Publication date
3/15/15
Volume
36
Number
6
The WatchTower
Patient Endurance the Final Test
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1915/6/1915-6-2.html
MARCH 
15, 
1915 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(84-85) 
sured 
them 
that 
nevertheless 
they 
would 
be 
fully 
under 
divine 
earl' 
and 
protection, 
even 
though 
persecutions 
would 
be 
permit­ 
ted 
to 
reach 
and 
to 
affect 
them. 
Then 
followed 
the 
words, 
"In 
your 
patience 
[patient 
endurance, 
cheerful 
constancy] 
possess 
ye 
your 
souls,"-Luke 
21 
~ 
19. 
Our 
faith 
and 
and 
our 
trust 
in 
the 
Lord 
and 
his 
gracious 
promises 
should 
be 
so 
strong 
and 
unwavering 
that 
they 
will 
far 
more 
than 
counterbalance 
the 
opposition 
of 
the 
world, 
of 
false 
hrethren, 
and 
of 
Satan's 
blinded 
servants. 
So 
implicit 
should 
be 
our 
faith 
in 
our 
Father's 
love 
and 
care 
that 
all 
these 
perse­ 
cutions 
will 
be 
recognized 
and 
rejoiced 
in 
as 
the 
agencies 
of 
his 
providence 
in 
chiseling, 
shaping 
and 
polishing 
us 
as 
living 
Rtones 
for 
the 
glorious 
temple 
which 
he 
is 
constructing, 
and 
which 
is 
now 
so 
soon, 
we 
believe, 
to 
be 
set 
up. 
Viewing 
our 
trials 
from 
this 
standpoint, 
we 
can 
indeed 
reo 
joice 
and 
can 
possess 
our 
souls, 
our 
lives, 
as 
new 
creatures, 
even 
amidst 
tribulations, 
with 
cheerful 
endurance. 
Yea, 
we 
may 
realize 
that 
the 
soul, 
the 
real 
being, 
to 
whom 
God 
has 
given 
the 
"exceeding 
great 
and 
precious 
promises" 
of 
the 
fu­ 
ture, 
cannot 
be 
injured 
by 
the 
persecutions 
of 
the 
flesh, 
or 
by 
anything 
that 
man 
can 
do 
unto 
us, 
80 
long 
ItS 
we 
are 
faithful 
to 
the 
Lord, 
accepting 
every 
experience 
that 
he 
permits 
to 
come 
to 
us 
as 
ministrations 
of 
his 
providence 
for 
our 
ultimate 
good 
and 
his 
glory. 
THE 
NECESSITY 
FOR 
PATIENT 
ENDURANCE 
Let 
us 
here 
examine 
carefully 
into 
the 
reason 
why 
it 
is 
nec­ 
essary 
for 
us 
to 
develop 
this 
grace 
of 
patient 
endurance. 
It 
appears 
that 
the 
development 
of 
this 
quality 
is 
one 
of 
the 
con· 
llitions 
which 
God 
has 
attached 
to 
the 
call 
to 
joint-heirship 
with 
our 
Lord 
in 
the 
kingdom, 
and 
one 
of 
the 
same 
conditions 
rPlpIired 
of 
him. 
The 
wisdom 
of 
this 
is 
manifest 
when 
we 
con­ 
sider 
the 
work 
to 
which 
we 
are 
called-the 
work 
of 
blessing 
all 
the 
families 
of 
the 
earth, 
as 
God's 
Millennial 
kingdom, 
in 
joint­ 
heirship 
with 
the 
Only 
Begotten 
Son 
of 
God, 
our 
great 
Re­ 
deemer. 
That 
will 
be 
a 
mighty 
work; 
and 
it 
is 
eminently 
proper 
that 
Jehovah 
should 
require 
that 
those 
whom 
he 
shall 
account 
worthy 
of 
that 
exalted 
position 
shall 
not 
only 
appre­ 
ciate 
his 
goodnpss 
and 
his 
glorious 
character, 
and 
prefer 
his 
service 
to 
sin 
and 
iniquity, 
but 
demonstrate 
their 
thorough 
loyalty 
to 
the 
principles 
of 
righteousness 
and 
to 
his 
will 
to 
the 
pxtent 
of 
a 
joyful 
willingness 
to 
suffer 
on 
behalf 
of 
these 
prin­ 
ciples. 
