Publication date
11/15/12
Volume
33
Number
22
The WatchTower
Mean Christians and Noble Unbelievers
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1912/22/1912-22-1.html
 
 
 
 
NOV!:IIIB£B, 
1, 
1912 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(347-355) 
dency, 
no 
matter 
what 
it 
costs, 
no 
matter 
how 
precious, 
no 
matter 
how 
great 
a 
hold 
it 
may 
have 
upon 
the 
very 
tendrils 
of 
your 
life. 
Would 
it 
not 
be 
better 
to 
enter 
into 
life 
than 
to 
go 
into 
Gehenna 
fire, 
that 
is, 
destruction, 
the 
second 
death? 
Surely 
this 
is 
true. 
Having 
put 
our 
hands 
to 
the 
plow, 
having 
even 
become 
followers 
of 
Jesus, 
we 
must 
either 
go 
on 
and 
be 
accepted 
as 
conquerors, 
or 
must 
perish. 
There 
will, 
of 
course, 
be 
none 
in 
the 
kingdom 
with 
but 
one 
eye, 
but 
the 
illustration 
is 
the 
same. 
If 
it 
should 
cost 
us 
the 
cutting 
off 
of 
some 
of 
our 
members, 
it 
would 
surely 
pay 
us 
to 
gain 
the 
eternal 
life 
in 
glory, 
even 
thus 
maimed, 
rather 
than 
to 
take 
the 
consequences 
of 
the 
second 
death, 
utter 
extinction. 
The 
lesson 
is 
that 
having 
begun 
as 
followers 
of 
Christ, 
and 
en­ 
tered 
upon 
tne 
contract 
and 
received 
a 
part 
of 
the 
reward, 
the 
holy 
Spirit, 
the 
divine 
favor, 
we 
cannot 
back 
out 
of 
the 
con­ 
tract; 
we 
must 
go 
on 
to 
everlasting 
life 
or 
to 
everlasting 
death. 
How 
careful 
the 
Lord's 
people 
should 
be 
not 
to 
stumble 
one 
another, 
even 
one 
of 
the 
least 
of 
the 
little 
ones 
who 
has 
ac­ 
cepted 
of 
Jesus 
and 
become 
his 
follower 
!-is 
the 
lesson. 
To 
illustrate 
it, 
Jesus 
suggested 
that 
any 
shepherd 
losing 
one 
of 
his 
sheep 
would 
leave 
all 
the 
others 
to 
go 
and 
seek 
that 
one; 
and 
he 
rejoices 
specially 
at 
its 
recovery. 
So 
we, 
the 
followers 
of 
Jesus, 
should 
be 
careful 
not 
to 
stumble 
each 
other, 
but 
rather 
to 
remember 
that 
we 
are 
all 
sheep 
under 
the 
great 
Shepherd, 
our 
Heavenly 
Father, 
and 
the 
great 
Under 
Shepherd, 
our 
Heav­ 
enly 
Lord, 
and 
that 
he 
has 
the 
spirit 
of 
loving 
interest 
and 
care 
which 
would 
go 
after 
the 
straying 
sheep, 
and 
that 
we 
should 
have 
this 
same 
spirit; 
and 
possessing 
this 
spirit, 
we 
would 
be 
very 
careful 
indeed 
not 
to 
stumble 
or 
hinder 
even 
the 
least 
of 
the 
Lord's 
followers. 
All 
the 
Lord's 
tn~e 
followers 
are 
God's 
"little 
ones," 
and 
are 
subject 
to 
special 
divine 
supervision, 
represented 
in 
our 
text 
as 
angel 
care. 
The 
messengers 
who 
have 
guarded 
over 
the 
lives 
of 
God's 
saintly 
few 
always 
have 
access 
to 
the 
Heav­ 
enly 
Father's 
presence, 
to 
make 
known 
the 
necessities 
of 
those 
whom 
they 
represent, 
for 
divine 
power 
is 
ever 
on 
the 
alert 
for 
the 
protection 
of 
these. 
Oh, 
how 
blessed 
the 
privilege 
of 
being 
children 
of 
God. 
