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VOL.
XXV
ALLEGHENY,
PA.,
JULY
1,
1904
VIEWS
FROM
THE
WATCH
TOWER
No.
13
the
spirit
in
the
bond
of
peace.
There
is
one
body
and
one
spirit,
even
as
ye
are
called
in
one
hope
of
your
calling;
one
Lord,
one
faith,
one
baptism,
one
God
and
Father
of
all,
who
is
above
all,
and
through
all,
and
in
you
all.'
"The
argument
is
this:
.As
the
body
of
Christ
is
one,
and
all
of
God's
people
are
members
of
that
body,
made
members
by
the
divine
Spirit,
whose
sovereign
caIl
they
have
heard
and
obeyed;
as
they
all
have
the
selfsame
hope
of
eternal
life
and
the
glad
expectation
of
entering
into
the
joys
of
their
Lord,
whom
they
love
and
serve
in
common;
as
they
acknowledge
but
one
Lord
and
master,
Jesus
Christ,
and
have
exercised
the
same
saving
faith
in
him,
and
have
been
brought
into
his
church
through
baptism,
the
one
symbol
of
their
renewed
nature;
as
there
is
but
one
God
who
rules
over
all,
everywhere
guiding
and
directing
his
people
by
his
loving
providence,
and
who
hall
made
his
habitation
in
every
..
enewed
heart;
then
ought
not
all
his
people
endeavor
to
recognize
and
preserve
this
spiritual
unity,
and
live
and
labor
together
in
peace?
"The
Indians
speak
of
friendship
as
a
golden
chain.
So
may
all
God's
people
be
linked
together
in
tIle
closest
ties
of
fra
ternal
love,
and
by
kl'l'ping
the
golden
chain
forever
bright,
we
will
the
best
be
able
to
bring
a
captive
world
in
loving
sl'rvi
tude
to
the
feet
of
our
God
and
Savior."-Times-Demoerat.
The
above
shows
how
eaAy
it
is
to
have
"a
form
of
godliness
and
deny
the
power
thereof;"
how
easy
it
is
to
have
a
form
of
sound
doctrine,
but
to
misapply
it!
Neither
our
Lord
nor
the
.Apostle
Paul
referred
to
a
union
of
denominations.
They
prea.ched
an
individual
union
with
Christ,
and
a
consequt>nt
relationship
of
all
justified
and
con
secrated
believers
to
each
other
in
the
one
Lord,
one
faith
and
one
baptism.
This
union
already
exists,
except
to
the
extent
that
de
nominational
creed-fences
and
social
usages
separate
the
Lord's
sheep.
\Vherever
and
whenever
the
Lord's
sheep
meet
they
may
and
do
quickly
identify
themselves
to
each
other,
and
the
heart-union
and,
fellowship
and
joy
in
the
Lord
they
experience
('llIlIlot
e\'en
be
nmtat!'d
bv
preedal
bonds,
The
union
of
the
church
to
which
our
Lord
refl'rred
in
his
prayer,
"That
they
all
may
be
one,"
was
this
union
of
heart
already
and
always
experienced
by
the
true
members
of
the
"one
body."-and
additionally
he
referred
to
the
actual
union
of
all
such
with
himself
by
the
resurrection
"change"
from
flesh
and
blood
to
spirit
being-to
be
with
him
and
like
him
and
to
share
his
glory
and
power
and
great
work
for
the
world,
which
111'
mentions
just
following,
viz.:
"that
the
world
[during
the
Millennium
1
may
believe."
THE
JUDGMENTS
OF
THE
LORD
The
Scriptures
declare
that
"when
the
judgments
of
the
Lord
are
abroad
in
the
earth
the
inhabitants
of
the
world
will
learn
righteousness"
(Isa.
26:9),
and
the
coming
Millennial
age
is
pointed
out
to
us
as
the
world's
Judgment
Day;
and
our
Lord
tells
us
that
the
dead
world
will
be
awakl'ned
from
the
death-sleep--"come
forth"
unto
a
resurrection
[anastQ,~i,~,
an
uplifting
out
of
sin
and
death]
by
judgments.-John
5
:28,
2!l.
