Publication date
4/1/13
Volume
34
Number
7
The WatchTower
"Shall a Nation be Born at Once?"
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1913/7/1913-7-1.html
 
 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
possessed 
to 
come 
to 
the 
convention. 
We 
found 
them 
a 
very 
interesting 
company, 
very 
earnest 
for 
the 
Lord 
and 
for 
the 
truth. 
Their 
singing 
was 
excellent. 
On 
the 
next 
day 
we 
had 
two 
meetings 
in 
the 
theater. 
The 
one 
in 
the 
afternoon 
was 
attended 
by 
convention 
friends 
and 
about 
as 
many 
more 
of 
the 
public, 
invited 
by 
special 
cards. 
These 
friends 
assembled 
in 
the 
evening 
at 
Collegiate 
Hall, 
so 
as 
to 
give 
the 
full 
benefit 
of 
the 
theater 
to 
the 
public. 
And 
the 
publIc 
came 
in 
crowds. 
The 
theater 
seats 
about 
1,100. 
Be­ 
sIdes 
these, 
approximately 
700 
were 
jammed 
into 
all 
the 
aisles 
and 
corridors 
and 
windows, 
and 
probably 
2,000 
were 
turned 
away. 
These 
were 
nearly 
all 
colored, 
not 
more 
than 
ten 
per 
cent. 
whites. 
The 
friends 
had 
arranged 
to 
reserve 
certain 
seats 
for 
the 
whites, 
desiring 
especially 
that 
they 
should 
have 
an 
oppor­ 
tunity 
to 
hear; 
but 
the 
crowd, 
while 
orderly, 
insisted 
on 
taking 
possession 
of 
these. 
A 
number 
of 
ministers 
were 
present. 
'1'hey 
all 
remarked 
the 
eagerness 
of 
the 
people 
to 
hear, 
and 
seemed 
surprised 
that 
anything 
religious 
should 
have 
Elieh 
a 
drawing 
influence. 
The 
Episcopal 
minister 
thoughtfully 
and 
wisely 
observed 
that 
the 
secret 
of 
the 
interest 
lay 
in 
the 
fact 
that 
our 
message 
was 
a 
"Gospel 
of 
Hope." 
The 
newspapers, 
commenting 
on 
the 
people 
comprising 
the 
convention, 
commented 
upon 
their 
cleanliness, 
order, 
etc.; 
and 
the 
fact 
that 
they 
used 
neither 
tobacco 
nor 
liquors, 
and 
needed 
no 
attention 
from 
the 
police. 
In 
substance, 
they 
said, 
"'l'nis 
speaks 
well 
for 
the 
work 
of 
Pastor 
Russell 
and 
his 
associates. 
We 
hope 
that 
they 
may 
accomplish 
still 
more 
of 
t 
1 
1eir 
commendable 
work 
in 
Jamaica." 
They 
also 
referred 
to 
the 
fact 
that 
money 
and 
collections 
were 
not 
mentioned 
in 
connection 
with 
this 
convention. 
On 
-elle 
27th 
we 
gave 
an 
address 
on 
"The 
Oneness 
of 
the 
HOtly 
of 
Christ, 
through 
Baptism 
of 
the 
one 
Spirit"; 
and 
later 
we 
had 
a 
consecration 
service 
for 
the 
children. 
The 
con­ 
vention 
closed 
with 
a 
love 
feast, 
in 
which 
four 
brethren 
espe­ 
cially 
representing 
the 
Society 
in 
Jamaica, 
stood 
with 
us 
in 
line 
and 
shook 
hands 
with 
the 
company 
as 
they 
filed 
past, 
meantime 
singing 
some 
of 
our 
beautiful 
hymns 
of 
praise 
and 
thanI.s 
to 
the 
Giver 
of 
every 
good 
and 
perfect 
gift. 
In 
the 
evening 
our 
boat 
departed 
for 
Santiago, 
Cuba. 
