Publication date
3/15/06
Volume
27
Number
6
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1906/6/1906-6-1.html
 
 
MARCH 
I, 
1906 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
generous. 
How 
can 
we 
cultivate 
this 
necessary 
quality, 
espe­ 
cially 
if 
our 
natural 
dispositions 
are 
mean 
and 
selfish, 
very 
much 
fallen 
from 
the 
divine 
likeness 
in 
this 
respectf 
We 
reply 
that 
the 
entire 
course 
of 
instruction 
in 
the 
school 
of 
Christ 
is 
in 
this 
direction. 
To 
make 
us 
compassionate 
and 
sympathetic 
with 
others, 
we 
are 
shown 
our 
own 
littleness 
and 
weakness 
in 
the 
Lord's 
sight; 
to 
teach 
us 
how 
to 
be 
generous 
and 
forgiv. 
ing 
to 
others, 
we 
have 
the 
illustration 
of 
God's 
mercy 
and 
grace 
and 
forgiveness 
toward 
us; 
to 
impress 
the 
matter 
upon 
us 
we 
are 
assured 
that 
our 
forgiveness 
and 
standing 
with 
the 
Lord 
can 
only 
be 
maintained 
by 
our 
cultivating 
this 
spirit 
and 
mani­ 
festing 
it 
toward 
our 
debtors 
and 
enemies. 
We 
are 
to 
be 
generous 
with 
those 
who 
transgress 
against 
our 
rights 
and 
interests, 
our 
enemies. 
This 
does 
not 
mean 
that 
the 
Lord 
recognizes 
or 
treats 
his 
enemies 
with 
the 
same 
degree 
of 
blessing 
that 
he 
grants 
to 
his 
friends 
and 
his 
children, 
no~ 
does 
it 
mean 
that 
we 
are 
to 
love 
our 
enemies 
in 
exactly 
the 
same 
sense 
that 
we 
love 
our 
bosom 
friends 
and 
companions. 
The 
Lord 
gives 
special 
blessin~ 
to 
those 
who 
are 
especially 
his, 
and 
we 
also 
may 
properly 
gIve 
more 
of 
our 
love 
and 
favor 
to 
those 
who 
are 
in 
accord 
with 
us. 
The 
lesson 
here 
again 
is 
large 
heartedness 
and 
generosity. 
"LOVE 
THEM 
THAT 
LOVE 
YOU" 
Our 
Lord 
points 
out 
that 
in 
merely 
reciprocating 
the 
love 
of 
others 
we 
would 
come 
far 
short 
of 
the 
standard 
he 
sets 
us, 
and 
of 
the 
lesson 
we 
must 
learn 
if 
we 
would 
be 
his 
joint-heirs 
and 
companions 
in 
the 
glory, 
honor 
and 
immortality 
of 
the 
kingdom. 
Publicans 
and 
sinners 
even 
love 
those 
who 
love 
them-he 
must 
be 
a 
very 
mean 
man 
who 
will 
return 
evil 
for 
good 
and 
hate 
those 
who 
love 
him. 
Even 
though 
such 
a 
stand­ 
ard 
were 
recognized 
in 
the 
world, 
of 
loving 
those 
who 
love 
us, 
it 
would 
not 
be 
appropriate 
to 
the 
Lord's 
followers; 
they 
must 
rise 
to 
a 
higher 
plane 
if 
they 
would 
be 
his 
disciples. 
Similarly 
our 
greeting, 
our 
salutations, 
the 
civilities 
of 
life 
are 
to 
be 
extended 
not 
merely 
to 
our 
brethren 
either 
after 
the 
flesh 
or 
after 
the 
Spirit. 
We 
are 
to 
have 
kind 
intentione 
toward 
all, 
and 
to 
enjoy 
the 
privilege 
of 
extending 
these, 
ex­ 
pressing 
them, 
and 
thus 
comforting 
and 
refreshing 
all 
with 
whom 
we 
come 
in 
contact. 
Generosity 
again 
is 
the 
thought-­ 
breadth 
of 
character 
and 
nobility 
of 
conduct. 
PERFECT 
AS 
FATHEB 
IN 
BEAVEN' 
The 
last 
verse 
of 
our 
lesson 
caps 
the 
climax 
of 
all 
instruc­ 
tion, 
telling 
us 
that 
the 
copy 
which 
we 
are 
to 
consider 
and 
follow 
is 
that 
of 
our 
heavenly 
Father-we 
are 
to 
be 
perfect 
as 
he 
is 
perfect. 
