Publication date
5/1/17
Volume
38
Number
9
The WatchTower
Pastor Russell
../literature/watchtower/1917/9/1917-9-1.html
 
 
 
 
(114-1") 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
Ihl)OKLYN, 
N. 
Y. 
advIse 
us 
how 
many 
they 
can 
use 
when 
their 
present 
supply 
10 
distributed, 
we 
will 
be 
in 
position 
to 
estimate 
the 
probable 
number 
needed. 
We 
believe 
that 
all 
will 
agree 
that 
this 
is 
undoubtedly 
the 
most 
opportune 
time 
in 
the 
history 
of 
the 
Uospel 
age 
to 
witness 
to 
the 
truth 
and 
to 
the 
rapid 
approach 
of 
the 
kingdom, 
and 
we 
believe 
that 
the 
new 
volunteer 
matter 
will 
.tit 
the 
situation 
well. 
1'he 
Lord's 
volunteer 
army 
is 
large 
oue, 
and, 
armed 
with 
the 
weapon 
of 
the 
truth, 
is 
"mighty 
through 
God 
to 
the 
pulling 
down 
of 
strongholds 
(of 
error) 
and 
every 
high 
thing 
that 
exalteth 
itself 
against 
the 
knowledge 
of 
God." 
Minute 
men 
and 
women 
are 
needed 
at 
this 
hour; 
but 
the 
first 
am­ 
munition 
provided 
for 
the 
year 
needs 
to 
be 
fully 
cleared 
away 
before 
the 
battle 
begins 
afresh 
with 
the 
new. 
When 
ordering 
please 
mention 
Vol. 
9, 
No.5. 
IN 
RE 
EMPLOYMENT 
BY 
MENA 
FILM 
COMPANY 
Many 
letters 
are 
eoming 
to 
us 
from 
brethren 
all 
over 
the 
country 
enclosing 
letter 
sent 
to 
them 
by 
the 
Mena 
Film 
Company, 
inviting 
the 
friends 
to 
accept 
employment 
to 
repre­ 
sent 
said 
Company. 
Many 
of 
the 
friends 
inquire 
as 
to 
what 
they 
should 
do, 
while 
some 
write 
as 
though 
they 
thought 
the 
letter 
had 
been 
sent 
out 
from 
this 
office. 
We 
take 
this 
course 
through 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
to 
inform 
the 
brethren 
everywhere 
that 
the 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BIBLE 
AND 
TRACT 
SOCIETY 
had 
nothinO' 
whatever 
to 
do 
with 
sending 
out 
such 
letter. 
Furthermor~ 
the 
ATCII 
TOWER 
BIBLE 
AND 
TRACT 
SOCIETY 
would 
not 
em­ 
ploy 
solicitors 
to 
solicit 
money 
from 
the 
friends 
for 
ilny 
pur­ 
po~e, 
and 
it 
does 
not 
approve 
of 
soliciting 
money 
from 
the 
brethren 
for 
any 
purpose 
whatsoever. 
Several 
times 
we 
have 
tried 
to 
make 
plain 
through 
the 
columns 
of 
TIl~c 
WATCH 
Tow"-11 
that 
neither 
the 
SOCIETY 
nor 
any 
officer 
of 
the 
SOCIETY 
nor 
anv 
one 
connected 
with 
the 
SOCIETY'S 
offices 
has 
anything 
to 
do 
with 
the 
Mena 
It'i1m 
Company. 
We 
also 
wi&h 
to 
make 
it 
plain, 
in 
answer 
to 
these 
letters 
received 
by 
us, 
that 
the 
brethren 
should 
not 
in 
any 
sense 
be 
influenced 
to 
believe 
that 
the 
Socn:TY 
is 
either 
directl.y 
or 
indirectly 
furthering 
this 
enter­ 
prise. 
The 
SOCIETY 
takes 
this 
occasion 
also 
to 
give 
notice 
to 
all 
that 
the 
use 
of 
its 
name 
or 
the 
name 
of 
any 
of 
its 
officers 
has 
been 
wholly 
without 
its 
knowledge 
or 
consent. 
The 
:::;0­ 
cJ,F.TY 
could 
not 
advise 
anyone 
to 
invest 
money 
in 
anything 
in 
thpse 
perilous 
times. 
Appreciating 
the 
fact 
that 
all 
that 
any 
of 
the 
consecrated 
possess 
belongs 
to 
the 
Lord, 
we 
would 
advise 
that 
they 
do 
with 
it 
exactly 
as 
they 
believe 
the 
Lord 
would 
be 
pleased 
to 
have 
them 
do. 
