Publication date
6/1/03
Volume
24
Number
11
The WatchTower
The Editor on His European Journey
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1903/11/1903-11-1.html
 
 
(159-163) 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
AI,LCGHBNY. 
PA 
and 
joint-heir 
in 
the 
kingdom; 
and, 
by 
and 
by, 
the 
establish· 
ment 
of 
a 
kingdom 
for 
the 
blessing 
and 
enlightenment 
of 
all 
the 
families 
of 
the 
earth. 
No 
novel, 
no 
plot 
of 
human 
concoc­ 
tion, 
could 
ever 
equal 
this 
one. 
It 
is 
the 
Lord's 
doing, 
and 
it 
is 
marvelous 
in 
our 
eyes. 
We 
cannot 
wonder 
if 
those 
who 
see 
from 
the 
outside-who 
do 
not 
see 
the 
strength 
and 
beauty 
and 
consistency 
and 
harmony 
from 
the 
inside 
standpoint­ 
consider 
that 
we 
who 
see 
matters 
from 
the 
right 
standpoint 
are 
too 
much 
enthused. 
They 
cannot 
appreciate 
the 
fact 
that 
we 
accept 
gladly 
the 
privilege 
of 
self·sacrifice, 
in 
order 
thereby 
to 
attest 
our 
love 
and 
devotion 
to 
the 
Lord 
and 
to 
be 
accounted 
worthy 
a 
share 
with 
him 
as 
members 
of 
his 
church, 
his 
bride. 
The 
time 
wiII 
come, 
and 
it 
is 
not 
far 
distant 
now, 
when 
man)' 
who 
are 
now 
highly 
esteemed 
amongst 
men 
for 
their 
wi~dom, 
will 
be 
seen 
to 
have 
been 
foolish, 
and 
many 
who 
are 
now 
('steemed 
fools 
for 
Christ's 
sake 
and 
for 
the 
Gospel's 
sake, 
will 
be 
seen 
to 
have 
been 
truly 
wise 
in 
choosing 
the 
heavenly 
t1t1l1g"R 
and 
in 
being 
willing 
to 
surrender 
the 
earthly 
things 
for 
the 
atbinment 
of 
the 
heavenly, 
because 
it 
is 
impossible 
to 
sen 
(' 
God 
and 
Mammon. 
The 
Apostle's 
answer 
to 
Festus 
was 
not 
flattery, 
but 
Chris­ 
tian 
courtesy. 
Festus 
was 
a 
noble 
man, 
and 
it 
is 
not 
im­ 
proper 
to 
speak 
the 
truth 
in 
reasonable 
language, 
and 
to 
give 
a 
merited 
compliment. 
"I 
am 
not 
mad, 
most 
noble 
Festus, 
but 
~peak 
forth 
words 
of 
truth 
and 
soberness." 
So, 
when 
we 
answer 
the 
world, 
let 
us 
remember 
the 
difference 
of 
stand­ 
point, 
and 
that 
our 
privilege 
of 
seeing 
the 
deep 
things 
of 
God 
is 
the 
re~ult 
of 
our 
having 
been 
accepted 
of 
him 
through 
con­ 
!:'ccration 
and 
obedience, 
receiving 
the 
spirit 
of 
the 
Anointed, 
whereby 
we 
can 
know 
the 
things 
freely 
given 
unto 
us 
of 
God. 
The 
Apostle 
appealed 
to 
the 
king 
for 
corroboration 
of 
the 
thin:rs 
he 
declared, 
evidently 
well 
assured 
that 
the 
declaration 
of 
the 
Gospel 
had 
created 
so 
much 
commotion 
amongst 
the 
Jews 
that 
the 
king 
had 
heard 
thereof 
repeatedly. 
The 
thing 
was 
not 
done 
in 
a 
corner 
j 
it 
was 
a 
public 
matter 
of 
general 
knowledge, 
and 
had 
Festus 
been 
living 
in 
the 
country 
he 
would 
not 
question 
the 
facts. 
