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(274-291) gestion to make in such cases; for there are two ways of looking at the matter. One of these is the fact that the elder may be unable to meet at the hour set by the church. In that case the spirit of a sound mind would suggest the change of the hour of meeting to one which would be convenient for the leader. On the other hand, if the tardiness be the result of thoughtlessness, jack of character development or some similar reason, the spirit of a sound mind would prompt THE WATCH TOWER Brooxiyn, N. Y. us to elect a leader who had the interests of the church 80 much at heart that he would keep his engagements with the same degree of carefulness that he would exercise in the matter of any other business arrangement. In Tue WatTcH ToweER of Dec. 1, 1916, there is an article which deals wish this very matter of punctuality—‘Decorum in the House of God.” It would be well for all who are habitually unpunctual to consider carefully its contents. IMPORTANT NOTICE The circulation of the following books and papers is completely suspended during the period of the war: THE FINISHED MYSTERY Special Edition, March Ist, WatcH Towers (ZG) All BrsLe Stupents’ MONTHLIES All Kinepom News Any classes or individuals holding any of the above literature belonging to THe WatcH Tower Biste anp Tract SoCIETY are hereby instructed to hold the same, subject to our orders. This is a confirmation of notice sent you last March. Vou. XXNXIX fa Si BROOKLYN, N. Y., OCTOBER 1, 1918 REMOVAL NOTICE Please address of communications in future to WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIEY FEDERAL AND RELIANCE STREETS N. 8S. PISTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA. The removal will delay about thirty days all orders received after August 26; but we know the friends will bear patiently with us for that length of time or even longer. After prayerful consideration, and counsel with brethren in other places, it was decided by the Board of Directors of the WatcH Towes Biste anp TRAcT Sociury, the Executive Com mittee and the Board of Directors of the Peoples Pulpit Asso ciation, to move the oflices of our Society from Brooklyn, N. Y., to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, North Side. Large and commodious quarters have been secured in the Martin Building, third floor, corner of Federal and Reliance streeis, A beautiful reception and fellowship room has been provided for visiting friends; and all friends are cordially invited to pay us a visit. The Bethel home has been discontinued for the present. VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER For nearly forty years this journal has sought from time ta time to forewarn its readers against the peculiar trials and temptations of the period marking the closing yeara of the Gospel age. Especially has it endeavored to warn the lord’s people against the increasing activities of the demons, evil spirits, the “angels which kept not their first estate.’ During this period we have been much encouraged by the many letters received from a number of our readers, showing us that our efforts have not been in vain, but that their influence for good has been widely felt, not only in restraining the Lord’s people from curious and dangerous investigation of occultism and various forms of spiritism, but also in opening the eyes of some—including a few mediums—who had been partially overcome by the wiles of the devil and his associated fallen spirits.—Ephesians 6:12. Once more we would remind our readers that “the days are at hand, and the effect of every vision”; that the restraints under which the fallen angels have been held ever since the days of Noah were gradually to be relaxed during the closing years of the Gospel age, the time now present. ‘The Biblical record is that the evil spirits, the demons, were “restrained {in Tartarus, the atmosphere of earth) in lasting chains of darkness unto the great day” of judgment for the world. (Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4) As that great day drew near, the Watchers have noted many evidences that the chains have been gradually loosened, that evil spirits have greater liberty than ever before. FALLEN HUMANITY EASILY DECEIVED We are well aware that many intelligent people laugh to scorn the Scripture teaching along these lines. But God’s Word forewarns us that those persons are in great danger who refuse to believe in the existence and the activity of the demons, and who regard as superstitious the Bible narratives of how our Lord and his apostles cast out-demons, and who sneer at the Mosaic laws which strictly prohibited the Israelites from any dealings with witches. wizards, necromancers and others who held intercourse with unseen intelligences purporting to be the spirits of the dead. As a result of present day skepticism along these lines many of the self-confident have been easily caught in the demon trap, which is baited with curiosity. A visit to a medium, a seance with friends, a planchette or ouija board at a neighbor’s home, etc., entrap the unwary to their destruction. At first their curiosity is aroused. en they are gradually given what seems to them indubitable proofs of the existence of their beloved dead. Experiment follows experiment urlil finally they are fully convineed that they actually hold conversations with “those who have gone before.” Thus little Ly little they are brought under the influence of the demons, The Word of God repeatedly warns us that mankind are no match intellectually for the unseen intelligences that mas querade as the spirits of dead human beings. It declares that these are evil spirits, “angels that kept not their first estate,” and that we need the protection afforded us in the counsels of the divine Word. In the end of the Jewish age many Israelites were afflicted with evil spirits; and a considerable part of the work accomplished by our Lord and his apostles was the freeing of the afflicled from the merciless persecutions of these fallen angels or demons. So prominent is this subject that the four Gospels contain no less than forty-two references to the demons—mistranslated devils. SATAN’S ORIGINAL LIE STILL BELIEVED A similar influx of evil intelligences is predicted to occur in the end of the Gospel age. St. Paul points out that at this time the Lord will send, or permit, a strong delusion to come upon professed Christians, to try them. He says: “For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie [Greek], that they all might be condemned who believe not the‘truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:1), 12.) Thank God that we sce that this condemnation is not to be everlasting torture! The blasphemous misrepresentation of God’s Word is one of the devices with which these wicked spirits have driven many honest men away from God, by which they have blinded men to the true character of Jehovah God, But now in the closing hours of the age these strong delusions are being permitted in order to differentiate between those who have really loved and obeyed the divine counsel and those who have failed thus to do and are about to be judged unworthy of the high reward soon to be given to the faithful overcomer. In the context the Apostle points out that these strong delusions which wiil characterize the close of the old order of things will ensnare mankind because ‘“‘they received not the truth in the love of it.’ Vhe truth here referred to is the statement which God made to father Adam in Eden: “In the day thou eatest thereof. dying thou shalt die.” (Genesis 2:17, margin) In other words, it is the fact that tle dead are dead, and cannot re-live except by the exercise of divine power for their awakening from the death-sleep. This plain truth. abundantly set forth in the Scriptures. is not relished by any exeept the truth-hungry. The majority of mankind do not like to believe thus, On the contrary, they prefer to think that the dead are really more alive than they were before they died. Rejecting the plain statement which God made to Adam in Eden, they prefer the isonstrous lie which Satan there de elared to mother Eve: “Ye shall not surely die.” (Genesis 3:4) All who thus reject the fonnuation truth are easy marks for the demens, who have continued to repeat the original lie told in Eden. Indeed, so thoroughly have they succeeded that all mankind except a few followers of Jesus are thoroughly indoctrinated with this fundamental untruth. All [6332]