A 
transitory 
endurance 
of 
one 
or 
two 
or 
three 
brief 
trials 
would 
not 
prove 
the 
individual 
to 
have 
an 
established 
character 
for 
righteousness; 
but 
a 
patient, 
cheerful, 
endurance 
even 
unto 
death 
would 
be 
necessary 
to 
demonstrate 
such 
a 
character. 
We 
might 
illustrate 
this 
with 
the 
diamond. 
Suppose 
that 
we 
were 
able 
to 
make 
diamonds 
out 
of 
some 
plastic 
material 
with 
the 
brilliancy 
of 
the 
real 
diamond; 
and 
suppose 
that 
they 
became 
hard, 
but 
not 
so 
hard 
as 
the 
genuine 
diamond. 
Would 
these 
imitation 
diamonds 
have 
the 
value 
of 
the 
true 
diamond? 
By 
no 
means. 
If 
they 
were 
subjected 
to 
severe 
pressure, 
they 
would 
be 
crushed. 
And 
so 
with 
the 
Christian. 
If 
we 
supposed 
him 
possessed 
of 
every 
grace 
of 
character 
that 
could 
belong 
to 
the 
sons 
of 
God, 
save 
this 
one 
of 
firmness, 
endurance, 
he 
would 
not 
be 
fit 
to 
be 
amongst 
the 
Lord's 
jewels. 
Hence 
we 
see 
the 
necessity 
of 
the 
Lord's 
demanrl 
that 
patient, 
cheerful 
endurance 
shall 
be 
a 
characteristic 
of 
each 
one 
who 
shall 
be 
accepted 
to 
a. 
place 
in 
his 
royal 
diadem. 
The 
importance 
of 
this 
quality 
in 
the 
Christian 
character 
is 
again 
emphasized 
by 
the 
Apostle 
Paul. 
In 
his 
Epistle 
to 
Titus 
(2 
:2), 
when 
enumerating 
the 
character-qualities 
of 
an 
ad­ 
vanced 
Christian, 
he 
declares 
that 
they 
must 
be 
"vigilant, 
grave, 
temperate, 
sound 
in 
faith, 
in 
love, 
in 
patience." 
The 
final 
test 
of 
patient 
endurance 
must 
be 
passed 
before 
we 
can 
be 
accepted 
as 
of 
the 
very 
elect. 
The 
same 
Apostle 
in 
writing 
to 
Timothy 
thus 
reminds 
him, 
"Thou 
hast 
fully 
known 
my 
doctrine, 
manner 
of 
life, 
purpose, 
faith, 
longsuffering, 
love. 
patient 
enduranre." 
\Vr 
need 
this 
important 
grace 
more 
and 
more 
as 
we 
speed 
along 
on 
our 
rare 
course 
and 
near 
the 
end 
of 
the 
way. 
Feet 
grow 
weary; 
trials 
and 
testings 
abound; 
therefore 
we 
need 
to 
"gird 
up 
the 
10illR 
of 
our 
mind" 
and 
looking 
to 
our 
great 
Exemplar 
for 
the 
needed 
inspiration 
and 
strength, 
to 
set 
our 
faces 
like 
a 
flint 
for 
the 
home 
stretch. 
TRIALS 
ABSOLUTELY 
ESSENTIAL 
Our 
ability 
and 
strength 
to 
patiently 
endure 
shouIrI 
increase 
as 
we 
progress 
in 
the 
narrow 
way. 
'We 
should 
grow 
"strong 
in 
the 
Lord 
and 
in 
the 
power 
of 
his 
might." 
But 
we 
cannot 
pos­ 
sibly 
develop 
this 
essential 
trait 
of 
character 
without 
trials­ 
experiences 
intended 
to 
call 
for 
the 
exercise 
of 
rheerful 
endur­ 
ance. 
So 
let 
us 
not 
think 
it 
strange 
if 
we 
are 
called 
upon 
to 
pass 
through 
protractrd 
triah 
which 
make 
nrcessary 
the 
nerv­ 
ing 
of 
ourselves 
to 
bear. 
