(207-211) Father, because faithful in bearing the iniquities of the many, therefore, “God will divide him a portion with the great.” How great a portian is not here stated. Other Scriptures inform us that the Father has given him a portion with himself—he overcame and sat down with the Father in his throne. He has indeed been granted a portion with the great—the great Jehovah. In turn he shall divide the spoil with the strong, the spoil of his great conquest over sin and death at the cost of his own life, the spoil of victory, the reward of his own high exaltation far above angels, principalities and powers, and every name that is named—the reward of his high relationship with the Father, the reward of his Millennial kingdom and its opportunities and privileges of blessing the whole groaning creation, the reward of the Father’s smile and favor eternally. This “spoil,” which all came to the dear Redeemer as the one who kept the Law and redeemed the world with his own precious blood, this spoil he proposes to share with the faithful of his followers, the overcomers, here called “the strong.” OQ, what a thought! In all our weaknesses and imperfections we are by the Lord’s grace enabled to come off conquerors and more than conquerors through him who loved us and bought us with his precious blood. With the Apostle we can say, “When I am weak, then am I strong;” when I realize my own imperfections and shortcomings then, by faith realizing the strength and perfection of my dear Redeemer and his provision for all who are his, I can be ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, Pa, strong in faith and trust and love, and realize that the exceeding great and precious promises of God’s Word are yea and amen to me. In the present life, then, by faith we have a portion with the Lord, and may reckon ourselves as having passed from death unto life, as heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ our Lord. But the attainment of all these things, their fulness and completeness, lies beyond the grave, beyond the resurrection, when all the faithful shall be with him and, like him, share his glory, for “he will divide the spoil with the strong.” THE CAUSE OF THE MATTER Our lesson closes with a reiteration of the general facts stated. All of this greatness given to our Lord and shared with his faithful followers is because he poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors, and bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. How emphatically the Scriptures point out to us that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins, that without the ransom price being paid there could have been no release of Adam and his race from the sentence of death, no hope of any of them attaining life everlasting. As we appreciate this great central thought of the divine plan, let us reverence our dear Master the more as the author of our faith, who, by and by, will be the finisher of it, and let us seek more and more to be faithful to him and to walk in his steps and to lay down our lives for the brethren. THE CHATTANOOGA CONVENTION Although we were unfortunate in the selection of the date of this Convention, June being a very busy time for the Southern farmer, nevertheless we had a delightful season of fellowship. The gathering numbered about 150 from every quarter of the Southland, with a fair representation from more northerly States. The Sunday afternoon session was for the public and had an attendance of between 500 and 600. We have reason to hope that some true Israelites profited by the discourse on The Oath-bound Covenant, “In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” The dear friends of the Chattanooga church managed the arrangements so well that we heard not a single murmur. Everybody looked happy with a holy joy that lit all faces. The testimonials, too, corroborated this. Nearly all told of a share of the opposition promised to all who seek to closely follow the Savior, and of joys from the truth which made opposition seem light afflictions in view of the hopes of future glory with our Lord. Two Baptist ministers were in attendance at nearly all of the sessions, and one of these at the close of the Love Feast, told the writer of his proposed methods for extending the knowledge of the “good tidings of great joy for all people” to many whom he has been serving hitherto as a Baptist. Eleven brethren and ten sisters symbolized their consecration by water immersion. It is our hope that all present were richly repaid for their expenditures of time and money and that the blessings ef the Lord poured upon their hearts will extend to their friends and brethren at their various homes. Vou. XXVI No. 14 ALLEGHENY, PA., JULY 15, 1905 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER LUTHERAN VIEW OF BAPTISM The clipping below from The Young Lutheran is not, as some might suppose, from a couple of centuries back, but from the January, 1905, issue: “Often we are asked questions concerning Baptism, the proper time and place for it, who should be the sponsors, etc. It may be well to explain at this place: . “Baptism is that act, commanded by God and promised his blessing, by which we are forgiven our sins (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3) and are made children of God. A person who wilfully neglects baptism is surely lost, as we read John 3:5: ‘Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God’ “This may seem hard, but God simply says: ‘If you wish to enter my kingdom you must enter the way I want you to by being baptized,’ just as any society can say: ‘If you wish to belong to this society you must go through the order adopted by us to become a full member.’ Surely all would say they have a right to do that; just so God has a right to say how he wants us to enter his kingdom. “So we see that it is very important for every one to be baptized. Neglecting to have our children baptized as early as possible is taking a risk which none of us can afford.” * * * Some have thought that in treating the subject of Baptism in MILLENNIAL Dawn, Vol. vi., chapter 10, we were rather severe in our strictures upon the views of “Christendom” which make a child liable to enter torment because its parents neglected to have some drops of water put on its head with a formula of words. The above shows that we were quite within the truth, however strange it may seem that seemingly safe and sane people can so believe and teach. Would that all might see the true meaning of this important ordinance! How much it would assist them to an understanding of the divine character and plan. Get your friends in all denominations to read that one chapter. RISING OF RUSSIAN PEASANTRY The Russian landowners are alarmed at last. All over the great middle belt the peasants are murdering the landlords, pillaging and burning houses and refineries. The inhabitants of the country towns who belong to the reactionary little bourgeoisie are frightened for their own safety and that of their property. Even in Moscow and Nijni Novgorod there is great uneasiness. One result has been the demand of the nobles who met at the old capital that some small concessions in the way of popular representation should be made in order that the rising flood of disorder may be stemmed in time. As long as the outbreaks were confined to the big cities there was not much to fear. There the trouble was as much industrial as political. But many of the workmen have gone back to their villages as political propagandists. These persons act as agents for the revolutionists. They are successful, however, because they found the conditions favorable... .. This dangerous Jacquerie, or peasant uprising, is called pugachevshchina in Russia, after the eighteenth century rebel leader, Pugachey, who championed the autocracy against the officials and the landlords. In the same way the peasants of today have no grievance against the Emperor. To the mujiks he is still the “Little Father.” It is the Tchonorniks who, in the opinion of the peasants brought on the war, who precipitated the strikes, who attacked the ple. The official class is blamed for supporting the landlords : against the cultivators and the manufacturers against the workpeople. When the decree of the Holy Synod called on the loyal population to combat the enemies of the Czar and the government the ignorant peasants were told that it was directed against the nobles and the landed proprietors, Mysterious leaflets were circulated, stating that Nicholas was in danger and had been deposed and thrown into prison by the nobles. The appeal continued: “Hasten to help him, plunder the landlords. slay the enemies of the Czar and the Fatherland.” .... The situation in certain details suggests the early stages of [3592]
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