Publication date
1/15/06
Volume
27
Number
2
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1906/2/1906-2-1.html
 
 
 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
ALLEGHENY, 
P.l.. 
To 
those 
who 
have 
never 
taken 
this 
step 
we 
urge 
a 
prompt 
acceptance, 
irrespective 
of 
the 
gracious 
hopes 
we 
have 
of 
a 
transcendant 
reward 
of 
glory, 
honor, 
immortality. 
As 
the 
Apos­ 
tle 
declares, 
it 
is 
our 
reasonable 
service. 
Reasonable 
people 
ought 
to 
be 
glad 
of 
the 
knowledge 
that 
God 
is 
willing 
to 
accept 
our 
service, 
and 
of 
the 
opportunity 
to 
present 
themselves 
under 
the 
covering 
of 
the 
merit 
of 
the 
dear 
Redeemer's 
robe 
of 
righteousness. 
To 
those 
who 
have 
already 
accepted 
the 
Lord's 
favor, 
who 
have 
already 
presented 
their 
bodies 
living 
sacrifices, 
who 
have 
already 
given 
the 
Lord 
their 
hearts, 
we 
urge 
a 
remembrance 
of 
the 
fact 
that 
the 
sacrifice 
once 
put 
upon 
the 
altar 
must 
remain 
there, 
and 
that 
the 
longer 
it 
remains 
the 
more 
joyful 
should 
be 
the 
service, 
the 
more 
appreciated 
every 
opportunity 
for 
sacrifice, 
the 
more 
thankful 
should 
be 
the 
heart 
and 
the 
more 
rich 
should 
be 
the 
experience 
in 
the 
peace 
of 
God 
which 
passeth 
all 
understanding, 
ruling 
in 
our 
hearts 
and 
preparing 
us 
more 
and 
more 
through 
the 
graces 
of 
the 
Spirit 
for 
the 
glorious 
things 
which 
God 
hath 
in 
reservation 
for 
them 
that 
so 
love 
him 
and 
so 
reverence 
his 
Son. 
VOL. 
XXVII 
ALLEGHENY, 
P 
A., 
JANUARY 
15, 
1906 
No. 
2 
TOWER 
THE 
WORLD'S 
PERPLEXITY 
WATCH 
world' 
Will 
it 
not 
find 
a 
way 
to 
do 
away 
with 
competi­ 
tors 
or 
those 
who 
do 
not 
believe 
in 
its 
principles 
and 
refuse 
to 
cooperate 
in 
its 
purposes' 
Surely 
it 
would 
be 
but 
a 
step 
to 
find 
the 
heretics, 
and 
likewise 
find 
a 
way 
to 
punish 
them. 
And 
whoever 
ponders 
the 
history 
of 
the 
fourth 
century 
and 
studies 
the 
acts 
and 
words 
of 
the 
great 
religious 
councils 
of 
those 
early 
days 
must 
sec 
in 
the 
recent 
congress 
of 
religionists 
in 
New 
York 
an 
ex­ 
act 
parallel; 
and 
the 
significance 
of 
a 
movement 
that 
will 
lead, 
as 
was 
clearly 
indicated 
by 
several 
of 
the 
speakers, 
to 
a 
world 
religion, 
must 
not 
be 
under-estimated. 
Back 
there, 
there 
was 
a 
cooperation 
and 
a 
federation 
on 
a 
magnificent 
scale. 
And 
the 
sure 
result 
was 
the 
ushering 
in 
of 
the 
scenes 
of 
the 
dark 
ages. 
It 
was 
a 
minority 
that 
lighted 
up 
the 
splendid 
gardens 
of 
Nero 
or 
the 
chariot 
races, 
their 
bodies 
soaked 
in 
:petroleum, 
providing 
fuel 
for 
the 
lurid 
flames: 
it 
was 
a 
minorIty 
that 
underwent 
the 
tortures 
of 
the 
thumb-screw, 
the 
rack 
and 
the 
fagot, 
that 
endured 
the 
Span. 
ish 
Inquisition 
and 
the 
exquisite 
punishments 
of 
a 
praying 
Torquemada 
rather 
than 
yield 
"the 
faith." 
It 
was 
the 
majority, 
the 
cooperative 
majority, 
that 
defined 
the 
civil 
and 
religious 
duties 
of 
man 
and 
provided 
punishments 
to 
fit 
the 
crime. 
Shall 
history 
repeat 
itself! 
