Publication date
9/1/18
Volume
39
Number
17
The WatchTower
Views from The Watch Tower
/../literature/watchtower/1918/17/1918-17-1.html
 
 
 
 
 
AI'G!;S! 
15. 
1918 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(252-259) 
necessity 
placc 
rl'"tri"tion 
npon 
onr 
work. 
These 
restrictions 
may 
seem 
severe 
to 
tlJOse 
who 
1Ia 
\'1' 
ncver 
been 
accustnmed 
to 
su~h 
limitations; 
but 
let 
us 
remember 
that 
they 
apply, 
not 
only 
to 
the 
I. 
B. 
S. 
A., 
but 
to 
everybody 
else 
and 
every 
other 
organi7.ation. 
Let 
us 
try 
to 
be 
cxamples 
of 
submission 
with· 
nut 
murmuring. 
:1\0 
doubt 
the 
I_nrd 
is 
permitting 
these 
ex­ 
r(~riences 
as 
tests 
to 
LIS 
all. 
\\'e 
arc 
SIIre 
you 
cannot 
ap· 
pre-ciate 
difficulties 
which 
('onfrnnt 
the 
Executive 
Committee; 
and 
\\'e 
remind 
you 
of 
our 
lack 
of 
experience, 
and 
hence 
the 
The 
Watch 
Tower 
Editorial 
Committee: 
Tlds 
journal 
is 
published 
under 
the 
supervision 
of 
an 
Editorial 
Committee, 
at 
least 
three 
of 
whom 
have 
read 
and 
approved 
as 
truth, 
Meh 
and 
every 
article 
appearin;r 
in 
these 
greater 
need 
of 
care 
on 
our 
part 
and 
of 
your 
sympathy 
and 
prayprs. 
\Ve 
appreciate 
very 
much 
your 
loving 
messages 
and 
assur­ 
ances 
of 
co·operation, 
and 
assure 
you 
in 
return 
that 
we 
are 
willing 
to 
comply 
with 
the 
law 
of 
the 
land, 
to 
the 
end 
that 
you 
may 
have 
the 
continued, 
regular 
visits 
of 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER. 
\nth 
much 
Christian 
love, 
we 
remain, 
Your 
brethren 
and 
servants 
in 
the 
Lord, 
EXECUTIvE 
COMMTl'TF.F:. 
columns. 
The 
names 
of 
the 
Editorial 
Committee 
now 
serving 
are: 
w. 
E. 
SPILL, 
W. 
Eo 
PAGF., 
R. 
JI. 
BARBER, 
J. 
F. 
STEPHENSON. 
F. 
T. 
JIORTH. 
[First 
appearance 
of 
this 
paragraph 
in 
this 
forlll.l 
\'OT.. 
XXXIX 
BH()()KLY~, 
~. 
Y., 
SEPTEMBER 
1, 
1918 
1\0. 
17 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
Zionism 
is 
tJIemp 
of 
perennial 
interest 
to 
tihc 
Lord's 
peo- 
the 
nucleus 
of 
new 
Jewish 
Republic, 
homeland 
for 
Israel. 
pIe. 
who 
for 
many 
fl'ars 
have 
watched 
with 
deep 
sympathy 
In 
June 
o[ 
this 
year, 
.iust 
forty 
years 
from 
tihe' 
time 
when 
f,he 
evidences 
of 
the 
return 
of 
divine 
favor 
to 
God's 
chosen 
through 
the 
mfluence 
of 
Lord 
BeaMnsfield 
the 
dOOT 
of 
Pales­ 
:lation. 
The 
beloved 
Seventh 
'Messengpr 
has 
written 
much 
upon 
tine 
was 
reopened 
to 
tihe 
Jews, 
the 
Zionists 
held 
tiJeir 
twenty­ 
f:his 
subject 
in 
both 
the 
SCR:J;PTURF. 
STUDU:S 
and 
the 
columns 
first 
annual 
convention 
at 
Pittsburp:th. 
This 
convention 
hal.' 
of 
this 
journal. 
