Publication date
6/1/13
Volume
34
Number
11
The WatchTower
The Transforming Influence of Thought
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1913/11/1913-11-1.html
 
 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y. 
larger 
stones. 
This 
might, 
in 
some 
respects, 
represent 
our 
being 
a 
larger 
or 
a 
smaller 
stone 
in 
the 
temple-representing 
the 
privilegrs 
ar 
honor 
which 
we 
may 
have 
beyond 
the 
veil. 
St. 
Paul 
also 
says 
that 
he 
was 
trying 
to 
do 
much 
more, 
that 
he 
was 
trying 
to 
have 
a 
largrr 
share 
in 
the 
trials 
and 
self-c1l'nials, 
in 
order 
that 
he 
might 
have 
a 
larger 
share 
in 
the 
work 
bryolld. 
This 
did 
not 
mean 
that 
he 
desired 
self-aggran­ 
dizement, 
or 
that 
he 
was 
either 
proud 
or 
self-seeking. 
And 
\\e 
shall 
not 
be 
so 
if 
we 
would 
attain 
that 
to 
which 
God 
would 
have 
us 
attain-the 
glorious 
character-likeness 
of 
our 
Master. 
"JERUSALEM 
... 
MOTHER 
OF 
US 
ALL" 
Question.-In 
the 
text, 
"Jerusalem 
which 
is 
above 
is 
free, 
which 
is 
the 
mother 
of 
us 
all" 
(Galatians 
4:26), 
who 
are 
meant 
by 
"us," 
and 
how 
is 
the 
spiritual 
Jerusalem 
the 
"mother 
of 
us 
all"1 
Answer.-The 
Apostle 
here 
uses 
a 
figure 
of 
speech 
which 
is 
COIllmon 
in 
the 
Scriptures, 
and 
in 
which 
a 
city 
is 
referred 
to 
as 
the 
mother 
of 
its 
inhabitants; 
for 
instance, 
"daughters 
of 
J 
el'usalem," 
"c1allghters 
of 
Zion," 
"Sodom 
and 
her 
daugh­ 
ters, 
"etc. 
The' 
'us" 
class 
mean 
the 
saints 
of 
God. 
The 
citizenship 
of 
the 
saints 
is 
in 
heaven-in 
the 
heavenly 
Jeru­ 
salem, 
which 
will 
not 
be 
built 
until 
the 
first 
resurrection. 
By 
faith 
we 
look 
forward 
and 
speak 
of 
that 
promised 
condition 
and 
of 
our 
citizenship 
therein. 
The 
church 
is 
developed 
under 
the 
same 
covenant-mother 
as 
was 
Christ; 
for 
we 
are 
his 
members. 
His 
was 
a 
covenant 
of 
sacrifice. 
"Gather 
my 
saints 
together 
unto 
me; 
those 
that 
have 
made 
a 
covenant 
with 
me 
by 
sacrifice." 
(Psa. 
50: 
5) 
The 
man 
Christ 
Jesus 
entered 
into 
a 
covenant 
with 
the 
Father, 
which 
meant 
the 
sacrifice 
of 
his 
flesh, 
his 
earthly 
nature. 
As 
a 
reward 
for 
this 
sacrifice, 
the 
Father 
made 
him 
a 
new 
creature 
of 
the 
divine 
nature-" 
far 
above 
angels,' 
I 
constitut­ 
ing 
him 
the 
great 
Messiah 
who 
shall 
bless 
the 
world. 
Carrying 
out 
the 
Father's 
plan, 
our 
Lord 
imputes 
his 
merit 
to 
such 
as 
now 
follow 
his 
example, 
and 
walk 
in 
his 
footsteps, 
performing 
the 
same 
covenant 
of 
sacrifice. 
If 
these 
are 
faithful, 
they 
will 
share 
in 
the 
great 
work 
of 
Messiah 
in 
blessing 
the 
world, 
and 
will 
constitute 
the 
New 
Jerusalem, 
the 
Millennial 
kingdom. 
By 
faith 
we 
are 
its 
children. 
Even 
now, 
our 
citizenship 
is 
in 
heaven. 
BROAD 
UNSECTARIAN 
QUESTIONS 
The 
following 
are 
the 
questions 
usually 
put 
by 
Brother 
Russell 
when 
receiving 
candidates 
for 
water 
immersion. 
