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(335-339)
ZION'S
WATCH
TOWER
ALLJl(lHIlNY',
PA.
has
called
us,
who
also
will
do
it,"
(1
Thess.
5:24)-he
will
do
all
he
has
promised
to
do,
exceedingly
more
abundantly
than
we
could
have
asked
of
him
or
expected.
The
whole
mat
ter
is
with
us:
if
our
consecration
is
based
upon
faith
in
the
redemptive
work
of
our
Lord,
if
it
is
a
full
and
complete
con·
secration,
and
if
we
live
it
out
day
by
day,
the
results
will
be
all
and
more
than
we
ever
expected.
"LET
EVERYTHING
BE
DONE
DEOENTLY
AND
IN
ORDER"
Our
lesson
shows
that
Ezra
divided
the
wealth
contributed
by
the
Jews
throughout
Babylonia
and
Persia
and
by
the
king
amongst
twelve
prominent
men
of
the
Levitical
tribe,
strict
count
being
kept
of
what
each
received
and
he
being
held
re
sponsible
for
the
delivery
of
that
amount
to
the
properly
con
stituted
representatives
of
the
Jews
at
Jerusalem.
Thus
our
Lord,
who
is
the
Captain
of
our
journey
and
who
is
bringing
us
to
the
heavenly
kingdom,
gives
to
every
one
of
his
follow
ers
pounds
and
talents
for
which
they
must
ultimately
give
account.
In
verse
28
Ezra
said
to
these
twelve
men,
"Ye
are
holy
unto
the
Lord
and
the
vessels
are
holy,
and
the
gold
and
silver
are
a
freewell
offering
unto
God,
the
God
of
your
fathers.
Watch
ye
and
keep
them,
until
ye
weigh
them
before
the
chief
of
the
priests
and
the
Levites
and
the
princes
of
the
fathers'
houses
of
Israel
at
Jerusalem
in
the
chambers
of
the
house
of
the
Lord."
The
chambers
of
the
Temple
were
the
little
rooms
of
the
court,
separate
from
the
Temple
yet
connected
there·
with.
In
these
the
officiating
priests
lived,
and
in
them
were
stored
the
treasures
belonging
to
the
Temple
and
its
service;
they
were,
therefore,
the
safety
deposit
vaults
of
that
time
far
the
Lord's
treasury.
We
can
see
the
responsibility
that
rested
upon
those
men,
yet
still
greater
responsibility
rests
upon
us
who
have
re
ceived
of
the
Lord's
spiritual
gifts
and
treasures,
his
great
truth.
If
it
was
required
of
those
men
handling
earthly
treas
ures
that
they
should
be
faithful
and
watchful,
diligent.
much
more
may
this
be
reasonably
required
of
us-"A
charge
to
keep
I
have,
a
God
to
glorify."
All
of
these
lessons
should
come
to
us
as
fresh
reminders
of
our
responsibility,
not
for
our
discouragement,
but
reversely
to
make
us
more
watchful,
more
careful,
more
zealous,
more
appreciative
of
the
riches
of
God's
grace
committed
to
us.
Those
of
old
time
were
to
hide
their
treasure,
but
we
are
commanded
to
show
ours
on
every
occasion-"Let
your
light
so
shine
before
men,
that
they
see
ing
your
good
works
may
glorify
your
Father
who
is
in
heav
en."
The
more
we
let
our
light
shine,
the
brighter
it
will
shine;
the
more
we
use
and
display
the
riches
of
God's
grace
entrusted
to
us,
the
more
valuable
will
be
our
treasure
and
the
more
safe
we
will
be,
for
it
is
a
treasure
which
our
enemies
will
not
really
covet,
and
our
faithfulness
in
acknowledging
the
Lord
in
all
our
ways
will
assure
us
of
his
protection
and
care.
AT
THE
JOURNEY'S
END
Ezra
and
his
company,
after
a
four
months'
journey,
ar
rived
safe
at
Jerusalem,
the
Lord
having
indeed
kept
them
and
delivered
them
from
the
marauding
bands
of
enemies
on
the
journey.
Then
it
was
that
Ezra's
real
work
began.
He
found
matters
at
Jerusalem
and
throughout
Judea
in
a
much
worse
condition
than
he
had
anticipated,
and
was
used
of
the
Lord
in
instituting
a
very
radical
national
reformation
which
proved
a
great
blessing
to
the
people,
though
it
sifted
out
some
of
their
number.
Ezra
magnified
the
Law,
showing
the
people
how
the
ea..
lamities
that
had
befallen
them
as
a
nation
were
all
foretold
in
the
Law
and
were
all
the
result
of
a
failure
to
keep
the
Law,
and
the
proper
course
now
was
not
only
to
rebuild
the
Temple,
as
they
had
done,
but
to
go
back
to
the
Law
and
seek
to
keep
it
inviolate
to
the
best
of
their
ability.
