Publication date
7/15/12
Volume
33
Number
14
The WatchTower
Views from The Watch Tower
/../literature/watchtower/1912/14/1912-14-1.html
 
 
 
JULY 
15, 
1912 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(219-223) 
all 
the 
work 
of 
the 
divine 
plan, 
for 
both 
the 
work 
of 
calling 
out 
the 
bride 
and 
presenting 
her 
blameless, 
and 
the 
work 
of 
the 
Millennial 
age 
were 
yet 
future. 
Our 
Lord 
had 
come 
into 
the 
world 
to 
do 
work 
of 
personal 
sacrifice. 
When 
he 
was 
thirty 
years 
of 
age, 
he 
presented 
himself 
in 
consecration 
at 
Jordan. 
During 
the 
three 
and 
half 
years 
of 
his 
ministry 
he 
continued 
to 
offer 
himself; 
and 
this 
course, 
figuratively, 
became 
sweet 
incense 
ascending 
before 
God 
beyond 
the 
veil. 
This 
work 
was 
one 
which 
could 
not 
be 
accomplished 
in 
day. 
It 
required 
three 
and 
half 
years. 
To 
this 
he 
referred 
when 
he 
said, 
"I 
have 
baptism 
to 
be 
baptized 
with, 
and 
how 
am 
straitened 
till 
it 
be 
accomplished!" 
(Luke 
12: 
50) 
He 
was 
anxiously 
awaiting 
its 
completion, 
which 
was 
reached 
at 
Calvary. 
GOD 
IS 
MAKING 
THE 
WRATH 
OF 
MAN 
TO 
PRAISE 
HIM 
Questioll.-If 
the 
kingdom 
of 
Christ 
is 
not 
yet 
set 
up 
on 
earth, 
how 
may 
we 
explain 
the 
various 
reforms, 
charities, 
etc., 
of 
our 
time? 
Anslvcr.-Apparently, 
the 
adversary 
is 
trying 
to 
run 
things 
in 
his 
own 
direction, 
but 
the 
light 
itself 
which 
we 
are 
enjoyiug' 
today 
is 
the 
promised 
light 
of 
divine 
providence. 
\Ve 
read 
tha,t 
"many 
shall 
run 
to 
and 
fro, 
and 
knowledge 
shall 
be 
increased," 
and 
that 
"there 
shall 
be 
time 
of 
trouble 
such 
as 
never 
was."-Dan. 
12: 
1, 
4. 
But 
God 
has 
supervised 
the 
matter 
of 
inventions, 
such 
as 
the 
printing 
press, 
the 
power 
of 
steam, 
and 
the 
effects 
and 
influences 
of 
these 
in 
the 
world. 
It 
seems, 
too, 
that 
the 
movements 
in 
the 
way 
of 
better 
government, 
etc., 
are 
in­ 
fluences 
based 
upon 
the 
general 
enlightenment 
and 
the 
efforts 
of 
mankind 
to 
do 
as 
well 
as 
they 
can 
by 
each 
other-specially 
in 
ways 
that 
seHhhness 
does 
not 
hinder. 
But 
selfishness 
has, 
no 
doubt, 
much 
to 
do 
with 
all 
manner 
of 
reform. 
In 
speaking 
of 
the 
present 
time, 
our 
Lord 
said 
that 
the 
secrets 
should 
be 
proclaimed 
on 
the 
housetops. 
Today 
we 
see 
that 
many 
real 
exhibitions 
of 
vice, 
immorality 
and 
wrong­ 
doing 
are 
brought 
to 
light-prodaimed 
from 
the 
hOllsetops. 
While 
we 
do 
not 
say 
that 
the 
adversary 
brings 
these 
things 
to 
light, 
yet 
we 
can 
see 
how 
the 
adversary 
may 
have 
had 
to 
do 
with 
the 
movement 
toward 
communism 
that 
once 
had 
sway, 
as 
well 
as 
the 
movement 
toward 
socialism 
and 
toward 
anarchism. 
These 
are 
the 
things 
which 
will 
tend 
to 
bring 
on 
the 
time 
of 
trouble. 
So 
the 
wrath 
of 
man 
is 
made 
to 
turn 
to 
the 
praise 
of 
God. 
He 
is 
able 
to 
make 
the 
wrath 
of 
man 
praise 
him. 