The 
Apostle 
appealed 
to 
Agrippa 
in 
a 
most 
earnest 
and 
dignified 
tone. 
"King 
Agrippa, 
believest 
thou 
the 
prophets 
~ 
I 
know 
that 
thou 
believest." 
The 
intimation 
is 
that 
the 
Apos­ 
tle 
had 
in 
this 
discourse 
set 
forth 
the 
fulfilment 
of 
the 
proph­ 
ecies 
so 
fully, 
so 
explicitly, 
that 
anyone 
believing 
them 
to 
be 
inspired 
could 
not 
doubt 
that 
Jesus 
was 
the 
Messiah. 
This 
led 
to 
the 
notable 
words 
of 
Agrippa, 
"Almost 
thou 
persuadest 
me 
to 
be 
a 
Christian." 
The 
New 
Testament 
revisers 
evidently 
considered 
this 
lan­ 
guage 
ironical, 
but 
it 
does 
not 
so 
seem 
to 
us. 
The 
Apostle's 
rejoinder 
seems 
to 
contradict 
that 
thought, 
"I 
would 
that 
thou 
wert 
not 
only 
almost 
but 
altogether 
such 
as 
I 
am-except 
these 
bonds." 
It 
is 
presumed 
upon 
reasonable 
grounds 
t.hat, 
althou~h 
Agrippa 
did 
not 
become 
a 
Christian, 
this 
knowl­ 
edge 
of 
the 
principle~ 
underlying 
Christianity 
remained 
with 
him 
and 
influenced 
him 
during 
the 
remainder 
of 
his 
life. 
His­ 
tory 
tells 
us 
that 
in 
the 
subsequent 
persecutions 
that 
arosE' 
in 
connection 
with 
the 
trouble 
coming 
upon 
the 
Jewish 
nation 
Agrippa 
received 
and 
kindly 
entreated 
the 
Christians 
who 
fled 
to 
him 
for 
protection. 
How 
many 
there 
are 
in 
Christian 
lands 
who 
have 
heard 
the 
Go!'pel 
message 
more 
or 
less 
distinctly, 
and 
have 
been 
"almost 
persuaded" 
to 
lay 
hold 
of 
the 
grace 
of 
God, 
but 
neg­ 
lect 
opportunities 
of 
action 
and 
have 
lost 
the 
appreciation 
of 
the 
privilege. 
These, 
like 
Agrippa, 
will 
have 
comparatively 
bmall 
conception 
of 
the 
wonderful 
things 
they 
came 
so 
near 
to 
gra~ping 
and 
yet 
missed. 
When 
they 
shall 
come 
forth 
from 
the 
grave 
and 
enjoy 
the 
great 
privileges 
of 
the 
Milll'n­ 
nial 
kingdom 
it 
will 
amaze 
them 
to 
know 
what 
great 
oppor­ 
tunities 
they 
had 
to 
become 
members 
of 
the 
little 
flock, 
the 
Lord's 
associates 
on 
the 
throne. 
VOL. 
XXIV 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
JUNE 
1, 
1903 
THE 
EDITOR 
ON 
HIS 
EUROPEAN 
JOURNEY 
No. 
11 
U. 
S. 
M. 
S. 
"NEW 
YORK." 
a 
space. 
to 
do 
more 
than 
sound 
one 
chord 
on 
our 
precious 
G 
reC'ting'l 
to 
"the 
Children 
of 
the 
Morning"-of 
the 
Dawn 
Harp 
(the 
Bible). 
Committing 
results 
to 
the 
Lord, 
I 
pointed 
--of 
the 
Light:- 
out 
the 
great 
Covenant 
promise 
which 
our 
heavenly 
Father 
On 
bo:ml 
the 
Steamship 
"~ew 
York" 
I 
am 
nearing 
Great 
gave 
to 
Abraham 
and 
hIS 
seed: 
that 
it 
was, 
"In 
thy 
seed 
shall 
Bribll1 
antI 
the 
dear 
brethren 
there 
whom 
I 
know 
bv 
corre- 
all 
the 
families 
of 
the 
earth 
be 
blessed;" 
that 
the 
natural 
seerl, 
.. 
ponrlence 
and 
so 
dearly 
love, 
and 
whom 
I 
hope 
soon 
to 
greet 
Isaac 
and 
Jacob 
and 
the 
nation 
of 
Israel, 
held 
fast 
the 
promise 
pQI',onallv. 
