Publication date
6/15/03
Volume
24
Number
12
The WatchTower
Conventions Across the Sea
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1903/12/1903-12-1.html
 
 
)VNE 
1, 
1903 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(175-179) 
aster 
had 
come 
upon 
them 
by 
their 
failing 
to 
follow 
his 
advice 
-but 
also 
by 
the 
evidencl.' 
of 
God's 
special 
favor 
toward 
him 
in 
connection 
with 
the 
knowledge 
of 
their 
ultimate 
rescue. 
So 
it 
should 
be 
with 
us: 
whatever 
we 
know 
that 
is 
good 
or 
comfort­ 
ing 
or 
refreshing 
to 
ourselve:>, 
we 
should 
dispense 
to 
others. 
Had 
the 
Apostle 
-kept 
this 
good 
news 
to 
himself, 
it 
would 
have 
implied 
one 
or 
two 
things; 
either 
that 
he 
did 
not 
have 
faith 
in 
its 
fulfilment, 
or 
that 
he 
was 
selfish; 
but 
having 
the 
Lord's 
spirit 
of 
gEl,nerosity, 
as 
well 
as 
large 
trust 
in 
the 
Lord, 
he 
did 
not 
hesitate 
to 
make 
known 
the 
coming 
deliverance; 
and 
he 
glorified 
God 
in 
that 
he 
did 
not 
claim 
to 
have 
this 
knowledge 
of 
himself, 
but 
credited 
it 
to 
a 
revelation. 
Evidently 
the 
pris­ 
oner 
had 
produced 
a 
deep 
impression 
upon 
many 
of 
the 
soldiers 
and 
sailors. 
Who 
can 
say 
that 
at 
some 
future 
time 
the 
Apos­ 
tle's 
brave 
and 
noble 
conduct 
may 
not 
have 
influenced 
some 
of 
his 
two 
hundred 
and 
seventy-six 
companions-possibly 
eventu­ 
ally 
drawing 
some 
of 
thcm 
to 
the 
Lord? 
So 
it 
should 
be 
with 
t'a~h 
of 
us; 
we 
should 
be 
prompt 
to 
tell 
to 
others 
the 
best 
tid­ 
ings 
we 
have; 
sympathy 
with 
the 
groaning 
creation 
in 
the 
various 
trials 
of 
life 
should 
lead 
us 
to 
point 
to 
the 
Lord's 
prom­ 
ise~ 
respecting 
the 
coming 
kingdom 
and 
the 
blessings 
that 
should 
then 
be 
to 
all 
the 
families 
of 
the 
earth. 
Whoever 
does 
not 
thus 
proclaim 
daily, 
on 
every 
suitable 
opportunity, 
gives 
evidence 
either 
of 
lack 
of 
knowledge 
or 
of 
faith 
in 
the 
revelation 
or 
of 
selfishness, 
which 
the 
Lord 
cannot 
approve, 
and 
which, 
persisted 
in, 
will 
ultimately 
debar 
him 
from 
a 
share 
in 
the 
kin:;!dom. 
.\nother 
thought 
properly 
connected 
with 
this 
lesson 
is 
the 
absence 
of 
any 
suggestion 
of 
a 
revival 
service 
being 
held 
on 
hoard 
the 
boat. 
Neither 
Paul 
nor 
Luke 
nor 
Aristarchus 
are 
reported 
to 
have 
made 
the 
slightest 
effort, 
except 
as 
their 
lives 
\\ere 
living 
l'pistles. 
It 
is 
barely 
possible 
that 
religious 
serv­ 
ires 
may 
not 
have 
been 
permitted 
on 
the 
vessel; 
but, 
anyway, 
\H' 
know 
from 
the 
Apostle's 
general 
course 
of 
conduct, 
that 
hE' 
did 
his 
fishing 
for 
men 
amongst 
rather 
different 
classes. 
A'! 
\\1' 
llnder.,tand 
the 
matter, 
the 
seamen 
of 
that 
day 
were 
of 
a 
(·oar.,1' 
and 
ignorant 
das'l. 