"Surely 
the 
wrath 
of 
man 
shall 
praise 
thee; 
the 
remainder 
of 
wrath 
shalt 
thou 
restra.in."-Psa. 
76: 
10. 
BROTHER 
RUSSELL'S 
SERMONS 
IN 
GERMAN 
AND 
SWEDISH 
~ix 
nt'wspapprs 
in 
Ohio 
are 
now 
publishing 
the 
sermons 
weekly 
in 
the 
Herman 
text-two 
columns; 
also 
one 
in 
N. 
S. 
Pittsburgh, 
Pa., 
one 
in 
Aberdt'Cn, 
S. 
D., 
and 
one 
in 
Waco, 
Texas. 
\Ve 
are 
sure 
that 
many 
of 
our 
readers 
will 
be 
glad 
to 
know 
of 
this 
for 
their 
own 
convenience 
and 
for 
the 
sake 
of 
their 
German 
friends. 
Lorain, 
Chillicothe, 
Fremont, 
Zanes­ 
ville, 
~andusky 
and 
Port 
Clinton 
are 
the 
cities 
of 
Ohio 
favored 
in 
this 
respect. 
Do 
not 
forget 
to 
encourage 
these 
publishers 
with 
subscriptions 
and 
with 
occasional 
letters, 
let­ 
ting 
them 
know 
that 
you 
appreciate 
the 
sermon 
feature. 
The 
Newspaper 
Syndicate 
handling 
Brother 
Russell's 
ser­ 
mons 
have 
selected 
Swedish 
journal 
in 
the 
Central 
West 
for 
Swedish 
translation 
of 
the 
sermons, 
namely, 
"The 
Kansas 
City 
(Swedish) 
Tribune," 
Kansas 
City, 
Mo,. 
The 
paper 
is 
weekly, 
and 
one 
dollar 
will 
secure 
it 
for 
year. 
We 
hope 
our 
Swedish 
friends 
will 
patronize 
the 
Tribune 
and 
occa­ 
sionally 
give 
its 
Editor 
an 
encouraging 
wonI. 
TABERNACLE 
SHADOWS 
IN 
FRENCH 
For 
our 
French 
readers 
we 
now 
have 
supply 
of 
the 
TABERNACLE 
SHADOWS 
in 
the 
French 
language, 
5c 
per 
copy. 
YOLo 
XXXIII 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
.JULY 
15, 
1912 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
No. 
J..! 
SOCIAL 
UNREST 
GROWS 
APACE 
Our 
readers 
know 
better 
than 
do 
the 
majority 
of 
people 
the 
meaning 
of 
the 
present 
social 
unrest. 
Many 
of 
them 
have 
been 
studying 
this 
subject 
with 
us 
from 
the 
standpoint 
of 
the 
divine 
plan 
of 
the 
ages 
for 
more 
than 
thirty 
years. 
Steadily 
the 
unrest 
which 
the 
Bible 
predicted 
for 
the 
present 
time-the 
harvest 
of 
this 
age-is 
culminating. 
Many 
know 
our 
expecta­ 
tions 
respecting 
October, 
1914-that 
thereabouts 
the 
time 
of 
trouble 
will 
gain 
full 
headway 
and 
sweep 
the 
social 
structure 
as 
besom 
of 
destruction. 
While 
pointing 
out 
these 
things 
from 
the 
Word 
of 
God 
our 
journal 
has 
done 
all 
in 
its 
power 
to 
counsel 
peace, 
con­ 
tentment, 
faithfulness 
of 
heart, 
appreciation 
of 
our 
multiplied 
mercies 
and 
blessings, 
the 
like 
of 
which 
humanity 
never 
before 
enjoyed. 
More 
than 
this, 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
has 
striven 
faithfully 
in 
all 
these 
thirty-five 
years 
past 
to 
establish 
the 
foundation 
for 
true 
peace 
amongst 
the 
Lord's 
people-an 
exact 
knowledge 
of 
God, 
correct 
understanding 
of 
the 
divine 
Word 
and 
an 
appreciation 
of 
the 
divine 
attributes. 
To 
some 
extent 
the 
divine 
blessing 
has 
attended 
Our 
labors. 
Thousands 
of 
Christian 
people 
have 
been 
awakened, 
enlightened 
and 
brought 
back 
to 
the 
firm 
foundation 
of 
faith 
in 
God 
and 
in 
the 
Bible. 
