Publication date
6/1/04
Volume
25
Number
11
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
../literature/watchtower/1904/11/1904-11-2.html
JCNiI 
I, 
1904 
ZIONJS 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(164-165) 
It 
is 
not 
often 
that 
such 
an 
item 
as 
the 
above 
C'an 
be 
clippl',1 
from 
the 
"Religious 
Press." 
'Ve 
rejoice 
to 
find 
it 
and 
to 
l'om­ 
mend 
it. 
He 
said: 
"The 
Bible 
is 
sufficient 
evidence 
for 
me, 
but 
occasion­ 
ally 
get 
mterested 
in 
comparing 
the 
miracles 
with 
modern 
phenomena 
which 
remains 
unexplained." 
Then 
he 
drew 
the 
at· 
tention 
of 
his 
class 
to 
the 
account 
of 
seaman's 
similar 
experi­ 
ence 
during 
whaling 
voyage, 
reported 
in 
the 
public 
press 
about 
eight 
years 
ago 
and 
referred 
to 
in 
these 
columns. 
The 
published 
account 
told 
how 
the 
whale's 
nose 
broke 
the 
!-mall 
boat 
to 
splinters. 
and 
how 
one 
of 
its 
occupants 
was 
swal­ 
lowed. 
SubsE'quently 
the 
whale 
was 
killed 
and 
the 
man 
found 
unconscious 
in 
its 
stomach. 
Later 
he 
told 
that 
he 
could 
breathe 
there, 
Lut 
found 
it 
intolerably 
hot. 
His 
skin 
was 
very 
red, 
prob­ 
ably 
the 
result 
of 
the 
action 
of 
the 
acids 
of 
the 
whale's 
stomach. 
In 
ot.h!'r 
word" 
he 
was 
in 
process 
of 
digestion. 
The 
"tory 
is 
so 
similar 
to 
that 
of 
Jonah 
as 
to 
be 
well 
worth 
rC'memhering, 
and 
we 
WE're 
specially 
interested 
in 
some 
verifiC'a­ 
tions 
whieh 
Mr. 
Buchanan 
rplated 
to 
the 
reporter. 
He 
said: 
"Kot 
long 
aftE'r 
that 
George 
Jarvie, 
cousin, 
and 
Scotch 
sailing 
master, 
happenE'd 
to 
be 
Yi"itor 
at 
m~' 
home. 
One 
day 
mentiolll'd 
the 
New 
Zealand 
whale 
storv. 
"He 
said 
Ill' 
had 
read 
the 
story, 
had 
h~ard 
it 
among 
the 
sea­ 
men 
of 
the 
islands, 
and 
the 
"tory 
was 
generally 
believed 
and 
"olit'hed 
for 
among 
the 
!-C'afanng 
men. 
He 
explained 
to 
me 
how 
the 
sailors 
of 
that 
fl'gioll 
eonsidered 
the 
fish 
story. 
His 
version 
tallied 
with 
that 
of 
the 
newspaper 
clipping, 
which 
MI'. 
Jarvie 
had 
never 
read. 
"The 
fi"h 
preparE'd 
for 
.Jonah·~ 
rE'5iden('E' 
was 
apparently 
not 
['ommon 
in 
Jonah's 
time. 
]lecllusP 
no 
name 
is 
given 
for 
the 
fish. 
Almost 
thousan<l 
veal'~ 
latC'r 
some 
onE' 
['oneeivE'd 
it 
was 
whale 
that 
had 
swallowed 
Jonah." 
"Mr. 
BuC'hanan 
said 
that 
his 
siAt('r, 
who 
had 
visit.ed 
the 
Kew 
Zealand 
islands, 
had 
al"o 
bepn 
told 
the 
modern 
whale 
Rtory, 
aF 
she 
had 
heard 
it 
from 
jJ('ople 
who 
claimed 
to 
know 
thE' 
sailor 
who 
had 
been 
swallowed 
bv 
the 
whale 
and 
men 
who 
hnd 
sf'n'ed 
on 
the 
ship 
at 
that 
time,'·· 
"PREAOH 
THE 
WORD" 
"The 
true 
pa"tor, 
])('ing 
me""enger 
of 
Jehovah 
of 
HObtB. 
and 
not 
mes"enger 
of 
BylOn. 