We 
are 
very 
sorry 
indeed 
that 
the 
brethren 
have 
been 
put 
to 
so 
much 
inconvenience 
about 
this 
matter; 
and 
we 
hope 
that 
with 
this 
further 
explanation 
the 
whole 
matter 
may 
be 
made 
clear. 
VOL. 
XXXVIII 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
MAY 
1,1917 
No.9 
PASTOR 
RUSSELL 
"Your 
brethren 
that 
hated 
you, 
that 
cast 
you 
out 
for 
my 
name's 
sake, 
said: 
Let 
the 
Lord 
be 
glorifieu; 
hut 
he 
shall 
appear 
to 
your 
joy, 
and 
they 
shall 
be 
ashamed. 
"-Isaiah 
66 
:5. 
WHY 
LO'VED 
BY 
THE 
CO_05 
PEOPLEI 
WHY 
HATED 
BY 
THE 
CLERGY 
Man's 
greatness 
is 
properly 
measured 
by 
the 
amount 
of 
good 
find 
that 
the 
life 
and 
experiences 
of 
our 
Lord 
Jesus 
~hed 
he 
accomplishes 
on 
behalf 
of 
his 
fellowmen. 
The 
good 
accom- 
great 
flood 
of 
light 
upon 
the 
matter. 
plished 
is 
not 
to 
be 
determined 
in 
mon.ey 
value, 
but 
!llust 
be 
THE 
MASTEB-"DESPISED 
AllD 
BE3EC'!ED 
01' 
MEJr" 
measured 
by 
the 
amount 
of 
true 
happmess 
brought 
mto 
the 
lives 
of 
the 
largest 
number. 
The 
man 
who 
attains 
to 
this 
The 
greatest 
man 
that 
ever 
lived 
upon 
the 
earth 
was 
position 
of 
greatness 
must 
do 
'so 
through 
adversity, 
and 
for 
Jesus 
of 
Nazareth. 
He 
was 
the 
greatest 
Reformer 
of 
all 
tiillee. 
this 
there 
i& 
reason. 
Above 
all, 
he 
Wll-S 
the 
Redeemer 
and 
Savior 
of 
the 
world. 
yet, 
Since 
Adam 
and 
Eve 
forfeited 
the 
joys 
and 
beauties 
of 
he 
was 
"despised 
and 
rejected 
of 
men, 
man 
of 
sorrows 
and 
EAen, 
there 
have 
been 
two 
opposing 
forces 
contending 
in 
the 
acquainted 
with 
grief." 
Whyf 
We 
give 
the 
answer 
bere 
universe-good 
and 
evil. 
God 
is 
the 
perfect 
expression 
of 
that 
we 
may 
show 
why 
those 
who 
have 
stood 
for 
righteousness 
goodness; 
Satan, 
the 
very 
personification 
of 
evil. 
All 
of 
the 
have 
always 
been 
bitterly 
persecuted 
and 
maligned. 
sorrows 
of 
the 
human 
race 
are 
traceable 
to 
the 
machinations 
Eighteen 
centuries 
before 
Jesus 
came 
in 
the 
flesh, 
God 
ha.d 
of 
Satan 
and 
his 
coadjutors. 
made 
covenant 
with 
the 
nation 
of 
Israel. 
He 
favored 
them 
Every 
human 
being 
that 
has 
lived 
upon 
the 
earth 
has 
above 
all 
other 
peoples 
of 
the 
earth. 
He 
gave 
them 
code 
fought 
either 
under 
the 
banner 
of 
the 
Lord 
of 
righteousness 
of 
perfect 
laws. 
He 
sent 
his 
prophets 
to 
teach 
them. 
He 
or 
under 
the 
leadership 
of 
the 
evil 
one-Satan. 
Every 
one 
in 
blessed 
them 
far 
above 
their 
neighbors. 
But 
be 
made 
the 
per- 
the 
world 
today 
is 
fighting 
under 
the 
one 
or 
tbe 
other 
standard. 
petuation 
of 
these 
blessings 
dependent 
upon 
their 
obedience 
to 
All 
who 
have 
fought 
under 
the 
Lord's 
banner 
of 
righteousness 
him. 
Many 
times 
their 
leaders 
becllJl1e 
disloyal 
and 
led 
the 
have 
done 
so 
willil}gly. 
