Publication date
11/1/06
Volume
27
Number
21
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1906/21/1906-21-1.html
 
 
OCTOBER 
1 
S. 
1906 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
everlasting 
life 
for 
the 
world, 
and 
in 
order 
to 
fill 
this 
picture 
each 
and 
all 
must 
be 
broken, 
each 
and 
all 
must 
partake 
of 
the 
cup 
of 
Christ's 
suffering 
and 
death 
before 
entering 
into 
his 
glory. 
And 
not 
until 
all 
these 
sufferings 
have 
been 
com- 
pleted 
will 
the 
Lord's 
time 
come 
for 
the 
new 
dispensation, 
the 
new 
day, 
the 
day 
of 
blessing 
instead 
of 
cursing, 
the 
day 
of 
restitution 
instead 
of 
dying, 
the 
day 
of 
uplifting 
instead 
of 
falling, 
so 
far 
as 
the 
world 
is 
concerned. 
VOL. 
XXVII 
ALLEGHENY, 
P 
A., 
NOVEMBER 
1, 
1906 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
No. 
21 
ROMAN 
CATHOLICISM 
IN 
TROUBLE 
We 
have 
already 
noted 
the 
fact 
that 
the 
French 
govern­ 
ment 
has 
cancelled 
its 
agreement 
or 
"Concordat" 
with 
the 
('hurch 
of 
Rome, 
and 
that 
religion 
in 
France 
is 
now 
on 
much 
the 
same 
plane 
as 
in 
these 
United 
States-that 
is, 
that 
religion 
shall 
no 
longer 
be 
supported 
by 
the 
government. 
There 
is 
this 
difference-the 
French 
have 
gone 
a 
step 
farther 
than 
America, 
and 
have 
decided 
that 
the 
great 
church 
edifices, 
etc., 
built 
with 
the 
money 
of 
the 
French 
public, 
are 
not 
the 
property 
of 
the 
Pope 
and 
Roman 
hierarchy, 
but 
to 
be 
supervised 
by 
the 
French 
government, 
which, 
being 
a 
Republic, 
is 
the 
people's 
governml'nt. 
French 
laws 
on 
the 
subject 
are 
even-handed 
toward 
all 
religions-Catholic, 
Protestant, 
Hebrew, 
et 
al. 
They 
will 
not 
recognize 
the 
power 
of 
the 
Pope 
and 
others 
in 
Italy 
to 
close 
the 
church 
buildin/Zs, 
nor 
to 
otherwise 
control 
them; 
but 
insist 
that 
the 
Catholic 
people 
of 
the 
diocese 
shall 
have 
the 
control. 
To 
understand 
this 
we 
must 
remember, 
as 
pointed 
out 
in 
MILLENNIAL 
DAWN, 
Vol. 
II., 
that 
the 
Roman 
Catholic 
church 
is 
not 
composed 
of 
the 
Roman 
Catholics 
of 
the 
con­ 
gregation, 
but 
is 
a 
hierarchy 
composed 
of 
the 
Pope 
and 
higher 
clergy. 
The 
Catholic 
congre/Zatlons 
are 
merelv 
"the 
children 
of 
the 
church," 
who 
call 
the 
church 
(the 
hierarchy) 
their 
fathers. 
This 
is 
the 
Episcopal 
idea 
even 
amongst 
Protestants: 
but 
the 
majority 
of 
Protestants 
recognize, 
in 
theory 
at 
least, 
that 
"All 
ye 
are 
brethren." 
However, 
even 
amongst 
these 
the 
division 
into 
"clergy" 
and" 
laity" 
is 
a 
too 
common 
fact 
-descended 
from 
"the 
dark 
ages" 
and 
fostered 
by 
Roman 
and 
Episcopal 
usages. 
The 
Pope 
(Pius 
X.) 
has 
issued 
(Au~. 
14) 
an 
Encyclical 
letter 
to 
the 
Roman 
Catholic 
Bishops 
of 
France 
in 
which 
he 
denounced 
the 
French 
government's 
action, 
and 
while 
ap­ 
parently 
forbidding 
compliance 
with 
it 
really 
instructs 
them 
how 
best 
to 
comply 
with 
it;-by 
organizing 
Societies 
amongst 
the 
laity 
who 
can 
and 
will 
co-operate 
with 
their 
Ecclesiastics. 
Note 
the 
point: 
Rome 
will 
not 
con('ede 
that 
her 
"children" 
are 
in 
or 
of 
the 
ehurch, 
but 
she 
will 
out­ 
wardly 
comply 
with 
French 
law 
to 
hold 
possession 
and 
con· 
trol 
of 
church 
property. 
