Publication date
10/1/06
Volume
27
Number
19
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1906/19/1906-19-1.html
 
 
 
VOL. 
XXVII 
ALLEGHENY, 
P 
A., 
OCTOBER 
1, 
1906 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
No. 
19 
PRACTICAL 
RESULTS 
OF 
THE 
CHURCH 
FEDERATION 
MOVEMENT 
The 
following, 
clipped 
from 
a 
pamphlet 
entitled 
"Lib­ 
erty," 
we 
esteem 
worthy 
of 
presentation 
in 
these 
columns. 
<l 
No 
movement 
inaugurated 
during 
recent 
years 
is 
prob­ 
ably 
of 
greater 
significance 
than 
the 
Inter-Church 
Federation 
movement. 
It 
is 
one 
which 
cannot 
fail 
to 
be 
attended 
with 
tremendous 
consequences, 
and, 
if 
followed 
to 
its 
logical 
out­ 
come, 
will 
terminate 
in 
results 
which 
ought 
to 
cause 
every 
thoughtful 
person 
to 
shudder 
in 
advance. 
"The 
outcome 
of 
this 
federation 
movement 
has 
been 
plain­ 
ly 
outlinerl 
in 
the 
'sure 
work 
of 
prophecy.' 
History 
also 
illus­ 
trates, 
by 
similar 
movements, 
its 
meaning. 
"Concerning 
its 
importance, 
the 
chairman 
of 
the 
Inter­ 
Church 
Federation 
Conference, 
recently 
held 
in 
New 
York 
City, 
said: 
'This 
is 
one 
of 
the 
most 
notable 
assemblies 
of 
believers 
in 
Jesus 
Christ 
that 
has 
ever 
been 
seen. 
John 
Calvin 
wrote 
to 
Cranmer, 
archbishop 
of 
Canterbury, 
and 
declared 
he 
would 
cross 
any 
sea 
to 
make 
such 
a 
union 
effective. 
The 
dream 
of 
the 
great 
reformer 
and 
the 
great 
archbishop 
has 
met 
with 
realiza­ 
tion 
in 
these 
latter 
days.' 
A 
BIBLE 
PROHIBITION 
OF 
CONFEDERACY 
" 
'Say 
ye 
not, 
A 
confederacy, 
to 
all 
them 
to 
whom 
this 
people 
shall 
say, 
A 
confederacy; 
neither 
fear 
ye 
their 
fear, 
nor 
be 
afraid.' 
(Isa. 
8: 
12.) 
It 
is 
evident, 
from 
the 
context 
of 
this 
passage, 
that 
God's 
professed 
people 
inaugurated 
this 
federation 
movement 
against 
which 
he 
warned 
them, 
because 
they 
had 
departed 
from 
him, 
and' 
refused 
the 
waters 
of 
Shiloh 
that 
go 
softly,' 
and 
'vexed 
his 
holy 
Spirit.' 
"The 
rejection 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
lies 
at 
the 
foundation 
of 
every 
church 
federation 
which 
has 
blighted 
the 
prosperity 
of 
the 
churCh 
during 
her 
history. 
The 
only 
union 
the 
true 
church 
has 
ever 
sought 
is 
a 
union 
with 
Jesus 
Christ, 
the 
great 
Head 
of 
the 
church; 
and 
when 
such 
a 
union 
has 
been 
maintained, 
mighty 
power 
has 
attended 
it. 
As 
evidence 
of 
this, 
one 
has 
but 
to 
revert 
to 
apostolic 
times, 
when 
the 
church 
went 
forth 
'fair 
as 
the 
moon, 
clear 
as 
the 
sun, 
and 
terrible 
as 
an 
army 
with 
banners.' 
" 
Years 
ago 
much 
power 
attended 
revival 
efforts, 
conducted 
by 
such 
men 
as 
Professor 
Finney, 
President 
of 
Oberlin 
College, 
and 
later, 
Mr. 
Moody 
and 
others. 
These 
old-time 
revivals 
were 
attended 
with 
a 
harvest 
of 
souls; 
but 
they 
are 
largely 
now 
things 
of 
the 
past. 
Many 
ministers 
deplore 
the 
absence 
of 
spiritual 
power 
which 
prevails 
to 
such 
an 
alarming 
extent 
at 
the 
present 
time. 