In 
Vol. 
2, 
Studies 
and 
'he 
has 
domon- 
attracled 
much 
attention, 
Rnd 
is 
said 
to 
have 
accomplished 
strated 
the 
fad 
that 
Israel's 
"seven 
times" 
of 
divine 
disfavor 
more 
than 
had 
all 
the 
preceding 
twenty 
conventions. 
Below 
fully 
ended 
in 
October, 
1914; 
and 
that 
shortly 
after 
that 
date 
we 
qnate 
from 
various 
newspapers 
relative 
to 
tlhis 
sub.ieot: 
the 
Jews 
would 
return 
to 
Palestine. 
He 
also 
p()inted 
out 
AIM 
OF 
THE 
AMERIOAN 
ZIONISTS 
that 
the 
year 
1878 
marked 
the 
turning 
point 
in 
the 
history 
of 
An 
excerpt 
from 
the 
Pitt8burgh 
Gazette-Time8 
rcads: 
Israel; 
for 
in 
that 
year 
an 
event 
occurred 
w1hi0h 
indicated 
"The 
main 
object 
of 
tihe 
Zionist 
movoment 
in 
the 
United 
l'learly 
the 
beginning 
of 
the 
return 
of 
divine 
favor 
t~ 
the 
States 
is 
to 
aid 
in 
tJ1e 
re·estaJblishment 
of 
Jewish 
homeland 
,Tews. 
In 
June 
of 
tJ:tat 
yea 
... 
the 
"Berlin 
Congress 
of 
Nations" 
in 
Palestine 
alfter 
tJwenty 
centuries 
of 
striving, 
tJhereby 
fuJ­ 
was 
held, 
in 
which 
Lord 
Bearonsfield, 
then 
Prime 
Minister 
filling 
Old 
Testament 
prophecy. 
There 
is 
no 
thought 
of 
any 
of 
Great 
Britain, 
took 
the 
leading 
part. 
We 
quote: 
large 
num,ber 
of 
American 
and 
English 
Jews 
returning 
to 
"There 
England 
assumed 
general 
protectorate 
over 
the 
this 
homeland, 
but 
rather 
the 
SEltti~ 
up 
of 
an 
ethical 
center; 
Asiatic 
pr<>vinces 
of 
Turkey, 
among 
which 
was 
Palestine; 
the 
making 
of 
Jerusalem 
City 
of 
Prayer 
for 
all 
people~. 
and 
1'urkey 
amended 
its 
laws 
relating 
to 
aHens, 
which 
grl'.atly 
rathe-r 
tihan 
rallying 
point 
for 
political 
activities. 
One 
of 
ameliorated 
the 
condition 
of 
the 
Jews 
then 
re8idin~ 
in 
Pales- 
the 
flherished 
'hopes 
of 
some 
of 
the 
leaders 
is 
World 
Uni· 
tine, 
as 
well 
as 
partially 
opened 
the 
door 
for 
other~s 
to 
locate 
versity 
for 
the 
study 
of 
spiritual 
questions, 
as 
distinguished 
there. 
with 
the 
privilege 
of 
holdin!!' 
real 
estate, 
But 
we 
must 
from 
the 
purely 
intellectual 
or 
materialistic. 
rElmember 
that 
the 
year 
A. 
D. 
1878 
was 
but 
the 
tu.rning 
pain;!; 
"The 
Great 
War 
has 
given 
wonderful 
impetus 
to 
tlh!' 
of 
returning 
favor 
to 
Fleshly 
Israel. 
have 
already 
restoration 
of 
Palestine 
to 
the 
Jews, 
whi<fu 
is 
altoll'ether 
dif· 
learned 
from 
Qur 
studv 
of 
'The 
Times 
of 
the 
Gentiles' 
that 
ferent 
from 
the 
rcstoration 
of 
Belgium, 
Serbia 
and 
Roumania 
.Terusall"lIl 
and 
its 
people 
will 
continue 
-to 
be 
trodden 
doWTI- 
to 
their 
reflpective 
peoples. 
