignorance
to
modern
know7edge."
What
plainer
statement
of
present
conditions
could
we
ask
and
from
what
higher
authority
could
it
come?
Notice
again
the
last
sentence,
which
we
have
italicized:
only
old
fogies-country
preachers
and
the
unlearned-any
longer
be
lieve
the
Bible
to
be
God's
revelation.
To
the
"cultured"
it
is
a
book
of
fairy
tales
mixed
with
pessimistic
nonsense
of
weep
ing
prophets
who
nl:'ver
dreamed
of
the
grand
time
coming
when
the
trust-giants
shall
hold
full
sway
and
bring
in
the
Millennium
of
wealth
and
aristocracy.
Not
knowing
so
much
as
these
modern
teachers,
"higher
critics,"
the
prophets
dreamed
and
wrote
of
a
second
coming
of
Christ,
and
of
the
establishment
of
a
kingdom
of
God
under
the
whole
heavens;
-of
a
lifting
up
of
the
poor
and
the
needy
and
a
humbling
of
the
great;-
of
a
laying
of
righteousness
to
the
line
and
justice
to
the
plummet.
Well,
we
prefer
to
be
with
the
Lord
and
the
Apostles:
we
prefer
to
believe
"all
things
spoken
by
the
mouth
of
all
the
holy
prophets
since
the
world
began."
Acts
3:19-21.
The
editor
of
the
(New
York)
Mail
and
Express,
not
being
a
trained
theologian
and
Doctor
of
Divinity,
shows
his
"backwoods"
ideas
on
the
subject
as
follows:-
"It
is
one
thing
to
say
that
the
story
of
Adam
and
Eve
is
a
myth,
and
quite
another
to
say
that
it
is
false.
Embodied
in
the
Scriptural
account
in
the
first
chapter
of
Genesis
is
the
most
profound
bit
of
wisdom.
the
most
searching
dip
into
the
springs
of
human
acbon
in
the
face
of
the
great
mystery
of
life
and
divinity
that
surrounds
us,
the
most
vivid
revela
tion
of
the
power
of
God
and
the
helplessness,
yet
hopeful
ness
of
life,
that
alI
the
world's
literature
has
brought
down
to
us.
It
is
fundamental
in
many
ways.
That
the
guanlianR
of
religious
doctrine
should
seek
to
hold
neophytes
to
a
belief
in
it
is
not
to
be
wondered
at.
"A
myth
is
but
old,
old
speech.
All
things
are
"'pokl'n
in
some
shape
before
they
are
written.
The
myth
is
the
spoken,
elder
Scripture.
Not
all
myths
are
entitled
to
become
Scrip
ture;
but
this
one
was
so
entitled-and
it
is
truP.
If
any
thing
possesses
authority
in
this
doubting
age,
tIllS
recont
does.
There
may
be
more
wisdom
in
the
act
of
simple
domi
nies
who
require
rigid
adherence
to
its
letter
than
in
the
proceedings
of
those
who
treat
it
with
flippant
doubt."
This
learned
editor,
in
his
anxiety
to
"straddle"
the
sub
ject
and
to
please
both
parties,
has
used
the
word
myth
III
an
unusual
and
unauthorized
manner,
whIch
merely
show,",
that
he
and
others
are
well
shaken
in
their
credence'
of
the
llible,
though
not
yet
ready
to
abandon
it
completely.
We
quote
the
Standard
Dictionary's
definition
of
this
use
of
the
word
myth,
as
follows:-
"A
fictitious
or
conjectural
narrative
presented
as
his
torical,
but
without
any
basis
of
fact;
hence,
an
imaginary
or
fictitious
person,
object,
or
eVl:'nt;
as
Santa
Claus
is
a
myth.
"The
difference
between
legend
and
myth
is
now
well
known.
.
..
The
myth
is
purely
the
work
of
imagination,
the
legend
has
a
nucleus
of
fact."
"Synonyms,
.1ntonyms
and
PrepositIons,"
says:-
"A
legend
may
be
true,
but
can
not
be
historically
verified;
a
myth
has
been
received
as
true
at
some
time,
but
is
now
known
to
be
false."
How
long
will
it
require
for
people
to
learn
that
the
Bible
is
so
thoroughly
one,
and
its
story
one,
that
a
repudiation
of
one
part
means
the
repudiation
of
the
whole?
For
instance,
some
may
reason
that
the
truth
or
falsity
of
the
story
of
Adam
and
Eve
and
their
original
perfection
in
their
Eden
home,
has
no
bearing
upon
the
general
plan
of
salvation
pre
sented
in
the
Scriptures;
but
in
this
they
greatly
err.
If
there
was
no
fall
from
holiness
and
perfection,
there
could
be
no
need
of
a
Redeemer
to
ransom
him
and
his
posterity
from
such
a
condemnation;
and
the
promised
blessing
of
a
restitution
of
man
to
Adam's
primeval
estate
would
be
an
absurdity.