The 
Lord 
coerces 
the 
will 
of 
no 
man. 
people 
away 
from 
God, 
and 
for 
this 
he 
punished 
them. 
When 
But 
the 
great 
ma&s 
of 
the 
soldiers 
of 
the 
adversary 
have 
fought 
they 
repented, 
he 
would 
again 
bless 
them, 
and 
again 
they 
would 
under 
him 
unwillingly. 
They 
have 
been 
the 
bond-slaves 
of 
evil, 
become 
unmindful 
of 
his 
blessing. 
Near 
the 
close 
of 
the 
long 
enslaved 
by 
the 
wrongful 
aet 
of 
the 
first 
man, 
and 
unable 
to 
period 
of 
God's 
favor 
toward 
them 
he 
said, 
through 
his 
Prophet, 
extricate 
themselves 
from 
this 
slavery. 
"You 
only 
have 
recognized 
of 
all 
the 
families 
of 
the 
eartl,: 
BEMABKABLE 
TRIBUTE 
TO 
PASTOB 
BUSSELL'S 
WORTH 
therefore 
w11l 
punish 
you 
for 
all 
your 
iniqUities." 
It 
follows, 
therefore, 
that 
every 
man 
who 
achieves 
real 
In 
addition 
to 
~i,:,ing 
th~m 
the 
Law, 
God 
instituted 
ll.monr 
greatness 
must 
be 
brave 
and 
valiant 
soldier 
of 
righte()us- 
th~ 
Jews 
~he 
LeVItIcal 
pnes~hood. 
It 
was 
.the 
duty 
of 
the 
ness 
.. 
An 
apost1~ 
of 
light, 
he 
is 
often 
made 
to 
appear 
evil 
pnests 
to 
ms~ruct. 
the 
people 
III 
,the 
way 
of 
rIghteousness, 
and 
by 
~IS 
adversanes; 
whereas 
the 
great 
adversary 
and 
his 
to 
~eep 
them 
III 
mllld 
?f 
the 
co~mg 
Seed. 
of 
Abraham, 
th.rough 
coad)l~tors 
often 
appear 
in 
tbe 
garb 
of 
angels 
of 
light, 
thereby 
whICh 
~hey 
would 
recelye. 
lasting 
blessmg. 
Jehovah 
dIU 
n()t 
decelvmg 
many. 
Century 
after 
century 
history 
has 
rl'peated 
auth~nze 
any 
sect 
or 
dIVISIOn 
amongst 
them. 
itself 
in 
this 
respect. 
Whyf 
We 
answer, 
Because 
the 
same 
When 
Jesu~ 
came 
to 
earth 
he 
fpund 
marked 
departure 
great 
forces 
are 
constantly 
warring 
against 
each 
other, 
the 
from 
the 
teachmgs 
that 
had 
been 
gIven 
to 
Israel 
through 
the 
evil 
always 
opposing 
the 
riO'ht. 
holy 
prophets. 
Gradually, 
near 
the 
eloBe 
of 
the 
age, 
there 
had 
The 
world 
has 
produe~d 
some 
great 
men. 
Some 
men 
come 
into 
existence 
certain 
religious 
seets, 
to 
wit: 
Pharisees, 
by 
reason 
of 
their 
untiring 
struggles, 
have 
become 
great; 
S~dducees. 
Essenes 
and 
Cyrenel!'ns. 
~ese 
sects 
had 
mixed 
while 
so~e 
h!!-ve 
attained 
greatness 
by 
reason 
of 
God's 
special 
WIth 
the 
true 
Wo~d 
of 
God 
doctrmes 
WhICh, 
they 
had 
borrowed 
favor. 
l\ot 
smce 
the 
days 
of 
the 
Apostle 
Paul 
has 
there 
lived 
from 
~eathen 
philosophers. 
They 
w~re 
gIven 
over. 
gr~t 
in 
the 
wo~ld 
ll'reater 
and 
better 
man! 
than 
Pastor 
Russell. 
fO,rmallsJ?'. 
They 
preten~ed 
to 
worshIp 
God, 
worshlpmg 
blm 
We 
say 
thiS 
adVIsedly, 
because 
in 
that 
time 
no 
man 
has 
been 
Wlt~ 
their 
lips, 
whIle 
theIr 
~earts. 
were 
removed 
far 
f:OID 
h1m. 
BO 
wonderfully 
used 
to 
bring 
]astin" 
blessings 
to 
so 
large 
TheIr 
leaders 
were 
prOUd, 
hlgh-mmded, 
heady, 
self-wl!led 
and 
number 
of 
people. 
