Publication date
8/1/03
Volume
24
Number
15
The WatchTower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1903/15/1903-15-1.html
 
 
 
 
JUI.Y 
15, 
1903 
ZIONJS 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(223-323) 
anointing 
of 
the 
Lord, 
the 
light 
of 
the 
truth 
shining 
in 
their 
faces, 
the 
confidence 
and 
hope 
of 
the 
truth 
inspiring 
them, 
and 
their 
lives 
indicating 
a 
transformation 
from 
the 
kingdom 
of 
darkness 
into 
the 
kingdom 
of 
God's 
dear 
Son,-often 
have 
we 
thought 
of 
such, 
that 
had 
the 
Lord 
sent 
us 
forth 
to 
seek 
his 
bride, 
we 
might 
have 
ignorantly 
passed 
by 
some 
of 
his 
choice 
jewels 
and 
have 
gathered 
in 
some 
whom 
he 
rejects 
as 
un­ 
worthy-because 
we 
are 
unable 
to 
read 
the 
heart. 
This 
thought 
should 
make 
us 
very 
humble, 
gentle 
and 
meek 
toward 
all, 
and 
very 
trustful 
of 
the 
Lord 
and 
very 
much 
inclined 
to 
look 
for 
his 
leading 
in 
respect 
to 
our 
labors 
as 
his 
servants, 
just 
as 
Samuel 
looked 
to 
the 
Lord 
in 
connection 
with 
the 
anointing 
of 
David. 
Samuel's 
words, 
""Ve 
wiII 
not 
sit 
down 
until 
he 
come 
hither," 
referred 
to 
the 
feast 
of 
which 
they 
were 
about 
to 
par­ 
take. 
It 
was 
the 
custom 
that, 
after 
the 
sacrifice 
had 
been 
of­ 
fered, 
the 
sanctified 
persons 
present 
and 
those 
in 
spirit 
sharing 
in 
the 
sacrifice 
might 
join 
in 
a 
feast, 
eating 
the 
flesh, 
and 
thus 
celebrating 
a 
communion 
with 
the 
Lord. 
It 
was 
this 
feast 
that 
Samuel 
decided 
should 
not 
be 
commenced 
until 
David's 
ar­ 
rival 
;-indeed, 
by 
reason 
of 
his 
being 
the 
Lord's 
anointed, 
he 
would 
be 
the 
most 
important 
one 
present 
at 
the 
feast. 
Per­ 
haps 
in 
this 
also 
we 
can 
see 
a 
figure 
of 
the 
Lord's 
blessing 
in 
the 
divine 
plan. 
A 
great 
feast 
of 
fat 
things 
has 
been 
designed 
for 
the 
whole 
world 
of 
mankind, 
but 
it 
cannot 
be 
participated 
in 
until 
the 
justifying 
and 
sanctifying 
sacrifice 
has 
been 
killed 
-and, 
more 
than 
this, 
the 
feast 
cannot 
be 
commenced 
until 
first 
the 
Anointed 
One 
shall 
come 
and 
shall 
receive 
the 
anoint­ 
ing. 
The 
anointing 
began 
with 
our 
Lord, 
the 
head 
of 
the 
church, 
and 
has 
throughout 
the 
Gospel 
age 
been 
flowing 
down 
upon 
all 
the 
members 
of 
his 
body, 
the 
church. 
The 
sacrifice 
has 
been 
killed, 
and 
we, 
as 
members 
of 
Christ, 
have 
been 
par­ 
ticipating 
in 
the 
sacrifice. 
Shortly 
the 
whole 
matter 
wiII 
be 
accomplished 
and 
then, 
as 
the 
Lord's 
anointed, 
the 
feast 
of 
fat 
things 
wiII 
be 
spread,-the 
Anointed 
One--head 
and 
body, 
be­ 
ing 
the 
principal 
in 
that 
great 
anti 
typical 
feast. 
The 
blessing 
and 
power 
of 
the 
Lord 
accompanied 
David's 
anointing 
in 
some 
manner-just 
how 
we 
may 
not 
understand, 
because 
the 
manifestation 
of 
the 
spirit 
was 
not 
the 
same 
ir. 
that 
time 
as 
it 
is 
with 
us, 
the 
church, 
since 
Pentecost, 
re­ 
specting 
which 
the 
Apostle 
declares, 
"The 
holy 
spirit 
was 
not 
yet 
given, 
because 
Jesus 
was 
not 
yet 
glorified." 
