Publication date
6/1/04
Volume
25
Number
11
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1904/11/1904-11-1.html
 
 
(159-163) 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
ALLIlGHINY, 
PA. 
in 
his 
resurrection 
from 
the 
dead, 
a 
spirit 
being; 
in 
due 
time 
he 
ascended 
up 
on 
high 
to 
appear 
in 
the 
presence 
of 
God 
on 
our 
be­ 
half-to 
apply 
to 
eadl 
believer 
a 
share 
in 
the 
merit 
of 
his 
sacri­ 
fice. 
Thi'! 
work 
has 
progressed 
throughout 
thi" 
Gospel 
age, 
and 
e'/ery 
consecrated 
believer 
has 
been 
accepted 
in 
ChrIst; 
and, 
be­ 
ing 
accepted 
in 
him 
as 
a 
member 
of 
his 
body, 
these 
believers 
in 
turn 
have 
been 
privileged 
to 
present 
their 
bodies 
living 
sacn­ 
lices 
and 
thus 
to 
fill 
up 
the 
measure 
of 
Christ's 
suffering8. 
Soon 
the 
entire 
Atonement 
Day 
sacrificing 
will 
be 
finished; 
soon 
it 
will 
be 
accomplished; 
SOon 
the 
promise 
will 
be 
fulfilled, 
"If 
we 
suffer 
with 
him 
we 
shall 
also 
reign 
with 
him: 
if 
we 
be 
dead 
wlth 
him 
we 
shall 
also 
live 
with 
him." 
From 
that 
tIme 
onward 
the 
rE'demptive 
work 
takes 
on 
a 
larger 
scope. 
A'l 
soon 
as 
the 
last 
members 
of 
the 
body 
of 
Chrir,t 
r,hall 
have 
suli'ered 
with 
hIm 
he 
will 
apply 
the 
full 
payment 
to 
Justice 
on 
behalf 
of 
all 
the 
re­ 
mainder 
of 
mankind 
not 
believers, 
and 
the 
penalty, 
the 
curse 
against 
the 
world, 
will 
thus 
hI' 
canc('lled-not 
through 
faith, 
not 
merely 
for 
tho-,e 
"ho 
~hall 
have 
e:\.ereis('(l 
faith. 
but 
regard· 
lp~s 
of 
faith. 
THE 
RESULTS-THE 
GRACIOUS 
EFFECTS 
Then 
will 
begin 
the 
work 
of 
uplifting 
the 
worlLl-tho~e 
who 
ha\e 
not 
yet 
gone 
into 
U:e 
tomb, 
and 
graLlually 
those 
who 
already 
have 
gone 
down 
into 
the 
prison-house 
of 
death. 
The 
prison 
doors 
shall 
be 
opened, 
all 
the 
prisoners 
shall 
r,how 
them­ 
~elvc,,: 
as 
the 
Prophet 
declared, 
they 
will 
all 
come 
forth 
to 
triaL 
(I 
sa. 
ti 
1: 
1 
) 
Not 
to 
a 
new 
trial 
on 
account 
of 
the 
first 
offenc<! 
by 
Adam, 
neither 
to 
a 
trial 
on 
account 
of 
things 
done 
while 
more 
or 
less 
affected 
by 
the 
penalty 
upon 
Adam, 
but 
to 
a 
new 
trial 
for 
life 
on 
their 
own 
rcspon"ibility. 
'I'll<' 
rcspon"lbility 
of 
('aeh 
~hall 
be 
accordmg 
to 
the 
measure 
of 
('haractcr 
and 
"trengih 
which 
he 
pO'lse<o;ses,-it 
will 
Ill' 
a 
righteous 
ju(!gmcnt 
tllat 
will 
make 
full 
allowance 
for 
HPry 
illlH'rite(1 
imperfeetion 
and 
weak­ 
ne"s. 
alld 
that 
will 
eAppet 
from 
tIl<' 
wor1<1 
only 
that 
whir'h 
man­ 
kind 
will 
be 
able 
to 
ren 
ler. 
