Publication date
8/1/18
Volume
39
Number
15
The WatchTower
Our deliverance draweth nigh!
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1918/15/1918-15-1.html
 
 
 
 
VOL. 
XXXIX 
BROOKLYN, 
~. 
Y., 
AUGUST 
1, 
HJ18 
OUR 
DELIVERANCE 
DRAWETH 
NIGH! 
Xu. 
l:j 
-~--:.- 
--~::=:-=.:::=--==- 
"The 
llight 
is 
far 
,~pent, 
the 
day 
is 
at 
hand; 
let 
itS 
Ihercfure 
.'ast 
uf! 
(hc 
l(·?rl.:s 
oi 
darklllSS, 
(/"d 
let 
liS 
J,lIt 
UII 
Ihe 
arll")1' 
uf 
l'lgill." 
'-l{omans 
13:1~, 
We 
can 
see 
only 
one 
way 
in 
which 
the 
Apostle 
could 
have 
said 
in 
his 
day 
that 
the 
night 
was 
far 
spent, 
He 
evidently 
rec­ 
ognized 
the 
period 
of 
time 
since 
sin 
had 
entered 
the 
world 
as 
a 
time 
of 
darkness, 
of 
night, 
In 
proportion 
as 
man 
became 
alienated 
from 
God, 
the 
darkness 
became 
more 
intense. 
As 
sin 
abounded, 
many 
could 
not 
see 
what 
was 
right 
and 
what 
was 
wrong. 
This 
condition 
still 
prevails. 
So 
far 
have 
they 
fallen 
from 
thc 
likeness 
of 
thcir 
Creator 
that 
their 
minds 
are 
be­ 
nighted. 
The 
Apostle 
says 
that 
because 
mcn 
did 
not 
choose 
"to 
retain 
God 
in 
their 
knowledge, 
God 
gavc 
them 
ovpr 
to 
a 
reprobate 
mind," 
(Romans 
1 
:28) 
Their 
miIHls 
bccame 
dark­ 
ened, 
unable 
to 
distinguish 
right 
from 
wrong, 
St. 
Paul 
tells 
us 
that 
all 
this 
is 
what 
we 
might 
expect 
from 
a 
rcign 
of 
sin-a 
reign 
of 
darkness, 
Satan's 
opposition 
to 
God 
made 
him 
a 
leader 
of 
tho~e 
men 
who 
wOIII,l 
not 
hn 
I'e 
God's 
way; 
and 
all 
down 
the 
centurics 
these 
hllve 
been 
the 
majority. 
Tn 
their 
fallen 
condition 
thcir 
minds 
werc 
pcrverted, 
and 
they 
bccamc 
an 
easy 
prey 
to 
the 
wil"s 
of 
tIl(' 
g-n-dt 
nrlH'I'­ 
sary. 
This 
darkness, 
which 
thc 
Apostle 
styles 
night, 
has 
bcen 
a 
period 
of 
six 
thousand 
years, 
Now, 
howevcr. 
we 
realize 
that 
we 
are 
in 
the 
dawning 
of 
a 
new 
dispensation, 
Darkness 
is 
giv­ 
ing 
place 
to 
light 
in 
matters 
relating- 
not 
only 
to 
the 
church, 
hut 
also 
to 
the 
world. 
If 
it 
was 
true 
in 
the 
day 
of 
the 
Apostle 
that 
the 
night 
was 
far 
spent, 
how 
much 
more 
forceful 
is 
the 
pxpression 
in 
our 
day! 
SURELY 
ALL 
SHOULD 
BE 
AW 
AXE 
NOW 
I 
The 
light 
of 
Lhe 
glorious 
Sun 
of 
Righteousness 
is 
even 
now 
brea.king 
over 
the 
hill-tops. 
It 
cannot 
shine 
upon 
the 
whole 
world 
until 
aJI 
the 
members 
of 
the 
church 
of 
Christ 
are 
glorified 
and 
exalted 
to 
power 
in 
the 
Messianic 
Kingdom. 
Then 
the 
darkness 
of 
sin, 
ignorance, 
superstition 
and 
wrong-doing 
will 
be 
dispersed. 
