Kiadás dátuma
1904. 08. 15.
Kötet
25
Szám
16
Az Őrtorony
Views from the Watch Tower
Az eredeti angol nyelvű Őrtorony folyóiratok
../literature/watchtower/1904/16/1904-16-2.html
AUGUST 
15. 
1904 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(244-245) 
death 
is 
probably 
sustained 
by 
a 
notion, 
however 
dim 
and 
vague, 
of 
a 
reword 
for 
the 
pertormance 
of 
his 
duty. 
. 
. 
"It 
can 
hardly 
be 
doubted 
that 
hope 
of 
compensation 
In 
a 
future 
state 
for 
a 
short 
measure 
of 
happiness 
here, 
though 
it 
may 
have 
b~en 
somewhat 
dim, 
has 
materially 
h~lped 
to 
re~on­ 
eile 
the 
less 
favored 
members 
of 
the 
commulllty 
to 
the 
me­ 
qualities 
of 
the 
existing 
order 
of 
things. 
The 
vanishing 
of 
that 
hope 
can 
scarcely 
fail 
to 
be 
followed 
in 
the 
future 
by. 
an 
increased 
impatience 
of 
inequahty, 
and 
a 
growmg 
determma­ 
tion 
not 
to 
put 
off 
the 
indemnity 
to 
another 
world. 
In 
fact, 
this 
is 
already 
visible 
in 
the 
spirit 
a~d 
language 
of 
. 
labor 
agitation. 
Serious 
problems 
of 
this 
kmd 
seem 
to 
walt 
the 
coming 
generation. 
"It 
would 
not 
be 
surprising 
if 
in 
this 
dissolution 
of 
the 
ancient 
faith 
and 
failure 
of 
familiar 
supports, 
there 
were 
to 
be 
a 
partial 
reaction 
in 
favor 
of 
churches 
which, 
like 
the 
Roman 
Catholic 
or 
the 
Eastern 
Church, 
can 
pretend 
to 
offer 
the 
assurance 
of 
authority 
and 
to 
still 
the 
disquieting 
voice 
of 
reason 
while 
they 
lap 
the 
disturbed 
soul 
in 
the 
soothing 
ele­ 
ment 
of 
religious 
esthetics. 
A 
tendency 
of 
this 
kind 
is 
a~eady 
seen 
in 
ritualism, 
which 
bids 
the 
doubting 
take 
refuge 
In 
the 
sacerdotalism 
and 
sacramentalism 
of 
the 
middle 
ages. 
But 
such 
a 
back-stream 
of 
opinion 
and 
sentiment 
would, 
of 
course, 
not 
be 
lasting." 
He 
concludes, 
"After 
all, 
great 
is 
our 
ignorance, 
and 
there 
may 
be 
something 
yet 
behind 
the 
veil." 
* 
* 
* 
The 
Professor 
is 
an 
astute 
thinker 
and 
reasoner. 
He 
sees 
the 
trend 
of 
our 
times; 
he 
sees 
the 
advancing 
wave 
of 
unbelief 
which 
as 
a 
flood 
is 
even 
now 
increasingly 
sweeping 
over 
Chris- 
tendom. 
. 
. 
The 
Lord's 
Word 
has 
forewamed 
us 
of 
present 
condItions 
(Isa. 
28:14·20; 
29:9-16; 
Psa. 
91:7) 
and 
has 
cautioned 
us 
to 
"put 
on 
the 
whole 
armor 
of 
God 
that 
we 
may 
be 
able 
to 
stand 
in 
this 
evil 
day" 
(Eph. 
6: 
11) 
j 
and 
now, 
as 
predicted, 
the 
"fire" 
of 
this 
day 
is 
trying 
every 
man's 
work. 
(1 
Cor. 
3:13) 
Al~s! 
how 
many 
have 
been 
building 
up 
in 
themselves 
and 
others 
faIth 
in 
human 
traditions 
and 
creeds 
which 
now 
are 
"wood, 
hay 
and 
stubble" 
in 
the 
devouring 
flame 
of 
"higher 
criticism." 