He, 
as 
servant 
of 
the 
Lord, 
brought 
to 
egotistica!. 
They 
practised 
fraud 
and 
deceit 
upon 
the 
people. 
them 
in 
clear 
terms 
the 
glad 
tidings 
of 
salvation 
found 
in 
the 
The 
Pharisees 
w~)Uld 
stand 
in 
the 
streets 
and 
utter 
long 
pray- 
S('riptures, 
which 
Jesus 
first 
began 
to 
speak 
upon 
this 
earth. 
ers. 
Tbey 
pubhcly 
thanked 
God 
that 
they 
were 
better 
than 
For 
Cl'nturip~ 
the 
ad\,prsary 
and 
his 
coadjutors 
have 
beclouded 
other 
men. 
They 
loved 
to 
be 
called 
Rabbi, 
Master, 
Father, 
the 
message 
of 
salvation. 
but 
duri/l~ 
the 
last 
half 
century 
the 
etc. 
They 
oppressed 
the 
widows 
and 
orphans, 
making 
their 
Lord 
ha~ 
caused 
greater 
lig~t 
to 
shme 
upon 
this 
me~sage, 
and 
burdens 
grievous 
to 
be 
borne. 
They 
knew 
well 
that 
the 
Scrip- 
he 
used 
Palltor 
Russell 
as 
his 
special 
instrument 
in 
directing 
to 
tures 
taught 
the 
coming 
of 
Messiah; 
but 
they 
reasoned 
that 
if 
that 
light. 
If 
Pastor 
Russell 
wu 
follower 
of 
Jesus 
(and 
he 
should 
come, 
he 
would 
select 
them 
above 
all 
others 
as 
his 
no 
one 
who 
knew 
him 
could 
doubt 
it), 
why 
should 
anyone 
chief 
ones, 
becaulle 
of 
their 
greatness 
of 
learning, 
and 
thefr 
su­ 
hate 
him 
Ssarching 
for 
the 
true 
answer 
to 
this 
question, 
we 
periority 
to 
the 
common 
people. 
[6078] 
(114-182) advise us how many they cun use when their present supply 1s distributed, we will be in a position to estimate the probable number needed. We believe that all will agree that this is undoubtedly the most opportune time in the history of the Gospel age to witness to the truth and to the rapid approach of the kingdom, and we believe that the new volunteer matter will tit the situation well, THE WATCH TOWER Brvooxirn, N.Y. the Lord’s volunteer army is a large one, and, armed with the weapon of the truth, is “mighty through God to the puling down of strongholds (of error) and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God.” Minute men and women are needed at this hour; but the first ammunition provided for the year needs to be fully cleared away before the battle begins afresh with the new. When ordering please mention Vol. 9, No. 5. IN RE EMPLOYMENT BY MENA FILM COMPANY Many letters are coming to us from brethren all over the country enclosing a letter sent to them by the Mena Film Company, inviting the friends to accept employment to represent said Company. Many of the friends inquire as to what they should do, while some write as though they thought the letter had been sent out from this office. We take this course through THe Warcu Tower to inform the brethren everywhere that the WatcH Tower BisLe anp Tract Society had nothing whatever to do with sending out such a letter. Furthermore, the Watcu Toweg BIBLE aNp Tract Society would not employ solicitors to solicit money from the friends for any purpose, and it does not approve of soliciting money from the brethren for any purpose whatsoever. Several times we have tried to make plain through the columns of THE Watcu TOWER that neither the Society nor any officer of the Sociery nor any one connected with the Socrery’s offices has anything to do with the Mena Film Company. We also wish to make it plain, in answer to these letters received by us, that the brethren should not in any sense be influenced to believe that the Society is either directly or indirectly furthering this enterrise. P The Socrery takes this occasion also to give notice to all that the use of its name or the name of any of its officers has been wholly without its knowledge or consent. The SocIgTy could not advise any one to invest money in anything in these perilous times. Appreciating the fact that all that any of the consecrated possess belongs to the Lord, we would advise that they do with it exactly as they believe the Lord would be pleased to have them do, We are very sorry indeed that the brethren have been put to so much inconvenience about this matter; and we hope that with this further explanation the whole matter may be made clear. Vou. XXXVIIT BROOKLYN, N. Y., MAY 1, 1917 No. 9 PASTOR RUSSELL ‘*Your brethren that hated you, that east you out for my name’s sake, said: Let the Lord be glorified; but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.’’