Publication date
3/1/14
Volume
35
Number
5
The WatchTower
Consecration as Related to Present-Day Conditions
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1914/5/1914-5-1.html
 
 
(62-1)]) 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y. 
to 
know 
and 
to 
do 
the 
Lonl's 
will; 
and 
finding 
myself 
taking 
a~soeiated 
ill 
a 
dass 
to 
start 
new 
elasses 
amI 
still 
consider 
the 
opposite 
view 
from 
the 
other 
elders 
and 
some 
of 
the 
other 
themselves 
mem1:ers 
of 
the 
original 
class. 
For 
a 
member 
of 
memhers 
of 
Hie 
class, 
I 
feel 
greatly 
coneerned 
and 
ask 
your 
a 
class 
to 
individually 
start 
another 
class 
separate 
from 
any- 
advice. 
Taking 
into 
consideration 
the 
present 
and 
future 
thing 
provided 
for 
by 
his 
class, 
would 
mean 
to 
ignore 
it, 
to 
interosts 
of 
the 
class, 
I 
feel 
that 
the 
matter 
is 
now 
too 
im- 
break 
off 
his 
relationship 
with 
the 
older 
class 
and 
would 
in- 
portant 
to 
be 
in 
doubt 
ahout. 
I 
am, 
dieate 
that 
he 
would 
no 
longer 
in 
any 
sense 
of 
the 
word 
recog- 
Your 
brother 
in 
his 
blessed 
service, 
J. 
J. 
B. 
nize 
himself, 
either 
as 
a 
servant 
of 
that 
dass, 
or 
as 
a 
member 
OUR 
REPLY 
TO 
THE 
FOREGOING 
of 
it, 
or 
as 
a 
sharer 
in 
its 
privileges. 
In 
reassuming 
his 
own 
vVe 
have 
endeavored 
to 
set 
forth 
in 
STUDIES 
IN 
TIlE 
SCRIP- 
personal 
liberty 
he 
laid 
down 
his 
privileges 
as 
a 
member 
of 
TURES, 
Vol. 
Vr., 
what 
we 
believe 
to 
be 
the 
Scriptural 
teaching 
the 
class. 
covering 
the 
queries 
of 
this 
letter. 
Repeating 
now, 
and 
seek- 
Hence 
from 
this 
standpoint 
we 
would 
say, 
that 
the 
hrethren 
ing 
to 
make 
the 
matter 
applicable 
to 
the 
case 
in 
question, 
we 
and 
sisters 
who 
participated 
in 
the 
organizing 
of 
the 
new 
would 
say: 
classes 
evidently 
had 
only 
the 
hest 
intentions, 
and 
quite 
prob- 
Each 
spirit-begotten 
ehila 
of 
God, 
by 
virtue 
of 
his 
anoint- 
ably 
did 
not 
considl'r 
at 
the 
time 
the 
real 
force 
and 
meaning 
ing, 
has 
a 
right 
to 
speak, 
to 
preach, 
to 
detlare 
his 
heavenly 
of 
their 
action 
in 
organizing 
the 
classes. 
l"ather's 
Word 
and 
ml'ssage. 
The 
right 
to 
preach 
is 
not 
con- 
It 
would 
look, 
too, 
as 
tlH)ugh 
the 
parent 
dass 
and 
its 
elders 
fined 
to 
bishops, 
nor 
to 
those 
upon 
whom 
they 
lay 
their 
hanus, 
and 
ueacons 
had 
not 
fully 
provideu 
for 
all 
the 
desires 
and 
nor 
to 
elders 
and 
deacons 
ehosen 
in 
the 
Scriptural 
manner 
by 
necessities 
of 
the 
class; 
otherwise 
there 
would 
have 
been 
no 
the 
stretching 
forth 
of 
the 
hands 
of 
the 
ecelesia. 
There 
are 
incentive 
or 
reason 
for 
the 
starting 
of 
new 
classes 
aside 
from 
natural 
limitntions, 
of 
course, 
such 
as 
lack 
of 
ability, 
from 
their 
arrangements. 
A 
sharp 
look 
out 
by 
the 
Sl'rvants 
of 
the 
any 
eause, 
to 
holu 
the 
attention 
of 
an 
auuience. 
Except 
the 
class 
should 
always 
be 
maintained, 
to 
see 
that 
the 
spiritual 
Apostle's 
r('stridion 
that 
the 
sisters 
are 
not 
to 
do 
public 
needs 
of 
the 
interested 
nre 
supplied; 
and 
a 
sufficient 
number 
preaching, 
there 
are 
none. 
of 
('lders 
and 
deacons 
shoulrl 
be 
chosen 
and 
appointe(l. 
