Publication date
7/1/17
Volume
38
Number
13
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1917/13/1917-13-1.html
 
 
 
JUNE 
IS, 
1917 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(178-195) 
The 
more 
I 
>!crutinize 
paragraph 
ii, 
the 
more- 
am 
I 
con· 
vinced 
that 
divine 
wisdom 
guided 
in 
the 
insertion 
of 
that 
clause. 
There 
is 
an 
unfathomed 
mine 
of 
truth 
and 
wisdom 
in 
those 
words. 
Some 
day 
in 
the 
Lord's 
providence 
I 
hope 
to 
tome 
up 
to 
the 
standard 
there 
set 
forth. 
A 
retrospcctive 
view 
convinces 
me 
of 
the 
need 
of 
scrutinizing 
carefully 
one's 
thoughts, 
words 
and 
acts. 
All 
these 
helps 
are 
beneficial 
to 
the 
new 
creature 
in 
his 
efforts 
to 
be 
conformed 
to 
the 
image 
of 
Goo's 
dear 
Son, 
by 
the 
renewing 
of 
the 
mind. 
Praying 
Jehovah's 
blessing 
on 
the 
Bethel 
Family, 
and 
in 
the 
fellowship 
of 
his 
S0s1 
and 
the 
saints, 
I 
remain 
Your 
brother 
in 
Christ, 
ERNEST 
H. 
'VALKER.-Qnt. 
HEAVENLY 
FATHER'S 
WISDOM 
MANIFESTED 
DEAR 
BRETHREN 
IN 
CHRIST:- 
Our 
heavenly 
Father 
has, 
in 
his 
infinite 
wisdom, 
seer. 
fit 
to 
call 
our 
beloved 
Pastor 
to 
his 
long-needed 
rest. 
Most 
naturally 
we 
now 
turn 
our 
attention, 
our 
sympathies 
and 
our 
prayers 
toward 
TilE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
and 
the 
dl!ar 
brethren 
upon 
whose 
shoulders 
has 
fallen 
the 
responsibility 
of 
carry­ 
ing 
on 
the 
work 
from 
which 
our 
Brother 
Russell 
has 
been 
taken, 
and 
that 
of 
the 
1. 
B. 
S. 
A. 
in 
general. 
We 
have 
felt 
that 
we 
could 
see 
significance 
and 
wisdom 
in 
the 
expressed 
wish 
of 
our 
Pastor, 
several 
years 
ago; 
namely, 
that 
THE 
TOWER 
be 
regarded 
as 
the 
Lord's 
servant, 
rather 
than 
himself. 
The 
earnest, 
heartfelt 
prayers 
of 
our 
class, 
dear 
Brethren, 
are 
being 
offered 
up 
to 
the 
God 
of 
all 
grace 
on 
your 
behalf 
and 
on 
that 
of 
the 
tender 
interests 
ot" 
the 
Lord's 
"little 
fiock," 
scattered 
throughout 
the 
world. 
"The 
Eternal 
God 
is 
our 
refuge; 
and 
underneath 
are 
the 
Everlasting 
Arms." 
Shall 
we 
not 
"speak 
to 
the 
children 
of 
Israel, 
that 
they 
go 
forward 
1" 
May 
wc 
not 
prove 
henceforth 
that 
our 
dear 
Pastor 
has 
wcceeded 
iIi 
accomplishing 
the 
greatest 
desirc 
and 
effort 
of 
his 
life-work-thc 
leading 
of 
all 
truth-hungry 
hearts 
coming 
under 
his 
infh1l'IlCe 
to 
Chri~t 
and 
the 
Bible 
instead 
of 
to 
himself? 
Your 
brethren 
in 
Chri,t, 
WAUKESHA 
ECCU;SIA.-W~8. 
HASTENING 
COMPLETION 
O:r 
BRIDE 
OF 
CHRIST 
n~;AR 
BRFITHRE:'i 
l:'i 
TIlE 
LORD:- 
\\'e 
convey 
to 
you 
aTltI 
all 
the 
dear 
l'oLthorers 
our 
mutual 
"ympatby 
ill 
the 
passing 
of 
our 
beloved 
Pastor 
from 
his 
labors 
of 
love 
in 
the 
flesh 
to 
a 
full 
realization 
of 
that 
divine, 
Immortal 
nature 
which 
a 
waits 
thoRe 
who 
have 
made 
their 
<,ailing 
and 
election 
sure. 
Our 
sorrow 
is 
turned 
into 
gladness 
as 
we 
realize 
that 
he 
whom 
we 
have 
every 
rea;on 
to 
belil'H 
was 
true 
and 
faithful 
has 
nassed 
bevond 
the 
vcil, 
thus 
hasten· 
ing 
the 
completion 
of 
the· 
"bride 
~f 
Chri,t," 
who 
>\ 
ill 
soon 
rejoice 
with 
her 
Lord 
in 
bringing 
deliverance 
to 
all 
the 
call­ 
tives 
of 
death. 
We 
assure 
you, 
dear 
brethren, 
of 
our 
hearty 
co-operation 
in 
all 
your 
efforts 
and 
labors 
of 
love, 
trusting 
that 
whatewr 
is 
done 
in 
thought, 
word 
or 
deed 
may 
be 
done 
with 
an 
l'y<' 
single 
to 
the 
honor 
and 
.glory 
of 
God. 
With 
Christian 
lQve, 
MUFORD 
ECCl,ElSIA.--Oa-na.d.a. 
PICTURES 
OF 
BROTHER 
RUSSELL 
FOR 
CLASSES 
September 
10 
last, 
about 
two 
months 
before 
Brother 
Rus­ 
sell's 
death, 
Brother 
Mitchell, 
of 
Los 
Angeles, 
made 
some 
photographs 
of 
Brotber 
Russell 
which 
have 
been 
much 
ap­ 
preciated 
by 
those 
who 
have 
seen 
them. 
Brother 
Mitchell 
now 
advises 
us 
that 
he 
desires 
to 
present 
each 
class 
of 
the 
INTEBNATONAL 
BruLE 
STUDENT'S 
ASS'N 
with 
one 
of 
theBe 
photographs, 
provided 
the 
class 
is 
organized 
and 
has 
a 
definite 
meeting-place. 
All 
requests 
must 
be 
sent 
by 
the 
Class 
Sec· 
retary, 
and 
addressed 
to 
the 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BIllLE 
AND 
TRACT 
SoCIETY, 
Brooklyn, 
~. 
Y. 
Tbe 
picture 
is 
a. 
splendid 
likeness. 
VOL. 
XXXVIII 
BR.OOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
JULY 
1, 
1917 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
"WHAT 
SHALL 
BE 
THE 
SIGN 
OF 
THY 
PRESENC:Elf" 
No. 
13 
"AND 
THERE 
SHALL 
:BE 
FAMINES" 
One 
of 
the 
leading 
economists 
in 
the 
United 
States, 
Arthur 
R. 
Marsh, 
recently 
wrote 
in 
the 
N. 
Y. 
Oity 
World 
regarding 
the 
earth's 
food 
supply 
as 
follows 
(the 
article 
speaks 
for 
itself): 
"If 
theI'l! 
be 
any 
virtue 
in 
publicity, 
the 
people 
of 
this 
country 
are 
now 
completely 
informed 
of 
the 
seriousness 
of 
the 
present 
and 
prospective 
food 
situation 
throughout 
the 
world. 
It 
may 
perhaps 
be 
doubted, 
however, 
whether 
they 
have 
as 
yet 
really 
passed 
from 
the 
stage 
of 
intellectual 
apperception 
of 
the 
facts 
to 
that 
of 
personal 
realization 
of 
what 
these 
facts 
will 
ultimately 
mean 
for 
themselves 
as 
individuals. 
"The 
people 
of 
the 
United 
States 
have 
to 
face, 
certainly 
for 
the 
coming 
twelvemonth, 
and 
in 
all 
probability 
for 
more 
than 
one 
year 
thereafter, 
a 
condition 
of 
things 
with 
respect 
to 
their 
supply 
of 
food 
the 
like 
of 
which 
bas 
not 
been 
seen 
on 
the 
North 
American 
Continent 
since 
its 
earliest 
coloniza­ 
tion 
by 
the 
white 
race. 
unless 
exception 
perhaps 
be 
made 
of 
the 
first 
winter 
of 
the 
Pilgrim 
Fathers. 
GREAT 
DBAIN 
UPON 
OUR 
OWN 
GRAIN 
STOOXS 
"The 
American 
crop 
season 
of 
1916 
was 
relativel1. 
one 
of 
the 
most 
unpropitious 
expericnced 
in 
this 
country 
WIthin 
the 
memory 
of 
any 
persons 
now 
living. 
'fwo 
of 
our 
major 
food 
crops, 
wheat 
and 
potatoes, 
were 
short 
of 
a 
comfortable 
pro· 
vision 
for 
our 
own 
population; 
a 
third 
food 
crop, 
corn, 
fell 
three 
or 
four 
hundred 
millions 
of 
bushels 
below 
the 
aggregate 
of 
the 
natural 
domestic 
demands 
upon 
it. 
The 
production 
of 
vegetables 
was 
scanty 
in 
proportion 
to 
our 
own 
needs. 
Of 
only 
two 
or 
three 
of 
the 
minor 
crops 
could 
it 
be 
said 
that 
they 
gave 
a 
full 
yield. 
Taking 
all 
our 
crops 
together 
and 
adding 
to 
them 
the 
food 
reserves 
brought 
forward 
from 
the 
previous 
year 
or 
years, 
the 
total 
food 
supply 
for 
the 
crop 
season 
HJl6-1917 
was 
a 
close 
fit 
against 
our 
domestic 
re­ 
quirements 
for 
consumption, 
seed 
and 
carry-over, 
and 
affordcd 
nothing 
in 
the 
way 
of 
a 
surplus 
out 
of 
which 
a 
reasonable 
amount 
of 
exports 
could 
be 
drawn. 
"With 
such 
a 
crop 
out-turn 
for 
1916 
in 
the 
United 
States 
for 
the 
period 
up 
to 
the 
harvesting 
of 
the 
crop 
'Of 
1917 
it 
was 
obvious 
that 
the 
important 
food-importing 
countries 
oJ 
the 
world 
should 
look 
elsewhere 
than 
to 
us 
for 
their 
supplies. 
This, 
however, 
was 
not 
to 
be; 
on 
the 
contrary, 
the 
needs 
of 
these 
countries 
are 
greater 
than 
ever 
before, 
while 
the 
pro­ 
duction 
of 
the 
other 
food-exportinlt 
countries 
has 
been 
dis­ 
Rstrously 
small 
in 
eoonparison 
with 
that 
of 
recent 
normal 
years, 
while 
at 
least 
two 
of 
these 
countries-Russia 
and 
Hou 
mania-are 
to 
a 
very 
large 
extent 
cut 
off 
from 
any 
exportation 
of 
foodstuffs 
by 
reason 
of 
the 
war 
situation. 
Accordingly 
we 
have 
been 
subjected 
to 
Rn 
insistent 
demand 
for 
('on~ider­ 
able 
portions 
of 
this 
supply 
for 
export, 
and 
under 
condition5 
such 
that 
we 
could 
not 
well 
refuse 
to 
let 
it 
go. 
SITl1A'.rION 
MOST 
THREATENING 
KNOWN 
"It 
is 
unneeessary 
to 
dilate 
upon 
the 
<cally 
appalling 
,pri­ 
ousness 
of 
the 
situation-a 
situation 
so 
threatening 
that 
no 
one 
now 
living 
in 
a 
civilized 
country 
has 
ever 
known 
its 
like. 
On 
the 
basis 
of 
the 
most 
trustworthy 
statistics-and 
estimates 
obtainable, 
we 
have 
been 
forced 
to 
the 
conclusion 
that, 
with 
every 
l'levator 
in 
the 
world 
drained 
of 
its 
'Contents, 
with 
every 
bin 
and 
crib 
in 
the 
world 
scraped 
to 
the 
bottom, 
the 
world'~ 
supply 
of 
the 
grains 
usable 
for 
human 
food, 
whether 
directl~· 
or 
in 
the 
form 
of 
meat, 
not 
only 
would 
not 
suffice 
to 
meet 
the 
requirements 
of 
the 
unblockaded 
countries 
from 
April 
to 
August, 
but 
would 
fall 
130,000,000 
bushels 
short 
of 
those 
re­ 
quirements. 
H\Vith 
the 
severest 
restriction 
of 
their 
consumption 
by 
multitudcs 
of 
people 
somewhere, 
the 
last 
weeks 
of 
the 
period 
must 
be 
weeks 
of 
positive 
privation 
in 
some 
or 
all 
of 
the 
countries 
affected; 
and, 
except 
by 
chance 
hpre 
and 
thcre, 
not 
a 
bushel 
of 
these 
grains 
would 
remain 
at 
the 
end 
of 
the 
present 
crop 
year 
to 
serve 
as 
a 
surplus 
to 
supplement 
any 
possible 
deficiencies 
of 
the 
production 
of 
the 
commg- 
year. 
FAMINE 
THREATENS 
PREMATURE 
AHD 
INCONCLUSIVE 
PEAOB 
"The 
case 
prescntcd 
by 
the 
International 
Institute 
of 
Agri­ 
culture, 
was 
by 
no 
means 
as 
bad 
as 
the 
actual 
facts. 
In 
itH 
calculations 
the 
Institute 
undoubtedly 
assumed 
that 
the 
winter 
wheat 
crop 
of 
the 
United 
States 
would 
be 
at 
least 
of 
normal 
size, 
as 
its 
acreage 
was 
record-breaking 
and 
it 
was 
not 
known, 
even 
as 
late 
as 
the 
end 
of 
March, 
that 
the 
avcrage 
condition 
of 
the 
growing 
crop 
had 
been 
extensively 
impaired. 
When. 
however, 
the 
Department 
of 
Agriculture, 
on 
April 
7, 
estimated 
the 
condition 
of 
the 
crop 
at 
practically 
23 
,Per 
cent. 
lower 
than 
the 
past 
ten 
year's 
average, 
and 
indicative 
of 
a 
production 
of 
only 
430.000.000 
bushels 
of 
winter 
wheat, 
as 
compareli. 
with 
481,744,000 
bushels 
last 
year 
and 
673,947,000 
bushels 
in 
1!l15, 
it 
was 
seen 
at 
a 
glance 
that 
but 
an 
infinitesimal 
chance 
re­ 
mained 
that 
the 
total 
wheat 
production 
of 
the 
United 
States 
in 
11117 
would 
even 
fairly 
come 
up 
to 
onr 
own 
normal 
re- 
[8107] 
Junge 15, 1917 The more I scrutinize paragraph 3, the more-am I convinced that divine wisdom guided in the insertion of that clause. There is an unfathomed mine of truth and wisdom in those words. Some day in the Lord’s providence I hope to tome up to the standard there set forth. A retrospective view convinces me of the need of scrutinizing carefully one’s thoughts, words and acts. All these helps are beneficial to the new creature in his efforts to be conformed to the image of God’s dear Son, by the renewing of the mind. Praying Jehovah’s blessing on the Bethel Family, and in the fellowship of his Sca and the saints, I remain Your brother in Christ, Ernest H. WALKER.—Ont. HEAVENLY FATHER’S WISDOM MANIFESTED Deag BRETHREN IN CHRIST:— Our heavenly Father has, in his infinite wisdom, seen fit to call our beloved Pastor to his long-needed rest. Most naturally we now turn our attention, our sympathies and our prayers toward THe Watcn Tower and the déar brethren upon whose shoulders has fallen the responsibility of carrying on the work from which our Brother Russell has been taken, and that of the I. B. S. A. in general. We have felt that we could see significance and wisdom in the expressed wish of our Pastor, several years ago; namely, that THe Tower be regarded as the Lord’s servant, rather than himself. The earnest, heartfelt prayers of our class, dear Brethren, are being offered up to the God of all THE WATUH TOWER (178-195) grace on your behalf and on that of the tender interests of the Lord’s “little flock,” scattered throughout the world. ‘The Eternal God is our refuge; and underneath are the Everlasting Arms.” Shall we not “speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward?” May we not prove henceforth that our dear Pastor has succeeded in accomplishing the greatest desire and effort of his life-work—the leading of all truth-hungry hearts coming under his influence to Christ and the Bible instead of to himself? Your brethren in Christ, WaAuKESHA ECCLESIA.—W1s. HASTENING COMPLETION OF BRIDE OF CHRIST DeaR BRETHREN IN THE Lorp:— We convey to you and all the dear volaborers our mutual sympathy in the passing of our beloved Pastor from his labors of love in the flesh to a full realization of that divine, immortal nature which awaits those who have made their calling and election sure. Our sorrow is turned into gladness ag we realize that he whom we have every reason to believe was true and faithful has passed beyond the veil, thus hastening the completion of the “bride of Christ,” who will soon rejoice with her Lord in bringing deliverance to all the captivea of death. We assure you, dear brethren, of our hearty co-operation in all your efforts and labors of love, trusting that whatever is done in thought, word or deed may be done with an eye single to the honor and glory of God. With Christian love, MeaAForD Ecc.ps1a.—Canada, PICTURES OF BROTHER RUSSELL FOR CLASSES September 10 last, about two months before Brother Russell’s death, Brother Mitchell, of Los Angeles, made some photographs of Brother Russell which have been much appreciated by those who have seen them. Brother Mitchell now advises us that he desires to present each class of the INTERNATONAL BIBLE STUDENT’s ASS’N with one of these photographs, provided the class is organized and has a definite meeting-place. All requests must be sent by the Class Secretary, and addressed to the Warck Tower BIBLE AND ‘TRACT Soorrrr, Brooklyn, N. ¥Y. The picture is a splendid likeness. Von. XXXVI BROOKLYN, N. Y., JULY 1, 1917 No. 13 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER ‘“‘WHAT SHALL BE THE SIGN OF THY PRESENCE?”’ “AND THERE SHALL BE FAMINES’’ One of the leading economists in the United States, Arthur R. Marsh, recently wrote in the NV. Y. City World regarding the earth’s food supply as follows (the article speaks for itself) : “If there be any virtue in publicity, the people of this country are now completely informed of the seriousness of the present and prospective food situation throughout the world. it may perhaps be doubted, however, whether they have as yet really passed from the stage of intellectual apperception of the facts to that of personal realization of what these facts will ultimately mean for themselves as individuals. “The people of the United States have to face, certainly for the coming twelvemonth, and in all probability for more than one year thereafter, a condition of things with respect to their supply of food the like of which has not been seen on the North American Continent since its earliest colonization by the white race, unless exception perhaps be made of the first winter of the Pilgrim Fathers. GREAT DRAIN UPON OUR OWN GRAIN STOCKS “The American crop season of 1916 was relatively one of the most unpropitious experienced in this country within the memory of any persons now Jiving, Two of our major food crops, wheat and potatoes, were short of a comfortable provision for our own population; a third food crop, corn, fell three or four hundred millions of bushels below the aggregate of the natural domestic demands upon it. The production of vegetables was scanty in proportion to our own needs, Of only two or three of the minor crops could it be said that they gave a full yield. Taking all our crops together and adding to them the food reserves brought forward from the previous year or years, the total food supply for the crop season 1916-1917 was a close fit against our domestic requirements for consumption, seed and carry-over, and afforded nothing in the way of a surplus out of which a reasonable amount of exports could be drawn. “With such a crop out-turn for 1916 in the United States for the period up to the harvesting of the crop of 1917 it was obvious that the important food-importing countries af the world should look elsewhere than to us for their supplies. This, however, was not to be; on the contrary, the needs of these countries are greater than ever before, while the production of the other food-exporting countries has been disastrously smal? in comparison with that of recent normal years, while at least two of these countries—Russia and Rou mania—are to a very large extent cut off from any exportation of foodstuffs by reason of the war situation. Accordingly we have been subjected to an insistent demand for considerable portions of this supply for export, and under conditions such that we could not well refuse to let it go. SITUATION MOST THREATENING KNOWN “It is unnecessary to dilate upon the .eally appalling -eriousness of the situation—a situation so threatening that no one now living in a civilized country has ever known its like. On the basis of the most trustworthy statistics and estimates obtainable, we have been forced to the conclusion that, with every elevator in the world drained of its-contents, with every bin and crib in the world scraped to the bottom, the world’s supply of the grains usable for human food, whether directly or in the form of meat, not only would not suffice to meet the requirements of the unblockaded countries from April to August, but would fall 130,000,000 bushels short of those requirements, “With the severest restriction of their consumption by multitudes of people somewhere, the last weeks of the period must be weeks of positive privation in some or all of the countries affected; and, except by chance here and there, not a bushel of these grains would remain at the end of the present crop year to serve as a surplus to supplement any possible deficiencies of the production of the coming year. FAMINE THREATENS PREMATURE AND INCONCLUSIVE “The case presented by the International Institute of Agriculture, was by no means as bad as the actual facts. In its calculations the Institute undoubtedly assumed that the winter wheat crop of the United States would be at least of normal size, as its acreage was record-breaking and it was not known, even as late as the end of March, that the average condition of the growing crop had been extensively impaired. When. however, the Department of Agriculture, on April 7, estimated the condition of the crop at practically 23 per cent. lower than the past ten year’s average, and indicative of a production of only 430,000.000 bushels of winter wheat, as compared with 481,744,000 bushels last year and 673,947,000 bushels in 1915, it was seen at a glance that but an infinitesimal chance remained that the total wheat production of the United States in J917 would even fairly come up to our own normal re [6107]

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