Publication date
1/1/14
Volume
35
Number
1
The WatchTower
Views From The Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1914/1/1914-1-1.html
 
 
VOL. 
XXXV 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
JANUARY 
1, 
1914 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
No.1 
From 
every 
point 
of 
view 
the 
Year 
1914 
seems 
big 
with 
po.ssibilities. 
'l'he 
headlines 
of 
all 
the 
newspapers 
of 
the 
world 
tell 
that 
our 
Master's 
prediction 
of 
nearly 
nineteen 
centuries 
ago 
is 
being 
fulfilled-" 
Men's 
hearts 
are 
failing 
them 
for 
fear 
and 
for 
looking 
after 
those 
things 
which 
are 
coming 
on 
the 
ea.rth" 
in 
the 
present 
social 
order 
of 
affairs. 
Evidences 
multiply 
on 
every 
hand 
that 
the 
teachings 
of 
the 
colleges 
for 
the 
past 
thirty 
year.s 
along 
the 
lines 
of 
human 
Evolution 
and 
destructive 
Higher 
Criticism 
of 
the 
Bible 
are 
bearing 
their 
fruitage. 
What 
only 
the 
educated 
and 
the 
wealthy 
a 
few 
years 
ago 
knew 
respecting 
these 
matters, 
peo­ 
ple 
of 
all 
classes 
now 
know. 
Doubts 
about 
the 
inspiration 
of 
the 
Bible 
have 
lell 
people 
to 
guess 
for 
themselves 
and 
to 
realize 
that 
all 
who 
reject 
the 
Bible 
are 
merely 
guessing 
at 
the 
future. 
This 
matter 
affects 
the 
industrial 
classes 
as 
it 
does 
not 
affect 
the 
wealthy 
and 
the 
learned. 
The 
industrial 
classe.s, 
with 
little 
financial 
backing, 
do 
not 
feel 
satisfied 
with 
their 
own 
or 
other 
men's 
guesses 
respecting 
a 
future 
life. 
The 
ne'xt 
logical 
process 
of 
their 
minds 
is 
to 
inquire 
how 
we 
may 
know 
that 
there 
is 
a 
God, 
and 
in 
general 
to 
doubt 
everything. 
'fhe 
next 
.step 
in 
ord('r 
is 
a 
determination 
to 
make 
the 
most 
of 
the 
present 
life, 
in 
view 
of 
their 
uncertainty 
about 
the 
future 
one. 
Under 
such 
conditions, 
can 
we 
wonder 
that 
Socialism 
in 
its 
various 
forms 
and 
phases 
is 
growing-that 
a 
general 
spirit 
of 
doubt 
and 
discontent 
is 
increasingf 
So 
long 
as 
employment 
continue.s 
at 
profitable 
wages, 
t 
he 
majority 
of 
these 
people 
are 
too 
cautious 
to 
desire 
a 
wreck 
of 
the 
social 
system, 
through 
whose 
operation 
they 
have 
a 
comfortable 
living 
and 
by 
whose 
destruction 
their 
comforts 
might 
be 
diminished. 
The 
world, 
therefore, 
must 
face 
the 
fact 
that, 
if 
dire 
necessity 
come.s, 
as 
it 
has 
dO'ne 
in 
the 
past, 
the 
common 
people, 
the 
artisans 
of 
the 
world, 
will 
mrrt 
the 
situation 
differently 
from 
what 
their 
fathers 
did. 
Faith 
in 
God 
and 
in 
the 
Bible 
shaken-gone 
with 
most 
of 
thrm-we 
may 
be 
assured 
that 
a 
stoppage 
of 
the 
wheels 
of 
industry 
would 
speedily 
bring 
a 
terrible 
time 
of 
trO'Uble 
to 
the 
civilized 
world. 
And 
the.se 
very 
conditions 
are 
threat­ 
('ne'd 
at 
the 
prrsent 
time. 
It 
is 
on 
this 
account 
that 
many 
of 
the 
rich 
and 
influential 
are 
trembling 
as 
they 
face 
the 
nrar 
future. 
