May 15, 1912 THE Those present not improperly began to inquire, Who is this that even forgives sins? The only satisfactory answer is that he is the one he professes to be, the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world. He was then in process of rendering up his WATCH TOWER (170-175) sacrifice according to his covenant, and on the strength of that covenant and sacrifice he had authority to tell the woman that her sins were forgiven, because he was making the Atonement which would be applicable to her. “ARE YE ABLE?” Are ye able to walk in the narrow, strait way, With no friend by your side, and no arm for your stay? Can ye bravely go on through the darkening night? Can ye patiently wait till the Lord sends the light? Are ye able to crush your soul’s longing for love, Will ye seek for no friendship save that from above? Can ye pass through this world, lone, unnoticed, unknown, While your faith faintly whispers, “He knoweth his own?” Where the feet of the Blessed One stood, can ye stand? Can ye follow his steps to a wilderness land? Are ye able to cast aside pleasure and fame? Can ye live but to glorify his precious name? Can ye smile as his dear voice says tenderly, “No,” When “the field is so white,” and your heart yearns to go? Can ye rest then in silence, contented and still, Till your Lord, the Chief Reaper, revealeth his will? Are ye able to lay on the altar’s pure flame That most treasured possession, your priceless good name? Can ye ask of your Father a blessing for those, Who see naught in your life but to scorn and oppose? When the conflict twixt error and truth fiercer grows, Can ye wield the strong “Sword” against unnumbered foes? Can ye lift up the “standard” e’en higher and higher, While his praises ye sing in the midst of the fire? When ye see the Lord’s cause going down to defeat, Will your courage endure in the seven-fold heat? Will your faith keep you steadfast, though heart and flesh fail, As the new creature passes beneath the last “veil”? Ah, if thus ye can drink of the cup he shall pour, And if never the banner of truth ye would lower, His beloved ye are, and his crown ye shall wear, In his throne ye shall sit, and his glory shall share! GERTRUDE W. SEIBERT. SOME INTERESTING LETTERS Dear Brorucr RussELL:— _I have just finished reading your sermon in the IMfaniiia Times, and it has given me much peace and happiness. I want to learn more of the Bible, but find it obscure so much of the time. In the past I can truthfully say it has been a sealed book to me. But from now on I am going to diligently search the Scriptures for truth and spiritual guidance. Any reading matter you can send me to help me toward enlightenment will be most gratefully received. If you will tell me where to secure all of your writings on the Bible I shall gladly send the required amount to get them. We will leave here in June for San Francisco, Cal., where we expect to remain nine or ten months. While there I desire greatly to take up the systematic study of the Bible. Could you recommend to me some school (or person) there under which I could place myself as a Bible student? May God bless abundantly your great work is my prayer. Faithfully yours, Mrs. J. Duckworru-Forp, Philippines. DEAR BRoTHER RUSSELL:—. You will be interested to know a little circumstance which illustrates how the HEAVENLY Manna can be used of the Lord to draw attention to the truth. A brother and sister staying at a strange house left their Manna on the dresser during the day, so that it might be seen. The help locked at it and liked it very much. This led to the sale of several first volumes and the arousing of considerable interest in the truth, Lovingly your brother, DEAR BROTHER :— If you will pardon me for taking a little of your valuable time I would be pleased if you will answer the following question:— In Dawn, Vol. 1, page 232, | 1, we read as follows: “Our sins he consented to have imputed to him, that he might bear our penalty for us, and he died on our behalf, as though he were the sinner.” In Vol. 5, page 109, line 23, we also read: Water H. Bunpy. “Not imputed to them, but imputed to him, who bore our sins in his body on the tree.” In Vol. 5, page 444, 92, we also read: “That God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, but imputing them unto him.” Please be kind enough to inform me at your earliest convenience if you have changed your mind as to these teachings, or do you still hold the same views? With earnest prayers that God will be with you and keep you unto the end, I am, Yours in his dear name, P. L. Derrine,—Ve. IN REPLY Your favor of March 25 is before me answer its question as follows: The work of Christ is presented from a variety of standpoints, some showing modifications of one kind and some of another; some stating the matter from the human standpoint and some from the divine. What we need in all Scriptural matters is to get at the real import. From God’s standpoint human sin is imputed to Jesus; that is to say, he was provided to be the sinner’s representative-—to pay the price for the release of man from the death sentence; thus God pictures Christ as the serpent raised upon the pole. Thus the Apostle says he was made sin for us, although he knew no sin—he was a sin-offering. Viewing the matter from the other standpoint, from the human standpoint, we see our own weaknesses and_shortcomings, realizing the necessity of our Master’s imputing to us the merit of his sacrifice to make up for our deficiency. Thus the facts agree, whether we state them from one standpoint or another. Our sins were reckoned against Jesus when he died for sin. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to us when we offer ourselves to God and our Great Redeemer and High Priest makes good our deficiency. With much Christian love, Your BROTHER AND SERVANT IN THE LORD. I am pleased to Von, XXXII BROOKLYN, N. Y., JUNE 1, 1912 No. 11 SAUL OF TARSUS AND WHAT HE SAW Last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born before the due time—1 Cor. 15:8. St. Paul was discussing the resurrection of the dead, He realized that on that great fact rested the weight of the Gospel message. It was easy enough to prove that Jesus had died, but to an incredulous world it was difficult to prove that he had risen from the dead; and whoever could not believe that great fact could not believe the other great facts which stand or fall with it. For instance, the Apostle presented that Jesus had left the heavenly glory and had become a man for the purpose of meeting the demands of the divine law against Adam and his race, involved by him. He could show the reasonableness of this logic. He has proven that as the whole world was condemned to death through Father Adam’s disobedience it was absolutely necessary for an untainted life to be sacrificed in order to meet the penalty and to secure the release of the condemned race. GOD WOULD NOT LEAVE HIS SON IN DEATH The Apostle had declared that Jesus had been faithful in his ministry in fully laying down his life and that the entire matter was pleasing and acceptable to the Heavenly Father. If so, surely God would not leave his Son in death, but would raise him from the dead. This fact the Apostle had repeatedly enunciated, showing that our Lord entered into his glory and reward and ascended up where he was before— to perfection on the spirit plane. But alt these claims fell lightly upon some of his hearers, £5033]
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