Wc 
cannot 
doubt 
that 
the 
Apostle 
would 
have 
been 
glad 
indeed 
to 
have 
served 
any 
of 
his 
compan­ 
ions 
had 
he 
found 
in 
them 
the 
hearing 
ear-according 
to 
the 
-:\Iaster's 
words, 
"He 
that 
hath 
an 
ear 
to 
hear, 
let 
him 
hear." 
That 
the 
sailors 
were 
not 
in 
a 
condition 
to 
receive 
or 
appreci­ 
atc 
the 
Gospel 
is 
evident 
from 
the 
lesson; 
becausc 
they 
were 
..;elfishly 
intent 
upon 
using 
the 
only 
small 
boat 
available 
for 
their 
escape, 
and 
premeditat(;d 
leaving 
the 
soldiers 
and 
the 
prisoners 
on 
the 
vessel. 
Wc 
mark 
the 
spirit 
of 
selfishness 
as 
totally 
unbecoming 
in 
anyone 
begotten 
of 
the 
spirit 
of 
God, 
and 
rontrast 
it 
with 
the 
spirit 
of 
thc 
Apostle, 
as 
generous, 
loving, 
considerate 
of 
others. 
A 
similar 
test 
",hows 
us 
that 
the 
soldiers 
in 
general 
were 
not 
of 
a 
class 
likely 
to 
have 
a 
henring 
ear, 
because; 
when 
perceiving 
that 
the 
vessel 
would 
go 
to 
pieces, 
and 
that 
thm 
some 
prisoners 
might 
escape, 
they 
counselled 
their 
(lestnwtion. 
"The 
lIberal 
heart 
deviseth 
liberal 
things," 
and 
all 
of 
the 
Lord's 
consecrated 
people 
should 
not 
only 
have 
the 
Jloh}(' 
im]Jlll'les 
coming 
to 
them 
because 
they 
are 
the 
Lord's 
and 
bel'all~e 
thl.'y 
have 
tasted 
of 
his 
grace, 
and 
been 
made 
partakers 
of 
his 
'lpirit. 
but, 
additionally, 
they 
should 
see 
to 
it 
that 
this 
spint 
prpvOlils 
in 
them; 
that 
it 
is 
manifest 
in 
all 
the 
affairs 
of 
liiP. 
TIll':" 
"hould 
see 
to 
it 
that 
they 
do 
not 
crush 
out 
the 
noble 
iml'uls('s 
which 
would 
properly 
come 
to 
them; 
that, 
on 
the 
contrary, 
the:r 
foster 
them 
and 
encouragc 
them 
and 
develop 
them 
more 
and 
more. 
Thus 
we 
grow 
in 
grace 
as 
we 
grow 
in 
knowlf'tlge. 
hy 
obellience 
to 
the 
things 
which 
we 
learn. 
The 
eenturion 
alo11c 
seems 
to 
have 
profited 
by 
the 
experi­ 
el1ces. 
He 
alonl' 
Sl'f'Jl1S 
to 
haY(' 
read 
the 
Apostle's 
living 
epistle 
to 
any 
advantage, 
and 
upon 
him 
it 
did 
make 
an 
impression, 
for 
while 
he 
would 
not 
have 
objected 
so 
much 
to 
the 
killing 
of 
the 
other 
prisoners, 
who 
probably 
were 
seditious 
eharacters 
and 
worthy 
of 
death, 
he 
saw 
no 
way 
to 
make 
an 
exception 
of 
Paul, 
and 
for 
Paul's 
sake, 
therefore, 
all 
the 
prisoners' 
lives 
were 
spared. 
Notwithstanding 
the 
Apostle's 
assurance 
of 
the 
Lord 
that 
the 
lives 
of 
the 
entire 
ship's 
company 
were 
given 
him, 
that 
all 
would 
be 
saved, 
he 
realized 
the 
propriety 
of 
using 
all 
proper 
diligence 
in 
cooperation 
with 
the 
promise. 
