Publication date
7/15/17
Volume
38
Number
14
The WatchTower
Our "Blessed Hope"
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1917/14/1917-14-1.html
 
 
 
 
(207-212) 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BROOl<~YN. 
N. 
Y. 
widow 
for 
three 
years 
and 
I 
need 
your 
prayers, 
and 
be 
:lS­ 
sured 
you 
have 
mine 
daily. 
Let 
us 
go 
on 
with 
this 
grand 
work 
until, 
like 
our 
Pastor. 
Wl' 
hear 
the 
sweet 
words. 
"Well 
done." 
::\lay 
we 
be 
just 
as 
well 
prepared 
as 
he 
was, 
nnd 
I 
feel 
all 
will 
go 
well 
for 
us. 
I 
am 
always 
so 
glad 
to 
hear 
from 
the 
Bethel 
Home. 
PlPase 
pardon 
m" 
for 
taking 
so 
much 
of 
your 
timl', 
but 
I 
feel 
as 
if 
I 
must 
tell 
you 
a 
little 
of 
my 
life 
experience~, 
and 
how 
I 
came 
into 
present 
trnth. 
It 
was 
just 
a 
short 
time 
before 
my 
ll1l"band's 
death-allout 
It 
w,'ck, 
1 
suppose. 
\"'(. 
were 
in 
the 
South 
for 
my 
husband's 
health. 
when 
one 
day 
a 
book 
agent 
carne 
to 
my 
house. 
1 
would 
not 
talk 
to 
hiJh 
at 
first, 
but 
I 
saw 
th" 
title 
"\VAT{'I! 
TOWF.R" 
on 
a 
pap"r 
in 
hi, 
pocket. 
llnd 
imm"diately 
l)('('ame 
interestl'd, 
heeause 
sevpra 
I 
years 
before 
I 
had 
seen 
and 
read 
some 
of 
them, 
but 
could 
never 
get 
any 
more. 
We 
bought 
thl' 
hooks 
and 
my 
husband 
would 
have 
me 
read 
to 
him 
from 
them. 
He 
did 
not 
live 
more 
than 
one 
week 
afterwards. 
So 
I 
have 
found 
a 
great 
deal 
of 
comfort 
from 
the 
books. 
The 
man 
who 
sold 
to 
me 
was 
a 
dear, 
good 
pilgrim. 
He 
came 
hack 
to 
our 
house 
when 
he 
heard 
of 
mv 
husband's 
death, 
and 
gave 
a 
lecture, 
and 
1 
found 
more 
reli~f 
from 
the 
sweet, 
simple 
story, 
the 
way 
he 
told 
it, 
than 
ever 
before; 
and 
I 
have 
bl'en 
tried 
as 
by 
fire 
since 
coming 
into 
the 
light. 
But 
the 
truth 
"tands 
out 
as 
maje,tically 
as 
the 
cliffs 
along 
the 
shor" 
that 
ar" 
lush"d 
hy 
the 
wavcs. 
\Vh"n 
the 
furious 
storms 
abat<', 
the 
cliffs 
lIre 
th"re 
just 
th" 
same. 
So 
it 
is 
with 
,ne; 
wh"n 
my 
people 
and 
my 
friends 
t11TH 
me 
down, 
the 
truth 
~tands 
there 
just 
as 
plain 
as 
ever, 
ani! 
I 
can 
say, 
"Why 
cau 
1 
hey 
not 
spe. 
too?" 
Oh, 
what 
a 
joy 
to 
know 
1 
hat 
I 
have 
com" 
from 
(hrkness 
into 
,lay! 
God 
bless 
you 
and 
keep 
you 
ali, 
i< 
the 
prayer 
of 
Your 
humble 
servant, 
MRS. 
A~NA 
BROCKWELL-Mo. 
VOl 
•. 
XXXVTIr 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
.JULY 
15, 
1917 
No. 
