Publication date
5/15/06
Volume
27
Number
10
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1906/10/1906-10-1.html
 
 
MAY 
t. 
1906 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
deliverance, 
their 
help 
must 
come 
in 
another 
way-by 
the 
fall 
of 
present 
institutions 
and 
the 
establishment 
of 
the 
kingdom 
of 
God's 
dear 
Son 
in 
power 
and 
great 
glory, 
the 
binding 
of 
Satan 
and 
the 
uplifting 
of 
all 
the 
debased 
ones 
and 
the 
en­ 
lightening 
of 
the 
whole 
world. 
What 
further 
evidence 
do 
we 
need 
that 
those 
people, 
pro­ 
fessing 
to 
be 
the 
chosen 
people 
of 
God, 
professing 
to 
hope 
for 
the 
coming 
of 
Messiah 
and 
his 
kingdom, 
were 
making 
such 
pro­ 
fessions 
only 
with 
their 
lips 
and 
that 
they 
did 
not 
come 
from 
the 
heart 
1 
They 
loved 
better 
the 
ways 
of 
sin 
than 
the 
prom­ 
ised 
ways 
of 
righteousness. 
Our 
Lord 
did 
not 
force 
himself 
upon 
them-with 
his 
disciples 
he 
again 
entered 
into 
the 
ship 
to 
leave 
their 
shore. 
The 
time 
had 
not 
yet 
come 
to 
establish 
the 
kingdom 
by 
force. 
That 
was 
deferred 
until 
the 
election, 
the 
selection 
of 
the 
faithful 
ones, 
should 
be 
accomplished-the 
selection 
of 
the 
Israelites 
indeed 
from 
amongst 
natural 
Israel, 
and 
eventually, 
by 
the 
begetting 
of 
the 
Spirit, 
from 
among 
all 
nations, 
peoples, 
kindreds 
and 
tongues, 
to 
whom 
the 
message 
of 
God's 
love 
and 
grace 
will 
be 
sent. 
Soon 
the 
selection 
will 
be 
accomplished 
and 
the 
reign 
of 
Messiah 
begin. 
While 
it 
would 
not 
be 
true 
to 
say 
that 
all 
mankind 
are 
possessed 
of 
devils, 
possessed 
of 
these 
evil 
spirits, 
these 
demons, 
and 
we 
thank 
God 
that 
it 
is 
not 
so, 
yet 
it 
would 
be 
true 
to 
say 
that 
through 
the 
influence 
of 
evil 
all 
mankind 
has 
become 
more 
or 
less 
possessed 
of 
the 
spirit 
of 
demons, 
the 
spirit 
of 
selfish· 
ness, 
the 
spirit 
of 
sin, 
alienation 
from 
God. 
From 
this 
stand­ 
point 
the 
whole 
world 
is 
slightly 
insane, 
some 
more, 
some 
less 
so. 
The 
Apostle 
corroborates 
this 
thought, 
saying 
of 
those 
who 
have 
accepted 
Christ 
and 
who 
have 
received 
of 
his 
Spirit, 
the 
new 
mind, 
that 
they 
have 
"the 
spirit 
of 
a 
sound 
mmd." 
(2 
Tim. 
1: 
7). 
He 
thus 
implies 
that 
previously 
they 
did 
not 
have 
a 
sound 
mind, 
and 
that 
the 
world 
in 
general 
does 
not 
have 
a 
sound 
mind, 
but 
unsound. 
The 
poor 
man 
out 
of 
whom 
a 
legion 
of 
devils 
was 
cast 
is 
an 
extreme 
example 
of 
all 
out 
of 
whom 
the 
spirit 
of 
evil 
is 
cast 
through 
the 
power 
of 
the 
truth. 
We 
are 
not 
so 
bad 
as 
he, 
thank 
God! 
