Publication date
5/15/13
Volume
34
Number
10
The WatchTower
A Convincing Proof of the Resurrection
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1913/10/1913-10-1.html
 
 
 
 
 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y. 
nations, 
and 
I 
find 
the 
Preshyterians 
just 
as 
worthy 
as 
any. 
1 
have 
been 
careful 
in 
my 
thoughts, 
yet 
held 
my 
mind 
open 
to 
conviction. 
Years 
of 
knocking 
about 
on 
the 
mission 
field 
from 
nearly 
one 
end 
of 
Canada 
to 
the 
other, 
has 
had 
its 
effect. 
When 
I 
became 
fully 
acquainted 
with 
the 
workings 
behind 
the 
scenes, 
I 
was 
astounded. 
I 
have 
felt 
so 
many 
times 
that 
our 
people 
were 
not 
treated 
fairly, 
an<1 
certainly 
many 
of 
our 
poor 
missionaries 
were 
shamefully 
used, 
and 
could 
not 
defend 
themselves. 
I 
have 
certainly 
wondered 
where 
the 
hearts 
of 
the 
older 
and 
more 
prosperous 
ministers 
were. 
The 
city 
of 
- 
- 
- 
is 
the 
limit! 
One 
city 
minister 
tol<1 
me 
a 
few 
days 
ago 
that 
the 
ehurch, 
i. 
e., 
the 
Presbyterian 
church 
here, 
had 
all 
gone 
to 
the 
devil. 
Those 
were 
his 
words. 
Another 
minister, 
a 
l'resl'yteriau, 
too, 
was 
up 
to 
our 
class 
on 
Wednesday 
last, 
and 
is 
reading 
the 
first 
volume; 
he 
knows 
something 
is 
wrong, 
and 
what 
he 
sel'S 
is 
not 
Christianity. 
Is 
it 
not 
strange 
that 
so 
lllany 
of 
ollr 
ministers 
are 
down 
on 
the 
truth 
people! 
It 
must 
be 
he(,ause 
we 
hold 
to 
the 
Bible. 
Say, 
Brother, 
take 
a 
look 
hehind 
the 
scenes 
and 
see 
e,ery 
big 
city 
minister 
in 
- 
- 
- 
lay 
hold 
of 
evolution 
and 
deny 
the 
ransom 
of 
Jesus 
Christ! 
This 
year 
I 
became 
heartsick 
and 
resolved 
to 
remain 
at 
home, 
attend 
no 
church, 
and 
try 
to 
study 
and 
love 
the 
Bible, 
as 
it 
was 
the 
only 
thing 
I 
had 
worth 
while. 
I 
!Jave 
not 
been 
preaching 
for 
awhile 
on 
ac­ 
eount 
of 
poor 
health, 
but 
have 
heen 
looking 
on. 
I 
knew 
we 
should 
assemble, 
hut 
where 
I 
could 
not 
say. 
It 
was 
not 
at 
former 
places. 
Strangc, 
I 
had 
never 
heard 
of 
Bible 
Students 
or 
read 
Pastor 
Russell's 
books. 
A 
friend 
of 
mine 
invited 
me 
to 
a 
meeting 
one 
evcning, 
and 
I 
went. 
On 
returning 
home 
I 
tol<1 
Mrs. 
Farrer 
that 
I 
had 
heard 
more 
Scripture 
than 
I 
had 
studicd 
and 
heard 
all 
the 
while 
I 
had 
been 
at 
the 
coast, 
all 
paeke(] 
into 
one 
talk. 
It 
was 
certainly 
a 
won<1erful 
talk. 
It 
shook 
me 
up; 
I 
never 
heard 
the 
like, 
and 
I 
told 
my 
wife 
that 
that 
man 
had 
the 
hest 
of 
the 
argument 
by 
a 
mile. 
During 
the 
follo\ving 
week 
I 
got 
hungry 
for 
more, 
but 
did 
not 
know 
where 
to 
go 
or 
,vhat 
literature 
to 
get. 
However, 
I 
knew 
ahout 
the 
meeting 
the 
next 
Sunday, 
so 
I 
went 
to 
see 
if 
I 
eoul<l 
get 
anything 
to 
rea(1. 
I 
did 
and 
hurried 
home 
to 
see 
what 
I 
ha(1. 
I 
was 
not 
anxious 
to 
be 
seen 
around 
the 
place. 
I 
tell 
you, 
Brother, 
I 
soon 
found 
out 
what 
a 
prize 
I 
had 
in 
that 
first 
volume. 
We 
had 
absolutely 
nothing 
to 
com­ 
pare 
with 
the 
first, 
fifth 
and 
sixth 
volumes, 
in 
college. 