We 
hope 
not. 
But 
let 
this 
fede· 
ration 
or 
combination 
of 
all 
churches 
pursue 
its 
course 
to 
the 
last 
analysis, 
and 
we 
tremble 
for 
the 
results. 
Let 
ministers 
of 
the 
gospel 
strive 
for 
forgiveness 
of 
sin 
and 
regeneration, 
and 
legislators 
attend 
strictly 
to 
the 
business 
of 
providing 
punishment 
for 
crime. 
And 
let 
a 
wide 
distinction 
ever 
be 
made 
between 
sin 
and 
crime. 
There 
will 
then 
be 
little 
likeli­ 
hood 
of 
religious 
persecutions. 
In 
the 
name 
of 
liberty 
to 
worship 
God 
"according 
to 
the 
dictates 
of 
one's 
own 
conscience," 
I 
want 
to 
enter 
a 
pub­ 
lic 
protest 
against 
a 
federation 
or 
organization 
of 
churches 
that 
seeks 
to 
use 
the 
civil 
power 
to 
attain 
an 
end 
that 
al­ 
lows 
only 
of 
spiritual 
methods, 
and 
to 
recommend 
to 
all 
the 
study 
of 
the 
life 
and 
trials 
of 
Roger 
Williams, 
the 
hanging 
of 
the 
Quakers, 
the 
whipping 
of 
the 
Anabaptists, 
the 
story 
of 
Daniel 
in 
the 
lion's 
den 
and 
the 
Hebrew 
worthies 
in 
the 
fiery 
furnace. 
All 
this 
was 
accomplished 
by 
a 
religious 
federation, 
which 
is 
only 
another 
name 
for 
a 
church 
trust. 
Instead 
of 
a 
demand 
for 
a 
world 
religion 
that 
compels, 
let 
there 
be 
a 
plea 
for 
a 
genuine 
religion 
that 
implores. 
JOHN 
S. 
WIGHTMAN. 
THE 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THREE 
CHURCHES 
UNITE 
IN 
CANADA 
Items 
such 
as 
the 
above 
quoted 
in 
these 
columns 
are 
not 
thereby 
endorsed. 
We 
print 
them 
as 
news-as 
showing 
the 
fulfilment 
of 
prophecy. 
We 
could 
more 
nearly 
endorse 
the 
fol­ 
lowing 
article 
from 
the 
"New 
York 
Tribune": 
THE 
INTER-CHURCH 
CONFERENCE 
Cooperation 
on 
a 
far-reaching 
scale 
seems 
to 
have 
been 
the 
main 
object 
of 
the 
recent 
Inter-Church 
Conference 
on 
Federa­ 
tion 
of 
American 
Churches, 
held 
in 
New 
York 
City, 
and 
the 
eminent 
men 
and 
delegates 
of 
the 
conference, 
with 
hardly 
a 
On 
the 
opposite 
page 
we 
copy 
from 
"Doctor" 
Dowie's 
single 
exception, 
predicted, 
as 
the 
result 
of 
Christian 
unity 
publication 
a 
cartoon 
which 
fairly 
well 
represents 
the 
present 
and 
denominational 
fellowship 
the 
ushering 
in 
upon 
the 
world 
situation 
of 
"Christendom." 
But 
should 
not 
Doctor 
Dowie 
of 
a 
reign 
of 
universal 
peace 
and 
righteousness, 
in 
fact, 
the 
also 
be 
represented 
in 
the 
crowd, 
shouting, 
"I 
am 
for 
myself, 
setting 
up 
of 
the 
kingdom 
of 
God. 
as 
'First 
Apostle,' 
'Elijah,' 
and 
the 
'Messenger 
of 
the 
Cove- 
The 
writer 
notes 
that 
this 
most 
excellent 
state 
of 
affairs 
nant'''' 
It 
would 
seem 
sol 
is 
to 
be 
brought 
about 
by 
potent 
forces 
and 
activities 
intro- 
Possibly 
some 
unfriendly 
critic 
may 
say, 
' 
, 
Yes; 
and 
you 
duced 
in 
the 
realm 
of 
civil 
law, 
and 
using 
"the 
gateway 
of 
are 
another 
who 
is 
adding 
to 
the 
Babel 
of 
confusion, 
forming 
politics." 
