Publication date
6/15/14
Volume
35
Number
12
The WatchTower
1914--General Conventions--1914
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1914/12/1914-12-1.html
 
 
rOL. 
xxxv 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
JUNE 
15, 
1914 
No. 
12 
THE 
VOICE 
FROM 
HEAVEN 
, 
'Corne 
out 
of 
her, 
my 
people, 
that 
ye 
be 
not 
partakers 
of 
her 
sins, 
and 
that 
ye 
receive 
not 
of 
her 
plagues.' 
'-Revelation 
18 
:4. 
Lord. 
Should 
we 
not 
kaye 
these 
systems 
v'hen 
"'e 
sec 
all 
this? 
This 
is 
Gorl's 
voice 
to 
"come 
out 
of 
her." 
\V 
p 
hear 
this 
yoice 
now 
slJl'aking; 
we 
see 
that 
this 
propheey 
of 
Hevelation 
is 
now 
being 
fulfillefl. 
If 
any 
remom~tratp: 
But, 
Lord, 
we 
have 
many 
preeious 
frienrls 
in 
Babylon, 
and 
we 
are 
loth 
to 
leave 
them. 
We 
have 
tried 
to 
show 
them 
what 
Babvlon 
is 
but 
they 
will 
not 
heed. 
It 
\liJl 
11e 
a 
great 
loss 
to 
us 
to 
leav~ 
them 
all 
and 
take 
a 
stand 
against 
them. 
Must 
we 
,'ome 
out! 
Our 
friends 
wil! 
think 
us 
crazy! 
The 
Lord 
replies: 
"Come 
out 
of 
her," 
or 
"J'l·('pive 
of 
l)er 
plagues." 
You 
are 
not 
sharprs 
of 
llCr 
sillS 
until 
the 
time 
you 
see 
this. 
You 
\vere 
born 
in 
Bab:,·lcJll. 
The 
.l,01'(1 
is 
not 
holding 
you 
responsibl(' 
for 
what 
you 
did 
not 
understand. 
But 
tho 
better 
you 
untl(,l':;tantl, 
the 
more 
n"ponsihility 
you 
have. 
If, 
when 
you 
sec 
\vhat 
th(' 
truth 
is 
and 
\\'hat 
the 
untruth 
is, 
you 
still 
remain 
in 
Babylon 
alll[ 
support 
her 
I\ith 
your 
influPlll'e 
and 
rlollars, 
you 
\\'ill 
be 
yery 
eulpable. 
1£ 
you 
fail 
to 
come 
out 
of 
her 
when 
you 
h"ar 
the 
Lord's 
voice, 
it 
will 
imply 
that 
you 
are 
not 
thoroughly 
loyal 
to 
him. 
You 
may 
be 
his 
('hil­ 
r!ren, 
but 
if 
you 
fail 
to 
obey 
the 
Lord 
through 
fear 
of 
('arthly 
loss, 
it 
will 
prove 
that 
these 
things 
are 
rnon, 
l']'('r·jous 
to 
you 
than 
his 
favor, 
and 
he 
will 
trpat 
you 
as 
he 
tn'ats 
the 
hypo­ 
nites: 
you 
\rill 
have 
a 
share 
in 
their 
experienc('s. 
If 
you 
arc 
approviug 
of 
the 
sins 
of 
the 
spewed-out 
systems 
by 
upholding 
them 
and 
giving 
them 
your 
influence, 
you 
will 
surely 
be 
partakers 
of 
Babylon's 
plagues, 
This 
is 
a 
fair 
warning. 
\Ve 
unrlrrstancl 
that 
it 
is 
the 
duty 
of 
every 
Chris­ 
tian 
to 
break 
ev('ry 
tentler 
tie, 
if 
necessary, 
awl 
to 
be 
loyal 
to 
God, 
to 
stand 
free 
from 
the 
error 
:lllcl 
sins 
of 
Bahylon. 
The 
time 
of 
her 
judgment 
has 
corne. 