He
pointed
to
the
fact
that
they
had
made
unlawful
unions
with
the
tribes
and
nationalities
surrounding
them,
and
that
the
only
course
remaining
was
to
separate
themselves
from
all
heathen
people.
This
involved
special
trouble
and
trial
in
cases
where
Jews
had
married
heathen
wives,
and
Ezra's
course
would
be
roundly
denounced
by
the
entire
civilized
world
today;
but
evidently
he
did
the
proper
thing
at
the
proper
time
in
God's
estimation,
and
was
the
divine
instrument
in
sharply
separat
ing
between
the
Jews
and
other
peoples.
This
spirit
has
per·
sisted
amongst
the
Jews
ever
since,
and
the
effect
has
beell
what
the
Lord
desired,
the
keeping
of
that
nation
and
people
comparatively
separate
and
distinct
from
all
others.
True,
it
wrought
great
hardship
upon
the
wives
who
were
put
away
and
the
children
who
were
thus
alienated,
though
much
the
same
course
is
today
prescribed
by
law
against
the
Mormons,
and
the
wives
of
plural
marriages
and
bigamists.
A
lesson
for
spiritual
Israelites
may
be
found
herein,
though
not
according
to
the
exact
letter
of
Ezra's
teaching.
The
spiritual
Israelite
is
directed
by
the
Captain
of
our
Sal·
vation,
through
the
Apostle
Paul
as
hiR
mouthpiece,
to
be
not
unequally
yoked
together
with
unbelievers
in
marriage,
and
to
have
as
little
as
possible
to
do
with
the
world
in
gen
eral.
Nevertheless
the
spiritual
Israelite
is
enjoined
that
if
the
unbelieving
husband
or
wife
remain
and
it
be
possible
to
live
together
in
unity
even
under
trying
circumstances,
they
should
do
it;
but
if
the
unbelievin~
one
depart,
let
him
cle
part,
consider
it
to
be
of
the
Lord's
providence
that
the
Israelite
should
be
free
from
a
vexatious
alliance,
though
he
would
not
be
free
to
remarry.
•
'HOW
LOVE
I
THY
LA
WI"
The
call
of
Ezra's
teaching,
enforced
by
the
word
of
the
Lord
through
the
Law
upon
the
Israelites
who
had
gotten
into
worldly
conditions
and
alliances,
must
have
been
very
similar
to
the
proclamation
of
present
truth
today
amongst
Protes
tants.
After
having
come
out
of
Babylon
to
the
extent
of
leaving
Roman
Catholicism,
they
have
become
involved
WIth
the
world
in
a
system
which
may
very
properly
be
termed
Baby.
lonish-churchianity.
The
Lord's
people
have
entered
worldly
alliances
through
worldly
sects
and
parties,
contrary
to
the
divine
injunction
and
the
spirit
of
the
divine
law,
which
com
mands
us
to
be
subject
in
religious
matters
to
the
Lord
and
to
him
alone.
These
misalliances
with
the
daughters
of
Rome
are
so
general
in
our
day
that
only
the
Israelites
indeed
will
have
the
spiritual
ears
to
hear
the
message
or
the
spiritual
courage
to
break
off
the
improper
union,
to
stand
out
separate
from
all
earthly
alliances
as
the
people
of
God,
recognizing
one
Head
of
the
one
church
whose
names
are
written
in
heaven-recognizing
as
brethren
all
who
ate
united
to
that
one
Head,
and
repudiating
all
false
bodies
of
Christ
(churches)
as
well
as
the
false
heads
to
which
they
are
united.
This
is
the
particular
trial
apparently
of
our
day.
The
voice
of
the
Lord
is
being
sounded
forth
in
every
quarter
of
Christendom,
saying.
"Babylon
is
fallen,
is
fallen.
Come
out
of
her,
my
people,
that
ye
partake
not
of
her
sins
and
receive
not
of
her
plagues."
The
churchianity
of
Protestantism
is
but
a
transplanting
of
the
spirit
of
Babylon
to
new
ground,
and
brings
into
bondage
all
those
who
will
associate
with
these
sects
and
parties;
and
all
who
would
be
in
full
accord
with
the
Lord
and
have
his
fullest
blessing
must
be
faithful
to
his
meOllage
and
stand
firm
and
loyal
to
him
at
any
cost.
