Publication date
2/1/07
Volume
28
Number
3
The WatchTower
"Love as Brethren"
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1907/3/1907-3-1.html
 
 
 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
ALLEGHKNY, 
PA. 
each 
month 
on 
report 
blanks, 
also 
supplied 
free 
from 
this 
office; 
(4) 
all 
such 
are 
requested 
to 
use 
the 
printed 
Col­ 
porteur 
envelopes 
supplied 
free, 
or 
if 
temporarily 
out 
of 
these 
to 
use 
another 
envelope, 
writing 
on 
the 
lower 
left 
cor­ 
ner 
the 
words, 
"Colporteur 
Department." 
Others 
than 
active 
Colporteurs 
will 
please 
not 
use 
these 
envelopes. 
Those 
selling 
DAWNS 
or 
STUDIES 
at 
odd 
times, 
purchasing 
not 
over 
25 
books 
at 
a 
time 
by 
mail 
or 
express 
at 
rates 
usually 
given 
on 
page 
2 
of 
TOWER 
need 
no 
assignment 
and 
will 
be 
here­ 
after 
known 
as 
"Sharp 
Shooters." 
We 
are 
sure 
that 
all 
the 
dear 
friends 
will 
be 
glad 
to 
assist 
in 
any 
manner, 
and 
a 
compliance 
with 
these 
sugges­ 
tions 
will 
be 
one 
way 
of 
assisting 
the 
office 
force, 
which, 
with 
the 
increase 
of 
orders, 
is 
kept 
exceedingly 
busy. 
The 
prospects 
for 
new 
Colporteurs 
and 
for 
a 
very 
widely 
ex­ 
tended 
field 
of 
service 
for 
the 
present 
year 
encourages 
us 
greatly, 
and 
we 
bid 
them 
all 
God 
speed 
I-all 
the 
dear 
co­ 
laborers 
looking 
shortly 
for 
the 
reward 
and 
the 
"Well 
done" 
of 
our 
Redeemer. 
VOL. 
XXVIII 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
FEBRUARY 
1, 
1907 
No.3 
The 
date 
for 
the 
observance 
of 
the 
Memorial 
of 
our 
Lord's 
"Last 
Supper" 
this 
year 
will 
be 
Thursday 
night 
(after 
6 
p. 
m.) 
March 
28th. 
We 
trust 
that 
our 
readers 
in 
Asia, 
Afrira, 
Australia 
and 
Alaska 
will 
get 
this 
notice 
in 
season 
THE 
PASSOVER 
MEMORIAL, 
MARCH 
28, 
1907 
and 
celebrate 
in 
unison 
with 
us 
the 
great 
event 
which 
sealed 
the 
Abrahamic 
or 
"Everlasting 
Covenant" 
for 
us, 
and 
will 
seal 
the 
"New 
Covenant" 
for 
Israel 
and 
the 
whole 
world, 
shortly. 
"LOVE 
AS 
BRETHREN" 
1 
PETER 
3 
:8. 
Love 
for 
the 
brethren 
is 
set 
forth 
in 
the 
Scriptures 
as 
reward 
because 
of 
their 
failure 
to 
come 
up 
to 
this 
divine 
one 
of 
the 
indisputable 
evidences 
of 
our 
having 
attained 
requirement," 
Love 
as 
brethren." 
The 
proper 
course 
for 
membership 
in 
the 
body 
of 
Christ. 
This 
love 
may 
be 
of 
all 
such 
is 
to 
think 
of 
the 
matter 
soberly 
from 
the 
Scriptural 
varying 
degrees, 
but 
it 
must 
be 
ours 
in 
some 
degree 
if 
we 
standpoint, 
and 
to 
decide 
that 
the 
humility 
requisite 
to 
an 
arc 
the 
Lord's, 
for 
"if 
any 
man 
have 
not 
the 
Spirit 
of 
acceptance 
of 
some 
of 
the 
naturally 
less 
noble 
is 
undoubtedly 
Christ 
he 
is 
none 
of 
his." 
(Rom. 
