Publication date
1/15/10
Volume
31
Number
2
The WatchTower
Where Are the Dead?
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1910/2/1910-2-1.html
 
 
JANUARY 
1, 
1910 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(14-19) 
(3) 
Your 
argument 
is 
not 
logical. 
If 
our 
Lord 
had 
finished 
his 
work 
of 
sacrifice 
he 
could 
not 
give 
his 
footstep 
followers 
a 
share 
therein. 
(-!) 
The 
~criptures 
nowhere 
say 
that 
our 
Lord 
sealed 
the 
New 
Covenant 
with 
his 
blood. 
Neither 
was 
it 
necessary 
for 
him 
to 
seal 
the 
New 
Covenant 
before 
he 
would 
be 
its 
Mediator. 
He 
was 
thc 
Mediator 
of 
the 
New 
Covenant 
in 
the 
(Ii 
vine 
purpose 
and 
promise 
centuries 
before 
he 
became 
the 
man 
Christ-Jesus. 
He 
was 
the 
Mediator 
of 
the 
New 
Covenant 
when 
born 
in 
Bethlehem 
in 
exactly 
the 
same 
sense 
that 
he 
was 
then 
the 
~avior 
of 
the 
world: 
not 
because 
he 
had 
sealed 
the 
New 
Covenant 
nor 
because 
he 
had 
saved 
the 
world, 
but 
hecause 
he 
was 
the 
one 
through 
whom 
the 
world's 
salva­ 
tion 
and 
the 
New 
Covenant 
for 
its 
blessing 
were 
eventually 
to 
be 
aceomplished. 
Our 
Lord 
has 
not 
y('t 
saved 
the 
world,. 
nor 
has 
he 
acted 
as 
the 
Mediator 
of 
the 
New 
Covenant; 
but 
he 
will 
accomplish 
both 
purposes 
during 
the 
Millennial 
age; 
and 
at 
its 
con­ 
elusion 
the 
prophecy 
will 
be 
fulfilled, 
"He 
Shall 
see 
of 
the 
travail 
of 
hi~ 
soul 
and 
shall 
be 
satisfied." 
Our 
Lord 
was 
privilpgpd 
to 
olfer 
his 
church 
a 
share 
with 
himself 
in 
his 
~rediatorial 
kingdom 
on 
condition 
that 
she 
would 
share 
in 
hi~ 
pup 
of 
,mITering 
and 
self-sacrifice-share 
in 
his 
baptism 
illio 
his 
dp:dh. 
~o 
doing 
she 
shall 
share 
his 
reward 
of 
glory, 
!tOil 
or 
awl 
immortality 
in 
"his 
resurrection." 
(Phil. 
3: 
10) 
Awl 
~haril!g 
his 
glory 
and 
throne 
as 
his 
joint-sacrificer 
and 
joillt-llPir 
of 
the 
promise 
she 
would 
be 
with 
him 
jointly 
the 
~rediator 
hl'twppn 
liod 
anti 
men-the 
world-during 
the 
Mil­ 
1"llIlial 
a,gp-thc 
work 
of 
reconciling 
the 
world, 
or 
so 
many 
of 
thcm 
lUI 
may 
pro\-e 
willing 
to 
receive 
the 
blessing 
of 
re­ 
gl}llera 
tion. 
\;, 
I 
'iou 
arp 
not 
right. 
There 
is 
a 
difference 
between 
a 
CO\'Pllant 
and 
th 
.. 
law 
of 
R 
covenant. 
God's 
law 
given 
to 
TSr.1el 
sllIlllllarizHI 
was. 
"Thou 
shalt 
love 
the 
Lord 
thy 
God 
with 
all 
th.\' 
hpari. 
with 
all 
thy 
mind, 
with 
all 
thy 
being 
and 
with 
all 
th\' 
strength; 
ancl 
thou 
shalt 
love 
thy 
neighbor 
as 
thy"elf." 
That 
law 
is 
perfect 
and 
will 
be 
the 
basis 
or 
law 
of 
thl' 
Npw 
COVl'lHlllt.. 