In 
the 
verSe 
preceding 
our 
text 
the 
Apostle 
points 
out 
to 
the 
Church 
at 
Rome 
great 
responsibility 
saying: 
"Knowing 
the 
time, 
that 
now 
.it 
is 
high 
time 
to 
awake 
out 
of 
sleep,; 
for 
now 
is 
our 
salvation 
nearer 
than 
when 
we 
believed.' 
But 
how 
much 
more 
sig-ni 
fleant 
are 
these 
words 
to 
US 
of 
today, 
than 
to 
them! 
The 
Christian 
is 
to 
realize 
that 
the 
whole 
world 
has 
been 
asleep, 
in 
a 
sort 
of 
stupor 
respecting 
the 
highest, 
best 
and 
noblest 
things, 
When 
the 
child 
of 
God 
gets 
his 
eyes 
partially 
opened, 
he 
,begins 
to 
weigh 
and 
measure 
matters 
after 
a 
differ· 
ent 
fashion 
from 
that 
of 
his 
previous 
course. 
As 
his 
eyes 
open 
still 
more 
widely, 
everything 
takes 
on 
a 
new 
aspect, 
He 
is 
able 
more 
than 
ever 
before 
to 
estimate 
rightly 
the 
value 
of 
things 
of 
this 
life 
and 
finds 
them 
not 
worthy 
to 
be 
compared 
with 
the 
glorious 
things 
which 
belong 
to 
the 
life 
eternal. 
He 
sees 
that 
for 
six 
thousand 
years 
the 
world 
has 
been 
groaning 
under 
the 
bondage 
of 
sin 
and 
Satan, 
·but 
that 
the 
blessed 
morning 
of 
the 
great 
Sabbath 
of 
hallowed 
rest 
and 
refreshment 
is 
llibout 
to 
dawn, 
As 
the 
Christian 
realizes 
all 
this, 
he 
should 
feel 
disposed 
to 
arouse 
himself, 
shake 
himself 
thoroughly 
from 
the 
dust 
of 
ig­ 
norance, 
superstition, 
blindness 
and 
sordidness, 
lind 
to 
live 
more 
fully 
in 
harmony 
with 
the 
glorious 
hopes 
which 
he 
now 
entertains-living 
for 
the 
new 
era, 
the 
new 
dispensation, 
In­ 
structed 
more 
fully 
from 
the 
Word 
of 
God, 
he 
will 
not 
expect 
his 
salvation, 
his 
deliverance, 
except 
in 
connection 
with 
the 
second 
presence-the 
parl}usia--of 
our 
Lord 
clesus 
and 
the 
es­ 
trublishment 
of 
his 
kingdom. 
He 
will 
see 
a 
new 
force, 
·beauty 
and 
meaning 
in 
the 
words 
of 
the 
Apostle 
Peter: 
"\vl1erefore, 
gird 
up 
the 
loins 
of 
your 
mind, 
be 
sober, 
and 
set 
your 
hope 
perfectly 
on 
the 
grace 
that 
is 
to 
be 
brought 
unto 
you 
at 
the 
revelation 
of 
Jesus 
Christ."-l 
Peter 
1: 
13, 
R. 
V. 
REIG:N 
OF 
RIGHTEOUSNESS 
AT 
THE 
DOOR 
The 
thought 
of 
the 
second 
presenee 
of 
the 
Lord 
was 
con­ 
tinuallybefore 
the 
Apostles; 
and 
our 
Lord 
evidently 
designed 
that 
it 
should 
be 
a 
constltnt 
incentive 
to 
the 
members 
of 
his 
church 
throughout 
the 
entire 
age. 
This 
undoubtedly, 
was 
one 
reason 
why 
he 
did 
not 
particularly 
explain 
the 
length 
of 
time 
that 
would 
intervene 
before 
the 
setting 
up 
of 
the 
kingdom. 
From 
God's 
standpoint 
it 
would 
be 
a 
short 
interval; 
and 
even 
from 
the 
human 
standpoint 
it 
would 
be 
short 
to 
each 
individ­ 
ual, 
who 
would 
have 
only 
the 
few 
remaining 
yea.rs 
of 
his 
life 
wherein 
to 
make 
ready 
for 
the 
glorious 
thingR 
of 
the 
future; 
and 
"in 
death 
there 
is 
no 
remembrance." 
