Publication date
3/15/16
Volume
37
Number
6
The WatchTower
Thoughts of the Memorial Season
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1916/6/1916-6-1.html
 
 
 
MARCH 
1, 
1916 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(79-83) 
DEAR 
BRETHREN:- 
Yours 
of 
January 
4th 
is 
at 
hand. 
I 
rejoice 
in 
the 
Lord 
that 
you 
have 
had 
such 
a 
sweet 
and 
blessed 
convention 
and 
that, 
although 
the 
numbers 
were 
not 
large, 
the 
interest 
and 
spirit 
were 
what 
we 
would 
expect 
and 
that 
great 
good 
has 
been 
accomplished. 
May 
the 
Lord's 
blessing 
continue 
with 
you 
all, 
making 
the 
present 
year, 
1916, 
your 
very 
best 
in 
character-develop­ 
ment 
and 
in 
effective 
service 
for 
our 
King. 
I 
cannot 
promise 
anything 
definite 
in 
respect 
to 
a 
visit 
to 
Australasia, 
much 
as 
I 
should 
desire 
to 
greet 
you 
all 
in 
the 
flesh, 
to 
say 
some 
words 
of 
comfort 
and 
encouragement 
and 
to 
personally 
receive 
assurances 
of 
your 
continued 
Christian 
love. 
However, 
we 
know 
not 
what 
the 
Lord's 
providence 
may 
indicate, 
but 
assure 
you 
that 
we 
will 
seek 
to 
follow 
his 
lead­ 
ing 
in 
this 
and 
in 
every 
matter. 
With 
much 
Christian 
love, 
Your 
brother 
and 
servant 
in 
the 
Lord, 
C. 
T. 
RUSSELL. 
DO 
NOT 
TAKE 
ANYBODY'S 
SAY-SO 
OUR 
DEAR 
PASTOR:- 
I 
was 
pleased 
to 
receive 
your 
loving 
letter 
and 
gift, 
which 
WElre 
much 
appreciated, 
the 
latter 
of 
which 
I 
intend 
exchang­ 
ing 
for 
renewal 
of 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
for 
another 
year. 
Like 
thousands 
of 
others 
of 
like 
precious 
faith, 
we 
are 
indeed 
thankful 
to 
our 
loving 
heavenly 
Father 
and 
to 
you, 
his 
ser­ 
vant, 
for 
its 
cheering, 
helpful 
and 
inspiring 
messages 
of 
ex­ 
hortation 
and 
hope 
for 
those 
seeking 
to 
know 
and 
do 
the 
will 
of 
God. 
Its 
bi-monthly 
visits 
are 
eagerly 
looked 
for 
and 
its 
spiritual 
food 
is 
soul-satisfying. 
The 
article 
in 
September 
1 
issue 
on 
"Christian 
Duty 
and 
the 
War" 
was 
good 
and 
to 
the 
point; 
we 
trust 
by 
God's 
grace 
we 
shall 
maintain 
that 
attitude, 
looking 
to 
Jesus 
our 
Captain, 
who 
said 
his 
kingdom 
is 
not 
of 
this 
world, 
else 
would 
his 
ser­ 
vants 
fight; 
and 
to 
St. 
Paul, 
his 
mouthpiece, 
who 
shows 
that 
our 
weapons 
are 
not 
carnal, 
though 
mighty 
to 
the 
pulling 
down 
of 
strongholds 
of 
error. 
I 
rejoice, 
by 
the 
Lord's 
favor, 
at 
the 
prospect 
of 
further 
opportunities 
in 
the 
colporteur 
work 
this 
new 
year. 
The 
pre­ 
vious 
eight 
in 
this 
blessed 
work 
have 
been 
the 
happiest 
in 
my 
life. 
I 
am 
now 
wondering 
if 
our 
work 
may 
not 
soon 
be 
cut 
short 
since 
compulsory 
military 
service 
for 
single 
men 
is 
suggested, 
with 
the 
possibility 
of 
severe 
penalties 
to 
those 
who 
refuse. 
However, 
"My 
times 
are 
in 
Thy 
hand; 
My 
God, 
I 
wish 
them 
there." 
The 
Class 
here 
have 
unanimously 
re-elected 
you 
as 
our 
Pastor. 
I 
assure 
you 
we 
can 
never 
repay 
the 
help 
you 
are 
to 
us 
through 
the 
SCRIPTURE 
STUDIES, 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER, 
T 
AB­ 
ERNACLE 
SHADOWS, 
etc. 
We 
are 
grateful 
to 
our 
heavenly 
Father 
and 
our 
Present 
Lord 
who 
have 
used 
and 
are 
still 
using 
you 
to 
bring 
forth 
"Meat 
in 
due 
season 
for 
the 
Household 
of 
Faith." 
If 
it 
will 
not 
be 
troubling 
you 
too 
much 
we 
would 
like 
your 
advice 
on 
the 
following 
queries: 
What 
should 
be 
our 
course 
if 
ordered 
by 
those 
in 
authority 
to 
cease 
distributing 
our 
volunteer 
literature' 
Or 
that 
we 
may 
no 
longer 
sell 
STUDIES 
IN 
THE 
SCRIPTURES? 
Or 
that 
we 
may 
no 
longer 
assemble 
as 
Classes 
for 
the 
study 
of 
the 
Scriptures' 
Praying 
the 
Lord's 
richest 
blessing 
upon 
you 
in 
your 
labor 
of 
love, 
I 
remain, 
by 
God's 
grace, 
Your 
brother, 
A. 
W. 
SEWTER, 
COLPORTEUR.-Eng. 
REPLY 
TO 
QUERIES: 
The 
Lord's 
people 
are 
to 
govern 
their 
conduct 
by 
the 
laws 
of 
the 
land 
in 
which 
they 
reside-except 
such 
laws 
as 
would 
conflict 
with 
God's 
Word. 
But 
we 
should 
not 
take 
anybody's 
"say-so" 
re 
such 
laws, 
but 
should 
make 
sure 
that 
such 
laws 
really 
prevent.-Editor. 
RE 
PRICE 
OF 
"MANNA" 
AND 
RECIPROCITY 
DEAR 
BROTHER 
RUSSELL:- 
In 
view 
of 
the 
fact 
that 
it 
is 
so 
surprisingly 
easy 
to 
sell 
the 
PHOTO-DRAMA 
SCENARIOS 
as 
6Sc 
and 
SSc, 
we 
would 
like 
to 
suggest 
that 
you 
allow 
the 
MANNA 
to 
be 
Colporteured 
at 
6Sc. 
We 
are 
convinced, 
after 
our 
experience 
with 
the 
SCENA­ 
RIO, 
that 
at 
6Sc 
the 
MANNA 
sales 
would 
be 
very 
materially 
increased. 
This 
would 
be 
an 
encouragement, 
and 
assist 
in 
making 
expenses. 
We 
find 
that 
many 
of 
the 
friends 
have 
not 
yet 
introduced 
the 
STUDIES, 
MANNA, 
SCENARIO, 
TOWER, 
etc., 
to 
their 
trades­ 
people-grocers, 
butchers, 
bakers, 
shoemakers, 
milkmen, 
etc. 
We 
have 
suggested 
to 
many 
that 
these 
people 
are 
most 
anxious 
to 
retain 
their 
trade, 
giving 
them 
profit-sharing 
coupons, 
trad­ 
ing 
stamps, 
premiums, 
etc., 
and 
that 
they 
would 
be 
only 
too 
pleased 
if 
they 
had 
an 
opportunity 
to 
reciprocate 
in 
return 
for 
their 
custom 
during 
the 
many 
months 
or 
years 
they 
have 
dealt 
with 
them. 
What 
an 
opening 
the 
friends 
have 
in 
this 
way! 
One 
Sister 
here 
went 
out 
the 
other 
day 
amongst 
the 
people 
on 
her 
street, 
and 
took 
orders 
for 
nineteen 
SCENARIOS 
in 
about 
five 
hours. 
There 
is 
hardly 
a 
person 
in 
the 
truth 
but 
could 
do 
likewise-·and 
their 
tradespeople 
and 
neighbors 
would 
appre­ 
ciate 
the 
privilege 
of 
buying 
from 
them. 
With 
much 
love, 
we 
are 
Yours 
in 
the 
Hal'vest 
work, 
VOL. 
XXXVII 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
MARCH 
15, 
1916 
THOUGHTS 
ON 
THE 
MEMORIAL 
SEASON 
No. 
() 
show 
the 
Lord's 
death 
till 
he 
come."-l 
Corinthians 
11 
:26. 
which 
many 
of 
our 
Jewish 
fripnds 
possess, 
they 
have 
never 
thought 
it 
worth 
while 
to 
inquire 
a,\ 
to 
the 
meaning 
of 
this 
celebration? 
Why 
was 
the 
Passover 
lamb 
shin 
and 
eaten? 
\Vhy 
was 
the 
blood 
sprinkled 
upon 
the 
door-posts 
and 
lintels? 
Of 
course, 
God 
so 
commanded; 
but 
what 
was 
the 
reason, 
the 
mo­ 
tive,. 
behind 
the 
divine 
command-what 
lesson, 
what 
object? 
Truly 
a 
reasonable 
God 
gives 
rea'\onable 
commands; 
and 
in 
due 
time 
Jehovah 
will 
cause 
his 
faithful 
pf'ople 
to 
underRtand 
the 
significance 
of 
every 
requirement. 
If 
the 
Jew 
ran 
realize 
that 
his 
Sabbath 
day 
is 
a 
type 
of 
a 
coming 
epoch 
of 
rest 
and 
blessing, 
of 
release 
from 
toil, 
sorrow 
and 
death. 
why 
cannot 
he 
see 
that 
similarly 
all 
the 
features 
of 
the 
Mosaic 
institution 
were 
designed 
of 
the 
Lord 
to 
be 
fore'\hadowings 
of 
various 
blessings, 
to 
be 
bestowed 
"in 
due 
time"? 
"For 
as 
often 
as 
ye 
eat 
this 
bread, 
/lind 
drink 
thJs 
cup, 
ye 
do 
The 
Passover 
season, 
as 
celebrated 
by 
the 
Jews, 
is 
ap­ 
proaching, 
beginning 
this 
year 
on 
the 
17th 
of 
April. 
But 
the 
interest 
of 
Ohristians 
in 
this 
season 
centers 
especially 
in 
the 
slaying 
of 
the 
lamb, 
which 
preceded 
the 
Passover 
Feast, 
and 
which 
typified 
the 
Lamb 
of 
God, 
Christ 
Jesus. 
Our 
celebra­ 
tion 
of 
this 
Passover 
season, 
therefore, 
relates 
to 
the 
great 
Antitype. 
At 
this 
time 
we 
as 
Christians 
commemorate 
the 
greatest 
event 
of 
all 
history, 
the 
sacrificial 
death 
of 
the 
Savior 
of 
the 
world. 
Our 
celebration 
this 
year 
properly 
begins 
on 
the 
evening 
of 
April 
16th, 
after 
six 
o'clock, 
which 
is 
the 
be­ 
ginning 
of 
the 
14th 
of 
Nisan. 
We 
greatly 
regret 
that, 
while 
millions 
of 
professed 
Chris­ 
tians 
and 
Jews 
will 
in 
some 
formal 
ceremonies 
and 
in 
a 
per­ 
functory 
manner 
celebrate 
at 
that 
season 
this 
most 
important 
event, 
but 
few 
of 
either 
religion 
discern 
the 
real 
significance 
of 
the 
celebration. 
Could 
their 
minds 
be 
thoroughly 
awakened 
to 
its 
true 
significance, 
there 
would 
be 
a 
religious 
revival 
su~h 
FIRST-FRUITS 
AND 
AFTER-FRUITS 
as 
the 
world 
has 
never 
yet 
known. 
But, 
as 
St. 
Paul 
declares, 
Blessed 
are 
those 
whose 
eyes 
can 
see 
that 
Jesus 
was 
in- 
"The 
god 
of 
this 
world 
hath 
blinded 
the 
minds" 
of 
many; 
and 
deed 
"the 
Lamb 
of 
God 
that 
taketh 
away 
the 
sin 
of 
the 
even 
some 
whose 
eyes 
of 
understanding 
are 
partially 
opened, 
world"; 
that 
the 
cancellation 
of 
the 
world's 
sin 
is 
to 
be 
ef- 
St. 
Peter 
describes 
as 
being 
blind 
and 
unable 
to 
see 
afar 
off. 
fected 
by 
the 
payment 
of 
man's 
penalty, 
by 
the 
application 
of 
They 
are 
unable 
to 
see 
the 
deep 
things 
of 
God 
in 
respect 
to 
Jesus' 
s'acrificial 
merit 
in 
due 
time 
for 
the 
sins 
of 
all 
mankind. 
these 
ceremonies, 
which 
have 
been 
celebrated 
for 
now 
more 
Only 
the 
church 
have 
as 
yet 
received 
of 
the 
merit 
of 
Jesus' 
than 
three 
thousand 
years, 
in 
type 
and 
antitype. 
death. 
Greatly 
favored 
are 
those 
who 
can 
see 
that 
as 
the 
Tne 
Israelites 
were 
commanded 
to 
celebrate 
the 
Passover 
whole 
world 
lost 
divine 
favor 
and 
came 
under 
divine 
sentence 
as 
the 
first 
feature 
of 
the 
law 
and 
as 
one 
of 
their 
greatest 
of 
death, 
with 
its 
concomitants 
of 
sorrow 
and 
pain, 
so 
it 
was 
memorialR 
as 
a 
nation. 
Therefore 
we 
find 
that 
in 
some 
de- 
neresRary 
that 
a 
satisfaction 
of 
justi('e 
should 
be 
made 
bpfore 
goree 
the 
Pas,\over 
is 
celebrated 
by 
.Tews 
in 
all 
part'\ 
of 
the 
thi'\ 
sentence. 
or 
('ause, 
could 
be 
rf'!lloved; 
and 
that 
therefore, 
world, 
even 
by 
those 
who 
claim 
to 
be 
agnostics. 
They 
still 
as 
the 
Apostle 
declares, 
"Chri'\t 
diecl 
for 
our 
sins"-"the 
Just 
have 
a 
measure 
of 
respect 
for 
the 
Passover 
as 
an 
ancient 
for 
the 
unjust," 
that 
he 
might 
bring 
us 
back 
to 
God. 
Thus 
custom. 
Bllt 
is 
it 
not 
strange 
that 
with 
the 
bright 
minds 
he 
opened 
up 
a 
new 
way-a 
way 
to 
life 
everlasting. 
VII-4.. 
[5869] 
Marc# 1, 1916 DEAR BRETHREN :— Yours of January 4th is at hand. I rejoice in the Lord that you have had such a sweet and blessed convention and that, although the numbers were not large, the interest and spirit were what we would expect and that great good has been accomplished. May the Lord’s blessing continue with you all, making the present year, 1916, your very best in character-development and in effective service for our King. I cannot promise anything definite in respect to a visit to Australasia, much as I should desire to greet you all in the flesh, to say some words of comfort and encouragement and to personally receive assurances of your continued Christian love. However, we know not what the Lord’s providence may indieate, but assure you that we will seek to follow his leading in this and in every matter. With much Christian love, Your brother and servant in the Lord, C. T. RUSSELL. DO NOT TAKE ANYBODY’S SAY-8O Our DEAR PasToR:— I was pleased to receive your loving letter and gift, which were much appreciated, the latter of which I intend exchanging for renewal of THE Watcu Tower for another year. [Like thousands of others of like precious faith, we are indeed thankful to our loving heavenly Father and to you, his servant, for its cheering, helpful and inspiring messages of exhortation and hope for those seeking to know and do the will of God. Its bi-monthly visits are eagerly looked for and its spiritual food is soul-satisfying. The article in September 1 issue on “Christian Duty and the War” was good and to the point; we trust by God’s grace we shall maintain that attitude, looking to Jesus our Captain, who said his kingdom is not of this world, else would his servants fight; and to St. Paul, his mouthpiece, who shows that our weapons are not carnal, though mighty to the pulling down of strongholds of error. I rejoice, by the Lord’s favor, at the prospect of further opportunities in the colporteur work this new year. The previous eight in this blessed work have been the happiest in my life. I am now wondering if our work may not soon be cut short since compulsory military service for single men is suggested, with the possibility of severe penalties to those who refuse. However, “My times are in Thy hand; My God, I wish them there.” The Class here have unanimously re-elected you as our Pastor. I assure you we can never repay the help you are to THE WATCH TOWER (79-83) us through the Scriprure Strupies, THE Watcu Tower, TasERNACLE SHADOWS, etc. We are grateful to our heavenly Father and our Present Lord who have used and are still using you to bring forth “Meat in due season for the Household of Faith.” If it will not be troubling you too much we would like your advice on the following queries: What should be our course if ordered by those in authority to cease distributing our volunteer literature? Or that we may no longer sell STupIES IN THE SCRIPTURES? Or that we may no longer assemble as Classes for the study of the Scriptures? Praying the Lord’s richest blessing upon you in your labor of love, I remain, by God’s grace, Your brother, A. W. SEWTER, CoLPoRTEUR.—Eng. REPLY TO QuERIES: The Lord’s people are to govern their conduct by the laws of the land in which they reside—except such laws as would conflict with God’s Word. But we should not take anybody’s “say-so” re such laws, but should make sure that such laws really prevent.