Now
we
have
an
illustration
well
authenticatpd
by
the
Chi
eagoo
journals,
showing
one
kind
of
judgmcnts
which
will
pre
vail
during
the
world's
Judgment
Day,
as
follows:-
Julian
Renfro,
21
years
old,
while
engaged
with
three
chums
at
a
game
of
cards,
declared
his
unbelief
in
a
God.
He
was
a
"higher
critic"
of
the
Ingersoll
school
and
said:
"Fellows,
if
God
would
demonstrate
himself
to
me
in
some
way-for
in·
stance,
if
he
would
strike
me
deaf
and
dumb.
or
blind-I
might
admit
his
existence."
One
of
the
young
men
was
about
to
reply
to
the
argument
when
he
noticed
Renfro
turn
pale.
The
next
moment
the
skeptic
threw
his
arms
out
before
him
as
if
warding
off
a
blow,
then
he
convulsively
placed
llis
hands
before
his
face.
An
instant
later
he
fell
forward
off
his
chair,
and
on
to
the
floor.
Since
that
time
he
has
been
unable
to
speak
or
Iloor.
In
writing
he
afterward
expressed
faith
in
the
Lord,
and
declares
his
intention
to
study
the
Scriptures,
and
if
the
Lord
should
grant
a
recovery
he
hopes
yet
to
preach
Christ.
When
the
time
shall
come
that
the
Lord's
judgments
of
reward,s
and
punishments
will
be
promptly
meted
out,
and
in
no
uncertain
manner,
the
whole
world
will
be
speedily
converted
and,
like
this
young
man,
be
glad
to
preach
the
One
once
blas
phemed.
But
we
must
wait
for
this
to
become
general
until
the
kingdom
class
shall
be
completed
and
the
general
"Judg
ment
day"
or
age
fully
inaugurated.
THE
EFFEOT
OF
THE
EASTERN
WAR
The
London
Spectator,
commenting
on
the
recent
successes
of
Japan,
in
the
battle
on
the
Yalu
river,
says:-
"It
is
the
moral
effect
upon
the
world
at
large
which
is,
ARGUMENTS
FOR
OHRISTIAN
UNITY
Recently
at
a
Protestant
ministers'
meeting
in
the
Y.
M.
C.
.A.
building,
St.
Louis,
Mo.,
the
following
argument
was
pre
sented
by
Rev.
Gilbert
Dobbs,
of
the
Coliseum
Place
Baptist
Church:-
"The
churches
of
Jesus
Christ
are
confronted
by
a
gigantic
problem.
Nineteen
centuries
have
passed
since
our
Lord
came
In
the
flesh,
and
taught
and
wrought
and
died;
nineteen
cen·
turies
since
he
arose
from
the
dead
and
said,
'Go,
disciple
all
llations,'
and
yet
the
nations
are
still
stumbling
on
the
dark
mountains.
Only
the
apex
of
the
great
pyramid
of
humanity
has
thus
far
been
brightenl'd
and
transformed
by
the
Gospel
light..
a
dIamond
point
f1a'lhing
in
the
sun.
But
what
about
the
grl'at
pyramIdal
basp.
the
hlapk
carbon
of
ignorance
and
super
.,tltlUn
and
~in
and
all
tIw
llIarks
of
a
lost
and
benighted
race?
"Nineteen
centuries,
and
only
390,000,000
nominal
Chris·
tians
in
all
the
'world,
and
only
116,000,000
of
these
belonging
to
all
Protl'stant
denominations.
That
leaves
more
than
one
billion
souls
ab"olut.ely
destitute
of
the
bread
of
life.
What
a
sad
commentarv
on
tJil'
Hloth
and
atrifl'
of
Christendom!
This
i'l
the
problem
~
Ilow
shall
the
great
black
pyramid
be
trans
fOlllled
by
light?
\VlIat
concentrated
energy
anci
fervency
must
Ill'
displayed
hefl))
e
the
bl<l('k
can
be
burn('d
out,
and
thl'
huge
llIass
bl'come.
as
it
\\en',
a
colo~"al
kohinoor
of
diYine
~plendor
Hnd
glory?
