Publication date
1/15/05
Volume
26
Number
2
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1905/2/1905-2-1.html
 
 
 
]ANVAllY 
1, 
1905 
ZION}S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(15-19) 
isfactory 
evidences 
as 
they 
obtain 
through 
Spiritualists­ 
whose 
knowledge 
and 
manifestations 
we 
hold, 
according 
to 
the 
Scriptures, 
are 
from 
the 
same 
evil 
origin 
as 
those 
of 
the 
heathen-the 
fallen 
angels 
who 
personate 
the 
human 
dead. 
Respecting 
the 
latter 
our 
Lord 
in 
this 
verse 
distinctly 
tells 
us 
that 
they 
have 
not 
ascended 
to 
heaven, 
elsewhere 
(John 
5:29) 
he 
tells 
us 
that 
they 
are 
in 
their 
graves-that 
they 
are 
dead, 
and 
will 
so 
remain 
until 
his 
power 
and 
authority 
shall 
call 
them 
forth 
again 
to 
being. 
The 
Apostle 
Peter's 
testimony 
respecting 
the 
Prophet, 
David, 
one 
of 
the 
ancient 
worthie~, 
is 
along 
the 
same 
line. 
He 
declares, 
"David 
is 
not 
ascended 
mto 
the 
hea 
vens."- 
Acts 
2: 
34. 
The 
last 
three 
words 
of 
the 
13th 
verse 
are 
spurious. 
They 
were 
not 
in 
the 
original 
manuscript, 
and 
are 
not 
found 
in 
the 
oldest 
Greek 
manuscript 
discovered 
about 
half 
a 
century 
ago, 
the 
Sinaitic. 
These 
words 
were 
doubtless 
added 
by 
some 
well­ 
meaning 
person 
who 
wished 
to 
express 
his 
faith 
that 
the 
Lord 
had 
risen 
and 
ascended 
on 
high; 
he 
did 
not 
notice 
that 
the 
addition 
of 
these 
words 
makes 
nonsense 
as 
they 
are 
placed­ 
they 
would 
make 
Jesus 
say 
that 
he 
was 
in 
heaven 
at 
the 
time 
he 
was 
talking 
to 
Nicodemus. 
How 
irlportant 
it 
is 
that 
we 
have 
a 
knowledge 
of 
the 
unadulterated 
Word 
of 
God. 
W(' 
must 
neither 
add 
to 
nor 
take 
from 
it; 
and 
when 
we 
find, 
as 
in 
this 
case, 
that 
some 
one 
either 
intentionally 
or 
unintention­ 
ally 
added 
these 
words 
to 
the 
original 
text, 
we 
should 
cancel 
them 
and 
thus 
free 
ourselves 
from 
the 
confmlion 
they 
would 
otherwise 
create. 
A 
similar 
instance 
of 
an 
improper 
addition 
to 
the 
Lord's 
'Vord 
is 
found 
in 
the 
last 
verse 
of 
John's 
Gos­ 
pel, 
which 
is 
a 
most 
pa 
Ipa 
ble 
untruth, 
and 
is 
omitted 
from 
the 
oldest 
Greek 
manuscript, 
the 
Sinaitic. 
Another 
similar 
case 
is 
the 
first 
sentence 
of 
Revelation 
20: 
5. 
Concerning 
this 
latter 
see 
MILLENNIAL 
DAWN, 
Vol. 
1., 
page 
288, 
foot 
note. 
UPLlFTED 
Lr.KE 
MOSES' 
SERPENT 
Our 
Lord 
did 
not 
stop 
with 
a 
mere 
answer 
to 
his 
visitor's 
Cjuestions 
about 
the 
kingdom 
being 
heavenly, 
but 
proceeded 
to 
give 
him 
in 
brief 
form 
an 
outline 
of 
the 
entiro 
plan 
of 
salva­ 
tion. 