8:9) 
But 
this 
fiame 
of 
a 
necessary 
element 
of 
character 
for 
them 
to 
develop. 
sacred 
love 
for 
the 
brethren 
kindled 
in 
our 
hearts 
is 
not 
Amongst 
the 
fruits 
of 
the 
spirit 
the 
Apostle 
names 
meekness. 
sufficient; 
it 
must 
blaze, 
burn, 
and 
produce 
in 
us 
not 
merely 
The 
unmeek, 
the 
proud, 
are 
not 
in 
the 
condition 
of 
heart. 
for 
a 
warmth 
of 
love 
but 
a 
consuming 
love-love 
which 
will 
not 
the 
kingdom; 
and 
the 
higher 
stations 
of 
life, 
intellectually, 
only 
overlook 
various 
weaknesses 
and 
imperfections 
in 
the 
morally 
and 
socially, 
are 
unfavorable 
to 
meekness, 
humility 
brotherhood, 
and 
will 
carefully 
note 
every 
good 
quality, 
but 
and 
long 
suffering 
with 
the 
weaknesses 
and 
frailties 
of 
others. 
love 
which 
is 
ready 
to 
lay 
down 
life 
on 
behalf 
of 
the 
brethren 
We 
see, 
then, 
that 
while 
the 
weaker 
brethren, 
the 
naturally 
because 
they 
belong 
to 
Christ, 
because 
they 
are 
of 
his 
con- 
more 
impaired, 
have 
more 
to 
struggle 
against, 
more 
to 
over­ 
secrated 
ones, 
however 
much 
they 
may 
need 
to 
strive 
against 
come 
in 
one 
sense 
of 
the 
word, 
the 
others 
of 
more 
noble 
sin 
and 
weaknesses. 
birth 
and 
talents 
have 
a 
harder 
battle 
along 
other 
lines. 
Let 
As 
we 
have 
previously 
pointed 
out, 
the 
Gospel 
message 
both 
classes 
be 
encouraged, 
for 
although 
the 
lessons 
they 
fails 
to 
attract 
many 
of 
the 
noblest, 
least-fallen 
members 
of 
must 
learn 
are 
considerably 
different, 
the 
results 
to 
be 
ob­ 
the 
race, 
because 
they 
have 
a 
self-satisfied 
feeling, 
and 
do 
tained 
are 
the 
same, 
and 
the 
instructor, 
the 
great 
Teacher, 
not 
realize 
their 
need 
of 
a 
Savior, 
but 
think 
of 
him 
as 
nec- 
is 
the 
same. 
He 
is 
able 
to 
assist 
the 
ignoble 
to 
gradually 
essary 
only 
to 
the 
more 
degraded 
of 
the 
race. 
On 
the 
con- 
overcome 
their 
natural 
meanness 
and 
depravity, 
and 
to 
war 
trary, 
the 
less 
known, 
more 
depraved, 
realizing 
to 
some 
ex- 
more 
and 
more 
a 
good 
warfare 
in 
his 
name 
and 
by 
his 
as­ 
tent 
their 
miserable 
condition, 
are 
more 
likely 
than 
the 
others 
sistance; 
and 
he 
is 
likewise 
able 
to 
assist 
the 
more 
noble 
to 
respond 
to 
the 
invitation, 
"Come 
unto 
me, 
all 
ye 
that 
minded 
to 
exercise 
patience, 
sympathy, 
toward 
the 
less 
repu­ 
labor 
and 
are 
heavy 
laden, 
and 
I 
will 
give 
you 
rest." 
The 
table. 
They 
have 
an 
illustration 
in 
himself: 
he 
who 
wac 
sin-sick 
and 
heavy 
laden, 
therefore, 
constitute 
the 
majority 
rich 
in 
every 
sense 
of 
the 
word 
and 
beyond 
all 
compare, 
per­ 
of 
true 
believers. 
And 
in 
harmony 
with 
this 
we 
have 
the 
feet 
in 
every 
element 
of 
character, 
talented, 
noble--Jie 
for 
words 
of 
the 
ScriptUl'e 
that 
not 
many 
wise, 
not 
many 
noble, 
our 
sakes 
became 
poor, 
he 
humbled 
himself 
on 
our 
behalf, 
not 
many 
learned, 
not 
many 
great 
according 
to 
the 
flesh 
have 
he 
took 
the 
bondman's 
place, 
he 
suffered 
in 
our 
room 
and 
been 
called 
of 
God 
to 
the 
privileges 
of 
his 
church, 
the 
elect 
stead, 
he 
died 
the 
just 
for 
the 
unjust. 
