Publication date
4/1/02
Volume
23
Number
7
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1902/7/1902-7-1.html
 
 
MARCil: 
15, 
1902 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(96-99) 
twinkling 
of 
an 
eye, 
shall 
soon 
obtain 
that 
blessing, 
and 
that 
then 
the 
great 
time 
of 
trouble 
will 
fully 
burst 
upon 
the 
world, 
and 
speedilv 
bring 
down 
the 
high, 
the 
lofty, 
and 
the 
proud, 
and 
prepare 
the 
world 
for 
the 
reign 
of 
the 
Prince 
of 
Pea~e. 
Here 
we 
have 
consistency, 
at 
least, 
and 
harmony 
of 
Senp­ 
tures 
which 
have 
never 
been 
harmonized 
in 
the 
past, 
and 
which 
cannot 
now 
be 
harmonized 
from 
any 
other 
stan~J?Oint 
or 
with 
any 
other 
interpretation. 
Here. 
we 
h!!'ve 
the 
sp~r~tual 
kingdom 
of 
Messiah, 
with 
all 
power, 
dlsplacmg 
the 
splrltual 
kingdom 
of 
Satan, 
and 
establishing 
order 
and 
right~ousness 
through 
earthly 
agents 
of 
its 
own, 
and 
overthrowmg 
the 
earthly 
agents 
of 
the 
prince 
of 
darkness, 
many 
of 
whom 
are 
his 
servants 
merely 
because 
"the 
god 
of 
this 
world 
[age] 
has 
bltnded 
the 
minds 
of 
them 
that 
believe 
not." 
"THEY 
WITHOUT 
US 
SHALL 
NOT 
BE 
MADE 
l'ERl'ECT" 
HEB. 
11:40 
We 
remark, 
incidentally, 
that 
following 
the 
gathering 
of 
the 
Church 
to 
glory, 
as 
above 
outlined, 
will 
come 
the 
resurrec­ 
tion 
of 
the 
holy 
ones 
of 
the 
past,-"Abraham, 
Isaac 
and 
Jacob, 
and 
all 
the 
holy 
prophets," 
whose 
resurreetion 
wi}l 
be 
to 
perfect 
earthly 
conditions, 
and 
who 
shall 
be 
the 
"prmces 
in 
all 
the 
earth," 
seen 
of 
men, 
and 
representatives 
of 
the 
invisible 
but 
all-powerful 
spiritual 
kingdom-the 
glorified 
Christ. 
Thus, 
chosen 
representatives 
of 
fleshly 
Isr~el 
will 
indeed 
rule 
the 
world, 
and 
bless 
it, 
as 
the 
representatives 
and 
agencIes 
of 
the 
Spiritual 
Israel, 
and 
the 
nation 
of 
Israel 
will 
he 
first 
to 
respond 
to 
the 
standard 
of 
the 
Lord 
thus 
set 
up. 
-Psa. 
45:16; 
Rom. 
1l:25-31; 
Zech. 
12:10. 
Our 
Lord's 
parousia 
(presence 
in 
the 
world) 
begun 
in 
1874, 
will 
continue 
till 
the 
end 
of 
the 
Millennial 
age. 
The 
word 
is 
not 
applicable 
merely 
to 
a 
little 
period 
of 
presence 
at 
the 
beginning 
of 
the 
Millennial 
age; 
Christ's 
parousia 
and 
that 
of 
his 
church 
will 
continue 
throughout 
the 
age. 
Nor 
will 
the 
epiphania 
and 
apokalupsts 
be 
a 
sudden 
burst 
of 
glorious 
light; 
nor 
do 
these 
words 
signify 
a 
visible 
showing 
to 
mankind 
of 
the 
Lord's 
person, 
or 
of 
the 
persons 
of 
his 
church. 
Let 
us 
remember 
his 
words, 
"yet 
a 
little 
while, 
and 
the 
U"orld 
seeth 
me 
no 
more." 
Let 
us 
remember 
also 
that, 
as 
his 
church 
is 
to 
be 
in 
his 
ltkeness, 
so 
his 
likeness 
is 
declared 
to 
be 
an 
"express 
image 
of 
the 
Father's 
person 
j" 
it 
is 
written 
that 
he 
is 
the 
King 
eternal, 
immortal, 
invisible. 
(1 
Tim. 