'Ifhe 
same 
world 
event 
is 
proving 
~ontrolled 
and 
oppressed 
by 
the 
Gentiles 
'UKTIL 
the 
timee 
an 
cmollient 
in 
racial 
and 
sectarian 
affairs, 
and 
a-t 
times 
are 
of 
the 
Gentiles 
be 
fulfilled,' 
and 
hence. 
though 
fa-vor 
was 
due 
more 
propitious 
for 
t,le 
Zionist 
vemerut 
fJ1lan 
ever 
before. 
and 
beg-a.n 
in 
A. 
D. 
1878, 
the 
Jew 
;will 
not 
be 
received 
back 
For 
this 
reason 
tlhe 
Pittsburg-h 
convention 
will 
attract 
thl' 
into 
full 
favor 
until 
A. 
D. 
1914. 
Thus 
their 
rise 
apin 
to 
a-ttention 
and 
sYlIll(Xl-thy 
of 
/\Teat 
mass 
of 
'People 
wfho 
undl'r 
favor 
will 
bc 
gradual, 
as 
was 
their 
fall 
frOlDl 
it."-Vol. 
2, 
different 
conditions 
would 
be 
less 
interested." 
pp. 
220, 
221. 
Our 
readers 
will 
perhaps 
recall 
+mat 
tnIe 
thoug'ht 
ahov!' 
Shortly 
oofore 
his 
deatlh, 
October 
31, 
1916, 
Pastoor 
Russell 
expressed 
is 
the 
same 
t. 
J.t 
Pastor 
Russell 
set 
forth 
in 
hh 
wrote 
concerning 
the 
Jewilih 
hope: 
sermon 
on 
Zionism, 
delivered 
in 
the 
Hippodrome 
on 
Oct. 
9. 
"We 
are 
free 
to 
SIW 
that 
the 
reB'toration 
of 
Israel 
has 
not 
1910. 
On 
that 
occasion 
he 
said: 
been 
ll.OOOmplished 
as 
ra.pidly 
as 
we 
had 
anticipated. 
Never- 
"It 
is 
n<>t 
my 
thought 
that 
the 
eiglht 
millions 
of 
,TetWs 
in 
thelesa 
tJhe 
Jews 
in 
Palestine 
seem 
to 
be 
thus 
far 
wonderfully 
the 
world 
will 
aU 
go 
to 
Palestine. 
even 
thollglh. 
it 
hu 
been 
sheltered; 
and 
doubtless 
many 
of 
fJ1leir 
co-relig-ionists 
in 
the 
estimated 
that 
tIhe 
land 
('{)uld 
support 
more 
than 
twice 
that 
war 
districts. 
eElp('{'ia.lly 
in 
Poland. 
would 
be 
glad 
if 
they 
hail 
many. 
It 
is 
my 
tJhoug'ht 
that 
solme 
of 
your 
most 
earnest 
gone 
tn 
Pale_tine 
when 
they 
had 
-QIlJportllnity. 
It 
i_ 
diffi~ult 
and 
saintly 
people 
will 
go 
to 
Palestine 
quickly 
and 
tnat 
the 
t.o 
say 
how 
the 
condllsion 
of 
thp 
war 
mav 
affect 
tillE' 
int.ereste 
rejuvenation 
there 
will 
be 
astonilihing- 
to 
the 
worM. 
Furtber 
of 
Israel. 
It 
looks 
as 
though 
the 
trying 
experiences 
of 
the 
it 
is 
my 
thought 
that 
the 
Jews 
in 
every 
part 
of 
the 
world. 
in 
.rews 
would 
arouse 
c<>miderable 
numbers 
of 
them 
cventua-lly 
proportion 
as 
'bhey 
come 
under 
tJhe 
holy 
influences 
of 
G~l's 
to 
~o 
to 
their 
homeland. 