Oh, 
how 
wise 
to 
continue 
so 
little, 
so 
humble, 
so 
childlike, 
as 
to 
abide 
in 
his 
love, 
and 
to 
be 
enabled 
to 
learn 
the 
neceiilsary 
lessons, 
and 
be 
ultimately 
received 
with 
Messiah 
in 
his 
kingdom 
honor 
and 
glory! 
MORE 
ELDERS-MORE 
WORK 
Some 
of 
the 
Bible 
Students' 
classes 
are 
doing 
excellent 
service 
in 
the 
Class 
Extension 
work 
and, 
as 
a 
matter 
of 
course, 
report 
regularly. 
Often 
the 
attendance 
at 
the 
Extension 
meet­ 
ings 
is 
good. 
Frequently 
the 
first 
three 
meetings 
lead 
up 
to 
the 
succeeding 
three, 
and 
are 
then 
followed 
by 
the 
establish­ 
ment 
of 
new 
classes. 
We 
recommend 
that 
wherever 
possible 
these 
new 
classes 
have 
their 
local 
meetings 
on 
some 
week 
night, 
and 
that 
they 
endeavor 
to 
congrt'g:~te 
with 
the 
Central 
class 
at 
least 
Sundays. 
We 
have 
been 
surprised 
that 
some 
large 
classes 
containing 
numerous 
brethren 
well 
qualified 
for 
the 
work 
are 
doing 
little 
or 
nothing 
in 
Class 
Extension. 
We 
have 
been 
trying 
to 
think 
out 
the 
cause 
of 
this 
apparent 
lack 
of 
zeal 
in 
the 
harvest 
work. 
Knowing 
the 
dear 
friends 
to 
be 
zealous, 
knowin~ 
that 
talent 
in 
their 
midst 
is 
lying 
dormant, 
we 
have 
been 
forced 
to 
the 
conclusion 
which 
we 
are 
about 
to 
present: 
that 
is, 
that 
the 
brethren 
who 
are 
capable 
of 
Class 
Extension 
work 
in 
such 
classes 
are 
too 
modest 
to 
suggest 
the 
work, 
lest 
it 
should 
seem 
that 
they 
are 
trying 
to 
have 
the 
class 
elect 
them 
to 
the 
elder­ 
ship 
and 
authorize 
them 
to 
proceed 
with 
the 
Extension 
work. 
Modesty 
is 
always 
an 
excellent 
quality; 
but 
it 
must 
be 
espe­ 
cially 
hard 
for 
dear 
brethren 
of 
some 
ability 
to 
abstain 
from 
proclaiming 
the 
good 
tidings-to 
abstain 
from 
going 
out 
and 
starting 
little 
meetings 
themselves. 
There 
surely 
are 
classes 
deficient 
in 
material 
for 
Class 
Ex­ 
tension-classes 
which 
need 
all 
the 
brethren 
of 
any 
ability 
in 
their 
midst. 
But 
there 
are 
other 
classes 
which 
need 
to 
wake 
up, 
to 
take 
note 
of 
brethren 
having 
some 
ability, 
and 
to 
encour­ 
age 
them 
to 
use 
their 
time 
and 
strength 
in 
the 
Class 
Extension 
work. 
We 
urge. 
therefore, 
that 
the 
classes 
regard 
as 
available 
assets 
the 
material 
which 
they 
possess, 
and 
Beek 
to 
glorify 
the 
Lord 
in 
the 
use 
of 
these 
assets. 
In 
cases 
where 
brethren 
possessed 
of 
ability 
to 
/1:ive 
Chart 
Talks 
see 
opportunities 
for 
Class 
Extension. 
and 
are 
financially 
able 
to 
manage 
the 
matter 
themselves, 
we 
advise 
that 
they 
pro­ 
ceed 
to 
hold 
meetings. 
We 
recommend, 
however, 
that 
they 
first 
mention 
the 
matter 
to 
the 
class, 
so 
that, 
if 
possible, 
co-opera­ 
tion 
on 
the 
part 
of 
all 
may 
be 
secured, 
and 
that 
all 
may 
join 
in 
a 
good 
work 
and 
in 
the 
resultant 
joys 
and 
blessings 
of 
service. 