"You
renH'lIIber
the
part
of
that
rl'lIIarkable
prayl'r
of
JI'SUS
r(>('onled
by
the
Evangelist
.John,
wIlerI'
hI'
pra~'5'
'That
they
..
lll
may
be
one.
u,
tholl.
FatlH'r.
art
in
1lI1'.
and
I
III
tlH'l':
that
they
also
may
be
one
in
us;
that
the
world
may
bl'lieye
that
thou
hast
sent
me.'
and
again
he
repeat"
it,
'that
the
world
may
beliew
that
thou
hast
sent
me
and
hast
loved
them
as
tho\1
hast
loved
m('.'
The
great
utilitarian
purpose
of
Chris
tian
unity
is,
tllPrefore,
that
the
world
may
believl'
....
"\Ve
must
gl't
('loser
together.
We
must
cease
lookin/{
at
'"lUI'
denominational
difficulties
through
the
magnifying
micro
scope
of
bigotry
and
prejudice,
and
at
our
e~sential
agreement
through
the
inverted
telescope
of
indifference
and
selfishness.
Of
course
Christian
unity
does
not
mean
uniformity.
The
lat
ter
i~
perhap<;
not
dl'~ll'Hhle;
lind
at
present
it
j,
('('rtal11l"
not
feasible.
It
is
not
one
form
that
we
need,
but
one
spirit,
a
spirit
of
brotherly
kindness
and
a
broad
Christian
charity.
.All
arbitrary
and
coercive
methods
of
attaining
uniform
re
ligious
observances
are
anti-Christian.
God's
children
are
free
men.
and
their
service
must
be
rational
and
voluntary.
There
is
nothing
more
uniform
than
penitentiarv
life.
'fhe
same
shawn
face,
the
saml'
cropped
pates,
the
same
stripes,
the
same
dull.
slavish
tasks.
It
is
not
the
unity
of
the
prison
that
we
(,OVl't.
but
the
unity
of
the
family,
where
each
preservl's
his
indi\'iduality,
and
yrt
wlll're
all
d\~ell
together
in
love,
sharing
.a
('OIllIllOn
life
ancI
hope
and
purpose.
'·.\nd
just
ll<;
thcre
cannot
be
any
uniform
ritual,
so
there
('allllOt
reasonnbh-
I.e
any
uniform
creed.
Of
course
we
all
admit
that
God's'\Yord
iR
our
all-sufficient
guide
in
matters
of
faltll
and
pral·tll'p.
an
III
fa
I
llhlp
,\Ild
inlH'J'cnt
standard
hy
\\
hll'h
we
must
be
led:
but
(1<;
each
man
must
interpret
that
\Yorel
as
Ids
mind
anll
('oTI<;l·il'nl'e
"hall
dirert,
we
cannot
expect
that
all
will
spe
alikp.
The
domain
of
God's
truth
is
so
wide,
and
the
variou~
paths
of
interpretation
are
so
numerous
and
intricate,
Hnd
the
human
undcrstanlling
is
such
a
complex
matter,
that
all
of
us
may
not
he
e-..:pected
to
traverse
the
same
paths.
Per
haps
Goll
has
so
onlainC'll
it
that
every
part
of
his
divine
truth
"hall
have
duC'
(,!llphasi~
by
raising
up
different
schools
of
in
terpreters,
"You
know
thl'
parable
of
the
blind
men
and
the
elephant.
In
lll'scribin;!
t11P
e1l'phant
one
felt
his
leg
and
said.
'He
is
like
a
trl'e.'
AnotlJrr
fdt
his
trunk
and
said,
'He
is
like
a
huge
snakl'.'
Anothl'r
his
ear,
'He
is
like
a
blanket.'
.And
still
another
saill,
'He
i",
like
a
rope,'
as
he
felt
his
tail.
They
were
all
right
anll
ail
wrong.
The
part
is
never
equal
to
the
whole.
Let
us
not
SUppOSl'
that
our
di~tinctive
views
are
of
more
im
portance
than
tllP
sum
total
of
accumulated
knowled~e
whi('h
1
he
whole
body
of
Chri<;tian
theology
sets
forth.
