Publication date
2/1/02
Volume
23
Number
3
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1902/3/1902-3-2.html
 
FI!BRUARY 
I, 
1902 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(36-38) 
Mark 
9 
:50. 
"Have 
peace 
one 
with 
another." 
Job 
22:21. 
"Acquaint 
now 
thyself 
with 
God 
and 
be 
at 
peace: 
thereby 
good 
shall 
come 
unto 
thee." 
Jas. 
3: 
18. 
"The 
fruit 
of 
righteousness 
is 
sown 
in 
peace 
of 
them 
that 
make 
peace." 
2 
Tim. 
2 
:22. 
"Follow 
righteousness, 
faith, 
charity, 
peace 
with 
them 
that 
call 
on 
the 
Lord 
out 
of 
a 
pure 
heart." 
Col. 
3: 
15. 
"Let 
the 
peace 
of 
God 
rule 
in 
your 
hearts, 
to 
the 
which 
also 
ye 
are 
called 
in 
one 
body." 
Eph. 
4: 
3. 
"Keep 
the 
unity 
of 
the 
Spirit 
in 
the 
bond 
of 
peace." 
Rom. 
10: 
15. 
"Preach 
the 
gospel 
of 
peace." 
Rom. 
8:6. 
"To 
be 
spiritually 
minded 
is 
life 
and 
peace." 
Zech. 
8: 
l!l. 
"Love 
the 
truth 
and 
peace." 
Provo 
12:20. 
"Deceit 
is 
in 
the 
heart 
of 
them 
that 
imagine 
evil: 
but 
to 
the 
counsellors 
of 
peace 
is 
joy." 
Psa. 
119: 
165. 
"Great 
peace 
have 
they 
which 
love 
thy 
law, 
and 
nothing 
shall 
offend 
them." 
Psa. 
37 
:37. 
"Mark 
the 
perfect 
man 
and 
behold 
the 
up­ 
right: 
for 
the 
end 
of 
that 
man 
is 
peace." 
Psa. 
37: 
II. 
"The 
meek 
shall 
inherit 
the 
earth; 
and 
shall 
delight 
themselves 
in 
abundance 
of 
peace." 
2 
Peter 
3: 
13, 
14. 
"We, 
according 
to 
his 
promise, 
look 
for 
new 
heavens 
and 
a 
new 
earth, 
wherein 
dwelleth 
righteous­ 
ness; 
wherefore, 
beloved, 
seeing 
that 
ye 
look 
for 
such 
things, 
be 
diligent 
that 
ye 
may 
be 
found 
of 
him 
in 
peace, 
without 
spot 
and 
blameless." 
Rom. 
14: 
18. 
"He 
that 
in 
these 
things 
serveth 
Christ 
is 
acceptable 
to 
God 
and 
approved 
of 
men." 
PERSECUTION 
RIGHTLY 
RECEIVED 
ACTS 
5 
: 
33-42.-FEB. 
16. 
"Bles8ed 
are 
they 
which 
are 
persecuted 
for 
righteou8ness' 
sake; 
for 
theirs 
i8 
the 
kingdom 
of 
heaven."-Matt. 
5: 
10. 
We 
saw, 
in 
a 
previous 
lesson, 
Peter 
and 
John 
before 
the 
salaries. 
As 
one 
of 
them 
declared, 
"My 
bread 
is 
not 
butterel! 
Sanhedrin, 
and 
the 
subsequent 
growth 
of 
the 
church 
in 
num- 
on 
that 
side!" 
bers 
and 
in 
the 
graces 
of 
the 
holy 
spirit, 
including 
joy 
and 
The 
city 
officials 
desirous 
of 
being 
on 
good 
terms 
with 
influ- 
peace 
with 
God 
and 
with 
each 
other 
and 
with 
fellow-men. 
ential 
citizens, 
called 
at 
our 
office, 
rehearsed 
the 
fact!'!, 
and 
The 
Lord's 
blessing 
upon 
the 
apostles, 
through 
the 
gifts 
of 
notified 
us 
to 
discontinue 
the 
work. 