It 
will 
be 
noticed 
that 
they 
are 
on 
broad 
lines-questions 
which 
any 
Christian, 
whatever 
his 
confession, 
should 
be 
able 
to 
allswer 
in 
the 
affirmative 
without 
hesitation 
if 
he 
is 
suitable 
to 
be 
acknowledged 
as 
a 
membe! 
of 
the 
church 
of 
Christ: 
(1) 
Have 
you 
repented 
of 
sin 
with 
such 
restitution 
as 
you 
are 
able, 
and 
are 
you 
trusting 
in 
the 
merit 
of 
Christ 
'8 
sacrifice 
for 
the 
forgiveness 
of 
your 
sins 
and 
the 
basis 
of 
your 
justification' 
(2) 
Have 
you 
made 
a 
full 
consecration 
of 
yourself 
with 
all 
the 
powers 
that 
you 
possess-talent, 
monry, 
time, 
influence 
-all 
to 
the 
Lord, 
to 
be 
used 
faithfully 
in 
his 
service, 
even 
unto 
death~ 
(3) 
On 
the 
basis 
of 
these 
confessions, 
we 
acknowledge 
you 
as 
a 
member 
of 
the 
household 
of 
faith, 
and 
give 
to 
you 
as 
such 
the 
right 
hand 
of 
fellowship, 
not 
in 
the 
name 
of 
any 
sect 
or 
party 
or 
creed, 
but 
in 
the 
name 
of 
the 
Redeemer, 
our 
glori­ 
fied 
Lord, 
and 
his 
faithful 
followers. 
VOL. 
XXXIV 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
JUNE 
1, 
1913 
No. 
11 
THE 
TRANSFORMING 
INFLUENCE 
OF 
THOUGHT 
" 
As 
he 
thinketh 
in 
his 
heart, 
so 
is 
he." 
(Proverbs 
23: 
7.) 
"Keep 
thy 
heart 
with 
all 
diligence; 
for 
out 
of 
it 
are 
the 
issues 
of 
life. 
"-Proverbs 
4 
:23 
The 
heart 
is 
one 
of 
the 
most 
important 
organs 
of 
our 
body. 
If 
it 
censes 
to 
work, 
death 
is 
sure 
to 
follow. 
The 
blood 
that 
floTI's 
through 
the 
heart 
constitutes 
the 
life, 
the 
energy 
of 
the 
borly. 
If 
the 
blood 
current 
is 
interrupted 
for 
a 
little 
while, 
a 
elot 
is 
formed. 
This 
is 
so 
much 
of 
a 
prep­ 
'Hntion 
for 
dcnth. 
There 
must 
be 
a 
continual 
stream 
of 
Illood 
circulating 
through 
onr 
bodies 
to 
keep 
life 
there. 
In 
viow 
of 
this 
important 
function 
of 
our 
natural 
hearts, 
the 
Bible 
Yrry 
properly 
nses 
the 
heart, 
the 
center 
of 
life, 
as 
a 
sym 
bol 
of 
the 
cen 
tel' 
of 
our 
affections, 
including 
the 
will. 
Our 
will 
Jws 
to 
do 
with 
everything 
we 
do. 
Whoever 
of 
the 
Lord's 
people 
wills 
to 
seek 
more 
and 
more 
to 
purify 
himself 
heeomes 
moro 
and 
more 
alive. 
If 
we 
are 
pure 
in 
heart, 
we 
r('solve 
to 
live 
rigohteously 
r1nd 
sohrrly 
in 
the 
present 
life. 
Who· 
('WI' 
nppreriatl's 
tlw 
JlIoinciple 
that 
right 
is 
right, 
and 
wrong 
is 
TITong 
TI'i1I 
desin' 
to 
live 
right-whether 
Jew 
or 
Gentile 
or 
the 
eJlllreh 
of 
GO(l. 
'rhe 
cllllrch, 
having 
necepted 
God's 
tl'rms, 
have 
made 
a 
con­ 
seeration 
of 
thrir 
lives 
to 
him. 
They 
have 
engaged 
to 
fight 
a 
goO(] 
liogollt 
agoainst 
the 
\\odd, 
the 
flesh 
and 
the 
devil. 
They 
are 
Un(]l'r 
sl,ecir11 
ohlig:ltions 
r1S 
new 
ereatures. 
Their 
hopes 
:lJld 
aml,itious 
are 
sepr1r:ltc 
from 
those 
of 
the 
world. 
They 
nrc 
therC'fon' 
donhly 
rC'sponsihle 
in 
respect 
to 
their 
hearts, 
which 
rc'J,reseut 
their 
inmost 
sentiments. 
Aeeor(]illg 
to 
a 
nwn's 
inllermost 
sentiment, 
so 
is 
he. 