He 
has 
therefore 
class. 
Consequently 
when 
any 
of 
the 
more 
noble 
minded 
or 
set 
us 
an 
example 
that 
we 
may 
walk 
in 
his 
steps, 
and 
the 
better 
educated 
or 
more 
talented 
accept 
the 
Lord's 
grace, 
more 
nobility 
we 
may 
have 
naturally 
the 
more 
readily 
we 
it 
becomes 
somewhat 
of 
a 
trial 
to 
them 
to 
find 
amongst 
shall 
be 
able 
to 
do 
this, 
and 
to 
appreciate 
and 
exercise 
the 
those 
whom 
they 
must 
recognize 
as 
brethren 
(because 
of 
fruits 
of 
the 
Spirit, 
and 
grow 
up 
more 
and 
more 
in 
accord, 
faith 
in 
Christ 
and 
desire 
for 
the 
higher 
things) 
some 
of 
in 
sympathy, 
in 
likeness 
to 
him. 
the 
ignoble, 
whose 
company 
and 
fellowship 
according 
to 
the 
"LOVE 
YOUR 
ENEMIES" 
flesh 
they 
would 
have 
scorned. 
This 
is 
another 
reason 
why 
There 
is 
a 
difference 
between 
the 
injunction 
to 
love 
as 
not 
many 
great, 
wise, 
learned 
and 
noble 
will 
not 
makEl 
their 
brethren 
and 
to 
lay 
down 
our 
lives 
for 
the 
brethren. 
What­ 
calling 
and 
election 
sure-many 
such 
will 
allow 
their 
fleshly 
ever 
we 
may 
do 
for 
any 
member 
of 
the 
body 
of 
Christ, 
for 
instincts 
to 
govern, 
and 
repudiating 
the 
humblest 
member 
any 
consecrated 
believer, 
the 
Lord 
tells 
us 
he 
will 
esteem 
as 
of 
the 
body 
of 
Christ 
they 
are 
to 
that 
extent 
repudiating 
though 
it 
were 
done 
unto 
him. 
Hence 
as 
it 
would 
btl 
our 
the 
Head, 
who 
has 
ac('epted 
that 
member, 
and 
who 
demands 
duty 
and 
our 
privile~e 
and 
our 
joy 
to 
lay 
down 
our 
lives 
of 
all 
who 
would 
be 
his 
members 
that 
they 
shall 
love 
one 
in 
the 
service 
of 
the 
Lord, 
we 
must 
attain 
to 
such 
a 
love 
for 
another 
as 
he 
loved 
them. 
the 
brethren, 
because 
they 
are 
his, 
that 
we 
will 
delight 
to 
lay 
True, 
the 
Lord 
does 
not 
5ay 
that 
,ye 
should 
love 
all 
the 
down 
our 
lives 
for 
them 
as 
a 
maans 
of 
demonstrating 
to 
the 
brethren 
with 
the 
same 
degree 
or 
intensity 
of 
love: 
on 
the 
Lord 
our 
loyalty 
to 
him 
and 
his 
cause. 
This 
does 
not 
neces­ 
('ontrary, 
he 
showed 
hy 
his 
own 
('ondu('t 
that 
we 
may 
indeed 
sarily 
mean 
the 
laying 
down 
of 
physical 
strength 
and 
health 
more 
highly 
esteem 
those 
who 
have 
most 
of 
his 
spirit, 
those 
and 
life 
in 
the 
physical 
services 
and 
ministries 
to 
the 
breth­ 
whose 
hearts 
are 
most 
in 
accord 
with 
the 
divine 
will. 
Thus 
ren, 
though 
these 
may 
be 
and 
are 
in 
many 
instances 
very 
our 
Lord, 
while 
he 
loved 
all 
of 
his 
disciples, 
had 
some 
special 
profitable. 
It 
is 
not 
according 
to 
the 
flesh 
that 
the 
Lord's 
favor.ites, 
Peter, 
James 
and 
John. 
His 
special 
love 
for 
these 
followers 
are 
brethren 
but 
according 
to 
the 
spirit, 
and 
hence 
was 
doubtless 
hecause 
of 
their 
special 
interest 
and 
zeal 
for 
the 
injunction 
to 
lay 
down 
our 
lives 
for 
the 
brethren 
would 
him 
and 
for 
the 
cause 
he 
served. 