No 
I 
Nevertheless 
it 
was 
not 
until 
we 
had 
received 
the 
new 
mind 
of 
Christ, 
not 
until 
the 
old 
things 
were 
done 
away 
and 
all 
things 
became 
new 
that 
we 
really 
stood 
at 
Jesus' 
feet, 
clothed 
and 
in 
our 
right 
mind. 
(2 
Cor. 
5:17). 
Thank 
God 
for 
the 
clothing 
which 
we 
have 
in 
Christ's 
robe 
of 
righteousness, 
covering 
our 
blemishes 
and 
imperfections, 
the 
bruises 
of 
sin 
and 
the 
injury 
which 
we 
did 
to 
ourselves. 
Thank 
God 
that 
this 
is 
stopped, 
that 
we 
can 
now 
see 
things 
from 
the 
better 
standpoint, 
from 
the 
only 
true 
stan 
d 
poin 
t. 
The 
healed 
man 
alone 
appreciated 
Jeslls 
or 
all 
the 
people 
(If 
that 
country. 
They 
wished 
him 
to 
depart, 
but 
this 
poor 
man 
entreated 
the 
Lord 
that 
he 
might 
go 
with 
him, 
that 
he 
might 
become 
one 
of 
his 
disciples. 
How 
touching 
I 
What 
a 
picture 
we 
have 
of 
those 
who 
receive 
the 
spirit 
of 
a 
sound 
mind, 
who 
now 
long 
to 
be 
with 
the 
Lord, 
who 
now 
long 
to 
be 
his 
disciples, 
to 
proclaim 
him 
to 
others, 
who 
now 
appreciate 
him 
as 
others 
do 
not. 
As 
the 
Apostle 
declared, 
"To 
you, 
who 
helieve, 
he 
is 
precious." 
(1 
Pet. 
2: 
7). 
The 
man 
may 
have 
heen 
fearful 
of 
being 
left 
lest 
the 
demons 
should 
take 
pos­ 
session 
of 
him 
again, 
or 
he 
may 
have 
been 
ashamed 
of 
his 
pre­ 
vious 
course 
in 
life 
and 
of 
his 
old 
associates, 
and 
thought 
to 
find 
new 
ones; 
but 
more 
probably 
we 
think 
he 
desired 
to 
be 
a 
witness 
to 
the 
Lord 
respecting 
the 
great 
lllessing 
which 
he 
had 
received 
through 
him. 
"GO 
TO 
THY 
HOME 
AND 
THY 
FRIENDS" 
While 
J 
csus 
refused 
the 
request 
he 
did 
not 
spurn 
the 
conse- 
cration, 
but 
sent 
the 
man 
back 
to 
his 
home 
and 
his 
friends, 
saying, 
"Tell 
them 
how 
great 
things 
the 
Lord 
hath 
done 
for 
thee, 
and 
hath 
had 
compassion 
on 
thee. 
And 
he 
departed 
and 
began 
to 
publish 
in 
Decapolis 
how 
great 
things 
Jesus 
had 
done 
to 
him: 
and 
all 
men 
did 
marveL" 
We 
know 
not 
how 
many 
of 
the 
people 
as 
a 
result 
of 
that 
preaching 
ultimately 
became 
the 
Lord's 
disciples-after 
Pentecost, 
after 
the 
Spirit 
dispen­ 
sation 
had 
been 
ushered 
in, 
under 
the 
power 
and 
guidance 
of 
which 
all 
the 
Israelites 
indeed 
were 
found 
and 
sealed 
by 
the 
Truth 
as 
followers 
of 
the 
Lord. 
We 
may 
reasonably 
suppose 
that 
there 
was 
some 
fruitage 
of 
the 
labor. 
Indeed 
our 
Lord's 
journey 
on 
that 
occasion 
seellls 
to 
have 
resulted 
in 
the 
conver­ 
sion 
of 
but 
the 
one 
person, 
the 
demoniac, 
his 
subsequent 
work 
therf' 
being 
done 
through 
him. 