As 
St, 
Paul 
looked 
back 
and 
perceived 
that 
in 
his 
day 
about 
4178 
years 
of 
the 
reign 
of 
sin 
and 
gross 
darkness, 
upon 
the 
world 
had 
passed, 
he 
could 
realize 
that 
truly 
the 
night 
was 
far 
spent, 
that 
the 
blessed 
day 
of 
deliverance 
W9.S 
drawing 
nigh, 
And 
now 
we, 
who 
live 
in 
the 
dawn 
of 
this 
great 
day, 
lire 
most 
highly 
favored 
b~' 
the 
Lord. 
We 
can 
see 
the 
particu­ 
lars 
regarding 
this 
time, 
which 
were 
obscure 
in 
the 
Apostle'R 
time. 
We 
are 
standing 
at 
the 
very 
threshold 
of 
the 
Golden 
Age! 
As 
soon 
as 
the 
harveRt 
of 
this 
Gospel 
age 
shall 
be 
gath. 
ered, 
the 
work 
of 
change, 
the 
transformation 
from 
the 
reign 
of 
evil 
to 
the 
reign 
of 
righteousness, 
will 
take 
place; 
and 
it 
is 
nigh, 
evcn 
at 
the 
door. 
Surely 
it 
is 
now 
high 
time 
that 
all 
who 
qre 
truly 
the 
Lord's 
should 
awake 
out 
of 
s]"cp, 
cast 
otl' 
all 
"the 
works 
of 
darkl)('''s.'' 
and 
Pllt 
011 
t 
II" 
"whel" 
armour 
or 
God 
tliat 
w" 
shall 
ue 
aid,' 
to 
w-iihstalld 
ill 
tl,,' 
.>vil 
lI:1v 
... 
· 
Ephesians 
0:13. 
. 
"ARMOR 
OF 
LIGHT" 
ESPEOIALLY 
NEEDED 
TODAY 
\Vhatever 
wili 
not 
stand 
the 
fullest 
investiga 
tinn 
in 
tilE' 
light 
of 
this 
day 
of 
Christ, 
whateyer 
will 
not 
win 
approval 
in 
the 
new 
dispcn:>ation 
now 
('oming 
in, 
should 
be 
promptly 
1'1'­ 
nounced 
by 
all 
who 
hope 
for 
the 
Lord's 
favor 
as 
his 
children, 
as 
disciples 
of 
Christ. 
If 
we 
reltlly 
Iue 
Christ's 
we 
belong 
to 
the 
now 
era, 
not 
to 
the 
old, 
We 
should 
therefore 
live 
in 
accordance 
with 
our 
citizenship 
and 
with 
our 
responsihility 
to 
the 
prince 
of 
light 
and 
in 
opj>Osltion 
to 
the 
prince 
of 
darkness. 
We 
are 
formvarned 
b)· 
the 
A'postle 
that 
this 
period 
of 
time 
in 
which 
the 
change 
from 
the 
dominion 
of 
the 
"prince 
of 
this 
world" 
to 
that 
of 
the 
prince 
of 
glory 
takes 
place, 
will 
be 
an 
especially 
"evil 
day"-a 
period 
in 
which 
all 
the 
children 
of 
light 
will 
be 
crucially 
tested. 
It 
is 
a 
day 
that 
is 
to 
"iry 
every 
man's 
work, 
of 
what 
sort 
it 
is." 
It 
is 
to 
be 
:t 
day 
of 
fiery 
trial, 
through 
which 
only 
the 
,!,rald, 
silver 
and 
precious 
stones 
will 
pass 
unscathed, 
in 
which 
all 
the 
wood, 
hay 
and 
stubble 
of 
error, 
sin, 
human 
tradition 
and 
falsehood 
will 
bc 
entirely 
destroyed. 