1 
: 
17 
) 
Nor 
will 
it 
be 
any 
more 
necessary 
that 
the 
world 
should 
see 
with 
their 
natural 
eyes 
the 
Lord 
and 
his 
glorified 
ones, 
than 
that 
they 
should 
see 
the 
Heavenly 
Father: 
the 
world 
will 
see 
the 
earthly 
representatives 
of 
God 
and 
of 
Christ 
and 
of 
the 
church, 
when 
they 
"see 
Abraham, 
Isaac 
and 
Jacob, 
and 
all 
the 
holy 
prophets," 
for 
they 
will 
be 
sam­ 
ples 
of 
perfect 
manhood, 
which 
is 
the 
earthly 
image 
of 
the 
invisible 
God. 
Our 
Lord's 
epiphania 
(bright 
shining) 
and 
his 
apokalupsis 
(unveiling) 
began 
shortly 
after 
his 
parousia 
began; 
the 
bnght 
shining- 
of 
his 
presence 
is 
now 
visible 
to 
those 
who 
are 
walk­ 
ing 
"in 
the 
light"-to 
those 
who 
"are 
not 
in 
darkness 
with 
the 
world." 
It 
is 
a 
mental 
illumination, 
an 
illumination 
to 
the 
eyes 
of 
our 
understanding, 
and 
not 
to 
our 
natural 
eyes. 
The 
eyes 
of 
our 
understanding 
have 
been 
opened 
to 
see 
him 
that 
is 
invisible 
to 
the 
natural 
sight. 
The 
epiphania 
of 
our 
Lord 
is 
already 
affecting 
the 
world 
also, 
tho 
not 
through 
the 
eyes 
of 
the 
understanding; 
for 
they 
have 
no 
eyes 
for 
such 
spiritual 
things: 
nevertheless, 
the 
bright 
shining 
of 
the 
Lord's 
presence 
is 
influencing 
and 
affecting 
the 
whole 
course 
of 
the 
world, 
through 
an 
increase 
of 
knowledge 
on 
every 
subject-­ 
specially 
noticeable 
since 
1878. 
Eventually, 
all 
the 
blinded 
shall 
have 
opened 
eyes 
of 
understanding, 
and 
"EVERY 
EYE 
SHALL 
SEE 
HIM" 
Many 
even 
who 
are 
not 
of 
the 
watchers 
are 
noting 
the 
signs 
of 
our 
times 
and 
are 
startled, 
and 
led 
to 
exclaim, 
What 
do 
these 
things 
mean 
1-this 
remarkable 
latter-day 
advance 
in 
science, 
art 
and 
mechanical 
invention 
1·-this 
latter-day 
discontent 
in 
the 
midst 
of 
plenty 
and 
luxury?-this 
latter­ 
day 
growth 
of 
mIllionaires 
and 
paupers 
1-this 
growth 
of 
giant 
corporations 
of 
world-wide 
power 
and 
influence?-Why 
are 
national 
policies 
and 
public 
men 
and 
their 
utterances 
and 
doings 
criticized 
(judged) 
by 
the 
masses 
as 
never 
before 
1­ 
And 
what 
means 
it 
that 
with 
an 
apparent 
growth 
in 
wealth 
and 
numbers 
in 
all 
denominations 
of 
Christians, 
there 
is 
a 
growing 
dissatisfaction, 
discontent 
in 
them 
all: 
a 
growing 
tendency 
to 
criticize 
the 
creeds 
and 
the 
preaching 
of 
every­ 
thing1-How 
comes 
it 
that 
nine-tenths 
of 
the 
preachers 
in 
all 
denominations 
know 
that 
their 
hearers 
desire 
a 
change, 
and 
would 
gladly 
"move 
on," 
if 
they 
knew 
how 
to 
better 
them­ 
selves 
even 
at 
smaller 
salaries 
1 
The 
Scriptural 
answer 
is, 
The 
hour 
of 
God's 
judgment 
is 
come; 
the 
time 
when 
"Christendom," 
political, 
financial, 
social 
and 
eccle'liasth>al 
is 
being 
judged-being 
tried 
in 
the 
divine 
balances. 
And 
the 
Scriptures 
declare 
that 
she 
WIll 
be 
found 
wanting, 
and 
will 
be 
adjudged 
unworthy 
to 
further 
administer 
the 
affairs 
of 
earth, 
which 
will 
be 
turned 
over 
to 
the 
elect 
"little 
flock," 
according 
to 
the 
divine 
promise.­ 
Luke 
12:32. 
