Publication date
1/1/08
Volume
29
Number
1
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1908/1/1908-1-1.html
 
VOL. 
XXIX 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
JANUARY 
1, 
1908 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
No.1 
The 
opening 
of 
a 
New 
Year 
is 
a 
most 
favorable 
time 
for 
special 
circumspection-for 
reviewing 
the 
year 
past, 
for 
the 
looking 
forward 
to 
the 
things 
coming 
upon 
the 
earth, 
and 
for 
a 
general 
survey 
of 
present 
conditions 
in 
the 
world, 
in 
the 
church, 
and 
particularly 
in 
our 
own 
hearts. 
This 
circumspec­ 
tion 
should 
be 
taken 
with 
a 
view 
to 
our 
growth 
in 
knowledge 
and 
in 
grace-not 
from 
idle 
curiosity 
nor 
from 
boastful 
self­ 
sufficiency. 
in 
public 
and 
in 
private. 
Let 
us 
remember, 
also, 
that 
many 
of 
the 
most 
successful 
have 
not 
gained 
their 
wealth 
hy 
grinding 
the 
poor 
nor 
by 
treating 
them 
as 
slaves, 
but 
on 
the 
contrary 
have 
paid 
the 
best 
wages, 
treated 
their 
employees 
most 
honor­ 
ably, 
and 
really 
have 
been 
benefactors 
to 
the 
world 
in 
that 
their 
business 
acumen 
enabled 
them 
to 
launch 
large 
projects, 
which 
gave 
profitable 
employment 
and 
large 
wages 
to 
many 
of 
their 
fellows, 
who 
would 
have 
been 
incapable 
of 
sueh 
management 
CHRISTENDOM 
IN 
SURVEY 
LET 
A 
MAN 
THINK 
SOBERLY 
While 
church 
and 
state 
are 
in 
many 
respects 
totally 
sep- 
Many 
are 
able 
to 
take 
the 
reasonable, 
just, 
philosophical 
arate, 
nevertheless 
throughout 
what 
we 
term 
Christendom 
they 
view 
of 
the 
subject 
above 
presented 
so 
long 
as 
they 
are 
doing 
are 
so 
closely 
related 
and 
intertwined 
as 
to 
appear 
one, 
and 
reasonably 
well 
themselves; 
but 
when 
the 
pinch 
eomes 
and 
this 
oneness 
we 
believe 
the 
Scriptures 
to 
teach 
will 
increase 
they 
begin 
to 
be 
in 
want 
they 
l'('uson 
differently. 
They 
forget 
until 
for 
all 
practical 
purposes 
they 
will 
be 
one. 
We 
surmise 
a 
part 
of 
the 
truth 
on 
the 
suhject-they 
think 
merply 
of 
the 
that 
this 
will 
be 
accomplished 
within 
the 
next 
three 
years. 
The 
fact 
that 
in 
nature 
and 
providence 
we 
are 
surrounded 
hy 
won­ 
Committee 
on 
Chureh 
Federation 
appointed 
some 
time 
ago 
is 
derful 
bounties 
and 
vast 
opportunities, 
and 
in 
the 
scramble 
to 
meet 
in 
December, 
1908. 
Conditions 
during 
the 
present 
year 
for 
wealth 
which 
these 
produced 
others 
got 
the 
lion's 
share. 
will 
undoubtedly 
cause 
the 
idea 
of 
Church 
Federation 
to 
take 
From 
this 
standpoint 
they 
reason 
that 
the 
wealth 
of 
the 
world 
firmer 
hold 
than 
ever 
upon 
the 
public 
mind, 
especially 
upon 
the 
and 
the 
increment 
belong 
equally 
to 
the 
wise 
and 
the 
unwise, 
cleries, 
and 
our 
expectation, 
therefore, 
is 
that 
two 
years 
later 
to 
the 
learned 
and 
the 
ignorant, 
to 
the 
ambitious 
and 
the 
care­ 
it 
will 
be 
an 
accomplished 
fact. 