The 
result 
will 
he 
an 
uplift 
of 
the 
world 
of 
mankind, 
an 
opportunity 
for 
each 
to 
('orne 
back 
gradually 
to 
all 
that 
was 
lo"t 
In 
Eden 
by 
Father 
Adam'A 
disobedienr·('.-including 
Paradise 
re­ 
~tored. 
The 
obf'dient 
of 
hpart 
shall 
then 
be 
aceounted 
worthv 
of 
the 
blessing 
of 
the 
Lord. 
to 
continup 
with 
them 
etf'rnallY. 
They 
shall 
have 
everlasting 
hfe, 
all 
contrary 
minded 
being 
cut 
off 
in 
the 
second 
death. 
Thus 
seen 
the 
death 
of 
our 
Lord 
Jesus 
was 
necessary 
for 
man's 
release 
from 
the 
death 
sentence. 
Christ 
died 
for 
our 
sins, 
a" 
our 
Golden 
Text 
expresses 
it. 
He 
died 
in 
order 
that, 
by 
pay­ 
lIlg 
our 
penalty 
of 
death, 
God 
might 
be 
just 
and 
yet 
the 
justi­ 
fier 
of 
him 
that 
belieyeth 
in 
Jesus, 
and 
release 
him 
from 
the 
death 
sentence. 
Our 
Lord's 
death 
was 
necessary 
for 
another 
reason 
also, 
as 
the 
Apost.e 
explains: 
it 
is 
expedient 
that 
he 
who 
"hall 
judge 
the 
world 
during 
the 
l\1illenni'll 
age 
shall 
have 
full 
abIlity 
to 
::<yllJpatlllze 
WIth 
the 
world 
of 
mankind 
who 
will 
then 
be 
on 
trial-one 
able 
and 
willing 
to 
8uccor 
those 
beset 
by 
sin 
and 
weakner,s 
and 
to 
have 
compassion 
on 
them, 
having 
been 
tempted 
in 
all 
pomb 
like 
al:> 
we 
are, 
yet 
without 
r,in. 
Thus 
not 
only 
the 
Lord 
Jesus, 
the 
great 
Kin~ 
and 
Judge 
of 
that 
tIme, 
but 
abo 
the 
church-hi;" 
joint-heir!'> 
in 
the 
judgeship 
and 
in 
the 
royal 
pricsthood-will 
l:e 
able 
to 
"ympathize 
WIth 
those 
whom 
they 
\\ill 
be 
judging 
and 
trying, 
sustaining, 
assisting 
and 
up­ 
lifting. 
We 
perceive. 
then. 
that 
the 
plan 
which 
God 
adopted 
IS 
III 
the 
hroade"t 
::Ieu"e 
of 
the 
word 
the 
wisest 
and 
best 
imaginable, 
aJl(I 
that 
uuder 
this 
plan 
nothing 
else 
than 
death 
waR 
possiblp 
III 
order 
to 
man 
S 
Iec.lemption 
from 
the 
sentence 
of 
death, 
and 
that 
nothing 
ehe 
than 
r,evere 
trials 
were 
appropriate 
tor 
th(' 
olle 
who 
would 
be 
intrur,ted 
WIth 
,,0 
high 
a 
dignity, 
houor, 
re­ 
sponsibility, 
as 
that 
which 
the 
Father 
had 
apportiOlH'd 
to 
tlll' 
Christ. 
We 
see 
also 
that 
it 
behooved 
the 
Father, 
in 
bringmg 
the 
church 
to 
glory 
amI 
r,ub~equently 
tC::lhng 
the 
world, 
to 
prov(' 
the 
Captain 
of 
the 
salvation 
perfeet 
through 
"ufl'enng, 
that 
he 
\\ho 
was 
chIef 
of 
the 
unh-erse 
nPAt 
to 
the 
Father. 
and 
whom 
Ill' 
pllrposed 
to 
make 
so 
much 
grcater 
Htill 
as 
to 
give 
him 
a 
partiCI­ 
pation 
in 
the 
divine 
nature, 
glory 
awl 
honor-he 
might 
f('aSOll­ 
ably 
be 
expected 
to 
demonstrate 
bdorp 
every 
creaturc 
his 
ab~o­ 
lute 
loyalty 
to 
the 
Father; 
an,l 
this 
he 
did 
in 
the 
(lay" 
of 
111­ 
fteRh 
when 
he 
suffered 
the 
jmt 
for 
the 
unjust 
that 
hI! 