So, 
therefore, 
may 
we, 
more 
particularly 
signify 
the 
laying 
down 
of 
our 
physical 
followers 
in 
the 
footsteps 
of 
.Tesns, 
have 
special 
love 
for 
all 
health 
or 
strength, 
knowledge, 
talents 
and 
means 
in 
the 
who 
are 
specially 
zealous 
and 
true 
hearted. 
But 
this 
love 
service 
of 
the 
spiritual 
interests 
of 
the 
Lord's 
people. 
As 
ignores 
wealth, 
education, 
earthly 
standing-ignores 
the 
flesh 
for 
instance, 
in 
the 
preaching 
of 
the 
Truth. 
if 
there 
be 
sacri­ 
and 
takes 
cognizance 
of 
the 
spirit, 
the 
will, 
the 
heart. 
fices 
or 
self-denials, 
loss 
of 
strength, 
etc., 
in 
connection 
with 
Tested 
by 
this 
love 
for 
the 
brethren. 
many 
who 
had 
a 
this 
service, 
it 
is 
the 
laying 
down 
of 
that 
much 
of 
one's 
loving 
respect 
for 
the 
Lord 
as 
their 
Redeemer 
have 
appar- 
life 
for 
the 
brethren, 
for 
the 
fellow-members 
of 
the 
body 
of 
ently 
hindered 
their 
own 
spiritual 
development, 
slackened 
in 
Christ. 
their 
race 
for 
the 
prize-running 
the 
risk 
of 
losing 
the 
great 
These 
brethren 
for 
whom 
we 
are 
to 
lay 
down 
our 
lives 
[3932J 
(34-36) ZION’S each month on report blanks, also supplied free from this office; (4) all such are requested to use the printed Colporteur envelopes supplied free, or if temporarily out of these to use another envelope, writing on the lower left corner the words, ‘‘Colporteur Department.’’? Others than active Colporteurs will please not use these envelopes. Those selling DaAWNs or Srupigs at odd times, purchasing not over 25 books at a time by mail or express at rates usually given on page 2 of Tower need no assignment and will be hereafter known as ‘‘Sharp Shooters.’’ WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, Pa. We are sure that all the dear friends will be glad to assist in any manner, and a compliance with these suggestions will be one way of assisting the office force, which, with the increase of orders, is kept exceedingly busy. The prospects for new Oolporteurs and for a very widely extended field of service for the present year encourages us greatly, and we bid them all God speed!—all the dear colaborers looking shortly for the reward and the ‘‘ Well done’’ of our Redeemer. Vout. XXVIII ALLEGHENY, PA., FEBRUARY 1, 1907 No. 3 THE PASSOVER MEMORIAL, MARCH 28, The date for the observance of the Memorial of our Lord’s “Last Supper’’ this year will be Thursday night (after 6 p.m.) March 28th. We trust that our readers in Asia, Africa, Australia and Alaska will get this notice in season 1907 and celebrate in unison with us the great event which sealed the Abrahamic or ‘‘Everlasting Covenant’’ for us, and will seal the ‘‘New Covenant’’ for Israel and the whole world, shortly. “LOVE AS BRETHREN” I PETER 3:8. Love for the brethren is set forth in the Scriptures as one of the indisputable evidences of our having attained membership in the body of Christ. This love may be of varying degrees, but it must be ours in some degree if we are the Lord’s, for ‘‘if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his.’? (Rom. 8:9) But this flame of sacred love for the brethren kindled in our hearts is not sufficient; it must blaze, burn, and produce in us not merely a warmth of love but a consuming love—love which will not only overlook various weaknesses and imperfections in the brotherhood, and will carefully note every good quality, but love which is ready to lay down life on behalf of the brethren because they belong to Christ, because they are of his consecrated ones, however much they may need to strive against sin and weaknesses. As we have previously pointed out, the Gospel message fails to attract many of the noblest, least-fallen members of the race, because they have a self-satisfied feeling, and do not realize their need of a Savior, but think of him as necessary only to the more degraded of the race. On the contrary, the less known, more depraved, realizing to some extent their miserable condition, are more likely than the others to respond to the invitation, ‘‘Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’’ The sin-sick and heavy laden, therefore, constitute the majority of true believers. And in harmony with this we have the words of the Scripture that not many wise, not many noble, not many learned, not many great according to the flesh have been ealled of God to the privileges of his church, the elect class. Consequently when any of the more noble minded or better educated or more talented accept the Lord’s grace, it becomes somewhat of a trial to them to find amongst those whom they must recognize as brethren (because of faith in Christ and desire for the higher things) some of the ignoble, whose company and fellowship according to the flesh they would have scorned. This is another reason why not many