Publication date
10/15/17
Volume
38
Number
20
The WatchTower
Proper and improper judgment of ourselves and others
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1917/20/1917-20-1.html
 
 
 
(303-307) 
TIlE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BIIOOKI.YN. 
N. 
Y. 
"I 
am 
proceeding 
to 
put 
IU 
shape 
my 
alfairs 
in 
order 
to 
1'11­ 
gage 
in 
this 
latest 
lAlrd's 
work 
as 
the 
way 
may 
open 
to 
me. 
I 
shall 
truly 
be 
very 
sorry 
and 
ashamed 
if 
I 
miss 
the 
chariot 
when 
it 
ascends."-Sr. 
S., 
N. 
J. 
"The 
tt 
. 
.."timony 
meeting 
last 
Sunday 
afternoon 
was 
about 
75% 
Seventh 
Volume 
testimony. 
If 
anyone 
present 
then 
eould 
not 
see 
it 
is 
the 
Seventh 
Volume, 
he 
was 
dumb 
as 
well 
as 
blind."-E. 
H. 
1'., 
D. 
C 
. 
INTERESTING 
LETTERS 
CONVINCED 
THE 
LORD 
MADE 
NO 
MIS'fAXE 
Sept. 
9th, 
1917. 
DEAR 
BRIITIlREN:- 
Greetings 
in 
our 
dear 
Lord! 
Just 
a 
few 
lines 
to 
telI 
you 
of 
my 
full 
heart 
sympathy 
and 
loyal 
Bupport 
in 
these 
times 
of 
stress 
upon 
the 
church 
in 
general, 
and 
particularly 
upon 
our 
dear 
President, 
who 
is 
so 
nobly 
and 
faithfully 
standing 
for 
truth 
and 
right. 
The 
kindly 
way 
in 
which 
he 
has 
spoken 
of 
the 
opposing 
brethren 
during 
each 
and 
all 
of 
the 
series 
of 
conventions 
tlll~ 
year 
has 
been 
a 
grand 
inspiration 
to 
me 
!lnd 
a 
wonderful 
lesson 
in 
brotherly 
love. 
Of 
him 
1 
can 
now 
truth­ 
fully 
say 
in 
the 
words 
of 
St. 
Paul 
to 
the 
Philippian 
church, 
"1 
thank 
my 
God 
upon 
every 
remembrance 
of 
you." 
I 
was 
so 
glad 
to 
receive 
HARVEST 
SIFTINGS 
and 
to 
know 
exactly 
how 
conditions 
are. 
One 
little 
thing 
was 
cleared 
up 
which 
has 
beE-n 
rather 
a 
mystery 
to 
me 
for 
over 
a 
year. 
J 
wondered 
why, 
when 
one 
of 
the 
now 
opposing 
brethren 
WIlS 
in 
Vancouver 
on 
a 
pilgrim 
visit 
in 
1916, 
he 
should 
have 
spoken 
so 
strangely 
about 
Brother 
Rutherford 
and 
Brother 
Van 
Am­ 
burgh. 
He 
stated 
at 
my 
table 
that 
whenever 
Brother 
Russell 
was 
away 
for 
any 
length 
of 
time, 
he 
invariably, 
upon 
his 
re­ 
turn, 
would 
be 
called 
upon 
to 
straighten 
out 
tangles 
at 
Bethel, 
doctrinally 
or 
otherwise, 
caused 
by 
Brothers 
Rutherford 
and 
Van 
Amburgh. 
I 
believed 
it 
then, 
coming 
as 
it 
did 
from 
one 
of 
the 
SOCIETY'S 
officers. 
How 
could 
I 
reasonably 
doubt 
it? 
But 
now, 
with 
HARVES'f 
SIFTINGS 
in 
my 
hand, 
I 
see 
plainly 
the 
motive 
behind 
these 
remarks. 
It 
appears 
the 
brother 
was 
here 
doing 
what 
he 
had 
been 
engaged 
,in 
doing 
all 
through 
Canada-oommonly 
known 
'by 
the 
world 
as 
"knocking." 
Of 
course 
when 
the 
election 
took 
place 
last 
January 
I 
was 
greatly 
snrprised 
that 
without 
any 
effort 
on 
Brother 
Rutherford's 
part 
he 
was 
placed 
in 
the 
position 
of 
honor 
and 
trust 
which 
he 
now 
holds 
under 
the 
Lord-that 
of 
President 
of 
the 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BIBLE 
AND 
TRACT 
SOCIETY, 
which 
the 
lAlrd 
loves 
as 
the 
apple 
of 
his 
eye. 