With 
this 
hroad 
view 
of 
the 
divine 
commission, 
the 
anoint- 
While 
we 
sympathize 
with 
the 
sentiments 
of 
those 
,Yho 
drew 
ing 
or 
authorization 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit, 
we 
perceive 
that 
none 
up 
the 
resolution, 
we 
incline 
to 
doubt 
the 
wisdom 
of 
the 
move- 
has 
a 
rig'ht 
to 
interfere 
with 
another. 
As 
.Tesus 
said 
to 
the 
ment, 
We 
believe 
that 
the 
better 
way 
for 
all 
concerned 
woulu 
Apostle 
.John, 
"Forbid 
him 
not. 
"-Mark 
9: 
39. 
be 
for 
all 
parties 
to 
confess 
their 
e~ror. 
The 
class 
and 
the 
However, 
while 
none 
may 
interfere 
with 
or 
bind 
his 
hrother, 
elders 
might 
very 
properly 
say: 
"We 
regret, 
dear 
brethren 
we 
may 
give 
over 
some 
of 
our 
own 
liberties. 
Recognizing 
that 
and 
sisters, 
that 
we 
had 
not 
such 
a 
grasp 
of 
the 
situation 
as 
God 
is 
a 
God 
of 
ord('r, 
and 
that 
every 
good 
work 
is 
prospered 
1V0uld 
have 
enabled 
us 
at 
the 
time 
properly 
to 
supply 
the 
neeus 
hy 
order, 
and 
followill;:: 
the 
instructions 
of 
our 
Lord 
that 
his 
of 
the 
class 
as 
respects 
meetings. 
We 
promise 
to 
do 
our 
duty 
followers 
should 
assemble 
themselves 
together 
as 
one 
body, 
we 
more 
faithfully 
in 
the 
future." 
realize 
that 
in 
taking 
our 
places 
in 
the 
body, 
we 
lose 
some 
of 
Those 
who 
started 
the 
new 
classes 
would, 
we 
think, 
do 
well 
our 
own 
personal 
independence, 
liherties, 
privileges. 
We 
are 
to 
say: 
"We 
regret, 
deal' 
brethren 
and 
sisters, 
that 
lye 
did 
not 
glad 
to 
do 
this, 
for 
we 
helieve 
it 
to 
be 
the 
Lord's 
will, 
because 
take 
a 
broad 
enough 
view 
of 
the 
subject 
and 
put 
in 
a 
request 
he 
instructs 
us: 
"Forget 
not 
the 
assembling 
of 
yourselves 
for 
the 
meeting, 
to 
the 
intent 
that 
the 
need 
might 
have 
been 
together." 
Ro 
all 
who 
thus 
become 
associates, 
or 
members, 
in 
supplied 
through 
appointments 
by 
the 
class." 
a 
class 
of 
Bible 
students 
thereby 
sUI'I'ender 
inuividual 
rights. 
With 
such 
apologies 
and 
resignations, 
we 
believe 
the 
entire 
They 
operate 
as 
a 
class, 
deciding 
which 
meetings 
are 
necessary 
matter 
will 
adjust 
itself 
and 
everybody 
feel 
relieved 
of 
a 
anu 
whieh 
are 
unneressary, 
which 
of 
their 
numher 
would 
best 
tension, 
and 
quite 
probably 
the 
results 
will 
not 
be 
far 
different 
lead 
amI 
serve 
the 
class, 
which 
render 
other 
service, 
etc. 
from 
what 
they 
are 
now, 
except 
that 
the 
new 
meetings 
will 
From 
this 
viewpoint, 
it 
would 
not 
be 
proper 
for 
brethren 
be 
under 
the 
appointment 
of 
the 
original 
class. 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
THE 
PHOTO-DRAMA 
OF 
CREATION 
Answering 
various 
inqUIrIeS, 
we 
report 
that 
the 
DRAMA 
is 
not 
a 
mere 
statement 
of 
the 
divine 
plan-not 
a 
mere 
sermon. 
rt 
therefore 
appeals 
to 
the 
publie. 
We 
trust 
that 
its 
effect 
will 
be 
a 
broaoening 
of 
human 
intelligence 
and 
interest 
in 
respect 
to 
the 
Bihle 
amI 
the 
plan 
of 
God 
therein 
set 
forth. 
It 
is 
in 
fom 
parts 
of 
two 
hours 
each. 
All 
witnessing 
it, 
we 
helieve, 
will 
have 
larger 
conceptions 
of 
God, 
of 
the 
universe 
and 
of 
humanity-everything. 