We 
have 
never 
expected, 
however, 
promises 
through 
the 
proplhets. 
wi'}l 
~o 
to 
Palestine 
eympa- 
that 
a]] 
the 
Jew~ 
wOllld 
return 
thither. 
but 
mther 
repre-- 
tlletica1ly-by 
encoura¢ng- 
tiloae 
who 
can 
better 
JrO 
than 
sentative 
company 
of 
tJJi'm, 
just 
as 
in 
the 
(,~'1se 
of 
the 
return 
themselves 
and 
bv 
financial 
Msistance 
and 
the 
establishment 
from 
Babylonish 
captivitY-'-only 
about 
52,000 
returncd. 
nOlt- 
there 
of 
great 
entcrprises."-Sermons. 
pa,g-e 
482. 
withBtanding 
the 
grl'llt 
hosts 
that 
went 
to 
Babylon 
in 
the 
RESUME 
OF 
PROCEEDINGI 
captivity. 
The 
ret.urning 
ones 
represent 
those 
fullest 
of 
faitili 
From 
tJhe 
Pitt81J.u.r.qh 
Di8patch 
Wf' 
dip 
the 
following: 
in 
the 
I~rd 
andl1is 
promises, 
and 
doubtless 
will 
be 
dealt 
with 
"With 
all 
its 
constituent 
bodies 
cemented 
into 
one 
national 
as 
representative 
of 
the 
whole. 
We 
remind 
our 
readers 
that 
organization 
operating 
under 
one 
head 
and 
in 
one 
direction- 
when 
this 
volume 
was 
written 
fl889] 
the 
Jews 
t'hemselves 
that 
of 
rehabilitating 
Palestine. 
the 
ancient 
home 
of 
the 
Jews 
had 
little 
thoug-ht 
of 
going 
to 
Palestine. 
Now 
Zionism 
has 
-the 
Federation 
of 
American 
Zionists 
last 
night 
concluded 
its 
sprun,g- 
up, 
and 
has 
taken 
deep 
hold 
upon 
the 
hearts 
of 
the 
twenty-first 
annua.l 
('onvention 
in 
Soldiers' 
Memorial 
Hall. 
Israelites. 
Altfuoug-h 
it 
was 
secular 
Zionism 
at 
first, 
it 
has 
With 
the 
amalg-amation 
of 
the 
many 
sul>sidiary 
or/!,anizations 
/\Tadually 
turned 
to 
religious 
Bentiment 
and 
hope."-Vol. 
3, 
into 
one 
powerful 
body, 
tJhe 
old 
na:me 
of 
the 
federation 
was 
p. 
ii. 
dropped 
and 
hereafter 
the 
body 
will 
'00 
known 
as 
the 
Zionist 
W!ithin 
lesll 
than 
a. 
year 
after 
his 
death 
-the 
.ioyful 
mcs- 
Organiza-tion 
of 
America.. 
sage 
was 
flashed 
around 
the 
world 
that 
Great 
Britain 
had 
"The 
final 
day 
of 
the 
convention, 
which 
was 
the 
mOflt 
promised 
the 
establishment 
in 
Palest.ine 
of 
Jewislh. 
nationa,l 
importa.nt 
and 
largest 
that 
the 
org-anizat.ion 
has 
ever 
held, 
center 
to 
which 
"Jews 
from 
all 
countries 
might 
unite 
in 
was 
marked 
by 
the 
completion 
of 
the 
aJI1ll,lgamaA;ion 
of 
the 
spreadiing 
the 
influence 
of 
Jewish 
thougftlt 
and 
ideals 
frOlD1 
new 
national 
body, 
Which 
will 
devote 
ita 
efforts 
for 
tlhe 
restora- 
Palestine 
to 
other 
parts 
of 
tJhe 
world, 
in 
complete 
hanoony 
tion 
of 
Palestine, 
by 
the 
adoption 
of 
constitution 
and 
the 
with 
other 
peoples." 
In 
NovCllTlber 
of 
last 
year 
came 
the 
election 
<Yf 
officers- 
for 
the 
ensuinjl; 
year. 
cheering 
news 
that 
General 
AlIenby'had 
taken 
Jerusalem 
from 
"Justice 
Louis 
D. 
