Publication date
5/1/15
Volume
36
Number
9
The WatchTower
"The Ends of the Ages"--Conditions Similar
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1915/9/1915-9-1.html
 
 
VOL. 
XXXVI 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
MAY 
1, 
1915 
"THE 
END 
OF 
THE 
AGES"-CONDITIONS 
SIMILAR 
"If 
the 
7corld 
hate 
you, 
ye 
know 
that 
it 
hated 
Me 
before 
it 
hated 
you."-John 
15:18. 
No.9 
By 
the 
word 
"wor 
If 
I" 
the 
Lord 
did 
not 
mean 
Gentiles; 
else 
he 
would 
have 
said 
Gcntiles. 
Had 
he 
said 
Gentiles 
it 
would 
have 
signified 
all 
the 
ppoplcs 
not 
in 
covcnant 
relationship 
with 
God. 
But 
whcn 
he 
used 
the 
word 
"world" 
he 
seemed 
to 
signify 
the 
present 
ordcr 
of 
things, 
and 
therefore 
the 
people 
of 
the 
present 
order; 
for 
there 
would 
be 
no 
present 
order 
except 
through 
the 
people. 
He 
would 
mean 
those 
who 
had 
religious 
influence-the 
reprcscntatives 
of 
the 
people. 
But 
thc 
special 
ordpr 
of 
that 
day 
was 
made 
up 
of 
the 
scribes, 
Sadducecs, 
Pharisees, 
chief 
priests 
and 
the 
Doctors 
of 
the 
Law-those 
interprcting 
the 
law. 
Those 
who 
represented 
the 
law, 
and 
thus 
represented 
the 
people, 
would 
have 
to 
do 
with 
that 
order 
of 
things 
partieularly. 
We 
know 
that 
these 
hated 
the 
Lord. 
As 
he 
saifl 
elsewhere, 
thcy 
hated 
the 
light. 
They 
hateel 
him, 
not 
because 
he 
really 
diel 
them 
any 
harm, 
but 
be· 
cause 
his 
teachings, 
and 
the 
light 
that 
shone 
from 
his 
life 
and 
teachings, 
were 
contradictory 
to 
themsclves, 
and 
to 
their 
plans, 
schemes 
and 
arrangemenb'l. 
If 
his 
words 
were 
true, 
all 
the 
plans 
they 
had 
made 
in 
all 
those 
years 
would 
bc 
shown 
as 
com· 
ing 
to 
naught. 
In 
proportion 
as 
they 
had 
confidence 
in 
their 
own 
plans, 
Christ 
and 
his 
folIowrrs 
would 
scem 
to 
be 
fools, 
try. 
ing 
to 
do 
some 
impracticable 
thing. 
Our 
Lord's 
principal 
opposition, 
thcn, 
came 
from 
thc 
reli­ 
gious 
rulers, 
thc 
teachcrs 
and. 
the 
.T 
ewish 
politicians. 
There 
wrre 
the 
Sadducee 
party 
and 
the 
Pharisce 
party. 
The 
Sad· 
ducees 
believed 
in 
nothing 
beyond 
what 
they 
could 
see. 
They 
wrre 
agnostics. 
The 
Pha 
risccs 
were 
a 
very 
strict 
religious 
sect, 
pre-emincntly 
the 
holiness 
people 
of 
the 
Jews. 
They 
were 
very 
!!crupulous 
regarding 
outward 
forms 
and 
ceremonies, 
but 
as 
a 
class 
were 
very 
haughty, 
self-righteous 
and 
unjust. 
Who· 
ever 
fell 
in 
line 
with 
Jesus' 
teachings 
would 
not 
have 
any 
par­ 
ticular 
interests 
in 
either 
of 
these 
sects 
or 
in 
their 
teachings­ 
would 
not 
especially 
respect 
thcm 
and 
consider 
them 
the 
great 
ones 
of 
their 
nation. 