But 
let 
us 
repeat 
that 
the 
virtue 
is 
not 
merely 
in 
the 
bearing; 
for 
the 
world 
has 
much 
to 
bear, 
but 
it 
is 
particularly 
in 
the 
manner 
in 
which 
we 
endure. 
At 
heart 
we 
must 
be 
sweet 
and 
submissive-in 
the 
fullest 
harmon]' 
with 
the 
Lord's 
processes 
of 
development. 
This 
may 
be 
hard 
at 
times; 
but 
his 
grace 
will 
be 
sufficient, 
if 
we 
constantly 
apply 
for 
it. 
"Having 
done 
all," 
let 
us 
"stand!" 
Ah, 
yes! 
We 
can 
see 
a 
new 
reason 
for 
the 
Lord''.:! 
arrange­ 
ment 
that 
we 
should 
have 
our 
trial 
as 
our 
Master 
had 
his­ 
under 
an 
evil 
environment-that 
we 
might 
not 
only 
have 
all 
the 
necessary 
qualities 
of 
Christian 
character, 
but 
have 
them 
rooted, 
grounded, 
fixed, 
established. 
The 
Apostle 
James 
likewise 
draws 
our 
attention 
to 
the 
im­ 
portance 
of 
this 
quality. 
He 
says, 
"The 
trying 
of 
your 
faith 
worketh 
patience"; 
that 
is 
to 
say, 
if 
our 
faith 
stands 
the 
trial, 
it 
will 
work 
out 
in 
our 
character 
this 
patient 
endurance. 
On 
the 
other 
hand, 
if 
we 
do 
not 
attain 
this 
development, 
it 
will 
mean 
that 
our 
faith 
has 
not 
stood 
the 
test 
satisfactorily, 
and 
that 
we 
are 
not 
fit 
for 
the 
kingdom. 
Thus 
we 
see 
clearly 
what 
a 
great 
mistake 
has 
been 
made 
among 
Christian 
people 
in 
gen­ 
eral 
in 
supposing 
that 
religion 
is 
a 
thing 
to 
be 
gotten 
suddenly 
as 
an 
answer 
to 
prayer, 
or 
by 
going 
to 
the 
mourner's 
bench, 
or 
by 
standing 
up 
for 
prayers, 
or 
in 
response 
to 
some 
divine 
or 
human 
appeal-just 
as 
one 
would 
get 
a 
dollar 
and 
put 
it 
into 
his 
pocket. 
On 
the 
contrary, 
the 
step 
of 
repentance 
from 
sin 
and 
justification 
is 
only 
the 
beginning, 
and 
not 
the 
end, 
of 
the 
Christian 
way. 
The 
next 
step 
is 
consecration 
of 
ourselves 
and 
our 
all 
to 
God. 
But 
this 
also 
is 
far 
from 
the 
end. 
Not 
only 
must 
we 
go 
on 
and 
on, 
to 
the 
attainment 
of 
faith, 
fortitude, 
self-control, 
meekness 
and 
love, 
but 
having 
attained 
all 
these, 
we 
must 
patiently 
endure. 
\Vc 
must 
"run 
with 
patience 
[cheer­ 
ful 
endurance] 
the 
race 
set 
before 
us." 
Or, 
to 
use 
another 
fig­ 
ure 
of 
speech, 
it 
is 
merely 
starting 
in 
thc 
school 
of 
Christ; 
merely 
having 
our 
names 
enrolled 
as 
pupils, 
to 
be 
taught 
of 
the 
Lord. 
"THE 
HOUR 
OF 
TEMPTATION" 
The 
church 
of 
the 
Philadelphia 
period 
were 
promised 
of 
the 
Lord 
that 
because 
of 
their 
faithfulness, 
because 
they 
had 
"kept 
the 
Word 
of 
my 
patience," 
they 
should 
be 
kept 
from 
"the 
hour 
of 
temptation" 
whirh 
was 
to 
come 
upon 
all 
the 
world 
a 
little 
later. 