The 
plagues 
coming 
upon 
Babylon 
are 
sore 
troubles, 
whioh 
will 
result 
in 
the 
complete 
overthrow 
of 
the 
present 
order 
of 
things-political, 
social, 
finaneial 
and 
religions. 
This 
order 
of 
things 
in 
its 
various 
phasl's, 
is 
one 
eause, 
umler 
rlifferent 
uniforms; 
these 
interests 
arc 
all 
united 
in 
One 
great 
policy. 
The 
princes 
and 
kings 
of 
the 
earth 
and 
their 
supporters 
are 
Babylon's 
great 
army, 
and 
pitted 
against 
it 
is 
another 
,"ast 
army, 
composed 
of 
the 
masses 
of 
the 
people. 
The 
conflict 
between 
these 
two 
great 
armies 
will 
ere 
long 
precipitate 
the 
present 
order 
of 
things 
of 
the 
world 
into 
anarchy. 
THE 
VOICE 
OF 
PRESENT 
TRUTH 
It 
becomes 
an 
important 
question 
then: 
Have 
all 
God's 
people 
heard 
this 
voicef 
We 
ans,wr 
that 
we 
clo 
not 
think 
all 
have 
yet 
heard; 
hence 
there 
must 
be 
some 
Christians 
still 
in 
Babylon, 
partakers 
of 
her 
sins, 
but 
confused 
because 
of 
ignorance, 
because 
of 
lack 
of 
knowleclge. 
The 
question 
might 
be 
asked: 
Shall 
we 
go 
forth 
making 
this 
call 
a 
speeial 
mes 
sage~ 
We 
answer: 
This 
is 
not 
our 
thought. 
Our 
thought 
is 
that 
where 
this 
is 
made 
a 
speeial 
message 
the 
result 
is 
usually 
different 
from 
what 
is 
intended: 
it 
makes 
many 
angry. 
'rhey 
say: 
By 
what 
authority 
do 
you 
call 
us 
Babylon, 
and 
by 
what 
authority 
do 
you 
tell 
us 
to 
"come 
out" 
~ 
Our 
thought 
is 
that 
it 
is 
the 
Lord 
who 
calls 
his 
people 
out 
of 
Babylon; 
the 
call 
is 
to 
be 
recognized 
especially 
as 
a 
voice 
from 
heaven. 
What 
is 
this 
voice 
from 
heaven 
~ 
Ap­ 
parently, 
the 
voice 
is 
present 
truth-a 
presentation 
of 
the 
doctrines 
of 
the 
Scriptures, 
with 
their 
times 
and 
seasons-a 
sho,Ying 
that 
while 
there 
has 
been 
confusion 
and 
error 
all 
the 
way 
down 
through 
the 
age, 
we 
are 
now 
in 
the 
harvest 
time, 
when 
truth 
is 
clearer 
than 
ever 
before. 
This 
voice 
of 
truth 
tplls 
us 
whether 
or 
not 
we 
should 
support 
a 
system 
that 
is 
full 
of 
error, 
full 
of 
confusion. 
In 
what 
way 
should 
we 
give 
God's 
message 
to 
corne 
out 
of 
Babylon 
~ 
We 
should 
show 
them 
the 
light, 
the 
truth; 
we 
should 
place 
before 
them 
the 
opportunity 
for 
investigation, 
and 
encourage 
them 
to 
prove 
these 
things 
for 
themselves. 
As 
they 
come 
to 
see 
the 
truth 
and 
the 
bondage 
in 
which 
they 
have 
been, 
they 
will 
be 
glad 
to 
stand 
free 
in 
Christ 
by 
break­ 
ing 
off 
these 
shackles. 
This 
will 
be 
the 
voice, 
then, 
that 
will 
show 
all 
the 
Lord's 
people 
who 
are 
in 
the 
right 
attitude 
of 
heart 
that 
they 
should 
stand 
free, 
that 
they 
should 
come 
out 
of 
sectarianism, 
that 
they 
should 
not 
misrepresent 
the 
Lord 
by 
claiming 
that 
they 
are 
of 
Babylon 
when 
they 
are 
not, 
but 
that 
they 
take 
their 
stand 
for 
God. 