'Vhile 
at 
variance 
amongst 
themselves, 
these 
religious 
rulcrs 
werc 
one 
in 
their 
opposition 
to 
Jesus. 
It 
was 
these 
sects, 
together 
with 
the 
scribes 
and 
Doctors 
of 
the 
Law, 
who 
indted 
the 
people 
to 
crucify 
Jesus. 
We 
'are 
not 
to 
suppose 
that 
these 
learned 
mrn--men 
of 
considerable 
ed.ucation 
and 
intelligence-got 
out 
into 
the 
streets 
with 
the 
people 
and 
hurrahed 
for 
Barabbas 
and 
shouted 
against 
Jesus; 
but 
rather 
that 
thcy 
incited 
the 
rabble, 
and 
themselves 
assumed 
a 
more 
dignified 
line 
of 
conduct. 
At 
all 
events, 
their 
course 
led 
to 
the 
Lord's 
death. 
Not 
only 
did 
they 
hate 
the 
Master, 
hut 
thcy 
hated 
him 
with 
sueh 
a 
bitterness 
and 
such 
resent­ 
ment 
as 
to 
destroy 
him. 
They 
plotted 
his 
death 
several 
times, 
but 
they 
could 
not 
take 
him 
until 
his 
hour 
had 
come. 
The 
Pharisees 
acknowleflged. 
that 
a 
great 
miracle 
had 
been 
per­ 
formed 
in 
the 
raising 
of 
Lazarus. 
but 
they 
determined 
that 
Jesus 
should 
he 
d.c"troyed 
on 
account 
of 
this 
great 
miracle, 
be­ 
cause 
it 
would 
influence 
the 
people, 
and 
the 
people 
would 
in 
that 
same 
proportion 
bepome 
alienated 
from 
themselves. 
The 
high 
priest. 
Caiaphas. 
said. 
"It 
is 
rxpeoient 
for 
us, 
that 
one 
man 
should 
die 
for 
the 
people. 
and 
that 
the 
whole 
nation 
perish 
not." 
(John 
11 
:47-53) 
The 
leaders 
of 
the 
nation 
feared 
that 
the 
people 
would 
be 
so 
influenced 
by 
Jesus' 
teach­ 
in~ 
that 
they 
would 
themselves 
avail 
nothing, 
and 
that 
"the 
Romans 
would 
come 
and 
take 
away 
their 
place 
and 
their 
na­ 
tion." 
They 
said. 
"We 
are 
the 
guardians 
of 
this 
nation. 
The 
~overnment 
at 
Rome 
would 
pay 
no 
attention 
to 
this 
rabble 
here. 
If 
we 
fail, 
God's 
eause 
in 
the 
earth 
will 
be 
blotted 
out. 
It 
is 
therefore 
expedient 
that 
we 
f<hould 
def<troy 
this 
man." 
The 
diffieulty 
was 
that 
they 
had 
a 
wrong 
view 
of 
God's 
cause 
and 
of 
their 
nation. 
Thpy 
wcre 
leaYing 
God 
out 
of 
the 
account. 
They 
were 
thinking 
that 
they 
mUf<t 
do 
the 
whole 
thing. 
They 
were 
forgetting 
that. 
Goo 
is 
the 
One 
All-Powerful 
and 
is 
at 
the 
lJelm, 
they 
thought 
too 
much 
about 
a 
future 
kingdom 
instead 
of 
about 
thc 
present 
kingdom. 
Then 
followed 
the 
long 
night 
of 
bloody 
persecutions, 
during 
the 
entire 
papal 
Millennium. 
[799 
A. 
D. 
to 
1799 
A. 
D.] 
The 
true 
followers 
were 
not 
numerous, 
and 
were 
chiefly 
the 
poor 
of 
this 
world-not 
many 
great, 
not 
many 
learned-but 
rich 
in 
faith. 
"Not 
many 
wise 
men 
after 
the 
flesh, 
not 
many 
mighty, 
not 
many 
noble, 
are 
called." 