We 
replied 
that 
we 
are 
the 
holy 
spirit, 
enabled 
them 
to 
heal 
the 
sick, 
and 
at 
the 
same 
living 
in 
the 
United 
States, 
and 
not 
in 
Rus!'!ia; 
am! 
that 
there 
time 
to 
declare 
that 
the 
work 
was 
done 
by 
the 
power 
of 
Jesu!'!, 
is 
no 
law 
here 
yet, 
against 
giving 
men 
hooklets. 
any 
more 
whom 
the 
rulers 
had 
crucified; 
but 
whom 
God 
had 
raised 
than 
against 
giving 
them 
bank-bills, 
if 
they 
desire 
to 
take 
from 
the 
dead, 
and 
who 
wa!'! 
now 
in 
heavenly 
glory, 
a 
prince, 
them, 
and 
if 
the 
procedure 
is 
conducted 
in 
a 
quiet, 
orderly 
a 
Savior, 
a 
glorified 
High 
Priest, 
ready 
and 
willing 
t'l 
grant 
manner. 
'Ve 
assured 
them 
that 
if 
there 
were 
any 
breaches 
of 
forgiveness 
of 
sin!'! 
and 
the 
blessing 
of 
the 
holy 
spirit 
to 
those 
the 
pea('e 
they 
would 
not 
come 
from 
the 
distributor!'!, 
and 
who 
would 
accept. 
- 
explained 
further 
that 
those 
who 
engaged 
in 
this 
volunteer 
For 
a 
time 
the 
chief 
priests 
and 
their 
associates 
in 
religi- 
service 
were 
a'! 
truly 
preaching 
the 
Gospel 
by 
the 
printed 
ous 
power, 
ignored 
the 
new 
movement 
and 
the 
fact 
that 
it 
page 
as 
were 
those 
who 
taught 
orally 
inside 
the 
churc~ 
build- 
reflected 
against 
them; 
but 
by 
and 
by 
they 
were 
aroused, 
and 
ings; 
and 
further, 
that 
the 
real 
objection 
was, 
that 
our 
friends 
used 
the 
power 
at 
their 
hand 
for 
the 
arrest 
of 
the 
apostles; 
were 
circulating 
the 
true 
gospel, 
"good 
tidings 
of 
great 
joy 
at 
the 
command 
of 
the 
chief 
ones 
the 
latter 
were 
put 
into 
which 
shall 
be 
unto 
all 
people," 
while 
tho'le 
inside 
the 
churches 
prison. 
The 
account 
says 
they 
had 
"indignation"-margin, 
were 
deceiving 
their 
confiding 
flocks, 
misrepresenting 
God's 
"envy." 
Thus 
the 
truth, 
in 
whatever 
way 
presented, 
has 
either 
character 
and 
plan, 
and 
withal 
reaping 
goodly 
rewards 
for 
n. 
savor 
of 
life 
unto 
life, 
or 
of 
death 
unto 
death, 
according 
their 
evil 
services 
i-whereas 
our 
friends, 
the 
volunteers, 
were 
to 
the 
heart-conditions 
of 
those 
coming 
under 
its 
influence. 
preaching 
the 
true 
gospel 
without 
money 
and 
without 
price; 
In 
the 
present 
case 
the 
simplicity 
of 
the 
apostles, 
their 
earnest- 
-seeking 
to 
educate 
the 
people 
in 
a 
knowl!'uge 
of 
Goel 
and 
ness 
in 
presenting 
their 
message, 
their 
power 
and 
kindness 
of 
his 
plan, 
as 
revealed 
in 
the 
Scriptures. 
The 
civil 
Ruthori­ 
in 
re!'!pe('t 
to 
the 
healing 
of 
disease 
and 
caRting 
out 
of 
devils, 
ties 
readily 
saw 
the 
justice 
of 
our 
position, 
and 
there 
was 
no 
nnd 
their 
evident 
sincerity, 
had 
a 
right 
influence 
upon 
all 
"Is- 
interference. 
Is 
not 
this 
a 
case 
of 
the 
blind 
seeing 
better 
than 
raelites 
indeed;" 
but 
the 
formal. 
perfunctory 
Israelites, 
in 
those 
who 
hoast 
of 
having 
escappd 
from 
blindnpss? 
favored 
positions 
of 
honor 
and 
affluence, 
were 
provoked 
to 
The 
Lord'!'! 
power 
was 
wonderfully 
manife!'!ted 
in 
the 
carly 
hatred 
and 
envy; 
envy 
becausc 
of 
a 
power 
over 
the 
people 
days, 
not 
only 
in 
the 
healing 
of 
the 
sick, 
but 
afterwards 
in 
which 
they 
could 
not 
exercise; 
hatred 
becau!'!e 
of 
a 
feeling 
the 
deliverance 
of 
the 
apostles 
from 
impriflOnmcnt. 