LOYALTY 
TO 
TRUTH 
THE 
TEST 
This 
stand 
will 
mean 
the 
holding 
forth 
of 
the 
divine 
plan 
of 
the 
ages, 
the 
truth. 
If, 
after 
one 
has 
seen 
th(' 
]"(·nl 
ehar­ 
acter 
of 
Babylon 
and 
has 
gotten 
his 
bearings 
in 
a 
general 
way, 
he 
then 
remains, 
it 
oan 
be 
only 
by 
compromising 
the 
truth. 
By 
being 
worldly 
wise 
he 
might 
remain 
and 
continue 
fo!" 
a 
time 
to 
have 
popularity, 
to 
have 
honor 
of 
men. 
But 
if 
BABYLON 
CAST 
INTO 
THE 
SEA 
Our 
text 
with 
its 
context 
is 
a 
prophecy 
that 
in 
the 
end 
of 
the 
present 
age 
a 
timp 
would 
come 
when 
God 
would 
wholly 
reject 
Babylon. 
In 
the 
picture 
given 
us 
in 
Revelation 
of 
this 
time, 
the 
Lorfl's 
rejection 
of 
the 
apostate 
systems 
is 
declared 
in 
the 
words, 
"Babylon 
is 
fallen, 
is 
fallen!" 
She 
has 
been 
spe,Yed 
out 
of 
his 
mouth, 
and 
the 
Almighty 
now 
calls 
upon 
his 
true 
people 
to 
"corne 
out 
of 
her." 
The 
faithful 
ones 
are 
de­ 
livering 
themselws 
out 
of 
Babylon 
during 
this 
harvest 
time; 
the 
separating 
work 
is 
almost 
completed. 
Soon, 
as 
pictured 
in 
Scripture, 
the 
"spa" 
of 
anarchy 
will 
swallow 
up 
the 
false 
systems. 
Babylon 
is 
to 
be 
"cast 
as 
a 
great 
millstone 
into 
the 
sea." 
(Psalm 
46:2; 
.Jeremiah 
51:62-64; 
Revelation 
18:21) 
We 
believe 
these 
propheries 
are 
to 
be 
fulfilled 
in 
the 
very 
ncar 
future. 
The 
nominal 
ehureh 
no 
longer 
stands 
in 
a 
peculiar 
position 
-above 
the 
worlrl. 
Rome 
of 
her 
ministers 
declare 
that 
they 
do 
not 
believe 
in 
.Tesus 
as 
the 
Savior 
of 
the 
world-man 
is 
Ids 
own 
savior, 
they 
say. 
They 
believe 
in 
the 
social 
uplift 
of 
humanity, 
which, 
aceording 
to 
their 
view, 
is 
to 
corne 
by 
putting 
the 
right 
men 
into 
the 
right 
placps, 
by 
giving 
woman 
the 
franchise, 
and 
by 
other 
methods 
of 
social 
reform. 
What 
a 
sorry 
hope! 
Somp 
may 
ask: 
How 
may 
we 
recognize 
God's 
voice 
calling 
his 
people 
to 
come 
out 
of 
the 
churches 
now~ 
In 
what 
man­ 
ner 
shall 
we 
hear 
his 
voice~ 
We 
answer 
that 
God 
bids 
his 
people 
to 
separate 
themselves 
from 
all 
sin 
and 
sinful 
condi­ 
tions. 
Our 
forefathers 
did 
not 
hear 
this 
voice, 
did 
not 
see 
this 
condition 
of 
sin. 
The 
voice 
had 
not 
t.hen 
spoken. 
Even 
in 
the 
time 
of 
the 
Reformation 
these 
entanglements 
of 
error 
were 
not 
clearly 
discerned. 
But 
now, 
in 
this 
harvest 
time, 
we 
ean 
see 
very 
clearly 
that 
the 
teachings 
of 
the 
nominal 
churches 
have 
been 
grossly 
in 
error-have 
grossly 
misrepresented 
the 
divine 
purpose 
and 
the 
divine 
character. 