Freed 
from 
some 
of 
the 
shack­ 
les 
of 
error 
and 
superstition 
and 
ignorance, 
some, 
we 
hope, 
will 
he 
the 
hetter 
enahled 
to 
receive 
the 
knowledge 
of 
Goo 
which 
the 
Bihle 
sets 
forth. 
Many 
who 
have 
witnessed 
the 
DRA1vIA 
and 
heard 
its 
lectures 
expr0ss 
great 
delight. 
One 
minister 
is 
reporterl 
to 
have 
said: 
"I 
have 
learned 
more 
in 
these 
two 
hours 
than 
T 
learner} 
in 
the 
entire 
three 
years 
of 
my 
theolog­ 
ical 
course 
in 
the 
U. 
B. 
College 
at 
Dayton, 
Ohio." 
Catholics, 
Protestants 
an(} 
.TelYs-all 
come, 
all 
are 
interested, 
and 
no 
grounn 
for 
offense 
is 
given 
to 
any. 
The 
DRA~fA 
is 
('xl,ibited 
in 
Cincinnati 
at 
Music 
Hall; 
in 
Cleveland 
at 
The 
Temple, 
Prospect 
Ave. 
am} 
E. 
22nd 
Rtreet: 
at 
Victoria 
Theatre 
in 
St. 
Louis, 
and 
at 
the 
American 
Theatre 
in 
Toledo-twice 
every 
day. 
In 
Boston 
it 
is 
shown 
in 
three 
parts 
every 
Sunday. 
Approximately 
twelve 
thousanii 
people 
are 
now 
being 
reached 
daily 
in 
the 
cities 
mentioned. 
Our 
pictures 
are 
very 
beautiful, 
very 
costly, 
a11l1 
require 
a 
great 
deal 
of 
time 
for 
preparation. 
We 
are, 
therefore, 
limited 
as 
to 
the 
number 
of 
sets 
of 
the 
DllAlIlA 
we 
c,an 
put 
forth; 
we 
are 
limited 
also 
by 
the 
expense 
incidental 
to 
each 
presentation-for 
rent, 
light, 
operators, 
etc. 
We 
shall 
not 
he 
able 
to 
reach 
very 
far 
for 
some 
months. 
Many 
more 
hrethren 
have 
prepared 
themselves 
to 
be 
oper­ 
ators 
than 
we 
shall 
be 
able 
to 
employ 
for 
a 
good 
while. 
How­ 
evcr, 
we 
have 
in 
mind 
something 
which 
we 
will 
mention 
as 
soon 
as 
it 
is 
ready, 
which 
may 
give 
opportunities 
of 
service 
to 
lIlany 
more 
than 
arc 
now 
employed. 
As 
for 
the 
sisters, 
we 
are 
relying 
upon 
the 
classes 
at 
the 
various 
citi('s 
where 
the 
exhibition 
is 
shown 
to 
supply 
the 
volunteers 
for 
ushers. 
VOL. 
XXXV 
BROOKINN, 
N. 
Y., 
MARCH 
1, 
1914 
NO.5 
CONSECRATION 
AS 
RELATED 
TO 
PRESENT-DAY 
CONDITIONS 
Consecration 
is 
another 
name 
for 
sanctification, 
and 
signifies 
a 
setting 
apart. 
Sanctification, 
consecration, 
is 
intimately 
re­ 
lated 
to 
justification, 
because, 
although 
there 
is 
a 
partial 
justi­ 
fica.tion 
,vhen 
one 
turns 
from 
sin 
to 
God, 
there 
conld 
not 
be 
a 
full 
jnstifieation, 
a 
justification 
to 
life, 
until 
such 
time 
as 
the 
person 
had 
made 
a 
full 
consecration. 
It 
would 
appear, 
then, 
that 
from 
the 
time 
when 
one 
starts 
toward 
God, 
when 
he 
turns 
away 
from 
sin, 
and 
seeks 
to 
know 
and 
to 
do 
God's 
will, 
there 
is 
a 
certain 
degree 
of 
consecration, 
setting 
apart 
to 
God, 
as 
in 
contradistinction 
to 
following 
evil. 
Each 
step 
that 
he 
takes 
tOTI'ard 
God 
is 
a 
step 
toward 
sanctification 
and 
toward 
justification. 
Looking 
back 
to 
the 
picture 
in 
the 
type 
as 
illustrative 
of 
this, 
we 
see 
that 
a 
Levite 
or 
a 
priest 
when 
first 
approaching 
the 
Tah('rnade, 
desiring 
to 
enter, 
would 
oiscern 
in 
the 
distance 
the 
wall 
of 
white 
surroum}ing 
the 
Court. 