~Iilton 
or 
Shakespeare, 
is 
bound 
by 
the 
most 
"olemn 
of 
all 
hiA 
obligations 
to 
preach 
',Jesus 
Christ 
and 
Him 
crucified.' 
The 
gospt'l 
preacher 
is 
minister 
of 
thl' 
New 
Testament, 
which 
became 
of 
force 
on 
the 
death 
of 
the 
testa­ 
tor, 
our 
Lord 
and 
Sa"ior 
Jesn., 
Christ. 
In 
this 
TestamC'nt 
is 
recorded 
the 
following 
statement 
of 
our 
Savior: 
'The 
words 
that 
speak 
unto 
you, 
they 
are 
Apirit 
and 
they 
are 
lik' 
This 
eannot 
be 
truthfully 
said 
of 
seicncc, 
or 
of 
popular 
litE'rature, 
or 
of 
the 
writings 
of 
the 
wisest 
men 
not 
inspired 
of 
God. 
In 
His 
eommand 
to 
His 
disciples 
to 
teal'll 
all 
nations, 
Christ's 
language 
is 
!'pecific: 
'Teaching 
thpm 
to 
oLserve 
all 
things 
whatsoever 
have 
commanded 
vou.' 
No 
mention 
i,; 
made 
of 
human 
doctrines. 
llnd 
no 
authority' 
given 
for 
tE'al'hing 
them. 
The 
prophet 
that 
hath 
dream, 
let 
him 
tE'1l 
dream; 
and 
he 
that 
hath 
My 
Word, 
let 
him 
speak 
My 
Word 
faithfully. 
What 
is 
the 
chaff 
to 
the 
wheat? 
saith 
the 
Lord. 
T" 
not 
My 
Word 
like 
as 
fire? 
saith 
thl' 
Lord; 
and 
like 
hamm!'r 
that 
breaketh 
tIle 
rock 
in 
piecC'~?' 
The 
Word 
of 
God 
is 
'the 
s",orl} 
of 
the 
Spirit.' 
One 
armed 
win 
this 
sword 
for 
destroying 
evil 
is 
required 
to 
u'>e 
it. 
sword 
needs 
no 
stronger 
proof 
of 
what 
it 
is 
than 
the 
effects 
of 
its 
nse. 
No 
learned 
argument 
is 
n('cC'ssary 
to 
prove 
that 
hammer 
is 
hammcr. 
Use 
it, 
and 
it 
prows 
it'>elf. 
Fire 
prows 
its 
own 
charaC'ter 
when 
appHel1. 
God's 
\Vord 
is 
'like 
as 
fire.' 
It 
cleanses 
away 
evil. 
'Preaeh 
thC' 
'Vonl.' 
pastor 
who 
substitutes 
any­ 
thing 
elsE' 
for 
the 
faithful 
preaC'lling 
of 
God's 
Word-and 
this 
is 
all 
he 
i" 
authorized 
hy 
Chri'it 
to 
preach-is 
trifling 
with 
the 
eternal 
destinies 
of 
men, 
and 
bringing 
guilt 
upon 
himself. 
Thl' 
writer 
has 
in 
recent 
months 
heal'll 
mnch 
C'haff 
in 
sermons, 
and 
noticed 
conspicuous 
absence 
of 
the 
'one 
thing 
needful.' 
It 
is 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
who 
command", 
'Prcach 
the 
Word."'-The 
bite­ 
nor. 
The 
Moderator 
of 
the 
Presbyterian 
General 
Assembly 
is 
just 
awakening- 
to 
the 
fact 
that 
the 
higher 
critics 
have 
possession 
of 
the 
so-called 
religious 
colleges 
and 
seminaries. 
The 
gentleman 
will 
ere 
long 
discover 
that 
the 
"prominent" 
religious 
people 
have 
almost 
unanimously 
forsaken 
the 
Bible 
as 
an 
inspired 
work 
and 
now 
use 
it 
merely 
as 
text-book, 
useful 
because 
of 
its 
influ­ 
ence 
with 
the 
"common 
people"-but 
not 
inspired. 
