Publication date
10/15/04
Volume
25
Number
20
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1904/20/1904-20-1.html
 
 
OCTOBltIl 
1. 
1904 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(303-307) 
the 
matter 
for 
them, 
saying, 
The 
wisdom 
of 
man 
is 
as 
foolish­ 
ness 
with 
God, 
for 
the 
world 
by 
its 
wisdom 
knows 
not 
G<;>d 
a~d 
does 
not 
take 
into 
consideration 
the 
boundlessness 
of 
his 
WIS­ 
dom 
and 
power. 
The 
Christian, 
on 
the 
contrary, 
recognizing 
divine 
power 
and 
wisdom 
and 
coming 
into 
accord 
with. 
the 
.same, 
is 
thereby 
blessed. 
Whatever 
was 
the 
measure 
of 
his 
wisdom 
and 
pruuence 
as 
a 
natural 
man, 
this 
would 
be 
certainly 
inten­ 
sified 
by 
his 
participation 
in 
the 
wisdom 
which 
cometh 
from 
above-"the 
spirit 
of 
a 
sound 
mind," 
the 
.spirit 
of 
the 
Lord: 
As 
soon 
as 
the 
king 
learned 
that 
Elisha 
was 
at 
the 
little 
town 
of 
Dothan 
he 
sent 
an 
army, 
including 
horses 
and 
chariots, 
to 
surround 
the 
city 
and 
to 
make 
sure 
of 
capturing 
t~e 
p~ophet. 
The 
latter 
doubtless 
understood 
in 
advance, 
but 
workmg 
m 
har­ 
mony 
with 
the 
Lord's 
arrangement 
he 
did 
not 
flee 
the 
ci~y. 
He 
was 
entirely 
restful 
in 
mind 
respecting 
the 
matter, 
but 
his 
serv­ 
ant 
was 
greatl,. 
alarmed-he 
thought 
of 
the 
Prophet 
and 
him­ 
self 
being 
carried 
prisoners 
to 
Syria 
to 
thenceforth 
be 
bondm.en, 
etc. 
Elisha, 
however, 
comforted 
him 
with 
assurances 
respectmg 
the 
divine 
power 
which 
encompassed 
them, 
much 
greater 
than 
the 
power 
of 
their 
enemies. 
Then, 
not 
only 
as 
a 
lesson 
to 
the 
servant 
but 
also 
doubtless 
intended 
of 
the 
Lord 
as 
a 
lesson 
for 
his 
people 
all 
the 
way 
down 
through 
the 
ages, 
Elisha 
prayed 
that 
the 
young 
man's 
eyes 
might 
be 
opened 
that 
he 
might. 
see 
and 
realize 
the 
true 
situation. 
At 
once 
the 
servant 
perceived 
that 
all 
around 
the 
city 
the 
entire 
hill 
was 
amply 
protected 
against 
the 
surrounding 
hosts-"horses 
and 
chariots 
of 
fire" 
around 
and 
about 
Elisha 
and 
himself. 
VVe 
must 
assume 
that 
the 
horses 
and 
chariots 
of 
fire 
were 
in 
the 
nature 
of 
a 
vision 
granted 
to 
the 
servant 
and 
to 
us, 
as 
illustrative 
of 
the 
divine 
power 
and 
protection 
given. 
Thus 
viewed, 
what 
the 
serva~t 
saw 
was 
an 
active 
parable, 
a 
picture 
similar 
to 
the 
symbolic 
pictures 
of 
Revelation-serving 
the 
intended 
purpose 
most 
thor­ 
oughly, 
most 
completely, 
!lnd 
giving 
~o. 
the 
eyes 
of 
his 
und~r­ 
standing 
a 
proper 
conception 
of 
the 
dlvme 
power 
present 
With 
the 
Prophet. 