Brandeis 
of 
the 
Suprmne 
Court 
of 
the 
the 
TurkEl. 
Still 
later, 
1JJbout 
the 
Passover 
SCll!'on, 
1918, 
United 
States, 
who 
had 
served 
as 
honora.ry 
head 
of 
the 
old 
COIJllmittee 
of 
representative 
Jews 
arrived 
in 
Jerusalem 
to 
form 
orv,-anization 
during 
1:4I.e 
pe.st 
year 
&lid 
lI'bo 
is 
one 
of 
tire 
[6816] 
Aveusr 15, 1918 necessity place restriction upon our work. These restrictions may seem severe to those who have never been accustomed to such limitations; but let us remember that they apply, not only to the I. B.S. A., but to everybody else and every other organization. Let us try to be examples of submission without murmuring. No doubt the Lord is permitting these experiences as tests to us all. We are sure vou cannot appreciate difficulties which confront the Executive Committee; and we remind you of our lack of experience, and hence the The Watch Tower Editorial Committee: This journal is published under the supervision of an Editorial Committee, at least three of whom have read and approved as truth, each and every article appearing in these Vou. XNXIX” Zionism is a theme of perennial interest to the Lerd’s people, who for many years have watched with deep sympathy the evidences of the return of divine favor to God’s chosen uation. The beloved Seventh Messenger has written much upon this subject in both the Scriprure Strupirs and the columns of this journal. In Vol. 2, Studies 4 and 7 the has demonstrated the fact that Israel’s “seven times” of divine disfavor fully ended in October, 1914; and that shortly after that date the Jews would return to Palestine. He also pointed out that the year 1878 marked the turning point in the history of Israel; for in that year an event occurred which indicated clearly the beginning of the return of divine favor to the Jews. In June of that year the “Berlin Congress of Nations” ‘was held, in which Lord Beaconsfield, then Prime Minister of Great Britain, took the leading part. We quote: “There England assumed a general protectorate over the Asiatic provinces of Turkey, among which was Palestine; and Turkey amended its laws relating to aliens, which greatly amelforated the condition of the Jews then residing in Palestine, as well as partially opened the door for others to locate there, with the privilege of holding real estate. But we must remember that the year A. D. 1878 was but the turning point of returning favor to Fleshly Israel. W have already learned from our study of ‘The Times of the Gentiles’ that Jerusalem and its people will continue to be trodden down— controlled and oppressed by the Gentiles “UNTIL the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled,’ and hence, though favor was due and began in A. 1). 1878, the Jew will not be received back into full favor unti] A. D. 1914. Thus their rise again to favor will be gradual, as was their fall from it.”—Vel. 2, pp. 220, 221. Shortiy before his death, October 31, 1916, Pastor Russell wrote concerning the Jewish hope: “We are free to say that the restoration of Israel has not been accomplished as rapidly as we had anticipated. Nevertheless the Jews in Palestine seem to be thus far wonderfully sheltered; and doubtless many of their co-religionists in the war districts, especially in Poland. would be glad if they had gone to Palestine when they had opportunity. It is difficult to say how the conclusion of the war may affect the interests of Israel. It looks as though the trying experiences of the Jews would arouse considerable numbers of them eventually to go to their homeland. We have never expected, however, that all the Jews would return thither. but rather a repre sentative company of them, just as in the case of the return from Babylonish captivity-—only about 52,000 returned. notwithstanding the great hosts that went to Babylon in the captivity. The returning ones represent those fullest of faith in the Lord and his promises, and doubtless will be dealt with as representative of the whole. We remind our readers that when this volume was written [1889] the Jews themselves had little thought of going to Palestine. Now Zionism has sprung up, and has taken a deep hold upon the hearts of the Israelites. Although it was a secular Zionism at first, it has gradually turned to religious sentiment and hope.”