great, wise, learned and noble will not make their calling and election sure—many such will allow their fleshly instincts to govern, and repudiating the humblest member of the body of Christ they are to that extent repudiating the Head, who has accepted that member, and who demands of all who would be his members that they shall love one another as he loved them. True, the Lord does not say that we should love all the brethren with the same degree or intensity of love: on the contrary, he showed by his own conduct that we may indeed more highly esteem those who have most of his spirit, those whose hearts are most in accord with the divine will. Thus our Lord, while he loved all of his disciples, had some special favorites, Peter, James and John. His special love for these was doubtless because of their special interest and zeal for him and for the cause he served. So, therefore, may we, followers in the footsteps of Jesus, have special love for all who are specially zealous and true hearted. But this love ignores wealth, education, earthly standing—ignores the flesh and takes cognizance of the spirit, the will, the heart. Tested by this love for the brethren, many who had a loving respect for the Lord as their Redeemer have apparently hindered their own spiritual development, slackened in their race for the prize—running the risk of losing the great reward because of their failure to come up to this divine requirement, ‘‘Love as brethren.’? The proper course for all such is to think of the matter soberly from the Scriptural standpoint, and to decide that the humility requisite to an acceptance of some of the naturally less noble is undoubtedly a necessary element of character for them to develop. Amongst the fruits of the spirit the Apostle names meekness, The unmeek, the proud, are not in the condition of heart for the kingdom; and the higher stations of life, intellectually, morally and socially, are unfavorable to meekness, humility and long suffering with the weaknesses and frailties of others. We see, then, that while the weaker brethren, the naturally more impaired, have more to struggle against, more to overcome in one sense of the word, the others of more noble birth and talents have a harder battle along other lines. Let both classes be encouraged, for although the lessons they must learn are considerably different, the results to be obtained are the same, and the instructor, the great Teacher, is the same. He is able to assist the ignoble to gradually overcome their natural meanness and depravity, and to war more and more a good warfare in his name and by his assistance; and he is likewise able to assist the more noble minded to exercise patience, sympathy, toward the less reputable. They have an illustration in himself: he who was rich in every sense of the word and beyond all compare, perfect in every element of character, talented, noble—he for our sakes became poor, he humbled himsélf on our behalf, he took the bondman’s place, he suffered in our room and stead, he died the just for the unjust. He has therefore set us an example that we may walk in his steps, and the more nobility we may have naturally the more readily we shall be able to do this, and to appreciate and exercise the fruits of the Spirit, and grow up more and more in accord, in sympathy, in likeness to him. ‘‘LOVE YOUR ENEMIES’’ There is a difference between the injunction to love as brethren and to lay down our lives for the brethren. Whatever we may do for any member of the body of Christ, for any consecrated believer, the Lord tells us he will esteem as though it were done unto him. Hence as it would be our duty and our privilege and our joy to lay down our lives in the service of the Lord, we must attain to such a love for the brethren, because they are his, that we will delight to lay down our lives for them as a means of demonstrating to the Lord our loyalty to him and his cause. This does not necessarily mean the laying down of physical strength and health and life in the physical services and ministries to the brethren, though these may be and are in many instances very profitable. It is not according to the flesh that the Lord’s followers are brethren but according to the spirit, and hence the injunction to lay down our lives for the brethren would more particularly signify the laying down of our physical health or strength, knowledge, talents and means in the service of the spiritual interests of the Lord’s people. As for instance, in the preaching of the Truth, if there be sacrifices or self-denials, loss of strength, etc., in connection with this service, it is the laying down of that much of one’s life for the brethren, for the fellow-members of the body of Christ. These brethren for whom we are to lay down our lives [3932]

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