(John 
7: 
39) 
However, 
in 
some 
manner 
God's 
blessing 
and 
power 
were 
with 
David, 
enabling 
him 
to 
progress 
in 
knowledge, 
etc., 
and 
fit­ 
ting 
and 
preparing 
him 
for 
the 
duties 
of 
the 
office 
to 
which 
he 
had 
been 
anointed. 
May 
we 
not 
consider 
as 
an 
antitype 
to 
this, 
the 
anointing 
which 
comes 
upon 
the 
church 
from 
the 
time 
of 
her 
acceptance 
with 
the 
Lord? 
Ours 
is 
not 
a 
physical 
anointing, 
nor 
are 
the 
blessings 
conferred 
of 
a 
temporal 
char­ 
acter: 
it 
is 
as 
new 
creatures 
that 
we 
are 
anointed; 
as 
new 
creatures 
that 
we 
grow 
in 
grace 
and 
knowledge 
and 
love; 
and 
as 
new 
creatures 
that, 
by 
and 
by, 
we 
shall 
be 
perfected 
in 
the 
first 
resurrection 
and 
come 
to 
the 
throne 
with 
our 
Lord 
and 
Master 
as 
our 
head. 
VOL. 
XXIV 
VOL. 
XXIV 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
AUGUST 
1,1903 
UTHE 
DIVINE 
PLAN 
OF 
THE 
AGES" 
VOLUME 
I 
"MILLENNIAL 
DAWN" 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
AUGUST 
15, 
1903 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
No. 
15 
No. 
16 
tions 
which 
have 
prevailed 
since 
A. 
D. 
1799. 
In 
this 
"time 
of 
the 
end," 
as 
foretold 
by 
the 
Prophet 
Daniel 
(Dan. 
12: 
4), 
many 
are 
running 
to 
and 
fro, 
and 
coincident 
with 
this 
commingling 
of 
the 
people 
has 
gradually 
come 
the 
equally 
predicted 
dissemi­ 
nation 
of 
knowledge 
amongst 
the 
masses 
of 
so-called 
"ChrIsten­ 
dom" 
(Papacy's 
kingdom); 
and 
as 
a 
result 
the 
"bulls" 
and 
"thunders" 
of 
Antichrist 
dare 
not 
be 
of 
the 
same 
character 
as 
previously. 
Times 
have 
changed 
greatly 
since 
Papal 
bu1I6 
instructed 
the 
kings 
ann 
princes 
of 
Europe 
that 
they 
must 
perse­ 
cute 
heretics 
to 
the 
death 
through 
the 
Inquisition 
if 
they 
would 
maintain 
favor 
with 
the 
pope, 
who 
was 
proclaimed 
"A 
very 
God 
on 
earth." 
Otherwise 
their 
subjt'cts 
would 
be 
released 
from 
obedience 
to 
them 
and 
enjoined 
to 
favor 
and 
fight 
for 
some 
"more 
worthy" 
"son 
of 
the 
church." 
In 
view 
of 
these 
known 
and 
widely 
recognized 
facts, 
let 
us 
thank 
God 
rather 
than 
Leo 
XIII. 
for 
the 
beneficence 
of 
antichrist 
during 
the 
last 
few 
pontificates. 
It 
is 
not 
necessary 
for 
us 
to 
suppose 
the 
pope 
to 
have 
been 
eyil 
intentioned 
because 
he 
was 
for 
a 
time 
the 
head 
of 
the 
antichrist 
system; 
rather 
we 
may 
well 
give 
him 
the 
bene­ 
fit 
of 
any 
doubt 
on 
the 
subject 
and 
suppose 
that 
he 
belonged 
to 
the 
vast 
throng 
of 
those 
mentioned 
by 
the 
Apostle 
al> 
"deceiving 
and 
being 
deceived." 
Satan, 
himself, 
is 
the 
great 
antichrist 
who, 
by 
his 
wiles 
and 
arts, 
has 
deceived 
almost 
the 
whole 
world 
into 
one 
form 
or 
another 
of 
misbelief 
and 
op­ 
position 
to 
God 
and 
his 
great 
plan 
of 
the 
ages. 
