Publication date
10/1/03
Volume
24
Number
19
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1903/19/1903-19-1.html
 
 
 
OC'tOBU 
I, 
1903 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(383-386) 
And 
makes 
all 
within 
me 
rejoice;" 
and 
"While 
I 
am 
so 
happy 
in 
him, 
December's 
as 
pleasant 
as 
May." 
King 
David 
was 
longing 
for 
the 
joy 
and 
gladness 
which 
he 
had 
experienced 
in 
times 
past, 
and 
figuratively 
he 
likens 
him­ 
self 
to 
one 
whose 
bones 
had 
been 
broken. 
He 
knew 
that 
his 
joy 
and 
comfort 
would 
return 
if 
he 
could 
but 
have 
back 
again 
the 
Lord's 
favor. 
He 
knew, 
too, 
that 
the 
Lord 
could 
not 
look 
upon 
sin 
with 
any 
allowance, 
hence 
his 
prayer: 
"Hide 
thy 
face 
from 
my 
sins 
and 
blot 
out 
mine 
iniquities 
[unrighteous­ 
nesses]. 
Create 
in 
me 
a 
clean 
heart, 
0 
God, 
and 
renew 
a 
right 
spirit 
within 
me. 
Cast 
me 
not 
away 
from 
thy 
presence 
and 
take 
not 
thy 
holy 
Spirit 
from 
me. 
Restore 
unto 
me 
the 
joy 
of 
thy 
salvation: 
and 
uphold 
me 
with 
thy 
free 
spirit." 
No 
true 
Christian 
can 
read 
these 
words 
without 
feeling 
a 
deep 
sympathy 
with 
the 
different 
expressions; 
and 
even 
though 
as 
new 
creatures 
in 
Christ 
Jesus 
we 
have 
had 
no 
experience 
with 
such 
terrible 
sins 
as 
those 
which 
weighed 
upon 
the 
heart 
of 
David, 
nevertheless 
our 
higher 
responsibilities 
and 
higher 
conceptions 
of 
sin 
under 
the 
"new 
commandment" 
and 
under 
the 
instructions 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit, 
as 
sons 
of 
God, 
cause 
us 
to 
feel 
WIth 
proportionate 
weight 
transgressions 
which 
in 
the 
sight 
of 
the 
world 
would 
appear 
nothing-such, 
for 
instance, 
as 
wo 
have 
just 
mentioned: 
covetousness, 
hatred, 
slander, 
which 
are 
thefts 
and 
murders 
from 
the 
higher 
standpoint 
of 
the 
divine 
view 
appropriate 
to 
the 
new 
creation. 
In 
verse 
13 
the 
prophet 
proposes 
to 
the 
Lord 
that 
his 
dis­ 
comfiture 
in 
divine 
disfavor 
was 
used 
for 
the 
instruction 
of 
others,-to 
show 
transgressors 
the 
Lord's 
ways 
and 
to 
turn 
sinners 
from 
the 
evil 
of 
their 
course. 
How 
appropriate 
this 
thought 
to 
us! 
Not 
until 
we 
know 
experimentally 
through 
faith 
in 
the 
blood 
of 
Christ 
that 
our 
sins 
have 
been 
put 
out 
of 
tho 
Father's 
sight, 
not 
until 
we 
have 
experienced 
the 
joys 
of 
his 
salvation 
and 
forgiveness, 
are 
we 
in 
any 
condition 
to 
be 
servant~ 
to 
the 
truth 
or 
illustrations 
to 
others. 
Hence 
we 
see 
that 
it 
is 
only 
those 
who 
have 
been 
begotten 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
who 
are 
anointed 
to 
preach 
the 
Gospel. 
To 
others 
the 
Lord 
says, 
"What 
hast 
thou 
to 
do 
to 
take 
my 
word 
into 
thy 
mouth, 
seeing 
thou 
hatest 
instruction 
and 
castest 
my 
words 
behind 
thee 
?"-refusing 
to 
submit 
to 
the 
divine 
requirements. 
The 
14th 
verse 
repeats 
the 
same 
thought 
in 
a 
different 
form. 
If 
the 
Lord 
will 
deliver 
him 
from 
his 
guilt 
in 
connec­ 
tion 
with 
his 
sin, 
his 
tongue 
shall 
thereafter 
sing 
loudly 
the 
Lord's 
righteoU'lness-not 
David's 
righteousness. 