About 
150 
were 
on 
the 
pier, 
singing 
and 
waving 
us 
good-bye. 
Theil' 
order, 
cleanliness 
and 
earnestness 
were 
afterwards 
commented 
on 
by 
passengers 
on 
our 
boat. 
We 
were 
compli­ 
mented 
on 
having 
such 
friends 
and 
adherents. 
Santiago 
was 
the 
scene 
of 
the 
principal 
battle 
in 
the 
war 
which 
brought 
Cuban 
freedom 
from 
the 
yoke 
of 
Spain. 
We 
had 
the 
opportunity 
of 
visiting 
the 
battlefield-San 
Juan 
Hill, 
where 
the 
principal 
part 
of 
the 
battle 
was 
fought, 
and 
Ket­ 
tle 
Hill, 
celebrated 
as 
the 
point 
where 
Colonel 
Roosevelt 
and 
his 
corps 
were 
engaged 
and 
suffered 
severe 
losses. 
A 
journey 
of 
about 
500 
miles 
brought 
us 
to 
Havana, 
in 
time 
for 
a 
publicly 
announced 
meeting, 
with 
just 
one 
hour 
to 
spare. 
English 
is 
comparatively 
little 
used 
in 
Havana, 
and 
our 
congregation 
was 
small-about 
200. 
However, 
even 
in 
this 
small 
number 
we 
had 
the 
satisfaction 
of 
knowing 
that 
some 
received 
a 
blessing, 
of 
which 
we 
trust 
to 
hear 
further 
on. 
Monday, 
March 
3, 
was 
spent 
in 
crossing 
from 
Havana 
to 
I~ey 
West. 
We 
arrived 
at 
Key 
West 
just 
in 
time 
for 
an 
adver­ 
tised 
meeting 
in 
its 
largest 
auditorium. 
We 
had 
a 
splendid 
hearing 
on 
the 
topic, 
"Beyond 
the 
Grave." 
Our 
boat 
for 
Tampa 
permitting, 
we 
announced 
a 
meeting 
for 
the 
following 
night 
at 
the 
same 
place. 
The 
second 
subject 
was 
"Where 
Are 
the 
Dead 
~" 
The 
attention 
was 
excellent. 
Approximately 
from 
five 
to 
six 
hundred 
of 
Key 
West's 
most 
intelligent 
and 
thoughtful 
people 
thus 
heard 
the 
Truth 
discussed 
for 
alto­ 
gether 
four 
hours. 
We 
have 
hope 
that 
some 
of 
the 
hearers 
had 
eyes 
and 
ears 
of 
understanding, 
that 
some 
of 
them 
are 
of 
the 
consecrated 
class, 
and 
that 
the 
number 
of 
Bible 
Stu­ 
dents 
there 
will 
be 
considerably 
increased. 
Tampa 
was 
our 
next 
stop. 
Our 
steamer 
arrived 
in 
good 
time 
for 
the. 
appointed 
meeting 
on 
Wednesday, 
March 
5th. 
The 
Casino 
was 
crowded 
with 
a 
very 
intelligent 
audience 
of 
citzens, 
Bible 
Students 
and 
tourists. 
About 
three 
hundred 
were 
turned 
away. 
Our 
topic 
was, 
"Beyond 
the 
Grave." 
After 
the 
meeting 
many 
stopped 
to 
greet 
us. 
Altogether, 
we 
had 
a 
very 
enjoyable 
tirr.e. 
The 
friends 
had 
made 
arrangements 
for 
a 
little 
convention 
of 
Bible 
Students, 
following 
the 
public 
address. 
We 
ar­ 
ranged 
our 
time 
of 
departure 
so 
as 
to 
permit 
the 
service 
of 
blessing 
the 
children, 
and 
a 
discourse 
for 
an 
hour 
on 
"'£he 
Three 
Bodies 
of 
Christ' 
'-the 
church 
in 
her 
three 
aspects 
portrayed 
in 
the 
Word 
of 
God. 