Hence, 
when 
he 
discerned 
the 
evident 
intention 
of 
the 
sailors 
to 
escape 
in 
the 
small 
boat, 
leaving 
the 
passengers, 
unable 
to 
guide 
the 
vessel, 
at 
the 
mercy 
of 
the 
sea, 
he 
communicated 
the 
facts 
to 
the 
cen­ 
turion, 
pointing 
out 
the 
necessity 
of 
compliance 
with 
reasonable 
precautions 
to 
insure 
the 
fulfilment 
of 
the 
divine 
promise. 
So 
we 
all 
should 
understand 
that 
we 
have 
something 
to 
do 
in 
real­ 
izing 
the 
gracious 
promises 
of 
God 
to 
us. 
In 
connection 
with 
the 
affairs 
of 
this 
present 
lifc 
he 
has 
promised 
that 
our 
bread 
and 
water 
shall 
be 
sure, 
but 
this 
does 
not 
imply 
that 
we 
shall 
neglect 
reasonable 
opportunities 
for 
securing 
these. 
He 
has 
p"romised 
us 
also 
a 
share 
in 
the 
kingdom 
by 
and 
by; 
but 
it 
is 
for 
us 
to 
make 
our 
calling 
and 
our 
election 
sure. 
God 
is 
thor­ 
oughly 
capable 
and 
thoroughly 
willing 
to 
perform 
all 
of 
his 
part 
in 
connection 
with 
every 
matter, 
but 
it 
is 
to 
our 
advantage 
that 
he 
calls 
upon 
us 
to 
show 
our 
faith 
by 
our 
works-by 
our 
cooperation 
with 
him 
in 
all 
reasonable 
ways. 
He 
does 
not 
expect 
us 
to 
perform 
miracles; 
but 
he 
does 
expect 
us 
to 
do 
what 
we 
are 
able 
to 
do 
both 
in 
respect 
to 
present 
things 
and 
eternal 
matters. 
By 
and 
by 
the 
Apostle's 
predictions 
were 
fulfilled, 
and 
the 
entire 
ship's 
company, 
some 
by 
swimming 
and 
others 
by 
floating 
on 
wrecka~e, 
reached 
the 
land. 
'Ve 
notice 
again 
that 
the 
Apostle 
did 
not 
propose, 
on 
reaching 
land, 
to 
have 
a 
general 
revival 
service; 
he 
was 
not 
bent 
on 
exciting 
men's 
minds, 
but 
was 
practicing 
the 
same 
Gospel 
methods 
which 
the 
Master 
taught 
him; 
viz., 
"Let 
us 
reason 
together"-sit 
down 
first 
and 
count 
the 
cost 
of 
discipleship, 
and, 
if 
willing 
to 
pay 
the 
price, 
"Come, 
take 
up 
thy 
cross 
and 
follow 
me." 
If 
this, 
the 
Lord's 
method 
for 
gnthering 
his 
people 
from 
the 
world, 
were 
still 
pursued, 
there 
would 
be 
many 
fewer 
nominal 
Christians; 
but 
we 
believe 
there 
would 
be 
no 
smaller 
number 
of 
the 
genuine 
ones. 
The 
time 
for 
bringing 
in 
tIle 
world 
is 
not 
yet; 
hence 
the 
Master's 
words 
in 
prayer, 
"I 
pray 
not 
for 
the 
world, 
but 
for 
those 
whom 
thou 
hast 
given 
me 
out 
of 
the 
world, 
that 
they 
all 
may 
be 
one 
... 
that 
[ultimately, 
'in 
due 
time'] 
the 
world 
may 
believe." 
The 
gathering 
of 
the 
elect 
class 
for 
the 
kingdom 
is 
under 
disadvantageous 
conditions 
which 
will 
thoroughly 
test 
them, 
and 
make 
their 
way 
so 
narrow 
that 
few 
will 
find 
it, 
and 
still 
fewer 
make 
progress 
in 
it. 