This 
is 
the 
song 
that 
all 
the 
blood-washed 
may 
sing, 
"True 
and 
righteous 
are 
all 
thy 
ways, 
Lord 
God 
Almighty. 
Thou 
hast 
redeemed 
us 
from 
amongst 
men." 
None 
of 
us 
have 
any 
right 
to 
sing 
our 
own 
righteousness, 
for 
as 
the 
Apostle 
declares, 
"There 
is 
none 
righteous, 
no, 
not 
one." 
The 
mission 
of 
the 
cleansed 
ones 
is 
to 
accept 
and 
use 
the 
Lord's 
mercy 
towards 
them, 
to 
extol 
his 
righteousness, 
to 
acknowledge 
their 
unworthiness 
and 
to 
call 
upon 
others 
to 
recognize 
this 
fountain 
of 
righteousness 
and 
forgiveness. 
"0 
Lord, 
open 
thou 
my 
lips: 
and 
my 
mouth 
shall 
show 
forth 
thy 
praise." 
This 
expression 
implies 
that 
none 
need 
expect 
to 
have 
a 
proper 
opening 
of 
their 
L'1.vuths 
to 
show 
forth 
the 
Lord'o 
praises, 
and 
give 
the 
call 
from 
J:J.rkness 
into 
his 
marvelous 
light, 
unless 
the 
Lord 
shall 
first 
have 
opened 
their 
lips 
with 
his 
mercy 
and 
truth; 
for 
otherwise 
how 
could 
any 
expect 
to 
tell 
the 
glad 
tidings 
of 
great 
joy 
which 
shall 
be 
unto 
all 
people? 
This 
equally 
implies 
that 
all 
who 
have 
had 
for­ 
giveness 
of 
sins 
should 
be 
in 
a 
condition 
of 
spirit 
to 
make 
a 
full 
consecration 
of 
their 
all 
to 
the 
Lord, 
and 
then 
all 
such 
should 
expect 
an 
unsealing 
of 
their 
lips, 
that 
the 
message 
of 
God's 
truth 
and 
grace 
may 
flow 
out 
from 
them 
for 
the 
instruc­ 
tion 
and 
blessing 
of 
othen-as 
it 
is 
written, 
"Grace 
is 
poured 
upon 
thy 
lips." 
"Thou 
hast 
put 
a 
new 
song 
in 
my 
mouth, 
even 
the 
loving-kindness 
of 
our 
God." 
While 
these 
are 
appro­ 
priate 
specially 
to 
our 
dear 
Redeemer, 
they 
are 
appropriate 
also 
to 
every 
member 
of 
"the 
church 
which 
is 
his 
'body," 
and 
aU 
claiming 
to 
be 
of 
"the 
body," 
who 
have 
never 
had 
their 
lips 
unsealed 
to 
confess 
the 
Lord 
to 
the 
extent 
of 
their 
oppor­ 
tunity, 
have 
reason 
to 
question 
everything 
pertaining 
to 
their 
relationship 
to 
the 
Lord. 
In 
verses 
16 
and 
17 
the 
King 
shows 
that 
he 
had 
acquired 
a 
deep 
insight 
into 
the 
meaning 
of 
some 
of 
the 
typical 
sac­ 
rifices 
;-though 
probably, 
by 
inspiration, 
he 
wrote 
more 
wisely 
than 
he 
understood. 
As 
we 
have 
seen 
in 
our 
study 
of 
Tabernacle 
Shadows 
of 
Better 
Sacrifices, 
only 
the 
Day 
of 
Atonement 
sacrifices 
were 
sin 
offerings, 
the 
burnt 
offerings 
and 
peace 
offerings 
of 
the 
remainder 
of 
the 
year 
representing 
the 
consecration 
to 
the 
Lord 
and 
his 
service. 
Grasping 
this 
thought 
prophetically, 
to 
whate· 
... 
er 
extent 
he 
also 
grasped 
it 
intellectually, 
King 
David 
expressed 
his 
realization 
that 
the 
Lord 
is 
pleased 
rather 
WIth 
a 
broken 
and 
contrite 
condition 
of 
heart 
than 
with 
burnt 
offerings, 
which 
were 
but 
types. 
So, 
too, 
we 
learn 
that 
nothing 
that 
we 
can 
give 
the 
Lord, 
even 
after 
our 
acceptance 
in 
Christ, 
has 
any 
value 
in 
his 
sight 
until 
first 
of 
all 
we 
have 
given 
him 
ourselves,-our 
hearts, 
our 
wills. 
