Publication date
8/15/13
Volume
34
Number
16
The WatchTower
God Manifest in the Flesh
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1913/16/1913-16-1.html
 
 
 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y. 
"It 
may 
not 
come 
to 
us 
as 
we 
have 
thought, 
The 
blessed 
consciousness 
of 
sins 
forgiven; 
We 
may 
not 
hear 
a 
voice 
that 
shall 
proclaim 
Our 
title 
clear 
to 
the 
sweet 
rest 
of 
heaven. 
glorified, 
that 
the 
Savior 
was 
honored, 
and 
that 
many 
of 
his 
followers 
were 
refreshed, 
as 
Bible 
Students, 
in 
grace, 
knowl­ 
edge 
and 
truth. 
The 
Editor 
remarked 
that 
at 
one 
convention 
this 
year 
he 
shook 
hands 
with 
three 
men 
the 
same 
day, 
who 
at 
one 
time 
in 
their 
lives 
had 
been 
sadly 
blinded 
and 
were 
under 
the 
control 
of 
the 
adversary. 
Now 
they 
were 
all 
clothed 
in 
their 
right 
minds-safe 
and 
sane, 
saints, 
jewels, 
children 
of 
the 
Highest. 
Two 
of 
them 
are 
church 
elders 
and 
leaders 
of 
Berean 
Bible 
study 
classes; 
the 
third 
may 
be 
one 
also, 
but 
of 
this 
we 
are 
not 
positive. 
The 
brief 
history 
of 
these 
three 
men 
shows 
the 
transform­ 
ing 
power 
of 
the 
truth. 
One 
was 
a 
highway 
robber. 
The 
truth 
reached 
him 
in 
prison. 
Another 
was 
an 
atheist 
and 
his 
wife 
a 
Catholic. 
He 
kept 
a 
liquor 
saloon 
in 
connection 
with 
a 
railroad 
contractor's 
gang. 
The 
third 
was 
also 
at 
one 
time 
a 
saloon 
keeper 
and 
his 
wife 
was 
a 
Catholic. 
The 
wives 
of 
all 
three 
are 
with 
them 
fully 
in 
the 
truth. 
"But 
like 
the 
winter 
merging 
into 
spring, 
Or 
gently 
as 
the 
trees 
put 
forth 
their 
leaves, 
May 
come 
to 
us 
the 
impulse 
of 
that 
life 
Which 
God 
bestows 
on 
those 
sin 
truly 
grieves." 
- 
- 
_ 
. 
_ 
- 
- 
- 
- 
terms, 
as 
gradually 
they 
are 
learning 
that 
our 
conventions 
are 
quite 
worth 
their 
while-larger 
than 
the 
majority 
of 
conven­ 
tions 
and 
always 
up 
to 
advance 
statements. 
If 
some 
of 
our 
enemies 
did 
seek 
to 
poison 
the 
minds 
of 
the 
public 
in 
advance, 
the 
prejudice 
easily 
broke 
down 
as 
the 
hosts 
became 
acquainted 
with 
their 
visitors. 
There 
is 
a 
power 
to 
the 
truth, 
and 
it 
gives 
the 
spirit 
of 
a 
sound 
mind, 
which 
surely 
commends 
itself 
to 
all 
thinking 
people. 
It 
gives 
moderation, 
meekness, 
gentleness, 
brotherly 
kindness, 
love. 
These 
graces 
of 
the 
Spirit 
are 
growing, 
developing, 
ripening 
amongst 
the 
Lord's 
people, 
and 
proportionately 
their 
influence 
is 
stronger, 
deeper, 
better. 
We 
feel 
sure 
that 
the 
people 
of 
Asheville 
have 
received 
a 
quiet 
testimony 
from 
their 
visitors 
which 
will 
be 
helpful 
to 
them, 
just 
as 
at 
the 
other 
convention 
places. 
We 
feel 
confident, 
too, 
that 
the 
inhabitants 
in 
all 
these 
places 
would 
make 
us 
very 
welcome 
should 
we 
desire 
to 
return 
at 
a 
future 
time. 
This 
convention 
was 
a 
model 
one 
in 
every 
respect. 
Brother 
C. 
J. 