"Hath 
not 
God 
chosen 
the 
poor 
of 
this 
world, 
rich 
in 
faith, 
and 
heirs 
of 
the 
kingdom 
which 
he 
hath 
promised 
to 
them 
that 
love 
him 
1" 
-1 
Corinthians 
I: 
26 
; 
James 
2: 
5. 
Coming 
down 
to 
our 
day, 
in 
proportion 
as 
the 
people 
of 
the 
Lord 
are 
following 
in 
the 
footsteps 
of 
Jesus 
they 
will 
wish 
to 
let 
their 
light 
shine 
out 
upon 
others. 
In 
proportion 
as 
they 
lct 
thcir 
light 
shine, 
it 
will 
show 
the 
misconccptions 
and 
errors 
of 
the 
present 
order 
of 
things 
in 
the 
world. 
Here 
in 
our 
day 
as 
in 
Jesus' 
day, 
truth 
shows 
forth 
and 
rebukes 
the 
error, 
and 
those 
who 
promulgate 
the 
Truth 
are 
more 
or 
less 
hated 
because 
of 
this. 
Today, 
as 
in 
the 
days 
of 
our 
Lord's 
first 
advent, 
there 
is 
a 
religious 
system 
which 
is 
more 
or 
less 
mixed 
up 
with 
politics. 
Its 
adherents 
plan 
all 
kinds 
of 
reforms. 
They 
say, 
"If 
we 
can 
destroy 
the 
white 
slave 
traffic 
and 
the 
liquor 
traffic, 
we 
shall 
have 
nearly 
brought 
in 
the 
Millennium. 
Elect­ 
ing 
wise 
rulers 
will 
help 
in 
bringing 
in 
the 
new 
order 
of 
things." 
But 
much 
as 
we 
sympathize 
with 
these 
good 
efforts 
we 
per­ 
ceive 
that 
as 
a 
whole 
such 
plans 
are 
not 
God's 
plan 
in 
respect 
to 
the 
future 
kingdom. 
Present 
institutions 
are 
not 
to 
be 
re­ 
paired, 
but 
replaced 
by 
the 
"new 
heavens 
and 
new 
earth" 
con­ 
ditions. 
We 
must 
not 
find 
special 
fault 
with 
reformers, 
however, 
and 
their 
efforts 
to 
put 
patches 
upon 
the 
old 
garments. 
We 
are 
to 
have 
sympathy 
for 
anything 
that 
is 
making 
for 
good, 
for 
righteousness. 
We 
are 
to 
leave 
the 
world 
to 
do 
the 
best 
they 
can, 
and 
we 
are 
to 
give 
our 
attention 
to 
God's 
plan 
and 
the 
great 
reform 
he 
is 
to 
bring 
in. 
The 
instructioh 
to 
us 
is 
that 
we 
should 
get 
ready 
for 
a 
place 
in 
the 
kingdom, 
and 
should 
help 
other 
children 
of 
God 
that 
they, 
too, 
may 
make 
their 
calling 
and 
election 
sure, 
and 
be 
ready 
for 
the 
kingdom. 
That 
king­ 
dom, 
which 
is 
now 
just 
at 
hand, 
will 
be 
God's 
agency 
for 
de­ 
stroying 
sin 
and 
exalting 
righteousness. 
PUTTING 
DARKNESS 
FOR 
LIGHT 
All 
this 
seems 
like 
a 
foolish 
tale 
to 
the 
world; 
for 
it 
would 
mean 
defeat 
to 
their 
projects. 
It 
would 
upset 
all 
the 
plans 
of 
Churchianity. 
If 
the 
people 
thought 
as 
we 
do 
it 
would 
mean 
great 
disaster 
to 
all 
the 
denominations. 
The 
people 
would 
not 
be 
nearly 
so 
much 
interested 
in 
building 
up 
these 
systems 
or 
in 
raising 
money 
as 
they 
would 
be 
in 
seeking 
to 
do 
the 
work 
of 
the 
Lord 
in 
the 
world. 