The 
church 
of 
Laodicea-the 
church 
of 
our 
day-is 
not 
kept 
from 
entering 
into 
the 
"hour 
of 
temptation"; 
but 
we 
may 
be 
sure 
that 
we 
will 
be 
kept 
while 
in 
it, 
if 
we 
are 
faithful 
and 
true, 
Our 
dear 
Lord's 
special 
message 
to 
the 
Laodicean 
phase 
of 
the 
church 
has 
been, 
"Behold, 
I 
stand 
at 
the 
door 
and 
knock. 
If 
any 
man 
hear 
my 
voice, 
and 
open 
the 
door, 
I 
will 
come 
in 
to 
him, 
and 
will 
sup 
with 
him, 
and 
he 
with 
me. 
To 
him 
that 
over­ 
cometh, 
will 
I 
grant 
io 
sit 
with 
me 
in 
my 
throne."-Rcvelatioll 
3:20.21. 
Though 
we 
are 
not 
spared 
from 
this 
hour 
of 
temptation, 
we 
have 
a 
counterbalancing 
blessing 
as 
a 
result 
of 
living 
in 
the 
time 
of 
our 
Lord's 
parousia.* 
We 
may 
have 
his 
instruction, 
his 
dispensing 
to 
us 
of 
spiritual 
food, 
"meat 
in 
due 
season," 
in 
a 
manner 
and 
to 
a 
degree 
never 
before 
enjoyed 
by 
his 
saints. 
And, 
as 
we 
might 
expect, 
this 
great 
favor 
is 
offset 
by 
the 
sub­ 
tle 
and 
severe 
trials 
and 
testings 
of 
this 
special 
"hour 
of 
temp­ 
tation." 
If 
there 
was 
ever 
a 
time 
when 
patient 
endurance 
was 
needed 
by 
the 
Lord's 
faithful, 
it 
is 
now. 
If 
ever 
they 
needed 
the 
counsel, 
"In 
your 
patience 
possess 
ye 
your 
souls," 
they 
need 
it 
now. 
Those 
who 
are 
able 
to 
patiently 
endure 
will 
stand 
in 
this 
evil 
day. 
All 
others 
will 
fall. 
As 
the 
Apostle 
forewarned 
us, 
the 
fiery 
ordeals 
of 
thill 
day 
"will 
try 
every 
man's 
work, 
of 
what 
sort 
it 
is." 
We 
find 
this 
quality 
of 
patient 
endurance 
lacking 
every­ 
where 
throughout 
Christendom 
today, 
even 
among 
the 
majority 
of 
the 
professed 
followers 
of 
Christ. 
It 
is 
becoming 
more 
and 
more 
scarce. 
Few 
wish 
to 
endure 
anything-for 
righteousness' 
sake, 
for 
Christ's 
sake, 
or 
for 
anyone 
else's 
sake; 
and 
if 
endur­ 
ance 
of 
anything 
unpleasant 
is 
absolutely 
necessary, 
the 
trial 
is 
borne 
with 
much 
of 
impatience. 
complaint 
and 
chafing. 
More­ 
over, 
a 
spirit 
of 
defiance 
and 
rebellion 
against 
everything 
like 
self-denial 
or 
resignation. 
a 
spirit 
of 
intense 
bitterness, 
is 
daily 
growing 
in 
the 
hearts 
of 
mankind. 
This 
general 
tendency 
of 
the 
civilized 
world 
today 
toward 
non-endurance, 
impatience 
and 
rebellion 
against 
restraint 
nec­ 
essarily 
has 
its 
influence 
upon 
those 
who 
are 
seeking 
to 
walk 
in 
the 
narrow 
way. 
Only 
by 
divine 
grace 
can 
this 
tendf'lley 
be 
suc­ 
cessfully 
resisted, 
and 
progress 
be 
made 
toward 
the 
develop­ 
ment 
of 
the 
likeness 
of 
Christ. 
This 
special 
grace, 
needed 
to­ 
day 
by 
the 
Lord's 
children, 
will 
be 
withheld 
from 
those 
who 
are 
not 
walking 
close 
to 
the 
Lord, 
following 
in 
the 
footsteps 
of 
Jesus. 