No 
doubt 
those 
who 
are 
so 
enthusiastic 
for 
a 
vital 
a 
new 
division, 
'the 
sect 
everywhere 
spoken 
against,' 
the 
unity 
agreeable 
to 
all 
sects, 
for 
a 
confederated 
power 
that 
no-name 
sect." 
shall 
reach 
to 
and 
be 
felt 
"in 
all 
Christendom," 
are 
well 
Not 
so, 
we 
reply. 
It 
is 
not 
we 
but 
the 
truth 
which 
causes 
meaning; 
still, 
it 
must 
seem 
to 
some 
like 
only 
an 
iridescent 
the 
division, 
even 
as 
our 
Master 
foretold 
and 
exemplified: 
"I 
dream; 
an 
attempt 
to 
reorganize 
society 
and 
introduce 
a 
"new 
am 
not 
come 
to 
send 
peace, 
but 
a 
sword." 
As 
present 
truth 
order 
of 
things" 
by 
and 
through 
the 
aid 
of 
the 
civic 
power, 
did 
a 
separating 
work 
between 
the 
wheat 
and 
the 
chaff 
in 
the 
instead 
of 
the 
apostolic 
process 
of 
the 
"new 
birth" 
and 
the 
Jewish" 
harvest," 
so 
now 
present 
truth 
will 
be 
uled 
of 
the 
operation 
of 
those 
powers 
which 
belong 
exclusively 
to 
the 
Lord 
to 
separate 
the 
"wheat" 
from 
the" 
tares" 
in 
the 
pres- 
s 
p 
i 
r 
i 
t 
u 
a 
l 
. 
' 
ent 
"harvest" 
of 
this 
age. 
One 
is 
led 
to 
inquire 
whether 
the 
proposed 
federation 
of 
It 
is 
true 
that 
our 
quiet, 
effective 
presentation 
of 
God's 
all 
the 
churches 
into 
a 
substantial 
organization 
that 
shall 
Word 
and 
plan 
does 
cause 
commotion 
and 
a 
great 
din, 
as 
all 
make 
itself 
felt 
in 
the 
religious, 
the 
social 
and 
the 
business 
sects 
and 
parties 
at 
once 
shout 
against 
the 
faithful 
presenta­ 
worlds 
is 
not, 
after 
all, 
a 
church 
"trust." 
And 
if 
a 
church 
tions 
of 
God's 
Word 
of 
"good 
tidings 
of 
great 
joy 
unto 
all 
, 
'trust" 
will 
not 
its 
methods 
be 
something 
after 
the 
order 
of 
people, 
" 
as 
presented 
in 
MILLENNIAL 
DAWN. 
But 
that 
is 
the 
methods 
of 
the 
great 
trusts 
and 
combines 
of 
the 
financial 
Babylon's 
noise, 
not 
ours: 
It 
is 
their 
effort 
to 
obscure 
the 
[3704] 
PRESBYTERIANS, 
CONGREGATIONALISTS 
AND 
METHODISTS 
AGREE 
Toronto, 
Ont.-The 
central 
committee, 
composed 
of 
repre­ 
sentatives 
from 
the 
Presbyterian, 
Methodist 
and 
Congrega­ 
tional 
churches 
throughout 
the 
Dominion, 
have 
agreed 
upon 
a 
code 
of 
doctrines 
that 
will 
unify 
the 
three 
denominations 
into 
one 
great 
church, 
which, 
it 
is 
proposed, 
should 
be 
known 
as 
the 
"United 
Church 
of 
Canada." 
The 
revised 
confession 
of 
faith 
of 
the 
American 
Presbyterian 
church 
will 
be 
used. 
The 
new 
Church 
is 
to 
be 
governed 
by 
the 
"General 
Conference," 
after 
the 
Methodist 
form, 
with 
a 
president 
as 
the 
chief 
officer. 
Below 
is 
to 
be 
a 
council, 
after 
the 
Congregational 
idea, 
with 
a 
chairman 
at 
the 
head. 
The 
next 
body 
is 
to 
be 
a 
"Presbytery," 
governed 
be 
a 
moderator. 
The 
plan 
will 
be 
submitted 
to 
the 
several 
denominations 
throughout 
Canada 
for 
approval, 
which 
it 
is 
expected 
to 
receive. 
FOR 
GREAT 
CHURCH 
UNION 
Concord, 
N. 