11l1p'ht 
bring 
us 
to 
God. 
As 
a 
comequen('e 
"him 
hath 
God 
lllghly 
e,­ 
alted 
and 
given 
him 
a 
name 
above 
every 
name; 
that 
at 
the 
nal1le 
of 
Jesus 
every 
knee 
Rhould 
how 
and 
every 
tOllgtH' 
('onfesR 
to 
the 
glory 
of 
the 
Father"-during 
the 
Millennial 
agp. 
VOL. 
XXV 
ALLEGHENY, 
P 
A., 
JUNE 
1, 
1904 
No. 
11 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
night 
of 
his 
earthly 
ministry: 
'That 
they 
all 
may 
be 
one, 
afO 
thou, 
Father, 
art 
in 
me 
and 
I 
in 
thee: 
that 
they 
also 
may 
bp 
one 
in 
us; 
that 
the 
world 
may 
believe 
that 
thou 
has 
Rent 
me.' 
How 
much 
conviction 
of 
the 
divine 
mission 
of 
Christ 
is 
likely 
to 
be 
aroused 
in 
the 
heart 
of 
the 
world 
by 
the 
sight 
of 
th\' 
score~ 
of 
rival 
sects 
into 
which 
the 
Church 
of 
Christ 
has 
beell 
split 
up 
• 
"Of 
course, 
the 
situation 
is 
improving. 
In 
our 
own 
pountry. 
nearly 
thirty 
years 
ago, 
PresbyterIans 
led 
the 
way 
in 
th!' 
matter 
of 
closing 
up 
their 
denominational 
ranks, 
and 
consolidatin~ 
their 
forces 
for 
the 
performance 
of 
their 
common 
work; 
and 
the­ 
example 
thus 
set 
was 
followcd 
a 
few 
years 
later 
by 
the 
Metho­ 
dists. 
The 
last 
quarter 
of 
a 
century 
has 
witnessed, 
too, 
a 
most 
gratifying 
advance 
in 
inter-denominational 
fellowship. 
Ancient 
asperi 
ties 
are 
being 
softened; 
den 
om 
ina 
tional 
bigotry 
is 
slowly 
disappearing; 
in 
Christian 
utterances 
the 
irenic 
is 
being 
AU 
b~ti­ 
tuted 
for 
the 
polemic; 
mutual 
misunderstandings 
and 
recrimi­ 
nations 
are 
giving 
place 
to 
mutual 
appreciations 
and 
commenda­ 
tions, 
and 
from 
almost 
every 
branch 
of 
the 
divided 
Church 
of 
Christ 
many 
a 
'God 
speed 
you' 
is 
heard, 
addressed 
to 
Chfl.;tian 
brethren 
of 
other 
communions. 
All 
this 
the 
world 
can 
sec. 
and 
the 
force 
of 
all 
this 
the 
world 
can 
hardly 
fail 
to 
feel. 
"But 
how 
immeasurably 
more 
impressive 
would 
be 
the 
flpec­ 
tacle 
of 
one 
magnificent 
united 
Church! 
How 
irresistible 
would 
be 
the 
appeal 
to 
the 
world's 
conscience, 
if 
all 
the 
scattered 
com· 
panies 
of 
the 
Lord's 
army 
were 
united 
in 
one 
grand 
battalion, 
'endeavoring 
to 
keep 
the 
unity 
of 
the 
Spirit 
in 
the 
bond 
of 
peace!' 
