Publication date
5/15/15
Volume
36
Number
10
The WatchTower
The New Creature's Conquest of His Flesh
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1915/10/1915-10-1.html
 
 
 
 
MAY 
I, 
1915 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(143-130) 
[We 
rejoice 
greatly 
that 
the 
blessing 
of 
the 
Lord 
was 
so 
richly 
with 
our 
dear 
Brother 
Rutherford 
on 
the 
occasion 
of 
the 
debates 
referred 
to 
above. 
Apparently 
the 
Lord 
guided 
these 
debates 
and 
blessed 
the 
outcome. 
However, 
we 
stiI! 
feel 
a 
pre-­ 
judice 
against 
public 
debates 
of 
religious 
questions, 
and 
have 
elsewhere 
expressed 
our 
reasons.] 
Trinity 
Auditorium, 
and 
each 
evening 
I 
could 
see 
the 
crowds 
gather. 
For 
more 
than 
two 
hours 
before 
the 
debate 
began 
the 
people 
were 
standing 
at 
the 
door 
waiting 
to 
get 
in. 
Each 
even­ 
ing 
the 
gates 
were 
closed 
and 
locked 
by 
7 
o'clock, 
and 
after 
that 
hundreds 
were 
turned 
away. 
It 
is 
estimated 
that 
from 
10,000 
to 
15,000 
persons 
were 
turned 
away 
during 
the 
four 
nights, 
unable 
to 
gain 
entrance. 
Over 
the 
entrance 
to 
the 
Trinity 
Au­ 
ditorium 
appear 
these 
words 
cut 
in 
the 
stone: 
"The 
Gates 
Shall 
Never 
Be 
Closed"; 
but 
they 
had 
to 
close 
for 
the 
four 
sessions 
of 
the 
debate. 
Please 
express 
my 
love 
to 
all 
the 
dear 
Bethel 
family, 
reserv­ 
ing 
a 
large 
portion 
for 
yourself. 
Please 
continue 
to 
remember 
me 
at 
the 
throne 
of 
heavenly 
grace. 
Yours 
in 
the 
service 
of 
the 
dear 
Redeemer, 
J. 
F. 
RUTHERFORD. 
sure 
that 
the 
prayers 
of 
the 
dear 
friends 
throughout 
the 
world 
had 
much 
to 
do 
with 
the 
success 
of 
these 
debates. 
I 
wish 
I 
might 
express 
to 
everyone 
of 
our 
brethren 
my 
great 
apprecia­ 
tion 
of 
their 
fervent 
prayers 
on 
my 
behalf. 
Hourly 
I 
felt 
that 
these 
were 
a 
strength 
to 
me. 
I 
shall 
never 
be 
able 
to 
thank 
you 
as 
I 
would 
like 
for 
the 
letter 
which 
was 
signed 
by 
yourself 
and 
all 
the 
Bethel 
family, 
assuring 
me 
of 
your 
united 
and 
continued 
prayers 
in 
my 
behalf. 
The 
Lord 
reward 
all 
of 
you. 
This 
is 
but 
a 
reminder-of 
the 
unity 
of 
the 
body 
and 
the 
sweet 
relationship 
we 
are 
privileged 
to 
enjoy 
here. 
How 
much 
sweeter 
it 
will 
be 
in 
the 
kingdom! 
Brother 
Woodworth 
suggested 
that 
there 
mmt 
be 
great 
interest 
in 
heaven 
in 
this 
debate. 
The 
Lord 
be 
praised 
for 
it 
all. 
I 
am 
thankful 
indeed 
that 
he 
was 
pleased 
to 
use 
me 
to 
glorify 
his 
dear 
name 
in 
any 
manner. 
Brothers 
Woodworth 
and 
MacMillan 
sat 
with 
me 
on 
the 
platform 
as 
counsel, 
and 
my 
son 
was 
by 
my 
side 
to 
take 
anything 
quickly 
that 
I 
desired 
and 
to 
prepare 
the 
copy 
for 
me 
without 
delay. 
All 
rendered 
valuable 
service. 
The 
Lord 
arranged 
it 
all. 
There 
was 
never 
a 
moment 
after 
the 
debatE> 
began 
that 
we 
did 
not 
have 
the 
sympathy 
of 
a 
majority 
of 
the 
great 
audience; 
and 
when 
the 
debate 
concluded, 
there 
could 
be 
no 
doubt 
about 
the 
fact 
that 
a 
large 
majority 
of 
the 
audience 
was 
with 
us. 