If 
OllT 
view 
should 
prove 
true, 
and 
should 
gain 
the 
confidence 
of 
the 
people, 
to 
that 
extent 
all 
man-made 
systems 
would 
become 
unpopular. 
They 
would 
all 
be 
put 
to 
shame 
in 
comparison 
with 
the 
truth. 
Hence 
their 
promoters 
think 
that 
to 
hide 
their 
darkness 
and 
call 
it 
light 
is 
necessary 
for 
their 
prosperity. 
They 
think 
that 
it 
is 
necessary 
for 
them 
to 
burn 
our 
books 
and 
to 
keep 
our 
sermons 
out 
of 
the 
newspapers, 
etc. 
All 
this 
seems 
to 
them 
to 
be 
the 
wise 
course. 
They 
perceive 
that 
they 
and 
their 
systems 
would 
utterly 
fall 
if 
our 
teachings 
were 
generally 
received 
by 
the 
people. 
"GREAT, 
SWELLING 
WORDS" 
These 
church 
systems 
claim 
that 
they 
have 
witnessed 
for 
Christ's 
kingdom 
for 
eighteen 
hundred 
years. 
Roman 
Catho­ 
lics 
say, 
"We 
have 
made 
a 
great 
institution! 
See 
the 
millions 
of 
money 
that 
we 
have 
invested! 
See 
how 
much 
we 
are 
in 
favor 
with 
the 
various 
governments; 
and 
we 
are 
hoping 
soon 
to 
get 
control 
of 
all 
the 
governments. 
Then 
we 
will 
conquer 
the 
world!" 
So 
say 
the 
Methodists, 
the 
Baptists, 
and 
all 
the 
rest 
of 
them. 
"We 
must 
conquer 
the 
world! 
This 
is 
the 
way 
SHINING 
OF 
TRUTH 
EXPOSES 
ERROR 
the 
kingdom 
must 
be 
set 
up!" 
As 
respects 
the 
true 
people 
of 
God 
the 
Master 
said, 
as 
re- 
Thus 
they 
go 
about 
to 
establish 
their 
own 
plans. 
When 
corded 
in 
our 
text, 
'''Marvel 
not 
if 
the 
world 
hate 
you; 
ye 
they 
do 
study 
the 
Word 
of 
God, 
they 
study 
it 
with 
sectarian 
know 
that 
it 
hated 
me 
before 
it 
hated 
you." 
We 
see 
that 
it 
is 
spectacles 
on 
their 
eyes; 
and 
they 
think 
that 
"the 
church" 
in 
proportion 
to 
their 
faithfulness 
as 
followers 
of 
the 
Lord 
is 
now 
in 
the 
condition 
soon 
to 
cause 
every 
knee 
to 
bow 
and 
Jesus 
that 
the 
Lord's 
people 
are 
hated 
and 
persecuted. 
There 
every 
tongue 
to 
confess. 
They 
say, 
"If 
these 
Millennial 
Dawn 
was 
a 
long 
period 
of 
persecution 
in 
the 
early 
days 
of 
the 
people 
go 
about 
and 
tell 
that 
there 
is 
onlv 
a 
'little 
flock' 
in 
church-first 
bv 
Nero. 
then 
by 
Diocletian 
and 
others 
of 
the 
the 
true 
church, 
people 
will 
remember 
that 
we 
have 
been 
boast­ 
Roman 
Emperors, 
Then 
came 
tIle 
general 
rise 
of 
the 
Anti· 
ing 
of 
our 
big 
flock. 
What 
do 
you 
say, 
Roman 
Catholic 
christ, 
culminating 
in 
the 
estahlishment 
of 
the 
great 
misrep- 
flock 
1 
Wlhat 
do 
you 
say, 
Lutheran 
flock 
1 
Methodist 
flock 
1 
resentation, 
the 
counterfeit, 
of 
God's 
kingdom. 
in 
the 
year 
539 
Baptist 
flock 
1 
Presbyterian 
flock 
1 
Do 
we 
not 
claim 
that 
there 
A. 
