Publication date
10/15/08
Volume
29
Number
20
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1908/20/1908-20-1.html
 
 
OCTOBER 
IS. 
ISl08 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
harvest 
work. 
He 
intimates 
that 
the 
vials 
of 
his 
wrath 
will 
be 
poured 
upon 
us 
speedily 
if 
we 
do 
not 
quickly 
move 
the 
reverse 
lever. 
Some 
of 
these 
dear 
friends 
appear 
to 
be 
per­ 
fectly 
willing 
that 
the 
nomina~ 
control 
of 
the 
WATCH 
TOWER 
and 
the 
WATCH 
TOWER 
Bible 
and 
Tract 
Society 
should 
re­ 
main 
in 
the 
hands 
to 
which 
the 
Lord 
entrusted 
it, 
provided, 
Brother 
Russell 
will 
hearken 
to 
and 
follow 
the 
voice 
of 
tho 
Lord 
through 
them; 
others 
would 
evidently 
prefer 
that 
the 
harvest 
worK 
be 
blown 
to 
atoms 
that 
they 
might 
become 
more 
prominent. 
As 
a 
sample 
of 
this 
critical, 
bombastic, 
self­ 
righteous 
and 
domineering 
spirit, 
we 
quote 
the 
closing 
words 
of 
C's 
letter; 
(Italics 
are 
ours) 
:-"Unless 
steps 
are 
taken 
to 
correct 
this 
evil 
I 
shall 
pray 
for 
t"M 
O1Jerthrow 
Of 
the 
ar· 
rangement, 
that 
it 
may 
come 
into 
judgment; 
but 
at 
present 
I 
will 
pray 
that 
you 
may 
be 
able 
to 
see 
the 
matter 
in 
its 
true 
Ught, 
and 
I 
am 
assured 
that 
the 
prayer 
of 
a 
righteous 
man 
availeth 
much, 
and 
the 
Apostle 
cites 
the 
prayer 
of 
Elias, 
to 
show 
how 
the 
Lord 
hears 
our 
petitions. 
With 
much 
Chris­ 
tian 
love, 
etc." 
Thus 
our 
Lord's 
words 
are 
fulfilled 
in 
us 
over 
and 
over 
again 
from 
every 
quarter, 
t 
t 
They 
shall 
say 
all 
manner 
of 
evil 
agamst 
you 
falsely 
for 
my 
sake." 
And 
as 
the 
Master 
was 
called 
Beelzebub 
we 
are 
said 
to 
have 
a 
't 
lying, 
evil 
spirit." 
We 
tremble 
not 
at 
the 
threat 
that 
we 
shall 
be 
prayed 
against 
a.s 
above, 
with 
its 
intimation 
that 
the 
Lord 
has 
been 
neg­ 
lecting 
the 
harvest 
work, 
waiting 
for 
this 
dear 
brother 
to 
give 
the 
intimation 
as 
to 
what 
must 
be 
done. 
We 
fear 
none 
of 
these 
fears. 
We 
weep 
not 
for 
ourself; 
our 
sorrow 
is 
for 
these 
poor, 
deluded 
brethren. 
We 
perceive 
that 
they 
are 
being 
weighed 
by 
the 
Lord. 
We 
fear 
that 
they 
will 
be 
found 
want­ 
ing 
in 
brotherly 
love-the 
one 
important 
test 
of 
membership 
in 
the 
body 
of 
Christ-the 
requirement 
of 
the 
one 
command­ 
ment 
which 
the 
Lord 
gave 
to 
his 
people.-J 
ohn 
13: 
34; 
15: 
12. 
Yes, 
we 
may 
well 
fear 
for 
these, 
and 
pray 
for 
them. 
We 
ask 
all 
who 
claim 
membership 
in 
the 
Anointed 
to 
join 
peti. 
tlOns 
with 
ours 
that 
these 
dear 
ones 
may 
be 
recovered 
from 
their 
presen 
t 
blindness. 