My 
room 
in 
this 
hotel 
looks 
out 
facing 
the 
main 
entrance 
to 
• 
• 
• 
ADVANTAGES 
AND 
DISADVANTAGES 
OF 
DEBATES 
Although 
the 
Lord's 
providence 
did 
seem 
to 
open 
up 
the 
way 
for 
the 
"Eaton-Russell 
Derate" 
and 
later, 
for 
the 
''White­ 
Russell 
Debate," 
and 
through 
these 
Debates 
led 
the 
way 
on 
to 
the 
publication 
of 
the 
Sermons 
in 
hundreds 
of 
newspapers 
throughout 
the 
world, 
nevertheless 
the 
Editor 
is 
not 
and 
never 
was, 
much 
of 
a 
believer 
in 
the 
advantages 
of 
debating. 
The 
Debates 
mentioned 
were 
valuable 
chiefly 
as 
entering-wedges 
for 
the 
newspaper 
work. 
On 
the 
surface, 
it 
might 
at 
first 
appear 
as 
though 
a 
debate 
would 
be 
an 
excellent 
method 
of 
presenting 
the 
Truth 
to 
the 
public. 
Let 
it 
not, 
however, 
be 
forgotten 
that 
it 
is 
also 
an 
excellent 
method 
of 
presenting 
the 
error 
to 
the 
public. 
While 
it 
is 
true 
that 
Truth 
is 
mighty 
and 
will 
prevail, 
nevertheless 
"the 
god 
of 
this 
world" 
has 
blinded 
the 
eyes 
of 
men 
for 
eighteen 
centuries 
so 
thoroughly 
that 
remarkably 
few 
even 
yet 
see 
the 
beauty 
and 
force 
of 
the 
great 
divine 
plan 
of 
salvation 
as 
presented 
by 
Jesus 
and 
the 
Apostles. 
On 
the 
con­ 
trary, 
the 
great 
mass 
of 
mankind 
have 
had 
thoroughly 
drilled 
into 
them 
heathen 
philosophy-carefully 
concocted 
theories 
and 
superstitions-and 
these 
are 
well 
riveted 
and 
fastened 
from 
childhood's 
hour. 
An 
audience 
hearing 
a 
debate 
have 
the 
same 
difficulty 
that 
a 
jury 
has 
when 
hearing 
the 
opposing 
attorneys 
discussing 
the 
merits 
of 
a 
case. 
Each 
speaker 
has 
certain 
talent 
and 
ability, 
and 
each 
makes 
a 
certain 
amount 
of 
impression. 
It 
is 
the 
same 
with 
the 
general 
readers 
when 
these 
debates 
go 
before 
them. 
Those 
who 
have 
the 
truth 
will 
enjoy 
the 
presentation 
of 
it, 
while 
those 
who 
have 
been 
schooled 
and 
prejudiced 
in 
favor 
of 
the 
error 
from 
childhood 
will 
rejoice 
in 
its 
presentation. 
Added 
to 
this 
is 
the 
fact 
that 
the 
debates 
in 
general 
are 
in 
the 
nature 
of 
a 
war 
of 
words, 
the 
disputants 
each 
seeking 
to 
undo 
the 
other's 
arguments 
and 
to 
prove 
his 
own. 
In 
such 
a 
war 
of 
words 
the 
truth 
is 
at 
a 
disadvantage. 
Why, 
do 
you 
ask? 
We 
answer, 
Because 
those 
who 
are 
of 
the 
truth 
are 
bound 
by 
the 
Golden 
Rule, 
not 
only 
in 
its 
letter, 
but 
also 
in 
its 
spirit; 
and 
their 
presentation 
of 
the 
Truth 
must 
be 
along 
absolutely 
fair 
lines 
that 
take 
in 
the 
context 
and 
the 
spirit 
thereof. 
On 
the 
other 
hand, 
our 
opponents 
seem 
to 
have 
no 
restrictions 
nor 
restraints. 
Any 
kind 
of 
argument, 
regardlcss 
of 
the 
context, 
re­ 
gardless 
of 
the 
Golden 
Rule, 
regardless 
of 
everything, 
is 
con­ 
sidered 
permissible. 
Indeed 
they 
do 
not 
even 
stop 
to 
consider 
such 
a 
trifling 
(?) 
matter 
as 
the 
Golden 
Rule 
or 
to 
exact 
alle­ 
giance 
to 
the 
letter 
and 
spirit 
of 
the 
inspired 
Word. 