But
let
the
good
work
go
on.
For,
as
the
Apostle
said
in
his
day,-"There
must
be
heresies
also
among
you,
that
they
which
are
approved
may
be
made
manifest."
(1
Cor.
11:
In)
Much
more
is
this
the
case
now:
the
"harvest"
time
of
separating
wheat
from
tares
having
come
this
seems
to
be
the
Lord's
method
of
hastening
it
in
its
due
Reason.
"None
of
the
wicked
will
understand,
but
the
wise
shall
understand."
(Dan.
12:10)
The
wise
toward
God,
counted
fools
by
the
WIsdom
of
this
world,
will
begin
to
open
their
eye.,
to
the
true
situation
as
this
breach
grows
wider.
They
will
begin
to
"inquire
for
the
old
paths,"
and
then
will
be
in
the
right
condition
to
hear
and
heed
the
true
Shepherd's
voice
and
to
comprehend
with
all
saints
the
divine
plan
of
the
ages.
These
("not
many")
are
hungry
for
it
now,
but
are
deterred
by
the
misrepresentations
of
the
shepherds
of
Babylon
whom
they
trust
too
implicitly,-taking
their
word
without
proving
it
by
the
Word
of
the
Lord.
RUSSIAN
SOLDIERS
REFUSE
TO
SHOOT
AT
MOB
The
following
quotation
from
the
London
Pall
MalT
Ga
zette,
indicates
that
already
the
great
"European
public
school"
(the
standing
army),
is
learning
its
lesson
and
gl:'tting
ready
for
the
coming
conflict:-
"During
the
demonstration
in
the
Hazan
Square,
in
St.
Petersburg,
a
detachment
of
infantry
was
called
upon
to
fire
upon
the
crowd.
The
men
thrice
refused
to
obey,
and
were
marched
back
to
barracks,
no
inquiry
being
subsequently
held.
Similar
incidents
havl:'
occurred
elsewhere.
With
uni
versal
service,
the
army
is
only
the
people
in
uniform.
Any
popular
feeling
must,
sooner
or
later,
touch
the
army,
and
if
the
soldiers
cannot
be
depended
upon
to
shoot,
the
game
of
absolutism
is
up."
[3015]
(163-164)
Vou. XXIII ALLEGHENY, PA., JUNE 1, 1902 No. 11 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER ‘MAKING VOID THE WORD OF GOD EY YOUB TRADITIONS’’ —MARKE 7:13 Comparatively few of the “common people” of Christendom realize how thoroughly the Word of God has already heen rejected by the leading Doctors of theology. When, over twenty years ago, we pointed out from the Word of God that all classes “of Christendom were about to be tested on the fundamentals of Christian faith, and that according to Psalm 91, a thousand would fall into unbelief to one who would stand faithful, some mocked—considering that no more absurd proposition could possibly be made. Apply this rule now to the 300,000,000 of Christendom and the number to stand would be 30,000. In our last issue we noted that some candidates for ministerial office in the Presbyterian church had publicly disowned belief in Adam and Eve as the first parents of our race-— considering that portion of the Scripture mythical, unreal, untrue; and how the Elizabeth (N. J.), Presbytery finally passed such an one,—who purposes to become a missionary. Since then the subject has been considerably discussed in the secular and religious press, and so far as we have noted, generally in sympathy with the unbeliever ;—generally in condemnation of those who called in question the unbeliever’s right to acceptance as “orthodox.” ‘This is truly a peculiar world: any one who believes in the second coming of our Lord to be the King of earth, as foretold in the Scriptures scores of times, is “off-color,” “tainted” or ‘“non-orthodox,” according to the bias of his critics. The man who denies eternal torment as both unreasonable and unscriptural, and who calls for proof texts from the Bible (not parable and symbolic statements, but literal), or who denies that the Bible offers immortality in any sense or condition to the wicked, and asks for proof texts,—is denounced as a “heretic,” as is also the man who declares that he believes in the Father and in the Son and in the holy Spirit, and that these are at one, or in full harmony, but who denies that it can be true that they are one wm person, or that the Scriptures so state, and invites proof texts. On the other hand, whoever professes to believe these things which the Bible does not teach, and which reason repudiates, and who denies the Bible record of creation, accepting instead the unscriptura] theory of evolution,— that man is promptly labeled orthodox, and any unwilling to so concede are promptly denounced as unenlightened fossils. Surely this is what the Lord referred to as putting light for darkness and darkness for light—calling evil good, and good evil.—Isa. 5:20. The following is from the comment of the New York Independent, one of the leading “orthodox” religious journals of the world:— “We venture to say that there is not a competent educated professor of biclogy or geology in the obscurest Presbyterian college in the United States who believes that the Adam and Eve of Genesis were historical characters. One would have to rake all our colleges and universities with a fine-toothed comb to find such a teacher, and very few they would he. The belief, in scientific circles, of such an Adam and Eve is dead, and is no longer considered or discussed. Of course, the doctrine of a literal Adam lingers in popular belief, just as once did the belief in the world made in six literal days; but it is held by those who got their education a generation or two ago, or who never got any education at all. The older men in the presbyteries, especially those who have, for one reason or another, dropped out of the educative stress of pastoral life, have not learned what the colleges now teach ; and 1t is they that oppose their large ignorance to modern knowledge.” What plainer statement