The 
poor 
French 
"children" 
may 
never 
know 
that 
they 
have 
the 
control 
of 
the 
situation. 
Similar 
regulations 
in 
Great 
Britain 
and 
in 
these 
United 
States 
mi/Zht 
be 
favorable 
to 
the 
greater 
liberty 
of 
the 
people 
of 
all 
de· 
nominations. 
For 
instance, 
then 
Presbyterians 
and 
Methodists 
and 
Catholics, 
et 
al., 
would 
control 
their 
own 
properties 
as 
the 
Disciples 
and 
some 
Baptists 
now 
do. 
ROMISH 
INFLUENCE 
IN 
SPAIN 
Ever 
since 
the 
Spanish-American 
war 
Spain 
has 
been 
awakening 
to 
a 
realization 
of 
her 
bondage 
to 
religious 
super­ 
stitions 
of 
the 
"dark 
ages." 
The 
action 
of 
France 
has 
been 
a 
lesson 
to 
Spain, 
which 
she 
is 
gradually 
learning, 
and 
it 
need 
not 
surprise 
us 
if 
it 
lead 
to 
separation 
between 
the 
state-and-church 
union 
which 
has 
prevailed 
there 
for 
centuries. 
The 
entering 
wedge 
was 
the 
recent 
decision 
of 
the 
Minister 
of 
.Justice, 
that 
a 
civil 
marriage 
is 
lawful 
and 
binding 
whether 
sanctioned 
by 
the 
Roman 
Catholic 
church 
or 
not. 
The 
test 
case 
was 
on 
the 
refusal 
of 
burial 
privileges 
to 
the 
corpse 
of 
one 
married 
without 
the 
approval 
of 
the 
Roman 
clergy. 
The 
decision 
will 
thus 
be 
seen 
to 
be 
a 
breaking 
of 
the 
power 
of 
the 
Roman 
clergy 
over 
the 
people. 
A 
dispatch 
from 
Madrid 
states 
that 
the 
church 
and 
State 
relationship 
is 
exciting 
heated 
discussions 
and 
that 
public 
disturbances 
have 
occurred. 
It 
is 
said 
that 
at 
the 
next 
session 
of 
the 
Spanish 
Parliament 
the 
King's 
representative 
will 
in· 
troduce 
a 
bill 
making 
the 
"religious 
orders" 
amenable 
to 
the 
law 
controlling 
industrial 
corporations, 
and 
another 
bill 
providing 
that 
the 
members 
of 
orders 
recently 
expelled 
from 
France 
shall 
either 
become 
naturalized 
citizens 
or 
leave 
Spain. 
We 
rejoice 
that 
"the 
dark 
places 
of 
the 
earth, 
the 
habita· 
tions 
of 
cruelty," 
are 
/letting 
a 
glimmer 
of 
the 
light 
of 
the 
Millennial 
morning. 
We 
lift 
up 
our 
heads 
with 
rejoicing 
that 
the 
deliverance 
of 
the 
true 
and 
only 
church 
(" 
whose 
names 
are 
written 
in 
heaven") 
is 
nigh 
at 
hand; 
and 
that 
then 
speedily 
the 
great 
Sun 
of 
Righteousness 
will 
shine 
forth 
to 
bless 
all 
the 
families 
of 
the 
earth, 
to 
give 
to 
all 
the 
knowl· 
edge 
of 
the 
glory 
of 
God 
as 
it 
shines 
in 
the 
face 
of 
.Jesus 
Christ 
our 
Lord. 
Meantime 
the 
Lord 
has 
stirred 
the 
hearts 
of 
some 
familiar 
with 
the 
Spanish 
tongue, 
and 
they 
are 
preparing 
a 
transla­ 
tion 
of 
Vol. 
I., 
(" 
The 
Divine 
Plan 
of 
the 
Ages,") 
in 
that 
language, 
which 
we 
hope 
to 
have 
ready 
soon 
after 
the 
begin. 
ning 
of 
1907. 
It 
will 
be 
in 
demand 
in 
Mexico 
first, 
but 
we 
learn 
will 
also 
be 
appreciated 
by 
considerable 
numbers 
in 
Spain. 
STRONG 
PROTESTS 
AGAINST 
THE 
POPE 
A 
cablegram 
says 
:-" 
Poor 
Pope 
Pius 
X's 
honeymoon 
is 
over, 
and 
the 
simple-minded 
child-like 
occupant 
of 
the 
chair 
of 
St. 