DIVINE 
PROVIDENOE 
ALL 
ABOVT 
'OS 
This 
is 
the 
center 
of 
our 
lesson 
and 
is 
in 
full 
accord 
with 
other 
Scripture 
statements, 
as, 
for 
instance, 
the 
Golden 
Text, 
the 
latter 
giving 
a 
picture, 
not 
of 
horses 
a~d 
chariots 
.represent­ 
ing 
power, 
but 
an 
encampment 
representmg 
a 
contmued 
II;nd 
abidmg 
presence 
of 
the 
divine 
representatives, 
safely 
guardmg 
all 
the 
interests 
of 
the 
Lord's 
faithful 
ones. 
The 
Apostle 
as­ 
sures 
us 
that 
the 
angels 
of 
God 
are 
ministering 
spirits. 
sent 
forth 
to 
minister 
unto 
and 
to 
serve 
those 
who 
shall 
be 
helTs 
of 
salvation, 
the 
saved 
ones 
of 
this 
Gospel 
age-not 
onl! 
the 
over­ 
comers 
of 
the 
little 
flock, 
but 
also 
the 
overcomers 
0 
the 
great 
multi 
turl 
e. 
All 
of 
these, 
because 
believers 
in 
Christ, 
because 
at 
heart 
faithful, 
because 
fully 
consecrated 
to 
the 
Lord 
and 
be­ 
gotten 
of 
his 
Spirit, 
are 
the 
special 
and 
happy 
objects 
of 
his 
grace, 
ministered 
to 
and 
served 
by 
the 
invisible 
messengers. 
Our 
Lord 
Jesus 
sets 
forth 
practically 
the 
same 
thought 
in 
his 
declaration, 
"Their 
angels 
do 
always 
behold 
[have 
access 
to] 
the 
face 
of 
my 
Father." 
(Matt. 
18: 
10) 
The 
Master's 
words 
seem 
to 
imply 
at 
least 
one 
or 
more 
angels 
having 
charge 
over 
the 
consecrated 
ones, 
the 
very 
elect. 
He 
uses 
a 
stilI 
different 
figure 
of 
speech 
in 
illustrating 
the 
matter. 
as 
though 
he 
would 
assure 
us 
that 
these 
messengers 
would 
not 
be 
delayed 
in 
caring 
for 
our 
interests, 
would 
not 
be 
hindered 
by 
more 
important 
beavenly 
business, 
but 
would 
at 
once 
have 
direct 
access 
to 
the 
divine 
presence 
and 
attention, 
so 
that 
our 
interests 
would 
have 
all 
neerled 
consideration. 
Gathering 
together 
these 
various 
pictures, 
we 
have 
!IS 
a 
whole 
before 
our 
minds 
something 
like 
this: 
Our 
gTE'at 
all­ 
wise, 
all-powerful 
heavenly 
Fll;ther 
has 
nUJJ!berless 
meSRPn!!erS 
at 
his 
command, 
and 
has 
deputized 
and 
appomted 
many 
of 
these 
to 
care 
for 
the 
interests 
of 
his 
cause 
on 
earth-especially 
to 
watch 
over 
and 
minister 
unto 
the 
very 
elect. 
Nothing 
can 
by 
any 
means, 
therefore, 
harm 
these, 
except 
as 
the 
heavenly 
Father 
sees 
that 
the 
earthly 
injury 
or 
disadvantage 
would 
prove 
~roflt. 
able 
either 
to 
the 
individual 
new 
creature 
or 
to 
the 
Lord 
s 
gen­ 
eral 
cause. 
This 
is 
in 
full 
accord 
with 
his 
general 
ASsurance 
that 
all 
things 
shall 
work 
together 
for 
good 
to 
them 
that 
love 
him. 
Such 
a 
use 
of 
the 
heavenly 
messengers 
by 
no 
means 
invali· 
dates 
the 
thought 
that 
the 
Lord's 
earthly 
children 
are 
fre­ 
quently 
used 
of 
him 
as 
ministers, 
servants, 
the 
one 
to 
the 
other. 
Indeed 
we 
may 
be 
assured 
that 
the 
invisible 
messengers 
or 
ser­ 
vants, 
generally 
if 
not 
always, 
are 
required 
to 
act 
through 
hu­ 
man 
instrumentalities-preferably 
through 
the 
very 
elect. 