I 
have 
wondered 
why 
we 
<lid 
not 
have 
them 
as 
text 
books. 
It 
was 
only 
after 
I 
got 
started 
in 
the 
truth 
that 
I 
knew 
that 
Pastor 
C. 
']'. 
Russell 
was 
the 
author 
of 
the 
books. 
I 
tell 
you, 
Brother 
Adams, 
I 
rejoice 
to 
be 
ealled 
a 
fool 
for 
Jesus' 
sake. 
I 
attended 
Mr. 
Wilson's 
church 
while 
down 
in 
the 
city. 
Poor 
Wilson, 
I 
knew 
him 
before 
I 
went 
to 
college, 
but 
he 
is 
at 
sea, 
in 
the 
same 
hoat 
as 
we 
were 
all 
in. 
The 
fact 
is 
we 
leamed 
nothing 
much 
of 
the 
Bihle 
at 
college. 
I 
am 
send­ 
ing 
a 
letter 
of 
withdrawal 
to 
the 
Preshytery 
and 
will 
mail 
you 
a 
copy 
later 
on. 
V"ith 
ml1eh 
Christian 
lon', 
I 
am 
your 
hrother 
in 
Christ, 
W. 
H. 
FARRER. 
THE 
PEOPLE 
FREE? 
NOT 
SO 
THE 
MINISTERS 
:-;O:lll':TIlIKG 
ll'TElmS'flN<: 
~'RO]\[ 
AN 
INQUIRING 
FRIEND 
I 
wrotp 
the 
following' 
to 
a 
Preshyterian 
minister: 
Ikar 
Rir 
:-])0 
you 
subscribe 
to 
the 
following 
statement, 
takpu 
frolll 
the 
Confession 
of 
Faith 
7-" 
The 
bodies 
of 
men 
a 
Hpr 
d('ath 
return 
to 
dust, 
and 
see 
corruption, 
but 
their 
souls 
(,vhieh 
ueither 
die 
nor 
sleep), 
having 
an 
immortal 
subsistence, 
immediately 
return 
to 
God 
who 
gave 
them. 
The 
souls 
of 
the 
rightpous, 
heing 
then 
made 
perfect 
in 
holiness, 
are 
received 
into 
the 
h 
iglJ('st 
heavens, 
where 
they 
bphold 
the 
face 
of 
God 
in 
light 
and 
glory, 
waiting 
for 
the 
full 
redemption 
of 
their 
ho(lies; 
and 
the 
sonls 
of 
the 
wicked 
are 
cast 
into 
hell, 
where 
they 
remain 
in 
torments 
and 
utter 
ilarkness, 
reserved 
to 
the 
jucIgment 
of 
the 
great 
day. 
Besides 
these 
two 
places 
for 
souls 
separated 
from 
their 
bodies, 
the 
Scripture 
acknowledgeth 
none. 
"At 
the 
last 
day, 
such 
as 
are 
found 
alive 
shall 
not 
die, 
but 
be 
changed; 
and 
all 
the 
dead 
shall 
be 
raised 
up 
with 
the 
self­ 
same 
bodies, 
and 
none 
other, 
although 
with 
different 
qualities, 
which 
shall 
be 
united 
again 
to 
their 
souls 
forever.' 
'-Confes­ 
sion 
of 
Faith, 
Chapter 
XXXII, 
1, 
2. 
The 
following 
is 
the 
answer 
from 
said 
minister: 
Dear 
Mr. 
---:-Perhaps 
next 
week 
I 
may 
he 
able 
to 
call 
and 
see 
you, 
but 
as 
we 
have 
special 
meetings 
this 
week, 
I 
could 
not 
do 
so 
before. 
I 
take 
it 
for 
granted 
that 
your 
inquiry 
relates 
to 
your 
real 
relationship 
to 
God 
and 
is 
not 
simply 
a 
matter 
of 
specula­ 
tion. 
For 
I 
have 
no 
time 
nor 
inclination 
to 
engage 
in 
simple 
discussion 
and 
argument. 
Life 
is 
too 
short 
for 
that. 
N 
or 
do 
I 
care 
to 
defend 
the 
teachings 
of 
theology, 
which 
are 
quite 
different 
things 
from 
religion, 
for 
nobody 
is 
asked 
to 
accept 
Presbyterian 
theology-or 
even 
read 
it-except 
min­ 
isters, 
elders 
and 
deacons; 
you 
doubtless 
arc 
aware 
of 
that. 