Peter 
is 
surrounded 
on 
all 
sides 
by 
dangers 
and 
in­ 
trigues. 
That 
his 
good 
intentions 
have 
at 
least 
partly 
failed 
and 
that 
the 
Augean 
stable 
of 
the 
Vatican 
is 
still 
waiting 
for 
a 
Hercules 
to 
clean 
it 
is 
no 
secret, 
and 
it 
is 
also 
a 
well· 
known 
fact 
that 
the 
pope 
has 
fallen 
a 
victim 
to 
the 
forces 
of 
the 
reactionary 
parties 
surrounding 
him, 
and 
that 
this 
has 
caused 
great 
dissatisfaction 
amongst 
the 
Roman 
clergy. 
"Th~s 
is 
plainly 
shown 
by 
the 
numerous 
libelous 
pam­ 
phlets 
which 
have. 
appeared 
during 
the 
last 
few 
months. 
The 
latest 
of 
these, 
whi('h 
has 
created 
wide-spread 
sensation, 
is 
entitled, 
'Ildebrand 
monaco,' 
criticizes 
the 
pope 
in 
a 
manner 
which 
in 
regard 
to 
forceful 
language 
surpasses 
anything 
ever 
printed 
in 
the 
Eternal 
City. 
'" 
It 
is 
no 
longer 
you, 
Holy 
Father, 
who 
rule, 
but 
reckles!'l 
and 
unscrupulous 
prelates 
who 
have 
taken 
advantage 
of 
your 
kindness 
and 
modesty. 
A 
small 
clique 
of 
younger 
prelates, 
led 
by 
Cardinal 
Merry 
del 
Val, 
are 
bringing 
disgrace 
upon 
the 
church, 
and 
while 
they 
are 
satisfying 
their 
every 
desire, 
the 
priests 
are 
struggling 
with 
poverty, 
many 
of 
them 
living 
on 
a 
lire 
and 
a 
half 
(30 
cents) 
a 
day. 
" 
'We 
know 
that 
you, 
Holy 
Father, 
were 
inspired 
with 
the 
best 
intentions 
when 
you 
ascended 
to 
the 
throne 
of 
St. 
Peter, 
but 
though 
you 
do 
not 
realize 
it, 
you 
have 
become 
a 
weak, 
tyrannous 
pope. 
You 
desired 
to 
reinstate 
the 
rule 
of 
love 
and 
charity, 
but 
you 
have 
been 
conquered 
by 
Satan, 
whose 
servants 
are 
surrounding 
you, 
disguised 
as 
young 
cardinals. 
" 
'0 
Holy 
Father, 
remember 
that 
it 
is 
your 
llOly 
duty 
to 
seek 
truth, 
and 
more 
so 
as 
many 
of 
us 
are 
beginning 
to 
doubt 
its 
existence. 
Remember 
that 
some 
day 
you 
will 
be 
called 
to 
account· 
for 
your 
stewardship!' 
" 
HATRED 
OF 
THE 
JEWS 
Benjamin 
Disraeli, 
better 
known 
as 
Lorrl 
Beaconsfield, 
wrote 
a 
political 
biography 
which 
is 
attracting 
considerable 
attention. 
Goldwin 
Smith 
thus 
refers 
to 
it:- 
"It 
is 
natural 
that 
in 
the 
course 
of 
this 
political 
biography 
Disraeli, 
who 
had 
witnessed 
the 
exclusion 
of 
.Jews 
from 
the 
House 
of 
Commons 
and 
who 
had 
found 
and 
was 
still 
finding 
his 
own 
Israelite 
descent 
an 
almost 
insuperahle 
bar 
to 
ad­ 
vancement, 
should 
diverge 
for 
a 
moment 
from 
the 
main 
current 
of 
his 
narration 
to 
comlider 
the 
grounds 
of 
the 
dis· 
abilities 
to 
which 
the 
Hebrew 
race 
had 
been 
so 
long 
snbje('ted 
in 
Christian 
Europe. 
He 
begins 
by 
reminding 
us 
that 
the 
Saxon, 
the 
Slav 
and 
the 
Celt 
have 
adoptetl 
most 
of 
the 
laws 
and 
many 
of 
the 
customs 
of 
the 
,Jews, 
together 
with 
all 
the 
latter's 
literature 
and 
all 
their 
religion. 
The 
former 
are, 
therefore, 
indebted 
to 
the 
Israelites 
for 
much 
that 
regulates, 
much 
that 
charms 
and 
much 
that 
solaces 
existen('e. 