When 
God's 
time 
for 
dealing 
with 
the 
world 
shall 
have 
come. 
the 
powers 
of 
heaven 
and 
of 
earth 
will 
rooperatc 
with 
the 
glorified 
church 
in 
making 
the 
Gospel 
so 
plnin 
that 
a 
wayfaring 
man, 
though 
a 
fool, 
need 
not 
err 
therein. 
So 
far 
afl 
the 
record 
shows, 
the 
Apostle 
and 
his 
companions 
did 
no 
mission 
work 
amongst 
the 
barbarians 
of 
the 
island 
on 
which 
they 
were 
wrecked, 
nor 
amongst 
the 
soldiers 
and 
sailors, 
their 
companionil 
during 
that 
winter. 
They 
left 
no 
church 
there 
i-we 
may 
safely 
presume 
that 
they 
found 
no 
hearing 
ears. 
The 
lesson 
to 
us 
from 
this 
should 
be 
that 
we 
are 
not 
to 
expect 
the 
conversion 
of 
the 
world 
nor 
anything 
akin 
to. 
it. 
We 
are 
to 
expect 
that 
the 
Lord 
will 
find 
with 
the 
truth 
a 
suffi­ 
cient 
number 
to 
complete 
the 
elect 
church, 
and 
then, 
with 
the 
power 
and 
the 
authority 
of 
the 
kingdom, 
establish 
righteous­ 
ness 
and 
cause 
the 
knowledge 
of 
himself 
to 
fill 
the 
earth 
and 
bless 
the 
whole 
world 
through 
the 
church.--Gal. 
:l 
:29. 
VOL. 
XXIV 
ALLEGHENY, 
P 
A., 
JUNE 
15, 
1903 
CONVENTIONS 
ACROSS 
THE 
SEA 
No. 
12 
THE 
EDITOR 
ON 
HIS 
DEAR 
WATCH 
TOWER 
READERS:- 
I 
posted 
my 
previous 
letter 
just 
as 
our 
vessel, 
the 
New 
York. 
reached 
Southampton. 
As 
I 
stl.'pped 
a~hore 
I 
wa~ 
met 
by 
Brother 
Henninges, 
and 
a 
little 
later, 
on 
arrival 
at 
London, 
by 
a 
delegation 
representing 
the 
London 
church. 
Assuredly 
our 
greetings 
all 
around 
were 
most 
cordial, 
and 
unitedly 
we 
thanked 
God 
for 
a 
safe 
journey 
and 
asked 
divine 
blessing 
upon 
our 
mission. 
Five 
meetings 
were 
held 
in 
London. 
The 
first 
on 
Satur­ 
day 
afternoon 
was 
a 
greeting 
and 
salutation 
meeting, 
and 
in 
the 
course 
of 
my 
remark'! 
I 
mentioned 
thc 
cordial 
greetings 
sent 
with 
me 
by 
the 
brethren 
of 
the 
Allegheny 
congregation; 
assuring 
the 
friends 
that 
those 
greetings 
well 
represented 
the 
sentiments 
of 
all 
the 
dear 
brethren 
and 
si>1ters 
of 
America. 
EUROPEAN 
JOURNEY. 
They 
in 
turn 
wished 
me 
to 
tell 
you 
all 
of 
their 
10vII 
and 
to 
give 
you 
their 
greetings 
in 
the 
Lord, 
and 
to 
testify 
to 
you 
that 
the 
Lord's 
people, 
though 
separated 
by 
oceans, 
are 
of 
one 
spirit-begotten 
of 
the 
one 
Father. 
The 
evening 
session 
lasted 
from 
7 
to 
9; 
the 
attendance 
being 
about 
400 
(about 
the 
same 
as 
in 
the 
afternoon). 
Mv 
text 
was 
Heb. 