The 
man 
or 
the 
woman 
possessed 
of 
a 
hope 
beyond 
the 
grave 
has 
in 
the 
storms 
of 
life 
an 
anchorage 
for 
the 
soul 
whieh 
others 
do 
not 
have. 
Should 
the 
time 
come, 
soon 
or 
later, 
when 
the 
social 
fabric 
will 
be 
.stretched 
to 
the 
break­ 
ing 
point, 
when 
banks 
suspend 
payment 
of 
money 
to 
their 
.lepO'sitors, 
when 
factories 
and 
mills 
are 
closed, 
when 
people 
are 
hungry, 
we 
may 
be 
sure 
that 
a 
roar 
and 
an 
explosion 
will 
not 
be 
long 
deferred. 
This 
awful 
condition 
is 
just 
what 
the 
Bible 
portrays. 
So 
far 
a.s 
our 
judgment 
goes, 
the 
Year 
1914 
is 
the 
last 
one 
of 
what 
the 
Bible 
terms" 
Gentile 
Times"­ 
the 
period 
in 
which 
God 
has 
allowed 
the 
nations 
O'f 
the 
earth 
to 
do 
their 
best 
to 
rule 
the 
world. 
The 
end 
of 
their" 
times" 
marks 
the 
date 
for 
the 
beginning 
of 
Messiah's 
kingdom, 
which 
the 
Bible 
declares 
is 
to 
be 
u.shered 
in 
with 
a 
great 
time 
of 
trouble, 
just 
such 
as 
we 
see 
impending. 
As 
already 
pointed 
out, 
we 
are 
by 
nO' 
means 
confident 
that 
this 
year, 
1914, 
will 
witness 
as 
radical 
and 
swift 
changes 
of 
dispen.sation 
as 
we 
have 
expected. 
It 
is 
beyond 
the 
power 
of 
our 
imagination 
to 
picture 
an 
accomplishment 
in 
one 
year 
of 
all 
that 
the 
Scriptures 
seem 
to 
imply 
should 
be 
ex­ 
pected 
before 
the 
reign 
of 
pea.ce 
is 
ushered 
in. 
Letters 
fram 
all 
over 
the 
world 
assure 
us 
that 
the 
sen­ 
timent 
of 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
readers 
is 
in 
full 
accord 
with 
that 
of 
the 
Editor 
in 
a 
resolution 
that, 
whatever 
may 
occur 
during 
the.se 
years, 
our 
faith 
in 
the 
great 
divine 
plan 
of 
the 
ages 
and 
in 
the 
harvest 
shall 
not 
be 
one 
bit 
shaken. 
We 
know 
in 
whom 
we 
have 
believed. 
We 
consecrated 
our 
lives 
to 
his 
service-even 
unto 
death, 
whether 
that 
death 
shall 
come 
within 
this 
year 
or 
at 
[lnother 
time. 
The 
signs 
of 
the 
times 
clearly 
indicate 
the 
near 
approach 
of 
the 
very 
trouble 
for 
which 
we 
have 
for 
forty 
years 
been 
looking. 
The 
sign.s 
of 
the 
Son 
of 
Man 
in 
the 
wonderful 
in­ 
ventions 
and 
progress 
of 
the 
world 
are 
manifest 
to 
us. 
We 
believe 
that 
the 
Parousia 
of 
our 
Redeemer 
took 
place 
thirty­ 
nine 
years 
ago 
and 
that 
he 
is 
the 
potent 
factor 
in 
all 
the 
a.ffairs 
of 
his 
church 
and 
the 
supervisor 
nOw 
of 
the 
condi­ 
tions 
which 
will 
shortly 
lead 
up 
to 
the 
e.stablishment 
of 
his 
own 
kingdom 
and 
the 
binding 
of 
Satan, 
the 
prince 
of 
dark­ 
ness. 
We 
believe 
that 
the 
year 
1914 
gives 
evidence 
of 
greater 
possibilities 
of 
service 
for 
the 
truth 
than 
has 
any 
previous 
year 
of 
the 
harvest. 