Nevertheless, 
all 
the 
dear 
readers 
of 
the 
\VATCH 
but 
never 
inherited 
it; 
that 
the 
true 
seed 
only 
began 
to 
come 
TOWEa 
are 
before 
my 
mental 
vision, 
and 
I 
take 
this 
opportunity 
in 
the 
person 
of 
the 
Lord 
Jesus: 
that 
the 
true 
church, 
the 
for 
l'pnding 
you 
a 
message 
of 
love 
and 
fellowship. 
It 
is 
a 
true 
members 
of 
the 
body 
of 
Christ, 
are 
members 
of 
this 
s('\!Tce 
of 
great 
pleasure 
and 
encouragement 
to 
me 
to 
realize 
"seed" 
and 
heirs 
according 
to 
that 
original 
promi'le 
which 
has 
th?t 
your 
love 
and 
prayers 
are 
with 
me 
on 
my 
journey; 
and 
not 
yet 
had 
its 
fulfilment. 
but 
awaits 
the 
completion 
of 
the 
I 
w('ll 
know 
that 
every 
feature 
of 
my 
experiences 
will 
be 
of 
seed-the 
completion 
of 
"the 
church 
which 
is 
his 
body." 
"If 
intC'rC'~t 
to 
you. 
ye 
be 
Christ's 
then 
are 
ye 
Abraham's 
seed, 
and 
heirs 
accord- 
.Tust 
a 
w'eek 
ago 
(on 
April 
14th) 
I 
bade 
farewell 
to 
a 
goodly 
ing 
to 
the 
promise."-Gal. 
3:29. 
company 
of 
the 
church 
at 
the 
railway 
depot 
in 
Pittsburgh. 
Briefly 
noting 
that 
this 
is 
the 
Christian's 
hope 
of 
our 
text, 
On 
the 
previous 
Sunday 
I 
said 
"Goodbye" 
to 
the 
church 
at 
and 
that 
it 
is 
still 
unfulfilled, 
we 
saw 
that 
it 
is 
still 
to 
be 
Allegheny 
as 
a 
whole, 
shaking 
hands 
with 
about 
300 
person- 
striven 
for 
by 
all 
who 
would 
make 
their 
calling 
and 
election 
:.< 
11)'; 
but 
I 
was 
cheered. 
nevertheless, 
by 
the 
final 
parting 
at 
sure; 
and 
that 
in 
the 
light 
of 
this 
promise 
and 
hope 
all 
true 
the 
train. 
Ne:\t 
mornin~ 
I 
was 
met 
at 
New 
York 
depot 
by 
Christians 
should 
recognize 
present 
e"periences, 
trials, 
etc., 
rC'prC'sentativl's 
of 
the 
churches 
of 
N('w 
York. 
Brooklyn, 
Yonk- 
as 
so 
much 
of 
their 
education 
in 
the 
school 
of 
Christ,-in 
('1 
'I 
•• 
Tersl'y 
City, 
Perth 
Amboy 
and 
Philadelphia. 
who 
saw 
me 
preparation 
for 
their 
work 
in 
the 
coming 
age-the 
work 
of 
on 
hoard 
my 
steamer 
and 
tarried 
until 
the 
starting 
of 
the 
blessing 
the 
families 
of 
earth 
during 
the 
promised 
Millennial 
Y<'~'lC'l.-thC'n 
from 
the 
pier 
wav('d 
me 
their 
love 
and 
good 
Kin~dom. 