Let 
us 
ever 
keep 
in 
memory 
that 
a 
broken 
and 
contrite 
heart 
the 
Lord 
never 
despises, 
will 
never 
spurn. 
Therefore 
into 
whatever 
difficulty 
any 
of 
the 
Lord's 
people 
of 
the 
new 
creation 
may 
stumble, 
if 
they 
find 
themselves 
hungering 
for 
the 
Lord's 
fellowship 
and 
forgiveness, 
if 
they 
find 
their 
hearts 
contrite 
and 
broken, 
let 
them 
not 
despair, 
but 
remember 
that 
God 
has 
made 
a 
provision 
through 
the 
merit 
of 
Christ 
which 
enables 
him 
to 
accept 
and 
justify 
freely 
from 
all 
sin 
all 
that 
come 
unto 
him 
through 
Jesus-through 
faith 
in 
his 
blood. 
There 
is 
a 
sin 
unto 
death-a 
sin 
unto 
the 
second 
death-from 
which 
there 
will 
be 
no 
recovery, 
no 
resurrection; 
but 
those 
who 
have 
broken 
and 
contrite 
hearts 
on 
account 
of 
their 
sins 
may 
know 
that 
they 
have 
not 
committed 
"the 
sin 
unto 
death," 
for 
their 
condition 
of 
heart 
proves 
this, 
as 
the 
Apostle 
de­ 
clares: 
"It 
is 
impossible 
to 
renew 
again 
unto 
repentance" 
any 
who 
have 
committed 
the 
sin 
unto 
death-wilful 
sinners 
against 
full 
light 
and 
knowledge. 
Let 
all, 
therefore, 
rejoice 
in 
the 
grace 
of 
our 
God, 
who 
is 
able 
through 
Christ, 
his 
accepted 
way, 
to 
save 
unto 
the 
uttermost 
all 
who 
come 
to 
him, 
laying 
aside 
sin 
and 
its 
desires. 
"Now, 
if 
any 
man 
[of 
the 
church 
stumble 
into] 
sin 
[through 
weakness 
and 
temptation-not 
intentionally] 
we 
have 
an 
advocate 
with 
the 
Father, 
Jesus 
Christ 
the 
right­ 
eous." 
(1 
John 
2: 
1) 
Such, 
therefore, 
may 
come 
with 
faith 
to 
the 
throne 
of 
the 
heavenly 
grace 
that 
they 
may 
obtain 
mercy 
and 
find 
grace 
to 
help 
in 
every 
(future) 
time 
of 
need. 
(Heb. 
4: 
16) 
:Rut, 
like 
David, 
their 
prayers 
and 
hopes 
should 
be 
for 
a 
restoration 
of 
divine 
favor 
and 
not 
for 
escape 
from 
chastisements 
needful 
to 
their 
correction. 
God 
forgave 
David, 
but 
also 
chastened 
him.-2 
Sam. 
12: 
11-14. 
Surely 
King 
David 
must 
have 
learned 
a 
great 
lesson 
in 
mercy 
from 
his 
sad 
experience. 
How 
many 
times 
must 
he 
have 
called 
to 
mind 
his 
response 
to 
Nathan's 
parable, 
"The 
man 
that 
hath 
done 
this 
thing 
is 
worthy 
of 
death: 
and 
he 
shall 
restore 
the 
lamb 
four 
fold, 
because 
he 
did 
this 
thing 
and 
because 
he 
had 
no 
pity!" 
Alas, 
poor 
David! 
these 
words 
showed 
that 
he 
had 
a 
mind. 
a 
heart, 
that 
was 
no 
stranger 
to 
justice 
and 
pity 
in 
other 
men's 
affairs, 
and 
hence 
that 
he 
was 
the 
more 
guilty 
in 
his 
much 
more 
seriom 
violations 
of 
justice 
and 
compassion. 
"Blessed 
is 
he 
that 
is 
not 
condemned 
in 
that 
which 
he 
alloweth,"-who 
is 
not 
condemned 
by 
his 
own 
decla­ 
rations 
in 
respect 
to 
the 
affairs 
of 
others. 