Al~sl 
how 
few 
have 
built 
up 
their 
own 
faith 
and 
that 
of 
others 
WIth 
the 
"gold, 
silver 
and 
precious 
stones" 
of 
divine 
truth. 
However 
in 
this 
also 
"we 
sorrow 
not 
as 
others 
who 
have 
no 
hope." 
As 
we 
behol.d 
many 
falling 
away 
from 
a 
position 
they 
occupied 
only 
nommally 
anyway, 
and 
from 
a 
faIth 
that 
was 
never 
more 
than 
superficial, 
and 
from 
a 
worship 
in 
which 
they 
drew 
near 
the 
Lord 
in 
lip 
service 
without 
the 
heart, 
we 
rejoice 
that 
for 
such 
the 
present 
"shaking" 
(Heb. 
12 
:26) 
means 
not 
eternal 
torment 
nor 
even 
second 
death, 
but 
an 
awful 
expe­ 
rience 
in 
this 
life 
which, 
under 
divine 
providence, 
may 
work 
out 
for 
them 
a 
blessing 
during 
the 
Millennium. 
Prof. 
Smith 
sees 
what 
the 
Scriptures 
so 
clearly 
show-that 
the 
loss 
of 
faith 
at 
the 
end 
of 
this 
age 
will 
have 
much 
to 
do 
with 
the 
precipitation 
of 
the 
great 
time 
of 
trouble 
and 
anarchy 
with 
which 
this 
age 
is 
to 
finish. 
He 
sees 
this 
selfishness 
already 
manifesting 
itself 
as 
the 
Scriptures 
foretold 
it 
would 
do.­ 
1 
Tim. 
3: 
1-5. 
getting 
ready 
for 
the 
great 
wave 
of 
"trouble 
such 
as 
was 
not 
since 
there 
was 
a 
nation." 
THE 
ANTAGONISM 
BETWEEN 
CHRISTIANITY 
AND 
SOOIALISM 
"M. 
Anatole 
Leroy-Beaulieu, 
in 
a 
recent 
lecture 
delivered 
at 
Harvard, 
one 
of 
a 
series 
dealing 
with 
religion 
and 
de­ 
mocracy, 
commented 
on 
the 
antagonism 
between 
Christianity 
and 
socialism. 
Socialism, 
he 
admitted, 
is 
founded 
upon 
a 
love 
of 
humanity, 
and 
many 
of 
its 
elements 
are 
to 
be 
found 
in 
Chris­ 
tianity. 
Their 
ideals 
have 
much 
in 
common. 
'The 
aspiratioI 
of 
the 
socialist 
is 
the 
renovation 
of 
society: 
that 
is 
also 
the 
Christian 
ideal. 
Montesquieu, 
in 
the 
eighteenth 
century, 
mar­ 
veled 
at 
the 
fact 
that 
Christianity, 
preoccupied 
as 
it 
is 
with 
the 
affairs 
of 
the 
other 
world, 
has 
contributed 
so 
evidently 
and 
so 
much 
to 
the 
improvement 
of 
the 
life 
upon 
earth.' 
Yet, 
in 
spite 
of 
these 
analogies, 
M. 
Leroy-Beaulieu 
discovers 
differences 
so 
radical 
between 
the 
spirit 
of 
Christianity 
and 
the 
spirit 
of 
socialism 
that 
he 
believes 
their 
conflict 
to 
be 
vital. 
On 
this 
subject 
he 
said 
further, 
according 
to 
the 
report 
of 
his 
lecture 
in 
the 
Boston 
Evening 
Transcript: 
"'Christians 
and 
religious 
men 
in 
general 
have 
as 
their 
object 
the 
improvement 
of 
conditions. 
Communist 
ideas 
are 
indeed 
found 
in 
the 
Church-as 
we 
have 
seen 
in 
an 
earlier 
lecture. 
But 
until 
the 
present 
collectivist 
ideas 
have 
succeeded 
in 
the 
Church 
only 
in 
monasteries, 
in 
convents, 
in 
sects 
which 
are 
founded 
upon 
contempt 
for 
the 
world. 
So 
Saint 
Francis 
of 
Assisi, 
for 
example, 
might 
be 
cited 
as 
a 
kind 
of 
socialist 
or 
democrat. 