We 
trust 
that 
the 
brethren 
were 
encouraged, 
and 
that 
the 
fruitage 
of 
our 
visit 
may 
ap­ 
pear 
in 
the 
Kingdom, 
if 
not 
sooner. 
Pensacola, 
Fla., 
was 
0111' 
next 
stop. 
There 
we 
had 
from 
noon 
until 
10: 
10 
p. 
m., 
March 
7th. 
'1'he 
Bible 
Stndents 
here 
also 
had 
arranged 
for 
a 
little 
convention, 
and 
visitors 
from 
nearby 
towns 
were 
in 
attendance. 
The 
programme 
was 
the 
same 
as 
at 
Tampa-a 
semi-public 
meeting 
for 
the 
Bible 
Stu­ 
dents, 
and 
another 
meeting 
for 
the 
general 
public, 
with 
the 
same 
topics 
as 
at 
Tampa. 
AI 
usual, 
we 
had 
a 
crowded 
house 
and 
closest 
attention. 
Leaving 
at 
10:00 
p. 
m., 
Friday 
night, 
we 
reached 
Wash­ 
ington 
on 
Sunday 
morning, 
in 
time 
for 
a 
morning 
meeting 
with 
the 
dass 
of 
Bible 
Students 
and 
the 
usual 
Sunday 
afternoon 
meeting 
at 
Washington 
Temple. 
Leaving 
the 
capitol, 
we 
reached 
Baltimore 
in 
time 
for 
the 
appointed 
meeting 
in 
the 
Academy 
of 
Music. 
The 
public 
discourse 
at 
Washington 
and 
Baltimore 
was 
the 
same-" 
The 
Grandest 
Inauguration." 
All 
interested, 
we 
presume, 
already 
have 
had 
reports 
of 
that 
dis­ 
course, 
as 
it 
appeared 
in 
the 
newspapers 
regularly 
publish­ 
ing 
the 
sermons. 
Incidentally, 
we 
remark 
that 
a 
fund 
has 
been 
provided, 
so 
that 
any 
of 
the 
Lord's 
people 
who 
cannot 
afford 
to 
take 
a 
paper 
publishing 
the 
sermons 
weekly 
may 
be 
supplied 
free. 
The 
dear 
friends 
who 
have 
arranged 
this 
matter 
voluntarily 
are 
not 
only 
willing 
to 
pay 
for 
the 
papers, 
but 
very 
much 
pleased 
in­ 
deeo. 
to 
do 
so. 
We 
are 
again 
living 
in 
the 
time 
when 
the 
poor 
have 
the 
Gospel 
preached 
to 
them. 
Be 
sure 
to 
avail 
yourselves 
of 
this. 
another 
divinely 
arranged 
matter. 
Address 
all 
requests 
for 
sermon 
papers 
to 
THE 
WATC"9: 
TOWER 
office. 
But 
will 
each 
ask 
for 
himself 
and 
not 
for 
another~ 
It 
is 
the 
intention 
not 
to 
send 
papers 
to 
any 
who 
do 
not 
express 
a 
personal 
desire 
to 
have 
them. 
Send 
in 
your 
name 
thus 
for 
a 
free 
subscription. 
You 
need 
not 
be 
in 
fear 
of 
ever 
being 
asked 
to 
pay 
for 
the 
paper. 
Any 
such 
reqnest 
would 
be 
a 
mistake, 
and 
should 
be 
promptly 
reported 
to 
THE 
'V 
ATOH 
TOWER 
office. 
\lOL. 
XXXIV 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
APRTIJ 
1, 
1913 
No.7 
QUALITIES 
AND 
ATTRIBUTES 
OF 
JEHOVAH 
The 
Scriptures 
declare 
a 
"beginning 
of 
the 
creation 
of 
The 
fact 
that 
the 
Lord 
has 
knowledge 
of 
all 
conditions 
of' 
God." 