Quite 
probably 
by 
that 
time 
less, 
and 
with 
this 
thought 
in 
view 
they 
are 
inclined 
to 
demand 
some 
arrangement 
will 
have 
been 
effected 
between 
the 
Epis- 
their 
share 
and 
to 
hold 
that 
anyone 
who 
has 
more 
than 
his 
copal 
system 
and 
other 
Protestant 
denominations, 
whereby 
the 
pel' 
capita 
portion 
must 
have 
stolpn 
it 
from 
his 
fellows. 
But 
clergy 
of 
the 
latter 
will 
all 
be 
recognized 
by 
the 
former- 
since 
they 
joined 
in 
the 
scramble, 
hoping 
to 
he 
amongst 
the 
probably 
by 
the 
Episcopal 
clergy 
in 
some 
manner 
imparting 
more 
successful, 
even 
aeknowledging 
thus 
the 
principles 
of 
the 
apostolic 
succession. 
Thereafter 
any 
not 
recognized 
by 
selfish 
eompdition, 
it 
is 
with 
bad 
grace 
that 
tlwy 
now 
pspeeially 
the 
system 
will 
be 
in 
sore 
straits, 
condemned 
as 
unorthodox, 
find 
fault 
with 
those 
who 
have 
been 
more 
successful 
than 
they, 
and 
without 
right 
or 
authority 
or 
privilege 
to 
preach 
or 
teach. 
instead 
of 
finding 
fault 
with 
the 
system 
whieh 
permitted, 
fos­ 
This 
condition 
of 
things, 
as 
pointed 
out 
in 
these 
columns 
tered 
and 
developed 
present 
conditions. 
Indeed, 
however 
stren­ 
twenty-eight 
years 
ago, 
we 
look 
for 
as 
the 
fulfillment 
of 
Rev. 
uous 
may 
be 
the 
results 
of 
present 
conditions 
of 
the 
world, 
we 
13:15-17. 
can 
fully 
justify 
divine 
providence 
in 
permitting 
matters 
to 
In 
the 
Lord's 
providenee 
the 
increase 
of 
light 
and 
knowl- 
take 
the 
course 
which 
has 
led 
up 
to 
the 
prespnt 
eondition 
of 
edge 
preparatory 
for 
the 
great 
Millennial 
day 
has 
brought 
to 
things-up 
to 
the 
time 
of 
trouble 
whi('h 
will 
mark 
the 
('onsum­ 
Christendom 
great 
riches. 
Not 
only 
have 
the 
millions 
of 
mation 
of 
this 
age 
and 
the 
inaugurntion 
of 
the 
Millennium. 
Christendom 
been 
more 
constantly 
employed 
than 
ever, 
but 
by 
Without 
selfish 
amhition 
to 
spm 
men 
on, 
without 
the 
law 
reason 
of' 
eilucation 
their 
employment 
has 
yielded 
larger 
of 
necessity 
to 
speed 
the 
movements 
of 
the 
slothful, 
the 
ten­ 
fruitage, 
and 
in 
combination 
with 
machinery 
the 
results 
have 
dency 
of 
mankind 
would 
have 
been 
toward 
a 
barhari(' 
indolen('e, 
surely 
been 
five-fold. 
No 
wonder, 
then, 
that 
the 
world's 
wealth 
contentment 
with 
a 
hut 
instend 
of 
a 
pala('e, 
sntisfied 
with 
signs 
has 
been 
enormously 
increased. 
As 
might 
be 
expected, 
how- 
and 
grunts 
nnd 
hieroglyphics 
instend 
of 
an 
edueation. 
Un­ 
ever, 
all 
have 
not 
profited 
equally 
by 
this 
great 
gain. 
While 
doubtedly, 
all 
the 
fallen 
conditions 
('onsidered, 
the 
Lord 
did 
all 
have 
profited 
in 
great 
measure, 
the 
master 
minds-especially 
the 
best 
thing 
for 
the 
race 
to 
permit 
selfish 
ambition 
to 
crack 
those 
endowed 
with 
large 
acquisitiveness-have 
profited 
chiefly 
the 
whip 
and 
drive 
the 
remainder 
of 
the 
world 
toward 
a 
hIgher 
by 
the 
favorable 
conditions. 