Woodworth 
served 
as 
chairman, 
and 
a 
fine 
corps 
of 
speakers 
gave, 
approximately, 
fifty 
addresses. 
They 
were 
spiritual, 
Biblical, 
uplifting. 
The 
hearers 
were 
certainly 
re­ 
freshed, 
and 
undoubtedly 
carried 
with 
them 
to 
their 
homes 
a 
blessing 
to 
be 
poured 
in 
turn 
upon 
those 
who 
were 
not 
privi­ 
leged 
to 
be 
in 
attendance. 
As 
was 
expected 
from 
the 
first, 
it 
was 
especially 
a 
southern 
convention. 
It 
gave 
opportunity 
for 
some 
of 
the 
dear 
friends, 
who 
had 
never 
before 
had 
such 
a 
privilege, 
to 
attend 
a 
con­ 
vention. 
Indeed 
this 
was 
true 
respecting 
all 
of 
this 
year's 
conventions. 
On 
the 
whole 
we 
feel 
sure 
that 
the 
Father 
was, 
AN 
INTERESTING 
LETTER 
DEAlt 
BIW'l'HER 
RUSSELL:- 
When 
passing 
through 
Dayton 
the 
other 
day, 
I 
was 
delayed 
in 
the 
station 
long 
enough 
to 
serve 
the 
people 
going 
out 
on 
two 
trains. 
With 
one 
or 
two 
exceptions 
all 
seemed 
very 
glad 
to 
get 
the 
BIBLE 
STUDENTS 
MONTHLY. 
The 
thought 
occurred 
to 
me, 
Why 
could 
not 
every 
station 
in 
the 
large 
and 
small 
cities 
in 
the 
country 
be 
served 
at 
every 
train 
time~ 
In 
some 
of 
the 
cities 
I 
have 
observed 
Methodist 
Deaconesses 
rendering 
assist­ 
ance 
to 
incoming 
and 
outgoing 
passengers. 
Maybe 
railroad, 
companies 
would 
grant 
such 
privileges 
to 
Deaconesses 
of 
the 
1. 
B. 
S. 
A.'l 
When 
at 
- 
- 
- 
last 
winter, 
Sister 
- 
- 
- 
told 
me 
about 
the 
successful 
\vork 
done 
at 
a 
booth 
conducted 
by 
the 
1. 
B. 
S. 
A. 
at 
the 
big 
Fair 
held 
in 
that 
city. 
The 
booth 
was 
rented 
at 
a 
nominal 
sum 
and 
was 
under 
the 
immediate 
charge 
of 
that 
very 
zealous 
and 
clever 
sister. 
The 
booth 
was 
made 
very 
attrac·tive 
by 
great 
piles 
of 
SCItIP'rURE 
STUDIES 
in 
the 
various 
bmdings, 
Mannas 
in 
many 
styles, 
Bibles 
galore 
and 
tracts 
treating 
a 
variety 
of 
subjects. 
In 
this 
way 
everybody 
enter­ 
ing 
the 
Fair 
grounds 
could 
he 
served 
with 
some 
memento 
of 
the 
1. 
B. 
S. 
A. 
Would 
it 
not 
be 
a 
good 
thing 
if 
every 
Fair 
in 
the 
country 
could 
have 
an 
1. 
B. 
S. 
A. 
booth, 
conducted 
by 
either 
a 
local 
or 
a 
nearby 
class 
or 
by 
some 
representative 
of 
your 
selection 
~ 
I 
am 
still 
serving 
the 
trains 
with 
good 
success. 
Conductors 
have 
occasionally 
objected, 
saying 
something 
like 
this: 
"A 
rule 
of 
the 
company 
prohibits 
the 
distribution 
of 
advertising 
matter 
on 
trains." 
A 
ready 
reply 
to 
this 
effect, 
has 
with 
one 
or 
two 
exceptions 
silenced 
the 
objection: 
"This 
is 
not 
adver­ 
tising 
matter-it 
is 
a 
little 
religious 
paper." 
I 
have 
always 
gone 
on 
then, 
as 
if 
that 
settled 
the 
matter. 