The 
Apostles 
James 
and 
John, 
indignant 
at 
the 
refusal 
of 
the 
people 
of 
Samaria 
to 
sell 
food 
to 
our 
Lord 
and 
his 
(1isciples, 
asked 
our 
Master, 
"Lord, 
wilt 
thou 
that 
we 
com· 
mand 
fire 
from 
heaven 
to 
consume 
these 
men 
and 
their 
city~" 
Our 
Lord 
replied, 
"Ye 
know 
not 
what 
spirit 
ye 
are 
of." 
So 
now 
we 
say 
to 
the 
few 
dear 
brethren 
so 
deeply 
exer­ 
cised 
concerning 
the 
vow, 
"Ye 
know 
not 
what 
spirit 
ye 
are 
of." 
You 
have 
been 
confused. 
At 
heart 
you 
surely 
do 
not 
mean 
all 
that 
you 
are 
hinting, 
saying, 
threatening 
and 
doing. 
We 
judge 
you 
not, 
condemn 
you 
not; 
but 
we 
do 
ask 
you 
to 
judge 
yourselves. 
Are 
you 
exercis·ing 
the 
spirit 
of 
love 
which 
you 
assured 
us 
is 
your 
real 
heart 
sentimenU 
"By 
their 
fruit~ 
ye 
shall 
know 
them," 
said 
our 
Master. 
Let 
us 
each 
look 
after 
the 
fruitage 
of 
his 
own 
h('art 
and 
life. 
' 
'God 
is 
not 
mocked." 
Anger, 
malice, 
envy, 
hatred, 
strife, 
are 
works 
(fruits) 
of 
the 
flesh 
and 
of 
the 
devil. 
IS 
THE 
VOW 
EXTREME? 
We 
hold 
that 
the 
vow 
is 
not 
extreme 
in 
view 
of 
the 
con­ 
dition 
of 
things 
which 
our 
understanding 
of 
God's 
Word 
leadS 
us 
to 
expect 
as 
t' 
nigh, 
even 
at 
the 
door." 
We 
remind 
you 
of 
the 
Apostle 
Paul's 
declaration 
of 
his 
willingness 
to 
take 
a 
Vow, 
"to 
eat 
no 
meat 
while 
the 
world 
standeth," 
if 
such 
a 
course 
should 
seem 
to 
him 
expedient, 
in 
the 
interest 
of 
weaker 
brethren. 
The 
vow 
which 
we 
advocate 
as 
now 
very 
expedient 
is 
far 
less 
exacting 
than 
the 
one 
the 
Apostle 
declared 
would 
be 
proper 
if 
expedient. 
But 
taking 
it, 
let 
us 
keep 
it 
in 
letter 
and 
in 
spirit. 
"Vow 
and 
pay 
unto 
the 
Lord 
your 
God."­ 
Psa. 
76:11. 
Someone 
opposing 
the 
vow 
suggests 
that 
those 
who 
take 
the 
vow 
are 
so 
bound 
by 
it 
that 
should 
they 
through 
sickness 
or 
for 
other 
reasons 
forget 
or 
neglect 
to 
daily 
remember 
in 
prayer 
the 
harvest 
work, 
etc., 
it 
would 
be 
an 
unpardonable 
sin. 
We 
will 
not 
call 
in 
question 
the 
sincerity 
of 
those 
who 
thus 
pervert 
the 
truth 
in 
their 
attempt 
to 
hinder 
others; 
we 
will 
suppose 
that 
they 
spoke 
out 
of 
the 
abundance 
of 
their 
ignorance. 
As 
above 
set 
forth 
the 
vow 
is 
a 
solemn 
engagement 
which 
should 
not 
be 
broken. 
So 
is 
our 
baptismal 
vow, 
our 
con­ 
secration 
vow-to 
be 
dead 
to 
the 
world 
and 
self 
and 
sin. 