He 
reminded 
him 
of 
the 
Israelites 
bitten 
by 
the 
fiery 
serpents 
in 
the 
wildcrness, 
and 
that 
God 
had 
directed 
Moses 
to 
lift 
on 
a 
pole 
a 
copper 
serpent, 
to 
which 
the 
Israelites 
who 
would 
exercise 
faith 
might 
look 
and 
receive 
healing. 
Our 
L.ord 
announced 
that 
he 
was 
to 
be 
the 
antitype 
of 
this; 
that 
he 
would 
be 
lifted 
up 
on 
the 
cross 
and 
thus 
made 
to 
appear 
~~ 
the 
sinner-to 
take 
the 
place 
of 
the 
sinner-so 
that 
the 
whole 
world 
of 
mankind, 
bitten 
by 
sin 
and 
dying 
as 
a 
result, 
might 
look 
unto 
llim 
by 
faith 
and 
be 
healed. 
What 
a 
wonderful 
condensation 
of 
a 
great 
truth 
the 
Lord 
here 
expressed! 
It 
was 
the 
typical 
lesson 
of 
his 
own 
substi­ 
tution 
as 
man's 
Redeemer 
and 
sin 
bearer, 
and 
clearly 
taught 
that 
faith 
in 
him 
as 
such 
is 
essential 
to 
a 
recovery 
from 
the 
fall 
and 
its 
results. 
This 
blessed 
privilege 
of 
looking 
to 
the 
Lord 
and 
being 
healed 
is 
already 
accorded 
to 
such 
as 
hear 
the 
message 
and 
accept 
it-"Look 
and 
live!" 
Believers 
who 
now 
by 
faith 
can 
realize 
their 
sins 
forgiven 
are 
thrice 
blessed. 
But 
we 
thank 
God 
that 
his 
provision 
is 
not 
merely 
for 
those 
who 
now 
have 
the 
hearing 
ear 
and 
the 
eye 
of 
faith, 
but 
that 
eventually 
all 
the 
blind 
eyes 
shall 
be 
opened 
and 
all 
the 
deaf 
ears 
unstopped, 
and 
the 
message, 
"Look 
and 
live!" 
and 
again, 
"Partake 
of 
the 
water 
of 
life 
freely," 
will 
be 
heard 
by 
every 
member 
of 
Adam's 
race, 
that 
each 
may 
have 
a 
full 
and 
fair 
opportunity 
of 
acqUIring 
his 
share 
of 
the 
blessings 
secured 
for 
Adam 
and 
all 
his 
race 
by 
Christ's 
death. 
Thus 
eventually 
it 
will 
be 
not 
only 
whosoever 
believeth, 
but 
all 
who 
will 
have 
the 
necessary 
conditions 
to 
permit 
them 
to 
believe, 
to 
permit 
them 
to 
enjoy 
their 
share 
of 
the 
gift 
of 
God, 
eternal 
life 
through 
Jesus 
Christ 
our 
Lord. 
THE 
GOLDEN 
TEXT 
Our 
Golden 
Text 
is 
a. 
wonderful 
verse, 
and 
all 
the 
more 
wonderful 
the 
more 
we 
understand 
of 
the 
lengths 
and 
breadths 
and 
heights 
and 
depths 
of 
the 
divine 
plan 
of 
salvation. 
Luther, 
who 
grasped 
the 
Gospel 
message 
more 
fully 
than 
may 
of 
his 
day, 
and 
yet 
less 
fully 
than 
we 
see 
the 
reality 
to 
be, 
called 
this 
verse 
the 
"little 
Bible." 
\Ve 
would 
express 
the 
same 
in 
the 
words, 
"the 
Gospel 
in 
a 
nut 
shell." 
The 
whole 
message 
of 
God 
is 
contained 
in 
a 
condensed 
form 
in 
these 
words: 
(1) 
Man's 
need 
is 
shown-his 
perishing 
condition, 
his 
need 
of 
divine 
help. 