wishcs 
as 
they 
assured 
me 
previously 
that 
I 
had 
their 
pray- 
Only 
five 
of 
the 
passengers 
have 
had 
either 
interest 
or 
('r~. 
curiosity 
sufficient 
to 
lead 
them 
to 
converse 
with 
me 
on 
the 
I 
was 
not 
so 
vain 
as 
to 
accept 
these 
love-tokens 
as 
personal 
subject,-and 
only 
two 
of 
these 
with 
earnestness; 
but 
if 
two 
trihutes; 
but 
received 
them, 
on 
the 
contrar;v, 
as 
expressions 
of 
or 
even 
one 
should 
ultimately 
develop 
as 
a 
ripe 
grain 
of 
dC'votion 
to 
the 
Lord 
and 
appreciation 
of 
his 
truth, 
with 
which 
"wheat" 
how 
glad 
and 
thankful 
we 
would 
be. 
So 
far 
as 
I 
in 
his 
providence 
I 
had 
become 
associated 
as 
a 
servant;-a 
min- 
can 
ascertain, 
about 
one-half 
of 
the 
passengers 
are 
professing 
i~tC'r 
of 
the 
Lord. 
a 
mini'lter 
of 
his 
Word, 
a 
minister 
of 
his 
peo- 
Christians, 
and 
about 
two-thirds 
of 
these 
Episcopalians-of 
pIp. 
All 
may 
he 
sure 
that 
my 
heart 
fully 
reciprocated 
the 
kind 
whom 
not 
one 
has 
seemed 
interested. 
Of 
the 
two 
manifesting 
wishC''l 
and 
blessing 
accepted 
from 
these 
dear 
friends, 
who 
in 
a 
interest 
one 
is 
a 
Baptist. 
the 
other 
a 
Methodist. 
A 
Baptist 
~till 
larger 
sense 
reprC'sented 
to 
me 
all 
of 
the 
d.ear 
WATCH 
minister 
aboard 
declared 
himself 
an 
evolutionist 
and 
in 
full 
TOWER 
readers 
of 
America 
who 
rejoice 
to 
seud 
me, 
with 
their 
sympathy 
with 
''higher 
criticism"-denying 
tlmt 
the 
Lord 
vrawrs 
and 
love. 
as 
their 
repre'lentatives 
for 
a 
few 
weeks 
to 
bought 
us. 
\Vhen 
pre'lsed 
with 
Rcripture 
he 
denied 
the 
author­ 
tho'll' 
of 
like 
precious 
faith 
in 
Europe. 
itv 
of 
Paul 
and 
the 
other 
apostles, 
and 
claimed 
to 
hold 
to 
the 
Our 
steamer 
has 
had 
a 
quiet 
voyage, 
and 
in 
many 
ways 
I 
life 
and 
words 
of 
.Tesus 
only. 
When 
confronted 
with 
our 
Lord's 
h'lYl' 
heen 
"kl'pt" 
hy 
divine 
providence-so 
that 
I 
have 
had 
no 
own 
words 
to 
the 
l'ffl'ct 
that 
he 
rame 
to 
"give 
his 
life 
a 
ransom 
sl'asickness 
since 
the 
first 
two 
days 
out, 
and 
was 
able 
to 
respond 
for 
manv" 
he 
avoiill'd 
further 
disrussion. 
to 
the 
invitation 
of 
our 
captain 
to 
aS'list 
in 
conducting 
the 
More 
and 
morl' 
it 
becomes 
evident 
that 
we 
are 
in 
the 
great 
Il~ual 
Sunday 
morning 
serviees 
of 
the 
vl''l"el-incluiling 
an 
trial-day 
of 
the 
Christian 
faith, 
and 
that 
it 
is 
not 
so 
much 
nildrl'ss 
of 
about 
thirty 
minutes 
on 
the 
hope 
that 
is 
the 
anchor 
3. 
'1ul'stion 
of 
Who 
will 
fall? 
as 
of 
"Who 
shall 
be 
able 
to 
stand'" 
to 
our 
souls, 
both 
sure 
and 
stl'adfnst.-Hl'b. 