It 
is 
because 
the 
professed 
followers 
of 
Christ 
are 
liv­ 
ing 
so 
far 
from 
him 
that 
we 
sce 
today 
the 
tendencies 
are 
devel- 
* 
Anyone 
interested 
in 
the 
Scriptural 
evidence 
that 
our 
Lorrl 
h~s 
now 
returned 
in 
the 
manner 
foretold, 
as 
"a 
thief 
in 
the 
night," 
will 
be 
sent 
the 
"Parousia" 
booklet. 
upon 
receipt 
of 
6c 
in 
stamps 
with 
name 
and 
address. 
Direct 
request 
today 
to 
THl;: 
WATCH 
TOWER, 
Brooklyn, 
N. 
Y. 
[5651] 
Marcu 15, 1915 sured them that nevertheless they would be fully under divine care and protection, even though persecutions would be permitted to reach and to affect them. Then followed the words, “In your patience [patient endurance, cheerful constancy] possess ye your souls.”—Luke 21:19. Our faith and and our trust in the Lord and his gracious promises should be so strong and unwavering that they will far more than counterbalance the opposition of the world, of false brethren, and of Satan’s blinded servants. So implicit should be our faith in our Father’s love and care that all] these persecutions will be recognized and rejoiced in as the agencies of his providence in chiseling, shaping and polishing us as living stones for the glorious temple which he is constructing, and which is now so soon, we believe, to be set up. Viewing our trials from this standpoint, we can indeed rejoice and can possess our souls, our lives, as new creatures, even amidst tribulations, with cheerful endurance. Yea, we may realize that the soul, the real being, to whom God has given the “exceeding great and precious promises” of the future, cannot be injured by the persecutions of the flesh, or by anything that man ean do unto us, so long as we are faithful to the Lord, accepting every experience that he permits to come to us as ministrations of his providence for our ultimate good and his glory. THE NECESSITY FOR PATIENT ENDURANCE Let us here examine carefully into the reason why it is necessary for us to develop this grace of patient endurance. It appears that the development of this quality is one of the conditions which God has attached to the call to joint-heirship with our Lord in the kingdom, and one of the same conditions required of him. The wisdom of this is manifest when we consider the work to which we are called—the work of blessing all the families of the earth, as God’s Millennial kingdom, in jointheirship with the Only Begotten Son of God, our great Redeemer. That will be a mighty work; and it is eminently proper that Jehovah should require that those whom he shall account worthy of that exalted position shall not only appreciate his goodness and his glorious character, and prefer his service to sin and iniquity, but demonstrate their thorough loyalty to the principles of righteousness and to his will to the extent of a joyful willingness to suffer on behalf of these principles. A transitory endurance of one or two or three brief trials would not prove the individual to have an established character for rightcousness; but a patient, cheerful, endurance even unto death would be necessary to demonstrate such a character, We might illustrate this with the diamond. Suppose that we were able to make diamonds out of some plastic material with the brilliancy of the real diamond; and suppose that they became hard, but not so hard as the genuine diamond. Would these imitation diamonds have the value of the true diamond? By no means. If they were subjected to severe pressure, they would be crushed. And so with the Christian. If we supposed him possessed of every grace of character that could belong to the sons of God, save this one of firmness, endurance, he would not be fit to be amongst the Lord’s jewels. Hence we see the necessity of the Lord’s demand that patient, cheerful endurance shall be a characteristic of each one who shall be accepted to a place in his royal diadem. The importance of this quality in the Christian character is again emphasized by the Apostle Paul. In his Epistle to Titus (2:2), when enumerating the character-qualities of an advanced Christian, he declares that they must be “vigilant, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience.” The final test of patient endurance must be passed before we can be accepted as of the very elect. The same Apostle in writing to Timothy thus reminds him, “Thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patient endurance.” We need this important grace more and more as we speed along on our race course and near the end of the way. Feet grow weary; trials and testings abound; therefore we need to “gird up the loins of our mind” and looking to our great Exemplar for the needed inspiration and strength, to set our faces like a flint for the home stretch. TRIALS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL Our ability and strength to patiently endure should increase as we progress in the narrow way. We should grow “strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.” But we cannot possibly develop this essential trait of character without trials— experiences intended to call for the exercise of cheerful endurance. So let us not think it strange if we