I 
now 
see 
the 
wisdom 
of 
the 
Lord 
ill 
the 
whole 
matter, 
and 
am 
convinced 
that 
He 
made 
no 
mistake. 
I 
notice 
in 
the 
new 
pamphlet 
gotten 
out 
by 
the 
opposition 
they 
charge 
that 
the 
Bethel 
J!'amily 
and 
Pilgrims 
are 
staying 
by 
our 
President 
because 
thcy 
have 
been 
bribed. 
What 
an 
insult 
to 
the 
dear 
faithful 
friends 
at 
Bethel 
whom 
these 
brethren 
pretended 
to 
love 
~ 
As 
one 
of 
the 
traveling 
brethren 
I 
positively 
deny 
being 
bought 
or 
bribed. 
I 
should 
think 
it 
a 
very 
dangerous 
position 
to 
take-to 
freelv 
charge 
any 
of 
God'. 
elect 
with 
such 
a 
crime: 
• 
Dear 
Brother 
Rutherford 
i3 
personally 
the 
target 
for 
Satan's 
darts 
at 
this 
time, 
but 
he 
has 
the 
prayers 
of 
all 
true 
saints 
that 
he 
may 
"be 
strong 
and 
very 
coura!!"eous." 
By 
divine 
favor, 
I 
am, 
• 
'" 
Your 
brother 
in 
the 
truth, 
C. 
E. 
HEARD, 
Pilgrim. 
SOME 
WORDS 
OF 
ENOOlJ1U,GEMENT 
DEAR 
BRETHREN 
IN 
CHRIST:- 
THE 
TOWERS 
continue 
to 
be 
beautiful 
and 
inspiring; 
they 
seem 
just 
as 
stimulating 
and 
helpful 
as 
when 
our 
beloved 
Brother 
Russell 
was 
with 
us. 
There 
is 
one 
thing 
which 
has 
impressed 
me, 
one 
thing 
which 
marks 
this 
periodical 
as 
being 
of 
the 
lAlrd, 
namely, 
the 
absence 
of 
the 
ego, 
that 
personal 
element 
which 
is 
likely 
to 
engender 
sectarianisJP, 
and 
pride. 
The 
dear 
Lord 
will 
surely 
continue 
this 
"meat 
in 
due 
sea­ 
son" 
till 
the 
spiritual 
Israel 
are 
sealed 
and 
made 
meet 
for 
the 
glorious 
inheritance. 
Much 
love 
and 
best 
wishes. 
Yours 
in 
our 
dear 
Redeemer's 
name. 
FREDERICK 
LARDENT.-England. 
VOL. 
XXXVIII 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
OCTOBER 
15, 
1917 
No. 
20 
PROPER 
AND 
IMPROPER 
JUDGMENT 
OF 
OURSELVES 
AND 
OTHERS 
"If 
we 
would 
judge 
ourselves, 
we 
should 
not 
be 
judged. 
But 
when 
we 
are 
judged, 
we 
are 
chastened 
of 
the 
Lord, 
that 
we 
should 
not 
be 
condemned 
with 
the 
world.' 
'-1 
Corinthians 
11: 
31, 
32. 
In 
this 
text 
the 
Apostle 
seems 
to 
be 
saying 
that 
if 
we 
as 
severe 
chastisement. 
This 
might 
not 
come 
on 
the 
same 
day 
or 
Christians 
would 
properly 
criticise, 
examine 
and 
correct 
our- 
week 
or 
month, 
however, 
as 
the 
wrong-doing. 
But 
we 
may 
be 
selves, 
it 
would 
not 
be 
necessary 
for 
the 
Lord 
to 
take 
us 
in 
sure 
that 
if 
we 
fail 
to 
do 
right 
in 
the 
matter, 
the 
lAlrd 
will 
hand 
and 
give 
us 
disciplinary 
judgments, 
or 
criticisms. 
But 
take 
us 
in 
hand 
and 
give 
us 
-Borne 
kind 
of 
trying 
experienee 
if 
we 
fail 
to 
do 
this 
judging 
of 
ourselves, 
then 
the 
heavenly 
which 
will 
teach 
us 
the 
needed 
lesson. 
He 
may 
permit 
some­ 
Father 
must 
do 
it; 
for 
he 
has 
taken 
us 
into 
his 
family, 
under 
body 
to 
do 
something 
to 
us 
or 
to 
say 
something 
about 
us 
that 
his 
parental 
care. 
The 
object 
of 
this 
chastA!ning 
would 
not 
will 
show 
us 
wherein 
we 
have 
failed 
to 
do 
right. 