\Ve 
are 
eyen 
now 
in 
the 
fires 
of 
this 
day, 
in 
the 
time 
when 
the 
wood, 
hay 
and 
stubble 
art' 
being 
consumed; 
when 
higher 
criticism. 
evolution, 
Christian 
science, 
hypllOtiSIll 
(whethcr 
known 
under 
its 
own 
name 
or 
whether 
called 
mind 
cures), 
etc., 
are 
devouring 
as 
a 
flame 
all 
the 
faith 
structure 
of 
those 
children 
of 
God 
who 
have 
not 
continued 
faithful 
to 
the 
Lord, 
and 
who, 
therefore, 
have 
not 
been 
kepi 
by 
his 
power. 
through 
the 
Word 
and 
through 
his 
providences. 
"WALK 
AS 
OHILDREN 
OF 
LIGHT" 
All 
who 
llre 
truly 
the 
Lord's 
should 
"walk 
honestly. 
as 
in 
the 
day." 
We 
are 
not 
yet 
fully 
in 
the 
day; 
but 
we 
-bclong 
to 
the 
day, 
and 
are 
therefore 
to 
live 
as 
ne-arly 
as 
possible 
up 
t.o 
the 
perfect 
standards 
of 
the 
future. 
So 
to 
live 
will 
mean 
self­ 
denial. 
It 
will 
mean 
that 
we 
shall 
be 
misunderstood 
by 
the 
world 
and 
all 
who 
llave 
its 
spirit. 
It 
will 
mcan 
that 
we 
shall 
be 
though.t 
foolish, 
that 
we 
shall 
be 
considered 
enemies-not 
so 
much 
by 
those 
who 
are 
in 
gross 
darkness 
as 
by 
thOse 
who 
profess 
to 
be 
the 
Lord's 
people, 
to 
be 
children 
of 
the 
light, 
btlt 
who 
really 
prefer 
darkness 
and 
error 
to 
light 
and 
truth. 
We 
are 
incljned 
to 
lay 
special 
stress 
on 
the 
word, 
"hon· 
estly," 
used 
by 
the 
Apostle, 
and 
believe 
that 
he 
used 
it 
advis('{l­ 
ly 
and 
in 
a 
particular 
sense. 
As 
we 
look 
about 
I1S 
today, 
we 
Sf'<' 
that 
dishonesty 
is 
very 
prevalent, 
Kot 
merely 
in 
the 
world, 
whero 
we 
expect 
to 
find 
a 
certain 
amount 
of 
duplicity, 
mig­ 
representation 
and 
deception, 
and 
to 
see 
people 
passing 
for 
what 
they 
are 
not, 
do 
we 
find 
this 
kind 
of 
dishonesiy 
very 
pre­ 
valent, 
but 
amongst 
professing 
Christians. 
We 
have 
eH'n 
known 
professed 
ministers 
of 
the 
Gospel 
to 
boast 
of 
their 
dis­ 
honesty-to 
declare 
that 
they 
never 
have 
believed 
the 
creed 
which 
they 
have 
professed 
to 
belicve 
and 
which 
they 
have 
vowed 
that 
they 
would 
teaeh. 
Intelligent 
ministers 
of 
all 
de­ 
nominations 
art' 
preaching 
what 
they 
do 
not 
believe, 
standing­ 
for 
creeds 
and 
confessions 
of 
faith 
which 
misrepresent 
their 
own 
sentiments. 
They 
are 
acting 
dishonestly; 
they 
are 
searing 
their 
consciences; 
they 
are 
putting 
themselves 
into 
conditions 
where 
they 
eannot 
make 
progress 
into 
the 
Jig-ht 
of 
truth; 
for 
surely 
God 
does 
not 
purpose 
to 
have, 
dishonest 
people 
in 
his 
eject 
Church. 
If 
these 
do 
not 
very 
qUICkly 
change 
and 
become 
honest, 
they 
will 
certainly 
have 
their 
portion 
with 
the 
hypo­ 
crites; 
for 
it 
is 
the 
hypocrites 
who 
are 
dishonest. 
HONESTY 
A 
BASIC 
TRAIT 
OF 
CHARACTER 
Christians, 
above 
all 
other 
people 
in 
the 
world, 
should 
be 
honest 
and 
sincere 
in 
their 
professions. 