H.-A 
number 
of 
the 
Episcopal 
clergymen 
of 
the 
diocese 
of 
New 
Hampshire 
have 
made 
preliminary 
arrange­ 
ments 
for 
the 
formation 
of 
an 
association 
which 
will 
have 
for 
its 
ultimate 
object 
the 
union 
of 
the 
Anglican 
Church 
with 
the 
Orthodox 
Church 
of 
Russia 
and 
other 
ancient 
churches 
of 
the 
East. 
The 
organization 
is 
the 
outgrowth 
of 
the 
thanks­ 
giving 
service 
at 
Christ 
Church, 
Portsmouth, 
which 
followed 
the 
signing 
of 
the 
treaty 
of 
peace 
between 
Russia 
and 
Japan, 
and 
at 
which 
priests 
of 
the 
Episcopal 
and 
Russian 
churches 
officiated. 
The 
new 
organization 
will 
follow 
the 
lines 
of 
the 
, 
'Eastern 
Ohurch 
Association" 
of 
the 
Church 
of 
England 
and 
will 
have 
branches 
in 
all 
dioceses 
of 
the 
Episcopal 
Church 
in 
this 
country, 
if 
the 
plans 
of 
the 
promoters 
are 
successful. 
It 
is 
said 
that 
within 
a 
half 
a 
dozen 
years 
the 
relations 
be· 
tween 
the 
Russian 
and 
Episcopal 
churches 
have 
been 
growing 
closer, 
but 
until 
the 
thanksgiving 
evensong 
held 
at 
Portsmouth, 
there 
had 
been 
no 
general 
participation 
in 
one 
service 
by 
both 
Russian 
and 
Episcopal 
priests. 
* 
* 
* 
(19-20) To those who have never taken this step we urge a prompt acceptance, irrespective of the gracious hopes we have of a transcendant reward of glory, honor, immortality. As the Apostle declares, it is our reasonable service. Reasonable people ought to be glad of the knowledge that God is willing to accept our service, and of the opportunity to present themselves under the covering of the merit of the dear Redeemer’s robe of righteousness. To those who have already accepted the Lord’s favor, who have already presented their bodies living sacrifices, who have Vou. XXVII ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, PA., JANUARY 15, 1906 ALLEGHENY, Pa. already given the Lord their hearts, we urge a remembrance of the fact that the sacrifice once put upon the altar must remain there, and that the longer it remains the more joyful should be the service, the more appreciated every opportunity for sacrifice, the more thankful should be the heart and the more rich should be the experience in the peace of God which passeth all understanding, ruling in our hearts and preparing us more and more through the graces of the Spirit for the glorious things which God hath in reservation for them that so love him and so reverence his Son. No. 2 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER THREE CHURCHES UNITE IN CANADA PRESBYTERIANS, CONGREGATIONALISTS AND METHODISTS Toronto, Ont.—The central committee, composed of representatives from the Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregational churches throughout the Dominion, have agreed upon a code of doctrines that will unify the three denominations into one great church, which, it is proposed, should be known as the ‘‘United Church of Canada.’’?’ The revised confession of faith of the American Presbyterian church will be used. The new Church is to be governed by the ‘‘General Conference,’’ after the Methodist form, with a president as the chief officer. Below is to be a council, after the Congregational idea, with a chairman at the head. The next body is to be a ‘‘ Presbytery,’’ governed be a moderator. The plan will be submitted to the several denominations throughout Canada for approval, which it is expected to receive. FOR GREAT CHURCH UNION Concord, N. H.—A number of the Episcopal clergymen of the diocese of New Hampshire have made preliminary arrangements for the formation of an association which will have for its ultimate object the union of the Anglican Church with the Orthodox Church of Russia and other ancient churches of the East. The organization is the outgrowth of the thanksgiving service at Christ Church, Portsmouth, which followed the signing of the treaty of peace between Russia and Japan, and at which priests of the Episcopal and Russian churches officiated. The new organization will follow the lines of the ‘Eastern Church Association’’ of the Church of England and will have branches in all dioceses of the Episcopal Church in this country, if the plans of the promoters are successful. It is said that within a half a dozen years the relations between the Russian and Episcopal churches have been growing closer, but until the thanksgiving evensong held at Portsmouth, there had been no general participation in one service by both Russian and Episcopal priests. ae Items such as the above quoted in these columns are not thereby endorsed. We print them as news—as showing the fulfilment of prophecy. We could more nearly endorse the following article from the ‘‘New York Tribune’’: THE INTER-CHURCH CONFERENCE Coéperation on a far-reaching scale seems to have been the main object of the recent Inter-Church Conference on Federation of American Churches, held in New York City, and the eminent men and delegates of the conference, with hardly a single exception, predicted, as the result of Christian unity and denominational fellowship the ushering in upon the world of a reign of universal peace and righteousness, in fact, the setting up of the kingdom of God. The writer notes that this most excellent state of affairs is to be brought about by potent forces and activities introduced in the realm of civil law, and using ‘‘the gateway of polities.’