6:Jll. 
(Rev. 
6:17) 
The 
prophet 
ileclared. 
"A 
thousand 
shall 
fall 
at 
I 
had 
no 
reason 
to 
hope 
that 
among 
the 
pas'lengers 
would 
thv 
side" 
(Psa. 
91 
:7), 
and 
so 
we 
find 
it. 
So 
far 
from 
~Iory- 
be 
many 
with 
"an 
ear 
to 
hear 
j" 
nor 
could 
I 
expect, 
in 
'10 
brief 
ing 
in 
the 
evidences 
that 
mmy 
are 
falling 
from 
tllil 
fundamental 
[3198] 
(159-163) and joint-heir in the kingdom; and, by and by, the establishment of a kingdom for the blessing and enlightenment of all the families of the earth. No novel, no plot of human concoction, could ever equal this one. It is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. We cannot wonder if those who see from the outside—who do not see the strength and beauty and consistency and harmony from the inside standpoint— consider that we who see matters from the right standpoint are too much enthused. They cannot appreciate the fact that we accept gladly the privilege of self-sacrifice, in order thereby to attest our love and devotion to the Lord and to be accounted worthy a share with him as members of his church, his bride. The time will come, and it is not far distant now, when many who are now highly esteemed amongst men for their wisdom, will be seen to have been foolish, and many who are now esteemed fools for Christ’s sake and for the Gospel’s sake, will be seen to have been truly wise in choosing the heavenly things and in being willing to surrender the earthly things for the attainment of the heavenly, because it is impossible to scrve God and Mammon. Tle Apostle’s answer to Festus was not flattery, but Christian courtesy. Festus was a noble man, and it is not improper to speak the truth in reasonable language, and to give a merited compliment. “I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth words of truth and soberness.” So, when we answer the world, let us remember the difference of standpoint, and that our privilege of seeing the deep things of God 1s the result of our having been accepted of him through coneccration and obedience, receiving the spirit of the Anointed, whereby we can know the things freely given unto us of God, The Apostle appealed to the king for corroboration of the things he declared, evidently well assured that the declaration of the Gospel had created so much commotion amongst the Jews that the king had heard thereof repeatedly. The thing ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLecHeny, Pa was not done in a corner; it was a public matter of general knowledge, and had Festus been living in the country he would not question the facts. The Apostle appealed to Agrippa in a most earnest and dignified tone. “King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.” The intimation is that the Apostle had in this discourse set forth the fulfilment of the prophecies so fully, so explicitly, that anyone believing them to be inspired could not doubt that Jesus was the Messiah. This led to the notable words of Agrippa, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” The New Testament revisers evidently considered this language ironical, but it does not so seem to us. The Apostle’s rejoinder seems to contradict that thought, “I would that thou wert not only almost but altogether such as I am—cxcept these bonds.” It is presumed upon reasonable grounds that, although Agrippa did not become a Christian, this knowledge of the principles underlying Christianity remained with him and influenced him during the remainder of his life. History tells us that in the subsequent persecutions that arose in connection with the trouble coming upon the Jewish nation Agrippa received and kindly entreated the Christians who fled to him for protection. How many there are in Christian lands who have heard the Gospel message more or less distinctly, and have been “almost persuaded” to lay hold of the grace of God, but neglect opportunities of action and have lost the appreciation of the privilege. These, like Agrippa, will have comparatively small conception of the wonderful things they came so near to grasping and yet missed. When they shall come forth from the grave and enjoy the great privileges of the Millennial kingdom it will amaze them to know what great opportunities they had to become members of the little flock, the Lord’s associates on the throne, VoL. XXIV ALLEGHENY, PA., JUNE 1, 1903 No. 11 THE EDITOR ON HIS EUROPEAN JOURNEY U. 8. M. S. “NEw York.” Grectings to “the Children of the Morning”—of the Dawn —of the Light:— On board the Steamship “New York” I am nearing Great Britain and the dear brethren there whom I know by correspondence and so dearly love, and whom I hope soon to greet personally. Nevertheless, all the dear readers of the WaTcH TOWER are before my mental vision, and