"In 
so 
far 
as 
the 
Congregational, 
Methodist 
and 
Presby­ 
terian 
Churches 
are 
concerned, 
this 
desirable 
consummation 
seems 
to 
be 
within 
measurable 
distance, 
the 
question 
of 
their 
('orporate 
union 
having 
now 
come 
to 
be 
a 
question 
of 
prartical 
('hurch 
politics." 
• 
• 
• 
DENOMINATIONAL 
'UNION 
IS 
THE 
CRY 
The 
following 
from 
the 
Toronto 
(Canada) 
News 
well 
illus· 
traks 
the 
trend 
of 
public 
opinion 
throughout 
Protestant 
Chris­ 
tendom. 
TIIC 
spirit 
of 
union, 
or 
confederacy, 
is 
in 
the 
very 
air, 
as 
foretold 
by 
the 
prophet, 
who 
says: 
"Say 
ye 
not, 
A 
confed­ 
eracy, 
to 
all 
them 
to 
whom 
this 
people 
shall 
say, 
A 
confederacy; 
neither 
fear 
ye 
their 
fear, 
nor 
be 
afraid."-Isa. 
8: 
12. 
. 
Fear, 
a 
realizatioll 
of 
weakness, 
is 
at 
the 
hottom 
of 
thlS 
de­ 
"Ire 
for 
union 
at 
the 
expense 
of 
the 
truth. 
A 
union 
would 
give 
prestige 
to 
doctrines 
which 
cannot 
be 
sustained 
either 
by 
reason 
or 
Scripture. 
A 
union 
would 
give 
greater 
political 
power, 
and 
lead 
ultimately 
to 
the 
suppression 
of 
the 
truth 
as 
unsettling 
and 
antagonistic 
to 
the 
pcuce 
of 
error 
and 
errorists. 
But 
the 
truth 
has 
naught 
to 
fear, 
and 
the 
truth 
people 
see 
clearly 
that 
only 
the 
truth 
can 
produce 
that 
real 
heart-union 
which 
he 
Lord 
referred 
to 
in 
his 
prayer 
for 
his 
people-"that 
they 
all 
may 
be 
om'," 
Another 
part 
of 
our 
Lord's 
petition 
was, 
"Sanctify 
them 
through 
thy 
truth." 
Wherever 
the 
sanctifying 
of 
the 
truth 
goes, 
th!'re 
true 
union 
goes, 
proportionately. 
Not 
worldly 
union, 
however; 
not 
denominational 
union, 
for 
the 
truth 
separates 
from 
the 
world 
and 
from 
denominationalism 
and 
unites 
all 
de· 
\-eloped 
children 
of 
the 
truth 
to 
each 
other. 
by 
uniting 
each 
to 
the 
head-our 
Lord. 
Such 
are 
taught 
of 
God; 
such 
hear 
their 
head; 
such 
are 
thus 
made 
one 
in 
him 
and 
in 
his 
truth. 
\Ve 
quote 
the 
popular 
and 
erroneous 
view 
of 
the 
question, 
as 
follows:- 
"One 
of 
the 
most 
eno::ouraging 
features 
of 
the 
present 
reli· 
glOus 
condItion 
of 
the 
world 
is 
the 
increasing 
prevalence 
of 
a 
desire 
for 
Christian 
union. 
The 
arguments 
in 
favor 
of 
union 
are 
numerous 
and 
weighty. 
But 
the 
most 
powerful 
of 
them 
all 
-the 
consideration 
that 
should 
be 
kept 
in 
the 
forefront 
of 
the 
whole 
discussion-is 
that 
the 
object 
aimed 
at 
is 
very 
dear 
to 
the 
heart 
of 
Christ 
himself. 
"The 
union 
that 
most 
Christians 
desire 
is 
not 
a 
vague, 
un- 
substantial 
thing-, 
but 
a 
solid, 
practical 
reality-not 
a 
mere 
Sentiment 
in 
the 
United 
States 
is 
similar, 
as 
vOlCed 
by 
the 
spiritual 
unity 
of 
aim 
and 
motive, 
but 
an 
external, 
visible 
union, 
:New 
York 
Independent, 
as 
follows: 
whidl 
will 
remove 
the 
reproach 
of 
unseemly 
rivalry 
that 
Pro- 
"Federa.tion 
is 
one 
of 
the 
crying 
needs 
of 
our 
Protestant 
testant 
Christianity 
has 
too 
long 
been 
compelled 
to 
bear. 