Now 
is 
the 
time 
for 
us 
to 
find 
those 
not 
yet 
contaminated 
and 
assist 
them 
to 
the 
truth, 
which 
alone 
will 
show 
the 
Bible 
to 
be 
both 
in- 
spired 
and 
reasonable. 
THE 
TREND 
OF 
SOOIALISM 
"We 
openly 
war 
against 
God, 
because 
he 
is 
the 
greatest 
('vt! 
THE 
JONAH 
STORY 
OORROBORATED 
in 
the 
world."-Schall, 
German 
Socialist 
leader. 
The 
progress 
of 
the 
pulpit 
above 
that 
of 
the 
pew-away 
from 
"It 
is 
our 
duty 
as 
socialists 
to 
root 
out 
thE' 
faith 
in 
God 
the 
Bible 
and 
into 
infidelity-is 
well 
illustrated 
by 
articles 
re- 
with 
all 
our 
might, 
nor 
is 
anyone 
worthy 
of 
the 
name 
who 
does 
cently 
published 
side 
by 
side 
in 
secular 
journal. 
One 
of 
the 
not 
consecrate 
himself 
to 
the 
sprcad 
of 
atheism."-Liebknecht, 
articles 
quoted 
one 
of 
the 
most 
prominent 
and 
venerable 
minis- 
German 
Socialist 
leader. 
ters 
of 
our 
day-Rev. 
Lyman 
Abbott, 
D. 
D.-as 
denying 
the 
''"We 
have 
simply 
done 
with 
God."-Engels, 
German 
Social- 
Bible 
Rtory 
of 
.Jonah, 
quoted 
as 
fact 
by 
our 
Lord. 
(Luke 
11 
:30) 
ist 
IE'ader. 
Dr. 
Abbott 
said: 
"I 
do 
not 
believe 
that 
the 
great 
fish 
swal- 
Bebel, 
another 
prominent 
socialist, 
perhaps 
the 
greatest 
liv- 
lowed 
Jonah, 
because 
there 
is 
nothing 
to 
attest 
the 
story," 
etc. 
ing 
authority 
on 
the 
subject, 
leayeR 
"heaven 
to 
the 
angels 
and 
The 
reverse 
side 
of 
the 
question 
is 
an 
account 
of 
Bible-class 
the 
sparrows." 
The 
same 
authority 
confessed 
that 
"Christian­ 
teacher's 
discussion 
of 
the 
same 
subject 
with 
his 
large 
class 
of 
ity 
and 
socialism 
stand 
toward 
each 
other 
as 
fire 
and 
water." 
adults. 
The 
teacher, 
prominent 
business 
man 
of 
Pittsburgh, 
"Modern 
socialism 
is 
without 
religion 
and 
its 
tendcnl'Y 
if; 
Mr. 
James 
I. 
Buchanan, 
averred 
his 
faith 
in 
the 
Jonah 
story. 
atheistic."-Hcnry 
Georgc.-Ho1Iston 
Ohronicle. 
IV-40 
[3373] 
spiritual 
unity. 
We 
understand 
that 
it 
ought 
to 
be 
the 
business 
of 
such 
an 
organization 
as 
the 
National 
Federation 
of 
Churches 
to 
seek 
such 
federation 
of 
denominations. 
It 
might 
be 
invid­ 
ious 
for 
anyone 
denomination 
to 
take 
the 
lead 
in 
inviting 
con­ 
ference 
for 
federation, 
for 
we 
have 
in 
this 
country 
no 
one 
confess­ 
cdly 
preeminent 
denomination, 
as 
they 
have 
in 
England. 
But 
this 
Federation 
of 
Churches, 
which 
has 
hitherto 
labored 
to 
se­ 
cure 
fellowship 
in 
labor 
in 
cities 
and 
towns, 
might 
well. 
sen~ 
proposal 
to. 
the 
national 
body 
of 
every 
Protestant 
denomlI1atI~n 
1I1 
the 
country, 
asking 
it 
to 
appoint 
representatives 
to 
meet 
Washington 
in 
1906-which 
will 
give 
time-with 
view 
to 
the 
establishment 
of 
federate 
union 
of 
the 
entire 
body 
of 
churches. 