They 
should 
be 
hon­ 
est 
in 
their 
dealings 
with 
their 
neighbors, 
with 
their 
brethren, 
and 
especially 
in 
their 
confessions 
respecting 
their 
God 
and 
their 
faith. 
This 
test 
must 
be 
met 
by 
every 
one 
who 
na.mes 
the 
name 
of 
Christ. 
Those 
who 
loy,,' 
the 
favor 
of 
men 
more 
than 
the 
favor 
of 
God, 
who 
would 
rather 
confess 
and 
profess 
a 
lie 
than 
to 
espouse 
an 
unpopular 
cause--even 
when 
they 
know 
it 
is 
God's 
cause-will 
be 
given 
up 
to 
their 
lie. 
Such 
are 
surely 
proving 
thl"mselves 
unfit 
for 
the 
kingdom, 
unfit 
to 
[6299J 
Vou. XXXIX BROOKLYN, N. Y., AUGUST 1, 1918 Se No. 15 OUR DELIVERANCE DRAWETH NIGH! “The night is far spent, the day is ut hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkucss, dad let us put on the armor of light.” -IKomans 13:12. We can see only one way in which the Apostle could have said in his day that the night was far spent. He evidently rec. ognized the period of time since sin had entered the world as a time of darkness, of night. In proportion as man became alienated from God, the darkness became more intense. As sin abounded, many could not sce what was right and what was wrong. This condition still prevails. So far have they fallen from the likeness of their Creator that their minds are benighted. The Apostle says that because men did not choose “to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind.” (Romans 1:28) Their minds beeame darkened, unable to distinguish right from wrong. St. Paul tells us that all this is what we might expect from a reign of sin—a reign of darkness. Satan’s opposition to God made him a Jeader of those men who watld not have God’s way; and all down the centuries these have been the majority. In their fallen condition their minds were perverted, and they became an easy prey to the wiles of the great adversary, This darkness, which the Apostle styles night, has been a period of six thousand years. Now, however, we realize that we are in the dawning of a new dispensation. Darkness is giving place to light in matters relating not only to the church, but also to the world. If it was true in the day of the Apostle that the night was far spent, how much more forceful is the expression in our day! SURELY ALL SHOULD BE AWAKE NOW! The light of the glorious Sun of Righteousness is even now breaking over the hill-tops. It cannot shine upon the whole world until al! the members of the church of Christ are glorified and exalted to power in the Messianic Kingdom. Then the darkness of sin, ignorance, superstition and wrong-doing will be dispersed. In the verse preceding our text the Apostle points out to the Chureh at Rome great responsibility saying: “Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” But how much more significant are these words to us of today, than to them! The Christian is to realize that the whole world has been asleep, in a sort of stupor respecting the highest, best and noblest things. When the child of God gets his eyes partially opened, he begins to weigh and measure matters after a different fashion from that of his previous course. As his eyes open still more widely, everything takes on a new aspect. He is able more than ever before to estimate rightly the value of things of this life and finds them not worthy to be compared with the glorious things which belong to the life eternal. He sees that for six thousand years the world has been groaning under the bondage of sin and Satan, but that the blessed morning of the great Sabbath of hallowed rest and refreshment is about to dawn. As the Christian realizes all this, he should feel disposed to arouse himself, shake himself thoroughly from the dust of ignorance, superstition, blindness and sordidness, and to live more fully in harmony with the glorious hopes which he now entertains—living for the new era, the new dispensation. Instructed more fully from the Word of God, he will not expect his salvation, his deliverance, except in connection with the second presence—the parousia—of our Lord Jesus and the establishment of his kingdom. He will see a new force, beauty and meaning in the words of the Apostle Peter: ‘Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”—1 Peter 1:13, R. V. REIGN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AT THE DOOR The thought of the second presence of the Lord was continually before the Apostles; and our Lord evidently designed that it should be a constant incentive to the members of his church throughout the entire age. This undoubtedly, was one reason why he did not particularly explain the length of time that would intervene before the setting up of the kingdom. From God’s standpoint it would be a short interval; and even from the human standpoint it would be short to each individual, who would have only the few remaining years of his life wherein to make ready for the glorious things of the future; and “in death there is no remembrance.” As St. Paul looked back and perceived that in his day about 4178 years of the reign of sin and gross darkness, upon the world had passed, he could realize that truly the night was far