But 
what 
was 
his 
idealf 
The 
conquest 
of 
riches' 
On 
the 
contrary, 
pov3rty 
was 
the 
first 
article 
of 
his 
profession 
and 
the 
virtue 
that 
he 
chiefly 
preached. 
This 
is 
far 
indeed 
from 
the 
idea 
of 
modern 
socialism. 
What 
the 
socialist 
of 
today 
wants-if 
not 
for 
himself, 
then 
to 
divide 
among 
others 
-is 
the 
world's 
money. 
"'Again, 
there 
is 
a 
vast 
difference 
in 
the 
methods 
as 
well 
as 
in 
the 
ideas 
of 
socialism 
and 
Christianity. 
We 
mean, 
of 
course, 
the 
general 
spirit 
of 
Christianity. 
We 
do 
not 
include 
all 
Christians 
in 
our 
generalization. 
The 
spirit 
of 
Christianity's 
method 
is 
one 
of 
love 
toward 
God 
and 
man. 
Charity 
is 
the 
great 
idea-did 
not 
some 
one 
say 
the 
only 
innovation 
'--of 
Christianity. 
Christ's 
words 
were, 
"Peace 
be 
with 
you." 
This 
was 
no 
working 
formula, 
no 
catchword. 
It 
was 
genuine. 
Christ 
toiled 
for 
peace. 
Not 
so 
the 
modern 
socialist. 
Peace 
may 
be 
their 
ultimate 
object, 
but 
it 
is 
a 
peace 
which 
can 
be 
attained 
only 
by 
means 
of 
war. 
In 
the 
modern 
socialist's 
conception 
of 
the 
word, 
Napoleon 
himself 
fought 
for 
peace. 
None 
of 
the 
socialists 
tend 
to 
any 
other 
method. 
French, 
Italians, 
Ger­ 
mans, 
Russians-so 
they 
be 
socialists--are 
unanimous 
that 
the 
only 
way 
to 
establish 
the 
peace 
they 
aim 
at 
is 
through 
a 
war 
of 
classes. 
M. 
Jaures, 
the 
poet-politician, 
is 
a 
type 
of 
the 
class. 
"'It 
follows 
that 
socialists 
as 
a 
body 
oppose 
the 
doctrines 
of 
love 
and 
of 
long 
suffering 
that 
characterize 
men 
of 
religion. 
The 
calming 
of 
class 
strife, 
the 
appeasing 
of 
civic 
tempests 
by 
the 
oil 
of 
charity 
does 
not 
appeal 
to 
them. 
Religion, 
according 
to 
Janre". 
i;; 
",,)/P 
rwil1e 
('han~on"-the 
rradle 
sonl! 
that 
lulled 
the 
restlrssness 
of 
old. 
It 
is 
not 
the 
martial 
music 
which 
is 
needed 
for 
the 
battles 
civilization 
has 
to 
fight 
today. 
"'Far 
deeper 
than 
appears 
at 
first 
sight 
lies 
the 
gulf 
that 
CHURCH 
AND 
STATE 
IN 
FRANCE 
separates 
Christianity 
and 
socialism. 
The 
socialist 
has 
his 
Under 
the 
"Concordat," 
of 
long 
standing 
between 
the 
French 
religion, 
but 
it 
is 
neither 
Judaism 
nor 
Christianity. 
These 
government 
and 
the 
Papacy, 
France 
out 
of 
revenues 
and 
taxes 
faiths 
place 
their 
ideal 
in 
another 
world-to 
turn 
men's 
eyes 
has 
paid 
salaries 
to 
the 
Roma~ 
Catholic 
priest~, 
bishops, 
etc. 
to 
the 
treasures 
in 
heaven 
was 
the 
object 
of 
their 
teaching. 
It 
is 
generally 
conceded 
that 
thIS 
arrangement 
WIll 
be 
dIssolved 
So<'ialism-the 
religion 
of 
positivism 
nntl 
materiali'\m-pins 
its 
about 
the 
first 
of 
next 
year. 
If 
so 
the 
support 
of 
religion 
will 
faith 
to 
the 
treasures 
of 
earth. 