1f 
this 
existing 
Federation 
of 
Churches 
does 
not 
thus 
present 
the 
matter 
generally, 
why 
should 
not 
the 
yarious 
national 
con­ 
ferences, 
conventions, 
assemblies, 
synods 
and 
councils 
independ­ 
ently 
make 
the 
proposition 
and 
appoint 
committees? 
We 
com­ 
mend 
this 
proposition 
to 
those 
of 
every 
denomination 
who 
are 
interested 
in 
the 
visible 
unity 
of 
the 
Christian 
Church." 
MODERATOR 
AWAKENING 
LATE 
"New 
York, 
May 
4.-'Look 
at 
Andover! 
\Vhat 
honest 
man 
C',llI 
look 
at 
that 
institution 
and 
not 
be 
ashamed?' 
said 
Rev. 
Dr. 
RobC'rt 
Rus~ell 
Booth, 
moderator 
of 
the 
Presbyterian 
General 
Assembly 
and 
pastor 
emeritus 
of 
Rutger's 
Presbyterian 
Church, 
speaking 
at 
the 
Bible 
League 
in 
the 
Marhle 
Collegiate 
COl~rse 
today. 
He 
was 
participating 
in 
discussion 
'On 
the 
PractIcal 
Consequences 
of 
the 
Attack 
on 
the 
Bible.' 
"'''''hat 
honE'st 
man 
can 
see 
cndowmE'nts 
saved 
Ly 
the 
toil 
of 
the 
believing 
and 
the 
earnest 
used 
the 
propaganda 
of 
those 
who 
say 
that 
what 
iA 
recorded 
in 
the 
Bible 
is 
untrue?' 
contin­ 
1IC'd 
Dr. 
Booth, 
and 
there 
were 
eriE'S 
of 
'amen' 
from 
the 
pews. 
"For 
nincteen 
centuries 
the 
ChriE.tian 
Church 
has 
been 
the 
ehureh 
persecuted 
and 
the 
church 
militant,' 
declared 
the 
speaker. 
'Now 
wc 
mu,>t 
fight 
trC'ason 
in 
our 
very 
midst. 
::\1('n 
are 
.using 
their 
position'> 
in 
our 
pulpits 
and 
chairs 
of 
learning 
to 
dlssem­ 
mate 
trE'a-on. 
ChnrC'h 
('ollectiom', 
salaries, 
endowments 
are 
ItC'm~ 
used 
to 
snpport 
those 
who 
talk 
higher 
criticism 
and 
to 
,prpad 
heresies. 
"'A 
minister 
in 
this 
city. 
a'> 
prominent 
aR 
there 
is 
in 
the 
land. 
rC'ads 
the 
ApostleA' 
cr('('d: 
'Jesus 
Christ, 
who, 
they 
say, 
wa" 
horn 
of 
the 
Virgin 
Mar~·. 
'.Jesu,>, 
who, 
they 
say, 
was 
raised 
after 
the 
third 
day.' 
"'No 
wonder 
men 
find 
excnl'.e 
for 
easy 
virtue 
when 
ministers, 
ordainE'd 
of 
God. 
insert 
"they 
say" 
in 
the 
Apostle,,' 
creed. 
We 
are 
living 
in 
time 
of 
financial 
immorality 
according. 
t? 
old 
fashioned 
men. 
There 
hal'. 
comE' 
change 
over 
our 
mlIllsters 
",hiC'h 
makes 
people 
"uspiciouA 
of 
their 
hone'>ty. 
'If 
this 
continues, 
if 
the 
Word 
of 
God 
as 
giv('n 
to 
our 
fath­ 
E'r'i 
is 
whittled 
away 
by 
the 
ministers 
of 
our 
Protestan~ 
denom­ 
inations, 
the 
time 
must 
come 
when 
to 
those 
always 
faIthful 
to 
God 
there 
will 
be 
hut 
one 
refuge 
and 
that 
will 
be 
the 
Roman 
Catholic 
Church, 
which, 
whatever 
it 
has 
added 
to 
the 
Word, 
has 
taken 
nothing 
from 
it. 