Or 
he 
may 
be 
to 
injure 
us, 
however, 
but 
to 
prevent 
our 
being 
condemned 
permit 
us 
to 
come 
into 
such 
a 
position 
that 
it 
will 
bring 
upon 
with 
the 
world. 
us 
some 
kind 
of 
disciplinary 
suffering. 
\Ve 
judge 
ourselves 
when 
we 
eriticise 
o'ur 
own 
conduct, 
our 
The 
object 
of 
this 
arrangement-that 
if 
we 
do 
not 
judge 
own 
words, 
our 
own 
actions, 
and 
try 
them 
by 
the 
principles 
or 
criticise 
ourselves, 
the 
Lord 
will 
do 
so-is 
that 
we 
shall 
which 
are 
found 
in 
the 
Bible--justice, 
mercy, 
and 
truth. 
As 
not 
come 
into 
condemnation 
with 
the 
world. 
During 
the 
next 
our 
Lord 
has 
taught 
us, 
if 
we 
find 
that 
we 
have 
done 
wrong 
age 
the 
race 
of 
mankind 
will 
be 
on 
trial, 
on 
judgment. 
(Acts 
to 
another, 
we 
should 
leave 
our 
sacrifice 
on 
the 
altar, 
and 
first 
17 
:31) 
If 
we 
were 
of 
the 
world, 
our 
judgment 
would 
come 
go 
to 
make 
apologies 
to 
our 
brother. 
(Matthew 
5:23) 
Thus 
then 
instead 
of 
now. 
But 
we 
are 
not 
of 
the 
world; 
for 
the 
we 
would 
be 
judging 
ourselves, 
obligating 
ourselves 
to 
do 
the 
Lord 
has 
ealled 
us 
out 
of 
it. 
We 
are 
new 
creatures 
in 
Christ, 
right 
thing. 
When 
we 
have 
done 
wrong, 
it 
is 
not 
enough 
to 
begotten 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
of 
God. 
In 
our 
case 
it 
may 
be 
say, 
"Yes 
I 
am 
wrong; 
but 
then, 
no 
one 
is 
perfect." 
To 
do 
the 
same 
now 
that 
it 
will 
be 
with 
tIle 
world 
in 
the 
future; 
so 
would 
Rot 
be 
to 
act 
in 
harmony 
with 
the 
spirit 
of 
our 
text. 
that 
is, 
we 
might 
be 
making 
marks 
upon 
our 
character 
which 
That 
spirit 
h 
that 
if 
we 
find 
ourselves 
to 
be 
in 
the 
wrong, 
then 
must 
be 
removed. 
If 
this 
is 
true, 
the 
Lord 
wiII 
discipline 
us 
we 
have 
a 
sacred 
duty 
to 
perform-we 
must 
make 
the 
ma,tter 
for 
their 
removal, 
unless 
we 
come 
to 
realize 
the 
situation 
and 
right, 
to 
the 
best 
of 
our 
ability. 
remove 
the 
marks 
ourselves. 
Otherwise 
we 
should 
not 
be 
fit 
If 
the 
wrong 
has 
been 
along 
tbe 
lines 
of 
uncharitable 
for 
the 
kingdom. 
In 
other 
words, 
if 
we 
belong 
to 
the 
church 
of 
thoughts 
toward 
anybody, 
it 
is 
not 
necessary 
that 
we 
go 
to 
Ohrist, 
we 
must 
receive 
our 
judgments 
and 
punishments 
now, 
that 
person 
and 
tell 
him 
about 
the 
matter. 
But 
we 
should 
during 
the 
prellent 
age. 
If 
we 
fail 
thus 
to 
chastise 
ourselves, 
remind 
ourselves 
of 
all 
the 
circumstances, 
and 
then 
judge 
()Ur· 
then 
the 
Lord 
will 
do 
so 
for 
our 
growth 
in 
holiness. 
selves, 
give 
ourselves 
a 
good 
setting·down. 
We 
are 
obligated 
JlJDGllIEJrT 
JlOT 
JlECESSABILY 
CONDBKNATION 
to 
give 
ourselves 
a 
lesson 
along 
this 
line. 
Thus 
we 
should 
\Ve 
very 
frequently 
use 
the 
words 
judgment 
and 
opinion 
manifest 
that 
our 
heart's 
intentions 
are 
right, 
and 
that 
we 
as 
synonyms, 
as 
expressing 
the 
same 
sentiment. 
A 
mILn's 
are, 
therefore, 
right 
at 
heart. 
opinion 
of 
a 
matter 
is 
his 
judgment 
upon 
the 
suboject. 
Whether 
We 
understand 
that 
the 
will 
of 
God 
concerning 
us 
is, 
that 
he 
expresses 
it 
to 
another 
or 
whether 
he 
keeps 
it 
to 
himself, 
we 
should 
judge 
ourselves. 
If 
we 
find 
that 
we 
have 
injured 
his 
judgment 
is 
his 
opinion. 
There 
may 
,be 
times 
when 
it 
another 
with 
our 
tongue, 
or 
in 
any 
other 
way, 
we 
should 
go 
would 
be 
proper 
for 
us 
to 
have 
an 
opinion, 
or 
judgment, 
that 
to 
that 
person 
and 
make 
proper 
apologies, 
thus 
setting 
matters 
we 
would 
not 
think 
it 
wise 
to 
express. 
For 
instance, 
our 
right. 
Then 
we 
should 
put 
upon 
ourselves 
a 
penalty 
that 
we 
Lord 
said 
to 
his 
disciples, 
"I 
have 
many 
things 
to 
tell 
you, 
shall 
not 
easily 
forget. 
If 
the 
paying 
of 
that 
penalty 
requires 
but 
ye 
cRJlnot 
bear 
them 
now." 
(John 
16:12) 
There 
were 
ce~· 
considerwble 
humility, 
so 
much 
thl! 
better. 
But 
if 
we 
neglect 
tain 
reasons 
why 
he 
withheld 
knowledge 
from 
them. 
So 
It 
to 
punish 
ourselves, 
we 
would 
thus 
demonstrate 
that 
we 
are 
might 
be 
with 
us. 
not 
in 
proper 
heart 
condition; 
and 
in 
that 
ease 
the 
best 
thing 
In 
the 
Scriptures 
the 
word 
judgment 
is 
sometimes 
used, 
in 
that 
could 
happen 
to 
UR 
would 
be 
for 
the 
lAlrd 
to 
give 
us 
a 
a 
special 
sense; 
namely 
in 
the 
sense 
of 
condemnation. 
This 
[6152] 
(303-307) “I am proceeding to put in shape my affairs in order to enage in this latest Lord’s work as the way may open to me. shall truly be very sorry and ashamed if I] miss the chariot when it ascends.”—-Sr. S., N. J THE WATCH TOWER Brooxiyn, N. Y. "The testimony meeting last Sunday afternoon was about 75% Seventh Volume testimony. If any one present then could not see it is the Seventh Volume, he was dumb as well as blind.’—E. H. T., D.C. INTERESTING LETTERS CONVINCED THE LORD MADE NO MISTAKE Sept. 9th, 1917. DEAR BRETHREN :— Greetings in our dear Lord! Just a few lines to tell you of my full heart sympathy and loyal support in these times of stress upon the church in general, and particularly upon our dear President, who is so nobly and faith*ully standing for truth and right. The kindly way in which he has spoken of the opposing brethren during each and all of the series of conventions this year has been a grand inspiration to me and a wonderful lesson in brotherly love. Of him I can now truthfully say in the words of St. Paul te the Philippian church, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” I was so glad to receive Harvest SirTines and to know exactly how conditions are. One little thing was cleared up which has been rather a mystery to me for over a year. I wondered why, when one of the now opposing brethren was in Vancouver on a pilgrim visit in 1916, he should have spoken so strangely about Brother Rutherford and Brother Van Amburgh. He stated at my table that whenever Brother Russell was away for any length of time, he invariably, upon his return, would be called upon to straighten out tangles at Bethel, doctrinally or otherwise, caused by Brothers Rutherford and Van Amburgh. I believed it then, coming as it did from one of the Socrery’s officers. How could I reasonably doubt it? But now, with Harvest Srrrines in my hand, I see plainly the motive behind these remarka. It appears the brother was here doing what he had been engaged in doing all through Canada—commonly known by the world as “knocking.” Of course when the election took place last January I was greatly surprised that without any effort on Brother Rutherford’s part he was placed in the position of honor and trust which he now holds under the Lord—that of President of the WaTcu Towrrk Biste Anp Tract Society, which the Lord loves as the apple of his eye. I now see the wisdom of the Lord in the whole matter, and am convinced that He made no mistake. I notice in the new pamphlet gotten out by the opposition they charge that the Bethel Family and Pilgrims are staying by our President because they have been bribed. What an insult to the dear faithful friends at Bethel whom these brethren pretended to love! As one of the traveling brethren I positively deny being bought or bribed. I should think it a very dangerous position to take—to freely charge any of God’s elect with such a crime! Dear Brother Rutherford is personally the target for Satan’s darts at this time, but he has the prayers of all true saints that he may “be strong and very courageous.” By divine favor, I am, . Your brother in the truth, C, E. Hearp, Pilgrim. SOME WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT Dear BRETHREN IN CHRIST :— THe Towers continue to be beautiful and inspiring; they seem just as stimulating and helpful as when our beloved Brother Russell was with us. There is one thing which has impressed me, one thing which marks this periodical ag being of the Lord, namely, the absence of the ego, that personal element which is likely to engender sectarianism and pride. The dear Lord will surely continue this “meat in due season” till the spiritual Israel] are sealed and made meet for the glorious inheritance. Much love and best wishes. Yours in our dear Redeemer’s name, FREDERICK LARDENT.