—Editor. RE PRICE OF ‘‘MANNA’’ AND RECIPROCITY Dear BRoTHER RUSSELL :— In view of the fact that it is so surprisingly easy to sell the PHoto-DRaMA ScENaRIos as 68¢c and 88c, we would like to suggest that you allow the MaNNna to be Colporteured at 68c. We are convinced, after our experience with the ScenaRIO, that at 68e the Manna sales would be very materially increased. This would be an encouragement, and assist in making expenses, We find that many of the friends have not yet introduced the StupIes, MANNA, SCENARIO, TOWER, etc., to their tradespeople—grocers, butchers, bakers, shoemakers, milkmen, ete. We have suggested to many that these people are most anxious to retain their trade, giving them profit-sharing coupons, trading stamps, premiums, etc., and that they would be only too pleased if they had an opportunity to reciprocate in return for their custom during the many months or years they have dealt with them. What an opening the friends have in this way! One Sister here went out the other day amongst the people on her street, and took orders for nineteen ScENARIoS in about five hours. There is hardly a person in the truth but could do likewise—and their tradespeople and neighbors would appreciate the privilege of buying from them. With much love, we are Yours in the Harvest work, Vou. XXXVIT — BROOKLYN, N. Y., MARCH 15, 1916 No. 6 THOUGHTS ON THE MEMORIAL SEASON “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.”—1 Corinthians 11:26. The Passover season, as celebrated by the Jews, is approaching, beginning this year on the 17th of April. But the interest of Christians in this season centers especially in the slaying of the lamb, which preceded the Passover Feast, and which typified the Lamb of God, Christ Jesus. Our celebration of this Passover season, therefore, relates to the great Antitype. At this time we as Christians commemorate the greatest event of all history, the sacrificial death of the Savior of the world. Our celebration this year properly begins on the evening of April 16th, after six o’clock, which is the beginning of the 14th of Nisan. We greatly regret that, while millions of professed Christians and Jews will in some formal ceremonies and in a perfunctory manner celebrate at that season this most important event, but few of either religion discern the real significance of the celebration. Could their minds be thoroughly awakened to its true significance, there would be a religious revival such as the world has never yet known. But, as St. Paul declares, “The god of this world hath blinded the minds” of many; and even some whose eyes of understanding are partially opened, St. Peter describes as being blind and unable to see afar off. They are unable to see the deep things of God in respect to these ceremonies, which have been celebrated for now more than three thousand years, in type and antitype. Tne Israelites were commanded to celebrate the Passover as the first feature of the law and as one of their greatest memorials as a nation. Therefore we find that in some degree the Passover is celebrated by Jews in all parts of the world, even by those who claim to be agnostics. They still have a measure of respect for the Passover as an ancient custom. But is it not strange that with the bright minds VII—4, which many of our Jewish friends possess, they have never thought it worth while to inquire as to the meaning of this celebration ? Why was the Passover lamb slain and eaten? Why was the blood sprinkled upon the door-posts and lintels? Of course, God so commanded; but what was the reason, the motive,, behind the divine command—what lesson, what object? Truly a reasonable God gives reasonable commands; and in due time Jehovah will cause his faithful people to understand the significance of every requirement. If the Jew can realize that his Sabbath day is a type of a coming epoch of rest and blessing, of release from toil, sorrow and death, why cannot he see that similarly all the features of the Mosaic institution were designed of the Lord to be foreshadowings of various blessings, to be bestowed ‘“‘in due time’? FIRST-FRUITS AND AFTER-FRUITS Blessed are those whose eyes can see that Jesus was indeed “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world”; that the cancellation of the world’s sin is to be effected by the payment of man’s penalty, by the application of Jesus’ sacrificial merit in due time for the sins of all mankind. Only the church have as yet received of the merit of Jesus’ death. Greatly favored are those who can see that as the whole world lost divine favor and came under divine sentence of death, with its concomitants of sorrow and pain, so it was necessary that a satisfaction of justice should be made before this sentence. or cause, could be removed; and that therefore, as the Apostle declares, “Christ died for our sins’—‘‘the Just for the unjust,” that he might bring us back to God. Thus he opened up a new way—a way to life everlasting. [5869]

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