The 
first 
and 
only 
thing 
we 
require 
of 
private 
members 
of 
the 
church 
is 
to 
accept 
Jesus 
Christ, 
God 
incarnate, 
as 
Savior 
and 
Lord. 
Sincerely 
yours, 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
What 
would 
be 
an 
appropriate 
answer 
on 
my 
part~ 
THE 
EDITOR'S 
REPLY 
I 
would 
not 
attempt 
to 
discuss 
the 
matter 
further 
with 
the 
gentleman, 
but 
would 
merely 
thank 
him 
for 
his 
kind 
letter, 
and 
say 
that, 
as 
I 
was 
neither 
a 
minister 
nor 
an 
elder 
of 
the 
Presbyterian 
church, 
my 
conscience 
would 
go 
free; 
but 
that 
I 
had 
a 
sympathy 
for 
elders 
and 
ministers. 
I 
would 
proceed 
to 
Gay 
that, 
having 
found 
something 
satisfactory 
on 
the 
sub· 
ject 
of 
"The 
State 
of 
Men 
after 
Death, 
and 
of 
the 
Resurree­ 
tion 
of 
the 
Dead" 
(heading 
of 
chapteI~ 
in 
the" 
Confession," 
from 
which 
the 
extract 
is 
copied), 
I 
ventured 
to 
reeommend 
to 
him 
STUDIES 
IN 
THE 
SCRIPTURES 
by 
Pastor 
Russell, 
the 
books 
which 
God 
blessed 
to 
my 
heart 
anil 
head 
enlightenment, 
hop­ 
ing 
they 
might 
prove 
a 
blessing 
to 
him 
also. 
Dear 
Brethren: 
Re 
the 
Dayton 
Flood: 
The 
newspaper 
reports 
of 
the 
num­ 
bel' 
of 
dead 
have 
been 
much 
exaggerateil. 
It 
is 
indeed 
sail, 
and 
many 
thrilling 
experiences 
and 
miraculous 
rescues 
have 
been 
reported. 
As 
far 
as 
we 
can 
learn 
up 
to 
this 
writing, 
none 
of 
the 
Dayton 
ecclesia 
were 
drowned, 
although 
a 
number 
of 
us 
have 
had 
thrilling 
experiences 
and 
narrow 
escapes. 
The 
shrieks 
and 
wails 
of 
the 
panic-stricken 
people, 
mingled 
with 
the 
moans 
of 
drowning 
horses, 
etc., 
were 
terrible 
to 
hear. 
It 
turned 
our 
minds 
to 
Daniel's 
description 
of 
the 
great 
time 
of 
trouble. 
Sister 
Pottle 
and 
Sister 
H. 
F. 
Rieck 
were 
confined 
to 
an 
attic 
with 
the 
writer 
for 
about 
thirty 
hours 
he 
fore 
the 
sisters 
were 
rescued 
by 
boats. 
Here 
the 
value 
of 
the 
truth 
wa!! 
manifested. 
God's 
promised 
graee 
to 
help 
in 
time 
of 
need 
was 
surely 
manifest, 
as 
the 
sisters 
were 
calm 
and 
c0111]1oSe(1. 
In 
the 
most 
perilous 
moments, 
one 
of 
the 
sisters 
calmly 
said, 
"Well, 
perhaps 
the 
time 
has 
come." 
Our 
experience 
has 
heen 
a 
valuable 
one. 
Aftpr 
forty-eight 
hours 
of 
confinement, 
thc 
writer 
waded 
through 
a 
bout 
four 
feet 
of 
water 
for 
four 
squares, 
where 
the 
troops 
helper] 
him 
into 
a 
boat 
and 
then 
to 
the 
lanrling. 
Brother 
Driseoll, 
also, 
will 
have 
some 
thrilling 
cxperiences 
to 
relate 
to 
you. 
We 
still 
have 
many, 
many 
hlessings 
to 
count. 
One 
of 
the 
greatest 
is 
the 
knowledge 
of 
the 
truth, 
anil 
the 
love 
of 
the 
brethren. 
This 
experience 
will 
draw 
us 
closer 
together, 
as 
we 
have 
learned 
of 
the 
dear 
brethren's 
anxiety 
and 
efforts 
for 
our 
rescue. 
Beloveil, 
remember 
us 
kindly 
at 
the 
throne 
of 
graee, 
that 
we 
may 
be 
meek, 
hum 
hIe 
anil 
serviceahle. 
Your 
brother 
by 
participation, 
P. 
D. 
POTTLE.-Dayton, 
Ohio 
VOL. 
XXXIV 
BROOKINN, 
N. 
Y., 
MAY 
15, 
19] 
3 
No. 