As 
a 
mr1n 
thinkdh 
in 
his 
heart, 
so 
is 
his 
real 
character. 
What 
is 
yom 
real 
will? 
\Vhat 
are 
yonI' 
real 
sentiments~ 
Not, 
What 
\nll',ls 
']0 
you 
uSP? 
llOt, 
\Vhat 
r1re 
your 
r1ctions, 
but, 
What 
is 
tIl(' 
Illotive 
nndC'rlying' 
all 
thes('~ 
'rhe 
new 
ereatul'e 
is 
to 
he 
(lorl-like, 
spiritual, 
eventually 
of 
the 
spirit 
nature 
in 
glory-perfeet. 
But 
before 
it 
attains 
that 
perfrdion, 
the 
heart 
of 
the 
new 
creature 
is 
required 
to 
pro\'e 
its 
loyalty. 
Some 
will 
he 
overcomers 
in 
a 
higher 
sense 
tlwn 
others, 
hnt 
none 
will 
bc 
overcomers 
except 
those 
who 
are 
true, 
luyal, 
pure. 
If, 
therefore, 
we 
have 
made 
a 
consecra­ 
tion 
to 
Gorl, 
it 
shonld 
be 
our 
endeavor 
that 
our 
hearts, 
our 
desires, 
om 
motives 
be 
perfl'ct. 
'l'he 
only 
proper 
attitude 
is 
to 
confess 
Our 
imperfl'rtiolls, 
if 
we 
are 
wrong. 
God 
expects 
us 
to 
he 
10yr11 
of 
Iwart. 
Am] 
that 
loyalty 
of 
heart 
should 
I'raeh 
out 
and 
control 
the 
whole 
life. 
If 
our 
thoughts 
are 
not 
according 
to 
our 
ideals, 
we 
should 
endeavor 
to 
make 
them 
so. 
We 
shonld 
put 
away 
anger, 
malice, 
hntred, 
strife, 
n11(] 
all 
such 
works 
of 
the 
flesh 
and 
the 
devil. 
With 
some 
people, 
in 
some 
conditions, 
these 
thoughts 
go 
very 
deep. 
It 
is 
not 
the 
transitory 
thoughts 
of 
the 
mind-the 
pass- 
ing 
thoughts-that 
are 
meant 
in 
our 
text. 
Even 
people 
of 
very 
bad 
character 
may 
at 
times 
have 
deep 
emotions. 
The 
eyes 
of 
some 
persons 
will 
be 
suffused 
with 
tears 
over 
some 
trivial 
matter. 
This 
makes 
them 
appear 
to 
be 
very 
tender· 
hearted, 
and 
yet 
their 
lives 
may 
show 
that 
they 
would 
as 
easily 
be 
moved 
to 
some 
vicious 
deed 
as 
to 
sympathy. 
'We 
see 
this 
fact 
illustrated 
in 
the 
conduct 
of 
mobs. 
The 
people 
who 
hailed 
Jesus 
as 
king 
were 
five 
days 
later 
crying, 
, 
'Crucify 
him!" 
Those 
who 
shortly 
before 
had 
seemed 
to 
be 
so 
appreciative 
of 
him 
appeared 
to 
lose 
that 
appreciation. 
IMPORTANCE 
OF 
RIGHT 
TWNKING 
In 
reality 
a 
man 
is 
not 
always 
what 
on 
the 
surface 
he 
seems 
to 
be. 
His 
real 
character 
is 
deep 
down 
below-the 
purpose 
of 
his 
life. 
These 
are 
not 
the 
mere 
transitory 
thoughts. 
but 
the 
deep 
fissures 
of 
thought, 
if 
we 
may 
so 
designate 
those 
which 
involve 
the 
whol~ 
life. 
The 
Scriptures 
bring 
to 
our 
attention 
the 
fact 
that 
we 
are 
to 
be 
transformed 
by 
the 
re­ 
newing 
of 
our 
minds-by 
having 
them 
made 
over.-Rom. 
12 
:2, 
The 
Apostle, 
speaking 
of 
some 
very 
vicious 
traits 
of 
char· 
acter, 
says, 
"And 
such 
were 
some 
of 
you, 
but 
ye 
are 
washed, 
but 
ye 
are 
sanctified, 
but 
ye 
are 
justified, 
in 
the 
name 
of 
the 
Lord 
Jesus, 
and 
by 
the 
Spirit 
of 
our 
God." 
(1 
Cor. 