Ah, 
yes 
I 
It 
would 
have 
been 
impossible 
for 
the 
great 
Teacher 
to 
have 
set 
us 
any 
other 
pattern 
or 
example 
or 
standard 
than 
the 
perfect 
one. 
And 
yet 
he 
knew 
that 
none 
of 
his 
disciples 
would 
ever 
be 
able 
in 
the 
present 
life 
and 
under 
present 
conditions 
of 
sin 
and 
death 
working 
in 
our 
mortal 
bodies 
to 
come 
up 
to 
this 
standard-to 
follow 
this 
copy. 
What 
then 
did 
he 
mean' 
We 
answer 
that 
he 
there 
set 
before 
us 
the 
perfect 
copy, 
with 
instruction 
that, 
in 
proportion 
as 
we 
love 
him 
and 
desire 
to 
have 
his 
approval, 
we 
should 
endeavor 
to 
pattern 
after 
the 
heavenly 
Father's 
character. 
The 
fact 
that 
this 
endeavor 
would 
not 
bring 
perfect 
results 
eould 
only 
redound 
in 
blessings 
upon 
us, 
by 
bringing 
us 
to 
a 
realization 
of 
our 
own 
imperfections 
and 
of 
our 
need 
of 
the 
covering 
of 
our 
dear 
Redeemer's 
robe 
of 
righteousness, 
until 
the 
time 
shall 
come 
when 
in 
the 
first 
resurrection 
change 
we 
shall 
be 
made 
like 
him, 
see 
him 
as 
he 
is, 
share 
his 
glory, 
and 
be 
able 
to 
perfectlr 
reflect, 
as 
he 
does, 
the 
heavenly 
Father's 
perfection. 
Meantime 
all 
of 
our 
shortcomings 
that 
are 
unin· 
tentional 
are 
graciously 
covered 
from 
the 
Father's 
sight 
with 
the 
merit 
of 
our 
Redeemer, 
who 
stands 
as 
our 
pledge 
or 
guar· 
anty 
that 
our 
endeavors 
to 
follow 
the 
copy 
are 
sincere, 
of 
the 
heart. 
The 
Lord 
will 
judge 
us 
worthy 
or 
unworthy 
of 
the 
resurrection-not 
according 
to 
the" 
flesh, 
but-according 
to 
the 
endeavors 
of 
our 
hearts 
as 
New 
Creatures. 
THE 
OLD 
COPY-BOOK: 
Years 
ago 
it 
was 
the 
custom 
in 
the 
public 
schools 
to 
fur­ 
nish 
the 
children 
with 
ruled 
copy-books, 
with 
copper-plate 
en­ 
graved 
lessons 
at 
the 
top 
of 
each 
page. 
The 
lesson 
to 
the 
pupil 
was 
the 
copying 
of 
those 
perfect 
characters. 
Every 
modest 
child 
must 
certainly 
have 
felt 
abashed, 
timid, 
when 
receiving 
one 
of 
those 
lessons, 
from 
the 
realization 
that 
it 
could 
not 
pro­ 
duce 
characters 
that 
could 
at 
all 
compare 
with 
the 
copy. 
It 
was, 
however, 
explained 
that 
it 
was 
not 
expected 
that 
the 
child 
could 
duplicate 
the 
perfect 
copy, 
but 
that 
following 
the 
lines 
of 
the 
copy 
it 
would 
become 
more 
and 
more 
expert. 
How 
well 
this 
illustrates 
the 
Master's 
words, 
"Be 
ye 
perfect, 
even 
as 
your 
Father 
in 
heaven 
is 
perfect," 
and 
the 
way 
in 
which 
he 
intends 
that 
we 
should 
profit 
by 
the 
instruction. 
Another 
lesson: 
It 
was 
the 
duty 
of 
the 
teacher 
to 
exam­ 
ine 
the 
work 
of 
the 
pupil, 
and 
surely 
in 
a 
majority 
of 
cases 
it 
was 
found 
that 
the 
best 
copy 
of 
the 
original 
was 
found 
on 
the 
first 
line, 
and 
that 
the 
work 
became 
poorer 
and 
poorer 
toward 
the 
end 
of 
the 
page. 
So 
it 
is 
with 
many 
in 
the 
school 
of 
Christ 
-the 
great 
Teacher 
perceives 
that 
their 
first 
endeavors 
to 
copy 
God-likeness 
at 
the 
beginning 
of 
their 
Christian 
experience 
was 
more 
successful 
than 
their 
subsequent 
attempts. 
Why' 
The 
answer 
is 
the 
same 
in 
both 
cases. 