10 
A 
CONVINCING 
PROOF 
"Be 
not 
faithless, 
but 
Previous 
to 
the 
occasion 
of 
the 
worils 
of 
our 
text, 
St. 
Thomas, 
the 
Apostle, 
had 
not 
been 
present 
at 
any 
of 
the 
manifrstations 
of 
.T 
esus 
after 
his 
resurrertion. 
Thomas 
seems 
to 
han, 
been 
of 
a 
rather 
skeptical 
turn 
of 
minil. 
He 
heard 
the 
othl'r 
apostles 
telling 
ahout 
what 
they 
hail 
seen, 
ahout 
the 
manifl'stations 
that 
IHld 
taken 
place, 
and 
he 
felt 
that 
on 
such 
evidences 
he 
could 
not 
believe 
in 
the 
rpsurrection 
of 
Jesus. 
He 
thought 
that 
his 
hrethen 
hail 
been 
too 
easily 
deceived. 
St. 
Thomas 
diil 
not 
accredit 
his 
fellow 
disciples 
with 
an 
attempt 
at 
ileceiving 
him; 
but 
as 
he 
declared, 
he 
would 
not 
OF 
THE 
RESURRECTION 
believing.' 
'-.J 
ohn 
20: 
27 
helieve 
on 
any 
such 
testimony 
as 
he 
hail 
receiveil. 
He 
said, 
"Unless 
I 
see 
the 
spear 
mark, 
unless 
I 
shall 
see 
in 
his 
hands 
the 
print 
of 
the 
nails, 
anil 
put 
my 
finger 
into 
the 
print 
of 
the 
nails, 
anil 
thrust 
my 
hand 
into 
his 
sirle, 
I 
will 
not 
he­ 
lieve." 
You 
cannot 
convince 
me 
that 
he 
is 
not 
dend. 
You 
cannot 
convince 
me 
that 
a 
person 
put 
to 
denth 
after 
that 
munner 
is 
again 
alive. 
I 
cannot 
say 
where 
the 
deception 
eame 
from, 
but 
you 
hrethren 
are 
too 
easily 
(]eceiveil. 
A 
week 
later, 
Jesus 
appeared 
in 
the 
"upper 
room" 
a 
second 
time. 
After 
saluting 
the 
company, 
he 
said 
to 
St. 
[5236] 
(142-147) nations, and I find the Preshyterians just as worthy as any. 1 have been careful in my thoughts, yet held my mind open to conviction. Years of knocking about on the mission field from nearly one end of Canada to the other, has had its effect. When I beeame fully acquainted with the workings behind the scenes, I was astounded. I have felt so many times that our people were not treated fairly, and certainly many of our poor missionaries were shamefully used, and could not defend themselves, I have certainly wondered where the hearts of the older and more prosperous ministers were. The city of is the limit! One city minister told me a few days ago that the church, i. e., the Preshyterian church here, had all gone to the devil. Those were his words, Another minister, a Presbyterian, too, was up to our class on Wednesday last, and is reading the first volume; he knows something is wrong, and what he sees is not Christianity. Is it not strange that so many of our mimisters are down on the truth people! It must be because we hold to the Bible. Say, Brother, take a look behind the scenes and see every big city minister in lay hold of evolution and deny the ransom of Jesus Christ! This year I beeame heartsick aud resolved to remain at home, attend no church, and try to study and love the Bible, as it was the only thing I had worth while. I have not been preaching for awhile on account of poor health, but have been looking on. I knew we should assemble, but where I could not say. It was not at former places. Strange, I had never heard of Bible Students or read Pastor Russell’s books. A friend of mine invited me to a meeting one evening, and I went. On returning home I told Mrs, Farrer that [ had heard more Scripture than I had studied and heard all the while I had been at the coast, all packed into one talk. It was certainly a wonderful talk. It shook me up; I never heard the like, and I told my wife that that man had the best of the argument by a mile. During the following week I got hungry for more, but did not know where to go or what literature to get. However, I knew about the meeting the next Sunday, so I went to see if I could get anything to read. JI did and hurried home to see what I had. JI was not anxious to be seen around the place. I tell you, Brother, I soon found out what a prize I had in that first volume. We had absolutely nothing to compare with the first, fifth and sixth volumes, in college. I have wondered why we did not have them as text books. It was only after I got started in the truth that I knew that Pastor C. T. Russell was the author of the books. I tell you, Brother Adams, I rejoice to be called a fool for Jesus’ sake. I attended Mr. Wilson’s church while down in the city. Poor Wilson, I knew him before I went to college, but he is at sea, in the same boat as we were all in. The fact is we learned nothing much of the Bible at college. I am sending a letter of withdrawal to the Presbytery and will mail you a copy later on. With much Christian love, I am your brother in Christ, W. WH. Farrer. THE PEOPLE FREE? NOT SO THE MINISTERS SOMETHING INTERESTING FROM AN INQUIRING FRIEND I wrote the following to a Presbyterian minister: Dear Sir:--Do you subseribe to the following statement, taken from the Confession of Faith?