Thanks 
be 
to 
God 
for 
the 
blessed 
hope 
of 
the 
Scriptures, 
that 
the 
true 
Messiah 
shall 
shortly 
take 
the 
throne 
of 
earth 
and 
subdue 
all 
things 
unto 
himself, 
bind 
Satan 
and 
illuminate 
the 
whole 
world. 
"This 
is 
the 
true 
light 
which 
lighteth 
[shall 
enlighten) 
every 
man 
that 
cometh 
into 
the 
world." 
SINGULAR 
VIEWS 
OF 
THE 
DEATH 
OF 
POPE 
LEO 
XIII 
The 
death 
of 
Leo 
XIII. 
at 
the 
age 
of 
ninety-three 
years 
is 
said 
to 
have 
created 
"a 
profound 
impression 
throughout 
Chris­ 
tendom." 
The 
President 
of 
the 
United 
States 
even 
felt 
it 
his 
duty 
to 
dictate 
a 
message 
to 
the 
Associated 
Press 
as 
the 
repre­ 
sentative 
of 
seventy 
millions 
of 
people, 
more 
than 
one-seventh 
of 
whom 
were 
the 
pope's 
followers:- 
"The 
President 
expressed 
his 
profound 
regret 
at 
the 
death 
of 
the 
venerable 
pontiff, 
whose 
long 
career, 
no 
less 
than 
his 
exalted 
charact<'r. 
has 
commanded 
the 
respect 
of 
all 
Chnsten­ 
dom. 
The 
presld<'nt 
~aid 
that 
in 
uttering 
these 
sentiments 
he 
was 
giving 
expressIOn 
to 
the 
teeling5 
of 
all 
the 
people 
of 
the 
United 
States, 
wholly 
without 
regard 
to 
their 
religious 
taiths." 
We 
have 
no 
desire 
to 
say 
one 
word 
against 
any 
man, 
and 
surely 
have 
no 
grudge 
against 
this 
one 
of 
the 
more 
than 
fifty 
thousand 
millions 
of 
the 
dead; 
but 
we 
admire 
consistency, 
and 
fail 
to 
see 
how 
the 
deceased 
is 
worthy 
of 
all 
the 
adulation 
heaped 
upon 
him. 
We 
doubt 
not 
that 
he 
had 
an 
"exalted 
char­ 
acter." 
as 
the 
President 
intimates, 
but 
we 
have 
had 
no 
opportun­ 
ity 
for 
judging 
of 
this, 
as 
we 
had 
not 
his 
personal 
acquaintance 
-as 
the 
President 
may 
possibly 
have 
had. 
We 
certainly 
should 
expect 
good 
morals 
and 
good 
character 
generally 
from 
one 
making 
the 
high 
claims 
that 
Leo 
XIII. 
made. 
We 
personally 
know 
some 
very 
humble 
people 
who 
have 
"exalted 
character," 
and 
therefore 
should 
not 
be 
surprised 
that 
a 
man 
claiming 
to 
be 
Christ's 
personal 
representative 
as 
King 
of 
the 
World 
should 
be 
given 
at 
least 
a 
decent 
reputation 
by 
his 
supporters, 
who 
claim 
that 
he 
was 
infallible. 
The 
fact 
that 
some 
of 
his 
predecessors 
on 
the 
papal 
throne 
were 
admittedly 
infamous, 
morally 
and 
otherwise, 
perhaps 
should, 
by 
contrast, 
lead 
all 
to 
proportionately 
greater 
respect 
for 
this 
man, 
whose 
gross 
immoralities, 
if 
he 
had 
any, 
are 
unknown. 
Yes, 
we 
may 
well 
reJoice 
that 
the 
deceased 
was 
not 
viciously 
disposed 
as 
some 
* 
* 
* 
of 
his 
predecessors 
on 
the 
"throne 
of 
Christendom," 
who 
de- 
Telegraphic 
reports 
told 
how 
before 
the 
pope's 
death 
h(' 
luged 
the 
world 
with 
the 
blood 
of 
martyrs-in 
their 
endeavor 
to 
received 
at 
the 
hands 
of 
a 
fellow-mortal 
"absolution," 
freeing 
enforce 
the 
same 
false 
theories 
which 
this 
pope 
as 
tenaciously 
him 
from 
sin 
and 
its 
penalties, 
and 
how, 
when 
he 
did 
not 
die 
held 
but 
more 
covertly 
advocated. 
as 
expected 
that 
day, 
he 
asked 
for 
its 
repetition 
the 
next 
day, 
But 
while 
thanking 
God 
that 
the 
fallen 
representative 
of 
when 
he 
seemed 
to 
be 
sinking. 