The 
secret 
of 
the 
matter 
now 
is 
the 
same 
as 
in 
the 
Jewish 
"harvpst," 
which 
John 
explained, 
saying, 
"THERE 
STANDETH 
ONE 
AMONG 
YOU 
WHOM 
YOU 
KNOW 
NOT 
"--JOHN 
1:26 
''Mine 
eyes 
can 
see 
the 
glory 
of 
the 
presence 
of 
the 
Lord; 
He 
is 
trampling 
out 
the 
winepress 
where 
the 
grapes 
of 
wrath 
are 
stored; 
I 
see 
the 
flaming 
tempest 
of 
his 
swift 
descending 
sword: 
Our 
King 
is 
marching 
on. 
"I 
can 
see 
his 
coming 
judgments, 
as 
they 
circle 
all 
the 
earth, 
The 
sign'l 
and 
groanings 
promised, 
to 
precede 
a 
second 
birth; 
I 
read 
his 
righteous 
sentence, 
in 
the 
crumbling 
thrones 
of 
earth: 
Our 
King 
is 
marching 
on. 
"The 
'Gentile 
Times' 
are 
closing, 
for 
their 
kings 
have 
had 
their 
day; 
And 
with 
them 
sin 
and 
sorrow 
will 
forever 
pass 
away; 
For 
the 
tribe 
of 
Judah's 
Lion 
now 
comes 
to 
hold 
the 
sway: 
Our 
King 
is 
marching 
on." 
• 
• 
• 
"Behold, 
I 
stand 
at 
the 
door 
and 
knock. 
It 
any 
man 
hear 
my 
voice 
[knock], 
and 
open 
the 
door, 
I 
will 
corne 
in 
to 
Mil' 
and 
sup 
with 
him, 
and 
he 
with 
me."-Rev 
3: 
20. 
VOL. 
XXIII 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
APRIL 
1, 
1902 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
No.7 
"Finally, 
this 
revision 
movement 
should 
give 
us 
a 
stronger 
emphasis 
on 
the 
truth 
that 
God 
is 
love. 
"Sovereignty 
and 
grace 
have 
always 
been 
the 
two 
great 
pil- 
tioning 
'elect 
infants' 
the 
Westminster 
Confession 
leaves 
open 
the 
supposition 
that 
there 
may 
be 
'non-elect 
infants.' 
Presby­ 
terians 
today 
believe 
that 
all 
who 
die 
in 
infancy 
are 
saved 
by 
Jesus 
Christ. 
The 
Westminster 
Confession 
has 
a 
long 
metaphy­ 
sical 
chapter 
on 
God's 
eternal 
decree, 
which 
at 
least 
seems 
to 
teach 
that 
some 
men 
are 
created 
to 
bp 
saved 
and 
others 
created 
to 
be 
damned. 
The 
Presbyterian 
Church 
today 
does 
not 
be­ 
lieve 
this, 
and 
to 
guard 
against 
misapprehension 
on 
the 
sub­ 
ject 
it 
wishes 
to 
say 
clearly 
and 
unmistakably 
that 
God 
has 
not 
put 
any 
barrier 
between 
any 
human 
soul 
and 
salvation. 
"Moreover, 
the 
Westminster 
Confession 
has 
no 
chapter 
on 
the 
love 
of 
God 
for 
all 
men, 
on 
the 
Holy 
Spirit, 
on 
the 
Gospel, 
or 
on 
missions. 
N 
ow 
the 
Presbyterian 
Church 
has 
come 
to 
be­ 
lieve 
in 
these 
things 
with 
all 
its 
heart; 
and 
it 
wishes 
to 
put 
its 
belief 
into 
words. 
"Therefore 
revision 
is 
needed, 
not 
because 
of 
a 
conflict 
in 
the 
church, 
nor 
because 
of 
a 
lack 
of 
liberty, 
but 
because 
faith, 
deeppning 
and 
broadpning 
through 
the 
study 
of 
God's 
Word, 
craves 
an 
utterance 
in 
the 
language 
of 
living 
men. 
* 
* 
* 
* 
A 
l'RESBYTERIAN 
MINISTER'S 
LONGINGS 
Rev. 
Henry 
Van 
Dyke, 
one 
of 
the 
prominent 
ministers 
of 
the 
Presbyterian 
denomination, 
has 
felt 
constrained 
to 
give 
utterance 
to 
his 
conception 
of 
the 
needs 
of 
his 
church 
for 
a 
bet­ 
ter 
and 
clearer 
statement 
of 
its 
present 
belief. 