14 
OUR 
"BLESSED 
HOPE" 
"Waiting 
for 
that 
blessed 
hope, 
even 
the 
appearing 
of 
the 
glory 
of 
our 
great 
God 
and 
Savior 
Jesus 
Christ."-Titus 
2:13.­ 
Diaglott. 
St. 
Paul 
here 
speaks 
the 
sentiment 
of 
his 
own 
heart 
and 
the 
importance 
of 
seeing 
that 
our 
hope 
has 
a 
sure 
founda- 
that 
of 
every 
truly 
consecrated 
child 
of 
God 
who 
is 
waiting 
tion. 
Many 
who 
C'laim 
to 
bc 
Christians 
say, 
"We 
hope 
to 
go 
for 
the 
full 
consummation 
of 
his 
hope 
and 
for 
the 
appearing 
to 
heav"n"; 
yet 
they 
are 
filled 
with 
fear 
and 
superstition. 
Th7 
of 
the 
Lord 
Jesus 
Christ, 
that 
he 
might 
be 
with 
him 
forever 
in 
have 
no 
desire 
for 
the 
seC'Ond 
coming 
of 
the 
Lord 
and 
his 
glory. 
Hope 
and 
faith 
are 
inseparably 
allied, 
for 
there 
can 
glorious 
revealment. 
Thf'y 
do 
not 
possess 
that 
blessed 
hl>P<' 
be 
no 
real 
hope 
without 
a 
well-grounded 
faith. 
which 
yearns 
for 
the 
('oming 
of 
the 
day 
wh"n 
they 
shall 
see 
Hope 
means 
a 
hen 
desire 
for 
a 
good 
thing, 
with 
the 
ex- 
him 
face 
to 
face. 
The 
rl'asl>n 
for 
this 
is 
that 
what 
hope' 
they 
pecta.tion 
of 
reCl'iving 
that 
thing, 
and 
with 
the 
belief 
that 
have 
is 
based 
upon 
crf'dulity, 
and 
not 
upon 
faith. 
when 
received 
it 
will 
afford 
great 
joy 
and 
pleasure. 
We 
do 
A 
hope 
that 
is 
based 
upon 
credulity 
merely 
has 
the 
word 
not 
hope 
for 
a 
thing- 
which 
we 
do 
not 
wish, 
but 
for 
that 
which 
or 
opinion 
of 
another 
as 
to 
what 
the 
future 
holds. 
A 
hope 
we 
greatly 
dCllire. 
There 
must 
be, 
however, 
a 
sound 
basis 
for 
that 
is 
based 
upon 
faith 
has 
the 
unimpeachable 
promise 
of 
that 
hope; 
for 
without 
some 
sure 
foundation 
upon 
which 
to 
the 
everlasting 
God 
that 
the 
things 
for 
which 
the 
Christian 
build 
there 
could 
be 
no 
continuing, 
abiding 
hope 
of 
receiv- 
hopes 
are 
absolutely 
cf'ftain 
if 
he 
l'ontinues 
faithful 
unto 
th" 
ing 
the 
good 
thing. 
end. 
What 
is 
it 
that 
all 
intelligent 
creatures 
mQst 
desire? 
llEGINlIIING 
OF 
OUR 
HOPE 
All 
will 
answer, 
"Life 
('verlasting 
in 
a 
state 
of 
perfect 
happi- 
Since 
no 
one 
can 
have 
hope 
without 
faith, 
80 
none 
can 
ness." 
Yet 
there 
might 
be 
a 
stronO' 
df'sire 
for 
life, 
and 
no 
have 
faith 
without 
knowledge. 
"FRith 
cometh 
by 
hearing, 
and 
hope 
whatever 
of 
re"eiving 
it. 
But 
in 
due 
time 
all 
will 
have 
hearing 
by 
the 
Word 
of 
('rl)d." 