To
such
and
such
alone
the
message
of
the
Lord
is
now
going
forth,
proving
a.
glorious
blessing
and
uplift,
bringing
them
nearer
to
the
Lord
and
into
closer
fellowship
with
those
who
are
truly
his
and
most
completely
under
the
blessing
and
provis
ions
which
he
has
made
for
his
faithful.
VOL.
XXVI
ALLEGHENY,
P
A.,
NOVEMBER
15,
1905
No.
22
VIEWS
FROM
THE
WATCH
TOWER
A
BISHOP'S
GLOOMY
SURVEY
the
reports
were
read,
showing
the
/ll'eat
growth
of
the
Society
"The
growth
of
divorces
and
suicides,
the
trying
controversy
in
recent
years.
a
delegate
caused
consternation
by
inquiring
with
regard
to
the
education
question,
and
many
other
things,
why
every
form
of
evil
seems
to
be
growing
proportionately
had
made
many
people
anxious
as
to
the
future
of
the
coun·
more
rapidly.
The
same
question
would
apply
to
nearly
all
the
try,
not
to
speak
of
the
church."
reports
of
Babylon's
expansion
and
federations.
This
pessimistic
utterance
was
made
at
a
conference
of
The
trouble
seems
to
be
that
it
is
not
the
right
kind
of
re-
clergy
and
church
workers
at
Blandford
b)"
the
Bishop
of
Salis-
ligion
that
is
being
promulgated
and
"compassing
sea
and
bury,
who
added
that
there
had
been
revealed
to
them
the
terri-
land."
The
fear
of
a
hell
of
torment
has
for
so
long
been
the
ble
fact
that
a
great
many
were
giving
up
public
worship,
and
basis
of
all
religious
effort
that
now,
when
sensible
people
can
that
a
large
proportion
of
the
people
of
England
paid
little
at·
no
longer
swallow
it,
and
when
it
is
no
longer
preached
in
in·
tention
to
religion
at
all.
telligent
communities,
there
is
little
left
as
a
basis
for
Chris-
•
•
•
t,ill,n
life.
The
press
states
that
when
at
the
last
convention
of
the
The
public
in
general
are
ignorant
of
the
faith
and
hopes
"Young
People's
Society
of
Christian
Endeavor"
at
Baltimore,
set
forth
by
the
Bible;
they
are
but
"babes,"
and
the
majority
[3660]
(335-339) has called us, who also will do it,” (1 Thess. 5:24)—he will do all he has promised to do, exceedingly more abundantly than we could have asked of him or expected. The whole matter is with us: if our consecration is based upon faith in the redemptive work of our Lord, if it is a full and complete consecration, and if we live it out day by day, the results will be all and more than we ever expected, ‘“‘LET EVERYTHING BE DONE DECENTLY AND IN ORDER’’ Our lesson shows that Ezra divided the wealth contributed by the Jews throughout Babylonia and Persia and by the king amongst twelve prominent men of the Levitical tribe, strict count being kept of what each received and he being held responsible for the delivery of that amount to the properly constituted representatives of the Jews at Jerusalem. Thus our Lord, who is the Captain of our journey and who is bringing us to the heavenly kingdom, gives to every one of his followers pounds and talents for which they must ultimately give account, In verse 28 Ezra said to these twelve men, “Ye are holy unto the Lord and the vessels are holy, and the gold and silver are a freewell offering unto God, the God of your fathers. Watch ye and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites and the princes of the fathers’ houses of Israel at Jerusalem in the chambers of the house of the Lord.” The chambers of the Temple were the little rooms of the court, separate from the Temple yet connected therewith. In these the officiating priests lived, and in them were stored the treasures belonging to the Temple and its service; they were, therefore, the safety deposit vaults of that time for the Lord’s treasury. We can see the responsibility that rested upon those men, yet still greater responsibility rests upon us who have received of the Lord’s spiritual gifts and treasures, his great truth. If it was required of those men handling earthly treasures that they should be faithful and watchful, diligent, much more may this be reasonably required of us—‘A charge to keep I have, a God to glorify.” All of these lessons should come to us as fresh reminders of our responsibility, not for our discouragement, but reversely to make us more watchful, more careful, more zealous, more appreciative of the riches of God’s grace committed to us. Those of old time were to hide their treasure, but we are commanded to show ours on every oceasion—“Let your light so shine before men, that they seeing your good works may glorify your Father who is in heaven.” The more we let our light shine, the brighter it will shine; the more we use and display the riches of God’s grace entrusted to us, the more valuable will be our treasure and the more safe we will be, for it is a treasure which our enemies will not really covet, and our faithfulness in acknowledging the Lord in all our ways will assure us of his protection and care. AT THE JOURNEY’S END Ezra and his company, after a four months’ journey, arrived safe at Jerusalem, the Lord having indeed kept them and delivered them from the marauding bands of enemies on the journey. Then it was that Ezra’s real work began. He found matters at Jerusalem and throughout Judea in a much worse condition than he had anticipated, and was used of the Lord in instituting a very radical national reformation which proved a great blessing to the people, though it sifted out some of their number. Ezra magnified the Law, showing the people how the calamities that had befallen them as a nation were all foretold in the Law and were all the result of a failure to keep the Law, and the proper course now was not only to rebuild the Temple, as they had done, but to go back to the Law and seek ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLEcHENY, Pa. to keep it inviolate to the best of their ability. He pointed to the fact that they had made unlawful unions with the tribes and nationalities surrounding them, and that the only course remaining was to separate themselves from all heathen people. This involved special trouble and trial in cases where Jews had married heathen wives, and Ezra’s course would be toundly denounced by the entire civilized world today; but evidently he did the proper thing at the proper time in God’s estimation, and was the divine instrument in sharply separating between the Jews and other peoples. This spirit has persisted amongst the Jews ever since, and the effect has been what the Lord desired, the keeping of that nation and people comparatively separate and distinct from all others. True, it wrought great hardship upon the wives who were put away and the children who were thus alienated, though much the same course is today prescribed by law against the Mormons, and the wives of plural marriages and bigamists. A lesson for spiritual] Israelites may be found herein, though not according to the exact letter of Ezra’s teaching. The spiritual Israelite is directed by the Captain of our Sa vation, through the Apostle Paul as his mouthpiece, to be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers in marriage, and to have as little as possible to do with the world in general, Nevertheless the spiritual Israelite is enjoined that if the unbelieving husband or wife remain and it be possible to live together in unity even under trying circumstances, they should do it; but if the unbelieving one depart, let him depart, consider it to be of the Lord’s providence that the Israelite should be free from a vexatious alliance, though he would not be free to remarry. “HOW LOVE I THY LAW!’’ The call of Ezra’s teaching, enforced by the word of the Lord through the Law upon the Israelites who had gotten into worldly conditions and alliances, must have been very similar to the proclamation of present truth today amongst Protestants. After having come out of Babylon to the extent of leaving Roman Catholicism, they have become involved with the world in a system which may very properly be termed Babylonish—churchianity. The Lord’s people have entered worldly alliances through worldly sects and parties, contrary to the divine injunction and the spirit of the divine law, which commands us to be subject in religious matters to the Lord and to him alone. These misalliances with the daughters of Rome are so general in our day that only the Israelites indeed will have the spiritual ears to hear the message or the spiritual courage to break off the improper union, to stand out separate from all earthly alliances as the people of God, recognizing one Head of the one church whose names are written in heaven—recognizing as brethren all who are united to that one Head, and repudiating all false bodies of Christ (churches) as well as the false heads to which they are united. This is the particular trial apparently of our day. The voice of the Lord is being sounded forth in every quarter of Christendom, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen. Come out of her, my people, that ye partake not of her sins and receive not of her plagues.” The churchianity of Protestantism is but a transplanting of the spirit of Babylon to new ground, and brings into bondage all those who will associate with these sects and parties; and all who would be in full accord with the Lord and have his fullest blessing must be faithful to his message and stand firm and loyal to him at any cost. To such and such alone the message of the Lord is now going forth, proving a glorious blessing and uplift, bringing them nearer to the Lord and into closer fellowship with those who are truly his and most completely under the blessing and provisions which he has made for his faithful. Vou. XXVI ALLEGHENY, PA., NOVEMBER 15, 1905 No. 22 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER A BISHOP’S GLOOMY SURVEY “The growth of divorces and suicides, the trying controversy with regard to the education question, and many other things, had made many people anxious as to the future of the country, not to speak of the church.” This pessimistic utterance was made at a conference of clergy and church workers at Blandford by the Bishop of Salisbury, who added that there had been revealed to them the terrible fact that a great many were giving up public worship, and that a large proportion of the people of England paid little attention to religion at all. . The press states that when at the last convention of the “Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor” at Baltimore, the reports were read, showing the great growth of the Society in recent years, a delegate caused consternation by inquiring why every form of evil seems to be growing proportionately more rapidly. The same question would apply to nearly all the reports of Babylon’s expansion and federations. The trouble seems to be that it is not the right kind of religion that is being promulgated and “compassing sea and land.” ‘The fear of a hell of torment has for so long been the basis of all religious effort that now, when sensible people can no longer swallow it, and when it is no longer preached in intelligent communities, there is little left as a basis for Christian life. The public in general are ignorant of the faith and hopes set forth by the Bible; they are but “babes,” and the majority [3660]
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