6:13-17-respecting 
the 
kope 
that 
is 
an 
anchor 
to 
our 
soul 
and 
that 
is 
based 
upon 
God's 
promise 
to 
Abraham, 
which 
he 
confirmed 
with 
an 
oath; 
so 
that 
not 
only 
Abraham 
might 
have 
"strong 
consolation," 
but 
we 
also 
wllO 
look 
back 
to 
that 
oath-bound 
Covenant, 
expecting 
its 
fulfilment 
and 
trusting 
by 
God's 
grace 
that 
we 
mar. 
be 
heirs 
of 
that 
Cove­ 
nant's 
provisions-as 
Abraham's 
spirItual 
"seed." 
Our 
hearts 
rejoiced 
in 
the 
Apostle's 
assurance, 
"If 
ye 
be 
Christ's 
(mem- 
[3206] 
June 1, 1903 aster had come upon them by their failing to follow his advice —but also by the evidence of God’s special favor toward him in connection with the knowledge of their ultimate rescue. So it should be with us: whatever we know that is good or comforting or refreshing to ourselves, we should dispense to others. Had the ‘Apostle kept this good news to himself, it would have implied one or two things; either that he did not have faith in its fulfilment, or that he was selfish; but having the Lord’s apirit of generosity, as well as large trust in the Lord, he did not hesitate to make known the coming deliverance; and he glorified God in that he did not claim to have this knowledge of himself, but credited it to a revelation. Evidently the prisoner had produced a deep impression upon many of the soldiers and sailors. Who can say that at some future time the Apostle’s brave and noble conduct may not have influenced some of his two hundred and seventy-six companions—possibly eventually drawing some of them to the Lord? So it should be with each of us; we should be prompt to tell to others the best tidings we have; sympathy with the groaning creation in the various trials of life should lead us to point to the Lord’s promises respecting the coming kingdom and the blessings that should then be to all the families of the earth. Whoever does not thus proclaim daily, on every suitable opportunity, gives evidence either of lack of knowledge or of faith in the revelation or of selfishness, which the Lord cannot approve, and which, persisted in, will ultimately debar him from a share in the kingdom. Another thought properly connected with this lesson is the absence of any suggestion of a revival service being held on board the boat. Neither Paul nor Luke nor Aristarchus are reported to have made the slightest effort, except as their lives were living epistles. It is barely possible that religious services may not have been permitted on the vessel; but, anyway, we know from the Apostle’s general course of conduct, that he did his fishing for men amongst rather different classes. As we understand the matter, the seamen of that day were of a coarse and ignorant class. We cannot doubt that the Apostle would have been glad indeed to have served any of his companions had he found in them the hearing ear—according to the Master’s words, “He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.” That the sailors were not in a condition to receive or appreciate the Gospel is evident from the lesson; because they were selfishly intent upon using the only small boat available for their escape, and premeditated leaving the soldiers and the prisoners on the vessel. We mark the spirit of selfishness as totally unbecoming in anyone begotten of the spirit of God, and contrast it with the spirit of the Apostle, as generous, loving, considerate of others. A similar test shows us that the soldiers in general were not of a class likely to have a hearing ear, becanse, when perceiving that the vessel would go to pieces, and that thus some prisoners might escape, they counselled their destruction. “The liberal heart deviseth liberal things,” and all of the Lord’s consecrated people should not only have the noble impulses coming to them because they are the Lord’s and because thev have tasted of his grace, and been made partakers of his spirit. but, additionally, they should see to it that this spirit prevails in them; that it is manifest in all the affairs of life. Thev should see to it that they do not crush out the noble impulses which would properly come to them; that, on the contrary, they foster them and encourage them and develop them more and more. Thus we grow in grace as we grow in knowledge. by obedience to the things which we learn. The centurion alone seems to have profited by the experiences. He alone seems to have read the Apostle’s living epistle Vou. XXIV ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, PA., JUNE 15, 1903 (175-179) to any advantage, and upon him it did make an impression, for while he would not have objected so much to the killing of the other prisoners, who probably were seditious characters and worthy of death, he saw no way to make an exception of Paul, and for Paul’s sake, therefore, all the prisoners’ lives were spared, Notwithstanding the Apostle’s assurance of the Lord that the lives of the entire ship’s company were given him, that all would be saved, he realized the propriety