? No doubt those who are so enthusiastic for a vital unity agreeable to all sects, for a confederated power that shall reach to and be felt ‘‘in all Christendom,’’ are well meaning; still, it must seem to some like only an iridescent dream; an attempt to reorganize society and introduce a ‘‘new order of things’’ by and through the aid of the civic power, instead of the apostolic process of the ‘‘new birth’’ and the operation of those powers which belong exclusively to the spiritual. , One is led to inquire whether the proposed federation of all the churches into a substantial organization that shall make itself felt in the religious, the social and the business worlds is not, after all, a church ‘‘trust.’’ And if a church ‘‘trust’’ will not its methods be something after the order of the methods of the great trusts and combines of the financial world? Will it not find a way to do away with competitors or those who do not believe in its principles and refuse to codperate in its purposes? Surely it would be but a step to find the heretics, and likewise find a way to punish them. And whoever punders the history of the fourth century and studies the acts and words of the great religious councils of those early days must see in the recent congress of religionists in New York an exact parallel; and the significance of a movement that will lead, as was clearly indicated by several of the speakers, to a world religion, must not be under-estimated. Back there, there was a codperation and a federation on a magnificent scale. And the sure result was the ushering in of the scenes of the dark ages. It was a minority that lighted up the splendid gardens of Nero or the chariot races, their bodies soaked in petroleum, providing fuel for the lurid flames: it was a minority that underwent the tortures of the thumb-screw, the rack and the fagot, that endured the Spanish Inquisition and the exquisite punishments of a praying Torquemada rather than yield ‘‘the faith.’’ It was the majority, the codperative majority, that defined the civil and religious duties of man and provided punishments to fit the crime. Shall history repeat itself? We hope not. But let this fede. ration or combination of all churches pursue its course to the last analysis, and we tremble for the results. Let ministers of the gospel strive for forgiveness of sin and regeneration, and legislators attend strictly to the business of providing punishment for crime. And let a wide distinction ever be made between sin and crime. There will then be little likelihood of religious persecutions. In the name of liberty to worship God ‘‘according to the dictates of one’s own conscience,’’ I want to enter a publie protest against a federation or organization of churches that seeks to use the civil power to attain an end that allows only of spiritual methods, and to recommend to all the study of the life and trials of Roger Williams, the hanging of the Quakers, the whipping of the Anabaptists, the story of Daniel in the lion’s den and the Hebrew worthies in the fiery furnace. All this was accomplished by a religious federation, which is only another name for a church trust. Instead of a demand for a world religion that compels, let there be a plea for a genuine religion that implores. JOHN 8, WIGHTMAN. THE WORLD'S PERPLEXITY On the opposite page we copy from ‘‘Doctor’’ Dowie’s publication a cartoon which fairly well represents the present situation of ‘‘Christendom.’’ But should not Doctor Dowie also be represented in the crowd, shouting, ‘‘I am for myself, as ‘First Apostle,’ ‘Elijah,’ and the ‘Messenger of the Covenant’’’? It would seem so! Possibly some unfriendly critic may say, ‘‘Yes; and you are another who is adding to the Babel of confusion, forming a new division, ‘the sect everywhere spoken against,’ the no-name sect.’? Not so, we reply. It is not we but the truth which causes the division, even as our Master foretold and exemplified: ‘‘I am not come to send peace, but a sword.’’ As present truth did a separating work between the wheat and the chaff in the Jewish ‘‘harvest,’’ so now present truth will be used of the Lord to separate the ‘‘wheat’’ from the ‘‘tares’’ in the present ‘‘harvest’’ of this age. It is true that our quiet, effective presentation of God’s Word and plan does cause commotion and a great din, as all sects and parties at once shout against the faithful presentations of God’s Word of ‘‘good tidings of great joy unto all people,’’? as presented in MILLENNIAL DAWN. But that is Babylon’s noise, not ours: It is their effort to obscure the [3704]

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