The' 
angel 
that 
these 
teachings 
were 
assailing 
and 
weakening 
their 
in- 
of 
the 
Lord 
opened 
the 
prison 
doors 
and 
brought 
them 
forth; 
fluence, 
and 
tending 
to 
break 
down 
the 
religious 
system 
which 
instructing 
them 
to 
proceed 
in 
thp 
proclamation 
of 
the 
truth 
they 
represented. 
as 
before. 
The 
apostles 
anel 
early 
church 
at 
thi'! 
time 
nl- 
So, 
too, 
we 
see 
matters 
today 
in 
nominal 
spiritual 
Israel. 
most 
walked 
bv 
sight; 
for, 
under 
such 
conditions, 
faith 
would 
The 
spirit 
of 
sectarianism 
is 
jealous 
and 
envious, 
and 
resent!'! 
be 
very 
secondary. 
However, 
we 
see 
thnt 
the 
object 
of 
this 
and 
oppo'!es 
whatever 
is 
not 
in 
accord 
with 
it;-fearful 
of 
was 
the 
e'!tablishment 
of 
the 
church 
upon 
broad, 
sure 
foundn­ 
its 
own 
fall,-realizing 
continually 
the 
weakness 
of 
its 
own 
tions. 
SubsPl}uentlv 
the 
miraculouR 
featurps 
were 
withurawn, 
position. 
On 
the 
contrary, 
now 
as 
ever, 
the 
truth, 
presented 
and 
are 
still 
withdrawn; 
frequently 
the 
Lorel's 
people 
have 
in 
simplicity 
and 
under 
the 
guidance 
of 
the 
holy 
spirit, 
will 
bepn 
imprisoned 
and 
otherwise 
mistreated 
throughout 
the 
age, 
appeal 
to 
all 
who 
are 
in 
a 
right 
attitude 
of 
heart, 
all 
Israel. 
without 
any 
special 
physical 
deliverance,-pven 
a!'! 
the 
mirac­ 
ites 
indeed, 
all 
whose 
eycs 
of 
understanding 
are 
open 
to 
see 
ulous 
gift 
of 
healing 
also 
passed 
away. 
We 
walk 
by 
faith, 
the 
inconsistencies 
of 
sectarianism 
and 
formalism. 
Sectarian 
not 
bv 
sight; 
we 
can 
sec 
the 
spiritual 
healings 
and 
casting 
leaders 
in 
our 
day 
have 
not 
the 
power 
to 
imprison 
those 
to- 
out 
of 
evil 
spirits 
progress, 
but 
arc 
not 
granted 
physical 
dem­ 
ward 
whom 
they 
feel 
enmity; 
nevertheless, 
having 
the 
same 
onstration'!; 
and 
if 
imprisoned 
or 
otherwi'!e 
despitefully 
used, 
spirit 
as 
their 
prototypes, 
they 
manifest 
it 
to 
the 
extent 
of 
our 
con'lolations 
must 
be 
those 
of 
the 
heart, 
grasped 
by 
the 
their 
ability. 
For 
instance; 
during 
the 
"volunteer" 
service 
arms 
of 
our 
faith. 
in 
Allel!heny-in 
which 
brethren 
and 
sisters 
quietly 
and 
pleas- 
The 
next 
morning, 
on 
the 
assembling 
of 
the 
Sanhedrin 
antIy 
tendered 
tracts 
and 
booklets 
free 
to 
Chri'ltian 
people 
(also 
termed 
the 
Renate), 
when 
it 
was 
found 
that 
thp 
apo!'!- 
on 
Sunday-some 
of 
the 
modern 
PhariseeR 
and 
Sadducees 
were 
tIes 
were 
not 
in 
the 
prison, 
but 
boldly 
teaching 
as 
before 
in 
envious, 
and 
manifested 
their 
envy 
as 
nearly 
as 
possibly 
after 
the 
Temple, 
the 
chief 
prie'!t'! 
found 
mattprR 
more 
('omplicated; 
the 
manner 
described 
in 
our 
lesson. 
Some 
of 
the 
preacher'! 
and 
fearing 
the 
influence 
of 
such 
miracle!'! 
upon 
the 
minds 
of 
commanded 
their 
congregations 
not 
to 
take 
the 
pamphlets, 
and 
the 
people, 
they 
caused 
the 
next 
arre'lt 
of 
tht' 
apoRtle!'! 
to 
be 
he~ped 
abuse 
and 
sean?alou.s 
epithets 
upon 
God's 
faithful 
made 
with 
great 
I 
en 
ienc'y, 
bringing 
them 
hefor!' 
the 
Sanhedrin. 
ehlldren, 
whORe 
only 
obJect 
III 
the 
matter 
was 
to 
serve 
his 
Thus 
another 
opportunity 
was 
affordeel 
God'!'! 