spent, that the blessed day of deliverance was drawing nigh, And now we, who live in the dawn of this great day, [6299] are most highly favored by the Lord. We can see the particulars regarding this time, which were obscure in the Apostle’s time. We are standing at the very threshold of the Golden Age! As soon as the harvest of this Gospel age shall be gathered, the work of change, the transformation from the reign of evil to the reign of righteousness, will take place; and it is nigh, even at the door. Surely it is now high time that all who gre truly the Lord’s should awake out of sleep, cast off all “the works of darkness.” and put on the “whele armour ot God that we shall be able to withstand ino the evil dayv."Kphesians 6:13. “ARMOR OF LIGHT’’ ESPECIALLY NEEDED TODAY Whatever will not stand the fullest investigation in the light of this day of Christ, whatever will not win approval in the new dispensation now coming in, should be promptly renounced by all who hope for the Lord’s favor as his children, as disciples of Christ. If we really are Christ’s we belong to the new cra, not to the é6ld. We should therefore live in accordance with our citizenship and with our responsibility to the prince of Light and in opposition to the prince of darkness. We are foreWarned by the Apostle that this period of time in which the change from the dominion of the “prince of this world” to that of the prince of glory takes place, will be an especially “evil day”—a period in which all the children of light will be crucially tested. It is a day that is to “try every man’s work, of what sort it is.” It is to be a day of fiery trial, through which only the gold, silver and precious stones will pass unseathed, in which all the wood, hay and stubble of error, sin, human tradition and falsehood will be entirely destroyed. We are even now in the fires of this day, in the time when the wood, hay and stubble are being consumed; when higher criticism, evolution, Christian science, hypnotism (whether known under its own name or whether ealled mind cures), ete., are devouring as a flame all the faith structure of those children of God who have not continued faithful to the Lord, and who, therefore, have not been kept by his power, through the Word and through his providences. ‘“‘WALE AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT’’ All who are truly the Lord’s should “walk honestly, as in the day.” We are not yet fully in the day; but we belong to the day, and are therefore to live as nearly as possible up to the perfect standards of the future. So to live will mean selfdenial. It will mean that we shall be misunderstood by the world and all who have its spirit. It will mean that we shall be thought foolish, that we shall be considered enemies—not so much by those who are in gross darkness ag by those who profess to be the Lord’s people, to be children of the light, but who really prefer darkness and error to light and truth. We are inclined to lay special stress on the word, “honestly,” used by the Apostle, and believe that he used it advisedly and in a particular sense. As we look about us today, we see that dishonesty is very prevalent. Not merely in the world, where we expect to find a certain amount of duplicity, misrepresentation and deception, and to see people passing for what they are not, do we find this kind of dishonesty very prevalent, but amongst professing Christians. We have even known professed ministers of the Gospel to boast of their dishonesty—-to declare that they never have believed the creed which they have professed to believe and which they have vowed that they would teach. Intelligent ministers of all denominations are preaching what they do not believe, standing for creeds and confessions of faith which misrepresent their own sentiments. They are acting dishonestly; they are searing their consciences; they are putting themselves into conditions where they cannot make progress into the light of truth; for surely God does not purpose to have dishonest people in his elect Church. If these do not very quickly change and become honest, they will certainly have their portion with the hypocrites; for it is the hypocrites who are dishonest. HONESTY A BASIC TRAIT OF CHARACTER Christians, above all other people in the world, should be honest. and sincere in their professions. They should be honest in their dealings with their neighbors, with their brethren, and especially in their confessions respecting their God and their faith, This test must be met by every one who names the name of Christ. Those who love the favor of men more than the favor of God, who would rather confess and profess a lie than to espouse an unpopular cause—even when they know it is God’s cause—will be given up to their lie. Such are surely proving themselves unfit for the kingdom, unfit to (227 228)

This website uses cookies to improve the website and your experience. By continuing to browse this website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. If you require further information or do not wish to accept cookies when using this website, please visit our Privacy Policy    Terms of Use    .