The 
child 
neglected 
to 
look 
at 
the 
copy 
and 
merely 
looked 
at 
its 
own 
imperfect 
efforts, 
and 
hence 
the 
poor 
results. 
So 
with 
the 
pupils 
in 
the 
school 
of 
Christ-their 
poor 
results 
come 
from 
comparing 
them­ 
selves 
with 
themselves, 
and 
neglecting 
to 
keep 
constantly 
before 
their 
minds 
the 
perfect 
copy-" 
Be 
ye 
perfect, 
even 
as 
your 
Father 
in 
heaven 
is 
perfect." 
As 
the 
earthly 
teacher 
reproved 
and 
corrected 
the 
pupil, 
so 
with 
much 
long-suffering 
and 
patience 
the 
Lord 
reproves 
and 
corrects 
the 
pupils 
in 
the 
school 
of 
Christ. 
Will 
not 
this 
ex· 
plain 
many 
chastisements 
which 
are 
necessary 
for 
every 
son 
whom 
the 
Father 
would 
ultimately 
receive 
to 
home 
and 
glory, 
every 
one 
of 
whom 
must 
be 
conformed 
to 
the 
image 
of 
his 
Son, 
who 
is 
the 
express 
image 
of 
the 
Father's 
person' 
Let 
us, 
then, 
begin 
afresh, 
on 
a 
new 
page 
as 
it 
were, 
to 
copy 
the 
character· 
likeness 
of 
our 
perfect 
Father 
in 
heaven. 
Let 
us 
no 
longer 
look 
at 
ourselves 
and 
our 
past 
attainments, 
but, 
as 
the 
Apostle 
says, 
"Forgetting 
the 
things 
that 
are 
behind 
and 
pressing 
on 
toward 
the 
things 
that 
are 
before," 
let 
us 
labor 
with 
patience 
to 
learn 
the 
all-important 
lessons 
connected 
with 
our 
disciple­ 
ship 
and 
the 
gracious 
hopes 
set 
before 
us 
in 
the 
promises 
of 
Our 
Father's 
Word. 
"KEEP 
THE 
DOOB 
OF 
MY 
LIPS" 
Our 
Golden 
text 
presents 
an 
important 
thought. 
The 
Lord's 
people 
find 
the 
tongue 
the 
most 
difficult 
member 
to 
bring 
into 
subjection, 
and 
therefore 
may 
well 
pray, 
"Keep 
thou 
the 
door 
of 
mr 
lips." 
And 
if 
the 
prayer 
be 
sincere, 
from 
the 
heart, 
it 
will 
Imply 
that 
the 
petitioner 
is 
doing 
all 
in 
his 
power 
in 
this 
direction 
himself 
while 
seeking 
the 
divine 
aid. 
And 
the 
divine 
aid 
comes 
in 
line 
with 
this 
lesson, 
and 
assures 
us 
that 
the 
lips 
are 
not 
at 
fault, 
that 
it 
is 
the 
heart 
that 
needs 
a 
completion 
of 
the 
regenerative 
work 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit, 
for 
"Out 
of 
the 
abundance 
of 
the 
heart 
the 
mouth 
speaketh." 
The 
lesson 
here 
is 
that 
whatever 
difficulty 
we 
have 
through 
our 
lips 
needs 
cor­ 
rection 
at 
the 
heart. 
We 
need 
to 
get 
our 
hearts 
more 
in 
accord 
with 
the 
heart 
of 
the 
Almighty-more 
in 
tune 
with 
the 
graci­ 
ous 
elements 
of 
the 
divine 
character 
represented 
not 
only 
in 
justice 
toward 
others, 
but 
additionally 
in 
mercy, 
love, 
kind­ 
ness 
and 
benevolence 
towards 
all. 
VOL. 
XXVII 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
MARCH 
15, 
1906 
No.6 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
IS 
THE 
MOBAL 
SUPREMACY 
OF 
C!mISTEN'DOM 
IN 
DAN'GEB'1 
selves 
Christians, 
it 
has 
been 
yet 
deeper 
with 
the 
multi· 
FROM 
THE 
"HIBBERT 
JOURNAL" 
tudes 
who 
have 
turned 
their 
backs 
on 
the 
Church. 
I 
rate 
this 
feeling 
among 
the 
greatest 
of 
the 
forces 
now 
mov- 
It 
has 
become 
the 
plain 
duty 
of 
Christendom 
to 
realize 
ing 
the 
minds 
of 
men. 
