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APRIl.
15,
1918
THE
WATCH
TOrVER
(1]7
1.1::)
things
and
I
have
re~t
a-bout
the
matter
when
1
rea.lize
after
careful
thought
and
pra-yer
that
by
subscribing
to
the
Vow
I
am
doing
his
holy
will.
I
have
always
appreciated
the
Morning
Resolve.
If
the
V.
D.
M.
questions
were
being
an·
swered
by
me
now
I
believp.
I
would
give
more
care
to
the
work,
yet
I
think
on
the
whole
the
answers
were
very
close
to
the
truth.
I
~hall
sign
and
date
separate
slip
for
attach·
ment
to
Vow
form,
or
you
can
return
me
the
slip
itself
and
I
will
sign
it.
I
have
deeply
appreciated
the
article,
"The
Price
of
Exalta
tion"
in
Nov.
15th
WATCH
TOWER.
It
is
clear
evidence
to
me
the
Lord
is
still
at
the
helm.
Your
brother
in
hope
of
eternal
life,
J.
R.
DOUGLAS.-Aus.
APPRECIATES
FREE
PRESS
AND
SPEECH
DK~R
Sl88:-
My
attention
has
·been
called
through
a
new::!
item
to
a
book
lJUblished
by
you
called
"The
Finished
Mystery,"
which
the
Canadian
press
censor
pro::!cribed
as
pro-German.
If
there
is
no
law
in
this
country
against
your
supplying
the
book,
please
let
me
J<now·
its
price.
Catalogue
of
other
publications
of
yours
would
be
appreciated.
As
I
understand
it,
a
free
press
is
one
of
the
fundamentals
upon
which
this
government
is
based.
I
like
to
see
for
my
self
why
certain
books
and
publications
are
so
greatly
feared
by
the
ruling
da.ss.
Thus
far
I
have
usually
found
that
there
ill
80me
unpleasant
truth
which
t.hey
hope
by
theBe
tyrannical
and
undemocratic
methods
to
suppres~.
All
autocrats
hate
to
let
the
people
do
their
thinking.
I
believe
tha.t
noth
ing
that
could
be
done
would
do
more
to
create
dissatisfac
tion
and
unrest
in
a
country
supposedly
free
than
to
attempt
autocratically
to
say
what
the
peopJeshal1
be
all()wed
to
fl'ad
or
not
read.
I
am
far
from
being
a.
pro-German,
but
I
pride
mY8elf
elIl
.l1eing
a
free
and
independent
American,
and
nothing
8tirs
me
more
than
to
see
efforts
made
to
suppress
f!'llC·speech,
free
press
and
free-lliSsembly.
Sincerely,
F.
H.
S.-I\.
Y.
VOL.
XXXIX
BROOKLYN,
N.
Y.,
lIA
Y
1,
1918
ZION'S
TRIUMPH
NEAR
Xo.
D
J>LA.GUll
01'
HAIL
It
has
heretofore
been
shown
(Z.
1918-119)
that
the
first
born
of
Egypt
pictured
or
repreBented
the
clergy
of
Ohristen
dom,
daiJIlJing
to
be
the
first
ones
of
importlllIlce
in
the
sys
tems.
The
exposition
of
the
prophecies
of
Ezekiel
and
Revela
tion
in
"The
Finished
Mystery"
shoW's
to
the
world
that
the
SEALING
OF
THE
SAINTS
During
the
entire
forty
years
of
the
harvest
the
sealing
of
the
saints
progressed.
A
'knowledge
and
appreciation
of
God's
plan
has
served
as
bo~h
a
sealing
and
a
separating
agency.
To
those
who
'hungercd
and
thirsted
for
the
truth,
God
gave
the
satisfying
portion;
and
those
who
appreciatl"li
it
have
been
prompt
in
doing
his
will
concerning
them
by
f,ladly
engaging
in
the
iharvCilt
work.
These
,heard
Lle
call,
'Oome
out
of
Babylon,"
and
joyfully
obeyed,
took
up
the
trumpet
and
engaged
in
soundIng
forth
the
message
of
the
kingdom.
The
grea.t
Master
of
the
harvest,
thf()ugh
St.
John,
show"
that
this
sealing
is
in
the
forehead
and
must
be
accolllplished
,before
the
storm
of
destruction
'break~
upon
Babylon.
'l~his
seems
elea.rly
to
indicate
that
everyone
who
will
be
of
thl'
kingdom
class
must
have
a.
knowledge
ane!
appreciation
of
God's
plan
by
the
end
of
the
harvest.
If
the
harvest
has
ended,
then
the
sealing
is
complete.