SERMONS 
IN 
THE 
NEWSPAPERS 
Under 
God's 
providence 
a 
great 
work 
is 
being 
carried 
on 
through 
the 
newspapers; 
and 
the 
Gospel 
is 
being 
presented 
to 
millions 
who 
never 
attend 
meetings 
for 
divine 
worship. 
Some 
of 
these 
are 
discouraged 
Christians 
who 
lost 
their 
faith 
in 
human 
creeds 
and 
systems 
of 
men 
and 
found 
no 
footing 
for 
their 
faith 
in 
the 
Bible 
because 
they 
did 
not 
understand 
it. 
How 
blessed 
that 
God 
has 
such 
an 
arrangement 
by 
which 
the 
good 
tidings 
may 
reach 
those 
otherwise 
outside 
any 
general 
opportunity 
for 
hearing 
it! 
But 
alas, 
some 
Christians 
have 
a 
bitter 
and 
sectarian 
spirit! 
The 
fact 
that 
many 
of 
the 
churches 
have 
smaller 
congregations 
as 
a 
result 
of 
loss 
of 
faith 
years 
ago 
makes 
their 
votaries 
angry 
that 
the 
message 
should 
be 
heard 
outside 
the 
churches. 
Some 
of 
these 
unreasonable 
zealots 
are 
doing 
all 
they 
know 
how 
to 
do 
to 
hinder 
the 
message 
from 
going 
to 
the 
outsiders 
through 
the 
newspapers. 
Oh, 
why 
do 
they 
not 
rejoice 
that 
the 
Gospel 
is 
being 
preached 
to 
the 
poor, 
to 
the 
outsiders, 
to 
the 
publicans 
and 
sinners! 
Under 
these 
circumstances 
it 
behooves 
all 
of 
us 
to 
encour­ 
age 
the 
editors 
of 
the 
newspapers 
publishing 
the 
sermons. 
They 
should 
know 
that 
their 
work 
is 
appreriated. 
Letters 
sent 
to 
them 
should 
be 
moderate 
and 
kind. 
They 
are 
not 
publishing 
the 
sermons 
because 
of 
any 
personal 
interest 
in 
them. 
but 
merely 
because 
the 
public 
are 
reading 
them. 
Let 
us 
hold 
up 
their 
hands, 
not 
only 
encoura/1:ing 
them 
with 
postcards, 
assul'ing 
them 
of 
appreciation 
of 
the 
sermons 
and 
of 
the 
good 
work 
they 
thereby 
assist 
in, 
but 
let 
us 
also 
/1:ive 
to 
such 
papers 
a 
financial 
encouragement 
through 
subscriptions. 
The 
WATCH 
TOWER 
Office 
frequently 
has 
special 
agents' 
rates 
for 
newspapers. 
In 
any 
event 
it 
knows 
quite 
well 
whirh 
papers 
would 
most 
need 
a 
little 
encouragement 
in 
the 
way 
of 
new 
subscriptions. 
Subscriptions 
sent 
to 
us 
will 
be 
wisely 
used. 
Many 
of 
our 
readers 
doubtless 
can 
afford 
to 
take 
sev­ 
eral 
papers, 
and, 
after 
reading 
these, 
to 
mark 
the 
sermons 
and 
to 
use 
them 
as 
tracts 
amongst 
their 
friends 
and 
neighbors. 
Do 
it 
now 
before 
you 
forget 
it! 
VOL. 
XXXIII 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y, 
NOVEMBER 
15,1912 
IN 
DREAMLESS 
SLEEP 
DEAD 
AWAIT 
CHRIST'S 
RETURN 
No. 
22 
"If 
I 
go 
and 
prepare 
a 
place 
for 
you, 
I 
will 
come 
again 
and 
re~~ve 
you 
unto 
myself, 
that 
where 
I 
am 
tkere 
ye 
may 
be 
also."­ 
John 
14:3. 
The 
error 
of 
supposing 
that 
men 
are 
alive 
when 
they 
are 
Jig-ious 
books, 
teaches 
that 
a 
dead 
man 
is 
orad, 
ano 
knows 
dead 
lies 
close 
to 
the 
foundation 
of 
every 
theological 
error 
the 
nothing, 
and 
that 
his 
only 
hope 
is 
in 
the 
divine 
arrangement 
world 
over. 