Other 
things 
may 
create 
a 
louder 
that 
her 
hold 
on 
the 
moral 
supremacy 
of 
the 
world 
is 
not 
noise, 
but 
this 
works 
revolutions. 
The 
question 
of 
theo­ 
so 
secure 
as 
many 
of 
us 
imagine. 
The're 
is 
room, 
nay, 
op- 
logical 
standards 
is 
being 
merged 
into 
that 
of 
the 
moral, 
portunity, 
for 
a 
rival 
candidatt'. 
That 
the 
Christian 
ideal 
and 
we 
are 
being 
summoned, 
as 
never 
before, 
to 
find 
the 
of 
moral 
excellence 
is 
splendid, 
even 
unsurpassed, 
no 
one 
correspondence 
between 
our 
professions 
and 
our 
lives. 
Such 
doubts. 
But 
no 
less 
certain, 
no 
less 
striking, 
is 
the 
failure 
a 
state 
of 
things 
exposes 
Christendom 
to 
a 
rival 
challenge, 
of 
the 
West 
to 
justify 
that 
ideal, 
both 
in 
national 
and 
pri- 
and 
marks 
the 
fitting 
moment 
for 
another 
claimant 
to 
ap­ 
vate 
life. 
The 
sense 
of 
dissatisfaction 
which 
this 
failure 
pear 
on 
the 
scene. 
If 
outside 
the 
pale 
of 
Christendom 
there 
has 
produced 
has 
entered 
deep 
into 
the 
moral 
consciousness 
should 
arise 
the 
example 
of 
a 
saner, 
nobler, 
more 
rational, 
of 
Christians 
all 
the 
world 
over; 
and 
if 
the 
impression 
haa 
more 
joyOU!!, 
more 
humane, 
more 
self-controlled 
way 
of 
been 
deep 
in 
the 
case 
of 
those 
who 
profess 
and 
call 
them- 
life 
than 
the 
West 
has 
so 
far 
achieved, 
the 
minds 
of 
men 
[8739] 
MARcH 1, 1906 generous. How can we cultivate this necessary quality, especially if our natural dispositions are mean and selfish, very much fallen from the divine likeness in this respect? We reply that the entire course of instruction in the school of Christ is in this direction. To make us compassionate and sympathetic with others, we are shown our own littleness and weakness in the Lord’s sight; to teach us how to be generous and forgiving to others, we have the illustration of God’s mercy and grace and forgiveness toward us; to impress the matter upon us we are assured that our forgiveness and standing with the Lord can only be maintained by our cultivating this spirit and manifesting it toward our debtors and enemies. We are to be generous with those who transgress against our rights and interests, our enemies. This does not mean that the Lord recognizes or treats his enemies with the same degree of blessing that he grants to his friends and his children, nor does it mean that we are to love our enemies in exactly the same sense that we love our bosom friends and companions. The Lord gives special blessing to those who are especially his, and we also may properly give more of our love and favor to those who are in accord with us. The lesson here again is large heartedness and generosity. ‘LOVE THEM THAT LOVE YOU’’ Our Lord points out that in merely reciprocating the love of others we would come far short of the standard he sets us, and of the Jesson we must learn if we would be his joint-heirs and companions in the glory, honor and immortality of the kingdom. Publicans and sinners even love those who love them—he must be a very mean man who will return evil for good and hate those who love him. Even though such a standard were recognized in the world, of loving those who love us, it would not be appropriate to the Lord’s followers; they must rise to a higher plane if they would be his disciples. Similarly our greeting, our salutations, the civilities of life are to be extended not merely to our brethren either after the flesh or after the Spirit. We are to have kind intentions toward all, and to enjoy the privilege of extending these, expressing them, and thus comforting and refreshing all with whom we come in contact. Generosity again is the thought— breadth of character and nobility of conduct. PERFECT AS FATHER IN HEAVEN The last verse of our lesson caps the climax of all instruction, telling us that the copy which we are to consider and follow is that of our heavenly Father—we are to be perfect as he is perfect. Ah, yes! It would have been impossible for the great Teacher to have set us any other pattern or example or standard than the perfect one. And yet he knew that none of his disciples would ever be able in the present life and under present conditions of sin and death working in our mortal bodies to come up to this standard—to follow this copy. What then did he mean? We answer that he there set before us the perfect copy, with instruction that, in proportion as we love him and desire to have his approval, we should endeavor to pattern after the heavenly Father’s character. The fact that this endeavor would not bring perfect results could only redound in blessings upon us, by bringing us to a realization of our own imperfections and of our need of the covering of our dear Redeemer’s robe of righteousness, until the time shall come when in the first resurrection change we shall be made like him, see him as he is, share his glory, and be able to perfectly reflect, as he does, the heavenly Father’s perfection. Meantime all of our shortcomings that are unintentional are graciously covered from the Father’s sight with the merit of our Redeemer, who stands as our pledge or guar Vou. XXVII ALLEGHENY, PA., MARCH 15, 1906 ZION’S WATCH TOWER (79-83) anty that our endeavors to follow the copy are sincere, of the heart. The Lord will judge