Tens 
of 
thousands 
who 
have 
not 
come 
to 
full 
con­ 
secration 
of 
their 
hearts 
to 
the 
Lord 
have, 
nevertheless 
(ac­ 
cording 
to 
their 
letters), 
taken 
their 
stand 
for 
righteousness 
and 
truth, 
against 
sin 
and 
error. 
In 
these 
and 
through 
these 
to 
their 
families, 
friends 
and 
neighbors 
testimony 
has 
gone 
out 
respecting 
"Love 
divine, 
all 
love 
excelling," 
which 
has 
brought 
many 
into 
closer 
relationship 
with 
God, 
to 
greater 
reverence 
of 
his 
Word 
and 
to 
considerable 
faith 
in 
respect 
to 
the 
divine 
plan 
of 
the 
ages. 
Hundreds 
of 
thousands 
no 
longer 
believe 
that 
God 
used 
his 
wisdom 
and 
power 
in 
human 
creation 
to 
bring 
into 
being 
thousands 
of 
millions 
doomed 
to 
eternal 
torture. 
The 
glorious 
character 
of 
God 
is 
shining 
more 
resplendently 
in 
the 
world 
than 
ever 
before. 
The 
light 
is 
going 
forth 
in 
about 
twenty 
different 
languages 
and 
to 
practically 
every 
na· 
tion. 
\Ve 
have 
not 
succeeded 
in 
ptrecting 
great 
things 
for 
the 
world. 
\Ve 
did 
not 
so 
convince 
the 
nations 
that 
they 
turned 
from 
selfishness 
and 
sin 
to 
righteousness 
and 
love. 
'we 
have 
not 
gotten 
them 
to 
"beat 
their 
swords 
into 
plowshares, 
nor 
their 
spe,ars 
into 
pruning-hooks" 
(Isa. 
2: 
4), 
nor 
have 
we 
reason 
to 
expect 
that 
kind 
of 
success 
to 
follow 
our 
labors. 
From 
the 
very 
beginning 
we 
announced 
the 
Scriptural 
pro­ 
gram 
to 
be 
that 
only 
the 
wise 
should 
understand 
and 
that 
"none 
of 
the 
wicked 
should 
understand" 
(Dan. 
12: 
10) 
and 
that 
during 
this 
age 
only 
the 
elect 
class 
will 
be 
brought 
into 
full 
harmony 
with 
God. 
We 
pointed 
out 
from 
the 
beginning 
that 
the 
world, 
full 
of 
selfishness, 
would 
wrpck 
the 
present 
civilization 
and 
that 
God, 
according 
to 
the 
Dible, 
will 
use 
that 
great 
time 
of 
trouble­ 
anarchy, 
confusion-as 
means 
to 
an 
end, 
and 
upon 
the 
ruins 
of 
the 
highest 
civilization 
the 
world 
has 
yet 
known, 
wrecked 
by 
human 
selfishness, 
God 
will 
in 
his 
own 
due 
time 
erect 
the 
Messianic 
kingdom, 
which 
for 
centuries 
he 
has 
promised 
and 
which 
eventually 
will 
bring 
the 
foretold 
blessing 
to 
Israel 
and 
to 
all 
the 
nations 
of 
the 
earth. 
If 
we 
were 
ohlige!l 
thus 
to 
prophesy 
evil 
things, 
we 
were 
glad 
that 
we 
could 
also 
prophe"y 
glorious 
things, 
everlasting 
blessing. 
the 
silver 
lining 
to 
the 
cloud. 
little 
more 
tlian 
two 
years 
remain 
before 
the 
climax 
of 
trouble 
we 
anticipate-if 
w~ 
are 
exactly 
right 
about 
the 
time. 
If 
we 
are 
not 
exactly 
right, 
surply 
we 
are 
not 
far 
astray, 
our 
enemips 
themselves 
being 
the 
witnesses. 
Look 
at 
the 
sta.te 
of 
the 
world. 
Europe 
is 
seething 
with 
Socialism 
which 
indeed 
numbers 
amongst 
its 
hosts 
many 
men 
of 
noble 
impulses 
who 
fancy 
that 
thp 
course 
they 
are 
taking 
is 
the 
only 
one 
to 
bring 
about 
more 
equitable 
distribution 
of 
the 
rapidly 
increasing 
wealth 
of 
the 
world. 