1\Io.;es 
as 
a 
Mediator 
under 
his 
covenant 
p\lrposP(j 
to 
IH']p 
TS1':1pl 
to 
keep 
that 
law, 
and 
God 
covenanted 
to 
~i\·" 
them 
ptPI'Iml 
life. 
if 
tllPV 
would 
do 
so. 
But 
they 
were 
llll:lhip 
to 
kp,,1' 
th'lt 
law 
perfrctly 
in 
act 
and 
thougl~t 
and 
w"nt. 
:111rl 
hl'}H'p 
thp~· 
reapell 
its 
condemnation 
of 
death 
and 
not 
its 
p1'olTprpd 
hlpssings 
of 
life. 
Under 
th~lt 
covenant 
;\rO~l'S 
Wll'; 
privilegpd 
to 
arrange 
sacrifices 
an,l 
offerings 
for 
"in. 
:1IHI 
thlH 
~-par 
h~' 
Vl':11' 
to 
cle:mse 
the 
people 
for 
a 
YNlr 
at 
a 
timp 
from 
tlH'ir 
original 
eonrlemnation. 
But 
he 
had 
no 
ml':ln.; 
of 
ad 
Il'lll~' 
blotting 
out 
their 
sins 
and 
no 
pow('r 
or 
ri~ht 
il) 
:1l·tllnlly 
reston' 
t1LPm 
to 
perfection 
and 
ability 
to 
kepp 
that 
law. 
Th' 
'\pw 
CO\-l'nant 
will 
havp 
the 
samp 
law 
exactly. 
but 
th 
.. 
1\Tl':lintor 
llaving 
hy 
t1lPn 
paid 
o\'('r 
to 
JUiitil'f' 
the 
ransom­ 
pril'P 
of 
thp 
worl,1, 
s('l'ured 
hy 
his 
own 
sacrificial 
death. 
will 
then 
have 
full 
charge 
of 
mankind 
and 
be 
fully 
empowered 
to 
deal 
mercifully 
with 
theIr 
imperfections 
and 
to 
help 
them 
step 
by 
step 
out 
of 
their 
sin 
and 
death 
condition 
back 
to 
per­ 
fection, 
and 
to 
cut 
otT 
the 
rcbellious 
in 
the 
second 
death. 
At 
the 
close 
of 
the 
:Millennium 
he 
will 
present 
the 
willing 
and 
obedient 
to 
the 
Father 
actually 
perfect. 
Thus 
it 
will 
be 
seen 
that 
God's 
dealings 
with 
mankind 
under 
the 
typi('al 
Law 
Covenant, 
and 
under 
its 
anti 
type 
the 
New 
Covenant, 
is 
along 
the 
lines 
of 
actual 
obedience 
to 
the 
divine 
law, 
and 
not 
along 
the 
lines 
of 
reckoned 
obedience 
through 
faith. 
As 
obedience 
to 
the 
old 
Law 
Covenant 
held 
the 
reward 
of 
human 
perteetion 
and 
life, 
so 
the 
rewards 
of 
the 
New 
LLaw] 
Covenant 
w111 
be 
similar-eternal 
life 
or 
eternal 
death. 
Quite 
to 
the 
contrary 
of 
both 
of 
these 
arrangements. 
the 
church 
is 
now 
called 
to 
a 
"heavenly 
('aIling" 
under 
the 
Ahra­ 
hamie 
Covenant-to 
be 
members 
of 
the 
bodv 
of 
Christ, 
who, 
with 
Jesus 
her 
Head, 
will 
constitute 
tlte 
"Mediator 
of 
the 
New 
Covenant. 
The 
church 
is 
"not 
under 
law, 
but 
under 
gra('e," 
not 
judged 
according 
to 
the 
flesh 
and 
earthly 
restitution. 
but 
judged 
according 
to 
the 
heart 
and 
intention; 
and 
required 
to 
sacrifice 
restitution 
rights 
to 
the 
attainment 
of 
"the 
high 
calling" 
life 
and 
glory 
on 
the 
spirit 
plane 
as 
members 
of 
the 
Mediator 
of 
the 
New 
Covenant. 