6: 
11 
) 
This 
cleansing, 
this 
sanctifying, 
comes 
not 
merely 
through 
the 
reading 
of 
the 
truth, 
or 
the 
mental 
application 
of 
the 
truth, 
but 
through 
the 
heart-thinking 
on 
the 
truth. 
This 
heart· 
thinking, 
these 
deep 
resolutions, 
are 
ours 
as 
Christians, 
and 
are 
to 
be 
guided 
by 
certain 
principles. 
These 
have 
to 
do 
with 
the 
real 
man 
whom 
God 
is 
considering-not 
the 
old 
creature, 
more 
Or 
less 
blemished, 
according 
to 
the 
degree 
of 
depravity. 
God 
looks 
at 
the 
new 
creatnre. 
These 
deep 
heart 
convictions 
and 
purposes 
constitute 
a 
transformation 
of 
character. 
This 
is 
the 
man's 
real 
condi­ 
tion, 
and 
so 
i~ 
he. 
If 
he 
have 
some 
transitory 
emotion 
of 
anger 
01' 
of 
malice, 
it 
would 
not 
be 
his 
real 
thought, 
his 
real 
intention. 
Therefore 
it 
would 
not 
be 
he, 
but 
his 
old 
nature, 
temporarily 
asserting 
itself. 
As 
a 
new 
creature, 
he 
is 
to 
watch 
his 
words, 
his 
thoughts, 
his 
actions, 
If 
a 
transitory, 
wrong 
thought 
should 
pass 
through 
his 
mind, 
it 
would 
not 
be 
the 
thought 
of 
his 
heart. 
And 
he 
as 
a 
new 
creature, 
should 
stop 
it, 
put 
it 
away, 
so 
that 
it 
may 
not 
take 
root 
in 
his 
heart, 
and 
choke 
out 
better 
sentiments. 
This 
right 
thinking 
of 
the 
heart 
has 
very 
much 
to 
do 
with 
the 
whole 
life. 
The 
Apostle 
says 
that 
we 
are 
transformed 
by 
the 
renewing 
of 
our 
minds, 
to 
know 
what 
is 
the 
perfect 
will 
of 
God. 
This 
is 
the 
Christian's 
standpoint. 
How 
glad 
[5246] 
(159-163) larger stones. This might, in some respects, represent our being a larger or a smaller stone in the temple—representing the privileges er honor which we may have beyond the veil. St. Paul also says that he was trying to do much more, that he was trying to have a larger share in the trials and self-denials, in order that he might have a larger share in the work beyond. This did not mean that he desired self-aggrandizement, or that he was cither proud or self-seeking. And we shall not be so if we would attain that to which God would have us attain—the glorious character-likeness of our Master. ‘JERUSALEM ... MOTHER OF US ALL’ Question.—In the text, ‘‘Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all’? (Galatians 4:26), who are meant by ‘‘us,’’ and how is the spiritual Jerusalem the ““mother of us all’??? Answer.—The Apostle here uses a figure of speech which is common in the Scriptures, and in which a city is referred to as the mother of its inhabitants; for instance, ‘‘daughters of Jerusalem,’’ ‘‘daughters of Zion,’’ ‘‘Sodom and her daughters,’’ etc. The ‘‘us’’ class mean the saints of God. The citizenship of the saints is in heaven—in the heavenly Jerusalem, which will not be built until the first resurrection. By faith we look forward and speak of that promised condition and of our citizenship therein. The church is developed under the same covenant-mother as was Christ; for we are his members. His was a covenant of sacrifice. ‘‘Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.’’ (Psa. 50:5) The man Christ Jesus entered into a covenant with the Father, which meant the sacrifice of his flesh, his earthly nature. THE WATCH TOWER Brooxiyn, N. Y. As a reward for this sacrifice, the Father made him a new creature of the divine nature—‘‘far above angels,’’ constituting him the great Messiah who shall bless the world. Carrying out the Father’s plan, our Lord imputes his merit to such as now follow his example, and walk in his footsteps, performing the same covenant of sacrifice. If these are faithful, they will share in the great work of Messiah in blessing the world, and will constitute the New Jerusalem, the Millennial kingdom. By faith we are its children. Even now, our citizenship is in heaven, BROAD UNSECTARIAN QUESTIONS The following are the questions usually put by Brother Russell when receiving candidates for water immersion. It will be noticed that they are on broad lines—questions which any Christian, whatever his confession, should be able to answer in the affirmative without hesitation if he is suitable to be acknowledged as a member of the church of Christ: (1) Have you repented of sin with such restitution as you are able, and are you trusting in the merit of Christ’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of your sins and the basis of your justification? (2) Have you made a full consecration of yourself with all the powers that you possess—talent, money, time, influence ~—ali to the Lord, to be used faithfully in his service, even unto death? (3) On the basis of these confessions, we acknowledge you as a member of the household of faith, and give to you as such the right hand of fellowship, not in the name of any sect or party or creed, but in the name of the Redeemer, our glorified Lord, and his faithful followers. Vou. XXXIV BROOKLYN, N. Y., JUNE 1, 1913 No. 11 THE TRANSFORMING INFLUENCE OF THOUGHT ‘* As he thinketh in his heart, so is he.’’ (Proverbs 23:7.) “*Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.’’