\Ve 
now 
perceive 
that 
Babylon 
is 
full 
of 
error 
and 
corruption 
of 
doctrine, 
and 
filled 
with 
the 
spirit 
of 
the 
world. 
KNOWLEDGE 
BRINGS 
RESPONSIBILITY 
Furthermore, 
the 
times 
and 
seasons 
of 
God's 
plan 
are 
now 
marle 
plain. 
\Ve 
are 
shown 
that 
we 
are 
now 
living 
in 
the 
time 
foretold, 
when 
these 
systems 
or 
error 
are 
to 
be 
rejected 
by 
the 
[5478] 
The 
eontext 
of 
tlte 
above 
R('riptuf(' 
shows 
that 
our 
text 
rpfer,; 
to 
Babyloll-not 
the 
literal 
city 
of 
BabYlon, 
but 
to 
the 
sym 
bolic 
('i 
ty,' 
dcseri 
bed 
in 
the 
Book 
of 
Hevela"tion. 
The 
term 
Babyloll 
seems 
to 
~ignify 
a 
coneentration 
of 
the 
various 
rl'l'ors 
in 
apostate 
chl1l'eh 
systems, 
!,ersonified 
in 
Revelation 
as 
mother 
and 
daughters. 
"Bal)ylon 
the 
Great, 
the 
Mother 
of 
Harlots," 
is 
tlte 
name 
given 
by 
the 
Lord 
to 
the 
original 
sys­ 
tpm, 
titus 
intimating 
that 
the 
whole 
brood 
is 
illrgitimute 
in 
evpry 
s,'nsr, 
of 
the 
liard, 
Rite 
neglrtt,'d 
the 
Iteanmly 
Bride­ 
gTOO'Ill, 
and 
min,gle,l 
in 
Jl('r 
"('up" 
a 
stu]lefying 
pot'ioll 
that 
has 
intoxi('ate,l 
the 
,vorld; 
esell 
the 
Lord's 
saints 
were 
be­ 
wildererl.-nc\'elation 
17:1-6. 
c\ft"r 
the 
apostles 
"fell 
asleep," 
th,' 
people 
of 
God 
gTa,lnaIly 
drifte'[ 
into 
(']'1'01' 
of 
dodrine 
and 
practise, 
which 
('ldminater[ 
in 
tlte 
dark 
ages. 
A 
grpat 
system 
developed, 
and 
le,[ 
into 
('on 
fusion 
anrl 
rlarkness. 
\Ve 
nel'd 
not 
suppose 
that 
in 
all 
these 
e('nturies 
m'erY 
Oil,' 
"ollJl<'l'te(l 
with 
this 
,;ystcm 
\vas 
hypoeJitieal. 
As 
tlte 
l,col,le 
of 
nntural 
Israel 
were 
led 
captive 
into 
literal 
Babylon, 
so 
the 
people 
of 
spiritual 
Israel, 
among 
whom 
wr're 
some 
of 
the 
Lord's 
true 
saints, 
,,,ere 
led 
captive 
into 
)'1:ystic 
Babylon. 
Some 
of 
these 
would 
have 
liked 
to 
get 
free, 
yet 
did 
not 
know 
what 
to 
(10. 
\Vhen 
\\'e 
('orne 
down 
to 
the 
Reformation, 
we 
see 
that 
instead 
of 
getting 
entirely 
free 
from 
Babylon 
and 
her 
errors, 
the 
various 
sy,;tems 
then 
formed 
partook 
to 
a 
considerable 
exU'nt 
of 
the 
spirit 
of 
the 
mother 
system 
from 
which 
they 
had 
separate,!. 
The 
same 
spirit 
of 
pcrsenltion 
that 
was 
mani­ 
fested 
in 
the 
"mother" 
has 
also 
been 
manifested 
more 
or 
less 
in 
the" 
daughters." 
The 
enslaving 
power 
extended 
from 
medieval 
times 
to 
the 
Reformation; 
so 
that, 
looking 
out 
upon 
the 
so-callerl 
Christian 
world 
today, 
we 
see 
that 
there 
could 
not 
he 
a 
better 
wortl 
used 
to 
picture 
existing 
conditions 
than 
the 
word" 
confusion. 