Of 
this 
kind 
of 
service 
done 
by 
the 
brethren 
one 
for 
the 
other 
under 
the 
supervision 
of 
divine 
power 
and 
messengers, 
we 
have 
illus­ 
trations 
in 
the 
harvest 
work: 
for 
instance, 
supervised 
by 
our 
present 
Lord 
and 
his 
heavenly 
hosts, 
yet 
in 
the 
main 
carried 
on 
by 
the 
members 
of 
his 
body 
still 
in 
the 
flesh. 
Again 
we 
have 
illustrations 
of 
the 
same 
in 
the 
declaration 
of 
Psa. 
91: 
11, 
12. 
"He 
shall 
give 
his 
messengers 
charge 
over 
thee 
to 
keep 
thee 
in 
all 
thy 
ways. 
They 
shall 
bear 
thee 
up 
in 
their 
hands, 
lest 
thou 
dash 
thy 
foot 
against 
a 
stone." 
Doubtless 
the 
heavenly 
mes­ 
sengers 
are 
connected 
with 
this 
work, 
yet 
nevertheless 
the 
work 
itself 
is 
apparently, 
we 
may 
say 
surely, 
done 
through 
human 
instrumentalities-the 
church 
in 
the 
flesh. 
For 
instance, 
the 
Lord 
in 
this 
present 
harvest 
time 
lias 
given 
his 
messengers, 
the 
leaders 
of 
his 
eonsecrated 
people, 
"a 
charge," 
a 
message, 
a 
word 
of 
warning, 
counsel, 
advice,-an 
opening 
of 
the 
Word 
of 
Truth, 
an 
enlightenment 
of 
their 
understandings,-that 
they 
should 
bear 
up 
all 
the 
members 
of 
the 
"feet" 
class, 
all 
of 
the 
very 
elect 
in 
this 
time 
of 
serious 
trial, 
testing 
and 
stumbling. 
lest 
at 
any 
time 
of 
this 
class 
should 
stumble 
through 
the 
peculiar 
trials 
of 
the 
present 
time. 
How 
manifestly 
this 
is 
fulfilled: 
the 
harvest 
message 
in 
its 
various 
features, 
bearing 
on 
every 
phase 
of 
truth 
now 
due 
and 
every 
phase 
of 
error 
now 
being 
brought 
forward, 
is 
God's 
keeping 
power 
by 
which, 
according 
to 
his 
guarantee, 
we 
know 
that 
nothing 
shall 
by 
any 
means 
hurt 
the 
"feet" 
mem­ 
bers 
of 
the 
true 
"body 
of 
Chnst." 
It 
is 
for 
us 
to 
rejoice 
in 
these 
blessings 
and 
favors 
of 
the 
Lord 
and 
to 
increase 
our 
faith; 
and 
the 
lesson 
under 
consid­ 
eration 
is 
a 
help 
in 
this 
connection, 
as 
showing 
us 
how 
even 
before 
the 
house 
of 
sons 
was 
organized, 
the 
Lord 
had 
power 
and 
exercised 
it 
in 
the 
house 
of 
servants 
in 
a 
way 
that 
illustrates 
to 
Us 
the 
abundance 
of 
that 
power. 
With 
the 
morning 
light 
the 
Syrian 
soldiers 
drew 
near 
to 
the 
village 
of 
Dothan, 
making 
inquiry 
for 
the 
Prophet, 
who, 
by 
prayer, 
brought 
upon 
them 
"blindness." 
The 
original 
word, 
however, 
does 
not 
signify 
total 
blindness, 
but 
rather 
a 
visual 
indistinctness, 
somewhat 
akin 
perhaps 
to 
mesmeric 
or 
hypnotic 
conditions 
as 
they 
are 
known 
today. 
The 
Prophet 
proposes 
to 
lead 
them 
to 
Elisha 
and 
his 
home, 
the 
latter 
being 
in 
the 
city 
of 
Samaria 
and 
thither 
he 
led 
them. 
When 
they 
were 
within 
the 
walls 
of 
the 
city 
and 
eompletely, 
therefore, 
at 
the 
mercy 
of 
the 
king 
of 
Israel 
and 
his 
warriors, 
the 
Prophet 
dispelled 
the 
illu­ 
sion, 
and, 
opening 
the 
eyes 
of 
their 
understanding, 
made 
him­ 
self 
known 
to 
them 
and 
introduced 
them 
to 
the 
king 
of 
Israel, 
ete. 
The 
latter 
inquired 
of 
the 
Prophet 
whether 
he 
had 
led 
them 
there 
to 
be 
smitten, 
to 
be 
destroyed 
as 
the 
enemies 
of 
the 
Lord 
and 
of 
the 
kingdom, 
but 
his 
answer 
was, 
No; 
that 
he 
should 
set 
a 
feast 
before 
them 
of 
royal 
bounties 
and 
send 
them 
back 
to 
their 
king 
and 
friends-in 
a 
word, 
that 
he 
should 
figu­ 
ratively 
"heap 
coals 
of 
fire 
on 
their 
heads." 
This 
was 
done, 
and 
the 
result 
is 
given 
us 
in 
a 
few 
words, 
"So 
the 
bands 
of 
Syria 
eame 
no 
more 
into 
the 
land 
of 
Israel." 
The 
closing 
incident 
of 
our 
lesson 
is 
worthy 
of 
appropria­ 
tion 
by 
spiritual 
Israelites. 
So 
long 
as 
we 
are 
the 
Lord's 
we 
may 
have 
absolute 
confidence 
respecting 
the 
results 
in 
all 
of 
life's 
affairs. 
and 
this 
confidence 
in 
God 
should 
tend 
to 
make 
Us 
more 
generous 
and 
kind 
toward 
our 
enemies-to 
all 
those 
who 
would 
despitefully 
usc 
us 
or 
persecute 
us. 
So 
far 
from 
seeking 
to 
do 
them 
injury 
in 
return 
or 
to 
speak 
evil 
of 
them 
in 
return, 
the 
admonition 
of 
the 
Lord 
is. 
"If 
thine 
enemy 
hunger 
feed 
him, 
if 
he 
thirst 
give 
him 
drink, 
for 
in 
so 
doing 
thou 
shalt 
heap 
coals 
of 
fire 
on 
his 
head." 
"A 
soft 
an"wer 
turneth 
away 
wrath." 
A 
return 
of 
good 
for 
evil 
may 
not 
at 
once 
make 
a 
friend 
of 
an 
enemy, 
but 
it 
will 
at 
least 
bring 
blessing 
to 
our 
own 
hearts, 
and 
is 
much 
more 
likely 
to 
brin!! 
blessing 
to 
tIle 
enemy 
than 
if 
we 
should 
return 
him 
evil 
for 
evil. 
VOL. 
XXV 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
OCTOBER 
15, 
1904 
No. 
20 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
offered 
in 
all 
of 
the 
churches 
in 
the 
empire 
on 
Sundays 
and 
holidays, 
after 
mass, 
beseeching 
that 
heavenly 
aid 
should 
be 
sent 
to 
the 
Russian 
army, 
which 
is 
'3acrificing 
its 
life 
for 
its 
faith, 
its 
emperor 
and 
its 
country, 
for 
long 
life 
for 
the 
victor­ 
ious 
troops 
and 
for 
the 
repose 
of 
the 
souls 
of 
the 
warriors 
who 
fall." 
The 
following 
prayer 
has 
been 
specially 
ordained: 
"Although 
Ulmorthy, 
we 
implore 
th('e 
who 
art 
strong 
in 
'.rHE 
OFFICIAL 
PBAYEB 
OF 
BUSSIA 
FOB 
DIVINE 
AID 
AGAINST 
JAPAN 
The 
OffirJiaZ 
Me8~fmgef' 
of 
St. 
Petersburg, 
Russia, 
pUblished 
the 
following 
prayer 
appointed 
by 
the 
Holy 
Synod. 