of using all proper diligence in codperation with the promise. Hence, when he discerned the evident intention of the sailors to escape in the small boat, leaving the passengers, unable to guide the vessel, at the mercy of the sea, he communicated the facts to the centurion, pointing out the necessity of compliance with reasonable precautions to insure the fulfilment of the divine promise. So we all should understand that we have something to do in realizing the gracious promises of God to us. In connection with the affairs of this present life he has promised that our bread and water shall be sure, but this does not imply that we shall neglect reasonable opportunities for securing these. He has promised us also a share in the kingdom by and by; but it is for us to make our calling and our election sure. God is thoroughly capable and thoroughly willing to perform all of his part in connection with every matter, but it is to our advantage that he calls upon us to show our faith by our _works—by our codperation with him in all reasonable ways. He does not expect us to perform miracles; but he does expect us to do what we are able to do both in respect to present things and eternal matters. By and by the Apostie’s predictions were fulfilled, and the entire ship’s company, some by swimming and others by floating on wreckage, reached the land. We notice again that the Apostle did not propose, on reaching land, to have a general revival service; he was not bent on exciting men’s minds, but was practicing the same Gospel methods which the Master taught him; viz., “Let us reason together’—sit down first and count the cost of discipleship, and, if willing to pay the price, “Come, take up thy cross and follow me.” If this, the Lord’s method for gathering his people from the world, were still pursued, there would be many fewer nominal Christians; but we believe there would be no smaller number of the genuine ones. The time for bringing in the world is not yet; hence the Master’s words in prayer, “I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me out of the world, that thev all may be one... that [ultimately, ‘in due time’] the world may believe.” The gathering of the elect class for the kingdom is under disadvantageous conditions which will thoroughly test them, and make their way so narrow that few will find it, and still fewer make progress in it. When God’s time for dealing with the world shall have come. the powers of heaven and of earth will cojperate with the glorified church in making the Gospel so plain that a wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein. So far as the record shows, the Apostle and his companions did no mission work amongst the barbarians of the island on which they were wrecked, nor amongst the soldiers and sailors, their companions during that winter. They left no church there;—we may safely presume that they found no hearing ears. The lesson to us from this should be that we are not to expect the conversion of the world nor anything akin to. it. We are to expect that the Lord will find with the truth a sufficient number to complete the elect church, and then, with the power and the authority of the kingdom, establish righteousness and cause the knowledge of himself to fill the earth and bless the whole world through the church.—-Gal. 3:29, No. 12 CONVENTIONS ACROSS THE SEA THE EDITOR ON HIS EUROPEAN JOURNEY. Drak Watci TOWER READERS :-—— I posted my previous letter just as our vessel, the New York, reached Southampton. As I stepped ashore I was met by Brother Henninges, and a little later, on arrival at London, by a delegation representing the London church. Assuredly our greetings all around were most cordial, and unitedly we thanked God for a safe journey and asked divine blessing upon our mission. Five meetings were held in London. The first on Saturday afternoon was a greeting and salutation meeting, and in the course of my remarks I mentioned the cordial greetings sent with me by tho brethren of the Allegheny congregation ; assuring the friends that those greetings well represented the sentiments of all the dear brethren and sisters of America. They in turn wished me to tell you all of their love and to give you their greetings in the Lord, and to testify to you that the Lord’s people, though separated by oceans, are of one spirit—begotten of the one Father. The evening session lasted from 7 to 9; the attendance being about 400 (about the same as in the afternoon). My text was Heb. 6:13-17—respecting the hope that is an anchor to our soul and that is based upon God’s promise to Abraham, which he confirmed with an oath; so that not only Abraham might have “strong consolation,” but we also who look back to that oath-bound Covenant, expecting its fulfilment and trusting by God’s grace that we may be heirs of that Covenant’s provisions—as Abraham’s spiritual “seed.” Our hearts rejoiced in the Apostle’s assurance, “If ye be Christ’s (mem [3205]

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