Thus 
our 
opponents 
always 
have 
the 
advantage, 
not 
because 
they 
are 
in­ 
tellectually 
brighter, 
but 
because 
they 
can 
and 
do 
use 
means 
to 
bamboozle 
the 
minds 
of 
the 
hearers 
and 
readers. 
This 
the 
advocates 
of 
the 
truth 
dare 
not 
do-have 
not 
the 
desire 
to 
do, 
so 
surely 
as 
they 
have 
the 
Spirit 
of 
Christ. 
So 
far 
as 
the 
Editor 
is 
concerned, 
he 
has 
no 
desire 
for 
fur­ 
ther 
debates. 
He 
does 
not 
favor 
debating, 
believing 
that 
it 
rarely 
accomplishes 
good 
and 
often 
arouses 
anger, 
malice, 
bit­ 
terness, 
etc., 
in 
both 
speakers 
and 
hearers. 
Rather 
he 
sets 
be­ 
fore 
those 
who 
desire 
to 
hear 
it, 
orally 
and 
in 
print, 
the 
mes­ 
sage 
of 
the 
Lord's 
'W 
ord 
and 
leaves 
to 
opponents 
such 
presenta­ 
tions 
of 
the 
error 
as 
they 
S0e 
fit 
to 
make 
and 
find 
opportunity 
to 
exploit.-Hebrews 
4: 
12. 
This 
should 
not 
be 
understood 
to 
mean 
that 
the 
Editor 
would 
never 
again 
engage 
in 
a 
public 
debate, 
but 
merely 
that 
in 
order 
to 
induce 
him 
to 
debate, 
his 
opponent 
would 
need 
to 
be 
a 
person 
of 
so 
great 
prominence 
as 
to 
bring 
the 
matter 
to 
the 
at­ 
tention 
of 
everybody. 
Only 
such 
a 
consideration 
would 
be 
a 
proper 
offset 
to 
the 
wide 
presentation 
of 
error 
thus 
accom­ 
plished. 
Otherwise 
we 
prefer 
merely 
to 
present 
the 
truth 
as 
the 
Lord 
opens 
the 
way 
and 
to 
leave 
the 
presentation 
of 
error 
and 
its 
circulation 
entirely 
in 
the 
hands 
of 
others. 
JUDGE 
RUTHERFORD'S 
SPICY 
DEFENSE 
Brother 
Rutherford, 
grieved. 
by 
the 
various 
untruthful, 
pect 
that 
nearly 
all 
of 
our 
readers 
will 
be 
very 
glad 
to 
have 
~Ianderous 
attacks 
upon 
t~e 
Edlt?r, 
has 
prepared 
a 
pamphlet 
this 
pamphlet, 
as 
it 
will 
furnish 
them 
with 
evidence 
on 
every 
1Il 
my 
defense. 
A 
copy 
of 
It 
has 
.lust 
been 
handed 
me. 
I 
have 
point 
thus 
far 
brought 
forward 
by 
my 
malilYners 
~ot 
yet 
read 
it, 
though, 
of 
course, 
I 
knew 
of 
its 
preparation 
~nd 
Orders 
for 
the 
amphlets 
should 
be 
;;ldre~sed 
to 
Jud 
e 
1Il 
a 
general 
way 
of 
Its 
contents. 
I 
prefer 
not 
to 
have 
anythmg 
p 
. 
" 
? 
to 
do 
with 
its 
publication. 
It 
explains 
Brother 
Rutherford's 
Rutherford, 
New 
York 
City, 
~. 
O. 
Box 
,)1. 
Ho~evcr 
•. 
we 
will 
views 
as 
a 
lawyer, 
as 
a 
brother, 
and 
as 
a 
man 
who 
most 
fully 
~ave 
a 
suppl.y 
at 
T}~E 
vV 
ATCH 
fowrm 
Office, 
a~d, 
If 
one 
IS 
~f(ler­ 
understands 
,the 
entire 
situation. 
It 
contains 
some 
interesting 
mg 
other 
thmg's, 
tlllS 
pamphlet 
can 
he 
supphed 
also. 
It 
IS 
en­ 
illustrations 
and 
is 
priced 
at 
ten 
cents 
per 
copy, 
or 
eight 
dol- 
titled, 
"A 
GREAT 
BATTLE 
IN 
THE 
ECCLESIASTICAL 
lars 
per 
hundred 
copies, 
postpaid. 