I
think.
how
cver,
that
an
occasional
ecumenical
council
for
the
purpose
of
dis('ussin~
in
a
brotherly
manner
our
doctrinal
differences
with
a
view
of
arriving
at
a
"(.Iearrr
conception
of
the
truth,
and
the
bringing-
of
the
yarious
llenominations
into
a
closer
sympathy
and
af11liatlOn.
would
have
an
admirable
effect
....
"The
most
inspiring-
utteran('e
on
the
subject
of
Christian
"tmity.
a"ide
from
the
bl'autiful
prayer
of
our
Savior,
to
which
we
have
made
referencl'.
i~
from
Paul.
\Vriting
to
the
saints
at
Ephesm,
he
says:
'I,
therefore,
the
prisoner
of
the
Lord,
beseech
you
to
walk
worthy
of
the
vocation
wherewith
~'e
are
called.
with
all
lowliness
and
meekness,
with
long-suffering,
for
bearing-
one
another
in
lovl',
endeavoring
to
keep
the
unity
of
*
*
*
(195-196)
[3388]
Vout. XXV ALLEGHENY, PA., JULY 1, 1904 No. 13 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER ARGUMENTS FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY Recently at a Protestant ministers’ meeting in the Y. M. C. A. building, St. Louis, Mo., the following argument was presented by Rev. Gilbert Dobbs, of the Coliseum Place Baptist Church :— “The churches of Jesus Christ are confronted by a gigantic problem. Nineteen centuries have passed since our Lord came in the flesh, and taught and wrought and died; nineteen centurieg since he arose from the dead and said, ‘Go, disciple all nations,’ and yet the nations are still stumbling on the dark mountains. Only the apex of the great pyramid of humanity has thus far been brightened and transformed by the Gospel light. a diamond point flashing in the sun, But what about the great pyramidal base, the black carbon of ignorance and superatition and sin and all the marks of a lost and benighted race? “Nineteen centuries, and only 390,000,000 nominal Christians in all the world, and only 116,000,000 of these belonging to all Protestant denominations. That leaves more than one billion souls absolutely destitute of the bread of life. What a aad commentary on the sloth and strife of Christendom! This is the problem: Ilow shall the great black pyramid be transformed by light? What concentrated energy and fervency must he displayed before the black can be burned out, and the huge mass become, as it were, a colossal kohinoor of divine splendor and glory? “You remember the part of that remarkable prayer of Jesus recorded by the Evangelist John, where he prays: ‘That they all may be one. as thou. Father. art in me. and | im thee: that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.’ and again he repeats it, ‘that the world may believe that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me.’ The great utilitarian purpose of Christian unity is, therefore, that the world may believe. . . . “We must get closer together. We must cease looking at our denominational difficulties through the magnifying microscope of bigotry and prejudice, and at our essential agreement through the inverted telescope of indifference and selfishness. Of course Christian unity does not mean uniformity. The latter ix perhaps not desirable; and at present it i» certainly not feasible. It is not one form that we need, but one spirit, a spirit of brotherly kindness and a broad Christian charity. All arbitrary and coercive methods of attaining uniform religious observances are anti-Christian. God’s children are freemen, and their service must be rational and voluntary. There is nothing more uniform than penitentiary life. The same shaven face, the saine cropped pates, the same stripes, the same dull, slavish tasks. It is not the unity of the prison that we covet, but the unity of the family, where each preserves his individuality, and vet where all dwell together in love, sharing a common life and hope and purpose. “And just as there cannot be any uniform ritual, so there cannot reasonably be any uniform creed. Of course we all admit that God's Word is our all-sufficient guide in matters of faith and practice, an fallible and inherent standard by which we must be Jed: but as each man must interpret that Word as his mind and conscience shall direct, we cannot expect that all will see alike. The domain of God’s truth is so wide, and the various paths of interpretation are so numerous and intricate, and the human understanding is such a complex matter, that all of us may not be expected to traverse the same paths. Perhaps God has so ordained it that every part of his divine truth shall have due emphasis by raising up different schools of interpreters. “You know the parable of the blind men and the elephant. In describing the elephant one felt his leg and said, ‘He ia like a tree” Another felt his trunk and said, ‘He is like a huge anake.’ Another hia ear, ‘He is like a blanket.’ And still another said, ‘He is like a rope, as he felt his tail. They were all right and ail wrong. The part is never equal to the whole. Let us not suppose that our distinctive views are of more importance than the sum total of accumulated knowledge which the whole body of Christian theology sets forth. I think, however, that an occasional ecumenical council for the purpose of discussing in a brotherly manner our doctrinal! differences with a view of arriving at a clearer conception of the truth, and the bringing of the various denominations into a closer sympathy and affiliation. would have an admirable effect... . “The most inspiring utterance on the subject of Christian unity, aside from the beautiful prayer of our Savior, to which we have made reference, is from Paul. Writing to the saints at Ephesus, he says: ‘I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are ealled, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of (195-196) the spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.’ “The argument is this: As the body of Christ is one, and all of God’s people are members of that body, made members by the divine Spirit, whose sovereign call they have heard and obeyed; as they all have the selfsame hope of eternal life and the glad expectation of entering into the joys of their Lord, whom they love and serve in common; as they acknowledge but one Lord and master, Jesus Christ, and have exercised the same saving faith in him, and have been brought into his church through baptism, the one symbol of their renewed nature; as there is but one God who rules over all, everywhere guiding and directing his people by his loving providence, and who has made his habitation in every renewed heart; then ought not all his people endeavor to recognize and preserve this spiritual unity, and live and labor together in peace? “The Indians speak of friendship as a golden chain. So may al} God’s people be linked together in the closest ties of fraternal love, and by keeping the golden chain forever bright, we will the best be able to bring a captive world in loving servitude to the feet of our God and Savior.”—Times-Democrat. * * * The above shows how easy it is to have “a form of godliness and deny the power thereof;” how easy it is to have a form of sound doctrine, but to misapply it! Neither our Lord nor the Apostle Paul referred to a union of denominations. They preached an individual union with Christ, and a consequent relationship of all justified and consecrated believers to each other in the one Lord, one faith and one baptism. This union already exists, except to the extent that denominational creed-fences and social] usages separate the Lord’s sheep. Wherever and whenever the Lord’s sheep meet they may and do quickly identify themselves to each other, and the heart-union and fellowship and joy in the Lord they experience cannot even be imitated bv creedal bonds. The union of the church to which our Lord referred in his prayer, “That they all may be one,” was this union of heart already and always experienced by the true members of the “one body,”—and additionally he referred to the actual union of all such with himself by the resurrection “change” from flesh and blood to spirit being—to be with him and like him and to share his glory and power and great work for the world, which he mentions just following, viz.: “that the world [during the Millennium) may believe.” THE JUDGMENTS OF THE LORD The Scriptures declare that “when the judgments of the Lord are abroad in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isa, 26:9), and the coming Millennial age is pointed out to us as the world’s Judgment Day; and our Lord tells us that the dead world will be awakened from the death-sleep—“‘come forth” unto a resurrection [anastasis, an uplifting out of sin and death] by judgments.—John 5:28, 29, Now we have an illustration well authenticated by the Chicago journals, showing one kind of judgments which will prevail during the world’s Judgment Day, as follows:— Julian Renfro, 21 years old, while engaged with three chums at a game of cards, declared his unbelief in a God. He was a “higher critic” of the Ingersoll school and said: “Fellows, if God would demonstrate himself to me in some way—for instance, if he would strike me deaf and dumb, or blind—I might admit his existence.” One of the young men was about to reply to the argument when he noticed Renfro turn pale. The next moment the skeptic threw his arms out before him as if warding off a blow, then he convulsively placed his hands before his face. An instant later he fell forward off his chair, and on to the floor. Since that time he has been unable to speak or hear. In writing he afterward expressed faith in the Lord, and declares his intention to study the Scriptures, and if the Lord should grant a recovery he hopes yet to preach Christ. When the time shall come that the Lord’s judgments of rewards and punishments will be promptly meted out, and in no uncertain manner, the whole world will be speedily converted and, like this young man, be glad to preach the One once blasphemed. But we must wait for this to become general until the kingdom class shall be completed and the general “Judgment day” or age fully inaugurated. THE EFFECT OF THE EASTERN WAR The London Spectator, commenting on the recent successes of Japan, in the battle on the Yalu river, says:— “It is the moral effect upon the world at large which is, [3388]
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