Yet 
then' 
arc 
true 
people 
of 
God 
still 
in 
this 
Babylonian 
system. 
But 
the 
time 
of 
separation 
is 
here: 
those 
yet 
re­ 
maining 
in 
Babylon 
must 
hasten! 
The 
fact 
that 
some 
of 
God's 
chilrlren 
have 
been 
in 
Babylon 
all 
through 
the 
age 
shows 
us 
why 
God 
has 
had 
any 
respect 
at 
all 
for 
Babylon; 
His 
saints 
have 
been 
more 
or 
less 
enslaved 
there 
for 
centuries. 
This 
is 
the 
reason 
why 
God 
has 
dealt 
with 
Babylon 
in 
any 
sense 
or 
degree. 
Vou. XXXV BROOKLYN, N. Y., JUNE 15, 1914 No. 12 THE VOICE FROM HEAVEN ‘Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.’’—Revelation 18:4. The context of the above Scripture shows that our text refers to Babylon—not the literal city of Babylon, but to the symbolic city, described in the Book of Revelation. The term Babylon seems to signify a concentration of the various errors in apostate church systems, personified in Revelation as mother and daughters. ‘‘Bahbylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots,’’ is the name given by the Lord to the original system, thus intimating that the whole brood is illegitimate in every sense of the word. She neglected the heavenly Bride groom, and mingled in her ‘feup?? a stupefying potion that has intoxicated the world; even the Lord’s saints were bewildcred.—Revelation 17:1-6. After the apostles ‘‘fell asleep,’’? the people of God gradually drifted into error of doctrine and practise, which culminated in the dark ages. A great system developed, and jed into confusion and darkness. We need not suppose that in all these centuries every one connected with this system was hypocritical. As the people of natural Israel were led eaptive into literal Babylon, so the people of spiritual Israel, among whom were some of the Lord’s true saints, were led captive into Mystic Babylon. Some of these would have liked to get free, yet did not know what to do. When we come down to the Reformation, we see that instead of getting entirely free from Babylon and her errors, the various systems then formed partook to a considerable extent of the spirit of the mother system from which they had separated. The same spirit of persecution that was manifested in the ‘mother’? has also been manifested more or less in the ‘‘daughters.’’ The enslaving power extended from medieval times to the Reformation; so that, looking out upon the so-called Christian world today, we see that there could not be a better word used to picture existing conditions than the word confusion. Yet there are true people of God still in this Babylonian system. But the time of separation is here: those yet remaining in Babylon must hasten! The fact that some of God’s children have been in Babylon all through the age shows us why God has had any respect at all for Babylon; His saints have been more or less enslaved there for centuries. This is the reason why God has dealt with Babylon in any sense or degree. BABYLON CAST INTO THE SEA Our text with its context is a prophecy that in the end of the present age a time would come when God would wholly reject Babylon. In the pieture given us in Revelation of this time, the Lord’s rejection of the apostate systems is declared in the words, ‘‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen!’’ She has been spewed out of his mouth, and the Almighty now calls upon his true people to ‘‘come out of her.’’? The faithful ones are delivering themselves out of Babylon during this harvest time; the separating work is almost completed. Soon, as pictured in Scripture, the ‘‘sca’’ of anarchy will swallow up the false systems. Babylon is to be ‘‘cast as a great millstone into the sea.’? (Psalm 46:2; Jeremiah 51:62-64; Revelation 18:21) We believe these prophecies are to be fulfilled in the very near future. The nominal church no longer stands in a peculiar position —above the world. Some of her ministers declare that they do not believe in Jesus as the Savior of the world—man is his own savior, they say. They believe in the social uplift of humanity, which, aecording to their view, is to come by putting the right men into the right places, by giving woman the franchise, and by other methods of social reform. What a sorry hope! Some may ask: How may we recognize God’s voice calling his people to come out of the churches now? In what manner shall we hear his voice? We answer that God bids his people to separate themselves from all sin and sinful conditions. Our forefathers did not hear this voice, did not see this condition of sin. The voice had not then spoken. Even in the time of the Reformation these entanglements of error were not clearly discerned. But now, in this harvest time, we can see very clearly that the teachings of the nominal churches have been grossly in error—have grossly misrepresented the divine purpose and the divine character. We now perceive that Babylon is full of error and corruption of doctrine, and filled with the spirit of the world. KNOWLEDGE BRINGS RESPONSIBILITY Furthermore, the times and seasons of God’s plan are now made plain. We are shown that we are now living in the time foretold, when these systems of error are to be rejected by the (179-180) Lord. Should we not leave these systems when we see all this? This is God’s voice to ‘‘come out of her.’’ We hear this voice now speaking; we see that this prophecy of Revelation is now being fulfilled. If any remonstrate: But, Lord, we have many precious friends in Babylon, and we are loth to leave them. We have tried to show them what Babylon is, but they will not heed. It will be a great loss to us to leave them all and take a stand against them. Must we come out? Our friends will think us erazy! The Lord replies: ‘Come out of her,’? or ‘receive of her plagues. ”’ You are not sharers of her sins until the time you sce this. You were born in Babvlon. The Lord is not holding you responsible for what you did not understand. But the better you understand, the more responsibility you have. If, when you see what the truth is aud what the untruth is, you still remain in Babylon and support her with your influence and dollars, you will be very culpable. If you fail to come out of her when you hear the Lord’s voice, it will imply that you are not thoroughly loyal to him. You may be his children, but if you fail to obey the Lord through fear of earthly loss, it will prove that these things are more yrecious to you than his favor, and he will treat you as he treats the hypocrites: you will have a share in their experiences. If you are approving of the sins of the spewed-out systems by upholding them and giving them your influence, you will surely be partakers of Babylon’s plagues. This is a fair warning. We understand that it is the duty of every Christian to break every tender tie, if necessary, and to be loyal to God, to stand free from the error and sins of Babylon. The time of her judgment has come. The plagues coming upon Babylon are sore troubles, which will result in the complete overthrow of the present order of things—politieal, social, financial and religions. This order ot things in its various phases, is one cause, under different uniforms; these interests are all united in one great policy. The prinees and kings of the earth and their supporters are Babylon’s great army, and pitted against it is another vast army, composed of the masses of the people. The conflict between these two great armies will ere long precipitate the present order of things of the world into anarchy. THE VOICE OF PRESENT TRUTH It becomes an important question then: Have all God’s people heard this voice? We answer that we do not think all have yet heard; hence there must be some Christians still in Babylon, partakers of her sins, but confused heeause of ignorance, because of lack of knowledge. The question might be asked: Shall we go forth making this cal] a special mes sage? We answer: This is not our thought. Our thought is that where this is made a special message the result is usually different from what is intended: it makes many angry. They say: By what authority do you call us Babylon, and by what authority do you tell us to ‘‘eome out’’? Our thought is that it is the Lord who ealls his people out of Babylon; the call is to be recognized especially as a voice from heaven. What is this voice from heaven? Apparently, the voice is present truth—a presentation of the doctrines of the Scriptures, with their times and seasons—a showing that while there has been confusion and error all the way down through the age, we are now in the harvest time, when truth is clearer than ever before. This voice of truth tells us whether or not we should support a system that is full of error, full of confusion, In what way should we give God’s message to come out of Babylon? We should show them the light, the truth; we should place before them the opportunity for investigation, and encourage them to prove these things for themselves. As they come to see the truth and the bondage in which they have been, they will be glad to stand free in Christ by breaking off these shackles. This will be the voice, then, that will show all the Lord’s people who are in the right attitude of heart that they should stand free, that they should come out of sectarianism, that they should not misrepresent the Lord by claiming that they are of Babylon when they are not, but that they take their stand for God. LOYALTY TO TRUTH THE TES This stand will mean the holding forth of “che divine plan of the ages, the truth. If, after one has seen the real character of Babylon and has gotten his bearings in a general way, he then remains, it can be only by compromising the truth. By being worldly wise he might remain and continue for a time to have popularity, to have honor of men. But if [5478]

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