"By 
virtue 
of 
an 
imperial 
ukase 
to 
the 
effect 
that 
during 
the 
present. 
trials 
of 
our 
dear 
country 
more 
ardent 
prayers 
should 
be 
offered 
for 
the 
victory 
of 
the 
Russian 
troops, 
who 
are 
worshipers 
of 
Christ, 
over 
a 
cruel 
enemy, 
full 
of 
g-uile, 
the 
Holy 
Synod 
pronounces 
the 
time 
ripe 
for 
special 
prayers 
to 
be 
[3441] 
Ocroser 1, 1904 the matter for them, saying, The wisdom of man is as foolishness with God, for the world by its wisdom knows not God and does not take into consideration the boundlessness of his wisdom and power. The Christian, on the contrary, recognizing divine power and wisdom and coming into accord with the same, is thereby blessed. Whatever was the measure of his wisdom and prudence as a natural man, this would be certainly intensified by his participation in the wisdom which cometh from above—‘‘the spirit of a sound mind,” the spirit of the Lord. As soon as the king learned that Elisha was at the little town of Dothan he sent an army, including horses and chariots, to surround the city and to make sure of capturing the prophet. The latter doubtless understood in advance, but working in harmony with the Lord’s arrangement he did not flee the city. He was entirely restful in mind respecting the matter, but his servant was greatly alarmed—he thought of the Prophet and himself being carried prisoners to Syria to thenceforth be bondmen, ete. Elisha, however, comforted him with assurances respecting the divine power which encompassed them, much greater than the power of their enemies. Then, not only as a lesson to the servant, but also doubtless intended of the Lord as a lesson for his people all the way down through the ages, Elisha prayed that the young man’s eyes might be opened that he might see and realize the true situation. At once the servant perceived that all around the city the entire hill was amply protected against the surrounding hosts—“horses and chariots of fire” around and about Elisha and himself. We must assume that the horses and chariots of fire were in the nature of a vision granted to the servant and to us, as illustrative of the divine power and protection given. Thus viewed, what the servant saw was an active parable, a picture similar to the symbolic pictures of Revelation—serving the intended purpose most thoroughly, most completely, and giving to the eyes of his understanding a proper conception of the divine power present with the Prophet. DIVINE PROVIDENCE ALL ABOUT US This is the center of our lesson and is in full accord with other Scripture statements, as, for instance, the Golden Text, the latter giving a picture, not of horses and chariots representing power, but an encampment representing a continued and abiding presence of the divine representatives, safely guarding all the interests of the Lord’s faithful ones. The Apostle assures us that the angels of God are ministering spirits sent forth to minister unto and to serve those who shall be heirs of salvation, the saved ones of this Gospel age—not only the overcomers of the little flock, but also the overcomers of the great multitude. All of these, because believers in Christ, because at heart faithful, because fully consecrated to the Lord and begotten of his Spirit, are the special and happy objects of his grace, ministered to and served by the invisible messengers. Our Lord Jesus sets forth practically the same thought in his declaration, “Their angels do always behold [have access to] the face of my Father.” (Matt. 18:10) The Master’s words seem to imply at least one or more angels having charge over the consecrated ones, the very elect. He uses a still different figure of speech in illustrating the matter, as though he would assure us that these messengers would not be delayed in caring for our interests, would not be hindered by more important heavenly business, but would at once have direct access to the divine presence and attention, so that our interests would have all needed consideration. Gathering together these various pictures, we have as a whole before our minds something like this: Our great allwise, all-powerful heavenly Father has numberless messengers at his command, and has deputized and appointed many of these to care for the interests of his cause on earth—especially to watch over and minister unto the very elect. Nothing can by any means, therefore, harm these, except as the heavenly Father sees that the earthly injury or disadvantage would prove profitable either to the individual new creature or to the Lord’s genera] cause. This is in full accord with his general assurance that all things shall work together for good to them that love him. ZION’S WATCH TOWER (303-307) Such a use of the heavenly messengers by no means invalidates the thought that the Lord’s earthly children are frequently used of him as ministers, servants, the one to the other. Indeed we may be assured that the invisible messengers or servants, generally if not always, are