The 
opposition 
of 
one 
of 
the 
two 
hardest 
conductors 
I 
have 
run 
up 
against 
was 
turned 
into 
friendly 
support 
when 
he 
observed 
my 
zeal 
in 
getting 
out 
at 
every 
station 
in 
a 
run 
of 
over 
100 
miles 
on 
a 
local 
train. 
I 
gained 
the 
impression, 
from 
a 
very 
fine 
conver­ 
sation 
I 
had 
with 
him 
toward 
the 
end 
of 
the 
journey, 
that 
he 
had 
sneakingly 
read 
something 
he 
liked 
in 
one 
of 
the 
tracts. 
My 
stop 
was 
the 
end 
of 
his 
run 
and 
he 
invited 
me 
to 
his 
hotel 
to 
have 
supper. 
Much 
love 
and 
many 
prayers 
for 
you 
and 
for 
all 
the 
Madi­ 
son 
conventioners. 
In 
His 
dear 
name, 
R. 
H. 
HIRSH. 
VorJ. 
XXXlV 
BHOOKINN, 
N. 
Y., 
AUGUS'r 
15, 
1913 
No. 
16 
"GOD 
MANIFEST 
IN 
THE 
FLESH" 
"Great 
is 
the 
mystery 
of 
godliness: 
God 
was 
manifest 
in 
the 
God, 
the 
great 
origin, 
or 
fountain, 
of 
life, 
is 
pleased 
to 
manifcst 
himself 
in 
various 
creations. 
And 
all 
of 
his 
intelli­ 
gent 
creations 
which 
he 
recognized 
as 
sons 
were 
in 
his 
like­ 
ness. 
The 
Logos, 
the 
heginning 
of 
God's 
creation, 
was 
in 
the 
divine 
likeness. 
Not 
only 
was 
he 
a 
spirit 
being 
(and 
God 
is 
a 
Spirit), 
but 
more 
than 
this, 
he 
was 
a 
spirit 
being 
in 
the 
character 
likeness 
of 
his 
Father, 
his 
Creator. 
Moreover, 
when 
the 
Logos 
became 
the 
active 
agent 
of 
the 
Father 
in 
creating 
the 
various 
orders-angels, 
cherubim, 
sera­ 
phim-they 
were 
all 
created 
in 
the 
image 
of 
the 
Father. 
The 
angel 
sons 
of 
God 
sang 
together 
and 
shouted 
for 
joy 
as 
they 
saw 
the 
different 
creations. 
When 
it 
came 
time 
to 
make 
a 
still 
different 
order 
of 
creatures, 
an 
order 
that 
had 
never 
before 
existed, 
namely, 
human 
beings, 
God 
carried 
out 
through 
the 
Logos 
his 
pnrpose 
of 
creating 
man 
in 
his 
own 
image, 
his 
own 
likeness. 
And 
God 
declared 
himself 
well 
pleased 
with 
man. 
A 
description 
of 
the 
first 
man 
is 
giv8'n 
us 
in 
the 
eighth 
Psalm: 
"Thou 
hast 
made 
him 
a 
little 
lower 
than 
the 
angels, 
and 
hast 
crowned 
him 
with 
glory 
and 
honor. 
Thou 
madest 
him 
to 
have 
dominion 
over 
the 
works 
of 
thy 
hands; 
thou 
hast 
put 
all 
things 
under 
his 
feet; 
all 
sheep 
and 
oxen, 
yea, 
and 
the 
beasts 
of 
the 
field, 
the 
fowl 
of 
the 
air, 
and 
the 
fish 
of 
the 
sea. 
' 
, 
Adam 
was 
the 
master 
or 
king 
of 
all 
these. 
He 
rep­ 
resented 
something 
that 
the 
angels 
did 
not 
represent; 
for 
none 
of 
them 
were 
ever 
set 
over 
anything. 
God 
himself 
is 
the 
ruler 
flesh, 
justified 
in 
the 
Spirit, 
seen 
of 
angels. 
"-1 
Timothy 
3 
:16. 
of 
all, 
and 
Adam 
and 
the 
Logos 
were 
the 
only 
ones 
who 
were 
in 
any 
sense 
of 
the 
word 
set 
over 
anything. 
When 
God 
made 
man, 
he 
made 
him 
like 
himself 
in 
this 
particular-that 
he 
had 
a 
dominion. 