The 
toiling 
multitude 
rest 
every 
seventh 
day 
by 
virtue 
of 
a 
Jewish 
law; 
they 
are 
perpetually 
reading, 
that 
they 
may 
be 
taught 
by 
example, 
the 
records 
of 
.Jewish 
history; 
they 
are 
continually 
singing 
the 
odes 
and 
elegies 
of 
.Jewish 
poets; 
and 
they 
daily 
acknowledge 
on 
their 
knees 
with 
reverent 
gratitude 
that 
the 
only 
medium 
of 
communication 
between 
the 
Creator 
and 
them­ 
selves 
is 
the 
.Jewish 
religion. 
Yet, 
at 
the 
hour 
when 
Disraeli 
wrote, 
the 
Saxon, 
the 
Slav 
and 
the 
Celt 
were 
accustomed 
to 
treat 
that 
race 
as 
the 
vilest 
of 
generations; 
and, 
instead 
of 
looking 
upon 
them 
logically 
as 
the 
channel 
of 
human 
happi· 
ness, 
they 
were 
accustomed 
to 
inflict 
upon 
them 
every 
term 
of 
obloquy 
and 
every 
form 
of 
persecution. 
Had 
it 
not 
been 
for 
the 
.Jews 
of 
Palestine 
the 
good 
tidings 
of 
our 
Lord 
would 
have 
been 
unknown 
forever 
to 
the 
northern 
and 
western 
races. 
The 
first 
preachers 
of 
the 
Gospel 
were 
.Jews, 
no 
otherR; 
the 
[3881] 
OcTOBER 15, 1906 everlasting life for the world, and in order to fill this picture each and all must be broken, each and all must partake of the cup of Christ’s suffering and death before entering into his glory. And not until all these sufferings have been com ZION’S WATCH TOWER (335-339) pleted will the Lord’s time come for the new dispensation, the new day, the day of blessing instead of cursing, the day of restitution instead of dying, the day of uplifting instead of falling, so far as the world is concerned. ALLEGHENY, PA., NOVEMBER 1, 1906 VoL. XXVII No. 21 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER ROMAN CATHOLICISM IN TROUBLE We have already noted the fact that the French government has cancelled its agreement or ‘‘Concordat’’ with the church of Rome, and that religion in France is now on much the same plane as in these United States—that is, that religion shall no longer be supported by the government. There is this difference—the French have gone a step farther than America, and have decided that the great church edifices, ete., built with the money of the French public, are not the property of the Pope and Roman hierarchy, but to be supervised by the French government, which, being a Republic, is the people’s government. French laws on the subject are even-handed toward all religions—Catholic, Protestant, Hebrew, et al. They will not recognize the power of the Pope and others in Italy to close the church buildings, nor to otherwise control them; but insist that the Catholic people of the diocese shall have the control. To understand this we must remember, as pointed out in MILLENNIAL Dawn, Vol. 11, that the Roman Catholic church is not composed of the Roman Catholics of the congregation, but is a hierarchy composed of the Pope and higher clergy. The Catholic congregations are merely ‘‘the children of the church,’’ who eall the church (the hierarchy) their fathers. This is the Episcopal idea even amongst Protestants: but the majority of Protestants recognize, in theory at least, that ‘‘All ye are brethren.’’ However, even amongst these the division into ‘‘clergy’’ and ‘‘laity’’ is a too common fact —descended from ‘‘the dark ages’’ and fostered by Roman and Episcopal usages. The Pope (Pius X.) has issued (Aug. 14) an Encyclical letter to the Roman Catholie Bishops of France in which he denounced the French government’s action, and while apparently forbidding compliance with it really instructs them how best to comply with it;—by organizing Societies amongst the laity who can and will co-operate with their Ecclesiastics. Note the point: Rome will not concede that her ‘‘children’’ are in or of the church, but she will outwardly comply with French law to hold possession and control of church property. The poor French ‘‘children’’ may never know that they have the control of the situation. Similar regulations in Great Britain and in these United States might be favorable to the greater liberty of the people of all denominations. For instance, then Presbyterians and Methodists and Catholics, et al., would control their own properties as the Disciples and some Baptists now do. ROMISH INFLUENCE IN SPAIN Ever since the Spanish-American war Spain has been awakening to a realization of her bondage to religious superstitions of the ‘‘dark ages.’’ The action of France has been a lesson to Spain, which she is gradually learning, and it need not surprise us if it lead to separation between the state-and-church union which has prevailed there for centuries, The entering wedge was the recent decision of the Minister of Justice, that a civil marriage is lawful and binding whether sanctioned by the Roman Catholic church or not. The test case was on the refusal of burial privileges to the corpse of one married without the approval of the Roman elergy. The decision will thus be seen to be a breaking of the power of the Roman clergy over the people. A dispatch from Madrid states that the church and State relationship is exciting heated discussions and that public disturbances have occurred. It is said that at the next session