—Proverbs 4:23 The heart is one of the most important organs of our hody. If it ceases to work, death is sure to follow. The blood that flows through the heart constitutes the life, the energy of the body. If the blood eurrent is interrupted for a little while, a clot is formed. This is so much of a preparation for death. There must be a continual stream of hlood circulating through our bodies to keep life there. In view of this important function of our natural hearts, the Bible very properly uses the heart, the center of life, as a symbol of the center of our affections, including the will. Our will has to do with everything we do. Whoever of the Lord’s people wills to seek more and more to purify himself becomes more and more alive. If we are pure in heart, we resolve to live righteously and soberly in the present life. Whoever appreciates the principle that right is right, and wrong is wrong will desire to live right-—-whether Jew or Gentile or the church of God. The church, having accepted God’s terms, have made a consecration of their lives to him. They have engaged to fight a good fight against the world, the flesh and the devil. They are under special obligations as new creatures. Their hopes and ambitions are separate from those of the world. They are therefore doubly responsible in respect to their hearts, which represent their inmost sentiments. According to a man’s innermost sentiment, so is he. man thinketh in his heart, so is his real character. What is your real will? What are your real sentiments? Not, What words do you use? not, What are your actions, but, What is the motive underlying all these? The new ereature is to be God-like, spiritual, eventually of the spirit nature in glory—perfect. But before it attains that perfection, the heart of the new creature is required to prove its loyalty. Some will be overcomers in a higher sense than others, but none will be overeomers except those who are true, fuyal, pure. If, therefore, we have made a consecration to God, it should be our endeavor that our hearts, our desires, our motives be perfect. The only proper attitude is to confess our imperfections, if we are wrong. God expects us to he loyal of heart. And that loyalty of heart should reach out and control the whole life. Tf our thoughts are not according to our ideals, we should endeavor to make them so. We should put away anger, malice, hatred, strife, and all such works of the flesh and the devil. With some people, in some conditions, these thoughts go very deep. It is not the transitory thoughts of the mind—the pass As a ing thoughts—that are meant in our text. Even people of very bad character may at times have deep emotions. The eyes of some persons will be suffused with tears over some trivial matter. This makes them appear to be very tenderhearted, and yet their lives may show that they would as easily be moved to some vicious deed as to sympathy. We see this fact illustrated in the conduct of mobs. The people who hailed Jesus as king were five days later crying, **Crucify him!’’ Those who shortly before had seemed to be so appreciative of him appeared to lose that appreciation. IMPORTANCE OF RIGHT THINKING In reality a man is not always what on the surface he seems to be. His real character is deep down below—the purpose of his life. These are not the mere transitory thoughts, but the deep fissures of thought, if we may so designate those which involve the wholt life. The Scriptures bring to our attention the fact that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds—by having them made over.—Rom. 12:2. The Apostle, speaking of some very vicious traits of character, says, ‘‘And such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.’’ (1 Cor. 6:11) This cleansing, this sanctifying, comes not merely through the reading of the truth, or the mental application of the truth, but through the heart-thinking on the truth. This heartthinking, these deep resolutions, are ours as Christians, and are to be guided by certain principles. These have to do with the real man whom God is considering—not the old creature, more or less blemished, according to the degree of depravity. God looks at the new creature. These deep heart convictions and purposes constitute a transformation of character. This is the man’s real condition, and so is he. If he have some transitory emotion of anger or of malice, it would not be his real thought, his real intention. Therefore it would not be he, but his old nature, temporarily asserting itself. As a new creature, he is to watch his words, his thoughts, his actions. If a transitory, wrong thought should pass through his mind, it would not be the thought of his heart. And he as a new creature, should stop it, put it away, so that it may not take root in his heart, and choke out better sentiments. This right thinking of the heart has very much to do with the whole life. The Apostle says that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds, to know what is the perfect will of God. This is the Christian’s standpoint. How glad [5246]

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