Such 
Churches. 
Some 
of 
our 
denominations 
in 
their 
national 
meet­ 
an 
organic 
union 
constitutes 
the 
only 
real 
answer 
to 
the 
great 
ings 
have. 
pronounced 
.in 
f~vor 
of 
it. 
It 
would 
maintain 
the 
Rep­ 
intercessory 
prayer 
of 
our 
blessed 
Lord-the 
solemnly 
sugges- 
I!rate 
entIty 
of 
denomlllatlOns 
that 
are 
not 
ready 
to 
consolidate. 
tive 
petition 
offered 
up 
amid 
the 
deepening 
shatlows 
of 
the 
last 
and 
yet 
would 
be 
an 
evidence 
to 
the 
world 
of 
their 
pQs!'ntial 
and 
[3372] 
(159-163) in his resurrection from the dead, a spirit being; in due time he ascended up on high to appear in the presence of God on our behalf—-to apply to each believer a share in the merit of his sacrifice. This work has progressed throughout this Gospel age, and every consecrated believer has been accepted in Christ; and, being accepted in him as a member of his body, these believers in turn have been privileged to present their bodies living sacrifices and thus to fill up the measure of Christ’s sufferings. Soon the entire Atonement Day sacrificing will be finished; soon it will be accomplished; soon the promise will be fulfilled, “If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him: if we be dead with him we shall also live with him.” From that time onward the redemptive work takes on a larger scope. As soon as the last members of the body of Christ shall have suffered with him he will apply the full payment to Justice on behalf of all the remainder of mankind not believers, and the penalty, the curse against the world, will thus be cancelled—not through faith, not merely for those who shall have exercised faith, but regardless of faith. THE RESULTS—THE GRACIOUS EFFECTS Then will begin the work of uplifting the world—thore who have not yet gone into the tomb, and gradually those who already have gone down into the prison-house of death. The prison doors shall be opened, all the prisoners shall show themselves: as the Prophet declared, they will all come forth to trial. (Isa. 61:1) Not to a new trial on account of the first offence by Adam, neither to a trial on account of things done while more or less affected by the penalty upon Adam, but to a new trial for life on their own responsibility. The responsibility of each shall be according tu the measure of character and strength which he possesses,—it will he a righteous judgment that will make full allowance for every inherited imperfection and weakness, and that will eapect from the world only that which mankind will be able to ren ler. The result will be an uplift of the world of mankind, an opportunity for each to come back gradually to all that was lost in Eden by Father Adam’s disobedience,—including Paradise restored. The obedient of heart shall then be accounted worthy of the blessing of the Lord. to continue with them eternally. Vou. XXV DENOMINATIONAL UNION IS THE CRY ‘the following from the Toronto (Canada) News well illustrates the trend of public opinion throughout Protestant Christendom. The spirit of union, or confederacy, is in the very air, as foretold by the prophet, who says: “Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy ; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.”—Isa. 8:12. Fear, a realization of weakness, is at the bottom of this desire for union at the expense of the truth. A union would give prestige to doctrines which cannot be sustained either by reason or Scripture. A union would give greater political power, and lead ultimately to the suppression of the truth as unsettling and antagonistic to the peace of error and errorists. But the truth has naught to fear, and the truth people see clearly that only the truth can produce that real heart-union which he Lord referred to in his prayer for his people—“that they all may be one.” Another part of our Lord’s petition was, “Sanctify them through thy truth.” Wherever the sanctifying of the truth goes, there true union goes, proportionately. Not worldly union, however; not denominational union, for the truth separates from the world and from denominationalism and unites all developed children of the truth to each other, by uniting each to the head—our Lord. Such are taught of God; such hear their head; such are thus made one in him and in his truth. We quote the popular and erroneous view of the question, as follows :— “One of the most encouraging features of the present religious condition of the world is the increasing prevalence of a desire for Christian union. The arguments in favor of union are numerous and weighty. But the most powerful of them all -——the consideration that should be kept in the forefront of the whole discussion—is that the object aimed at is very dear to the heart of Christ himself. “The union that most Christians desire is not a vague, unsubstantial thing, but a solid, practical reality—not a mere spiritual unity of aim and motive, but an external, visible union, which will remove the reproach of unseemly rivalry