Oh, 
how 
merciful 
to 
the 
failings 
of 
others 
it 
should 
make 
us 
when 
we 
remember 
our 
dear 
Redeemer's 
words, 
"If 
ye 
forgive 
not 
men 
their 
tres­ 
passes, 
neither 
will 
your 
heavenly 
Father 
forgive 
your 
tres­ 
passes"; 
and 
when 
again 
we 
remember 
that 
we 
may 
not 
even 
pray 
for 
forgiveness 
of 
our 
sin'! 
unle'!s 
we 
from 
the 
heart 
for­ 
give 
those 
who 
have 
injured 
us 
and 
again 
desire 
our 
fellow­ 
ship. 
VOL. 
XXIV 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
OCTOBER 
15, 
1903 
TO 
OUR 
GERMAN 
FRIENDS 
No. 
20 
Our 
dear 
Brother 
Otto 
A. 
Koetitz 
has 
just 
left 
us 
for 
Ger­ 
many, 
his 
wife 
and 
child 
accompanying 
him. 
He 
goes 
to 
take 
the 
place 
of 
Brother 
Henninges 
as 
manager 
of 
the 
Elberfeld 
Branch. 
Brother 
Henninge~, 
with 
his 
wife, 
will 
proceed 
to 
Australia, 
where 
he 
will 
open 
another 
Branch 
Office. 
Let 
us 
all 
join 
in 
prayer 
for 
divine 
blessings 
upon 
these 
brethren 
in 
their 
new 
fields 
of 
labor. 
TO 
FOURTH 
CLASS 
POSTMASTERS 
We 
should 
be 
pleased 
to 
hear 
from 
all 
of 
our 
friends 
who 
there 
are 
a 
number 
of 
such, 
and 
we 
shOUld 
be 
glad 
to 
have 
hold 
positions 
as 
Fourth 
Class 
Postmasters, 
and 
who 
would 
word 
from 
them 
at 
as 
early 
a 
date 
as 
possible. 
There 
is 
enjoy 
the 
privilege 
of 
serving 
the 
truth. 
We 
are 
aware 
that 
work 
to 
be 
done. 
[3255] 
OctosEr 1, 1903 And makes all within me rejoice;” and “While I am so happy in him, December’s as pleasant as May.” King David was longing for the joy and gladness which he had experienced in times past, and figuratively he likens himself to one whose bones had been broken, He knew that his joy and comfort would return if he could but have back again the Lord’s favor. He knew, too, that the Lord could not look upon sin with any allowance, hence his prayer: “Hide thy face from my sins and blot out mine iniquities [unrighteousnesses]. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation: and uphold me with thy free spirit.” No true Christian can read these words without feeling a deep sympathy with the different expressions; and even though as new creatures in Christ Jesus we have had no experience with such terrible sins as those which weighed upon the heart of David, nevertheless our higher responsibilities and higher conceptions of sin under the “new commandment” and under the instructions of the holy Spirit, as sons of God, cause us to feel with proportionate weight transgressions which in the sight of the world would appear nothing—such, for instance, as we have just mentioned: covetousness, hatred, slander, which are thefts and murders from the higher standpoint of the divine view appropriate to the new creation. In verse 13 the prophet proposes to the Lord that his discomfiture in divine disfavor was used for the instruction of others,—to show transgressors the Lord's ways and to turn sinners from the evil of their course. How appropriate this thought to us! Not until we know experimentally through faith in the blood of Christ that our sins have been put out of the Father’s sight, not until we have experienced the joys of his salvation and forgiveness, are we in any condition to be servants to the truth or illustrations to others. Hence we see that it is only those who have been begotten of the holy Spirit who are anointed to preach the Gospel. To others the Lord says, “What hast thou to do to take my word into thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee?”—refusing to submit to the divine requirements. The 14th verse repeats the same thought in a different form. If the Lord will deliver him from his guilt in connection with his sin, his tongue shall thereafter sing loudly the Lord’s righteousness—not David’s righteousness, This is the song that all the blood-washed may sing, “True and righteous are all thy ways, Lord God Almighty. Thou hast redeemed us from amongst men.” None of us have any right to sing our own righteousness, for as the Apostle declares, “There is none righteous, no, not one.” The mission of the cleansed ones is to accept and use the Lord’s mercy towards them, to extol his righteousness, to acknowledge their unworthiness and to cail upon others to recognize this fountain of righteousness and forgiveness. “O Lord, open thou my lips: and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.” This expression implies that none need expect to have a proper opening of their tnouths to show forth the Lord’s praises, and give the call from darkness into his marvelous light, unless the Lord shall first have opened their lips with his mercy and truth; for otherwise how could any expect to tell the glad tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people? This equally implies that all who have had forgiveness of sins should be in a condition of spirit to make a full consecration of their all to the Lord, and then all such should expect an unsealing of their lips, that the message of God’s truth and grace may flow out