It 
is 
not 
unreasonable 
to 
ex- 
HEAVENS." 
VOL. 
XXXVI 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
MAY 
15, 
1915 
No. 
10 
THE 
NEW 
CREATURE'S 
CONQUEST 
OF 
HIS 
FLESH 
"Ye 
have 
put 
off 
the 
old 
ma.-n 
with 
his 
deeds, 
and 
have 
put 
on 
the 
new 
ma.n, 
whioh 
is 
renewed 
in 
knowledge 
after 
the 
image 
of 
Him 
that 
created 
him."-Colossians 
3:9, 
10. 
Development 
is 
necessary 
to 
the 
life 
of 
the 
new 
creation. 
But 
the 
body 
of 
the 
"old 
man"-the 
fleshly 
tabernacle-is 
In 
our 
text 
the 
term 
"old 
man" 
stands 
for 
the 
human 
will, 
still 
retained 
after 
the 
old 
will 
has 
been 
discharged 
and 
the 
which 
once 
dominated 
the 
being. 
All 
who 
become 
Christians 
new 
will 
has 
come 
in. 
The 
new 
creature, 
with 
new 
impulses, 
in 
the 
Bible 
sense 
of 
the 
term 
not 
only 
accept 
Christ 
and 
a 
new 
purpose, 
uses 
the 
mortal 
body 
as 
its 
servant. 
The 
trust 
in 
him 
as 
their 
Savior, 
but 
devote 
their 
old 
will, 
their 
new 
will 
is 
now 
master. 
old 
nature, 
to 
death. 
Thenceforth 
that 
old 
nature 
is 
re- 
This 
new 
will 
is 
the 
will 
of 
God, 
or 
in 
other 
words, 
it 
is 
pudiated, 
and 
is 
no 
longer 
to 
eontrol 
the 
life 
of 
the 
individual. 
a 
will 
to 
do 
God's 
will. 
Our 
conseeration 
is 
a 
consecration 
[5685] 
May 1, 1915 sure that the prayers of the dear friends throughout the world had much to do with the success of these debates. I wish I might express to every one of our brethren my great appreciation of their fervent prayers on my behalf. Hourly I felt that these were a strength to me. I shall never be able to thank you as I would like for the letter which was signed by yourself and all the Bethel family, assuring me of your united and continued prayers in my behalf. The Lord reward all of you. This is but a reminder-of the unity of the body and the sweet relationship we are privileged to enjoy here. How much sweeter it will be in the kingdom! Brother Woodworth suggested that there must be great interest in heaven in this debate. The Lord be praised for it all. I am thankful indeed that he was pleased to use me to glorify his dear name in any manner, Brothers Woodworth and MacMillan sat with me on the platform as counsel, and my son was by my side to take anything quickly that I desired and to prepare the copy for me without delay. All rendered valuable service. The Lord arranged it all. There was never a moment after the debate began that we did not have the sympathy of a majority of the great audience; and when the debate concluded, there could be no doubt about the fact that a large majority of the audience was with us. My room in this hotel looks out facing the main entrance to THE WATCH TOWER (143-130) Trinity Auditorium, and each evening I could see the crowds gather. For more than two hours before the debate began the people were standing at the door waiting to get in. Each evening the gates were closed and locked by 7 o’clock, and after that hundreds were turned away. It is estimated that from 10,000 to 15,000 persons were turned away during the four nights, unable to gain entrance. Over the entrance to the Trinity Auditorium appear these words cut in the stone: “The Gates Shall Never Be Closed”; but they had to close for the four sessions of the debate. Please express my love to all the dear Bethel family, reserving a large portion for yourself. Please continue to remember me at the throne of heavenly grace. Yours in the service of the dear Redeemer, J. F. RUTHERFORD. * * * [We rejoice greatly that the blessing of the Lord was so richly with our dear Brother Rutherford on the occasion of the debates referred to above. Apparently the Lord guided these debates and blessed the outcome. However, we still feel a pre-judice against public debates of religious questions, and have elsewhere expressed our reasons. } ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF DEBATES Although the Lord’s providence did seem to open up the way for the “Eaton-Russell Debate” and later, for the “WhiteRussell Debate,” and through these Debates led the way on to the publication of the Sermons in hundreds of newspapers throughout the world, nevertheless the Editor is not and never was, much of a believer in the advantages of debating. The Debates mentioned were valuable chiefly as entering-wedges for the newspaper work. On the surface, it might at first appear as though a debate would be an excellent method of presenting the Truth to the public. Let it not, however, be forgotten that it is also an excellent method of presenting the error to the public. While it is true that Truth is mighty and will prevail, nevertheless “the god of this world” has blinded the eyes of men for eighteen centuries so thoroughly that remarkably few even yet see the beauty and force of the great divine plan of salvation as presented by Jesus and the Apostles. On the contrary, the great