are called upon to pass through protracted trials which make necessary the nerving of ourselves to bear. But let us repeat that the virtue is not merely in the bearing; for the world has much to hear, but THE WATCH TOWER (84-85) it is particularly in the manner in which we endure. At heart we must be sweet and submissive—in the fullest harmony with the Lord’s processes of development. This may be hard at times; but his grace will be sufficient, if we constantly apply for it. “Having done all,” let us “stand!” Ah, yes! We can see a new reason for the Lord’s arrangement that we should have our trial as our Master had his— under an evil environment—that we might not ouly have all the necessary qualities of Christian character, but have them rooted, grounded, fixed, established. The Apostle James likewise draws our attention to the importance of this quality. He says, “The trying of your faith worketh patience”; that is to say, if our faith stands the trial, it will work out in our character this patient endurance. On the other hand, if we do not attain this development, it will mean that our faith has not stood the test satisfactorily, and that we are not fit for the kingdom. Thus we see clearly what a great mistake has been made among Christian people in general in supposing that religion is a thing to be gotten suddenly as an answer to prayer, or by going to the mourner’s bench, or by standing up for prayers, or in response to some divine or human appeal-—just as one would get a dollar and put it into his pocket. On the contrary, the step of repentance from sin, and justification is only the beginning, and not the end, of the Christian way. The next step is consecration of ourselves and our all to God. But this also is far from the end. Not only must we go on and on, to the attainment of faith, fortitude, self-control, meekness and love, but having attained all these, we must patiently endure. We must “run with patience [cheerful endurance] the race set before us.” Or, to use another figure of speech, it is merely starting in the schoo] of Christ; merely having our names enrolled as pupils, to be taught of the Lord. “THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION’’ The church of the Philadelphia period were promised of the Lord that because of their faithfulness, because they had “kept the Word of my patience,” they should be kept from “the hour of temptation” which was to come upon all the world a little later. The church of Laodicea—the church of our day—is not kept from entering into the “hour of temptation”; but we may be sure that we will be kept while in it, if we are faithful and true. Our dear Lord’s special message to the Laodicean phase of the church has been, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne.”—Revelation 3:20, 21. Though we are not spared from this hour of temptation, we have a counterbalancing blessing as a result of living in the time of our Lord’s parousia.* We may have his instruction, his dispensing to us of spiritual food, “meat in due season,” in a manner and to a degree never before enjoyed by his saints. And, as we might expect, this great favor is offset by the subtle and severe trials and testings of this special “hour of temptation.” If there was ever a time when patient endurance was needed by the Lord’s faithful, it is now. If ever they needed the counsel, “In your patience possess ye your souls,” they need it now. Those who are able to patiently endure will stand in this evil day. All others will fall. As the Apostle forewarned us, the fiery ordeals of this day “will try every man’s work, of what sort it is.” We find this quality of patient endurance lacking everywhere throughout Christendom today, even among the majority of the professed followers of Christ. It is becoming more and more scarce. Few wish to endure anything—for righteousness’ sake, for Christ’s sake. or for any one else’s sake; and if endurance of anything unpleasant is absolutely necessary, the trial is borne with much of impatience. complaint and chafing. Moreover, a spirit of defiance and rebellion against everything like self-denial or resignation. a spirit of intense bitterness, is daily growing in the hearts of mankind. This general tendency of the civilized world today toward non-endurance, impatience and rebellion against restraint necessarily has its influence upon those who are seeking to walk in the narrow way. Only by divine grace can this tendency be successfully resisted, and progress be made toward the development of the likeness of Christ. This special grace, needed today by the Lord’s children, will be withheld from those who are not walking close to the Lord, following in the footsteps of Jesus. It is because the professed followers of Christ are living so far from him that we see today the tendencies are devel * Any one interested in the Scriptural evidence that our Lord has now returned in the manner foretold, as “a thief in the night,” will be sent the “‘Parousia’’ booklet, upon receipt of 6c in stamps with name and address. Direct request today to THe Watcu Tower, Brooklyn, N. Y. [5651]

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