We 
thank 
God 
that 
the 
proportion 
of 
those 
possessed 
by 
evil 
spirits 
is 
comparatively 
small, 
and 
we 
thank 
him 
also 
that 
amongst 
the 
whole 
of 
unsound 
minds 
we 
and 
others 
who 
have 
heard 
his 
message 
have 
been 
reached 
by 
it, 
reclaimed, 
and 
that 
we 
have 
come 
to 
the 
feet 
of 
Jesus 
clothed 
and 
in 
our 
right 
minds. 
Has 
he 
not 
a 
work 
for 
us 
to 
do' 
If 
we 
cannot 
be 
the 
apostles 
to 
follow 
his 
footsteps 
we 
can 
at 
least 
follow 
the 
example 
of 
this 
one 
freed 
from 
the 
demons: 
we 
can 
go 
to 
our 
own 
homes 
and 
to 
our 
friends 
and 
there 
confess 
the 
Lord 
and 
his 
mighty 
power 
in 
us. 
We 
can 
thus 
sound 
forth 
the 
praises 
of 
him 
who 
hath 
called 
us 
out 
of 
darkness 
into 
his 
marvellous 
light; 
we 
can 
thus 
be 
co-laborers 
together 
with 
God 
in 
the 
ministry 
of 
the 
truth, 
in 
the 
ministry 
of 
reconciliation, 
telling 
how 
great 
things 
the 
Lord 
hath 
done 
for 
us. 
Moreover, 
we 
are 
glad 
that 
he 
has 
had 
compassion 
on 
us, 
forgiven 
our 
sins, 
and, 
when 
we 
consecrated, 
accepted 
us 
and 
adopted 
us 
into 
the 
heavenly 
family 
and 
made 
us 
partakers 
of 
his 
holy 
Spirit 
and 
commanded 
us 
to 
proclaim 
the 
good 
tidings 
of 
his 
grace. 
Truly 
it 
would 
appear 
that 
none 
who 
have 
received 
God 
'9 
favors 
thus 
should 
receive 
them 
in 
vain-that 
all 
so 
honored 
should 
be 
awakened 
to 
newness 
of 
life 
and 
energy 
in 
the 
service 
of 
the 
Lord. 
One 
of 
the 
best 
testimonies 
we 
have 
ever 
heard 
as 
respects 
the 
power 
of 
Christian 
living 
and 
its 
influence 
upon 
others 
was 
from 
a 
lady 
who 
asked 
to 
be 
remembered 
in 
prayer, 
that 
she 
might 
be 
enabled 
to 
see 
clearly 
and 
to 
follow 
the 
truth. 
Subsequently 
we 
asked 
her 
why 
she 
had 
been 
anxious 
to 
see 
the 
truth, 
and 
her 
reply 
was: 
"I 
hllve 
a 
sister-in-law 
who 
has 
re­ 
ceiYed 
this 
truth, 
and 
her 
course 
in 
life 
since 
has 
convinced 
me 
that 
there 
is 
a 
power 
in 
the 
religion 
of 
Jesus 
that 
I 
did 
not 
previously 
recognize. 
For 
years 
I 
have 
been 
an 
agnostic, 
an 
unbeliever, 
and 
my 
friends 
and 
associates 
are 
of 
this 
class. 
I 
thoug-ht 
there 
was 
nothing 
to 
religion 
but 
merely 
ignorance 
and 
superstition, 
but 
when 
my 
sister 
took 
up 
with 
the 
MILLENNIAL 
DAWN 
views 
it 
made 
such 
a 
great 
change 
in 
her 
life, 
all 
her 
conduct 
seemed 
so 
transformed, 
that 
I 
said 
to 
myself, 
'There 
is 
a 
rower, 
there 
must 
be 
truth 
in 
the 
religion 
of 
Jesus, 
for 
I 
see 
it 
now 
demonstrated 
in 
the 
life 
of 
this 
woman, 
and 
I 
desire 
the 
same 
for 
myself.' 