As 
a 
result 
we 
see 
that 
one- 
civilization 
than 
that 
into 
which 
they 
had 
sunk, 
ns 
described 
seventh 
of 
the 
people 
own 
six-sevenths 
of 
the 
wealth, 
If 
on 
by 
the 
Apostle 
in 
Romam, 
chapters 
1 
and 
2. 
the 
one 
hand 
this 
condition 
of 
things 
seems 
hard 
and 
inequita- 
"ALL 
THINGS 
CONTINUE 
AS 
THEY 
WERE" 
ble, 
let 
us 
remember 
on 
the 
other 
hand 
that 
it 
is 
the 
legitimate 
The 
Lord 
through 
the 
Apostle 
calls 
our 
attention 
to 
the 
fruit 
of 
the 
law 
of 
selfishness, 
under 
which 
the 
world 
has 
fact 
that 
in 
the 
end 
of 
this 
age 
there 
would 
be 
a 
tendency 
operated 
now 
for 
six 
thousand 
years. 
That 
the 
field 
in 
many 
on 
the 
part 
of 
the 
worldly 
wise 
to 
say 
that 
there 
would 
be 
respects 
has 
been 
a 
fair 
and 
open 
one 
is 
evidenced 
by 
the 
fact 
no 
change 
of 
dispensation; 
that 
all 
things 
continue 
as 
they 
that 
some 
of 
the 
wealthiest 
people 
of 
today 
started 
life 
in 
the 
were 
from 
the 
heginning 
of 
creation 
and 
will 
so 
continue-that 
humblest 
circumstances. 
If 
some 
of 
these 
in 
gaining 
their 
there 
will 
be 
no 
change. 
This 
is 
brought 
out 
as 
an 
answer 
wealth 
have 
used 
unscrupulous 
means, 
let 
us 
remember 
that 
that 
will 
be 
made 
to 
some 
who 
will 
claim 
the 
presence 
of 
the 
they 
did 
nothing 
more 
than 
many 
of 
their 
neighbors 
who 
had 
Lord 
and 
the 
change 
of 
dispensation-just 
as 
we 
are 
doing. 
less 
s:uccess 
in 
life-nothing 
more 
than 
what 
the 
majority 
of 
But 
in 
accord 
with 
the 
Word 
of 
God, 
we 
are 
not 
heeding 
mankmd 
would 
have 
done 
had 
they 
possessed 
opportunity 
and 
these 
worldly 
wise, 
but 
are 
hearkening 
to 
the 
voice 
of 
him 
that 
the 
intellectual 
talent 
to 
improve 
it. 
This 
being 
true, 
it 
be- 
speakE'th 
from 
heaven, 
which 
assures 
us 
of 
a 
great 
change, 
hooves 
us 
to 
look 
with 
generosity 
upon 
the 
rich, 
and 
to 
note 
to 
and 
that 
it 
is 
now 
at 
the 
door: 
(1) 
A 
change 
of 
rulers, 
the 
their 
credit 
that 
many 
of 
them 
have 
been 
very 
benevolent 
both 
Prince 
of 
Light 
taking 
from 
the 
prince 
of 
darkness 
the 
sceptre 
V--!7 
[4109] 
ZIONS Vou. XXIX ALLEGHENY, PA., JANUARY 1, 1908 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER The opening of a New Year is a most favorable time for special circumspection—for reviewing the year past, for the looking forward to the things coming upon the earth, and for a general survey of present conditions in the world, in the church, and particularly in our own hearts. This circumspection should be taken with a view to our growth in knowledge and in grace—not from idle curiosity nor from boastful selfsufficiency. CHRISTENDOM IN SURVEY While chureh and state are in many respects totally separate, nevertheless throughout what we term Christendom they are so closely related and intertwined as to appear one, and this oneness we believe the Scriptures to teach will increase until for all practical purposes they will be one. We surmise that this will be accomplished within the next three years. The Committee on Church Federation appointed some time ago is to meet in December, 1908. Conditions during the present year will undoubtedly cause the idea of Church Federation to take firmer hold than ever upon the public mind, especially upon the clerics, and our expectation, therefore, is that two years later it will be an accomplished fact. Quite probably by that time some arrangement will have been effected between the Episeopal system and other Protestant denominations, whereby the clergy of the latter will all be recognized by the former— probably by the Episcopal clergy in some manner imparting the apostolic succession. Thereafter any not recognized by the system will be in sore straits, condemned as unorthodox, and without right or authority or privilege to preach or teach. This condition of things, as pointed out in these columns twenty-eight years ago, we look for as the fulfillment of Rev. 13:15-17. In the Lord’s providence the increase of light and knowledge preparatory for the great Millennial day has brought to Christendom great riches. Not only have the millions of Christendom been more constantly employed than ever, but by reason of education their employment has yielded larger fruitage, and in combination with machinery the results have surely been five-fold. No wonder, then, that the world’s wealth has been enormously increased. As might be expected, however, all have not profited equally by this great gain. While all have profited in great measure, the