It 
is 
not 
hard 
to 
appreciate 
probably 
depend 
on 
voluntary 
contributions, 
as 
in 
this 
country. 
the 
reasons 
why 
a 
man 
who 
regards 
his 
life 
on 
earth 
as 
a 
Roman 
Catholics 
assume 
that 
this 
will 
be 
a 
great 
blow 
to 
relig- 
brief 
trial 
is 
willing 
to 
submit 
with 
patience 
to 
injustice. 
For 
ious 
institutions: 
they 
seem 
to 
have 
little 
confidence 
in 
vol 
un- 
the 
socialist 
it 
is 
different; 
for 
him 
this 
world 
is 
everything. 
tary 
religion. 
It 
is 
manifestly 
incumbent 
upon 
the 
socialist 
leaders, 
then, 
to 
Nor 
are 
the 
Roman 
Catholics 
alone 
in 
their 
fears 
for 
the 
snatch 
from 
the 
masses 
every 
semblance 
of 
belief 
in 
a 
worl,l 
future' 
for 
as 
Protestants 
and 
Jews 
received 
like 
treatment 
to 
come. 
There 
is 
but 
one 
expedient 
for 
them: 
if 
they 
are 
to 
in 
Fra~ce 
the 
cancelation 
of 
the 
Papal 
"Concordat" 
is 
expected 
remove 
the 
hope 
of 
a 
heavenly 
paradise, 
t~y 
must 
compensate, 
to 
mean 
a 
similar 
cutting 
off 
of 
Jews 
and 
Protestants 
from 
they 
must 
offer 
an 
earthly 
paradise 
in 
its 
place.' 
financial 
support. 
The 
twelve 
Jewish 
consistories 
of 
France 
"The 
religious 
plan, 
the 
lecturer 
continued, 
is 
to 
develop 
and 
Algeria 
receive 
220,000 
francs 
($44,000), 
or 
from 
1800 
not 
war, 
but 
love 
among 
men, 
and 
by 
means 
of 
that 
love 
for 
to 
5000 
francs 
to 
each 
rabbi 
or 
minister. 
The 
Hebrews 
are, 
the 
fraternity, 
which 
is 
the 
proposed 
aim 
of 
the 
socialists 
them­ 
of 
course, 
somewhat 
agitated 
respecting 
this 
loss, 
and 
as 
to 
how 
selves. 
Christianity, 
then, 
has 
the 
better 
methods 
for 
attaining 
fully 
it 
would 
be 
compensated 
for 
in 
voluntary 
donations. 
the 
socialistic 
ideals; 
and 
thus, 
after 
all, 
socialism, 
if 
it 
means 
The 
various 
Protestant 
ministers 
are 
perturbed 
even 
more 
what 
it 
professes, 
makes 
a 
serious 
mistake 
in 
its 
warfare 
upon 
than 
the 
rabbis 
and 
are 
calling 
for 
some 
kind 
of 
federative 
Christianity."-Literary 
Digest. 
union 
among 
themselves, 
and 
the 
"Fraternal 
Committee" 
has 
THE 
CONFLICT 
BETWEEN 
CATHOLICISM 
AND 
SOCIALISM 
been 
appealed 
to-to 
see 
that 
the 
interests 
of 
the 
Reformed 
churches 
be 
taken 
care 
of 
in 
the 
parliamentary 
action 
on 
the 
"It 
is 
an 
indubitable 
fact 
that 
notwithstanding 
appearances 
proposed 
separation. 
France 
has 
been 
paying 
annually 
to 
to 
the 
contrary, 
Europe 
is 
now 
decatholicizing 
herself. 
One 
Protestant 
ministers 
1,500,000 
francs 
($300,000). 
might 
even 
go 
further 
with 
safety 
and 
say 
that 
she 
is 
dechris- 
A 
few 
Protestants 
seem 
to 
take 
the 
proper 
view 
of 
the 
tianizing 
herself. 
Slowly 
but 
surely, 
with 
the 
irresistible 
move­ 
matter-that 
such 
support 
from 
the 
world 
is 
contrary 
to 
the 
ment 
of 
a 
geological 
subsidence, 
faith 
is 
waning 
among 
the 
best 
interests 
of 
true 
religion. 