required to act through human instrumentalities—preferably through the very elect. Of this kind of service done by the brethren one for the other under the supervision of divine power and messengers, we have illustrations in the harvest work: for instance, supervised by our present Lord and his heavenly hosts, yet in the main carried on by the members of his body still in the flesh. Again we have illustrations of the same in the declaration of Psa. 91:11, 12, “He shall give his messengers charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” Doubtless the heavenly messengers are connected with this work, yet nevertheless the work itself is apparently, we may say surely, done through human instrumentalities—the church in the flesh. For instance, the Lord in this present harvest time has given his messengers, the leaders of his consecrated people, “a charge,” a message, a word of warning, counsel, advice,—an opening of the Word of Truth, an enlightenment of their understandings,—that they should bear up all the members of the “feet” class, all of the very elect in this time of serious trial, testing and stumbling. lest at any time of this class should stumble through the peculiar trials of the present time. How manifestly this is fulfilled: the harvest message in its various features, bearing on every phase of truth now due and every phase of error now being brought forward, is God’s keeping power by which, according to his guarantee, we know that nothing shall by any means hurt the “feet” members of the true “body of Christ.” It is for us to rejoice in these blessings and favors of the Lord and to increase our faith; and the lesson under consideration is a help in this connection, as showing us how even before the house of sons was organized, the Lord had power and exercised it in the house of servants in a way that illustrates to us the abundance of that power. With the morning light the Syrian soldiers drew near to the village of Dothan, making inquiry for the Prophet, who, b prayer, brought upon them “blindness.” The original word, however, does not signify total blindness, but rather a visual indistinctness, somewhat akin perhaps to mesmeric or hypnotic conditions as they are known today. The Prophet proposes to lead them to Elisha and his home, the latter being in the city of Samaria and thither he led them. When they were within the walls of the city and completely, therefore, at the mercy of the king of Israel and his warriors, the Prophet dispelled the illusion, and, opening the eyes of their understanding, made himself known to them and introduced them to the king of Israel, etc. The latter inquired of the Prophet whether he had led them there to be smitten, to be destroyed as the enemies of the Lord and of the kingdom, but his answer was, No; that he should set a feast before them of royal bounties and send them back to their king and friends—in a word, that he should figuratively “heap coals of fire on their heads.” This was done, and the result is given us in a few words, “So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.” The closing incident of our lesson is worthy of appropriation by spiritual Israelites. So long as we are the Lord’s we may have absolute confidence respecting the results in all of life’s affairs, and this confidence in God should tend to make us More generous and kind toward our enemies—to all those who would despitefully use us or persecute us. So far from seeking to do them injury in return or to speak evil of them in return, the admonition of the Lord is. “If thine enemy hunger feed him, if he thirst give him drink, for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.” “A soft answer turneth away wrath.” A return of good for evil may not at once make a friend of an enemy, but it will at least bring blessing to our own hearts, and is much more likely to bring blessing to the enemy than if we should return him evil for evil. Vou. XXV ALLEGHENY, PA., OCTOBER 15, 1904 No. 20 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER THE OFFICIAL PRAYER OF RUSSIA FOR DIVINE AID AGAINST The Official Messenger of St. Petersburg, Russia, published the following prayer appointed by the Holy Synod. “By virtue of an imperial! ukase to the effect that during the present trials of our dear country more ardent prayers should be offered for the victory of the Russian troops, who are worshipers of Christ, over a cruel enemy, full of guile, the Holy Synod pronounces the time ripe for special prayers to be offered in all of the churches in the empire on Sundays and holidays, after mass, beseeching that heavenly aid should be sent to the Russian army, which is sacrificing its life for its faith, its emperor and its country, for long life for the victorious troops and for the repose of the souls of the warriors who fall.” The following prayer has been specially ordained: “Although unworthy, we implore thee who art strong in [3441]

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