When 
the 
angels 
were 
created, 
they 
were 
God 
manifest 
in 
different 
orders 
of 
beings 
-cherubim, 
seraphim 
and 
the 
lower 
orders 
of 
angels. 
When 
it 
came 
to 
the 
creation 
of 
man, 
he 
was 
made 
in 
God's 
image. 
God 
was 
manifest 
in 
flesh. 
But 
we 
cannot 
Bay 
that 
God 
is 
manifest 
in 
fallen 
flesh 
now. 
The 
original 
likeness 
to 
God 
has 
been 
obliterated 
by 
sin. 
The 
reign 
of 
sin 
and 
death 
has 
to 
a 
considerable 
extent 
erased 
these 
traces 
of 
God's 
image. 
And 
the 
Scriptures 
plainly 
show 
us 
that 
we 
have 
lost 
this 
image 
and 
likeness 
of 
the 
Creator. 
Adam 
was 
called 
a 
son 
of 
God 
because 
he 
was 
in 
covenant 
relationship 
with 
God; 
but 
when 
he 
became 
a 
sinner, 
he 
lost 
this 
relationship. 
None 
of 
the 
Jews 
were 
sons 
of 
God. 
Abra 
ham 
was 
styled 
a 
friend 
of 
God. 
Although 
God 
had 
approved 
of 
Abraham, 
Isaac, 
Jacob, 
the 
prophets 
and 
others 
in 
Israel, 
,ilId 
indicated 
that 
a 
great 
blessing 
would 
be 
theirs, 
they 
could 
not 
be 
treated 
as 
sons. 
God 
said, 
in 
substance, 
when 
speaking 
to 
Abraham, 
my 
friend, 
I 
will 
make 
with 
you 
my 
covenant. 
"In 
thy 
seed 
shall 
all 
the 
families 
of 
the 
earth 
be 
blessed.' 
, 
But 
everything 
mnst 
wait 
until 
that 
great 
antitypical 
seed 
of 
Abraham 
should 
come. 
We 
have 
the 
record 
of 
how 
this 
[5290] 
(239-243) terms, as gradually they are learning that our conventions are quite worth their while—larger than the majority of conventions and always up to advance statements. If some of our enemies did seek to poison the minds of the public in advance, the prejudice easily broke down as the hosts became acquainted with their visitors. There is a power to the truth, and it gives the spirit of a sound mind, which surely commends itself to all thinking people. It gives moderation, meekness, gentleness, brotherly kindness, love. These graces of the Spirit are growing, developing, ripening amongst the Lord’s people, and proportionately their influence is stronger, deeper, better. We fee] sure that the people of Asheville have received a quiet testimony from their visitors which will be helpful to them, just as at the other convention places. We feel confident, too, that the inhabitants in all these places would make us very welcome should we desire to return at a future time. This convention was a model one in every respect. Brother C, J. Woodworth served as chairman, and a fine corps of speakers gave, approximately, fifty addresses. They were spiritual, Biblical, uplifting. The hearers were certainly refreshed, and undoubtedly carried with them to their homes a blessing to be poured in turn upon those who were not privileged to be in attendance. As was expected from the first, it was especially a southern convention. It gave opportunity for some of the dear friends, who had never before had such a privilege, to attend a convention. Indeed this was true respecting all of this year’s conventions. On the whole we feel sure that the Father was THE WATCH TOWER Brooxiyn, N. Y. glorified, that the Savior was honored, and that many of his followers were refreshed, as Bible Students, in grace, knowledge and truth. The Editor remarked that at one convention this year he shook hands with three men the same day, who at one time in their lives had been sadly blinded and were under the control of the adversary. Now they were all clothed in their right minds—safe and sane, saints, jewels, children of the Highest. Two of them are church elders and leaders of Berean Bible study classes; the third may be one also, but of this we are not positive. The brief history of these three men shows the transforming power of the truth. One was a highway robber. The truth reached him in prison. Another was an atheist and his wife a Catholic. He kept a liquor saloon in connection with a railroad contractor’s gang. The third was also at one time a saloon keeper and his wife was a Catholic. of all three are with them fully in the truth. The wives ““Tt may not come to us as we have thought, The blessed consciousness of sins forgiven; We may not hear a voice that shall proclaim Our title clear to the sweet rest of heaven. ‘*But like the winter merging into spring, Or gently as the trees put forth their leaves, May come to us the impulse of that life Which God bestows on those sin truly grieves.’