Yet 
for 
all 
this, 
according 
to 
the 
great 
antichrist* 
was 
much 
less 
ferocious 
than 
many 
of 
his 
Roman 
Catholics, 
Leo 
XIII. 
went 
straight 
to 
purgatory. 
predecessors, 
let 
us 
allow 
also 
that 
all 
this 
change 
is 
not 
due 
Evidently 
they 
doubt 
that 
his 
"exalted 
character" 
or 
his 
to 
the 
man 
who 
died, 
but 
in 
great 
measure 
to 
the 
changed 
claimed 
high 
office 
as 
Christ's 
vice-regent 
on 
earth, 
or 
his 
conditions-Papacy's 
loss 
of 
civil 
power, 
together 
with 
the 
"absolution"-any 
of 
these 
or 
all 
of 
them-were 
acceptable 
greater 
enlightenment 
of 
the 
masses, 
incident 
to 
the 
new 
condi· 
to 
God, 
and 
so 
the 
poor 
old 
man, 
they 
think, 
went 
to 
"limbo" 
• 
See 
"Great 
Swelling 
Words," 
MILLENNIAL 
DAWH, 
VOL. 
II, 
page 
304. 
to 
expiate 
his 
sins. 
[3227] 
Jury 15, 1903 anointing of the Lord, the light of the truth shining in their faces, the confidence and hope of the truth inspiring them, and their lives indicating a transformation from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son,—often have we thought of such, that had the Lord sent us forth to seek his bride, we might have ignorantly passed by some of his choice jewels and have gathered in some whom he rejects as unworthy—because we are unable to read the heart. This thought should make us very humble, gentle and meek toward all, and very trustful of the Lord and very much inclined to look for his leading in respect to our labors as his servants, just as Samuel looked to the Lord in connection with the anointing of David. Samuel’s words, “We will not sit down until he come hither,” referred to the feast of which they were about to partake. It was the custom that, after the sacrifice had been offered, the sanctified persons present and those in spirit sharing in the sacrifice might join in a feast, eating the flesh, and thus celebrating a communion with the Lord. It was this feast that Samuel decided should not be commenced until David’s arrival ;—indeed, by reason of his being the Lord’s anointed, he would be the most important one present at the feast. Perhaps in this also we can see a figure of the Lord’s blessing in the divine plan. A great feast of fat things has been designed for the whole world of mankind, but it cannot be participated in until the justifying and sanctifying sacrifice has been killed -——and, more than this, the feast cannot be commenced until ZION’S WATCH TOWER (223-323) first the Anointed One shall come and shall receive the anointing. The anointing began with our Lord, the head of the church, and has throughout the Gospel age been flowing down upon all the members of his body, the church. The sacrifice has been killed, and we, a8 members of Christ, have been participating in the sacrifice. Shortly the whole matter will be accomplished and then, as the Lord’s anointed, the feast of fat things will be spread,—the Anointed One—head and body, being the principal in that great antitypical feast. The blessing and power of the Lord accompanied David’s anointing in some manner—just how we may not understand, because the manifestation of the spirit was not the same in that time as it is with us, the church, since Pentecost, respecting which the Apostle declares, “The holy spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:39) However, in some manner God’s blessing and power were with David, enabling him to progress in knowledge, etc., and _fitting and preparing him for the duties of the office to which he had been anointed. May we not consider as an antitype to this, the anointing which comes upon the church from the time of her acceptance with the Lord? Ours is not a physical anointing, nor are the blessings conferred of a temporal character: it is as new creatures that we are anointed; as new creatures that we grow in grace and knowledge and love; and as new creatures that, by and by, we shall be perfected in the first resurrection and come to the throne with our Lord and Master as our head. Vout. XXIV ALLEGHENY, PA., AUGUST 1, 1903 No. 15 “THE DIVINE PLAN OF THE AGES” VOLUME 1 “MILLENNIAL Dawn” Vou. XXIV ALLEGHENY, PA., AUGUST 15, 1903 No. 16 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER SINGULAR VIEWS OF THE DEATH OF POPE LEO XIII The death of Leo XIII. at the age of ninety-three years is said to have created “a profound impression throughout Christendom.” The President of the United States even felt it his duty to dictate a message to the Associated Press as the representative of seventy millions of people, more than one-seventh of whom were the pope’s followers :— “The President expressed his profound