Moreover, 
all 
those 
who 
have 
tasted 
of 
the 
good 
Word 
of 
God 
and 
who 
arc 
rejO'icing 
in 
the 
light 
of 
present 
truth 
.seem 
to 
be 
actuated 
by 
zeal 
for 
God 
and 
for 
his 
cause 
and 
for 
his 
people, 
both 
in 
Babylon 
and 
out 
O'f 
Babylon, 
more 
than 
ever 
before. 
Besides, 
the 
number 
of 
these 
fully 
consecrated 
ones 
increases 
every 
day. 
Also 
the 
eonditions 
are 
favorable 
to 
the 
opening 
O'f 
the 
eyes 
of 
understanding 
and 
the 
un.stopping 
of 
the 
deaf 
ears 
of 
our 
dear 
brethren 
of 
various 
denominations. 
Let 
us 
be 
more 
than 
ever 
on 
the 
alert, 
therefore, 
to 
be 
used 
and 
useful 
in 
the 
service 
O'f 
our 
king. 
Let 
us 
rememher 
that 
the 
moments 
and 
the 
hours 
are 
important, 
that 
no 
mat­ 
ter 
how 
many 
cares 
of 
life 
we 
may 
have, 
we 
can 
always 
find 
some 
time 
for 
the 
service 
of 
the 
truth, 
not 
only 
in 
our 
own 
hearts 
and 
home.s, 
but 
also 
in 
doing 
goad 
to 
all 
men 
as 
we 
have 
opportunity, 
especially 
to 
the 
household 
of 
faith. 
''Vhile 
watching 
for 
the 
consummation, 
while 
realizing 
that 
it 
will 
bring 
the 
time 
of 
trouble, 
while 
seeking 
to 
be 
as 
fully 
prepared 
as 
possible 
fO'r 
whatever 
share 
we 
may 
have 
in 
that 
trouble, 
let 
us 
not 
unduly 
emphasize 
this 
feature 
of 
the 
divine 
plan 
in 
presenting 
matters 
to 
our 
Christian 
friends 
of 
the 
world. 
Let 
us 
more 
ancl 
more 
cultivate 
a 
sobriety 
of 
mind, 
a 
loving 
tenderness 
of 
nisposition, 
whirh 
will 
seek 
to 
tell 
O'nly 
so 
much 
as 
may 
be 
necessary 
to 
be 
known. 
Let 
us 
emphasize 
the 
goodness 
of 
God 
and 
the 
great 
blessing 
that 
is 
in 
store 
for 
mankind 
and 
the 
nearness 
of 
this 
blessing 
and 
the 
grand 
results 
to 
be 
obtained. 
Let 
us 
tell 
that 
the 
fulfilment 
of 
our 
Lord's 
prayer, 
"Thy 
kingdom 
come," 
is 
elo.se 
at 
hand! 
VI-41 
"A 
LITTLE 
TALK 
WITH 
]ESUS-" 
[Reprint 
of 
March, 
1880, 
which 
please 
see.] 