master minds—especially those endowed with large acquisitiveness—have profited chiefly by the favorable conditions. As a result we see that oneseventh of the people own six-sevenths of the wealth. If on the one hand this condition of things seems hard and inequitable, let us remember on the other hand that it is the legitimate fruit of the law of selfishness, under which the world has operated now for six thousand years. That the field in many respects has been a fair and open one is evidenced by the fact that some of the wealthiest people of today started life in the humblest circumstances, If some of these in gaining their wealth have used unscrupulous means, let us remember that they did nothing more than many of their neighbors who had less success in life—nothing more than what the majority of mankind would have done had they possessed opportunity and the intellectual talent to improve it. This being true, it behooves us to look with generosity upon the rich, and to note to their credit that many of them have been very benevolent both V—27 [4109} in publie and in private. Let us remember, also, that many of the most successful have not gained their wealth by grinding the poor nor by treating them as slaves, but on the contrary have paid the best wages, treated their employees most honorably, and really have been benefactors to the world in that their business acumen enabled them to launch large projects, which gave profitable employment and large wages to many of their fellows, who would have been incapable of such management LET A MAN THINK SOBERLY Many are able to take the reasonable, just, philosophical view of the subject above presented so long as they are doing reasonably well themselves; but when the pinch comes and they begin to be in want they reason differently. They forget a part of the truth on the subject—they think merely of the fact that in nature and providence we are surrounded by wonderful bounties and vast opportunities, and in the scramble for wealth which these produced others got the lion’s share. From this standpoint they reason that the wealth of the world and the increment belong equally to the wise and the unwise, to the learned and the ignorant, to the ambitious and the careless, and with this thought in view they are inclined to demand their share and to hold that anyone who has more than his per capita portion must have stolen it from his fellows. But since they joined in the scramble, hoping to be amongst the more successful, even acknowledging thus the principles of selfish compctition, it is with bad grace that they now especially find fault with those who have been more successful than they, instead of finding fault with the system which permitted, fostered and developed present conditions. Indeed, however strenuous may be the results of present conditions of the world, we ean fully justify divine provideneec in permitting matters to take the course which has led up to the present condition of things—up to the time of trouble which will mark the eonsummation of this age and the inauguration of the Millennium. Without selfish ambition to spur men on, without the law of necessity to speed the movements of the slothful, the tendeney of mankind would have been toward a barharie indolence, contentment with a hut instead of a palace, satisfied with signs and grunts and hicroglyphies instead of an education. Undoubtedly, all the fallen conditions considered, the Lord did the best thing for the race to permit selfish ambition to crack the whip and drive the remainder of the world toward a higher civilization than that into which they had sunk, as described by the Apostle in Romans, chapters 1 and 2. “ALL THINGS CONTINUE AS THEY WERE’’ The Lord through the Apostle calls our attention to the fact that in the end of this age there would be a tendency on the part of the worldly wise to say that there would be no change of dispensation; that all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation and will so continue—that there will be no change. This is brought out as an answer that will be made to some who will claim the presence of the Lord and the change of dispensation—just as we are doing. But in accord with the Word of God, we are not heeding these worldly wise, but are hearkening to the voice of him that speaketh from heaven, which assures us of a great change, and that it is now at the door: (1) A change of rulers, the Prince of Light taking from the prince of darkness the sceptre (3-4)

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 Global Policy on Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies .