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JULY
15,
1916
THE
WATCH
TOWER
(223-228)
to
Bee
and
comfort
her
again
probably
did
much
to
retain
the
slight
hold
he
had
on
life
for
some
weeks.
The
opportunity
of
serving
the
brother
has
been
a
great
blessing
to
all
here,
and
while
individual
privileges
of
service
were
limited
for
obvious
reasons,
the
privilege
of
serving
his
spiritual
interests
through
prayer
has
greatly
blessed
all.
His
cheerful,
patient
endurance
of
his
physical
disability,
his
desire
to
please
and
his
efforts
to
keep
himself
from
being
burdensome
to
those
about,
will
prove
a
lasting
lesson
to
all.
Our
loss
has
been
his
gain.
How
appropriate
today's
MANNA.
THE
ST.
LOUIS
CONVENTION
Although
the
attendance
at
the
St.
Louis
Convention
June
22-25-was
not
large,
it
was
an
enthusiastic
gathering
aad
gave
strong
evidence
of
the
Master's
blessing.
The
Apostle's
exhortation,
"Be
ye
filled
with
the
Spirit,"
seems
to
have
,been
quite
well
realized
by
those
in
attendance.
The
~x
hibitions
of
the
PHOTO-DRAMA
OF
CRI;;ATION
in
the
evenmg
were
a
very
happifying
feature
of
the
convention.
The
pic
tures
and
the
lectures-the
Bible
story
from
creation
to
restora
tion-seem
to
have
a
charm
for
Bible
students
everywhere.
Like
the
charm
of
God's
Word,
they
never
grow
stale.
The
convention
attendance
varied
from
three
hundred
and
fifty
to
six
hundred
and
fifty,
aside
from
the
public
meet
ing
on
the
closing
night.
It
was
held
in
the
Odeon
Theater
and
was
addressed
by
the
Editor
of
this
journal.
The
house
was
crowded
to
its
capacity,
twenty-three
hundred,
and
at
the
same
time
an
overflow
meeting
of
Bible
students
was
held
in
the
Convention
Hall
to
the
number
of
about
six
hundred.
At
the
close
of
both
meetings,
about
10:30
p.
m.,
Brother
Russell
came
into
the
Convention
Theater.
He
was
welcomed
with
the
Chautauqua
Salute-the
waving
of
handkerchiefs,
while
the
familiar
old
hymn
was
sung
with
zest:
"Blest
be
the
tie
that
binds
Our
hearts
in
Christian
love."
After
a
few
words
of
greeting
and
reference
to
the
con
vention
and
its
conclusion
and
the
hope
for
blessings
upon
those
present
and
the
dear
ones
at
the
home
towns
repre
sented
by
them,
Brother
Russell
arranged
the
Love
Feast,
in
which
nearly
all
participated
with
many
manifestations
of
earnest
Christian
love
and
zeal.
Thus
happily,
joyfully,
the
first
general
convention
of
the
season
came
to
an
end.
VOL.
XXXVII
BROOKLYN,
N.
Y.,
AUGUST
1,
1916
No.
1.5
HOW
WE
ATTAIN
DEVELOPMENT
AS
NEW
CREATURES
"If
ye
live
after
the
flesh,
ye
shall
die
j
but
if
ye
through
the
Spirit
do
mortify
the
deeds
of
the
body,
ye
shall
Uve."-Romans
8:
13.
Mortification
of
the
deeds
of
the
body
through
the
holy
embodying
the
different
features
of
God's
gnat
plan,
showing
Spirit
of
God
is
here
declared
by
the
Apostle
Paul
to
be
us
what
is
the
will
of
the
Lord
for
us.
The
more
We
study
essential
to
the
attainment
of
everlasting
life.
But
to
some
and
understand
this
plan,
the
greater
will
be
the
operation
who
had
become
his
disciples,
the
Lord
said,
"He
that
be-
of
this
holy
power
of
God
in
our
hearts.
The
deeper
our
lieveth
on
the
Son
hath
everlasting
life."
Again,
"Verily,
consecration,
the
more
sympathy
shall
we
have
with
all
the
verily,
I
say
unto
you,
he
that
heareth
my
Word,
and
believeth
purposes
of
the
Lord
and
the
more
fervently
shall
we
desire
on
him
that
sent
me,
hath
everlasting
life,
and
shall
not
come
to
do
the
divine
good
pleasure.
into
condemnation,
but
is
passed
from
death
unto
life."
(John
God
through
his
holy
Spirit
is
not
opemting
at
present
3:
36,
5:
24)
The
Apostle
John
in
his
first
epistle
says,
"We
upon
any
but
this
special
class.
Whatever
there
is
in
the
know
that
we
have
passed
from
death
unto
life,
because
we
world
of
nature
is
all
the
result
of
the
operation
of
God's
love
the
brethren";
and
"He
that
hath
the
Son
hath
life."-
power,
his
spirit,
in
a
general
way;
but
the
Apostle
in
our
I
John
3:
14;
5:
12.
text
is
referring
only
to
the
influence
of
the
spirit
of
God
We
must
not
understand
St.
Paul
to
contradict
our
Lord
upon
the
soul.
In
the
New
Testament
writings
the
work
of
and
the
Apostle
John.
Our
Lord
Jesus
and
St.
John
were
the
holy
Spirit
refer,s
only
to
those
who
have
become
God's
speaking
from
the
standpoint
of
God's
reckoning-from
the
people
under
the
terms
laid
down
by
our
Lord
.Jesus
Christ.
legal
standpoint.
Those
who
have
accepted
Christ,
and
have
All
such
are
under
the
Lord's
special
care.
God
began
this
received
of
his
atoning
merit,
have
come
out
from
under
the
good
work
in
us.
It
is
not
of
men
nor
by
men.
Therefore
Adamic
death
condemnation.
Their
present
imperfections,
as
we
must
look
to
God
to
complete
this
work
which
he
has
be-
well
as
their
past
sins,
are
covered
by
this
merit.
Through
gun,
and
must
give
him
our
full
and
hearty
co-operation.
consecration
and
begetting
of
the
holy
Spirit
they
have
be-
We
are
to
go
to
God's
Word,
and
are
to
study
it
prayer-
come
new
creature,s
in
Christ.
Hence
the
everlasting
life
fully,
using
all
the
helps
which
his
providence
has
furnished
provided
for
such
is
already
considered
as
theirs,
while
they
thereto,
seeking
thus
to
learn
the
meaning
of
that
Word.
abide
under
the
robe
of
Christ's
righteousness.
They
are
now
seeking
to
put
it
into
expression
in
our
lives.
Just
as
it
is
··saved
by
hope."
necessary
to
partake
of
natural
food
that
we
may
have
our
The
Apostle
Paul
is
here
speaking
of
the
matter
from
the
bodies
strengthened
and
sustained,
so
God
has
given
us
standpoint
of
its
full
accomplishment,
when
the
church
shall
spiritual
food,
that
we
may
get
spiritual
sustenance
and
have
obtained
their
spiritual
body
and
are
absolutely
perfect,
strength
and
may
understand
his
will.
This
operation
of
God
and
have
received
the
actual
fulness
of
unending
life.
This
upon
us
and
in
us
through
his
holy
Spirit
is
a
gradual
work;
will
be
attained
only
in
our
resurrection.
No
life
can
be
that
is,
after
we
have
been
begotten.
Many
of
ue
have
been
everlasting,
in
the
strict
sense,
unless
it
is
to
last
forever;
and
so
beclouded
with
the
errors
of
our
former
beliefs
that
we
are
this
is
not
determined
until
we
have
made
our
calling
and
unable
to
see
the
deep
things
of
God
at
the
first
glance.
There-
plection
sure.
But
it
is
reckoned
to
us
so
long
as
we
are
fore
we
need
to
study,
and
to
meet
together
with
those
of
faI,nfully
meeting
God's
terms
and
conditions.
Life
could
like
precious
faith.
If
this
is
not
possible
for
some,
because
not
last
forever
under
present
earthly
conditions,
even
though
of
isolation,
they
can
at
least
meet
with
the
brethren
by
the
penalty
of
death
were
entirely
removed;
for
these
condi-
means
of
the
printed
page.
tions
are
not
favorable
thereto.
Conditions
and
environments
THE
SIGNIFIOANOE
OF
OONSEORATION
must
.be
ra~k~l1y
changed
before
life
could
last
eternally
and
As
we
come
to
understand
more
clearly
all
that
full
con-
be
enJoyed
III
Its
f~lness.
.
secration
to
God
signifies,
our
thought
on
the
subject
gradually
.
The
embryo
of
lIfe
~hat
we
have
recelve~
from
our
beget-
changes.
When
first
we
came
to
God,
many
of
us
had
the
tIng
.
as
new
crea~ures
IS
perfect
so
far
as
It
has
progressed;
thought
that
God's
will
for
us
was
to
accept
Christ
as
our
hut.
It
must
contInue
to
grow
and
develop,
to
make
progre~s,
Savior,
and
then
to
live
a
good,
decent,
moral
life,
to
enjoy
untIl
we
are
final!y
bo~~
perfect,
complete,
new
creatures
m
ourselves
in
any
legitimate
ways,
to
take
good
care
of
our
the
fi:st
resurrectIon..
Blessed
an~
holy
are
they
that
have
bodies,
and
to
attend
church
on
Sunday,
and
perhaps
other
part
III
the
first
[c~!ef]
resurrectIon.
On
them
the
second
meetings.
We
thought
that
all
who
did
not
do
this
would
be
death
hath
no
power.
lost,
that
there
would
be
no
future
hope
for
them.
But
this
OPERATION
OF
THE
HOLY
SPIRIT
IN
US
is
not
God's
plan
at
all.
We
have
learned
better
now.
God
The
many
exhortations
addressed
to
this
class
of
spirit-
has
shown
us
that
the
only
way
by
which
the
church
of
Christ
begotten
ones
would
not
be
at
all
applicable
to
the
world
in
can
ever
attain
to
the
heavenly
inheritance
is
by
the
destruc-
general.
The
Apostle
Paul
is
telling
us
as
God's
spiritually
tion
of
the
human
nature
and
its
interests,
by
the
relinquish.
begotten
sons
how
we
are
to
make
ourselves
ready
for
our
ing
of
all
earthly
hopes
and
ambitions.
birth
in
due
time.
He
says
that
we
~
re
to
accomplish
this
At
flrst
this
is
a
new
thought
to
us,
and
the
question
pre-
great
preparatory
work
through
the
~piJ-it,
through
the
power
sents
itself,
"Does
God
wish
me
really
to
mortify,
kill,
mv
of
God.
The
spirit,
or
power
of
God,
operates
in
various
human
nature?
Am
I
not
to
seek
to
cultivate
all
my
natural
ways.
For
instance,
God's
messlRge
of
truth
is
given
to
us,
talents
and
make
the
most
(}f
them?
Am
I
not
to
live
a
[5931]
Jury 15, 1916 to see and comfort her again probably did much to retain the slight hold he had on life for some weeks. The opportunity of serving the brother has been a great blessing to all here, and while individual privileges of service were limited for obvious reasons, the privilege of serving his THE WATCH TOWER (223-228) spiritual interests through prayer has greatly blessed all. His cheerful, patient endurance of his physical disability, his desire to please and his efforts to keep himself from being burdensome to those about, will prove @ lasting lesson to all. Our loss has been his gain. How appropriate today’s MANNA. THE ST. LOUIS CONVENTION Although the attendance at the St. Louis Convention— June 22-25—was not large, it was an enthusiastic gathering aod gave strong evidence of the Master’s blessing. The Apostle’s exhortation, “Be ye filled with the Spirit,’ seems to have been quite well realized by those in attendance. The exhibitions of the PHoro-DRAMA OF CREATION in the evening were a very happifying feature of the convention. The pictures and the lectures—the Bible story from creation to restoration—seem to have a charm for Bible students everywhere. Like the charm of God’s Word, they never grow stale. The convention attendance varied from three hundred and fifty to six hundred and fifty, aside from the public meeting on the closing night. It was held in the Odeon Theater and was addressed by the Editor of this journal. The house was crowded to its capacity, twenty-three hundred, and at the same time an overflow meeting of Bible students was held in the Convention Hall to the number of about six hundred. At the close of both meetings, about 10:30 p. m., Brother Russell came into the Convention Theater. He was welcomed with the Chautauqua Salute—the waving of handkerchiefs, while the familiar old hymn was sung with zest: “Blest be the tie that binds Our hearts in Christian love.” After a few words of greeting and reference to the convention and its conclusion and the hope for blessings upon those present and the dear ones at the home towns represented by them, Brother Russell arranged the Love Feast, in which nearly all participated with many manifestations of earnest Christian love and zeal. Thus happily, joyfully, the first general convention of the season came to an end. Vou. XXXVIT BROOKLYN, N. Y., AUGUST 1, 1916 No. 15 HOW WE ATTAIN DEVELOPMENT AS NEW CREATURES “If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”—Romans 8:13. Mortification of the deeds of the body through the holy Spirit of God is here declared by the Apostle Paul to be essential to the attainment of everlasting life. But to some who had become his disciples, the Lord said, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” Again, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my Word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.” (John 3:36, 5:24) The Apostle John in his first epistle says, “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren’; and “He that hath the Son hath life.”