(2) 
God's 
love 
is 
declared, 
and 
the 
proof 
of 
it 
is 
pointed 
out 
to 
be 
the 
gift 
of 
his 
Son. 
(3) 
Our 
Lord's 
willing 
cooperation 
in 
the 
Father's 
plan 
is 
evidenced. 
( 
4) 
The 
lengths 
and 
breaaths 
of 
this 
love 
and 
redemp­ 
tion 
are 
declared 
to 
embrace 
the 
whole 
world, 
and 
not 
merely 
a 
section, 
a 
family 
or 
class. 
(5) 
The 
limitations 
of 
divine 
~ace 
are 
plainly 
stated: 
only 
through 
a 
true 
acceptance 
of 
Christ 
can 
any 
obtain 
this 
great 
blessing-release 
from 
the 
perishing 
conditions 
of 
the 
curse 
and 
full 
reinstatement 
in 
the 
divine 
favor 
and 
its 
blessed 
reward 
of 
life 
everlasting. 
Thus 
this 
Gospel 
statement 
assures 
us 
that 
there 
is 
no 
hope 
for 
the 
heathen 
in 
their 
ignorance, 
a.nd 
points 
us, 
as 
do 
other 
Scriptures, 
for 
all 
hope 
respecting 
them 
to 
the 
future, 
when 
the 
voice 
of 
th(> 
Son 
of 
man 
who 
redeemed 
them 
shall 
call 
alI 
from 
the 
grave, 
to 
the 
intent 
that 
all 
maJ7 
!lttain 
to 
resurrection 
pl'rfection 
under 
the 
judgm(>nt8 
of 
the 
Millennial 
age. 
"When 
the 
judgments 
of 
the 
Lord 
are 
abroad 
in 
the 
earth, 
the 
inhabitants 
of 
the 
world 
will 
learn 
righteousness," 
and 
many 
who 
have 
gone 
down 
into 
the 
tomb 
under 
the 
curse, 
and 
in 
ignorance 
of 
the 
only 
name 
given 
under 
heaven 
and 
amongst 
men, 
shall 
ultimately 
be 
blessed 
as 
they 
shall 
hear 
of 
the 
great 
!\alvation 
God 
has 
provided, 
and 
if 
they 
shall 
aecept 
it 
upon 
God's 
terms. 
BEAUTIFUL 
SECRET 
"But 
my 
harp 
of 
life 
was 
lifted 
By 
One 
who 
knew 
the 
range 
Of 
its 
many 
strings-for 
he 
made 
it, 
And 
he 
struck 
a 
keynote 
strange; 
And 
beneath 
the 
touch 
of 
the 
Master 
I 
heard 
the 
music 
change. 
"No 
longer 
it 
failed 
and 
faltered; 
No 
longer 
sobbed 
and 
strove; 
But 
it 
seemed 
to 
soar 
and 
mingle 
With 
the 
songs 
of 
heaven 
above; 
For 
the 
pierced 
hand 
of 
the 
Master 
Had 
struck 
the 
keynote-Love. 
MY 
"And 
I 
know 
that 
ere 
I 
learned 
it, 
My 
way 
was 
weary 
and 
hard, 
And 
somewhere 
in 
life's 
music 
There 
was 
always 
that 
which 
jarred­ 
A 
hidden 
and 
dreary 
discord 
That 
alI 
its 
sweetness 
marred. 
"I 
have 
learned 
a 
beautiful 
secret, 
I 
know 
not 
how 
or 
where- 
But 
I 
know 
it 
is 
sweet 
and 
precious, 
And 
true, 
and 
glad, 
and 
fair; 
And 
that 
God 
in 
heaven 
reveals 
it 
To 
all 
that 
have 
ears 
to 
hear. 
"Thy 
heart's 
long-prisoned 
music 
Let 
the 
Master's 
hand 
set 
free! 
Let 
him 
whisper 
his 
beautiful 
secret 
To 
thee, 
as 
he 
hath 
to 
me: 
':Mv 
Love 
is 
the 
Golden 
Kernote 
Of 
all 
my 
will 
for 
thee.' 