us worthy or unworthy of the resurrection—not according to the flesh, but—according to the endeavors of our hearts as New Creatures. THE OLD COPY-BOOK Years ago it was the custom in the public schools to furnish the children with ruled copy-books, with copper-plate engraved lessons at the top of each page. The lesson to the pupil was the copying of those perfect characters. Every modest child must certainly have felt abashed, timid, when receiving one of those lessons, from the realization that it could not produce characters that could at all compare with the copy. It was, however, explained that it was not expected that the child could duplicate the perfect copy, but that following the lines of the copy it would become more and more expert. How well this illustrates the Master’s words, ‘‘Be ye perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect,’’ and the way in which he intends that we should profit by the instruction. Another lesson: It was the duty of the teacher to examine the work of the pupil, and surely in a majority of cases it was found that the best copy of the original was found on the first line, and that the work became poorer and poorer toward the end of the page. So it is with many in the school of Christ —the great Teacher perceives that their first endeavors to copy God-likeness at the beginning of their Christian experience was more successful than their subsequent attempts. Why? The answer is the same in both cases. The child neglected to look at the copy and merely looked at its own imperfect efforts, and hence the poor results. So with the pupils in the school of Christ—their poor results come from comparing themselves with themselves, and neglecting to keep constantly before their minds the perfect copy—‘‘Be ye perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.’’ As the earthly teacher reproved and corrected the pupil, so with much long-suffering and patience the Lord reproves and corrects the pupils in the school of Christ. Will not this explain many chastisements which are necessary for every son whom the Father would ultimately receive to home and glory, every one of whom must be conformed to the image of his Son, who is the express image of the Father’s person? Let us, then, begin afresh, on a new page as it were, to copy the characterlikeness of our perfect Father in heaven. Let us no longer look at ourselves and our past attainments, but, as the Apostle says, ‘‘Forgetting the things that are behind and pressing on toward the things that are before,’’ let us labor with patience to learn the all-important lessons connected with our discipleship and the gracious hopes set before us in the promises of our Father’s Word. “KEEP THE DOOR OF MY LIPS’’ Our Golden text presents an important thought. The Lord’s people find the tongue the most difficult member to bring into subjection, and therefore may well pray, ‘‘ Keep thou the door of my lips.’’ And if the prayer be sincere, from the heart, it will imply that the petitioner is doing all in his power in this direction himself while seeking the divine aid. And the divine aid comes in line with this lesson, and assures us that the lips are not at fault, that it is the heart that needs a completion of the regenerative work of the holy Spirit, for ‘‘Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.’’ The lesson here is that whatever difficulty we have through our lips needs correction at the heart. We need to get our hearts more in accord with the heart of the Almighty—more in tune with the gracious elements of the divine character, represented not only in justice toward others, but additionally in mercy, love, kindness and benevolence towards all, No. 6 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER IS THE MORAL SUPREMACY OF CHRISTENDOM IN DANGER? FROM THE ‘‘ HIBBERT JOURNAL’? It has become the plain duty of Christendom to realize that her hold on the moral supremacy of the world is not so secure as many of us imagine. There is room, nay, opportunity, for a rival candidate. That the Christian ideal of moral excellence is splendid, even unsurpassed, no one doubts. But no less certain, no less striking, is the failure of the West to justify that ideal, both in national and private life. The sense of dissatisfaction which this failure has produced has entered deep into the moral consciousness of Christians all the world over; and if the impression has been deep in the ease of those who profess and call them selves Christians, it has been yet deeper with the multitudes who have turned their backs on the Church. I rate this feeling among the greatest of the forces now moving the minds of men. Other things may create a louder noise, but this works revolutions. The question of theological standards is being merged into that of the moral, and we are being summoned, as never before, to find the correspondence between our professions and our lives. Such a state of things exposes Christendom to a rival challenge, and marks the fitting moment for another claimant to appear on the scene. If outside the pale of Christendom there should arise the example of a saner, nobler, more rational, more joyous, more humane, more self-controlled way of life than the West has so far achieved, the minds of men [8739]

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