D. 
These 
1Ilso 
hated 
the 
true 
church 
and 
held 
them 
in 
con· 
are 
four 
hundred 
million 
Christians 
in 
the 
world 
1 
Shall 
we 
tempt. 
The 
latter 
were 
chimerical, 
was 
the 
thought-they 
let 
an 
insignificant 
people 
come 
around 
and 
say 
that 
there 
were 
poor 
thinkers, 
they 
took 
the 
words 
of 
Jesus 
too 
literally, 
are 
only 
a 
handful 
in 
the 
church, 
and 
that 
all 
the 
rest 
of 
us 
(131-132) 
[5676] 
Vou. XXXVI BROOKLYN, N. Y., MAY 1, 1915 No. 9 “THE END OF THE AGES’”—CONDITIONS SIMILAR “Tf the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you.’—John 15:18, By the word “world” the Lord did not mean Gentiles; else he would have said Gentiles. Had he said Gentiles it would have signified all the peoples not in covenant relationship with God. But when he used the word ‘‘world” he seemed to signify the present order of things, and therefore the people of the present order; for there would be no present order except through the people. He would mean those who had religious influence—the representatives of the people. But the special order of that day was made up of the scribes, Sadducees, Pharisees, chief priests and the Doctors of the Law—those interpreting the law. Those who represented the law, and thus represented the people, would have to do with that order of things particularly. We know that these hated the Lord. As he said elsewhere, they hated the light. They hated him, not because he really did them any harm, but because his teachings, and the light that shone from his life and teachings, were contradictory to themselves, and to their plans, schemes and arrangements. If his words were true, all the plans they had made in all those years would be shown as coming to naught. In proportion as they had confidence in their own plans, Christ and his followers would seem to be fools, trying to do some impracticable thing. Our Lord’s principal opposition, then, came from the religious rulers, the teachers and the Jewish politicians. There were the Sadducee party and the Pharisee party. The Sadducees believed in nothing beyond what they could see. They were agnostics. The Pharisees were a very strict religious sect, pre-eminently the holiness people of the Jews. They were very scrupulous regarding outward forms and ceremonies, but as a class were very haughty, self-righteous and unjust. Whoever fell in line with Jesus’ teachings would not have any particular interests in either of these sects or in their teachings— would not especially respect them and consider them the great ones of their nation. While at variance amongst themselves, these religious rulers were one in their opposition to Jesus. It was these sects, together with the scribes and Doctors of the Law, who incited the people to crucify Jesus. We are not to suppose that these learned men—-—men of considerable education and intelligence—got out into the streets with the people and hurrahed for Barabbas and shouted against Jesus; but rather that they incited the rabble, and themselves assumed a more dignified line of conduct. At all events, their course led to the Lord’s death. Not only did they hate the Master, but they hated him with such a bitterness and such resentment as to destroy him. They plotted his death several times, but they could not take him until his hour had come. The Pharisees acknowledged that a great miracle had been performed in the raising of Lazarus. but they determined that Jesus should he destroved on account of this great miracle, because it would influence the people. and the people would in that same proportion become alienated from themselves. The high priest. Caiaphas, said. “It is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.” (John 11:47-53) The leaders of the nation feared that the people would be so influenced by Jesus’ teaching that they would themselves avail nothing, and that “the Romans would come and take away their place and their nation.” They said, “We are the guardians of this nation. The government at Rome would pay no attention to this rabble here. If we fail, God’s cause in the earth will] be blotted out. It is therefore expedient that we should destroy this man.” The difficulty was that they had a wrong view of God’s cause and of their nation. They were leaving God out of the account. They were thinking that they must do the whole thing. They were forgetting that God is the One All-Powerful and is at the helm. SHINING OF TRUTH EXPOSES ERROR As respects the true people of God the Master said, as recorded in our text. “Marvel not if the world hate you; ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” We see that it is in proportion to their faithfulness as followers of the Lord Jesus that the Lord’s people are hated and persecuted. There was a long period of persecution in the early days of the church—first by Nero, then by Diocletian and others of the Roman