—Vol. 3, p. fi. Within less than a year after his death the joyful message was flashed around the world that Great Britain had promised the establishment in Palestine of a Jewish national eenter to which “Jews from all countries might unite in spreadiing the influence of Jewish thought and ideals from Palestine to other parts of the world, in complete harmony with other peoples.” In November of last year came the cheering news that General Allenby ‘had taken Jerusalem from the Turks. Still later, about the Passover season, 1918, a committee of representative Jews arrived in Jerusalem to form THE WATCH TOWER “BROOKLYN, N. Y., SEPTEMBER 1, 1918 _ VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER (252-259) greater need of care on our part and of your sympathy and prayers, We appreciate very much your loving messages and assurances of co-operation, and assure you in return that we are willing to comply with the law of the land, to the end that you may have the continued, regular visits of Taz Watcu Tower. With much Christian love, we remain, Your brethren and servants in the Lord, Execurive CoMMITrrr. columns. The names of the Editorial Committee now serving are: W. E. SPILL, W. EB PAGF, BR. H, BARBER, J. F. STEPHENSON, FP, T. HORTH.* *[First appearance of this paragraph in this form. | the nucleus of a new Jewish Republic, a homeland for Israel. In June of this year, just forty years from the time when through the inftuence of Lord Beatonsfield the door of Palestina was reopened to the Jews, the Zionists held their twentyfirst annual convention at Pittsburgh. This convention has attracted much attention, and is said to have accomplished more than had all the preceding twenty conventions. Below we quote from various newspapers relative to this subject: AIM OF THE AMERICAN ZIONISTS An excerpt from the Pittsburgh Gazette-Times reads: “The main object of the Zionist movement in the United States is to aid in the re-establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine after twenty centuries of striving, thereby fulfilling Old Testament prophecy. There is no thought of any large number of American and English Jews returning to this homeland, but rather the setting wp of an ethical center; the making of Jerusalem a City of Prayer for all peoples. rather than a rallying point for political activities. One of the cherished hopes of some of the leaders is a World University for the study of spiritual questions, as distinguished from the purely intellectual or materialistic. “The Great War has given a wonderful impetus to the restoration of Palestine to the Jews, which is altogether different from the restoration of Belgium, Serbia and Roumania to their respective peoples. the same world event is proving an emollient in racial and sectarian affairs, and at times are more propitious for tue Zionist m vement than ever before. For this reason the Pittsburgh convention will attract the attention and sympathy of a great mass of people who under different conditions would be less interested.” Our readers will perhaps recall that the thought above expressed is the same t.at Pastor Russel] set forth in his sermon on Zionism, delivered in the Hippodrome on Oct. 9. 1910. On that occasion he said: ‘tt ia not my thought that the eight millions of Jewa in the world will all go to Palestine, even though it has been estimated that the land could support more than twice that many. It is my thought that some of your most earnest and saintly people will go to Palestine quickly and that the rejuvenation there will be astonishing to the world. Further it is my thought that the Jews in every part of the world. in proportion as they come under the holy influences of God’s promises through the prophets, will go to Palestine sympathetically—by encouraging those who can better go than themselves and by financial assistance and the establishment there of great enterprises.”--Sermons, page 482. RESUME OF PROCEEDINGS From the Pittsburgh Dispatch we clip the following: “With all its constituent bodies cemented into one national organization operating under one ‘head and in one direction— that of rehabilitating Palestine, the ancient home of the Jews —the Federation of American Zionists last night concluded its twenty-first annual convention in Soldiers’ Memorial Hall. With the amalgamation of the many subsidiary organizations into one powerful body, the old name of the federation was dropped and hereafter the body will ‘be known as the Zionist Organization of America. “The final day of the convention, which was the most important and largest that the organization has ever held, was marked by the completion of the amalgamation of the new national body, which will devote its efforts for the restoration of Palestine, by the adoption of a constitution and the election of officers for the ensuing year. “Justice Louis D. Brandeis of the Supreme Court of the United States, who had served as honorary head of the old organization during the past year and who is one of the [6815]

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