Rervant'! 
to 
tes­ 
eause, 
and 
to 
feed 
his 
flock. 
A 
committee 
of 
preacher'! 
waited 
tify, 
and 
to 
the 
chipf 
prie!'!ts 
anel 
ruler'! 
to 
hear 
a 
!'!trictlv 
upon 
the 
city 
officials 
and 
endeavored 
to 
have 
their 
coiiperation 
gospel 
flprmon; 
anel 
the 
speaker 
failed 
not 
to 
impres!'! 
thE' 
same 
-to 
secure 
the 
arrest 
and 
imprisonment 
of 
the 
brethren 
and 
pointR 
nR 
on 
previou'! 
occasions. 
What 
nn 
opportunity 
this 
!listers 
unless 
they 
woulll 
cease 
to 
preach 
this 
"Gospel 
of 
the 
would 
have 
hpen 
for 
honest 
men, 
Israelites 
indeed! 
What 
a; 
kingdom," 
and 
let 
them 
alone 
to 
continue 
their 
blinding 
and 
bles!'!ing 
it 
might 
hnve 
brought 
them! 
But 
being 
in 
an 
evil 
deceiving 
of 
the 
Lord's 
flock. 
They 
perceive 
that 
the 
truth 
('ondition 
of 
heart 
they 
were 
merely 
angprcd, 
embittercll, 
"cut 
is 
against 
them; 
against 
their 
positions; 
again!'!t 
their 
false 
to 
the 
heart." 
- 
theologies. 
They 
perceive 
that 
the 
truth 
has 
Scriptual 
sup- 
. 
Thpir 
word'! 
bptray 
the 
source 
ot 
thl'ir 
fcar. 
whl'n 
they 
port, 
which 
they 
cannot 
answer; 
and 
they 
fear 
lest 
it 
should 
RaHl 
to 
the 
apostles: 
We 
havc 
already 
forhielden 
yoU 
to 
teach 
"turn 
the 
world 
upside 
down," 
and 
that, 
in 
the 
melee, 
they 
the 
pponle, 
but 
instead 
of 
obeying 
us 
you 
have 
"fillpel 
,Jerusa­ 
would 
lose 
some 
of 
their 
dignity, 
bonor 
of 
men 
and 
good 
lem 
with 
your 
doctrines" 
(teaching!'!), 
and 
you 
evidcntly 
in- 
[2947] 
Fesruary 1, 1902 Mark 9:50. “Have peace one with another.” Job 22:21. “Acquaint now thyself with God and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.” Jas. 3:18. “The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” 2 Tim. 2:22. “Follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” Col. 3:15. “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body.” Eph. 4:3. “Keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Rom. 10:15. “Preach the gospel of peace.” Rom. 8:6. “To be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Zech. 8:19. “Love the truth and peace.” PERSECUTION ZION’S WATCH TOWER (36-38) Prov. 12:20. “Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil; but to the counsellors of peace is joy.” Psa. 119:165. “Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them.” Psa. 37:37. ‘Mark the perfect man and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.” Psa. 37:11. “The meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in abundance of peace.” 2 Peter 3:13, 14. “We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness; wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless.” Rom. 14:18. “He that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men.” RIGHTLY RECEIVED Acts 5:33-42.—Fern,. 16. “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”?—Matt. 5:10. We saw, in a previous lesson, Peter and John before the Sanhedrin, and the subsequent growth of the church in numbers and in the graces of the holy spirit, including joy and peace with God and with each other and with fellow-men. ‘The Lord’s blessing upon the apostles, through the gifts of the holy spirit, enabled them to heal the sick, and at the same time to declare that the work was done by the power of Jesus, whom the rulers had crucified; but whom God had raised from the dead, and who was now in heavenly glory, a prince, a Savior, a glorified High Priest, ready and willing to grant forgiveness of sins and the blessing of the holy spirit to those who would accept. : For a time the chief priests and their associates in religious power, ignored the new movement and the fact that it reflected against them; but by and by they were aroused, and used the power at their hand for the arrest of the apostles; at the command of the chief ones the latter were put into prison. The account says they had “indignation”—margin, “envy.” Thus the truth, in whatever way presented, has either a savor of life unto life, or of death unto death, according to the heart-conditions of those coming under its influence. In the present case the simplicity of the apostles, their earnestness in presenting their message, their power and kindness in respect to the healing of disease and casting out of devils, and their evident sincerity, had a right influence upon all “Israelites indeed;” but the formal, perfunctory Israelites, in favored positions of honor and affluence, were provoked to hatred and envy; envy because of a power over the people which they could not exercise; hatred because of a feeling that these teachings were assailing and weakening their influence, and tending to break down the religious system which they represented. So, too, we see matters today in nominal spiritual Israel. The spirit of sectarianism is jealous and envious, and resents and opposes whatever is not in accord with it;—fearful of its own fall,—realizing continually the weakness of its own position. On the contrary, now as ever, the truth, presented in simplicity and under the guidance of the holy spirit, will appeal to all who are in a right attitude of heart, all Israelites indeed, all whose eyes of understanding are open to