Thus, 
gradually 
France 
is 
industrial 
workers, 
and 
even 
among 
the 
peasants. 
In 
Belgium, 
[3411] 
Aucusr 15, 1904 death is probably sustained by a notion, however dim and vague, of a reword for the pertormance of his duty. , “It can hardly be doubted that hope of compensation in a future state, for a short measure of happiness here, though it may have been somewhat dim, has materially helped to reconcile the less favored members of the community to the inequalities of the existing order of things. The vanishing of that hope can scarcely fail to be followed in the future by an increased impatience of inequality, and a growing determination not to put off the indemnity to another world. In fact, this is already visible in the spirit and language of labor agitation. Serious problems of this kind seem to wait the coming generation. “It would not be surprising if in this dissolution of the ancient faith and failure of familiar supports, there were to be a partial reaction in favor of churches which, like the Roman Catholic or the Eastern Church, can pretend to offer the assurance of authority and to still the disquieting voice of reason while they lap the disturbed soul in the soothing element of religious esthetics. A tendency of this kind is already seen in ritualism, which bids the doubting take refuge in the sacerdotalism and sacramentalism of the middle ages. But such a back-stream of opinion and sentiment would, of course, not be lasting.” He concludes, “After all, great is our ignorance, and there may be something yet behind the veil.” * * * The Professor is an astute thinker and reasoner. He sees the trend of our times; he sees the advancing wave of unbelief which as a flood is even now increasingly sweeping over Christendom. The Lord’s Word has forewarned us of present conditions (Isa. 28:14-20; 29:9-16; Psa. 91:7) and has cautioned us to “put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand in this evil day” (Eph. 6:11); and now, as predicted, the “fire” of this day is trying every man’s work. (1 Cor. 3:13) Alas! how many have been building up in themselves and others faith in human traditions and creeds which now are “wood, hay and stubble” in the devouring flame of “higher criticism.” Alas! how few have built up their own faith and that of others with the “gold, silver and precious stones” of divine truth. However, in this also “we sorrow not as others who have no hope.” As we behold many falling away from a position they occupied only nominally anyway, and from a faith that was never more than superficial, and from a worship in which they drew near the Lord in lip service without the heart, we rejoice that for such the present “shaking” (Heb. 12:26) means not eternal torment nor even second death, but an awful experience in this life which, under divine providence, may work out for them a blessing during the Millennium. Prof. Smith sees what the Scriptures so clearly show—that the loss of faith at the end of this age will have much to do with the precipitation of the great time of trouble and anarchy with which this age is to finish. He sees this selfishness already manifesting itself as the Scriptures foretold it would do.— 1 Tim. 3:1-5. CHURCH AND STATE IN FRANCE Under the “Concordat,” of long standing between the French government and the Papacy, France out of revenues and taxes has paid salaries to the Roman Catholic priests, bishops, etc. It is generally conceded that this arrangement will be dissolved about the first of next year. If so the support of religion will probably depend on voluntary contributions, as in this country. Roman Catholics assume that this will be a great blow to religious institutions: they seem to have little confidence in voluntary religion. Nor are the Roman Catholics alone in their fears for the future; for as Protestants and Jews received like treatment in France the cancelation of the Papal “Concordat” is expected to mean a similar cutting off of Jews and Protestants from financial support. The twelve Jewish consistories of France and Algeria receive 220,000 francs ($44,000), or from 1800 to 5000 francs to each rabbi or minister. The Hebrews are, of course, somewhat agitated respecting this loss, and as to how fully it would be compensated for in voluntary donations. The various Protestant ministers are perturbed even more than the rabbis and are calling for some kind of federative union among themselves, and the “Fraternal Committee” has been appealed to—to see that the interests of the Reformed churches be taken care of in the parliamentary action on the proposed separation. France has been paying annually to Protestant ministers 1,500,000 franes ($300,000). A few Protestants seem to take the proper view of the matter—that such support from the world is contrary to the best interests of true religion. Thus, gradually France is ZION’S WATCH TOWER (244-245) getting ready for the great wave of “trouble such as was not since there was @ nation.” THE ANTAGONISM BETWEEN CHRISTIANITY AND SOCIALISM “M. Anatole Leroy-Beaulieu, in a recent lecture delivered at Harvard, one of a series dealing with religion and democracy, commented on the antagonism between Christianity and socialism. Socialism, he admitted, is founded upon a love of humanity, and many of its elements are to be found in Christianity. Their ideals have much in common. ‘The aspiratior of the socialist is the renovation of society: that is also the Christian ideal. Montesquieu, in the eighteenth century, marveled at the fact that Christianity, preoccupied as it is with the affairs of the other world, has contributed so evidently and so much to the improvement of the life upon earth.’ Yet, in spite of these analogies, M. Leroy-Beaulieu discovers differences so radical between the spirit of Christianity and the spirit of socialism that he believes their conflict to be vital. On this subject he said further, according to the report of his lecture in the Boston Evening Transcript: “Christians and religious men in general have as their object the improvement of conditions. Communist ideas are indeed found in the Church—as we have seen in an earlier lecture. But until the present collectivist ideas have succeeded in the Church only in monasteries, in convents, in sects which are founded upon contempt for the world. So Saint Francis of Assisi, for example, might be cited as a kind of socialist or democrat. But what was his ideal? The conquest of riches? On the contrary, poverty was the first article of his profession and the virtue that he chiefly preached. This is far indeed from the idea of modern socialism. What the socialist of today wants—if not for himself, then to divide among others -—is the world’s money. “<‘Again, there is a vast difference in the methods as well as in the ideas of socialism and Christianity. We mean, of course, the general spirit of Christianity. We do not include all Christians in our generalization. The spirit of Christianity’s method is one of love toward God and man. Charity is the great idea—did not some one say the only innovation?—of Christianity. Christ’s words were, “Peace be with you.” This was no working formula, no catchword. It was genuine. Christ toiled for peace. Not so the modern socialist. Peace may be their ultimate object, but it is a peace which can be attained only by means of war. In the modern socialist’s conception of the word, Napoleon himself fought for peace. None of the socialists tend to any other method. French, Italians, Germans, Russians—so they be socialists—are unanimous that the only way to establish the peace they aim at is through a war of classes. M. Jaures, the poet-politician, is a type of the class. “Tt follows that socialists as a body oppose the doctrines of love and of long suffering that characterize men of religion. The calming of class strife, the appeasing of civie tempests by the oil of charity does not appeal to them. Religion, according to Jaures, is “une meille chanson’’—the cradle song that lulled the restlessness of old. It is not the martial music which is needed for the battles civilization has to fight today. “ ‘Far deeper than appears at first sight lies the gulf that separates Christianity and socialism. The socialist has his religion, but it is neither Judaism nor Christianity. These faiths place their ideal in another world—to turn men’s eyes to the treasures in heaven was the object of their teaching. Socialism—the religion of positivism and materialism—pins its faith to the treasures of earth. It is not hard to appreciate the reasons why a man who regards his life on earth as a brief trial is willing to submit with patience to injustice. For the socialist it is different; for him this world is everything. It is manifestly incumbent upon the socialist leaders, then, to snatch from the masses every semblance of belief in a world to come. There is but one expedient for them: if they are to remove the hope of a heavenly paradise, they must compensate, they must offer an earthly paradise in its place.’ “The religious plan, the lecturer continued, is to develop not war, but love among men, and by means of that Jove for the fraternity, which is the proposed aim of the socialists themselves. Christianity, then, has the better methods for attaining the socialistic ideals; and thus, after all, socialism, if it means what it professes, makes a serious mistake in its warfare upon Christianity.”—Literary Digest. THE CONFLICT BETWEEN CATHOLICISM AND SOCIALISM “It is an indubitable fact that notwithstanding appearances to the contrary, Europe is now decatholicizing herself. One might even go further with safety and say that she is dechristianizing herself. Slowly but surely, with the irresistible movement of a geological subsidence, faith is waning among the industrial workers, and even among the peasants. In Belgium, (3411)

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