His 
qualities 
and 
attributes 
were 
the 
same 
then 
that 
things 
is 
not 
out 
of 
harmony 
with 
the 
other 
facts 
that 
he 
per­ 
they 
are 
now; 
for 
the 
Scriptures 
also 
declare 
his 
unchangeable- 
mits 
conditions 
which 
he 
disapproves, 
and 
which 
he 
declare:, 
11ess-" 
the 
same 
yesterday, 
today 
and 
forever.' 
'-Hebrews 
that 
he 
will 
ultimately 
destroy. 
"All 
the 
wicked 
will 
he 
des- 
13:8: 
Psalm 
90:1,2. 
troy."-Psalm 
145:20. 
The 
completeness 
of 
the 
divine 
perfection 
is 
such 
that 
If 
we 
accept 
the 
great 
divine 
premise 
that 
the 
Bible 
is 
the 
companionship 
is 
not 
necessary 
to 
the 
happiness 
of 
Jehovah. 
Word 
of 
God, 
then 
we 
are 
bound 
to 
ac(~ept 
the 
declaration 
that 
The 
One 
who" 
inhabiteth 
eternity" 
is 
self-centered. 
The 
crea- 
there 
is 
a 
being 
called 
Satan, 
that 
he 
is 
the 
"god 
of 
th 
is 
tion 
of 
angels 
and 
of 
man 
was 
indeed 
his 
pleasure, 
because, 
world" 
(2 
Corinthians 
4:4), 
and 
that 
he 
now 
works 
in 
tho 
benevolently, 
he 
desires 
to 
do 
good, 
to 
give 
capacity 
for 
"hearts 
of 
the 
children 
of 
disohedience," 
(li;phesians 
2: 
2) 
pleasure 
and 
to 
afford 
it 
opportunity 
for 
gratification. 
Further- 
These 
wo!"(ls 
imply 
not 
only 
that 
there 
are 
evil 
principles 
at 
more, 
the 
highest 
good 
of 
his 
creatures 
calls 
for 
an 
exhibition 
work 
in 
this 
worI(i, 
but 
tha't 
hphind 
tlwm 
there 
are 
evil 
spirit 
to 
the 
full 
of 
all 
the 
elements 
of 
divine 
character-divine 
heings, 
of 
whom 
Satan 
is 
the 
inspirer 
and 
through 
whom 
he 
justice, 
love, 
power 
and 
wisdom. 
is 
working. 
BELIEF 
IN 
SATAN 
LOGICAL 
Certain 
statements 
are 
mark 
respecting 
Satan 
which 
could 
The 
declaration 
of 
the 
Bible 
respecting 
the 
Father's 
Power 
is 
that 
"the 
eyes 
of 
the 
Lord 
[the 
intelligence 
of 
Jehovah] 
not 
properly 
be 
applied 
to 
a 
principle 
of 
evil, 
or 
to 
a 
working 
are 
in 
every 
place, 
beholding 
the 
evil 
and 
the 
good." 
of 
error; 
as, 
for 
instance, 
Jesus 
declared 
that 
Satan 
was 
a 
(Proverbs 
15: 
3) 
This 
statement 
implies 
that 
there 
are 
things 
"murderer" 
from 
the 
beginning-and 
a 
"liar." 
(.John 
8 
:44) 
"viI 
as 
well 
as 
good; 
things 
which 
God 
approves 
and 
things 
Errors 
and 
principles 
are 
not 
murderers 
and 
liars. 
It 
"'ould 
be 
which 
he 
<ibapproves. 
This 
citation 
comes 
the 
nearest 
to 
a 
a 
misuse 
of 
language 
to 
make 
such 
application. 
Only 
an 
in­ 
suggestion 
of 
God's 
OI:lnipresence 
contained 
in 
the 
Scriptures. 
telligent 
being 
can 
be 
a 
murderer 
or 
a 
liar. 