Suppose 
that 
having 
vowed 
to 
the 
Lord 
to 
walk 
in 
the 
fcot­ 
steps 
of 
Jesus 
in 
the 
narrow 
way, 
and 
that 
at 
some 
unguarded 
moment 
you 
side-stepped-what 
then 
~ 
Were 
you 
doomed 
there­ 
fore 
to 
the 
second 
death 
~ 
Oh 
no! 
for 
just 
such 
errors 
we 
pray, 
t, 
Forgive 
us 
our 
trespasses 
as 
we 
forgive 
those 
who 
trespass 
against 
us." 
" 
If 
any 
man 
[in 
Christl 
sin 
we 
have 
an 
Advocate 
with 
the 
Father, 
Jesus 
Christ 
the 
righteous." 
, 
t 
The 
blood 
of 
Jesus 
Christ 
cleanseth 
us 
from 
all 
sin." 
t 
t 
Let 
us 
come 
boldly 
to 
the 
throne 
of 
the 
heavenly 
grace 
that 
we 
may 
obtain 
mercy 
and 
find 
grace 
to 
help 
in 
every 
time 
of 
need." 
As 
already 
elsewhere 
pointed 
out 
a 
wilful, 
deliberate 
viola­ 
tion 
of 
a 
vow 
would 
oring 
the 
full 
sin 
penalty. 
A 
mixed 
sin, 
partially 
wilful, 
would 
be 
partly 
forgivable 
and 
partly 
subject 
to 
stripes 
or 
punishment. 
A 
wholly 
unintentional 
sin 
would 
be 
wholly 
forgiven 
upon 
request. 
We 
repeat, 
there­ 
fore, 
our 
('xhortation, 
that 
the 
vow 
be 
taken 
hy 
all 
of 
Goil'~ 
consecrateil 
children; 
hut 
not 
without 
careful 
examination 
and 
in 
full 
determination. 
VOL. 
XXIX 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
NOVEMBER 
1,1908 
VIE\VS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
No. 
21 
ISRAEL'S 
INTEREST 
IN 
TURKEY'S 
TROUBLES 
Like 
a 
bursting 
bomb, 
disturbing 
European 
peace, 
has 
come 
the 
announcement 
of 
a 
rupture 
of 
the 
t 
t 
Berlin 
Treaty" 
by 
Austria's 
annexing 
two 
Turkish 
provinces. 
Russia 
at 
once 
announced 
her 
desire 
that 
the 
Treaty 
be 
revised, 
and 
Bulgaria 
declared 
her 
independence 
of 
Turkey. 
The 
t, 
Berlin 
Treaty" 
of 
thirty 
years 
ago 
claimed 
that 
the 
Turks 
were 
unable 
prop­ 
erly 
to 
govern 
portions 
of 
their 
territory 
in 
which 
Christians 
resided, 
and 
divided 
the 
supervision 
of 
these 
amongst 
the 
other 
powers. 
Bosnia 
and 
Herzegovina 
were 
two 
of 
these, 
put 
under 
Austria's 
care. 
It 
will 
be 
remembered 
that 
Pal­ 
estine 
was 
put 
under 
British 
protection, 
and 
Egypt 
unitedly 
under 
French 
and 
British 
supervision, 
but 
that 
France 
avoided 
her 
responsibility 
in 
favor 
of 
the 
British. 
'Whether 
the 
present 
trouble 
shall 
result 
in 
a 
general 
war 
or 
not 
it 
probably 
will 
mean 
the 
rupture 
of 
the 
"Berlin 
Treaty," 
and 
that 
the 
several 
provinces 
supervised 
by 
other 
nations 
will 
come 
more 
completely 
under 
their 
control. 
This 
would 
make 
Palestine 
a 
British 
province, 
like 
Canada, 
and 
mean 
as 
full 
liberty 
to 
the 
Jews 
as 
they 
have 
in 
Canada 
-to 
huy, 
build, 
elect 
local 
government, 
etc. 