I take this opportunity for sending you a message of love and fellowship. It is a scurce of great pleasure and encouragement to me to realize thet your love and prayers are with me on my journey; and T well know that every feature of my experiences will be of interest to you. Just a week ago (on April 14th) I bade farewell to a goodly company of the church at the railway depot in Pittsburgh. On the previous Sunday I said “Goodbye” to the church at Allegheny as a whole, shaking hands with about 300 personally; but I was cheered, nevertheless, by the final parting at the train. Nest morning I was met at New York depot by representatives of the churches of New York, Brooklyn, Yonkers, Jersey City, Perth Amboy and Philadelphia, who saw me on board my steamer and tarried until the starting of the vessel,—then from the pier waved me their love and good wishes as they assured me previously that I had their prayers, I was not so vain as to accept these love-tokens as personal tributes; but received them, on the contrary, as expressions of devotion to the Lord and appreciation of his truth, with which in his providence I had become associated as a servant;—a minister of the Lord, a minister of his Word, a minister of his people. All may be sure that my heart fully reciprocated the kind wishes and blessing accepted from these dear friends, who in a still larger sense represented to me all of the dear WatcH Tower readers of America who rejoice to send me, with their prayers and love. as their representatives for a few weeks to those of like precious faith in Europe. Our steamer has had a quiet voyage, and in many ways I have heen “kept” by divine providence—so that I have had no seasickness since the first two davs out, and was able to respond to the invitation of our captain to assist in conducting the usual Sunday morning services of the vessel—including an address of about thirty minutes on the hope that is the anchor to our souls, both sure and steadfast.—Heb. 6:19. I had no reason to hope that among the passengers would be many with “an ear to hear;” nor could I expect, in so brief a space, to do more than sound one chord on our precious Harp (the Bible). Committing results to the Lord, I pointed out the great Covenant promise which our heavenly Father gave to Abraham and his seed: that it was, “In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed ;” that the natural seed, Isaac and Jacob and the nation of Israel, held fast the promise but never inherited it; that the true seed only began to come in the person of the Lord Jesus: that the true church, the true members of the body of Christ, are members of this “seed” and heirs according to that original promise which has not yet had its fulfilment, but awaits the completion of the seed—the completion of “the church which is his body.” “If ye be Christ’s then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”—Gal. 3:29. Briefly noting that this is the Christian’s hope of our text, and that it is still unfulfilled, we saw that it is still to be striven for by all who would make their calling and election sure; and that in the light of this promise and hope all true Christians should recognize present experiences, trials, etc., as so much of their education in the school of Christ,—in preparation for their work in the coming age—the work of blessing the families of earth during the promised Millennial Kingdom. Only five of the passengers have had either interest or curiosity sufficient to lead them to converse with me on the subject,—and only two of these with earnestness; but if two or even one should ultimately develop as a ripe grain of “wheat” how glad and thankful we would be. So far as I ean ascertain, about one-half of the passengers are professing Christians, and about two-thirds of these Episcopalians—of whom not one has seemed interested. Of the two manifesting interest one is a Baptist, the other a Methodist. A Baptist minister aboard declared himself an evolutionist and in full sympathy with “higher criticism”’—denying that the Lord bought us. When pressed with Scripture he denied the authority of Pau] and the other apostles, and claimed to hold to the life and words of Jesus only. When confronted with our Lord’s own words to the effect that he came to “give his life a ransom for many” he avoided further discussion. More and more it becomes evident that we are in the great trial-day of the Christian faith, and that it is not so much a. question of Who will fall? as of “Who shall be able to stand?” (Rev. 6:17) The prophet declared, “A thousand shall fall at thy side’ (Psa. 91:7), and so we find it. So far from glorying in the evidences that many are falling from the fundamental [3198]

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