that Protestant Christianity has too long been compelled to bear. Such an organic union constitutes the only real answer to the great intercessory prayer of our blessed Lord—the solemnly suggestive petition offered up amid the deepening shadows of the last ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, PA., JUNE 1, 1904 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, Pa. They shall have everlasting life, all contrary minded being cut off in the second death. Thus seen the death of our Lord Jesus was necessary for man’s release from the death sentence. Christ died for our sins, as our Golden Text expresses it. He died in order that, by paying our penalty of death, God might be just and yet the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus, and release him from the death sentence. Our Lord’s death was necessary for another reason also, as the Apost.e explains: it is expedient that he who shall judge the world during the Millennial age shall have full ability to sympathize with the world of mankind who will then be on trial—one able and willing to succor those beset by sin and weakness and to have compassion on them, having been tempted in all points like ay we are, yet without sin. Thus not only the Lord Jesus, the great Kinz and Judge of that time, but also the church—his joint-heirs in the judgeship and in the royal priesthood—will ke able to sympathize with those whom they will be judging and trying, sustaining, assisting and uplifting. We perceive, then, that the plan which God adopted 1s in the broadest sense of the word the wisest and best imaginable, and that under this plan nothing else than death was possible im order to mans redemption from the sentence of death, and that nothing else than severe trials were appropriate tor the one who would be intrusted with so high a dignity, honor, responsibility, as that which the Father had apportioned to the Christ. We see also that it behooved the Father, in bringing the church to glory and subsequently testing the world, to prove the Captain of the salvation perfect through suffering, that he who was chief of the universe neat to the Father, and whom he purposed to make so much greater still as to give him a particpation in the divine nature, glory and honor—he might reasonably be expected to demonstrate Lefore every creature his absolute loyalty to the Father; and this he did in the days of hiflesh when he suffered the just fur the unjust that he might bring us to God. As a consequence ‘him hath God highly esalted and given him a name above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess to the glory of the Father’—during the Millennial age. No. 11 night of his earthly ministry: ‘That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee; that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou has sent me.’ How much conviction of the divine mission of Christ is likely to be aroused in the heart of the world by the sight of the scores of rival sects into which the Church of Christ has been split up’ “Of course, the situation is improving. In our own country, nearly thirty years ago, Presbyterians led the way in the matter of closing up their denominational ranks, and consolidating their forces for the performance of their common work; and the example thus set was followed a few years later by the Methodists. The last quarter of a century has witnessed, to, a most gratifying advance in inter-denominational fellowship. Ancient asperities are being softened; denominational bigotry is slowly disappearing; in Christian utterances the irenic is being substituted for the polemic; mutual] misunderstandings and recriminations are giving place to mutual appreciations and commendations, and from almost every branch of the divided Church of Christ many a ‘God speed you’ is heard, addressed to Christian brethren of other communions. All this the world can sec, and the force of all this the world can hardly fail to feel. “But how immeasurably more impressive would be the spectacle of one magnificent united Church! How irresistible would be the appeal to the world’s conscience, if all the scattered companies of the Lord’s army were united in one grand battalion, ‘endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace! “In so far as the Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches are concerned, this desirable consummation seems to be within measurable distance, the question of their corporate union having now come to be a question of practical church politics.” * + Co Sentiment in the United States is similar, as voiced by the New York Independent, as follows: “Federation is one of the crying needs of our Protestant Churches. Some of our denominations in their national meetings have pronounced in favor of it. It would maintain the separate entity of denominations that are not ready to consolidate. and yet would be an evidence to the world of their essential and [3372}

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