Realizing 
keenly 
the 
weakness 
and 
lack 
of 
spiritual 
life 
which 
characterized 
the 
once 
Spirit-filled 
church 
with 
a 
power 
which 
brought 
conviction 
to 
sin-sick 
souls, 
church­ 
men 
are 
seeking 
for 
some 
remedy 
by 
which 
the 
church 
may 
re­ 
gain 
her 
former 
power. 
, 
'The 
means 
by 
which 
this 
restoration 
of 
former 
power 
is 
sought 
is 
a 
gigantic 
church 
federation 
movement, 
through 
which 
the 
church 
may 
secure 
the 
power 
of 
the 
State 
to 
in­ 
stitute 
moral 
reforms 
and 
enforce 
her 
decrees. 
To 
many, 
at 
first 
thought, 
this 
may 
seem 
an 
innocent, 
harmless, 
and 
de­ 
sirable 
thing. 
For 
this 
reason 
we 
desire 
to 
submit 
a 
few 
of 
the 
inevitable 
practical 
results 
of 
such 
a 
union. 
"One 
of 
the 
results 
of 
this 
movement 
was 
outlined 
by 
a 
prominent 
delegate 
at 
the 
conference, 
as 
follows: 
" 
'I 
trust 
that 
one 
of 
the 
practical 
results 
of 
this 
confer­ 
ence 
will 
be 
the 
organization 
of 
a 
force 
that 
lawbreakers 
and 
lawmakers 
will 
respect 
and 
heed 
when 
great 
questions 
of 
morals 
are 
involved. 
Our 
Gospel 
is 
the 
fulfilment 
of 
the 
law. 
It 
is 
our 
province, 
in 
the 
name 
of 
our 
Supreme 
King, 
and 
seeking 
the 
good 
of 
mankind, 
to 
ask 
rulers 
to 
respect 
the 
code 
of 
our 
kingdom. 
Rulers 
may 
ignore 
sects, 
but 
they 
will 
respect 
the 
church. 
This 
federation 
will 
compel 
an 
audience, 
and 
it 
will 
speak 
with 
power 
if 
it 
will 
put 
aside 
its 
differences 
and 
make 
its 
agreement 
its 
argument.' 
"When 
the 
end 
has 
been 
attained 
for 
which 
they 
have 
he 
en 
seeking, 
we 
will 
have 
a 
parallel 
to 
that 
which 
existed 
in 
the 
fourth 
century, 
when 
the 
bishops 
of 
Rome 
were 
united 
in 
compelling 
the 
Emperor 
Constantine 
and 
others 
to 
yield 
to 
their 
demands 
concerning 
the 
settlement 
of 
'grave 
moral 
ques­ 
tions,' 
among 
which 
was 
chiefly 
the 
enforcement 
of 
Sunday 
observance 
by 
law. 
A 
CHURCH 
TRUST 
"Another 
result 
of 
the 
evil 
principles 
underlying 
this 
pro­ 
posed 
Federation 
will 
be 
a 
veritable 
church 
union, 
or 
trust; 
and 
the 
same 
tactics 
will 
doubtless 
be 
employed 
by 
it 
as 
are 
common 
to 
other 
unions. 
Freedom 
to 
preach 
the 
gospel 
will 
be 
denied. 
Any 
denomination 
not 
conforming 
to 
the 
creed, 
rules, 
and 
regulations 
of 
this 
religiOlls 
trust, 
will 
be 
regarded 
as 
an 
unlawful 
rival. 
This 
was 
indicated 
by 
one 
speaker 
at 
the 
recent 
conference, 
who 
said: 
" 
'No 
community 
in 
which 
any 
denomination 
has 
any 
legiti­ 
mate 
claim, 
should 
be 
entered 
by 
any 
other 
denomination 
through 
its 
official 
agencies 
without 
conference 
with 
the 
de­ 
nomination 
or 
denominations 
having 
said 
claims. 
A 
feeble 
church 
should 
be 
revived, 
if 
possible, 
rather 
than 
a 
new 
one 
established 
to 
become 
its 
rival.' 
"This 
is 
an 
age 
of 
unions 
and 
confederacies. 
Every 
de­ 
pa.rtment 
of 
the 
commercial 
world 
is 
being 
bound 
together. 
The 
power 
which 
is 
being 
wielded 
by 
these 
unions 
in 
securing 
their 
desired 
ends 
has 
exerted 
an 
influence 
which 
the 
church, 
in 
its 
worldly 
condition, 
has 
been 
unable 
to 
resist. 