Hence 
the 
whole 
[5209] 
MARCH 35, 1913 possessed to come to the convention. We found them a very interesting company, very earnest for the Lord and for the truth. Their singing was excellent. On the next day we had two meetings in the theater. The one in the afternoon was attended by convention friends and about as many more of the public, invited by special cards. These friends assembled in the evening at Collegiate Hall, so as to give the full benefit of the theater to the public. And the public came in crowds. The theater seats about 1,100. Besides these, approximately 700 were jammed into all the aisles and corridors and windows, and probably 2,000 were turned away. These were nearly all colored, not more than ten per cent, whites. The friends had arranged to reserve certain seats for the whites, desiring especially that they should have an opportunity to hear; but the crowd, while orderly, insisted on taking possession of these. A number of ministers were present. ‘They all remarked the eagerness of the people to hear, and seemed surprised that anything religious should have such a drawing influence. The Episcopal minister thoughtfully and wisely observed that the secret of the interest lay in the fact that our message was a ‘‘Gospel of Hope.’’ The newspapers, commenting on the people comprising the convention, commented upon their cleanliness, order, etc.; and the fact that they used neither tobacco nor liquors, and needed no attention from the police. In substance, they said, ‘‘This speaks well for the work of Pastor Russell and his associates. We hope that they may accomplish still more of their commendable work in Jamaica.’’?’ They also referred to the fact that money and collections were not mentioned in connection with this convention. On the 27th we gave an address on ‘‘The Oneness of the tody of Christ, through Baptism of the one Spirit’’; and later we had a consecration service for the children. The convention closed with a love feast, in which four brethren especially representing the Society in Jamaica, stood with us in line and shook hands with the company as they filed past, meantime singing some of our beautiful hymns of praise and thanks to the Giver of every good and perfect gift. In the evening our boat departed for Santiago, Cuba. About 150 were on the pier, singing and waving us good-bye. ‘Sheir order, cleanliness and earnestness were afterwards commented on by passengers on our boat. We were complimented on having such friends and adherents. Santiago was the scene of the principal battle in the war which brought Cuban freedom from the yoke of Spain. We had the opportunity of visiting the battlefield—San Juan Hill, where the principal part of the battle was fought, and Kettle Hill, celebrated as the point where Colonel Roosevelt and his corps were engaged and suffered severe losses. A journey of about 500 miles brought us to Havana, in time for a publicly announced meeting, with just one hour to spare. English is comparatively little used in Havana, and our congregation was small—about 200. However, even in this small number we had the satisfaction of knowing that some received a blessing, of which we trust to hear further on. Monday, March 3, was spent in crossing from Havana to Key West. We arrived at Key West just in time for an adver THE WATCH TOWER tised meeting in its largest auditorium. We had a splendid (98-101) hearing on the topic, ‘‘Beyond the Grave.’? Our boat for Tampa permitting, we announced a meeting for the following night at the same place. The second subject was ‘‘ Where Are the Dead?’’ The attention was excellent. Approximately from five to six hundred of Key West’s most intelligent and thoughtful people thus heard the Truth diseussed for altogether four hours. We have hope that some of the hearers had eyes and ears of understanding, that some of them are of the consecrated class, and that the number of Bible Students there will be considerably increased. Tampa was our next stop. Our steamer arrived in good time for the, appointed meeting on Wednesday, March 5th. The Casino was crowded with a very intelligent audience of citzens, Bible Students and tourists. About three hundred were turned away. Our topic was, ‘‘Beyond the Grave.’’ After the meeting many stopped to greet us. Altogether, we had a very enjoyable time. The friends had made arrangements for a little convention of Bible Students, following the public address. We arranged our time of departure so as to permit the service of blessing the children, and a discourse for an hour on ‘The Three Bodies of Christ’’—the church in her three aspects portrayed in the Word of God. We trust that the brethren were encouraged, and that the fruitage of our visit may appear in the Kingdom, if not sooner. Pensacola, Fla., was our next stop. There we had from noon until 10:10 p. m., March 7th. The Bible Students here also had arranged for a little convention, and visitors from nearby towns were in attendance. The programme was the same as at Tampa—a semi-public mecting for the Bible Students, and another meeting for the general public, with the same topics as at Tampa. As usual, we had a crowded house and closest attention. Leaving at 10:00 p. m., Friday night, we reached Washington on Sunday morning, in time for a morning meeting with the class of Bible Students and the usual Sunday afternoon meeting at Washington Temple. Leaving the capitol, we reached Baltimore in time for the appointed meeting in the Academy of Music. The public discourse at Washington and Baltimore was the same—‘‘The Grandest Inauguration.’’ All interested, we presume, already have had reports of that discourse, as it appeared in the newspapers regularly publishing the sermons, Incidentally, we remark that a fund has been provided, so that any of the Lord’s people who cannot afford to take a paper publishing the sermons weekly may be supplied free. The dear friends who have arranged this matter voluntarily are not only willing to pay for the papers, but very much pleased indeed to do so. We are again living in the time when the poor have the Gospel preached to them. Be sure to avail yourselves of this, another divinely arranged matter. Address all requests for sermon papers to THz Watctt Tower office. But will each ask for himself and not for another? It is the intention not to send papers to any who do not express a personal desire to have them. Send in your name thus for a free subscription. You need not be in fear of ever being asked to pay for the paper. Any such request would be a mistake, and should be promptly reported to THE Watcu Tower office. Vou. XXXIV BROOKLYN, N. Y., APRIL 1, 1913 No. 7 QUALITIES AND ATTRIBUTES OF JEHOVAH The Scriptures declare a ‘‘beginning of the creation of God.’? His qualities and attributes were the same then that they are now; for the Scriptures also declare his unchangeableness—‘‘the same yesterday, today and forever.’’—Hebrews 13:8; Psalm 90:1, 2. The completeness of the divine perfection is such that companionship is not necessary to the happiness of Jehovah. The One who ‘‘inhabiteth eternity’’ is self-centered. The creation of angels and of man was indeed his pleasure, because, benevolently, he desires to do good, to give capacity for pleasure and to afford it opportunity for gratification. Furthermore, the highest good of his creatures calls for an exhibition to the full of all the elements of divine character—divine justice, love, power and wisdom. BELIEF IN SATAN LOGICAL The declaration of the Bible respecting the Father’s Power is that ‘‘the eyes of the Lord [the intelligence of Jehovah] are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.’’ (Proverbs 15:3) This statement implies that there are things evil as well as good; things which God approves and things which he disapproves. This citation comes the nearest to a suggestion of God’s ommipresence contained in the Scriptures. The fact that the Lord has knowledge of all conditions of things is not out of harmony with the other facts that he permits conditions which he disapproves, and which he declares that he will ultimately destroy. ‘‘ All the wicked will he destroy.’’—-Psalm 145:20. If we accept the great divine premise that the Bible is the Word of God, then we are bound to aceept the declaration that there is a being called Satan, that he is the ‘‘god of this world’’ (2 Corinthians 4:4), and that he now works in the ‘thearts of the children of disohedience.’’ (Ephesians 2:2) These words imply not only that there are evil principles at work in this world, but that behind them there are evil spirit beings, of whom Satan is the inspirer and through whom he is working, Certain statements are made respecting Satan which could not properly be applied to a principle of evil, or to a working of error; as, for instance, Jesus declared that Satan was a ““murderer’’ from the beginning—and a ‘‘liar.’?? (John 8:44) Errors and principles are not murderers and lars. It would be a misuse of language to make such application. Only an in telligent being can be a murderer or a liar. Hence the whole [5209]

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