We 
have 
all 
erred 
in 
taking 
the 
guess 
of 
Plato 
through 
Christ, 
by 
a 
resurrection 
of 
the 
deau-"both 
of 
the 
instead 
of 
the 
Word 
of 
God, 
and 
we 
can 
get 
rid 
of 
our 
dif- 
just 
and 
unjust."-Acts 
24:15. 
ficulties 
and 
theological 
entanglements 
only 
by 
retracing 
our 
When 
we 
remember 
that, 
aceording 
to 
nearly 
all 
the 
re­ 
steps. 
Notwithstanding 
all 
that 
we 
have 
said 
and 
written, 
Jig-ious 
creeds 
and 
theories 
of 
the 
world, 
999 
out 
of 
every 
calling 
attention 
to 
the 
words 
of 
the 
Scriptures, 
the 
question 
thousand 
pass 
immediately 
at 
death 
into 
most 
horrible 
suffer­ 
arises, 
Do 
you 
mean 
to 
tell 
us 
that 
our 
friends 
do 
not 
go 
to 
ings, 
one 
would 
think 
that 
all 
would 
be 
glad 
to 
promtly 
accept 
heaven 
immediately 
when 
they 
die' 
the 
Bible 
testimony, 
that 
death 
is 
a 
dreamless 
sleep 
until 
the 
That 
is 
exactly 
what 
we 
are 
endeavoring 
to 
demonstrate 
resurrection 
awakening. 
Why 
anyone 
should 
prefer 
to 
think 
to 
be 
the 
teaching 
of 
the 
Bible. 
The 
Bible 
alone, 
of 
all 
re- 
his 
friends 
and 
neighbors 
and 
the 
heathen 
millions 
are 
suffer- 
[5131] 
NovemsBer 1, 1912 dency, no matter what it costs, no matter how precious, no matter how great a hold it may have upon the very tendrils of your life. Would it not be better to enter into life than to go into Gehenna fire, that is, destruction, the second death? Surely this is true. Having put our hands to the plow, having even become followers of Jesus, we must either go on and be accepted as conquerors, or must perish. There will, of course, be none in the kingdom with but one eye, but the illustration is the same. If it should cost us the cutting off of some of our members, it would surely pay us to gain the eternal life in glory, even thus maimed, rather than to take the consequences of the second death, utter extinction. The lesson is that having begun as followers of Christ, and entered upon the contract and received a part of the reward, the holy Spirit, the divine favor, we cannot back out of the contract; we must go on to everlasting life or to everlasting death. How careful the Lord’s people should be not to stumble one another, even one of the least of the little ones who has accepted of Jesus and become his follower!—is the lesson. To illustrate it, Jesus suggested that any shepherd losing one of his sheep would leave all the others to go and seek that one; THE WATCH TOWER (347-355) and he rejoices specially at its recovery. So we, the followers of Jesus, should be careful not to stumble each other, but rather to remember that we are all sheep under the great Shepherd, our Heavenly Father, and the great Under Shepherd, our Heavenly Lord, and that he has the spirit of loving interest and eare which would go after the straying sheep, and that we should have this same spirit; and possessing this spirit, we would be very careful indeed not to stumble or hinder even the least of the Lord’s followers. All the Lord’s true followers are God’s “little ones,” and are subject to special divine supervision, represented in our text as angel care. The messengers who have guarded over the lives of God’s saintly few always have access to the Heavenly Father’s presence, to make known the necessities of those whom they represent, for divine power is ever on the alert for the protection of these. Oh, how blessed the privilege of being children of God. Oh, how wise to continue so little, so humble, so childlike, as to abide in his love, and to be enabled to learn the necessary lessons, and be ultimately received with Messiah in his kingdom honor and glory! MORE ELDERS—MORE WORK Some of the Bible Students’ classes are doing excellent service in the Class Extension work and, as a matter of course, report regularly. Often the attendance at the Extension meetings is good. Frequently the first three meetings lead up to the succeeding three, and are then followed by the establishment of new classes. We recommend that wherever possible these new classes have their local meetings on some week night, and that they endeavor to congrve.te with the Central class at least Sundays. We have been surprised that some large classes containing numerous brethren well qualified for the work are doing little or nothing in Class Extension. We have been trying to think out the cause of this apparent lack of zeal in the harvest work. Knowing the dear friends to be zealous, knowing that talent in their midst is lying dormant, we have been forced to the conclusion which we are about to present: that is, that the brethren who are capable of Class Extension work in such classes are too modest to suggest the work, lest it should seem that they are trying to