On 
this 
point 
a 
prominent 
speaker 
at 
the 
recent 
Inter-Church 
Federation 
Conference 
said: 
'The 
two 
words 
which 
express 
the 
prin­ 
ciples 
that 
rule 
today 
in 
the 
business 
world 
are 
cooperation 
and 
economy. 
Apply 
these 
two 
thoughts 
to 
the 
work 
of 
the 
church. 
Our 
sects 
and 
denominations 
have 
often 
been 
sources 
of 
rivalry 
and 
competition, 
and 
they 
have 
left 
the 
church 
as 
a 
whole 
weakened 
and 
shorn 
of 
its 
power. 
We 
have 
not 
pre­ 
sented 
a 
united 
front 
against 
a 
common 
enemy, 
but 
have 
too 
often 
fired 
into 
one 
another's 
camps 
. 
• 
. 
Cooperation 
through 
a 
closer 
federation 
is 
the 
need 
of 
the 
hour.' 
, 
'It 
will 
readily 
be 
seen 
from 
this 
proposal 
that 
any 
de­ 
nomination 
which 
does 
not 
belong 
to 
the 
union, 
would 
at 
once 
be 
considered 
a 
'rival,' 
or, 
in 
a 
more 
characteristic 
term 
famil­ 
iar 
to 
all 
unions, 
a 
'scab.' 
This 
would 
at 
once 
arouse 
endless 
animosities 
and 
controversies 
between 
the 
unions 
and 
the 
pects 
which 
are 
not 
connected 
with 
the 
federation, 
or 
union. 
Such 
a 
course 
would 
result 
only 
in 
the 
federation 
churches 
bringing 
pressure 
to 
bear 
upon 
those 
who 
refuse 
to 
yield 
to 
their 
de­ 
mands, 
which 
would 
be 
nothing 
short 
of 
religious 
persecution. 
Again 
it 
will 
be 
seen 
that 
the 
only 
safe 
union 
for 
the 
church 
the 
only 
truE: 
union, 
is 
a 
union 
with 
Christ." 
, 
TO 
PURIFY 
THE 
SONS 
OF 
LEVI 
It 
Who 
shall 
abide 
the 
day 
of 
his 
coming' 
Who 
shall 
stand 
when 
he 
inspects' 
For 
he 
is 
like 
a 
refiner's 
fire 
and 
like 
fuller's 
soap: 
and 
he 
shall 
sit 
as 
a 
refiner 
and 
purifier 
of 
silver: 
and 
he 
shall 
purify 
the 
sons 
of 
Levi 
and 
purge 
them 
as 
gold 
and 
silver, 
and 
they 
shall 
offer 
unto 
the 
Lord 
an 
offering 
in 
righteousness. 
"-Mal. 
3 
:2, 
3. 
Blessings 
have 
come 
to 
us 
through 
an 
appreciation 
of 
the 
fore 
the 
world's 
day 
of 
trouble 
is 
ushered 
in. 
It 
is 
this 
day 
teaching 
of 
the 
Scripture 
respecting 
the 
great 
day 
of 
trouble 
of 
trial 
upon 
the 
church, 
this 
special 
testing 
of 
the 
elect 
coming 
upon 
the 
whole 
world 
of 
mankind--especially 
upon 
that 
is 
referred 
to 
in 
our 
text. 
' 
Christendom. 
Truly 
the 
Scriptures 
teach 
a 
time 
of 
trouble 
PRIESTS 
AND 
LEVITES 
such 
as 
was 
not 
since 
there 
was 
a 
nation, 
because 
of 
which 
even 
The 
house 
of 
Levi, 
the 
priestly 
tribe, 
typified 
the 
house- 
now, 
as 
our 
Lord 
prophesied, 
"Men's 
hearts 
are 
failing 
them 
hold 
of 
faith 
of 
this 
Gospel 
age. 
As 
the 
priests 
constituted 
for 
fear, 
and 
for 
looking 
after 
those 
things 
coming 
upon 
the 
the 
highest 
order 
or 
class 
amongst 
the 
Levites, 
so 
the 
royal 
earth." 