' 
-E. 
D. 
Oherry. 
YOLo 
XXVI 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
JANUARY 
15, 
1905 
No.2 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
JEWISH 
COMMENT 
ON 
MR. 
ZANGWILL'S 
MISSION 
Israel 
Zangwill, 
the 
author 
and 
playwright, 
has 
come 
to 
this 
country 
to 
interest 
leading 
Jewish 
citizens 
in 
the 
estab­ 
lishment 
of 
a 
Zionist 
colony 
in 
British 
East 
Afriea. 
The 
plan 
he 
advocates 
was 
projected 
at 
the 
last 
Zionist 
('on~ress 
in 
Ba~le, 
and 
has 
a 
practical 
interest, 
in 
view 
of 
the 
British 
Government's 
declared 
willingness 
to 
set 
aside 
a 
large 
tract 
of 
land 
011 
the 
Nandi 
Plateau, 
Uganda, 
for 
purposes 
of 
Jewish 
colonization. 
As 
Mr. 
Zangwill 
explains 
(in 
an 
interview 
reported 
in 
the 
New 
York 
Times) 
: 
"This 
is 
not 
merely 
a 
dream 
in 
the 
air. 
It 
is 
an 
actual 
offer 
of 
the 
Government, 
made 
under 
the 
auspices 
of 
Joseph 
Cham­ 
berlain. 
"The 
first 
Jews 
who 
went 
to 
Palestine 
did 
not 
go 
there 
[3487] 
January 1, 1905 isfactory evidences as they obtain through Spiritualiste— whose knowledge and manifestations we hold, according to the Scriptures, are from the same evil origin as those of the heathen—the fallen angels who personate the human dead. Respecting the latter our Lord in this verse distinctly tells us that they have not ascended to heaven, elsewhere (John 5:29) he tells us that they are in their graves—that they are dead, and will so remain until his power and authority shall call them forth again to being. The Apostle Peter’s testimony respecting the Prophet, David, one of the ancient worthies, is along the same line. He declares, “David is not ascended into the heavens.”—Acts 2:34. The last three words of the 13th verse are spurious. They were not in the original manuscript, and are not found in the oldest Greek manuscript discovered about half a century ago, the Sinaitic. These words were doubtless added by some wellmeaning person who wished to express his faith that the Lord had risen and ascended on high; he did not notice that the addition of these words makes nonsense as they are placed— they would make Jesus say that he was in heaven at the time he was talking to Nicodemus. How important it is that we have a knowledge of the unadulterated Word of God. We must neither add to nor take from it; and when we find, as in this case, that some one either intentionally or unintentionally added these words to the original text, we should cancel them and thus free ourselves from the confusion they would otherwise create. A similar instance of an improper addition to the Lord’s Word is found in the last verse of John’s Gospel, which is a most palpable untruth, and is omitted from the oldest Greek manuscript, the Sinaitic. Another similar case is the first séntence of Revelation 20:5. Concerning this latter see MiLLENNIAL Dawn, Vol. I., page 288, foot note. UPLIFTED LIKE MOSES’ SERPENT Our Lord did not stop with a mere answer to his visitor’s questions about the kingdom being heavenly, but proceeded to give him in brief form an outline of the entiro plan of salvation. He reminded bim of the Israelites bitten by the fiery serpents in the wilderness, and that God had directed Moses to lift on a pole a copper serpent, to which the Israelites who would exercise faith might look and receive healing. Our Lord announced that he was to be the antitype of this; that he would be lifted up on the cross and thus made to appear as the sinner—to take the place of the sinner—so that the whole world of mankind, bitten by sin and dying as a result, might look unto him by faith and be healed. What a wonderful condensation of a great truth the Lord here expressed! It was the typical lesson of his own substitution as man’s Redeemer and sin bearer, and clearly taught that faith in him as such is essential to a recovery from the fall and its results. This blessed privilege of looking to the ZION’S WATCH TOWER (15-19) Lord and being healed is already accorded to such as hear the message and accept it—“Look and live!” Believers who now by faith can realize their sins forgiven are thrice blessed. But we thank God that his provision ig not merely for those ‘who now have the hearing ear and the eye of faith, but that eventually all the blind