— 1 John 3:14; 5:12. We must not understand St. Paul to contradict our Lord and the Apostle John. Our Lord Jesus and St. John were speaking from the standpoint of God’s reckoning—from the legal standpoint. Those who have accepted Christ, and have received of his atoning merit, have come out from under the Adamic death condemnation. Their present imperfections, as well as their past sins, are covered by this merit. Through consecration and begetting of the holy Spirit they have become new creatures in Christ. Hence the everlasting life provided for such is already considered as theirs, while they abide under the robe of Christ’s righteousness. They are now “saved by hope.” The Apostle Paul is here speaking of the matter from the standpoint of its full accomplishment, when the church shall have obtained their spiritual body and are absolutely perfect, and have received the actual] fulness of unending life. This will be attained only in our resurrection. No life can he everlasting, in the strict sense, unless it is to last forever; and this is not determined until we have made our calling and election sure. But it is reckoned to us so long as we are fainfully meeting God’s terms and conditions, Life could not last forever under present earthly conditions, even though the penalty of death were entirely removed; for these conditions are not favorable thereto. Conditions and environments must be radically changed before life could last eternally and be enjoyed in its fulness. The embryo of life that we have received from our begetting as new creatures is perfect so far as it has progressed; but it must continue to grow and develop, to make progress, until we are finally born perfect, complete, new creatures in the first resurrection, “Blessed and holy are they that have part in the first [chief] resurrection. On them the second death hath no power.” OPERATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US The many exhortations addressed to this class of spiritbegotten ones would not be at all applicable to the world in general. The Apostle Paul is telling us as God’s spiritually begotten sons how we are to make ourselves ready for our birth in due time. He says that we *re to accomplish this great preparatory work through the spirit, through the power of God. The spirit, or power of God, operates in various ways. For instance, God’s message of truth is given to us, embodying the different features of God’s great plan, showing us what is the will of the Lord for us. The more we study and understand this plan, the greater will be the operation of this holy power of God in our hearts. The deeper our consecration, the more sympathy shall we have with all the purposes of the Lord and the more fervently shall we desire to do the divine good pleasure. God through his holy Spirit is not operating at present upon any but this special class. Whatever there is in the world of nature is all the result of the operation of God’s power, his spirit, in a general way; but the Apostle in our text is referring only to the influence of the spirit of God upon the soul. In the New Testament writings the work of the holy Spirit refers only to those who have become God’s people under the terms laid down by our Lord Jesus Christ. All such are under the Lord’s special care. God began this good work in us. It is not of men nor by men. Therefore we must look to God to complete this work which he has begun, and must give him our full and hearty co-operation. We are to go to God’s Word, and are to study it prayerfully, using all the helps which his providence has furnished thereto, seeking thus to learn the meaning of that Word, seeking to put it into expression in our lives. Just as it is necessary to partake of natural food that we may have our bodies strengthened and sustained, so God has given us spiritual food, that we may get spiritual sustenance and strength and may understand his will. This operation of God upon us and in us through his holy Spirit is a gradual work; that is, after we have been begotten. Many of us have been so beclouded with the errors of our former beliefs that we are unable to see the deep things of God at the first glance. There. fore we need to study, and to meet together with those of like precious faith. If this is not possible for some, because of isolation, they can at least meet with the brethren by means of the printed page. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CONSECRATION As we come to understand more clearly all that full consecration to God signifies, our thought on the subject gradually changes. When first we came to God, many of us had the thought that God’s will for us was to accept Christ as our Savior, and then to live a good, decent, moral life, to enjoy ourselves in any legitimate ways, to take good care of our bodies, and to attend church on Sunday, and perhaps other meetings. We thought that all who did not do this would be lost, that theré would be no future hope for them. But this is not God’s plan at all. We have learned better now. God has shown us that the only way by which the church of Christ can ever attain to the heavenly inheritance is by the destruction of the human nature and its interests, by the relinquishing of all earthly hopes and ambitions. At first this is a new thought to us, and the question presents itself, “Does God wish me really to mortify, kill, my human nature? Am I not to seek to cultivate all my natural talents and make the most of them? Am I not to live a [5931]
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