regret at the death of the venerable pontiff, whose long career, no less than his exalted character, has commanded the respect of all Christendom. The president said that in uttering these sentiments he was giving expression to the teelings of all the people of the United States, wholly without regard to their religious faiths.” We have no desire to say one word against any man, and surely have no grudge against this one of the more than fifty thousand millions of the dead; but we admire consistency, and fail to see how the deceased is worthy of all the adulation heaped upon him. We doubt not that he had an “exalted character.” as the President intimates, but we have had no opportunity for judging of this, as we had not his personal acquaintance —as the President may possibly have had. We certainly should expect good morals and good character generally from one making the high claims that Leo XIII. made. We personally know some very humble people who have “exalted character,” and therefore should not be surprised that a man claiming to be Christ’s personal representative as King of the World should be given at least a decent reputation by his supporters, who claim that he was infallible. The fact that some of his predecessors on the papal throne were admittedly infamous, morally and otherwise, perhaps should, by contrast, lead all to proportionately greater respect for this man, whose gross immoralities, if he had any, are unknown. Yes, we may well rejoice that the deceased was not viciously disposed as some of his predecessors on the “throne of Christendom,” who deluged the world with the blood of martyrs—in their endeavor to enforce the same false theories which this pope as tenaciously held but more covertly advocated. But while thanking God that the fallen representative of the great antichrist* was much less ferocious than many of his predecessors, let us allow also that all this change is not due to the man who died, but in great measure to the changed conditions—Papacy’s loss of civil power, together with the greater enlightenment of the masses, incident to the new condi * See “Great Swelling Words,’ MILLENNIAL Dawn, VOL. 11, page 304. tions which have prevailed since A. D. 1799. In this “time of the end,” as foretold by the Prophet Daniel (Dan, 12:4), many are running to and fro, and coincident with this commingling of the people has gradually come the equally predicted dissemination of knowledge amongst the masses of so-called “Christendom” (Papacy’s kingdom); and as a result the “bulls” and “thunders” of Antichrist dare not be of the same character as previously. Times have changed greatly since Papal bulls instructed the kings and princes of Europe that they must persecute heretics to the death through the Inquisition if they would maintain favor with the pope, who was proclaimed “A very God on earth.” Otherwise their subjects would be released from obedience to them and enjoined to favor and fight for some “more worthy” “son of the church.” In view of these known and widely recognized facts, let us thank God rather than Leo XIII. for the beneficence of antichrist during the last few pontificates. It is not necessary for us to suppose the pope to have been evil intentioned because he was for a time the head of the antichrist system; rather we may well give him the benefit of any doubt on the subject and suppose that he belonged to the vast throng of those mentioned by the Apostle as “deceiving and being deceived.” Satan, himself, is the great antichrist who, by his wiles and arts, has deceived almost the whole world into one form or another of misbelief and opposition to God and his great plan of the ages. Thanks be to God for the blessed hope of the Scriptures, that the true Messiah shall shortly take the throne of earth and subdue all things unto himself, bind Satan and illuminate the whole world. “This is the true light which lighteth [shall enlighten) every man that cometh into the world.” * * * Telegraphic reports told how before the pope’s death he received at the hands of a fellow-mortal “absolution,” freeing him from sin and its penalties, and how, when he did not die as expected that day, he asked for its repetition the next day, when he seemed to be sinking. Yet for all this, according to Roman Catholics, Leo XIII. went straight to purgatory. Evidently they doubt that his “exalted character” or his elaimed high office as Christ’s vice-regent on earth, or his “absolution”—any of these or all of them—were acceptable to God, and so the poor old man, they think, went to “limbo” to expiate his sins. [3227]

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