Other 
less 
noble 
men 
in 
the 
ranks 
of 
the 
Socialists 
are 
thinking 
evi­ 
dently 
less 
of 
justice, 
of 
general 
betterment 
of 
society 
and 
of 
more 
equitable 
arrangement 
of 
the 
world's 
riches, 
than 
of 
their 
own 
selfish 
interests. 
Others 
in 
this 
growing 
army 
of 
Socialism 
appe'lr 
to 
be 
wholly 
demagogic-ignorant 
prattlers 
upon 
subjects 
which 
they 
do 
not 
comprehend. 
The 
wage-workers 
of 
the 
world, 
under 
the 
names 
of 
Syndi­ 
calism, 
Socialism, 
etc., 
havp 
finally 
realized 
that 
the 
progress 
of 
the 
world 
really 
depends 
upon 
the 
coal 
miners, 
engineers, 
machinists, 
etc. 
They 
do 
not 
dispute, 
of 
course, 
that 
brain 
capacity 
is 
also 
necessar.v, 
but 
they 
are 
inclined 
to 
say. 
and 
still 
more 
to 
think 
that 
brain 
pO\wr 
and 
capital 
have 
ap­ 
propriate!l 
tbe 
lion's 
share 
of 
parth's 
bountips 
for 
long 
time 
and 
that 
'IOW 
lahor 
must 
have 
the 
lion's 
share, 
even 
if 
force 
be 
rpquired 
to 
obtain 
it. 
The 
governments 
of 
Europe 
are 
in 
perplexity. 
They 
won­ 
der 
and 
fear 
what 
day 
ora 
year 
may 
develop, 
but 
hope 
for 
[5061] 
THE Jury 15, 1912 all the work of the divine plan, for both the work of calling out the bride and presenting her blameless, and the work of the Millennial age were yet future. Our Lord had come into the world to do a work of personal sacrifice. When he was thirty years of age, he presented himself in consecration at Jordan. During the three and a half years of his ministry he continued to offer himself; and this course, figuratively, became a sweet incense ascending before God beyond the veil. This work was one which could not be accomplished in a day. It required three and a half years. To this he referred when he said, “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!” (Luke 12:50) He was anxiously awaiting its completion, which was reached at Calvary. GOD IS MAKING THE WRATH OF MAN TO PRAISE HIM Question.—If the kingdom of Christ is not yet set up on earth, how may we explain the various reforms, charities, etc., of our time? Answer.—Apparently, the adversary is trying to run things in his own direction, but the light itself which we are enjoying today is the promised light of divine providence. We read that “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge BROTHER RUSSELL’S SERMONS Six newspapers in Ohio are now publishing the sermons weekly in the German text—two columns; also one in N. 8. Pittsburgh, Pa., one in Aberdeen, S. D., and one in Waco, Texas. We are sure that many of our readers will be glad to know of this for their own convenience and for the sake of their German friends, Lorain, Chillicothe, Fremont, Zanesville, Sandusky and Port Clinton are the cities of Ohio favored in this respect. Do not forget to encourage these publishers with subscriptions and with occasional letters, letting them know that you appreciate the sermon feature, WATCH TOWER (219-223) shall be increased,” and that “there shall be a time of trouble such as never was.”—Dan. 12:1, 4. But God has supervised the matter of inventions, such as the printing press, the power of steam, and the effects and influences of these in the world. It seems, too, that the movements in the way of better government, etc., are influences based upon the general enlightenment and the efforts of mankind to do as well as they can by each other—specially in ways that selfishness does not hinder. But selfishness has, no doubt, much to do with all manner of reform. In speaking of the present time, our Lord said that the secrets should be proclaimed on the housetops. Today we see that many real exhibitions of vice, immorality and wrongdoing are brought to light—proclaimed from the housetops. While we do not say that the adversary brings these things to light, yet we can see how the adversary may have had to do with the movement toward communism that once had sway, as well as the movement, toward socialism and toward anarchism, These are the things which will tend to bring on the time of trouble. So the wrath of man is made to turn to the praise of God. He is able to make the wrath of man praise him. “Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee; the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.”