of the Spanish Parliament the King’s representative will introduce a bill making the ‘‘religious orders’’ amenable to the law controlling industrial corporations, and another bill providing that the members of orders recently expelled from France shall either become naturalized citizens or leave Spain. We rejoice that ‘‘the dark places of the earth, the habitations of cruelty,’’ are getting a glimmer of the light of the Millennial morning. We lift up our heads with rejoicing that the deliverance of the true and only church (‘‘ whose names are written in heaven’’) is nigh at hand; and that then speedily the great Sun of Righteousness will shine forth to bless all the families of the earth, to give to all the knowl edge of the glory of God as it shines in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord. Meantime the Lord has stirred the hearts of some familiar with the Spanish tongue, and they are preparing a translation of Vol. 1., (‘‘The Divine Plan of the Ages,’’) in that language, which we hope to have ready soon after the beginning of 1907. It will be in demand in Mexico first, but we learn will also be appreciated by considerable numbers in Spain. STRONG PROTESTS AGAINST THE POPE A eablegram says:—‘‘Poor Pope Pius X’s honeymoon is over, and the simple-minded child like oceupant of the chair of St. Peter is surrounded on all sides by dangers and intrigues, That his good intentions have at least partly failed and that the Augean stable of the Vatican is still waiting for a Hercules to clean it is no secret, and it is also a wellknown fact that the pope has fallen a victim to the forces of the reactionary parties surrounding him, and that this has caused great dissatisfaction amongst the Roman clergy. ‘This is plainly shown by the numerous libelous pamphlets which have appeared during the last few months. The latest of these, which has created wide-spread sensation, is entitled, ‘Ildebrand monaco,’ criticizes the pope in a manner which in regard to forceful language surpasses anything ever printed in the Eternal City. “**¥t is no longer you, Holy Father, who rule, but reckless and unscrupulous prelates who have taken advantage of your kindness and modesty. A small clique of younger prelates, led by Cardinal Merry del Val, are bringing disgrace upon the church, and while they are satisfying their every desire, the priests are struggling with poverty, many of them living on a lire and a half (30 cents) a day. ‘¢*We know that you, Holy Father, were inspired with the best intentions when you ascended to the throne of St. Peter, but though you do not realize it, you have become a weak, tyrannous pope. You desired to reinstate the rule of love and charity, but you have been conquered by Satan, whose servants are surrounding you, disguised as young cardinals. ‘**Q Holy Father, remember that it is your holy duty to seek truth, and more so as many of us are beginning to doubt its existence. Remember that some day you will be ealled to account for your stewardship!’ ’’ HATRED OF THE JEWS Benjamin Disraeli, better known as Lord Beaconsfield, wrote a political biography which is attracting considerable attention. Goldwin Smith thus refers to it:— ‘*Tt is natural that in the course of this political biography Disraeli, who had witnessed the exclusion of Jews from the House of Commons and who had found and was still finding his own Israelite descent an almost insuperable bar to advancement, should diverge for a moment from the main current of his narration to consider the grounds of the disabilities to which the Hebrew race had been so long subjected in Christian Europe. He hegins by reminding us that the Saxon, the Slav and the Celt have adopted most of the laws and many of the customs of the Jews, together with all the latter’s literature and all their religion. The former are, therefore, indebted to the Israelites for much that regulates, much that charms and much that solaces existence. The toiling multitude rest every seventh day by virtue of a Jewish law; they are perpetually reading, that they may be taught by example, the records of Jewish history; they are continually singing the odes and elegies of Jewish poets; and they daily acknowledge on their knees with reverent gratitude that the only medium of communication between the Creator and themselves is the Jewish religion. Yet, at the hour when Disraeli wrote, the Saxon, the Slav and the Celt were accustomed to treat that race as the vilest of generations; and, instead of looking upon them logically as the channel of human happiness, they were accustomed to inflict upon them every term of obloquy and every form of persecution. Had it not been for the Jews of Palestine the good tidings of our Lord would have been unknown forever to the northern and western races. The first preachers of the Gospel were Jews, no others; the [3881]

This website uses cookies to improve the website and your experience. By continuing to browse this website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. If you require further information or do not wish to accept cookies when using this website, please visit our Privacy Policy    Terms of Use    .