We 
are 
not, 
however, 
to 
expect 
for 
Palestine 
full 
inoependence 
before 
1915. 
NEWS 
FROM 
JUDEA 
In 
a 
recent 
letter 
from 
Jerusalem, 
Mr. 
W. 
H. 
Dunn 
refers 
to 
the 
remarkable 
development 
in 
the 
.Tewish 
National 
Zionist 
movement 
which 
took 
place 
in 
Jerusalem 
during 
the 
fifteen 
months 
he 
was 
in 
England: 
It 
Great 
numbers 
of 
Jews 
are 
returning 
to 
Jerusalem, 
not 
for 
repentance 
or 
confession 
of 
sins, 
bnt 
simply 
because 
they 
must 
go 
somewhere, 
and 
the 
Sultan 
allows 
them 
to 
enter 
without 
hindrance. 
Tn 
that 
short 
time 
no 
fewer 
than 
5,000 
Russian 
Jews 
landed 
at 
Jaffa. 
These 
Jews 
are 
investing 
what 
money 
they 
have 
in 
buying 
land 
and 
buying 
and 
building 
houses. 
So 
great 
is 
their 
activity 
that 
it 
is 
a 
matter 
of 
concern 
to 
the 
forei~ 
residents. 
TIl(' 
Moslems 
sell 
to 
them 
however 
without 
demur. 
They 
believe 
this 
land 
really 
belongs 
to 
the 
Jews. 
The 
development 
in 
Jewish 
edueation 
is 
also 
striking, 
and 
kindergarten 
schools 
are 
being 
opened 
for 
the 
children. 
Hebrew 
is 
being 
taught 
and 
becoming 
a 
living 
language, 
and 
new 
Hehrew 
words 
arc 
heing 
formed 
so 
as 
to 
make 
the 
old 
tongue 
helpful 
for 
up-to­ 
date 
use. 
It 
is 
common 
to 
hear 
Hebrew 
spoken 
in 
the 
streets. 
" 
-Exchanqe. 
UNION 
OF 
BAPTISTS 
AND 
DISCIPLES 
OF 
CHRIST 
The 
Rev. 
1. 
J. 
Spencer, 
pastor 
of 
the 
Central 
Christian 
church 
(or 
Disciples 
of 
Christ, 
thl\ 
trrm 
uSf'd 
by 
members 
of 
this 
denomination). 
will 
accept 
an 
invitntion 
to 
atltlress 
the 
National 
Baptist 
Congress. 
to 
1)(' 
held 
in 
Chicago, 
Novem­ 
ber 
10 
to 
12, 
upon 
the 
subject, 
t, 
What 
Definite 
Steps 
Should 
Be 
Immediately 
Taken 
Toward 
the 
Union 
of 
Baptists, 
1<'ree 
Baptists, 
and 
Disciples 
of 
Christ'" 
Other 
speakers 
repre~ent­ 
ing 
the 
first 
two 
denominations 
also 
will 
discuss 
the 
topic, 
and 
it 
is 
expected 
that 
the 
discussion 
will 
result 
in 
a 
long 
stride 
toward 
the 
union 
of 
th(' 
two 
denominations-Baptists 
and 
Disciples 
of 
Christ, 
the 
first 
steps 
toward 
which 
w('re 
taken 
two 
years 
ago. 
At 
the 
National 
Conl!'ress 
of 
the 
Disciples 
m 
Indianapolis, 
in 
March, 
] 
908, 
by 
invit:Jtion 
Dr. 
E. 
Y. 
Mullins, 
president 
of 
the 
Southern 
Baptist 
Theological 
Seminary 
of 
Louisville. 
and 
Mr. 
Spencer 
discussed 
the 
topic: 
't 
What 
Does 
the 
New 
Testament 
Teach 
Concerning 
the 
Doctrine 
of 
the 
Remission 
of 
Sins 
~" 
One 
session 
of 
the 
congress 
was 
entirely 
given 
to 
the 
addresses. 
The 
similarity 
of 
the 
teachings 
of 
the 
denominations 
on 
vital 
points 
aroused 
great 
enthnsiasm. 
This 
gave 
rise 
to 
the 
OcToBER 15, 3908 harvest work. He intimates that the vials of his wrath will be poured upon us speedily if we do not quickly move the reverse lever. Some of these dear friends appear to be perfectly willing that the nominal control of the Watch TowEr and the Warcu TowrEr Bible and Tract Society should remain in the hands to which the Lord entrusted it, provided, Brother Russell will hearken to and follow the voice of the Lord through them; others would evidently prefer that the harvest work be blown to atoms that they might become more prominent. As a sample of this critical, bombastic, selfrighteous and domineering spirit, we quote the closing words of C’s letter; (Italics are ours):—‘‘Unless steps are taken to correct this evil I shall pray for the overthrow of the arrangement, that it may come into judgment; but at present I will pray that you may be able to see the matter in its true light, and I am assured that the prayer of a righteous man availeth much, and the Apostle cites the prayer of Elias, to show how the Lord hears our petitions. With much Christian love, ete.’’ Thus our Lord’s words are fulfilled in us over and over again from every quarter, ‘‘They shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.’’ And as the Master was called Beelzebub we are said to have a ‘‘lying, evil spirit.’’ We tremble not at the threat that we shali be prayed against as above, with its intimation that the Lord has been neglecting the harvest work, waiting for this dear brother to give the intimation as to what must be done. We fear none of these fears. We weep not for ourself; our sorrow is for these poor, deluded brethren. We perceive that they are being weighed by the Lord. We fear that they will be found wanting in brotherly love—the one important test of membership in the body of Christ--the requirement of the one commandment which the Lord gave to his people-—John 13:34; 15:12. Yes, we may well fear for these, and pray for them. We ask all who claim membership in the Anointed to join petitions with ours that these dear ones may be recovered from their present blindness. The Apostles James and John, indignant at the refusal of the people of Samaria to sell food to our Lord and his disciples, asked our Master, ‘‘Lord, wilt thou that we command fire from heaven to consume these men and their city?’’ Our Lord replied, ‘‘Ye know not what spirit ye are of,’’ So now we say to the few dear brethren so deeply exercised concerning the vow, ‘‘Ye know not what spirit ye are of.’’ You have been confused. At heart you surely do not mean all that you are hinting, saying, threatening and doing. We judge you not, condemn you not; but we do ask you to judge yourselves. Are you exercising the spirit of love which Vou. XXIX ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, PA., NOVEMBER 1, 1908 (319-323) you assured us is your real heart sentiment? ‘‘By their fruits ye shall know them,’’ said our Master. Let us each look after the fruitage of his own heart and life. ‘‘God is not mocked.’’ Anger, malice, envy, hatred, strife, are works (fruits) of the flesh and of the devil. Is THE VOW EXTREME? We hold that the vow is not extreme in view of the condition of things which our understanding of God’s Word leads us to expect as ‘‘nigh, even at the door.’’ We remind you of the Apostle Paul’s declaration of his willingness to take a Vow, ‘‘to eat no meat while the world standeth,’’ if such a course should seem to him expedient, in the interest of weaker brethren. The vow which we advocate as now very expedient is far less exacting than the one the Apostle declared would be proper if expedient. But taking it, let us keep it in letter and in spirit. ‘‘Vow and pay unto the Lord your God.’’— Psa. 76:11. Someone opposing the vow suggests that those who take the vow are so bound by it that should they through sickness or for other reasons forget or neglect to daily remember in prayer the harvest work, ete., it would be an unpardonable sin. We will not call in question the sincerity of those who thus pervert the truth in their attempt to hinder others; we will suppose that they spoke out of the abundance of their ignorance. As above set forth the vow is a solemn engagement which should not be broken. So is our baptismal vow, our consecration vow—to be dead to the world and self and sin. Suppose that having vowed to the Lord to walk in the fcotsteps of Jesus in the narrow way, and that at some unguarded moment you side-stepped—what then? Were you doomed therefore to the second death? Oh no! for just such errors we pray, ‘‘Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.’’ ‘‘It any man [in Christ] sin we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.’’ ‘‘The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.’’? ‘‘Let us come boldly to the throne of the heavenly grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in every time of need,’’ As already elsewhere pointed out a wilful, deliberate violation of a vow would bring the full sin penalty. A mixed sin, partially wilful, would be partly forgivable and partly subject to stripes or punishment. A wholly unintentional sin would be wholly forgiven upon request. We repeat, therefore, our exhortation, that the vow be taken by all of God’s consecrated children; but not without careful examination and in full determination. No. 21 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER ISRAEL’S INTEREST IN TURKEY’S TROUBLES Like a bursting bomb, disturbing European peace, has come the announcement of a rupture of the ‘‘ Berlin Treaty’’ by Austria’s annexing two Turkish provinces. Russia at once announced her desire that the Treaty be revised, and Bulgaria declared her independence of Turkey. The ‘‘Berlin Treaty’’ of thirty years ago claimed that the Turks were unable properly to govern portions of their territory in which Christians resided, and divided the supervision of these amongst the other powers. Bosnia and Herzegovina were two of these, put under Austria’s care, It will be remembered that Palestine was put under British protection, and Egypt unitedly under French and British supervision, but that France avoided her responsibility in favor of the British. Whether the present trouble shall result in a general war or not it probably will mean the rupture of the ‘Berlin Treaty,’’ and that the several provinces supervised by other nations will come more completely under their control. This would make Palestine a British province, like Canada, and mean as full liberty to the Jews as they have in Canada —to buy, build, elect local government, ete. We are not, however, to expect for Palestine full independence before 1915. NEWS FROM JUDEA In a recent letter from Jerusalem, Mr. W. H. Dunn refers to the remarkable development in the Jewish National Zionist movement which took place in Jerusalem during the fifteen months he was in England: ‘‘Great numbers of Jews are returning to Jerusalem, not for repentance or confession of sins, but simply because they must go somewhere, and the Sultan allows them to enter without hindrance. Tn that short time no fewer than 5,000 Russian Jews landed at Jaffa. These Jews are investing what money they have in buying land and buying and building houses. So great is their activity that it is a matter of concern to the foreign residents. The Moslems sell to them however without demur. They believe this land really belongs to the Jews. The development in Jewish education is also striking, and kindergarten schools are being opened for the children, Hebrew is being taught and becoming a living language, and new Hebrew words are being formed so as to make the old tongue helpful for up-todate use. It is common to hear Hebrew spoken in the strects.’’ —LEachange. UNION OF BAPTISTS AND DISCIPLES OF CHRIST The Rev. I. J. Spencer, pastor of the Central Christian church (or Disciples of Christ, the term used by members of this denomination), will accept an invitation to address the National Baptist Congress, to be held in Chicago, November 10 to 12, upon the subject, ‘‘What Definite Steps Should Be Immediately Taken Toward the Union of Baptists, Free Baptists, and Disciples of Christ?’’ Other speakers repreyenting the first two denominations also will discuss the topic, and it is expected that the discussion will result in a long stride toward the union of the two dcnominations—Baptists and Disciples of Christ, the first steps toward which were taken two years ago, At the National Congress of the Diseiples in Indianapolis, in March, 1908, by invitation Dr. E. Y. Mullins, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary of Louisville, and Mr. Spencer discussed the topic: ‘‘What Does the New Testament Teach Concerning the Doctrine of the Remission of Sins?’’ One session of the congress was entirely given to the addresses, The similarity of the teachings of the denominations on vital points aroused great enthusiasm. This gave rise to the [4267]

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