—Isaiah 66:5. WHY LOVED BY THE COMMON PEOPLE! WHY HATED BY THE CLERGY! Man’s greatness is properly measured by the amount of good he accomplishes on behalf of his fellowmen. The good accomplished ig not to be determined in money value, but must be measured by the amount of true happiness brought into the lives of the largest number. The man who attains to this position of greatness must do so through adversity, and for this there is a reason. Since Adam and Eve forfeited the joys and beauties of Eden, there have been two opposing forees contending in the universe—good and evil. God is the perfect expression of goodness; Satan, the very personification of evil. All of the sorrows of the human race are traceable to the machinations of Satan and his coadjutors. Every human being that has lived upon the earth has fought either under the banner of the Lord of righteousness or under the leadership of the evil one—Satan. Every one in the world today is fighting under the one or the other standard. All who have fought under the Lord’s banner of righteousness have done so willingly. The Lord coerces the will of no man. But the great mass of the soldiers of the adversary have fought under him unwillingly. They have been the bond-slaves of evil, enslaved by the wrongful act of the first man, and unable to extricate themselves from this slavery. REMARKABLE TRIBUTE TO PASTOR RUSSELL'S WORTH It follows, therefore, that every man who achieves real greatness must be a brave and valiant soldier of righteousness. An apostle of light, he is often made te appear evil by his adversaries; whereas the great adversary and his coadjutors often appear in the garb of angels of light, thereby deceiving many. Century after century history has repeated itself in this respect. Why? We answer, Because the same great forces are constantly warring against each other, the evil always opposing the right. The world has produced some great men. Some men, by reason of their untiring struggles, have become great; while some have attained greatness by reason of God’s specia] favor. Not since the days of the Apostle Paul has there lived in the world a greater and better mani than Pastor Russell, We say this advisedly, because in that time no man hag been so wonderfully used to bring lasting blessings te so large a number of people. He, as a servant of the Lord, brought to them in clear terms the glad tidings of salvation found in the Scriptures, which Jesus first began to speak upon this earth. For centuries the adversary and his coadjutors have beclouded the message of salvation, but during the last half century the Lord has caused greater light to shine upon this message, and he used Pastor Russell as his specia] instrument in directing to that light. If Pastor Russell was a follower of Jesus (and no one who knew him could doubt it), why should any one hate him? Searching for the true answer to this question, we find that the life and experjences of our Lord Jesus shed a great flood of light upon the matter. THE MASTER—''DESPISED AND REJECTED OF MEN’’ The greatest man that ever lived upon the earth was Jesus of Nazareth. He was the greatest Reformer of all times. Above all, he was the Redeemer and Savior of the world. Yet, he was “despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” Why? We give the answer here that we may show why those who have stood for righteousness have always been bitterly persecuted and maligned. Eighteen centuries before Jesus came in the flesh, God had made a covenant with the nation of Israel. He favored them above all other peoples of the earth. He gave them a code of perfect laws. He sent his prophets to teach them. He blessed them far above their neighbors, But he made the perpetuation of these blessings dependent upon their obedience to him. Many times their leaders became disloyal and led the people away from God, and for this he punished them. When they repented, he would again bless them, and again they would become unmindful of hia ‘Slessing, Near the close of the long period of God’s favor toward them he said, through his Prophet, “You only have I recognized of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” In addition to giving them the Law, God instituted amon-zst the Jews the Levitical priesthood. It was the duty of the priests to instruct the people in the way of righteousness, and to keep them in mind of the coming Seed of Abraham, through which they would receive a lasting blessing. Jehovah did not authorize any sect or division amongst them. When Jesus came to earth he found a marked departure from the teachings that had been given to Israe] through the holy prophets. Gradually, near the close of the age, there had come into existence certain religious sects, to wit: Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes and Cyreneans. These sects had mixed with the true Word of God doctrines which they had borrowed from heathen philosophers. They were gen over to great formalism. They pretended to worship God, worshiping him with their lips, while their hearts were removed far from him. Their leadera were proud, high-minded, heady, self-willed and egotistical. They practised fraud and deceit upon the people. The Pharisees would stand in the streets and utter long pray ers. They publicly thanked God that they were better than other men. They loved to be called Rabbi, Master, Father, ete. They oppressed the widows and orphans, making their burdens grievous to be borne. They knew well that the Scriptures taught the coming of Messiah; but they reasoned that if he should come, he would select them above all others as his chief ones, because of their greatness of learning, and thelr superiority to the common people. [6078]

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