mass of mankind have had thoroughly drilled into them heathen philosophy—carefully concocted theories and superstitions—and these are well riveted and fastened from childhood’s hour. An audience hearing a debate have the same difficulty that a jury has when hearing the opposing attorneys discussing the merits of a case. Each speaker has certain talent and ability, and each makes a certain amount of impression. It is the same with the general readers when these debates go before them. Those who have the truth will enjoy the presentation of it, while those who have been schcoled and prejudiced in favor of the error from childhood will rejoice in its presentation. Added to this is the fact that the debates in general are in the nature of a war of words, the disputants each seeking to undo the other’s arguments and to prove his own. In such a war of words the truth is at a disadvantage. Why, do you ask? We answer, Because those who are of the truth are bound by the Golden Rule, not only in its letter, but also in its spirit; and their presentation of the Truth must be along absolutely fair lines that take in the context and the spirit thereof. On, the other hand, our opponents seem to have no restrictions nor restraints. Any kind of argument, regardless of the context, regardless of the Golden Rule, regardless of everything, is considered permissible. Indeed they do not even stop to consider such a trifling (?) matter as the Golden Rule or to exact allegiance to the letter and spirit of the inspired Word. Thus our opponents always have the advantage, not because they are intellectually brighter, but because they can and do use means to bamboozle the minds of the hearers and readers. This the advocates of the truth dare not do—have not the desire to do, so surely as they have the Spirit of Christ. So far as the Editor is concerned, he has no desire for further debates. He does not favor debating, believing that it rarely accomplishes good and often arouses anger, malice, bitterness, etc., in both speakers and hearers. Rather he sets before those who desire to hear it, orally and in print, the message of the Lord’s Word and leaves to opponents such presentations of the error as they sce fit to make and find opportunity to exploit.—Hebrews 4:12. This should not be understood to mean that the Editor would never again engage in a public debate, but merely that in order to induce him to debate, his opponent would need to be a person of so great prominence as to bring the matter to the attention of everybody. Only such a consideration would be a proper offset to the wide presentation of error thus accomplished. Otherwise we prefer merely to present the truth as the Lord opens the way and to leave the presentation of error and its circulation entirely in the hands of others. JUDGE RUTHERFORD’S SPICY DEFENSE Brother Rutherford, grieved by the various untruthful, slanderous attacks upon the Editor, has prepared a pamphilet in my defense. A copy of it has just been handed me. I have not yet read it, though, of course, I knew of its preparation and in a general way of its contents. I prefer not to have anything to do with its publication. It explains Brother Rutherford’s views as a lawyer, as a brother, and as a man who most fully understands the entire situation. It contains some interesting illustrations and is priced at ten cents per copy, or eight dollars per hundred copies, postpaid. It is not unreasonable to ex pect that nearly all of our readers will be very glad to have this pamphlet, as it will furnish them with evidence on every point thus far brought forward by my maligners. Orders for the pamphlets should be addressed to Judge Rutherford, New York City, P. 0. Box 51. However, we will have a supply at Tue Watcn Tower Office, and, if one is ordering other things, this pamphlet can be supplied also. It is entitled, “A GREAT BATTLE IN THE ECCLESIASTICAL HEAVENS.” VoL. XXXVI BROOKLYN, N. Y., MAY 15, 1915 No. 10 THE NEW CREATURE’S CONQUEST OF HIS FLESH “Ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him.”—Colossians 3:9, 10. Development is necessary to the life of the new creation. In our text the term “old man” stands for the human will, which once dominated the being. All who become Christians in the Bible sense of the term not only accept Christ and trust in him as their Savior, but devote their old will, their old nature, to death. Thenceforth that old nature is repudiated, and is no longer to control the life of the individual. But the body of the “old man’—the fleshly tabernacle—is still retained after the old will has been discharged and the new will has come in. The new creature, with new impulses, a new purpose, uses the mortal body as its servant. ‘The new will is now master. This new will is the will of God, or in other words, it is a will to do God’s will. Our consecration is a consecration [5685]

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