(6) 
No, 
tll<lJt 
"New 
Commandment" 
represcnts 
a 
higher 
law 
than 
was 
given 
to 
the 
Jew 
under 
the 
Law 
Covenant, 
henee 
higher 
also 
than 
will 
be 
given 
to 
Israel 
and 
mankind 
under 
the 
New 
Covenant. 
The 
New 
Commandment 
men­ 
tioned 
by 
our 
Lord 
is 
not 
the 
Father's 
commandment 
at 
all, 
but 
the 
command 
of 
our 
Heacl, 
our 
Teacher, 
to 
all 
those 
who 
have 
entered 
the 
school 
of 
Christ 
and 
who 
are 
hoping 
to 
be­ 
come 
"members" 
of 
the 
Anointpd 
Onc-memhers 
of 
the 
Mediator, 
Prophet, 
Priest 
and 
King" 
of 
the 
new 
dispensation. 
.Justice 
could 
not 
give 
this 
new 
command: 
all 
that 
Just'lce 
could 
command 
is 
expressed 
in 
the 
law 
given 
to 
IsraPl, 
namely, 
suprpme 
love 
of 
God 
and 
love 
for 
the 
neigh 
hoI' 
as 
for 
one's 
self. 
This 
new 
commandment 
whil:h 
the 
Lord 
gave 
applies 
only 
to 
the 
church 
of 
this 
Gospel 
age. 
In 
effect 
it 
i~ 
this: 
If 
you 
would 
he 
my 
disciples. 
if 
you 
would 
share. 
my 
throne 
and 
glory 
and 
immortality, 
you 
mu~t 
have 
my 
splnt. 
you 
must 
do 
more 
than 
keep 
the 
law. 
You 
must 
be 
more 
than 
just. 
You 
must 
be 
self-sacrificing. 
If 
you 
would 
share 
my 
glory 
I 
command 
and 
dirl"Ct 
that 
you 
lov(' 
onp 
another 
as 
I 
have 
loved 
you. 
(.John 
15: 
12) 
I 
havp 
loved 
yOIl 
to 
the 
extent 
of 
laying 
down 
my 
life 
for 
yon 
,;a('rifHa 
Ily. 
Y 
ou 
mu~t 
have 
this 
samp 
spirit 
and 
paHt 
in 
your 
lot 
with 
me 
in 
self-s:lprifice. 
or 
y.on 
rannot 
h" 
my 
eliscipleH, 
nor 
share 
my 
glory, 
and 
asso­ 
ciate 
in 
my 
work 
as 
the 
ME'diator 
for 
the 
hlessing 
of 
Israel 
and 
manki"n<!. 
Whosol'wr 
will 
1)(' 
my 
disciple 
must 
take 
up 
his 
prMS 
and 
follow 
me. 
that 
whprp 
I 
am 
there 
shall 
my 
dispiple 
he. 
Surely 
no 
one 
('an 
1I0uht 
the 
~avior'~ 
mpaning­ 
my" 
<lis"ip]e~ 
fill"t 
eli" 
with 
mp. 
Yor,. 
XXXI 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
JANUARY 
15, 
HllO 
No. 
'2 
WHERE 
ARE 
THE 
DEAD} 
Our 
F·riends, 
Our 
Neighbors)' 
the 
Holy, 
the 
Unholy, 
the 
Cirilized, 
the 
Vile? 
The 
proper 
answer 
to 
this 
qneHtion 
stands 
related 
to 
our 
own 
<!PHtiny, 
cnlorH 
and 
influenres 
our 
theology 
and 
the 
entire 
trend 
of 
our 
lives! 
The 
correct 
flllHwpr 
givps 
strpngth, 
confidpnre, 
courage 
and 
assists 
towardH 
the 
spirit 
of 
a 
sound 
mind! 
"M 
t'n 
and 
brethren, 
let 
me 
freely 
sp,eak 
to 
yo'u 
at 
the 
patriarch 
DI/rid, 
that 
he 
is 
both 
dead 
and 
buriotl, 
alld 
his 
sepulchre 
is 
'Irith 
1/S 
1tnto 
this 
dny. 
For 
David 
is 
not 
ascended 
into 
the 
hearens." 
(Ads 
2 
:2!l. 
34.) 
"fInd 
no 
rI1/l1l 
hath 
ascended 
up 
to 
heaven, 
but 
he 
that 
came 
down 
from 
heaven, 
even 
the 
Son 
Of 
man."-John 
3: 
13. 
For 
a 
man 
to 
r!ee!al'l' 
himself 
uninterested 
in 
this 
SUbject 
reHpert 
to 
the 
intelligence 
and 
thought 
of 
our 
,lay 
and 
of 
past 
would 
be 
to 
pro<'1aim 
himself 
idiotic-thoughtless. 
If 
the 
renturies 
to 
make 
general 
inljuiries 
on 
the 
subje,·t 
and 
have 
ordinary 
affairs 
of 
this 
present 
life, 
food, 
raiment, 
finance, 
hdore 
our 
minds 
the 
most 
profoun,l 
thoughts 
of 
the 
most 
politil's, 
etp.. 
which 
pon('prn 
us 
but 
for 
a 
few 
years, 
are 
a 
stute 
thinkers 
of 
our 
racp. 
\Ye 
('al1llOt, 
howe\'er, 
go 
into 
dl'pmpd 
worthy 
of 
t.hought. 
study. 
how 
much 
more 
concern 
this 
matt,pr 
plaboratl'lv 
and 
givp 
lengthy 
(l'lOtations. 
\\'e 
must 
should 
Wl' 
have 
in 
r('sppet 
to 
the 
eternal 
future 
of 
ourselves 
l'ontent 
ourselves 
with 
brief, 
synoptipal 
<1nswprs, 
which 
will 
and 
nl'ighborR 
ami 
mankind 
in 
general? 
be 
stated 
kin(lly 
and 
truthfully, 
and 
with 
a 
desirE' 
not 
to 
Of 
COllrsp. 
so 
important 
a 
question 
has 
had 
the 
most 
pro- 
offE'nd 
anybody, 
'however 
much 
\~'e 
may 
disagree 
with 
his 
eon- 
fnllll<l 
study, 
eHr 
since 
the 
reign 
of 
Sin 
and 
Death 
began 
six 
l'lusions. 
\Ve 
reco).,YJlize 
thp 
right 
of 
evpry 
llIan 
to 
uo 
his 
own 
thousan(l 
ypars 
ngo. 
By 
thi~ 
time 
the 
subject 
should 
be 
thinking 
and 
to 
reac·h 
his 
own 
conl'111sions, 
whl'ther 
these 
agrpe 
thread 
hare. 
Thl' 
entire 
world 
should 
be 
so 
thoroughly 
in- 
with 
our 
eonpeptions 
or 
not. 
forml'd 
rpspPl·tmg 
this 
question 
that 
there 
would 
be 
nothing" 
\Ve 
begin 
our 
examination 
by 
asking 
our 
agnostic 
friends. 
npw 
to 
say 
and 
n0body 
curiou~ 
to 
hear. 
But 
the 
large 
who 
boast 
of 
their 
untrammeled 
frel'dom 
of 
thought, 
\Vhat 
l1\llliplll'es 
of 
.int,~I.ligpnt 
.. 
thoughtful 
peo.ple 
which 
come 
to 
say 
you. 
"Frpe-thinkers," 
in 
rE'ply 
to 
our 
query, 
Where 
are 
hear, 
and 
whIch 
Itstpn 
WIth 
breatnless 
mterest 
to 
what 
we 
the 
<lead! 
Their 
answer 
iR. 
"\Ve 
do 
not 
know. 
\Ve 
would 
have 
to 
say. 
imply 
that 
after 
all 
the 
study 
the 
subject 
has 
llk(' 
to 
believe 
in 
a 
future 
lifl', 
but 
we 
have 
no 
proof 
of 
it. 
had, 
but 
fpw 
arp 
thoroughly 
satisfied 
with 
their 
conclusions. 
Lacking 
the 
evidl'nres 
our 
l'OJlPlusion 
is 
that 
man 
dies 
as 
does 
THE 
AGNOSTIC 
ANSWERS 
THE 
QUESTION 
the 
brute 
beast. 
If 
our 
conclusion 
di~appoints 
your 
expecta- 
Bl'fore 
presenting 
what 
we 
claim 
is 
the 
Scriptural 
and 
tion'! 
in 
respel't 
to 
having 
joy 
for 
the 
saints, 
it 
certainly 
only 
satisfactory 
answer 
to 
our 
query, 
we 
think 
it 
but 
proper 
should 
be 
comforting 
to 
all 
as 
respects 
the 
vast 
majority 
of 
[4549] 
January 1, 1910 (3) Your argument is not logical. If our Lord had finished his work of sacrifice he could not give his footstep followers a share therein, (4) The Scriptures nowhere say that our Lord sealed the New Covenant with his blood. Neither was it necessary for him to seal the New Covenant before he would be its Mediator. He was the Mediator of the New Covenant in the divine purpose and promise centuries before he became the man Christ-Jesus. Je was the Mediator of the New Covenant when born in Bethlehem in exactly the same sense that he was then the Savior of the world: not because he had sealed the New Covenant nor because he had saved the world, but because he was the one through whom the world’s salvation and the New Covenant for its blessing were eventually to be accomplished. Our Lord has not yet saved the world, nor has he acted as the Mediator of the New Covenant; but he will accomplish both purposes during the Millennial age; and at its conclusion the prophecy will be fulfilled, “He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied.” Our Lord was privileged to offer his church a share with himself in his Mediatorial kingdom on condition that she would share in his cup of suffering and self-sacrifice—share in his baptism into his death. So doing she shall share his reward of glory, honor and immortality in “his resurrection.” (Phil, 3:10) And sharing his glory and throne as his joint-sacrificer and joint-heir of the promise she would be with him jointly the Mediator between God and men—the world—during the Millennial age—the work of reconciling the world, or so many of them as may prove willing to receive the blessing of regeneration. (5) You are not right. There is a difference between a covenant and the law of a covenant. God’s law given to Israel summarized was, ‘“Vhou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy being and with all thy strength; and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” That law is perfect and will be the basis or law of the New Covenant. Moses as a Mediator under his covenant purposed to help Israel to keep that law, and God covenanted to give them eternal life, if they would do so. But they were unable to Keep that law perfectly in act and thought and word, and hence they reaped its condemnation of death and not its proffered blessings of life. Under that covenant Moses was privileged to arrange sacrifices and offerings for sin, and thus vear hy vear to cleanse the people for a year at a time from their original condemnation. But he had no means of actually blotting out their sins and no power or right to actually restore them to perfection and ability to keep that law. Th» New Covenant will have the same law exactly, but the Mediator having by then paid over to Justice the ransomprice of the world, secured by his own sacrificial death. will THE WATCH TOWER (14-19) then have full charge of mankind and be fully empowered to deal mercifully with their imperfections and to help them step by step out of their sin and death condition back to perfection, and to cut off the rebellious in the second death. At the close of the Millennium he will present the willing and obedient to the Father actually perfect. Thus it will be seen that God’s dealings with mankind under the typical Law Covenant, and under its antitype the New Covenant, is along the lines of actual obedience to the divine law, and not along the lines of reckoned obedience through faith. As obedience to the old Law Covenant held the reward of human pertection and life, so the rewards of the New [Law] Covenant will be similar—eternal life or eternal death. Quite to the contrary of both of these arrangements, the church is now called to a “heavenly calling” under the Abrahamic Covenant—to be members of the body of Christ, who, with Jesus her Head, will constitute the Mediator of the New Covenant. The church is “not under law, but under grace,” not judged according to the flesh and earthly restitution, but judged according to the heart and intention; and required to sacrifice restitution rights to the attainment of “the high calling” life and glory on the spirit plane as members of the Mediator of the New Covenant. (6) No, that “New Commandment” represents a higher law than was given to the Jew under the Law Covenant, hence higher also than will be given to Israel and mankind under the New Covenant. The New Commandment mentioned by our Lord is not the Father’s commandment at all, but the command of our Head, our Teacher, to all those who have entered the school of Christ and who are hoping to hecome “members” of the Anointed One~—-members of the Mediator, Prophet, Priest and King of the new dispensation. Justice could not give this new command: all that Justice could command is expressed in the law given to Israel, namely, supreme Jove of God and love for the neighbor as for one’s self. This new commandment which the Lord gave applies only to the church of this Gospel age. In effect it is this: If you would be my disciples, if you would share my throne and glory and immortality, you must have my spirit. you must do more than keep the law. You must be more than just. You must be self-sacrificing. If you would share my glory I command and direct that you love one another as I have loved you. (John 15:12) I have loved you to the extent of laying down my life for you sacrificially. You must have this same spirit and east in your lot with me in self-sacrifice. or vou cannot be my disciples, nor share my glory, and_associate in my work ag the Mediator for the blessing of Israel and mankind. Whosoever will be my disciple must take up his cross and follow me, that where I am there shall my disciple he. Surely no one can doubt the Savior’s meaning— my disciptes must die with me. Vou. XNXAI BROOKLYN, N. Y., JANUARY 15, 1910 - No. 2 WHERE ARE THE DEAD? Our Friends, Our Neighbors; the Holy, the Unholy, the Civilized, the Vile? The proper answer to this question stands related to our own destiny, colors and influences our theology and the entire trend of our lives! The correct answer gives strength, confidence, courage and assists towards the spirit of a sound mind! “Men and brethren, let me freely speak to you of the patriarch Duvid, that he is both dead and buried, and his scpulchre is with us unto this day. For David is not ascended into the heavens.” (Acts 2:29, 34.) “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man.’—John 3:13. For a man to declare himself uninterested in this subject would be to proclaim himself idiotic—thoughtless. If the ordinary affairs of this present life, food, raiment, finance, politics, ete., which concern us but for a few years, are deemed worthy of thought, study, how much more concern should we have in respect to the eternal future of ourselves and neighbors and mankind in general? Of course, so important a question has had the most profound study, ever since the reign of Sin and Death began six thousand years ago. By this time the subject should be threadbare. The entire world should be so thoroughly informed respecting this question that there would be nothing new to say and nobody curious to hear. But the large audiences of intelligent, thoughtful people which come to hear, and which listen with breathless interest to what we have to say, imply that after all the study the subject has had, but few are thoroughly satisfied with their conclusions. THE AGNOSTIC ANSWERS THE QUESTION Before presenting what we claim is the Scriptural and only satisfactory answer to our query, we think it but proper respect to the intelligence and thought of our day and of past centuries to make general inquiries on the subject and have before our minds the most profound thoughts of the most astute thinkers of our race. We cannot, however, go into this matter elaborately and give lengthy quotations. We must content ourselves with brief, synoptieal answers, which will be stated kindly and truthfully, and with a desire not to offend anybody, however much we may disagree with his conclusions. We recognize the right of every man to do his own thinking and to reach his own conclusions, whether these agree with our coneeptions or not. We begin our examination by asking our agnostic friends. who boast of their untrammeled freedom of thought, What say you, “Free-thinkers,” in reply to our query, Where are the dead? Their answer is, “We do not know. We would like to believe in a future life, but we have no proof of it. Lacking the evidences our conclusion is that man dies as does the brute beast. If our conclusion disappoints your expectations in respect to having joy for the saints, it certainly should be comforting to all as respects the vast majority of [4549]

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