We 
clip 
the 
below 
quotations:- 
"There 
is 
a 
twofold 
need 
for 
revision 
of 
the 
Westminster 
Confession 
of 
Faith. 
In 
the 
first 
place, 
the 
church 
has 
been 
studying 
her 
supreme 
standard, 
the 
Bible, 
for 
two 
hundred 
and 
fifty 
years 
since 
the 
Confession 
was 
written. 
She 
has 
been 
educated 
by 
Christ 
for 
one 
hundred 
years 
in 
the 
great 
work 
of 
missions. 
It 
is 
reasonable 
to 
suppose 
that 
she 
has 
learned 
something. 
Why 
should 
she 
not 
express 
it 
in 
her 
creed 
1 
"Another 
reason 
for 
revision 
arises 
out 
of 
the 
fact 
that 
the 
Westminster 
Confession 
was 
made 
in 
a 
time 
of 
fierce 
conflict 
and 
controversy. 
It 
was 
natural 
that 
certain 
things 
should 
be 
stated 
then 
with 
greater 
emphasis 
than 
they 
would 
have 
other­ 
wise 
received; 
that 
the 
metaphyics 
of 
the 
seventeenth 
century 
should 
creep 
into 
certain 
chapters; 
and 
that 
certain 
points 
should 
represent 
a 
judgment 
of 
that 
age 
rather 
than 
a 
per­ 
manent 
truth. 
For 
example, 
the 
Westminster 
Confession 
speaks 
of 
the 
Pope 
of 
Rome 
as 
the 
Antichrist. 
Presbyterians 
today 
do 
not 
generally 
believe 
this. 
Again, 
by 
expressly 
men- 
[2983] 
Marcu 15, 1902 twinkling of an eye, shall soon obtain that blessing, and that then the great time of trouble will fully burst upon the world, and speedily bring down the high, the lofty, and the proud, and prepare the world for the reign of the Prince of Peace. Here we have consistency, at least, and harmony of Scriptures which have never been harmonized in the past, and which cannot now be harmonized from any other standpoint or with any other interpretation. Here we have the spiritual kingdom of Messiah, with all power, displacing the spiritual kingdom of Satan, and establishing order and righteousness through earthly agents of its own, and overthrowing the earthly agents of the prince of darkness, many of whom are his servants merely because “the god of this world [age] has blunded the minds of them that believe not.” “THEY WITHOUT US SHALL NOT BE MADE PERFEOT’’ HEB. 11:40 We remark, incidentally, that following the gathering of the Church to glory, as above outlined, will come the resurrection of the holy ones of the past,—‘‘Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the holy prophets,” whose resurrection will be to perfect earthly conditions, and who shall be the “princes in all the earth,” seen of men, and representatives of the invisible but all-powerful spiritual kingdom—the glorified Christ. Thus, chosen representatives of fleshly Israel will indeed rule the world, and bless it, ag the representatives and agencies of the Spiritual Israel, and the nation of Israel will be first to respond to the standard of the Lord thus set up. —Psa. 45:16; Rom. 11:25-31; Zech. 12:10. Our Lord’s parousia (presence in the world) begun in 1874, will continue till the end of the Millennial age. The word is not applicable merely to a little period of presence at the beginning of the Millennial age; Christ’s parousia and that of his chureh will continue throughout the age. Nor will the epiphania and apokalupsis be a sudden burst of glorious light; nor do these words signify a visible showing to mankind of the Lord’s person, or of the persons of his church, Let us remember his words, “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more.” Let us remember also that, as his chureh is to be in his lnkeness, so his likeness is declared to be an “express image of the Father’s person;” it is written that he is the King eternal, immortal, invisible. (1 Tim. 1:17) Nor will it be any more necessary that the world should see with their natural eyes the Lord and his glorified ones, than that they should see the Heavenly Father: the world will see the earthly representatives of God and of Christ and of the church, when they “see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the holy prophets,” for they will be samples of perfect manhood, which is the earthly image of the invisible God. Our Lord’s epiphania (bright shining) and his apokalupsis (unveiling) began shortly after his parousia began; the bright shining of his presence is now visible to those who are walking “in the light”—to those who “are not in darkness with the world.” It is a mental illumination, an illumination to the eyes of our understanding, and not to our natural eyes. The eyes of our understanding have been opened to see him that is invisible to the natural sight. The epiphania of our ZION’S WATCH TOWER (96-99) Lord is already affecting the world also, tho not through the eyes of the understanding; for they have no eyes for such spiritual things: nevertheless, the bright shining of the Lord’s presence is influencing and affecting the whole course of the world, through an increase of knowledge on every subject specially noticeable since 1878. Eventually, all the blinded shall have opened eyes of understanding, and “EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM’’ Many even who are not of the watchers are noting the signs of our times and are startled, and led to exclaim, What do these things mean?—this remarkable latter-day advance in science, art and mechanical invention?.—this latter-day discontent in the midst of plenty and luxury?—this latterday growth of millionaires and paupers?—this growth of giant corporations of world-wide power and influence?—Why are national policies and public men and their utterances and doings criticized (judged) by the masses as never before?— And what means it that with an apparent growth in wealth and numbers in all denominations of Christians, there is a growing dissatisfaction, discontent in them all: a growing tendency to criticize the creeds and the preaching of everything ?—How comes it that nine-tenths of the preachers in all denominations know that their hearers desire a change, and would gladly “move on,” if they knew how to better themselves even at smaller salaries? The Scriptural answer is, The hour of God’s judgment is come; the time when “Christendom,” political, financial, social and ecclesiastical is being judged—being tried in the divine balances. And the Scriptures declare that she will be found wanting, and will be adjudged unworthy to further administer the affairs of earth, which will be turned over to the elect “little flock,” according to the divine promise.— Luke 12:32. The secret of the matter now is the same as in the Jewish “harvest,” which John explained, saying, “THERE STANDETH ONE AMONG YOU WHOM YOU KNOW NOT’’—JOHN 1:26 “Mine eyes can see the glory of the presence of the Lord; He is trampling out the winepress where the grapes of wrath are stored; I see the flaming tempest of his swift descending sword: Our King is marching on. “I can see his coming judgments, as they circle all the earth, The signs and groanings promised, to precede a second birth; I read his righteous sentence, in the crumbling thrones of earth: Our King is marching on. “The ‘Gentile Times’ are closing, for their kings have had their day; And with them sin and sorrow will forever pass away ; For the tribe of Judah’s Lion now comes to hold the sway: Our King is marching on.” * * * “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice [knock], and open the door, I will come in to him and sup with him, and he with me.”—Rev 3:20. Vou. XXIII ALLEGHENY, PA., APRIL 1, 1902 No. 7 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER A PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER'S LONGINGS Rev. Henry Van Dyke, one of the prominent ministers of the Presbyterian denomination, has felt constrained to give utterance to his conception of the needs of his church for a better and clearer statement of its present belief. We clip the below quotations :— “There is a twofold need for revision of the Westminster Confession of Faith. In the first place, the church has been studying her supreme standard, the Bible, for two hundred and fifty years since the Confession was written. She has been educated by Christ for one hundred years in the great work of missions. It is reasonable to suppose that she has learned something. Why should she not express it in her creed ? “Another reason for revision arises out of the fact that the Westminster Confession was made in a time of fierce confiict and controversy. It was natural that certain things should be stated then with greater emphasis than they would have otherwise received; that the metaphyics of the seventeenth century should creep into certain chapters; and that certain points should represent a judgment of that age rather than a permanent truth. For example, the Westminster Confession speaks of the Pope of Rome as the Antichrist. Presbyterians today do not generally believe this. Again, by expressly men tioning ‘elect infants’ the Westminster Confession leaves open the supposition that there may be ‘non-elect infants.’ Presbyterians today believe that all who die in infancy are saved by Jesus Christ. The Westminster Confession has a long metaphysical chapter on God’s eternal decree, which at least seems to teach that some men are created to be saved and others created to be damned. The Presbyterian Church today does not believe this, and to guard against misapprehension on the subject it wishes to say clearly and unmistakably that God has not put any barrier between any human goul and salvation. “Moreover, the Westminster Confession hag no chapter on the love of God for all men, on the Holy Spirit, on the Gospel, or on missions. Now the Presbyterian Church has come to believe in these things with all its heart; and it wishes to put its belief into words. “Therefore revision is needed, not because of a conflict in the church, nor because of a lack of liberty, but because faith, deepening and broadening through the study of God’s Word, craves an utterance in the language of living men. * * * * “Finally, this revision movement should give us a stronger emphasis on the truth that God is love. “Sovereignty and grace have always been the two great pil [2983]

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