eyes shall be opened and all the deaf ears unstopped, and the message, “Look and live!” and again, “Partake of the water of life freely,” will be heard by every member of Adam’s race, that each may have a full and fair opportunity of acquiring his share of the blessings secured for Adam and all his race by Christ’s death. Thus eventually it will be not only whosoever believeth, but all who will have the necessary conditions to permit them to believe, to permit them to enjoy their share of the gift of God, eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. THE GOLDEN TEXT Our Golden Text is a wonderful verse, and all the more wonderful the more we understand of the lengths and breadths and heights and depths of the divine plan of salvation. Luther, who grasped the Gospel message more fully than may of his day, and yet less fully than we see the reality to be, called this verse the “little Bible.” We would express the same in the words, “the Gospel in a nut shell.” The whole message of God is contained in a condensed form in these words: (1) Man’s need is shown—his perishing condition, his need of divine help. (2) God’s love is declared, and the proof of it is pointed out to be the gift of his Son. (3) Our Lord’s willing coJperation in the Father’s plan is evidenced, (4) The lengths and breaaths of this love and redemption are declared to embrace the whole world, and not merely a section, a family or class. (5) The limitations of divine grace are plainly stated: only through a true acceptance of Christ can any obtain this great blessing—release from the perishing conditions of the curse and full reinstatement in the divine favor and its blessed reward of life everlasting. Thus this Gospel statement assures us that there is no hope for the heathen in their ignorance, and points us, as do other Scriptures, for all hope respecting them to the future, when the voice of the Son of man who redeemed them shall call all from the grave, to the intent that all may attain to resurrection perfection under the judgments of the Millennial age. “When the judgments of the Lord are abroad in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness,” and many who have gone down into the tomb under the curse, and in ignorance of the only name given under heaven and amongst men, shall ultimately be blessed as they shall hear of the great salvation God has provided, and if they shall aecept it upon God’s terms, MY BEAUTIFUL SECRET “T have learned a beautiful secret, I know not how or where— But I know it is sweet and precious, And true, and glad, and fair; And that God in heaven reveals it To all that have ears to hear. “And I know that ere I learned it, My way was weary and hard, And somewhere in life’s music There was always that which jarred— A hidden and dreary discord That all its sweetness marred. “But my harp of life was lifted By One who knew the range Of its many strings—for he made it, And he struck a keynote strange; And beneath the touch of the Master I heard the music change, “No longer it failed and faltered; No longer sobbed and strove; But it seemed to soar and mingle With the songs of heaven above; For the pierced hand of the Master Had struck the keynote—Love. “Thy heart’s long-prisoned music Let the Master’s hand set free! Let him whisper his beautiful secret To thee, as he hath to me: ‘My Love is the Golden Keynote Of all my will for thee.’ ’ —E. D. Cherry. Vou. XXVI ALLEGHENY, PA., JANUARY 15, 1905 No. 2 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER JEWISH COMMENT ON MR. ZANGWILL’S MISSION Israel Zangwill, the author and playwright, has come to this country to interest leading Jewish citizens in the establishment of a Zionist colony in British East Africa. The plan he advocates was projected at the last Zionist congress in Basle, and has a practical interest, in view of the British Government’s declared willingness to set aside a large tract of land on the Nandi Plateau, Uganda, for purposes of Jewish colonization. As Mr. Zangwill explains (in an interview reported in the New York Times): “This is not merely a dream in the air. It is an actual offer of the Government, made under the auspices of Joseph Chamberlain. “The first Jews who went to Palestine did not go there [3487]

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