We 
do 
well 
that 
we 
rejoice 
that 
this 
day 
of 
trouble 
priesthood, 
the 
Lord's 
consecrated, 
the 
saints 
of 
this 
Gospel 
coming 
upon 
the 
world 
as 
a 
thief 
and 
a 
snare 
has 
not 
so 
come 
age, 
constitute 
the 
highest 
class 
amongst 
the 
spiritual 
Levites 
upon 
us, 
but 
that 
we 
already 
by 
faith 
see 
many 
of 
its 
details 
the 
household 
of 
faith. 
When, 
therefore, 
the 
Lord 
through 
th~ 
and 
the 
glorious 
outcome, 
the 
establishment 
of 
the 
kingdom 
of 
Prophet 
declares 
the 
testing 
and 
purging 
of 
the 
house 
of 
Levi 
God 
under 
the 
whole 
heavens. 
We 
fear, 
however, 
that 
this 
it 
includes 
all 
of 
the 
"household 
of 
faith," 
the 
"little 
flock" 
great 
trouble 
upon 
the 
world, 
which 
in 
some 
sense 
we 
hope 
to 
and 
the 
"great 
company." 
The 
end 
of 
this 
age 
is 
the 
time 
be 
"accounted 
worthy 
to 
escape," 
has 
so 
filled 
the 
mental 
hori- 
for 
the 
Lord's 
inspection 
of 
the 
entire 
household 
of 
faith 
and 
zon 
of 
some 
of 
the 
Lord's 
people 
that 
it 
has 
hidden 
from 
their 
properly 
enough 
the 
inspection 
begins 
at 
the 
top 
of 
the 
house 
attention 
another 
kind 
of 
trial 
which 
is 
especially 
for 
the 
begms 
with 
the 
saints, 
but 
wiII 
extend 
to 
every 
consecrated 
church, 
and 
which 
must 
reach 
us 
and 
test 
us 
and 
prove 
us 
be- 
one. 
The 
two 
classes 
subjected 
to 
the 
fiery 
trials 
of 
the 
Re- 
(3 
0 
7"3 
08 
) 
[3864] 
Vou. XXVII ALLEGHENY, PA., OCTOBER 1, 1906 No. 19 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER PRACTICAL RESULTS OF THE CHURCH FEDERATION MOVEMENT The following, clipped from a pamphlet entitled ‘‘Liberty,’’ we esteem worthy of presentation in these columns. “‘No movement inaugurated during recent years is probably of greater significance than the Inter-Chureh Federation movement. It is one which cannot fail to be attended with tremendous consequences, and, if followed to its logical outcome, will terminate in results which ought to cause every thoughtful person to shudder in advance. ‘‘The outcome of this federation movement has been plainly outlined in the ‘sure work of prophecy.’ History also illustrates, by similar movements, its meaning. ‘Concerning its importance, the chairman of the InterChurch Fedcration Conference, recently held in New York City, said: ‘This is one of the most notable assemblies of believers in Jesus Christ that has ever been seen. John Calvin wrote to Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, and declared he would cross any sea to make such a union effective. The dream of the great reformer and the great archbishop has met with realization in these latter days.’ A BIBLE PROHIBITION OF CONFEDERACY ‘« (Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.’ (Isa. 8:12.) It is evident, from the context of this passage, that God’s professed people inaugurated this federation movement against which he warned them, because they had departed from him, and ‘refused the waters of Shiloh that go softly,’ and ‘vexed his holy Spirit.’ ‘The rejection of the holy Spirit hes at the foundation of every church federation which has blighted the prosperity of the church during her history. The only union the true church has ever sought is a union with Jesus Christ, the great Head of the church; and when such a union has been maintained, mighty power has attended it. As evidence of this, one has but to revert to apostolic times, when the church went forth ‘fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.’ ‘*Years ago much power attended revival efforts, conducted by such men as Professor Finney, President of Oberlin College, and later, Mr. Moody and others. These old-time revivals were attended with a harvest of souls; but they are largely now things of the past. Many ministers deplore the absence of spiritual power which prevails to such an alarming extent at the present time. Realizing keenly the weakness and lack of spiritual life which characterized the once Spirit-filled church with a power which brought conviction to sin-sick souls, churchmen are seeking for some remedy by which the church may regain her former power. ‘‘The means by which this restoration of former power is sought is a gigantic church federation movement, through which the church may secure the power of the State to institute moral reforms and enforce her decrees. To many, at first thought, this may seem an innocent, harmless, and desirable thing. For this reason we desire to submit a few of the inevitable practical results of such a union. ‘*One of the results of this movement was outlined by a prominent delegate at the conference, as follows: ‘« «T trust that one of the practical results of this conference will be the organization of a force that lawbreakers and lawmakers will respect and heed when great questions of morals are involved. Our Gospel is the fulfilment of the law. It is our province, in the name of our Supreme King, and seeking the good of mankind, to ask rulers to respect the code of our kingdom. Rulers may ignore sects, but they will respect the church. This federation will compel an audience, and it will speak with power if it will put aside its differences and make its agreement its argument.’ ‘*When the end has been attained for which they have been seeking, we will have a parallel to that which existed in the fourth century, when the bishops of Rome were united in compelling the Emperor Constantine and others to yield to their demands concerning the settlement of ‘grave moral questions,’ among which was chiefly the enforcement of Sunday observance by law. A CHURCH TRUST ‘* Another result of the evil principles underlying this proposed Federation will be a veritable church union, or trust; and the same tactics will doubtless be employed by it as are common to other unions. Freedom to preach the gospel will be denied. Any denomination not conforming to the creed, rules, and regulations of this religious trust, will be regarded as an unlawful rival. This was indicated by one speaker at the recent conference, who said: ‘¢ “No community in which any denomination has any legitimate claim, should be entered by any other denomination through its official agencies without conference with the denomination or denominations having said claims. A feeble church should be revived, if possible, rather than a new one established to become its rival.’ ‘This is an age of unions and confederacies, Every department of the commercial world is being bound together. The power which is being wielded by these unions in securing their desired ends has exerted an influence which the church, in its worldly condition, has been unable to resist. On this point a prominent speaker at the recent Inter-Church Federation Conference said: ‘The two words which express the principles that rule today in the business world are codperation and economy. Apply these two thoughts to the work of the church. Our sects and denominations have often been sources of rivalry and competition, and they have left the church as a whole weakened and shérn of its power. We have not presented a united front against a common enemy, but have too often fired into one another’s camps . . . Codperation through a closer federation is the need of the hour.’ “‘It will readily be seen from this proposal that any denomination which does not belong to the union, would at once be considered a ‘rival,’ or, in a more characteristic term familjar to all unions, a ‘seab.’ This would at once arouse endless animosities and controversies between the unions and the rects which are not connected with the federation, or union. Such a course would result only in the federation churches bringing pressure to bear upon those who refuse to yield to their demands, which would be nothing short of religious persecution. Again it will be seen that the only safe union for the church, the only true union, is a union with Christ.’’ TO PURIFY THE SONS OF LEVI *¢Who shall abide the day of his coming? Who shall stand when he inspects? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fuller’s soap: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver, and they shall offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.’’—Mal. 3:2, 3. Blessings have come to us through an appreciation of the teaching of the Scripture respecting the great day of trouble coming upon the whole world of mankind—especially upon Christendom. Truly the Scriptures teach a time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation, because of which even now, as our Lord prophesied, ‘‘Men’s hearts are failing them for fear, and for looking after those things coming upon the earth.’’ We do well that we rejoice that this day of trouble coming upon the world as a thief and a snare has not so come upon us, but that we already by faith see many of its details and the glorious outcome, the establishment of the kingdom of God under the whole heavens. We fear, however, that this great trouble upon the world, which in some sense we hope to be ‘‘aceounted worthy to escape,’’ has so filled the mental horizon of some of the Lord’s people that it has hidden from their attention another kind of trial which is especially for the church, and which must reach us and test us and prove us be (307-308) fore the world’s day of trouble is ushered in. It is this day of trial upon the church, this special testing of the elect, that is referred to in our text. PRIESTS AND LEVITES The house of Levi, the priestly tribe, typified the household of faith of this Gospel age. As the priests constituted the highest order or class amongst the Levites, so the royal priesthood, the Lord’s consecrated, the saints of this Gospel age, constitute the highest class amongst the spiritual Levites, the household of faith. When, therefore, the Lord through the Prophet declares the testing and purging of the house of Levi it includes all of the ‘‘household of faith,’’ the ‘‘little flock’’ and the ‘‘great company.’’ The end of this age is the time for the Lord’s inspection of the entire household of faith, and properly enough the inspection begins at the top of the house, begins with the saints, but will extend to every consecrated one, The two classes subjected to the fiery trials of the Re [3864]

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