Emperors. Then came the general rise of the Antichrist, culminating in the establishment of the great misrepresentation, the counterfeit, of God’s kingdom, in the year 539 A.D. These also hated the true church and held them in contempt. The latter were chimerical, was the thought—they were poor thinkers, they took the words of Jesus too literally, (431-132) they thought too much about a future kingdom instead of about the present kingdom. Then followed the long night of bloody persecutions, during the entire papal Millennium. [799 A. D. to 1799 A. D.J The true followers were not numerous, and were chiefly the poor of this world—not many great, not many learned—but rich in faith. “Not many wise men after the fiesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.” “Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?” —1 Corinthians 1:26; James 2:5, Coming down to our day, in proportion as the people of the Lord are following in the footsteps of Jesus they will wish to let their light shine out upon others. In proportion as they let their light shine, it will show the misconceptions and errors of the present order of things in the world. Here in our day as in Jesus’ day, truth shows forth and rebukes the error, and those who promulgate the Truth are more or less hated because of this. Today, as in the days of our Lord’s first advent, there is a religious system which is more or less mixed up with politics. Its adherents plan all kinds of reforms, They say, “If we can destroy the white slave traffic and the liquor traffic, we shall have nearly brought in the Millennium. Electing wise rulers will help in bringing in the new order of things.” But much as we sympathize with these good efforts we perceive that as a whole such plans are not God’s plan in respect to the future kingdom. Present institutions are not to be repaired, but replaced by the “new heavens and new earth” conditions. We must not find special fault with reformers, however, and their efforts to put patches upon the old garments. We are to have sympathy for anything that is making for good, for righteousness. We are to leave the world to do the best they can, and we are to give our attention to God’s plan and the great reform he is to bring in. The instruction to us is that we should get ready for a place in the kingdom, and should help other children of God that they, too, may make their calling and election sure, and be ready for the kingdom. That kingdom, which is now just at hand, will be God’s agency for destroying sin and exalting righteousness. PUTTING DARKNESS FOR LIGHT All this seems like a foolish tale to the world; for it would mean defeat to their projects. It would upset all the plans of Churchianity. If the people thought as we do it would mean great disaster to all the denominations. The people would not be nearly so much interested in building up these systems or in raising money as they would be in seeking to do the work of the Lord in the world. If our view should prove true, and should gain the confidence of the people, to that extent all man-made systems would become unpopular. They would all be put to shame in comparison with the truth. Hence their promoters think that to hide their darkness and call it light is necessary for their prosperity. They think that it is necessary for them to burn our books and to keep our sermons out of the newspapers, ete. All this seems to them to be the wise course. They perceive that they and their systems would utterly fall if our teachings were generally received by the people. ‘GREAT, SWELLING WORDS’’ These church systems claim that they have witnessed for Christ’s kingdom for eighteen hundred years. Roman Catholies say, “We have made a great institution! See the millions of money that we have invested! See how much we are in favor with the various governments; and we are hoping soon to get control of all the governments. Then we will conquer the world!” So say the Methodists, the Baptists, and all the rest of them. “We must conquer the world! This is the way the kingdom must be set up!” Thus they go about to establish their own plans. When they do study the Word of God, they study it with sectarian spectacles on their eyes; and they think that “the church” is now in the condition soon to cause every knee to bow and every tongue to confess. They say, “If these Millennial Dawn people go about and tell that there is only a ‘little flock’ in the true church, people will remember that we have been boasting of our big flock. What do you say, Roman Catholic flock? What do you say, Lutheran flock? Methodist flock? Baptist flock? Presbyterian flock? Do we not claim that there are four hundred million Christians in the world? Shall we let an insignificant people come around and say that there are only a handful in the church, and that all the rest of us [5676]

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