"'We 
of 
this 
league 
expect 
that 
Archbishop 
Farley 
and 
Bishop 
Potter 
will 
join 
in 
this 
movement, 
if 
not 
by 
C'nrollment. 
in 
heart 
and 
spirit. 
"'It 
is 
an 
imaginative 
and 
fictitious 
concensus 
of 
opinion, 
for 
which 
the 
journalists 
are 
to 
blame, 
that 
scholarship 
is 
all 
on 
the 
side 
of 
the 
critics. 
say 
that 
the 
ablest 
scholars 
will 
line 
upon 
our 
side, 
five 
to 
one.''' 
• 
Jung 1, 1904 spiritual unity. We understand that it ought to be the business of such an organization as the National Federation of Churches to seek such a federation of denominations. It might be invidious for any one denomination to take the lead in inviting a conference for federation, for we have in this country no one confessedly preeminent denomination, as they have in England. But this Federation of Churches, which has hitherto labored to secure fellowship in labor in cities and towns, might well send a proposal ta the national body of every Protestant denomination in the country, asking it to appoint representatives to meet in Washington in 1906—which will give time—with a view to the establishment of a federate union of the entire body of churches. lf this existing Federation of Churches does not thus present the matter generally, why should not the various national conferences, conventions, assemblies, synods and councils independently make the proposition and appoint committees? We commend this proposition to those of every denomination who are interested in the visible unity of the Christian Church.” A MODERATOR AWAKENING LATE “New York, May 4.—‘Look at Andover! What honest man ean look at that institution and not be ashamed? said Rev. Dr. Robert Russell Booth, moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly and pastor emeritus of Rutger’s Presbyterian Church, speaking at the Bible League in the Marble Collegiate Course today. He was participating in a discussion ‘On the Practical Consequences of the Attack on the Bible.’ “What honest man can see endowments saved by the toil of the believing and the earnest used in the propaganda of those who say that what is recorded in the Bible is untrue?’ continued Dr. Booth, and there were cries of ‘amen’ from the pews. “For nineteen centuries the Christian Church has been the church persecuted and the church militant,’ declared the speaker. ‘Now we must fight treason in our very midst. Men are using their positions in our pulpits and chairs of learning to dissemmate treason. Church collections, salaries, endowments are heing used to support those who talk higher criticism and to spread heresies. “‘A minister in this city, as prominent as there is in the land, reads the Apostles’ creed: ‘Jesus Christ, who, they say, was born of the Virgin Mary. ‘Jesus, who, they say, was raised after the third day.’ ‘No wonder men find excuse for easy virtue when ministers, ordained of God. insert “they say” in the Apostles’ creed. We are living in a time of financial immorality according to old fashioned men. There has come a change over our ministers which makes people suspicious of their honesty. “Tf this continues, if the Word of God as given to our fathers is whittled away by the ministers of our Protestant denominations, the time must come when to those always faithful to God there will be but one refuge and that will be the Roman Catholic Church, which, whatever it has added to the Word, has taken nothing from it. “We of this league expect that Archbishop Farley and Bishop Potter will join in this movement, if not by enrollment. in heart and spirit. “Tt is an imaginative and fictitious concensus of opinion, for which the journalists are to blame, that scholarship is all on the side of the critics, I say that the ablest scholars will line upon our side, five to one.’ ” * * * The Moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly is just awakening to the faet that the higher critics have possession of the so-called religious colleges and seminaries. The gentleman will ere long discover that the “prominent” religious people have almost unanimously forsaken the Bible as an inspired work and now use it merely as a text-book, useful because of its influence with the “common people’—but not inspired. Now is the time for us to find those not yet contaminated and assist them to the truth, which alone will show the Bible to be both inspired and reasonable. THE JONAH STORY CORROBORATED The progress of the pulpit above that of the pew—-away from the Bible and into infidelity—is well illustrated by articles recently published side by side in a secular journal. One of the articles quoted one of the most prominent and venerable ministers of our day—Rev. Lyman Abbott, D. D.