from them for the instruction and blessing of others—as it is written, “Grace is poured upon thy lips.” “Thou hast put a new song in my mouth, even the loving-kindness of our God.” While these are appropriate specially to our dear Redeemer, they are appropriate ZION’S WATCH TOWER (383-386) also to every member of “the church which is his body,” and all claiming to be of “the body,” who have never had their lips unsealed to confess the Lord to the extent of their opportunity, have reason to question everything pertaining to their relationship to the Lord. In verses 16 and 17 the King shows that he had acquired a deep insight into the meaning of some of the typical sacrifices;-—-though probably, by inspiration, he wrote more wisely than he understood. As we have seen in our study of Tabernacle Shadows of Better Sacrifices, only the Day of Atonement sacrifices were sin offerings, the burnt offerings and peace offerings of the remainder of the year representing the consecration to the Lord and his service. Grasping this thought prophetically, to whatever extent he also grasped it intellectually, King David expressed his realization that the Lord is pleased rather with a broken and contrite condition of heart than with burnt offerings, which were but types. So, too, we learn that nothing that we can give the Lord, even after our acceptance in Christ, has any value in his sight until first. of all we have given him ourselves,—our hearts, our wills. Let us ever keep in memory that a broken and_ contrite heart the Lord never despises, will never spurn. Therefore into whatever difficulty any of the Lord’s people of the new creation may stumble, if they find themselves hungering for the Lord’s fellowship and forgiveness, if they find their hearts contrite and broken, let them not despair, but remember that God has made a provision through the merit of Christ which enables him to accept and justify freely from all sin all that come unto him through Jesus—through faith in his blood. There is a sin unto death—a sin unto the second death—from which there will be no recovery, no resurrection; but those who have broken and contrite hearts on account of their sins may know that they have not committed “the sin unto death,” for their condition of heart proves this, as the Apostle declares: “It is impossible to renew again unto repentance” any who have committed the sin unto death—wilful sinners against full light and knowledge. Let all, therefore, rejoice in the grace of our God, who is able through Christ, his accepted way, to save unto the uttermost all who come to him, laying aside sin and its desires. . “Now, if any man [of the church stumble into] sin [through weakness and temptation—not intentionally] we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1) Such, therefore, may come with faith to the throne of the heavenly grace that they may obtain mercy and find grace to help in every (future) time of need. (Heb. 4:16) Rut, like David, their prayers and hopes should be for a restoration of divine favor and not for escape from chastisements needful to their correction. God forgave David, but also chastened him.—2 Sam. 12:11-14. Surely King David must have learned a great lesson in mercy from his sad experience. How many times must he have called to mind his response to Nathan’s parable, “The man that hath done this thing is worthy of death: and he shall restore the lamb four fold, because he did this thing and because he had no pity!” Alas, poor David! these words showed that he had a mind, a heart, that was no stranger to justice and pity in other men’s affairs, and hence that he was the more guilty in his much more serious violations of justice and compassion, “Blessed is he that is not condemned in that which he alloweth,”’—who is not condemned by his own declarations in respect to the affairs of others. Oh, how merciful to the failings of others it should make us when we remember our dear Redeemer’s words, “If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses”; and when again we remember that we may not even pray for forgiveness of our sins unless we from the heart forgive those who have injured us and again desire our fellowship. Vou. XXIV ALLEGHENY, PA., OCTOBER 15, 1903 No. 20 TO OUR GERMAN FRIENDS Our dear Brother Otto A. Koetitz has just left us for Ger- Australia, where he will open another Branch Office. Let us many, his wife and child accompanying him. He goes to take the place of Brother Henninges as manager of the Elberfeld Branch. Brother Henninges, with his wife, will proceed to all join in prayer for divine blessings upon these brethren in their new fields of labor. TO FOURTH CLASS POSTMASTERS We should be pleased to hear from all of our friends who hold positions as Fourth Class Postmasters, and who would enjoy the privilege of serving the truth, We are aware that there are a number of such, and we should be glad to have word from them at as early a date as possible. There is work to be done, 13255]

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