? AN INTERESTING LETTER Dear BrorHer RUSSELL :~— When passing through Dayton the other day, I was delayed in the station long enough to serve the people going out on two trains. With one or two exceptions all seemed very glad to get the Brete Srupents Monruty. The thought occurred to me, Why could not every station in the large and small cities in the country be served at every train time? In some of the cities I have observed Methodist Deaconesses rendering assistance to incoming and outgoing passengers. Maybe railroad companies would grant such privileges to Deaconesses of the I. B.S. A? When at last winter, Sister told me about the successful work done at a booth conducted by the I. B. 8. A. at the big Fair held in that city. The booth was rented at a nominal sum and was under the immediate charge of that very zealous and clever sister. The booth was made very attractive by great piles of Scrrprure STUDIES in the various bindings, Mannas in many styles, Bibles galore and tracts treating a variety of subjects. In this way everybody entering the Fair grounds could be served with some memento of the I. B. 8. A. Would it not be a good thing if every Fair in the country could have an I. B. 8. A. booth, conducted by either a local or a nearby class or by some representative of your selection? I am still serving the trains with good success. Conductors have occasionally objected, saying something like this: ‘‘A tule of the company prohibits the distribution of advertising matter on trains.’’ A ready reply to this effect, has with one or two exceptions silenced the objection: ‘‘This is not advertising matter—it is a little religious paper.’? I have always gone on then, as if that settled the matter. The opposition of one of the two hardest conductors I have run up against was turned into friendly support when he observed my zeal in getting out at every station in a run of over 100 miles on a local train. I gained the impression, from a very fine conversation I had with him toward the end of the journey, that he had sneakingly read something he liked in one of the tracts. My stop was the end of his run and he invited me to his hotel to have supper. Much love and many prayers for you and for all the Madison conventioners. In His dear name, R. H. Hirsu. Von. XXXIV BROOKLYN, N. Y,, AUGUST 15, 1918 No. 16 “GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH” ‘‘Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels.’’—1 Timothy 3:16. God, the great origin, or fountain, of life, is pleased to manifest himself in various creations. And all of his intelligent ereations which he recognized as sons were in his likeness. The Logos, the beginning of God’s creation, was in the divine likeness. Not only was he a spirit being (and God is a Spirit), but more than this, he was a spirit being in the character likeness of his Father, his Creator. Moreover, when the Logos became the active agent of the Father in ereating the various orders—angels, cherubim, seraphim—they were all created in the image of the Father. The angel sons of God sang together and shouted for joy as they saw the different creations. When it came time to make a still different order of creatures, an order that had never before existed, namely, human beings, God carried out through the Logos his purpose of creating man in his own image, his own likeness. And God declared himself well pleased with man. A deseription of the first man is given us in the eighth Psalm: ‘‘Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast erowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hasb put all things under his feet; all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea.’? Adam was the master or king of all these. He represented something that the angels did not represent; for none of them were ever set over anything. God himself is the ruler of all, and Adam and the Logos were the only ones who were in any sense of the word set over anything. When God made man, he made him like himself in this particular—that he had a dominion. When the angels were created, they were God manifest in different orders of beings —cherubim, seraphim and the lower orders of angels. When it came to the creation of man, he was made in God’s image. God was manifest in flesh. But we cannot say that God is manifest in fallen flesh now. The original likeness to God has been obliterated by sin. The reign of sin and death has to a considerable extent erased these traces of God’s image. And the Scriptures plainly show us that we have lost this image and likeness of the Creator. Adam was called a son of God because he was in covenant relationship with God; but when he became a sinner, he lost this relationship, None of the Jews were sons of God. Abra ham was styled a friend of God. Although God had approved of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the prophets and others in Israel, and indicated that a great blessing would be theirs, they could not be treated as sons. God said, in substance, when speaking to Abraham, my friend, I will make with you my covenant. ‘‘TIn thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’’ But everything must wait until that great antitypical seed of Abraham should come. We have the record of how this [5290]

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