" 
0, 
that 
we 
all 
might 
be 
diligent 
to 
be 
thus 
faithful 
stewards 
of 
the 
grace 
of 
God, 
and 
faithful 
representatives 
of 
our 
great 
Redeemer-not 
only 
witnessing 
with 
our 
lips, 
but 
in 
all 
the 
departments 
of 
life 
testifying 
that 
we 
are 
now 
sane, 
that 
we 
haye 
now 
the 
spirit 
of 
a 
sound 
mind, 
that 
we 
love 
the 
things 
that 
are 
right 
and 
true 
and 
noble 
and 
good, 
that 
we 
hate 
and 
aM 
living 
in 
opposition 
to 
the 
things 
which 
are 
sinful 
and 
contrary 
to 
the 
mind 
of 
the 
Lord 
and 
the 
ways 
of 
righteous­ 
ness. 
VOL. 
XXVII 
ALLEGHENY, 
P 
A., 
MAY 
15, 
1906 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
No. 
10 
[3773] 
SADLY 
CONFUSED 
TEACmNG 
The 
Christian 
Evangelist, 
in 
a 
prominent 
article 
entitled, 
"What 
is 
the 
SoulT" 
says: 
"To 
man 
is 
given 
the 
power 
to 
create 
an 
immortal 
soul, 
and 
father 
and 
mother 
walk 
hand 
in 
hand 
with 
God. 
It 
is 
fitting 
that 
the 
halo 
of 
love 
should 
shine 
around 
the 
mated 
pair, 
and 
that 
the 
new 
home 
should 
glow 
with 
light 
from 
the 
glory-world, 
for 
Eden's 
morn 
is 
dawning 
again 
to 
sweet 
new 
souls-souls 
that 
are 
born 
of 
man 
and 
also 
born 
of 
Gud." 
When 
our 
friends 
of 
the 
Christian 
denomination 
get 
sufficiently 
awake 
to 
inquire 
for 
a 
Scripture 
authority 
for 
all 
reiigious 
teaching, 
the 
editor 
of 
the 
Evangelist 
and 
others 
will 
criticize 
what 
is 
published 
much 
more 
thoroughly 
than 
they 
do 
now; 
and 
a 
totally 
unscriptural 
article 
of 
the 
kind 
referred 
to 
will 
not 
appear 
in 
journals 
claiming 
"No 
creed 
but 
the 
Bible." 
The 
idea 
that 
God 
would 
go 
into 
partnership 
with 
the 
V-6 
majority 
of 
parents 
who 
knaw 
him 
not 
or 
who 
are 
his 
ene­ 
mies 
through 
wicked 
works 
is 
absurd 
on 
the 
face 
of 
it, 
as 
well 
as 
unscriptural. 
Worse, 
it 
is 
blasphemy 
against 
God! 
The 
very 
idea! 
That 
God 
should 
be 
charged 
with 
the 
re­ 
sponsibility 
of 
the 
direct 
creation 
of 
the 
poor 
misshapen, 
diseased 
little 
babes, 
the 
one-half 
of 
which 
have 
not 
vital­ 
ity 
enongh 
to 
reach 
matnrity, 
is 
surely 
the 
product 
of 
a 
deficient 
or 
sadly 
misdirected 
reason. 
Let 
God 
be 
true, 
though 
at 
the 
risk 
of 
making 
out 
that 
many 
men 
are 
liars 
or 
foolish. 
God's 
Word 
declares 
that 
infants 
are 
"born 
in 
sin, 
shapen 
in 
ini(]uitY"i 
and 
the 
only 
exceptions 
to 
this 
rule 
are 
the 
comparatively 
few 
children 
of 
the 
sanctified. 
(1 
Cor. 
7:14.) 