—‘‘The bodies of men after death return to dust, and see corruption, but their souls (which neither die nor sleep), having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them. The souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their hodies; and the souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day. Besides these two places for THE WATCH TOWER Brooxiyn, N. Y. souls separated from their bodies, the Seripture acknowledgeth none, “fAt the last day, such as are found alive shall not die, but be changed; and all the dead shall be raised up with the selfsame bodies, and none other, although with different qualities, which shall be united again to their souls forever.’’—Confession of Faith, Chapter XXXII, 1, 2. The following is the answer from said minister: Dear Mr. :—Perhaps next week I may be able to call and see you, but as we have special meetings this week, I could not do so before. { take it for granted that your inquiry relates to your real relationship to God and is not simply a matter of speculation. For I have no time nor inclination to engage in simple discussion and argument. Life is too short for that. Nor do I care to defend the teachings of theology, which are quite different things from religion, for nobody is asked to accept Presbyterian theology—or even read it—exeept ministers, elders and deacons; you doubtless are aware of that. The first and only thing we require of private members of the church is to aecept Jesus Christ, God incarnate, as Savior and Lord. Sincerely yours, What would be an appropriate answer on my part? THE EDITOR’S REPLY I would not attempt to discuss the matter further with the gentleman, but would merely thank him for his kind letter, and say that, as I was neither a minister nor an elder of the Presbyterian church, my conscience would go free; but that I had a sympathy for elders and ministers. I would proceed to say that, having found something satisfactory on the subject of ‘‘The State of Men after Death, and of the Resurreetion of the Dead’’ (heading of chapter in the ‘‘Confession,’’ from which the extract is copied), I ventured to recommend to him SrupIEs IN THE ScrIPTURES by Pastor Russell, the books which God blessed to my heart and head enlightenment, hoping they might prove a blessing to him also. Dear Brethren: Re the Dayton Flood: The newspaper reports of the number of dead have been much exaggerated. It is indeed sad, and many thrilling experiences and miraculous rescues have been reported. As far as we can learn up to this writing, none of the Dayton ecclesia were drowned, although a number of us have had thrilling experiences and narrow eseapes. The shricks and wails of the panic-stricken people, mingled with the moans of drowning horses, etc., were terrible to hear. It turned our minds to Daniel’s description of the great time of trouble. Sister Pottle and Sister H. F. Rieck were confined to an attic with the writer for about thirty hours before the sisters were rescued by boats. Here the value of the truth was manifested. God’s promised grace to help in time of need was surely manifest, as the sisters were calm and composed. In the most perilous moments, one of the sisters calmly said, ‘*Well, perhaps the time has come.’’ Our experience has been a valuable one. After forty-eight hours of confinement, the writer waded through about four feet of water for four squares, where the troops helped him into a boat and then to the landing. Brother Driscoll, also, will have some thrilling experiences to relate to you. We still have many, many blessings to count. One of the greatest is the knowledge of the truth, and the love of the brethren. This experience will draw us closer together, as we have learned of the dear brethren’s anxiety and efforts for our rescue, Beloved, remember us kindly at the throne of grace, that we may be meek, humble and serviceable. Your brother by participation, P. D. Porrnur—Dayton, Ohio. Vou. XXXIV BROOKLYN, N. Y., MAY 15, 1913 No. 10 A CONVINCING PROOF OF THE RESURRECTION ‘Be not faithless, but believing.’’—John 20:27 Previous to the occasion of the words of our text, St. believe on any such testimony as he had received. He said, Thomas, the Apostle, had not been present at any of the manifestations of Jesus after his resurrection. Thomas seems to have been of a rather skeptical turn of mind. He heard the other apostles telling about what they had seen, about the manifestations that had taken place, and he felt that on such evidences he could not believe in the resurrection of Jesus. He thought that his brethen had been too easily deceived. St. Thomas did not accredit his fellow disciples with an attempt at deceiving him; but as he declared, he would not “Unless I see the spear mark, unless I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not helieve.’’ You cannot convince me that he is not dead. You cannot convince me that a person put to death after that manner is again alive. I cannot say where the deception came from, but you brethren are too easily deceived. A week later, Jesus appeared in the ‘‘upper room’’ a second time. After saluting the company, he said to St. [5236]

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