see the inconsistencies of sectarianism and formalism. Sectarian leaders in our day have not the power to imprison those toward whom they feel enmity; nevertheless, having the same spirit as their prototypes, they manifest it to the extent of their ability. For instance; during the “volunteer” service in Allegheny—in which brethren and sisters quietly and pleasantly tendered tracts and booklets free to Christian people on Sunday—some of the modern Pharisees and Sadducees were envious, and manifested their envy as nearly as possibly after the manner described in our lesson. Some of the preachers commanded their congregations not to take the pamphlets, and heaped abuse and scandalous epithets upon God's faithful children, whose only object in the matter was to serve his cause, and to feed his flock. A committee of preachers waited upon the city officials and endeavored to have their codperation —to secure the arrest and imprisonment of the brethren and sisters unless they would cease to preach this “Gospel of the kingdom,” and let them alone to continue their blinding and deceiving of the Lord’s flock. They perceive that the truth is against them; against their positions; against their false theologies. They perceive that the truth has Scriptua] support, which they cannot answer; and they fear lest it should “turn the world upside down,” and that, in the melee, they would lose some of their dignity, honor of men and good salaries. As one of them declared, “My bread is not buttered on that side!” The city officials desirous of being on good terms with influential citizens, called at our office, rehearsed the facts, and notified us to discontinue the work. We replied that we are living in the United States, and not in Russia; and that there is no law here yet, against giving men booklets, any more than against giving them bank-bills, if they desire to take them, and if the procedure is conducted in a quiet, orderly manner. We assured them that if there were any breaches of the peace they would not come from the distributors, and explained further that those who engaged in this volunteer service were as truly preaching the Gospel by the printed page as were those who taught orally inside the church buildings; and further, that the real objection was, that our friends were circulating the true gospel, “good tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people,” while those inside the churches were deceiving their confiding flocks, misrepresenting God’s character and plan, and withal reaping goodly rewards for their evil services ;—whereas our friends, the volunteers, were preaching the true gospel without money and without price; —seeking to educate the people in a knowledge of God and of his plan, as revealed in the Scriptures. The civil authorities readily saw the justice of our position, and there was no interference. Is not this a case of the blind seeing better than those who hoast of having escaped from blindness? The Lord’s power was wonderfully manifested in the carly days, not only in the healing of the sick, but afterwards in the deliverance of the apostles from imprisonment. The angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them forth; instructing them to proceed in the proclamation of the truth as before. The apostles and early church at this time almost walked by sight: for, under such conditions, faith would be very secondary. However, we see that the object of this was the establishment of the church upon broad, sure foundations. Subsequently the miraculous features were withdrawn, and are still withdrawn; frequently the Lord’s people have been imprisoned and otherwise mistreated throughout the age, without any special physical deliverance,—even as the miraculous gift of healing also passed away. We walk by faith, not by sight; we can see the spiritual healings and casting out of evil spirits progress, but are not granted physical demonstrations; and if imprisoned or otherwise despitefully used, our consolations must be those of the heart, grasped by the arms of our faith. The next morning, on the assembling of the Sanhedrin {also termed the Senate), when it was found that the apostles were not in the prison, but boldly teaching as before in the Temple, the chief priests found matters more complicated ; and fearing the influence of such miracles upon the minds of the people, they caused the next arrest of the apostles to be made with great leniency, bringing them before the Sanhedrin. Thus another opportunity was afforded God’s servants to testify, and to the chief priests and rulers to hear a strictly gospel sermon; and the speaker failed not to impress the same points as on previous occasions. What an opportunity thia would have heen for honest men, Israelites indeed! What « blessing it might have brought them! But being in an evil condition of heart they were merely angered, embittered, “cut to the heart.” Their words betray the source ot their fear, when they said to the apostles: We have already forbidden you to teach the people, but instead of obeying us you have “filled Jerusalem with your doctrines” (teachings), and you evidently in [2947]

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