That 
the 
imllge 
of 
God 
has 
largely 
given 
place 
to 
the 
image 
of 
Satan 
is 
manifest 
in 
the 
many 
who 
"go 
astray 
as 
.soon 
as 
they 
are 
born" 
(Psa. 
53 
:3), 
and 
respectmg 
some 
of 
whom 
our 
Lord 
declared, 
"Ye 
are 
of 
yaur 
father 
the 
devil, 
for 
his 
works 
ye 
do."-John 
8:44. 
Alas 
that 
we 
must 
admit 
it, 
but 
who 
will 
deny 
that 
May 1, 1906 deliverance, their help must come in another way—by the fall of present institutions and the establishment of the kingdom of God’s dear Son in power and great glory, the binding of Satan and the uplifting of all the debased ones and the enlightening of the whole world. What further evidence do we need that those people, professing to be the chosen people of God, professing to hope for the coming of Messiah and his kingdom, were making such professions only with their lips and that they did not come from the heart? They loved better the ways of sin than the promised ways of righteousness. Our Lord did not force himself upon them—with his disciples he again entered into the ship to leave their shore. The time had not yet come to establish the kingdom by force. That was deferred until the election, the selection of the faithful ones, should be accomplished—the selection of the Israelites indeed from amongst natural Israel, and eventually, by the begetting of the Spirit, from among all nations, peoples, kindreds and tongues, to whom the message of God’s love and grace will be sent. Soon the selection will be accomplished and the reign of Messiah begin. While it would not be true to say that all mankind are possessed of devils, possessed of these evil spirits, these demons, and we thank God that it is not so, yet it would be true to say that through the influence of evil all mankind has become more or less possessed of the spirit of demons, the spirit of selfish. ness, the spirit of sin, alienation from God. From this standpoint the whole world is slightly insane, some more, some less so. The Apostle corroborates this thought, saying of those who have accepted Christ and who have received of his Spirit, the new mind, that they have ‘‘the spirit of a sound mind.’’ (2 Tim. 1:7). He thus implies that previously they did not have a sound mind, and that the world in general does not have a sound mind, but unsound. The poor man out of whom a legion of devils was cast is an extreme example of all out of whom the spirit of evil is cast through the power of the truth. We are not so bad as he, thank God! No! Nevertheless it was not until we had received the new mind of Christ, not until the old things were done away and all things became new that we really stood at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in our right mind. (2 Cor. 5:17). Thank God for the clothing which we have in Christ’s robe of righteousness, covering our blemishes and imperfections, the bruises of sin and the injury which we did to ourselves. Thank God that this is stopped, that we can now see things from the better standpoint, from the only true standpoint. The healcd man alone appreciated Jesus of all the people of that country. They wished him to depart, but this poor man entreated the Lord that he might go with him, that he might become one of his disciples. How touching! What a picture we have of those who receive the spirit of a sound mind, who now long to be with the Lord, who now long to be his disciples, to proclaim him to others, who now appreciate him as others do not. As the Apostle declared, ‘‘To you, who believe, he is precious.’? (1 Pet. 2:7). The man may have been fearful of being left lest the demons should take possession of him again, or he may have been ashamed of his previous course in life and of his old associates, and thought to find new ones; but more probably we think he desired to be a witness to the Lord respecting the great blessing which he had received through him. “GO TO THY HOME AND THY FRIENDS’’ While Jcsus refused the request he did not spurn the conse ZION’S WATCH TOWER (143-147) eration, but sent the man back to his home and his friends, saying, ‘‘Tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. And he departed and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done to him: and all men did marvel.’’ We know not how many of the people as a result of that preaching ultimately became the Lord’s disciples—after Pentecost, after the Spirit dispensation had been ushered in, under the power and guidance of which all the Israelites indeed were found and sealed by the Truth as followers of the Lord. We may reasonably suppose that there was some fruitage of the labor. Indeed our Lord’s journey on that occasion seems to have resulted in the conversion of but the one person, the demoniac, his subsequent work there being done through him. We thank God that the proportion of those possessed by evil spirits is comparatively small, and we thank him also that amongst the whole of unsound minds we and others who have heard his message have been reached by it, reclaimed, and that we have come to the feet of Jesus clothed and in our right minds, Has he not a work for us to do? If we cannot be the apostles to follow his footsteps we can at least follow the example of this one freed from the demons: we can go to our own homes and to our friends and there confess the Lord and his mighty power in us. We can thus sound forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light; we can thus be co-laborers together with God in the ministry of the truth, in the ministry of reconciliation, telling how great things the Lord hath done for us. Moreover, we are glad that he has had compassion on us, forgiven our sins, and, when we consecrated, accepted us and adopted us into the heavenly family and made us partakers of his holy Spirit and commanded us to proclaim the good tidings of his grace. Truly it would appear that none who have received God’s favors thus should receive them in vain—that all so honored should be awakened to newness of life and energy in the service of the Lord. One of the best testimonies we have ever heard as respects the power of Christian living and its influence upon others was from a lady who asked to be remembered in prayer, that she might be enabled to see clearly and to follow the truth. Subsequently we asked her why she had been anxious to see the truth, and her reply was: ‘‘I have a sister-in-law who has received this truth, and her course in life since has convinced me that there is a power in the religion of Jesus that I did not previously recognize. For years I have been an agnostic, an unbeliever, and my friends and associates are of this class. I thought there was nothing to religion but merely ignorance and superstition, but when my sister took up with the MILLENN1AL Dawn views it made such a great change in her life, all her conduct seemed so transformed, that I said to myself, ‘There is a power, there must be truth in the religion of Jesus, for I see it now demonstrated in the life of this woman, and I desire the same for myself.’ ’’ O, that we all might be diligent to be thus faithful stewards of the grace of God, and faithful representatives of our great Redeemer—not only witnessing with our lips, but in all the departments of life testifying that we are now sane, that we have now the spirit of a sound mind, that we love the things that are right and true and noble and good, that we hate and are living in opposition to the things which are sinful and contrary to the mind of the Lord and the ways of rightcousness. Vou. XXVII ALLEGHENY, PA., MAY 15, 1906 No. 10 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER SADLY CONFUSED TEACHING The Christian Evangelist, in a prominent article entitled, ‘‘What is the Soul?’’ says: “‘To man is given the power to create an immortal soul, and father and mother walk hand in hand with God. It is fitting that the halo of love should shine around the mated pair, and that the new home should glow with light from the glory-world, for Eden’s morn is dawning again to sweet new souls—souls that are born of man and also born of God.’’ When our friends of the Christian denomination get sufficiently awake to inquire for a Seripture authority for all religious teaching, the editor of the Evangelist and others will criticize what is published much more thoroughly than they do now; and a totally unscriptural article of the kind referred to will not appear in journals claiming ‘‘No creed but the Bible.’’ The idea that God would go into partnership with the vV—6 majority of parents who know him not or who are his enemies through wicked works is absurd on the face of it, as well as unscriptural. Worse, it is blasphemy against God! The very idea! That God should be charged with the responsibility of the direct creation of the poor misshapen, diseased little babes, the one-half of which have not vitality enongh to reach maturity, is surely the product of a deficient or sadly misdirected reason. Let God be true, though at the risk of making out that many men are liars or foolish, God’s Word declares that infants are ‘‘born in sin, shapen in iniquity’’; and the only exceptions to this rule are the comparatively few children of the sanctified. (1 Cor. 7:14.) That the image of God has largely given place to the image of Satan is manifest in the many who ‘“‘go astray as soon as they are born’’ (Psa. 53:3), and respecting some of whom our Lord declared, ‘‘Ye are of your father the devil, for his works ye do.’’—John 8:44. Alas that we must admit it, but who will deny that [3773]

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