It 
therefore 
fol1()ws 
that 
the 
an 
opportunity 
to 
obtain 
liff' 
f'verlasting. 
one 
who 
knows 
not 
of 
God 
cannot 
have 
the 
blessed 
hope 
men- 
THE 
HOPE 
SET 
BEFORE 
THE 
CHRISTIAN 
tioned 
by 
St. 
Paul 
in 
our 
text. 
The 
Apostle 
points 
out 
our 
For 
what 
great 
thing, 
then, 
do 
we 
now 
as 
children 
of 
original 
condition, 
and 
then 
shows 
us 
how 
we 
arl'o 
led. 
to 
~his 
God 
hope? 
What 
do 
we 
ex 
peel, 
to 
receive? 
And 
to 
what 
blessed 
hope. 
"Wherefore, 
remember 
that 
ye 
bemg- 
10 
time 
are 
we 
looking 
forward 
with 
rejl>ieing? 
Is 
it 
that 
we 
might 
past 
Gentiles 
in 
t.he 
flesh, 
who 
are 
cRIled 
uneircumcision 
by 
wield 
a 
golden 
sceptre 
and 
exercise 
power 
over 
others? 
that 
which 
is 
ealled 
the 
circumcision 
in 
the 
flesh 
made 
by 
Xo; 
for 
that 
would 
be 
selfi~h 
ambition. 
Is 
it 
that 
we 
might 
hands. 
that 
at 
that 
time 
ye 
were 
without 
Christ, 
being' 
aliens 
be 
like 
unto 
tbe 
angels? 
Ko; 
for 
we 
are 
not 
called 
to 
that 
from 
the 
commonwealth 
of 
Israel, 
and 
strangers 
from 
the 
COVf'- 
pi>8ition. 
Or 
that 
we 
might 
Il"et 
away 
from 
this 
earth 
and 
nants 
of 
promise, 
hll.ving 
no 
hope, 
and 
withl>ut 
G<ld 
in 
t.he 
world; 
thus 
see 
greater 
things 
than 
obhers 
of 
GOO's 
human 
creatures 
but 
now 
in 
Christ 
.Jesus 
ve 
who 
sometime 
were 
afar 
off 
ltre 
see? 
Could 
any 
such 
hope 
inspire 
with 
zeal 
and 
love 
and 
made 
nigh 
by 
the 
blood 
of 
Christ."-Ephesians 
2: 
11-13. 
willingness 
t~ 
sacrifice 
everything 
else 
to 
obtain 
it? 
Without 
The 
hope 
of 
the 
Christill.n 
is 
progressive. 
First 
he 
has 
the 
one 
great 
thing" 
for 
which 
we 
really 
hope, 
all 
othf'r 
things 
the 
desire 
to 
live 
everlastingly. 
He 
hears 
the 
words 
of 
Jesus, 
would 
fail 
of 
accomplishment. 
saying', 
"I 
am 
the 
Way, 
bhe 
Truth 
and 
the 
Life; 
no 
man 
Standing 
as 
we 
are 
today 
in 
the 
very 
Ill.st 
hours 
of 
the 
cometh 
unto 
the 
Father 
but 
by 
me" 
(John 
14:6) 
; 
and, 
"This 
Gospel 
age-a 
fearful 
and 
wonderful 
time 
in 
which 
to 
live-- 
is 
life 
everlasting, 
that 
they 
might 
know 
thee, 
the 
only 
true 
and 
looking 
back 
over 
the 
way 
we 
have 
traveled, 
we 
as 
chil- 
God, 
and 
,Jesus 
Christ, 
whl>m 
thou 
hast 
aent." 
(John 
17:3) 
dren 
of 
God.do 
well 
now 
to 
pause 
and 
with 
sobriety 
of 
mind 
This 
knowledge 
gained 
frl>m 
the 
Word 
inspires 
a 
hope 
that 
he 
ask, 
Why 
do 
we 
find 
ourselves 
in 
our 
present 
position? 
Be· 
might 
attain 
unto 
this 
life. 
hind 
us 
we 
have 
left 
earthly 
homes, 
earthly 
friends, 
earthly 
The 
hope 
of 
many 
is 
that 
they 
may 
escape 
et<'rnal 
tor- 
hopes 
and 
prospects, 
earthly 
-ambitions 
and 
desires. 
What 
ment. 
Such 
is 
not 
the 
Christian's 
hope. 
That 
could 
not 
be 
is 
the 
reason 
1 
With 
one 
aceord 
we 
answer, 
Because 
of 
the 
a 
hope 
attended 
with 
joy 
such 
as 
is 
contemplated 
by 
the 
text. 
blessed 
hope 
that 
is 
set 
before 
us. 
And 
what 
is 
this 
hope? 
It 
Ha.ving 
now 
gained 
some 
knowledge 
of 
the 
way 
leading 
to 
is 
that 
we 
might 
have 
life 
everlasting 
on 
th1'l 
divine 
plane; 
that 
life, 
such 
an 
one 
begins 
to 
prog-ress 
in 
hope; 
and 
to 
him 
the 
we 
might 
see 
and 
be 
like 
Jesus, 
who 
redeemed 
us 
from 
death 
Apostle 
says, 
"This 
is 
the 
promise 
that 
he 
hath 
promised 
us, 
and 
called 
us 
out 
of 
darkness 
into 
the 
glorious 
light; 
and 
that 
even 
eternal 
life." 
(l 
John 
2:2/)) 
Thus 
the 
searcher 
for 
we 
might 
behold 
Jehovah 
in 
his 
grandeur, 
receive 
his 
loving 
truth 
seee 
that 
eternal 
life 
is 
promised 
to 
some. 
He 
may 
ask, 
smile 
and 
hear 
his 
words 
of 
approval. 
Why 
do 
not 
all 
have 
life 
everlasting? 
The 
Scriptures 
answer, 
If 
we 
ha.ve 
such 
a 
hope 
as 
this, 
there 
must 
be 
good 
rea- 
Because 
death-the 
absence 
of 
life-is 
the 
penalty 
for 
sin; 
SOil 
for 
it. 
How 
could 
imperfect 
creatures 
such 
as 
we 
dare 
our 
first 
parent 
brought 
this 
penalty 
upon 
ns 
by 
disobedience; 
have 
so 
wonderful 
a 
hope? 
It 
is 
not 
llecause 
there 
is 
merit 
and 
br 
inheritance 
we 
are 
all 
now 
imperfect. 
Our 
present 
in 
us 
deserving 
of 
such 
great 
fayor, 
but 
because 
God 
in 
his 
hope 
IS 
inspired 
by 
the 
fact 
that 
Jehova.h, 
tnrough 
Ohrist 
loving-kindness 
has 
made 
provi13ion 
that 
we 
might 
have 
this 
Jesus, 
has 
made 
provision 
for 
the 
satisfaction 
of 
that 
one 
of- 
wonderful 
blessing, 
because 
he 
has 
promised 
it 
to 
those 
who 
fense 
of 
Father 
Adam's. 
"For 
if 
by 
one 
man's 
offense 
death 
exercise 
faith 
in 
his 
great 
arrangement 
and 
who 
strive 
with 
reigned 
by 
one, 
much 
more 
they 
which 
receive 
abundance 
of 
joyful 
hearts 
to 
obey 
his 
rule 
and 
comply 
with 
the 
terms 
that 
grace 
and 
()f 
the 
gift 
of 
rightrousness 
shall 
reign 
in 
life 
by 
lead 
to 
a 
consummation 
of 
such 
a 
hope. 
Therefore 
the 
basis 
one, 
Jesus 
Christ. 
Therefore, 
as 
by 
the 
offense 
of 
one 
judg- 
for 
that 
hope 
is 
faith 
in 
the 
exceeding 
great 
and 
precious 
ment 
came 
upon 
all 
men 
to 
condemnation, 
even 
so 
by 
the 
promises 
of 
GOO, 
righteousness 
of 
one 
the 
free 
Il"ift 
came 
upon 
all 
men 
unto 
The 
Apostle 
Paul 
ad 
vises 
us 
that 
"faith 
is 
the 
basis 
of 
justification 
of 
Iife."-Rom. 
5: 
17, 
] 
8. 
things 
hoped 
for, 
the 
evidence 
of 
things 
not 
seen." 
There 
SUOH 
A 
HOPE 
DEPENDENT 
UPON 
CONDITIONS 
might 
be 
a 
hope 
based 
upon 
v~ue 
and 
uncerta.in 
testimony, 
but 
sooh 
a 
hope 
would 
not 
bring 
joy; 
for 
it 
would 
not 
bring 
VrlIile 
Jehovah 
has 
made 
provision 
that 
all 
who 
are 
full 
assurance 
of 
receiving 
that 
for 
which 
we 
hoped. 
Hence 
obedient 
to 
his 
law 
may 
live 
everlastingly 
upon 
some 
plane, 
yet 
[6114] 
(207-212) widow for three years and I need your prayers, and be assured you have mine daily. Let us go on with this grand work until, like our Pastor, we hear the sweet words, “Well done.” May we be just as well prepared as he was, and I feel all will go well for us. I am always so glad to hear from the Bethel Home. Please pardon me for taking so much of your time, but I fee] as if I must tell you a little of my life experiences, and how I came into present truth. It was just a short time before my hushand’s death—ahout a week, 1 suppose. We were in the South for my husband’s health, when one day a book agent came to my house. [ would not talk to him at first, but I saw the tithe “Warcn ‘Towrr” on a paper in his pocket, and immediately became interested, hecause several years before I had seen and read some of them, but could never get any more. We bought the hooks and my husband would have me Vou. XXXVIIT THE WATCH TOWER BROOKLYN, N. Y., JULY 15, 1917 Brooxiyn, N. Y. read to him from them. He did not live more than one week afterwards. So I have found a great deal of comfort from the books. The man who sold to me was a dear, good pilgrim. We came back to our house when he heard of my husband’s death, and gave a lecture, and I found more relief from the sweet, simple story, the way he told it, than ever before; and I have been tried as by fire since coming into the light. But the truth stands out as majestically as the cliffs along the shore that are lashed hy the waves. When the furious storms abate, the cliffs are there just the same. So it is with me; when my people and my friends turn me down, the truth stands there just as plain as ever, and I can say, “Why can they not gee, too?" Oh, what a joy to know that I have come from darkness inte day! God bless you and keep you ali, is the prayer of Your humble servant, Mrs, ANNA BROCKWELL.—Mo. No. 14 OUR “BLESSED HOPE” ‘‘Waiting for that blessed hope, even the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.’’—Titus 2:13— Diaglott. St. Paul here speaks the sentiment of his own heart and that of every truly consecrated child of God who is waiting for the full consummation of his hope and for the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ, that he might be with him forever in glory. Hope and faith are inseparably allied, for there can be no real hope without a well-grounded faith. Hope means a keen desire for a good thing, with the expectation of receiving that thing, and with the belief that when received it will afford great joy and pleasure. We do not hope for a thing which we do not wish, but for that which we greatly desire. There must be, however, a sound basis for that hope; for without some sure foundation upon which to build there could be no continuing, abiding hope of receiving the good thing. What is it that all intelligent creatures most desire? All will answer, “Life everlasting in a state of perfect happiness.” Yet there might be a strong desire for life, and no hope whatever of receiving it. But in due time all will have an opportunity to obtain life everlasting. THE HOPE SET BEFORE THE CHRISTIAN For what great thing, then, do we now as children of God hope? What do we expect to receive? And to what are we looking forward with rejoicing? Is it that we might wield a golden sceptre and exercise power over others? No; for that would be selfish ambition. Is it that we might be like unto the angels? No; for we are not called to that position. Or that we might get away from this earth and thus see greater things than others of God’s human creatures see? Could any such hope inspire with zeal and love and willingness to sacrifice everything else to obtain it? Without the one great thing for which we really hope, all other things would fail of accomplishment. Standing as we are today in the very last hours of the Gospel age—a fearful and wonderful time in which to live— and looking back over the way we have traveled, we as children of God.do well now to pause and with sobriety of mind ask, Why do we find ourselves in our present position? Behind us we have left earthly homes, earthly friends, earthly hopes and prospects, earthly ambitions and desires. What is the reason? With one accord we answer, Because of the blessed hope that is set before us. And what is this hope? It is that we might have life everlasting on the divine plane; that we might see and be like Jesus, who redeemed us from death and called us out of darkness into the glorious light; and that we might behold Jehovah in his grandeur, receive his loving smile and hear his words of approval. Tf we have such a hope as this, there must be good reason for it. How could imperfect creatures such as we dare have so wonderful a hope? It is not because there is merit in us deserving of such great favor, but because God in his loving-kindness has made provision that we might have this wonderful blessing, because he has promised it to those who exercise faith in his great arrangement and who strive with joyful hearts to obey his rule and comply with the terms that lead to a consummation of such a hope. Therefore the basis for that hope is faith in the exceeding great and precious promises of God. The Apostle Paul advises us that “faith is the basis of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” There might be a hope based upon vague and uncertain testimony, but such a hope would not bring joy; for it would not bring full assurance of receiving that for which we hoped, Hence the importance of seeing that our hope has a sure foundation. Many who claim to be Christians say, “We hope to go to heaven”; yet they are filled with fear and superstition. They have no desire for the second coming of the Lord and his glorious revealment. They do not possess that blessed hope which yearns for the coming of the day when they shall see him face to face. The reason for this is that what hope‘ they have is based upon credulity, and not upon faith. A hope that is based upon credulity merely has the word or opinion of another as to what the future holds. A_ hope that is based upon faith has the unimpeachable promise of the everlasting God that the things for which the Christian hopes are absolutely certain if he continues faithful unto the end. BEGINNING OF OUR HOPE Since no one can have hope without faith, so none can have faith without knowledge. “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” It therefore follows that the one who knows not of God cannot have the blessed hope mentioned by St. Paul in our text. The Apostle points out our original condition, and then shows us how we are led to this blessed hope. “Wherefore, remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the cireumcision in the flesh made by hands. that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world; but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometime were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”—Ephesians 2:11-13. The hope of the Christian is progressive, Firat he has the desire to live everlastingly. He hears the words of Jesus, saying, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6); and, “This is life everlasting, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) This knowledge gained from the Word inspires a hope that he might attain unto this life. The hope of many is that they may escape eternal torment. Such is not the Christian’s hope. That could nat be a hope attended with joy such as is contemplated by the text. Having now gained some knowledge of the way leading to life, such an one begins to progreas in hope; and to him the Apostle says, “This is the promise that he hath promised us. even eternal life” (1 Tobn 2:25) Thus the searcher for truth seeg that eternal life is promised to some. He may ask, Why do not all have life everlasting? The Scriptures anawer, Because death—the absence of life—is the penalty for sin; our first parent brought this penalty upon us by disobedience; and by inheritance we are all now imperfect. Our present hope 1s inspired by the fact that Jéhovah, through Ohrist Jesus, has made provision for the satisfaction of that one offense of Father Adam’s. “For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.’—Rom, 5:17, 18. SUCH A HOPE DEPENDENT UPON CONDITIONS While Jehovah has made provision that all who are obedient to his law may live everlastingly upon some plane, yet [6114]

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