—England. Vou. XXXVIII BROOKLYN, N. Y., OCTOBER 15, 1917 No. 20 PROPER AND IMPROPER JUDGMENT OF OURSELVES AND OTHERS “Tf we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.’’—-1 Corinthians 11:31, 32. In this text the Apostle seems to be saying that if we as Christians would properly criticise, examine and correct ourselves, it would not be necessary for the Lord to take us in hand and give us disciplinary judgments, or criticisms, But if we fail to do this judging of ourselves, then the heavenly Father must do it; for he has taken us into his family, under his parental care. The object of this chastening would not be to injure us, however, but to prevent our being condemned with the world. We judge ourselves when we criticise our own conduct, our own words, our own actions, and try them by the principles which are found in the Bible—justice, mercy, and truth. As our Lord has taught us, if we find that we have done wrong to another, we should leave our sacrifice on the altar, and first go to make apologies to our brother. (Matthew 5:23) Thus we would be judging ourselves, obligating ourselves to do the right thing. When we have done wrong, it is not enough to say, “Yes I am wrong; but then, no one is perfect.” To do so would not be to act in harmony with the spirit of our text. That spirit is that if we find ourselves to be in the wrong, then we have a sacred duty to perform—we must make the matter right, to the best of our ability. If the wrong has been along the lines of unchariteble thoughts toward anybody, it is not necessary that we go to that person and tell him about the matter. But we should remind ourselves of all the circumstances, and then judge ourselves, give ourselves a good setting-down. We are obligated to give ourselves a lesson along this line. Thus we should manifest that our heart’s intentions are right, and that we are, therefore, right at heart. We understand that the will of God concerning us is, that we should judge ourselves. Jf we find that we have injured another with our tongue, or in any other way, we should go to that person and make proper apologies, thus setting matters right. Then we should put upon ourselves a penalty that we shall not easily forget. If the paying of that penalty requires considerable humility, so much thé better. But if we neglect to punish ourselves, we would thus demonstrate that we are not in proper heart condition; and in that case the best thing that could happen to us would be for the Lord to give us a severe chastisement. This might not come on the same day or week or month, however, as the wrong-doing. But we may be sure that if we fail to do right in the matter, the Lord will take us in hand and give us some kind of trying experience which will teach us the needed lesson. He may permit somebody to do something to us or to say something about us that will show us wherein we have failed to do right. Or he may permit us to come into such a position that it will bring upon us some kind of disciplinary suffering. The object of this arrangement—that if we do not judge or criticise ourselves, the Lord will do so—is that we shall not come into condemnation with the world. During the next age the race of mankind will be on trial, on judgment. (Acts 17:31) If we were of the world, our judgment would come then instead of now. But we are not of the world; for the Lord has ealled us out of it. We are new creatures in Christ, begotten of the holy Spirit of God. In our case it may be the same now that it will be with the world in the future; that is, we might be making marks upon our character which must be removed. If this ig true, the Lord will discipline us for their removal, unless we come to realize the situation and remove the marks ourselves. Otherwise we should not be fit for the kingdom. In other words, if we belong to the church of Christ, we must receive our judgments and punishments now, during the present age. If we fail thus to chastise ourselves, then the Lord will do so for our growth in holiness. JUDGMENT NOT NECESSARILY CONDEMNATION We very frequently use the words judgment and opinion as synonyms, as expressing the same sentiment. A man’s opinion of a matter is his judgment upon the subject, Whether he expresses it to another or whether he keeps it to himself, his judgment is his opinion. There may be times when it would be proper for us to have an opinion, or judgment, that we would not think it wise to express. For instance, our Lord said to his disciples, “I have many things to tell you, but ye cannot bear them now.” (John 16:12) There were certain reasons why he withheld knowledge from them. So it might be with us, In the Scriptures the word judgment ia sometimes used, in a special sense; namely in the sense of condemnation. This [6152}

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