have the class elect them to the eldership and authorize them to proceed with the Extension work. Modesty is always an excellent quality; but it must be especially hard for dear brethren of some ability to abstain from proclaiming the good tidings—to abstain from going out and starting little meetings themselves. There surely are classes deficient in material for Class Extension—classes which need all the brethren of any ability in their midst. But there are other classes which need to wake up, to take note of brethren having some ability, and to encourage them to use their time and strength in the Class Extension work. We urge. therefore, that the classes regard as available agsets the material which they possess, and seek to glorify the Lord in the use of these assets. In cases where brethren possessed of ability to give Chart Talks see opportunities for Class Extension. and are financially able to manage the matter themselves, we advise that they proceed to hold meetings. We recommend, however, that they first mention the matter to the class, so that, if possible, co-operation on the part of all may be secured, and that all may join in a good work and in the resultant joys and blessings of service. SERMONS IN THE NEWSPAPERS Under God’s providence a great work is being carried on through the newspapers; and the Gospel is being presented to millions who never attend meetings for divine worship. Some of these are discouraged Christians who lost their faith in human creeds and systems of men and found no footing for their faith in the Bible because they did not understand it. How blessed that God has such an arrangement by which the good tidings may reach those otherwise outside any general opportunity for hearing it! But alas, some Christians have a bitter and sectarian spirit! The fact that many of the churches have smaller congregations as a result of loss of faith years ago makes their votaries angry that the message should be heard outside the churches. Some of these unreasonable zealots are doing all they know how to do to hinder the message from going to the outsiders through the newspapers. Oh, why do they not rejoice that the Gospel is being preached to the poor, to the outsiders, to the publicans and sinners! Under these circumstances it behooves all of us to encourage the editors of the newspapers publishing the sermons. They should know that their work is appreciated. Letters sent to them should be moderate and kind. They are not publishing the sermons because of any personal interest in them, but merely because the public are reading them. Let us hold up their hands, not only encouraging them with postcards, assuring them of appreciation of the sermons and of the good work they thereby assist in, but let us also give to such papers a financial encouragement through subscriptions. The Watcu Tower Office frequently has special agents’ rates for newspapers. In any event it knows quite well which papers would most need a little encouragement in the way of new subscriptions. Subscriptions sent to us will be wisely used. Many of our readers doubtless can afford to take several papers, and, after reading these, to mark the sermons and to use them as tracts amongst their friends and neighbors. Do it now before you forget it! Vou. XXXITIT BROOKLYN, N. Y., NOVEMBER 15, 1912 No. 22 IN DREAMLESS SLEEP DEAD AWAIT CHRIST’S RETURN “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also.”—-. John 14:3, The error of supposing that men are alive when they are dead lies close to the foundation of every theological error the world over. We have all erred in taking the guess of Plato instead of the Word of God, and we can get rid of our difficulties and theological entanglements only by retracing our steps. Notwithstanding all that we have said and written, calling attention to the words of the Scriptures, the question arises, Do you mean to tell us that our friends do not go to heaven immediately when they die? That is exactly what we are endeavoring to demonstrate to be the teaching of the Bible. The Bible alone, of all re ligious books, teaches that a dead man is dead, and knows nothing, and that his only hope is in the divine arrangement through Christ, by a resurrection of the dead—“both of the just and anjust.”—Acts 24:15. When we remember that, according to nearly all the religious creeds and theories of the world, 999 out of every thousand pass immediately at death into most horrible sufferings, one would think that all would be glad to promtly accept the Bible testimony, that death is a dreamless sleep until the resurrection awakening. Why anyone should prefer to think his friends and neighbors and the heathen millions are suffer [5131]

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