—as denying the Bible story of Jonah, quoted as fact by our Lord. (Luke 11:30) Dr. Abbott said: “I do not believe that the great fish swallowed Jonah, because there is nothing to attest the story,” etc. The reverse side of the question is an account of a Bible-class teacher’s discussion of the same subject with his large class of adults, The teacher, a prominent business man of Pittsburgh, Mr. James I. Buchanan, averred his faith in the Jonah story. IV—40 ZION’S WATCH TOWER (164-165) He said: “The Bible is sufficient evidence for me, but occasionally I get interested in comparing the miracles with modern phenomena which remains unexplained.” Then he drew the attention of his class to the account of a seaman’s similar experience during a whaling voyage, reported in the public press about eight years ago and referred to in these columns. The published account told how the whale’s nose broke the small boat to splinters, and how one of its occupants was swallowed. Subsequently the whale was killed and the man found unconscious in its stomach. Later he told that he could breathe there, but found it intolerably hot. His skin was very red, probably the result of the action of the acids of the whale’s stomach. In other words he was in process of digestion. The story is so similar to that of Jonah as to be well worth remembering, and we were specially interested in some verifications which Mr. Buchanan related to the reporter. He said: “Not long after that George Jarvie, a cousin, and a Scotch sailing master, happened to be a visitor at my home. One day 1 mentioned the New Zealand whale story. “He said he had read the story, had heard it among the seamen of the islands, and the story was generally believed and vouched for among the seafarmg men. He explained to me how the sailors of that region considered the fish story. His version tallied with that of the newspaper clipping, which Mr. Jarvie had never read. “The fish prepared for Jonah's residence was apparently not common in Jonah’s time. because no name is given for the fish. Almost a thousand years later some one conceived it was a whale that had swallowed Jonah.” “Mr. Buchanan said that his sister, who had visited the New Zealand islands, had also been told the modern whale story, as she had heard it from people who claimed to know the sailor who had been swallowed by the whale and men who had served on the ship at that time.” ‘*‘PREACH THE WORD’’ “The true pastor, heing a messenger of Jehovah of Hosts. and not a messenger of Byion, Milton or Shakespeare, is bound by the most solemn of all his obligations to preach ‘Jesus Christ and Him crucified.’ The gospel preacher is a minister of the New Testament, which became of force on the death of the testator, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In this Testament is recorded the following statement of our Savior: ‘The words that IT speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.’ This cannot be truthfully said of seience, or of popular literature, or of the writings of the wisest men not inspired of God. In His command to His disciples to teach all nations, Christ’s language is specific: ‘Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever 1 have commanded you.’ No mention is made of human doctrines. and no authority given for teaching them. The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath My Word, let him speak My Word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord. Ts not My Word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? The Word of God is ‘the sword of the Spirit.’ One armed with this sword for destroying evil is required to use it. A sword needs no stronger proof of what it is than the effects of its use. No learned argument is necessary to prove that a hammer is a hammer. Use it, and it proves itself. Fire proves its own character when applied. God’s Word is ‘like as fire.’ It cleanscs away evil. ‘Preach the Word.’ A pastor who substitutes anything else for the faithful preaching of God’s Word—and this is all he is authorized by Christ to preach—is trifling with the eternal destinies of men, and bringing guilt upon himself. The writer has in recent months heard much chaff in sermons, and noticed a conspicuous absence of the ‘one thing needful.’ It is the holy Spirit who commands, ‘Preach the Word.’ ”— The Interior. * * * It is not often that such an item as the above can be clipped from the “Religious Press.” We rejoice to find it and to commend it. THE TREND OF SOCIALISM “We openly war against God, because he is the greatest evil in the world.”—Schall, German Socialist leader. “Tt is our duty as socialists to root out the faith in God with all our might, nor is anyone worthy of the name who does not consecrate himself to the spread of atheism.”—-Liebknecht, German Socialist leader. “We have simply done with God.”—Engels, German Socialist leader. Bebel, another prominent socialist, perhaps the greatest living authority on the subject, leaves “heaven to the angels and the sparrows.” The same authority confessed that “Christianity and socialism stand toward each other as fire and water.” “Modern socialism is without religion and its tendency is atheistic.”—Henry George.—Houston Chronicle. [3373]

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