of present conditions could we ask and from what higher authority could it comre? Notice again the last sentence, which we have italicized: only old fogies—country preachers and the unlearned—any longer believe the Bible to be God’s revelation. To the “cultured” it is a book of fairy tales mixed with pessimistic nonsense of weeping prophets who never dreamed of the grand time coming when the trust-giants shall hold full sway and bring in the Millennium of wealth and aristocracy. Not knowing so much as these modern teachers, “higher critics,’ the prophets dreamed and wrote of a second coming of Christ, and of the establishment of a kingdom of God under the whole heavens; —of a lifting up of the poor and the needy and a humbling of the great;—of a laying of righteousness to the line and justice to the plummet. Well, we prefer to be with the Lord and the Apostles: we prefer to believe “all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began.”— Acts 3:19-21, [3015] The editor of the (New York) Mail and Express, not being a trained theologian and Doctor of Divinity, shows his “backwoods” ideas on the subject as follows:— “It is one thing to say that the story of Adam and Eve is a myth, and quite another to say that it is false. Embodied in the Scriptural account in the first chapter of Genesis is the most profound bit of wisdom, the most searching dip into the springs of human action in the face of the great mystery of life and divinity that surrounds us, the most vivid revelation of the power of God and the helplessness, yet hopefulness of life, that all the world’s literature has brought down to us. It is fundamental in many ways. That the guardians of religious doctrine should seek to hold neophytes to a belief in it is not to be wondered at. “A myth is but old, old speech. some shape before they are written. The myth is the spoken, elder Scripture. Not all myths are entitled to become Scripture; but this one was so entitled—and it is true. If anything possesses authority in this doubting age, this record does. There may be more wisdom in the act of simple dominies who require rigid adherence to its letter than in the proceedings of those who treat it with flippant doubt.” This learned editor, in his anxiety to “straddle” the subject and to please both parties, has used the word myth in an unusual and unauthorized manner, which merely shows that he and others are well shaken in their credence of the Bible, though not yet ready to abandon it completely. We quote the Standard Dictionary’s definition of this use of the word myth, as follows:— “A fictitious or conjectural narrative presented as_historical, but without any basis of fact; hence, an imaginary or fictitious person, object, or event; as Santa Claus is a myth. “The difference between legend and myth is now well known. ... The myth is purely the work of imagination, the legend has a nucleus of fact.” “Synonyms, Antonyms and Prepositions,” says:— “A legend may be true, but can not be historically verified; a myth has been received as true at some time, but is now known to be false.” How long will it require for people to learn that the Bible is so thoroughly one, and its story one, that a repudiation of one part means the repudiation of the whole? For instance, some may reason that the truth or falsity of the story of Adam and Eve and their original perfection in their Eden home, has no bearing upon the general plan of salvation presented in the Scriptures; but in this they greatly err. If there was no fall from holiness and perfection, there could be no need of a Redeemer to ransom him and his posterity from such a condemnation; and the promised blessing of a restitution of man to Adam’s primeval estate would be an absurdity. But let the good work go on. For, as the Apostle said in his day,—“There must be heresies also among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest.” (1 Cor. 11:19) Much more is this the case now: the “harvest” time of separating wheat from tares having come thisseems to be the Lord’s method of hastening it in its due season. ‘‘None of the wicked will understand, but the wise shall understand.” (Dan. 12:10) The wise toward God, counted fools by the wisdom of this world, will begin to open their eyes to the true situation as this breach grows wider. They will begin to “inquire for the old paths,” and then will be in the right condition to hear and heed the true Shepherd’s voice and to comprehend with all saints the divine plan of the ages. These (“not many”) are hungry for it now, but are deterred by the misrepresentations of the shepherds of Babylon whom they trust too implicitly —taking their word without proving it by the Word of the Lord. RUSSIAN SOLDIERS REFUSE TO SHOOT AT MOB All things are spoken in The following quotation from the London Pall Mall Gagette, indicates that already the great “European public school” (the standing army), is learning its lesson and getting ready for the coming conflict: — “During the demonstration in the Hazan Square, in St. Petersburg, a detachment of infantry was called upon to fire upon the crowd. The men thrice refused to obey, and were marched back to barracks, no inquiry being subsequently held. Similar incidents have occurred elsewhere. With universal service, the army is only the people in uniform. Any popular feeling must, sooner or later, touch the army, and if the soldiers cannot be depended upon to shoot, the game of absolutism is up.” (163-164)
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