[5373] 
eral of ' ((hrist Presenee Vou. XXXV BROOKLYN, N. Y., JANUARY 1, 1914 No. 1 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER From every point of view the Year 1914 seems big with possibilities. The headlines of all the newspapers of the world tell that our Master’s prediction of nearly nineteen centuries ago is being fulfilled—‘‘Men’s hearts are failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth’’ in the present social order of affairs. Evidences multiply on every hand that the teachings of the colleges for the past thirty years along the lines of human Evolution and destructive Higher Criticism of the Bible are bearing their fruitage. What only the educated and the wealthy a few years ago knew respecting these matters, people of all classes now know. Doubts about the inspiration of the Bible have led people to guess for themselves and to realize that all who reject the Bible are merely guessing at the future. This matter affects the industrial classes as it does not affect the wealthy and the learned. The industrial classes, with little financial backing, do not feel satisfied with their own or other men’s guesses respecting a future life. The next logical process of their minds is to inquire how we may know that there is a God, and in general to doubt everything. The next step in order is a determination to make the most of the present life, in view of their uncertainty abaut the future one. Under such conditions, can we wonder that Socialism in its various forms and phases is growing—that a general spirit of doubt and discontent is increasing? So long as employment continues at profitable wages, the majority of these people are too cautious to desire a wreck of the social system, through whose operation they have a comfortable living and by whose destruction their comforts might be diminished. The world, therefore, must face the fact that, if dire necessity comes, as it has done in the past, the common people, the artisans of the world, will meet the situation differently from what their fathers did. Faith in God and in the Bible shaken—gone with most of them—we may be assured that a stoppage of the wheels of industry would speedily bring a terrible time of trouble to the civilized world. And these very conditions are threatened at the present time. It is on this account that many of the rich and influential are trembling as they face the near future. The man or the woman possessed of a hope beyond the grave has in the storms of life an anchorage for the soul which others do not have. Should the time come, soon or later, when the social fabric will be stretched to the breaking point, when banks suspend payment of money to their depositors, when factories and mills are closed, when people are hungry, we may be sure that a roar and an explosion will not be long deferred. This awful condition is just what the Bible portrays. So far as our judgment goes, the Year 1914 is the last one of what the Bible terms ‘‘Gentile Times’’— the period in which God has allowed the nations of the earth to do their best to rule the world. The end of their ‘‘times’’ marks the date for the beginning of Messiah’s kingdom, which the Bible declares is to be ushered in with a great time of trouble, just such as we see impending. As already pointed out, we are by no means confident that this year, 1914, will witness as radical and swift changes of dispensation as we have expected. It is beyond the power of our imagination to picture an accomplishment in one year of all that the Scriptures seem to imply should be expected before the reign of peace is ushered in. Letters from all over the world assure us that the sentiment of THE WartcH Tower readers is in full accord with that of the Editor in a resolution that, whatever may occur during these years, our faith in the great divine plan of the ages and in the harvest shall not be one bit shaken. We know in whom we have believed. We consecrated our lives to his service—even unto death, whether that death shall come within this year or at another time. The signs of the times clearly indicate the near approach of the very trouble for which we have for forty years been looking. The signs of the Son of Man in the wonderful inventions and progress of the world are manifest to us. We believe that the Parousia of our Redeemer took place thirtynine years ago and that he is the potent factor in all the affairs of his church and the supervisor now of the conditions which will shortly lead up to the establishment of his own kingdom and the binding of Satan, the prince of darkness. We believe that the year 1914 gives evidence of greater possibilities of service for the truth than has any previous year of the harvest. Moreover, all those who have tasted of the good Word of God and who are rejoicing in the light of present truth seem to be actuated by zeal for God and for his cause and for his people, both in Babylon and out of Babylon, more than ever before. Besides, the number of these fully consecrated ones increases every day. Also the conditions are favorable to the opening of the eyes of understanding and the unstopping of the deaf ears of our dear brethren of various denominations. Let us be more than ever on the alert, therefore, to be used and useful in the service of our king. Let us remember that the moments and the hours are important, that no matter how many cares of life we may have, we ean always find some time for the service of the truth, not only in our own hearts and homes, but also in doing good to all men as we have opportunity, especially to the household of faith. While watching for the consummation, while realizing that it will bring the time of trouble, while seeking to be as fully prepared as possible for whatever share we may have in that trouble, let us not unduly emphasize this feature of the divine plan in presenting matters to our Christian friends of the world. Jet us more and more cultivate a sobriety of mind, a loving tenderness of disposition, which will seek to tell only so much as may be necessary to be known. Let us emphasize the goodness of God and the great blessing that is in store for mankind and the nearness of this blessing and the grand results to be obtained. Let us tell that the fulfilment of our Lord’s prayer, ‘‘Thy kingdom come,’’ is close at hand! “A LITTLE TALK WITH JESUS—” [Reprint of March, 1880, which please see.] VI—41 [5373]

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