—Psa. 76:10, IN GERMAN AND SWEDISH The Newspaper Syndicate handling Brother Russell’s sermons have selected a Swedish journal in the Central West for a Swedish translation of the sermons, namely, “The Kansas City (Swedish) Tribune,’ Kansas City, Mo, The paper is a weekly, and one dollar will secure it for a year. We hope our Swedish friends will patronize the Tribune and occasionally give its Editor an encouraging word, TABERNACLE SHADOWS IN FRENCH For our French readers we now have a supply of the TABERNACLE SHApOwS in the French language, 5c per copy. Vou. XXXII BROOKLYN, N. Y., JULY 15, 1912 No. 14 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER SOCIAL UNREST GROWS APACE Our readers know better than do the majority of people the meaning of the present social unrest. Many of them have been studying this subject with us from the standpoint of the divine plan of the ages for more than thirty years. Steadily the unrest which the Bible predicted for the present time—the harvest of this age—is culminating. Many know our expectations respecting October, 1914—that thereabouts the time of trouble will gain full headway and sweep the social structure as a besom of destruction. While pointing out these things from the Word of God our journal has done ali in its power to counsel peace, contentment, faithfulness of heart, appreciation of our multiplied mercies and blessings, the like of which humanity never before enjoyed. More than this, THe Warcnu Tower has striven faithfully in all these thirty-five years past to establish the foundation for true peace amongst the Lord’s people—an exact knowledge of God, a correct understanding of the divine Word and an appreciation of the divine attributes. To some extent the divine blessing has attended our labors. Thousands of Christian people have been awakened, enlightened and brought back to the firm foundation of faith in God and in the Bible. Tens of thousands who have not come to a full consecration of their hearts to the Lord have, nevertheless (according to their letters), taken their stand for righteousness and truth, against sin and error. In these and through these to their families, friends and neighbors a testimony has gone out respecting “Love divine, all love excelling,’ which has brought many into closer relationship with God, to a greater reverence of his Word and to a considerable faith in respect to the divine plan of the ages. Hundreds of thousands no longer believe that God used his wisdom and power in human creation to bring into being thousands of millions doomed to eternal torture. The glorious character of God is shining more resplendently in the world than ever before. The light is going forth in about twenty different languages and to practically every nation. We have not succeeded in effecting great things for the world. We did not so convince the nations that they turned from selfishness and sin to righteousness and love. We have not gotten them to “beat their swords into plowshares, nor their spears into pruning-hooks” (Isa. 2:4), nor have we reason to expect that kind of success to follow our labors. From the very beginning we announced the Scriptural program to be that only the wise should understand and that “none of the wicked should understand” (Dan. 12:10) and that during this age only the elect class will be brought into full harmony with God. We pointed out from the beginning that the world, full of selfishness, would wreck the present civilization and that God, according to the Bible, will use that great time of trouble— anarchy, confusion—as a means to an end, and upon the ruins of the highest civilization the world has yet known, wrecked by human selfishness, God will in his own due time erect the Messianic kingdom, which for centuries he has promised and which eventually will bring the foretold blessing to Israel and to all the nations of the earth. If we were obliged thus to prophesy evil things, we were glad that we could also prophesy glorious things, everlasting blessing, the silver lining to the cloud, A little more than two years remain before the climax of trouble we anticipate—if we are exactly right about the time. If we are not exactly right, surely we are not far astray, our enemies themselves being the witnesses. Look at the state of the world. Europe is seething with a Socialism which indeed numbers amongst its hosts many men of noble impulses who fancy that the course they are taking is the only one to bring about a more equitable distribution of the rapidly increasing wealth of the world. Other less noble men in the ranks of the Socialists are thinking evidently less of justice, of a general betterment of society and of a more equitable arrangement of the world’s riches, than of their own selfish interests. Others in this growing army of Socialism appear to be wholly demagogic—ignorant prattlers upon subjects which they do not comprehend, The wage-workers of the world, under the names of Syndiealism, Socialism, etc., have finally realized that the progress of the world really depends upon the coal miners, engineers, machinists, ete. They do not dispute, of course, that brain capacity is also necessary, but they are inclined to say, and still more to think that brain power and capital have appropriated the lion’s share of earth’s bounties for a long time and that ‘iow labor must have the lion’s share, even if force be required to obtain it. The governments of Europe are in perplexity. They wonder and fear what a day or a year may develop, but hope for [5061]

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