The
evidence
strongly
indicates
that
all
the
saints
lire
sealed.
This
would
mean
that
all
the
'saint~
have
been
gathered
into
the
"!>arn"-into
the
condition
of
separateness
from
the
worlcl.
Concerning
this
point,
the
Laodicean
messenger
wrr>te:
"When
this
night
cometh,
when
the
reapers
must
cease
their
labors,
it
will
prove
that
this
final
work
of
the
Gospel
age
is
accomplished;
that
the
elect.
number
of
the
bride
of
Christ
have
all
been
'sealed,'
and
'gathered'
into
a
condition
of
separateness
from
the
worldly-into
the
barn
condit.ion;
for
God
will
not
permit
anything
to
put
an
end
to
his
work
until
it
is
finished.
Then
all
the
true
and
faithful
'Servants
of
God
will
have
been
sealed
,in
their
foreheads;
and,
the
work
of
the
Gospel
age
being
finished,
no
more
can
enter
into
that
work
or
rea·p
its
rich
rewaTd."-C
211,
212.
"The
·forehead
sealing
indicates
that
a
mental
compre
hension
of
the
truth
will
be
the
mark
of
seal
which
will
Bep
arate
and
distinguIsh
the
servants
of
God
from
the
servants
alld
votaries
of
Ba.bylon.
And
this
agrees
with
Daniel's
testi
mony:
'The
wise
[of
thy
people]
shall
understand;
but
none
of
the
wicked
[unfaithful
to
their
covenant]
s.hall
understand.'
(Daniel
12:
10)
Thus
the
classes
are
to
be
m:1rked
and
sep
arated
before
the
plagues
come
upon
rejected,
OOIlt-off
Baby
lon."-C
165,
166.
"Cast
not
IWJay
therefore
your
confidenoe,
'Which
M·th
great
recompense
of
reward.
i'or
ye
have
new
of
1.atienoe,
tha-t,
after
ye
have
done
the
will
of
God,
ye
might
reoeive
the
prom4se."-Hebrews
10:35,
36.
With
bated
breath
and
ioyful
heart
the
watchers
in
Zion
sickle
of
truth
has
had
the
effeet
of
causing
all
denominat.ions
behold
the
closing
of
the
harvest.
Next
the
dark
night,
.fol·
or
religious
systems
to
bind
the1lUleives
together
in
bundlu8;
lowed
shortly
·by
the
glorious
sunbur8t.
of
everlasting
!lappi-
thus
uniting
to
oppose
the
message
of
truth.
Tliis
binding
to·
ness.
Wonderful
is
the
present
privilege
of
the
faithful
watch-
gether
in
,bundles,
according
to
the
parable,
must
take
pla£e
ers.
The
graduating
test
is
now
upon
the
church.
before
the
destruction
of
the
tares.
That
theBe
hundles
have
By
the
words
O'f
our
text
St.
Paul
olea.rly
prl>ves
that
for
some
time
been
bound
together
cannot
.be
gainsaid.
The
patience
(cheerful
endurance)
is
the
final
test,
and
that
this
tacit
union
of
the
systems
is
complete,
aJl
together
comrposing
test
must
come
after
we
have
done
the
will
of
God.
What,
Babylon,
mother
and
daughters.
The
doom
of
Babylon
i8
then,
has
been
and
is
the
will
of
God
f()r
thc
members
of
Zion
sealed
and
has
been
announced.
God
has
smitten
her
with
in
the
clOlling
days
of
the
age?
During
,the
past
forty
years
plagues
(Revelation
16:20,21);
and
her
destructJion
will
fol
the
harvest
of
the
age
has
been
in
progress.
That
the
harvest
low
shortly.
began
in
1878,
there
is
ample
and
convincing
proof.
The
end
of
the
harvest
is
due
in
the
spring
of
1918.
During
the
period
of
the
harvest
the
will
of
God
concerning
his
.people
finds
expression
in
the
words
of
the
Master:
"In
the
time
of
har
vest
I
will
,say
to
the
reapers,
Gather
ye
together
first
the
tares,
lLlld
bind
them
jn
bundles
to
burn
them;
bui
gather
the
wheat
into
my
ba.rn."
(Matthew
13:30)
In
that
time,
according
to
!lis
word,
he
has
sent
forth
his
messengers
with
a
great
Bound
of
a
trumpet,
to
gather
his
elect
from
one
end
of
heaven
to
the
other.
(Mllitthew
24
:31)
Again
God
ex
pressed
'his
will
concerning
his
people,
saying,
"Gather
my
saints
together
unto
me;
·thooe
that
have
made
a
covenant
with
me
by
sacrifice."
(Psalm
50:5)
Again
Jesus
expressed
the
will
of
our
Father:
"Thrust
in
thy
aickJe
and
reap;
for
the
time
is
come
for
thee
to
reap;
Jor
the
harvest
of
the
earth
[order-loving
people]
is
ripe."-Revelation·
14:
15.
The
llickle
·here
mentioned
is
the
message
of
'truth;
thrust
ing
it
in
means
to
send
out
the
truth
to
those
who
hunger
fOO'
it.
Again
God
expressed
his
will
concerning
the
called
ones
when
he
commissioned
them
to
preach
the
good
tidings
to
the
meek,
to
bind
up
the
broken-hearted,
to
proclaim
liberty
to
the
OOiptives,
to
proclaim
the
acceptable
year
of
the
Lord
and
the
day
of
vengeauoee
of
our
God
(Isaiah
61:1-3);
and
thaJt
this
vengeance
sh()uld
be
declared
aga.inst
Babylon.
(Jeremiah
51:6)
Jesus
makes
it
clear
tha.t
the
latter
part
of
the
work
of
the
harvest
is
the
gathering
of
the
vine
of
the
earth.
(Reve
lation
14:
18)
If,
then,
we
see
these
things
fulfilled
Rnd
we
have
joyfuloly
participa.ted
in
the
work
O'f
their
fulfillment,
we
have
been
doing
the
will
of
God;
and
it
is
after
thus
doing
!Jis
will
that
we
must
cheerfully
endure
,before
receiving
the
promise.
HOW
FULFILLED
It
is
doubtless
true
tha.t
every
sa.lnt
this
·side
the
Viti!
who
has
a
knowledge
of
·present
truth
came
to
such
knowledge
of
God~s
plan
since
1878-the
opening
of
the
harvest
work.
At
that
time
the
church
nominal
was
composed
of
both
wheat
and
tares,
true
and
false
Chri,stians.
During
,the
time
of
the
harvest
these
classes
must
be
separated.
In
outward
appear·
ance
the
two
are
m1.reh
alike.
The
great
Master
had
personaBy
instructed
that
there
should
be
no
attempt
at
separation
until
the
harvest
time.
He
himself
has
been
present,
directing
the
work
of
separa
ting
the
two
classes;
and
he
has
U'Sed
various
consecrated
in
~truments
as
his
messengers
to
do
this
work.
The
separating
and
gathering
work
has
been
accomplished
with
a
sickle,
which
is
the
meesage
of
truth,
~nd
which
necessarily
must
be
understood
by
the
consecrated.
The
thrusting
in
of
that
[6243]
Aprin, 15, 1918 THE things and I have rest about the matter when | realize after careful thought and prayer that by subscribing to the Vow I am doing his holy will. I have always appreciated the Morning Resolve. If the V. D. M. questions were being answered by me now I believe I would give more care to the work, yet I think on the whole the answers were very close to the truth. I shall sign and date separate slip for attachment to Vow form, or you can return me the slip itself and I will sign it. I have deeply appreciated the article, “The Price of Exaltation” in Nov. 15th WarcH Tower. It is clear evidence to me the Lord is still at the helm. Your brother in hope of eternal life, J. R. Doueras.—Aus. APPRECIATES FREE PRESS AND SPEECH DEAR S1BS:— My attention has been called through o news item to a book published by you called “The Finished Mystery,” which the Canadian press censor proscribed as pro-German., Vou. XXXIX WATCH TOWER BROOKLYN, N. Y., MAY 1, 1918 (127 132) If there is no law in this country against your supplying the book, please let me know-its price. Catalogue of other publications of yours would be appreciated. As I understand it, a free press is one of the fundamentals upon which this government is based. I like to see for myself why certain books and publications are so greatly feared by the ruling class, Thus far I have usually found that there is some unpleasant truth which they hope by these tyrannical and undemocratic methods to suppress. Al] autocrats hate to let the people do their thinking. I1 believe that nothing that could be done would do more to create dissatisfaction and unrest in a country supposedly free than to attempt autocratically to say what the people shal] be allowed to read or not read. I am far from being a pro-German, but I pride myself on being a free and independent American, and nothing stirs me more than to see efforts made to suppress free-speech, freepress and free-assembly. Sincerely, F. H. S.—N, Y. ZION’S TRIUMPH NEAR “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”’—Hebrews 10:35, 36. With bated breath and joyful heart the watchers in Zion behold the closing of the harvest. Next the dark night, followed shortly by the glorious sunburst of everlasting happiness. Wonderful is the present privilege of the faithful watchers, The graduating test is now upon the church. By the words of our text St, Paul clearly proves that patience (cheerful endurance) is the final test, and that this test must come after we have done the will of God. What, then, has been and is the will of God for the members of Zion in the closing days of the age? During the past forty years the harvest of the age has been in progress. That the harvest began in 1878, there is ample and convincing proof. The end of the harvest is due in the spring of 1918. During the period of the harvest the will of God concerning his people finds expression in the words of the Master: “In the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matthew 13:30} In that time, according to ois word, he has sent forth his messengers with a great sound of a trumpet, to gather his elect from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:31) Again God expressed his will concerning his people, saying, “Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” (Psalm 50:5) Again Jesus expressed the will of our Father: “Thrust in thy sickle and reap; for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth {order-loving people] is ripe.”—Revelation. 14:15. The sickle here mentioned is the message of’truth; thrusting it in means to send out the truth to those who hunger for it, Again God expressed his will concerning the called ones when he commissioned them to preach the good tidings to the meek, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God (Isaiah 61:1-3); and that this vengeance should be declared against Babylon. (Jeremiah 51:6) Jesus makes it clear that the latter part of the work of the harvest is the gathering of the vine of the earth. (Revelation 14:18) If, then, we see these things fulfilled and we have joyfully participated in the work of their fulfillment, we have been doing the will of God; and it is after thus doing his will that we nyust cheerfully endure before receiving the promise. HOW FULFILLED It is doubtless true that every saint this side the vail who has a knowledge of present truth came to such knowledge of God’s plan since 1878—the opening of the harvest work. At that time the church nominal was composed of both wheat and tares, true and false Christians. During ‘the time of the harvest these classes must be separated. In outward appearance the two are much alike. The great Master had personally instructed that there should be no attempt at separation until the harvest time, He himself has been present, directing the work of separating the two classes; and he has used various consecrated instruments as his messengers to do this work. The eeparating and gathering work has been accomplished with a sickle, which is the message of truth, and which necessarily must be understood by the consecrated. The thrusting in of that sickle of truth has had the effect of causing all denominations or religious systems to bind themselves together in bundles; thus uniting to oppose the message of truth. This binding together in bundles, according to the parable, must take place before the destruction of the tares. That these bundles have for some time been bound together cannot be gainsaid. ‘The tacit union of the systems is complete, all together composing Babylon, mother and daughters. The doom of Babylon is sealed and has been announced. God has smitten her with plagues (Revelation 16:20, 21); and her destruction will follow shortly. SEALING OF THE SAINTS During the entire forty years of the harvest the sealing of the saints progressed. A knowledge and appreciation of God’s plan has served as both a sealing and a separating agency. To those who hungered and thirsted for the truth, God gave the satisfying portion; and those who appreciated it have been prompt in doing his will concerning them by gladly engaging in the harvest work. These heard tae call, ‘Come out of Babylon,” and joyfully obeyed, took up the trumpet and engaged in sounding forth the message of the kingdom. The great Master of the harvest, through St. John, shows that this sealing is in the forehead and must be accomplished before the storm of destruction breaks upon Babylon, ‘This seems clearly to indicate that every one who will be of the kingdom class must have a knowledge and appreciation of God’s plan by the end of the harvest. If the harvest has ended, then the sealing is complete. The evidence strongly indicates that all the saints are sealed. This would mean that all the saints have been gathered into the “barn’—into the condition of separateness from the world, Concerning this point, the Lacdicean messenger wrote: ‘When this night cometh, when the reapers must cease their labors, it will prove that this final work of the Gospel age is accomplished; that the elect number of the bride of Christ have all been ‘sealed,’ and ‘gathered’ into a condition of separateness from the worldly—into the barn condition; for God will not permit anything to put an end to his work until it is finished. Then all the true and faithful servants of God will have been sealed in their foreheads; and, the work of the Gospel age being finished, no more can enter into that work or reap its rich reward.”—© 211, 212. “The forehead sealing indicates that a mental comprehension of the truth will be the mark of seal which will separate and distinguish the servants of God from the servante apd votaries of Babylon. And this agrees with Daniel’s testimony: ‘The wise [of thy people] shal] understand; but none of the wicked [unfaithful to their covenant] shall understand.’ (Daniel 12:10) Thus the classes are to be marked and separated before the plagues come upon rejected, cast-off Babylon.”—C 165, 166. PLAGUE OF HAIL It has heretofore been shown (Z. 1918-119) that the firstborn of Egypt pictured or represented tha clergy of Ohristendom, claiming to be the first ones of importance in the systems. The exposition of the prophecies of Ezekiel and Revelation in “The Finished Mystery” shows to the world that the [6243]
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