With 
more 
or 
less 
knowledge 
of 
what 
was 
inside 
he 
would 
approach 
it. 
When 
he 
reached 
the 
gate, 
he 
would 
see 
that 
the 
court 
was 
a 
sacred 
place, 
and 
that 
none 
would 
be 
received 
in 
any 
sense 
within 
its 
enclosure 
except 
as 
he 
recognized 
the 
sacrifice 
on 
the 
brazen 
altar 
just 
inside. 
PROGRESSIVE 
STEPS 
OF 
JUSTIFICATION 
AND 
SANCTIFICATION 
And 
so 
with 
a 
pcn.;on 
who 
is 
in 
a 
semi-consecrated 
condi­ 
tion-a 
semi-justified 
condition. 
His 
first 
great 
lesson 
at 
the 
gate 
of 
the 
Court 
is 
that 
he 
is 
a 
sinner, 
that 
God 
accepts 
not 
sinners, 
and 
that 
only 
those 
who 
approach 
him 
through 
recogni­ 
tion 
of 
the 
great 
sacrifice 
will 
be 
received. 
Having 
recognized 
the 
sacrifice, 
having 
trusted 
in 
the 
death 
of 
Christ 
for 
justifica­ 
tion 
from 
sin, 
his 
next 
step 
would 
be 
a 
deeper 
consecration, 
and 
thus 
a 
fuller 
justification. 
If 
he 
proceeos, 
this 
would 
bring 
him 
to 
the 
brazen 
laver 
of 
the 
Court, 
which 
would 
represent 
a 
washing 
away 
of 
the 
filth 
of 
the 
flesh-the 
becoming 
more 
and 
more 
clean 
in 
life, 
doing 
all 
in 
his 
power 
to 
free 
himself 
from 
sin. 
This 
also 
is 
acceptable 
to 
God. 
But 
still 
he 
is 
neither 
justified 
completely 
nor 
sanctified 
[5410] 
(62-67) to know and to do the Lord’s will; and finding myself taking the opposite view from the other elders and some of the other members of the class, I feel greatly concerned and ask your advice. Taking into consideration the present and future interests of the class, I feel that the matter is now too important to be in doubt about. I am, Your brother in his blessed service, OUR REPLY TO THE FOREGOING We have endeavored to set forth in Sruplzs IN THE ScriprurES, Vol. VI., what we believe to be the Seriptural teaching covering the querics of this letter. Repeating now, and seeking to make the matter applicable to the case in question, we would say: Each spirit-begotten child of God, by virtue of his anointing, has a right to speak, to preach, to declare his heavenly Father’s Word and message. The right to preach is not confined to bishops, nor to those upon whom they lay their hands, nor to elders and deacons chosen in the Scriptural manner by the stretching forth of the hands of the eeclesia. There are natural limitations, of course, such as lack of ability, from any cause, to hold the attention of an audience. Except the Apostle’s restriction that the sisters are not to do public preaching, there are none. With this broad view of the divine commission, the anointing or authorization of the holy Spirit, we perceive that none has a right to interfere with another. As Jesus said to the Apostle John, ‘‘Forbid him not.’’—Mark 9:39. However, while none may interfere with or bind his brother, we may give over some of our own liberties. Recognizing that God is a God of order, and that every good work is prospered by order, and following the instructions of our Lord that his followers should assemble themselves together as one body, we realize that in taking our places in the body, we lose some of our own personal independence, liberties, privileges. We are glad to do this, for we believe it to be the Lord’s will, because he instructs us: ‘‘Forget not the assembling of yourselves together.’’ So all who thus become associates, or members, in a class of Bible students thereby surrender individual rights. They operate as a class, deciding which mectings are necessary and which are unnecessary, whieh of their number would best lead and serve the class, which render other service, ete. From this viewpoint, it would not be proper for brethren J. J. Bz THE WATCH TOWER Brookityn, N. Y. associated in a class to start new classes and still consider themselves members of the original class. Jor a member of a class to individually start another class separate from anything provided for by his class, would mean to ignore it, to break off his relationship with the older elass and would indicate that he would no longer in any sense of the word recognize himself, either as a servant of that class, or as a member of it, or as a sharer in its privileges. In reassuming his own personal liberty he laid down his privileges as a member of the class. Hence from this standpoint we would say, that the brethren and sisters who participated in the organizing of the new classes evidently had only the best intentions, and quite probably did not consider at the time the real force and meaning of their action in organizing the classes. It would look, too, as though the parent elass and its elders and deacons had not fully provided for all the desires and necessities of the class; otherwise there would have been no incentive or reason for the starting of new classes aside from their arrangements. A sharp look out by the servants of the elass should always be maintained, to see that the spiritual needs of the interested are supplied; and a sufficient number of elders and deacons should be chosen and appointed, While we sympathize with the sentiments of those who drew up the resolution, we incline to doubt the wisdom of the movement, We believe that the better way for all concerned would be for all parties to confess their error. The class and the elders might very properly say: ‘‘We regret, dear brethren and sisters, that we had not such a grasp of the situation as would have enabled us at the time properly to supply the needs of the class as respects meetings. We promise to do our duty more faithfully in the future.’’ Those who started the new classes would, we think, do well to say: ‘‘We regret, dear brethren and sisters, that we did not take a broad enough view of the subject and put in a request for the meeting, to the intent that the need might have been supplied through appointments by the class.’’ With such apologies and resignations, we believe the entire matter will adjust itself and everybody feel relieved of a tension, and quite probably the results will not be far different from what they are now, except that the new meetings will be under the appointment of the original class. THE PHOTO-DRAMA OF CREATION Answering various inquiries, we report that the Drama is not a mere statement of the divine plan—not a mere sermon. It therefore appeals to the public. We trust that its effect will be a broadening of human intelligence and interest in respect to the Bible and the plan of God therein set forth. It is in four parts of two hours each. All witnessing it, we believe, will have larger conceptions of God, of the universe and of humanity—everything. Freed from some of the shackles of error and superstition and ignorance, some, we hope, will he the better enabled to receive the knowledge of God which the Bible sets forth. Many who have witnessed the Drama and heard its lectures express great delight. One minister is reported to haye said: ‘‘I have learned more in these two hours than T Jearned in the entire three years of my theologieal course in the U. B. College at Dayton, Ohio.’’ Catholies, Protestants and Jews—all come, all are interested, and no ground for offense is given to any. The DRAMA is exhibited in Cincinnati at Music Mall; in _ XXXV v OL. Consecration is another name for sanctification, and signifies a setting apart. Sanctification, consecration, is intimately related to justification, because, although there is a partial justification when one turns from sin to ‘God, there could not be a full justification, a justification to life, until such time as the person had made a full consecration. It would appear, then, that from the time when one starts toward God, when he turns away from sin, and seeks to know and to do’ God’s will, there is a certain degree of consecration, setting apart to God, as in contradistinetion to following evil. Each step that he takes toward God is a step toward sanctification and toward justification. Looking back to the picture in the type as illustrative of this, we sce that a Levite or a priest when first approaching the Tabernacle, desiring to enter, would discern in the distance the wall of white surrounding the Court. With more or less knowledge of what was inside he would approach it. When he reached the gate, he would see that the court was a sacred Cleveland at The Temple, Prospect Ave. and EF. 22nd Street; at Victoria Theatre in St. Louis, and at the American Theatre in Toledo—twice every day. In Boston it is shown in three parts every Sunday. Approximately twelve thousand people are now being reached daily in the cities mentioned. Our pictures are very beautiful, very costly, and require a great deal of time for preparation. We are, thercfore, limited as to the number of sects of the Drama we ean put forth; we are limited also by the expense incidental to each presentation—for rent, light, operators, etc. We shall not be able to reach very far for some months, Many more brethren have prepared themselves to be operators than we shall be able to employ for a good while. However, we have in mind something which we will mention as soon as it is ready, which may give opportunities of service to many more than are now employed. As for the sisters, we are relying upon the classes at the various cities where the exhibition is shown to supply the volunteers for ushers. BROOKLYN. N. yy MAROH 1, 1914 No. 5 CONSECRATION AS RELATED TO PRESENT-DAY CONDITIONS — place, and that none would be received in any sense within its enclosure except as he recognized the sacrifice on the brazen altar just inside. PROGRESSIVE STEPS OF JUSTIFICATION AND SANCTIFICATION And so with a person who is in a semi-consecrated condition—a semi-justified condition. His first great lesson at the gate of the Court is that he is a sinner, that God accepts not sinners, and that only those who approach him through recognition of the great sacrifice will be received. Having recognized the sacrifice, having trusted in the death of Christ for justification from sin, his next step would be a deeper consecration, and thus a fuller justification. If he proceeds, this would bring him to the brazen laver of the Court, which would represent a washing away of the filth of the flesh—the becoming more and more clean in life, doing all in his power to free himself from sin. This also is acceptable to God. But still he is neither justified completely nor sanctified [5410]

This website uses cookies to improve the website and your experience. By continuing to browse this website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. If you require further information or do not wish to accept cookies when using this website, please visit our Global Policy on Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies .