Data publicării
01.07.1900
Volumul
21
Numărul
13
Turnul de veghe
"Love as Brethren;" Be Sympathetic; Be Courteous
Revistele originale Turnul de veghe în limba engleză
../literature/watchtower/1900/13/1900-13-1.html
 
 
 
 
 
 
(194 
195) 
Z 
1 
() 
LV'S 
TIVA 
T 
C 
H 
TO 
TV 
Ii 
R 
a 
ulc,,~iug, 
it 
c\ 
idell(e,.; 
to 
{JUl' 
mind~ 
whitt 
i, 
auundantly"tate,l 
cbewhere 
111 
Scnpturc, 
that 
nothing 
that 
we 
have 
or 
could 
offel 
to 
the 
Lord 
would 
bc 
more 
acceptable 
in 
his 
sight 
than 
faith­ 
faith 
in 
him, 
m 
his 
power, 
in 
his 
love 
and 
in 
his 
promises, 
'VllOcver 
wIll 
not 
exerCI~e 
faith 
in 
the~e 
things 
cannot 
grow 
in 
kuowledge 
of 
the 
Lord, 
cannot 
make 
development, 
cannot 
be 
overeomen, 
gaining 
the 
desired 
victory, 
for, 
"This 
is 
the 
victory 
that 
overcometh 
the 
world, 
even 
0111' 
faith," 
and 
'~Vithout 
faith 
it 
is 
impo~sible 
to 
please 
God,"-l 
John 
5:4; 
Heb. 
11 
:6, 
Thele 
is 
little 
that 
any 
of 
us 
possess 
that 
we 
could 
reason­ 
ably 
hope 
would 
be 
acceptable 
to 
God 
outside 
those 
mercies 
which 
11e 
has 
be~towed 
upon 
us 
through 
Christ-faith, 
trust 
In 
God, 
IS 
one 
of 
tho"e 
heart-qualities 
which 
we 
can 
bring 
to 
the 
Lord, 
that 
he 
will 
not 
despibe; 
honesty 
of 
heart 
is 
another, 
humility, 
realizing 
our 
utter 
dependence 
upon 
him, 
and 
con· 
fessing 
it, 
is 
another, 
These 
various 
sentiments 
were 
expressed 
by 
the 
woman 
in 
the 
narrative, 
by 
her 
actions 
and 
by 
her 
words, 
and 
as 
these 
brought 
to 
her 
divine 
favor. 
even 
before 
it 
was 
due 
to 
come 
to 
the 
Gentiles, 
much 
more 
should 
our 
humility, 
faith 
and 
candor 
prevail 
and 
make 
us 
endeavor 
to 
do 
that 
which 
IS 
pleasing 
to 
God, 
who 
has 
already 
accepted 
us 
in 
the 
Beloved, 
and 
with 
whom 
he 
is 
well-pleased 
in 
pr'"l­ 
portion 
to 
the 
measure 
of 
our 
accepting 
through 
the 
Lord 
all 
the 
exceeding 
riches 
of 
his 
grace, 
which 
he 
has 
promised 
to 
them 
that 
love, 
reverence, 
trust 
and 
obey 
him. 
YOLo 
XXI 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
JULY 
1. 
1000 
"THE 
SERVANT 
OF 
THE 
LORD 
MUST 
NOT 
STRIVE, 
BUT 
BE 
GENTLE 
UNTO 
ALL" 
2 
TIMOTHY 
2: 
24-26. 
~O. 
13 
We 
commend 
this 
text 
and 
its 
context 
to 
the 
careful 
con­ 
~](ICr,lbon 
of 
all-e~reciallv 
do 
the 
"Volunteers" 
need 
to 
re­ 
member 
it 
in 
connection 
with 
the 
service 
they 
are 
seeking 
to 
render 
to 
the 
Lord's 
true 
sheep 
still 
in 
Babylon. 
All 
thus 
en­ 
gaged 
are 
"minbters" 
and 
"teachers" 
and 
hence 
amenable 
to 
the 
same 
instructions 
as 
Timothy. 
Some 
have 
exposed 
themselves 
to 
rebuke 
and 
criticism 
justly, 
by 
intruding 
into 
church 
property 
uninvited. 
It 
is 
usually 
best 
to 
keep 
off 
the 
pavement 
fronting 
a 
church 
where 
there 
is 
any 
reason 
to 
think 
the 
scrvice 
would 
give 
offence;- 
and 
to 
apologize 
if 
a~ked 
to 
move 
off 
it. 
If 
po,.;~ible 
it 
is 
df'­ 
sirable 
to 
keep 
at 
such 
a 
distance 
from 
the 
buildinO' 
as 
to 
avoid 
seeming 
to 
want 
to 
serve 
its 
attendants 
more 
tha"'n 
other 
passers-by. 
Especially 
make 
sure 
that 
your 
lleart 
is 
so 
full 
of 
the 
love 
of 
the 
Lord 
and 
his 
brethren 
that 
it 
will 
shine 
out 
in 
your 
face 
;-then 
it 
will 
not 
be 
necessary 
to 
urge 
your 
gift, 
but 
merely 
to 
say-Accept 
a 
free 
paper! 
Lay 
stre~s 
upon 
the 
word 
free, 
because 
some 
refuse 
thinking 
that 
eitlH'r 
a 
price 
or 
donation 
will 
be 
expected 
in 
return. 
"LOVE 
AS 
BRETHREN; 
BE 
SYMPATHETIC; 
BE 
COURTEOUS" 
"1' 
ea, 
all 
of 
yOtt 
be 
subject 
one 
to 
another, 
and 
be 
clothed 
with 
humility 
.. 
fcr 
God 
resisteth 
the 
proud, 
and 
showet 
h 
fa 
t 
or 
to 
the 
h 
IImble. 
Humble 
yourselves, 
therefore, 
under 
the 
mighty 
hand 
of 
God, 
t/wt 
he 
rna!J 
exalt 
Y01t 
1n 
due 
tIme." 
1 
PETER 
3: 
8; 
5: 
5, 
6. 
The 
Apo~tle 
ha~ 
been 
addressing 
the 
elders 
of 
the 
church. 
eAhorting 
them 
to 
give 
attention 
to 
the 
feeding 
of 
God's 
flock, 
and 
pointing 
out 
what 
should 
be 
the 
con~training 
influe~ce 
to 
such 
a 
service. 
That 
they 
may 
feel 
lus 
sympathy 
wIth 
them 
he 
points 
out 
that 
he 
also 
is 
an 
elder, 
and 
then 
warns 
them 
against 
a 
tendency, 
natural 
to 
all 
fallen 
humanity 
in 
any 
place 
of 
influence, 
to 
misconstru~ 
thei~ 
position, 
and 
to 
think 
of 
themselve~ 
as 
100ds 
of 
God 
s 
herItage 
rather 
than 
as 
sel 
vants 
of 
the 
flock. 
In 
our 
day, 
the 
natural 
tendency 
in 
this 
direction 
is 
greatly 
accentuated 
bv 
the 
lon 
a 
established 
custom 
of 
all 
denomina­ 
tions 
of 
Chris'tians 
to 
~gard 
the 
ministers 
or 
servants 
of 
the 
church 
as 
of 
a 
different 
class 
from 
the 
others 
of 
the 
flock,-a 
('la~~ 
vested 
WIth 
authority 
from 
God, 
and 
not 
amenable 
to 
the 
same 
regulations 
which 
govern 
all 
the 
members 
of 
the 
body. 
But 
how 
great 
a 
mistake 
this 
is! 
The 
Apostle 
distinctly 
points 
out 
that 
a 
servant 
is 
not 
a 
ruler, 
that 
a 
se~­ 
vant 
has 
no 
authority. 
lnoeed, 
so 
far 
as 
the 
true 
church 
IS 
<,oncerned, 
the 
only 
authority 
in 
it 
is 
the 
Lord, 
the 
Head 
of 
th!' 
church, 
and 
his 
'VOl'll, 
and 
the 
words 
of 
those 
whom 
he 
specially 
chose 
to 
be 
his 
mouth-piece, 
the 
apostles. 
Where 
these 
speak. 
all 
of 
the 
body 
of 
Christ 
are 
to 
give 
attention 
to 
hear. 
'Yhere 
these 
are 
silent, 
no 
one 
has 
author­ 
ity 
to 
speak.And 
while 
an 
elrler 
should 
be 
chosen 
t? 
the 
posi­ 
tion 
of 
servinn 
anrl 
feedinO" 
the 
flock 
becallse 
of 
spef'I:11 
aptnes~ 
to 
teach 
(to 
point 
out 
the 
instructions 
of 
our 
Lord 
and 
the 
apostles 
upon 
any 
subject), 
and 
while 
such 
an 
eloer 
shOUld; 
therefore, 
in 
this 
,my 
be 
specially 
helpful 
to 
the 
body 
01 
Christ 
in 
drawing 
the 
attention 
of 
all 
to 
the 
inspired 
author­ 
ity 
of 
the 
'YOI'd, 
nevert.h~less 
any 
member 
?f. 
the 
body. 
of 
Christ 
has 
the 
same 
pnvilege-not 
of 
exercIsmg 
authonty, 
but 
of 
callinO' 
the 
attention 
of 
his 
ft'llows 
to 
the 
Word 
of 
au· 
thOI 
itv. 
Th~ 
Apostle 
exhorts 
the 
elders 
that 
sO 
far 
from 
in 
any 
nianner 
or 
degree 
exercising 
a 
lordly 
or 
authoritative 
po­ 
"ition 
in 
the 
church, 
they 
shoulrl 
rnther 
be 
"ellsamples 
to 
the 
flock." 
They 
8ho11](1 
be 
e,amples 
in 
the 
matter 
of 
meekness, 
in 
the 
mattt'r 
of 
patience, 
in 
the 
matter 
of 
brotherly 
kindness, 
in 
the 
matter 
of 
courtesy, 
so 
that 
the 
more 
any 
of 
the 
brethren 
would 
copy 
these 
elders 
the 
more 
would 
the 
spirit 
of 
the 
Lord 
prevail 
in 
the 
flock. 
and 
the 
fruits 
and 
graces 
?f 
the 
ilpirit 
be 
manifested. 
On 
the 
contrary, 
we 
know 
that 
If 
the 
elder 
or 
leader 
of 
a 
little 
company 
of 
the 
Lord's 
people 
be 
self-assertive, 
dogmatic, 
imperious 
in 
manner, 
tone 
or 
look, 
the 
effect 
upon 
the 
company 
under 
his 
influence 
is 
to 
produce 
bickerings, 
rIvah 
ies, 
ambitions, 
strifes 
as 
to 
who 
b 
greatest, 
etc. 
Manifestly, 
whoever 
occupies 
the 
position 
of 
an 
elder 
amongst 
the 
Lord's 
people, 
however 
small 
the 
group 
may 
be. 
occupies 
a 
position 
fraught 
with 
responsibilities 
to 
the 
Lonl 
and 
to 
the 
flock, 
as 
well 
as 
with 
be~etments 
to 
himst'lf. 
Great 
care 
should 
therefore 
be 
exerei~ed 
by 
every 
company 
of 
the 
Lord's 
people, 
to 
so 
far 
as 
pos~ible 
select 
for 
the 
position 
of 
leaders 
or 
elders 
in 
the 
church 
such 
persons 
as 
would 
not 
be 
likely 
to 
be 
injured 
by 
the 
privilege 
of 
serviee-sueh 
as 
oc­ 
cupying 
this 
post 
would 
indeed 
be 
ensamples 
of 
the 
flock 
in 
humility 
and 
in 
all 
of 
the 
graces 
of 
the 
Lord's 
spirit. 
It 
would 
seem 
to 
be 
with 
refer('nC'e 
to 
the 
special 
trial 
of 
such 
as 
occupy 
this 
position 
of 
service 
in 
the 
church 
that 
the 
Apos­ 
tle 
speaks, 
saying, 
"Be 
not 
man~' 
of 
you 
teachers. 
brethren, 
knowing 
that 
we 
roC'eupying 
sneh 
a 
position] 
~hall 
receive, 
the 
severer 
testing."-.Tame'l 
3: 
1. 
It 
mav 
not 
be 
amiss 
that 
here 
we 
notice 
thf' 
fact 
that 
al­ 
tho 
the 
\von! 
"Elder" 
ha'l 
the 
significance 
of 
"older," 
yet 
amongst 
the 
Lord's 
brethren 
it 
is 
not 
merely 
years 
of 
natural 
lIfe 
that 
is 
to 
be 
taken 
into 
consideration; 
in 
the 
Lord's 
fRm­ 
ily 
we 
sometimes 
~ee 
"babes" 
with 
gray 
hairs. 
Nor 
can 
we 
even 
count 
eldership 
according 
to 
the 
numher 
of 
years 
that 
have 
elapsed 
since 
the 
be~etting 
of 
the 
spirit, 
for 
some 
grow 
rapidly 
and 
mature 
quickly; 
others 
who 
receive 
the 
truth 
per­ 
mit 
the 
"thorns" 
of 
cares 
of 
this 
life 
and 
the 
deceitfulness 
of 
riches 
to 
choke 
the 
word, 
and 
hence 
never 
get 
beyond 
the 
position 
of 
"babes,"-never 
bring 
forth 
the 
ripe 
fruits 
of 
the 
spirit. 
Nor 
can 
we 
reckon 
this 
matter 
of 
relationship 
merely 
aC'('()rrlin!r 
to 
the 
degl'ec 
of 
knowlpdge 
of 
the 
divine 
plan 
at­ 
tained; 
for, 
as 
the 
Ap0'Jtle 
assure~ 
us, 
it 
is 
possible 
for 
some 
to 
have 
much 
knowledge 
and 
yet 
be 
but 
"tinkling 
cymbals" 
according 
to 
the 
Lord's 
standpoint 
of 
estimation. 
While 
therpforc 
an 
elder, 
in 
order 
to 
be 
"apt 
to 
teach," 
must 
have 
attained 
to 
some 
eon'liderable 
degree 
of 
knowledge 
of 
the 
di­ 
vine 
plan, 
nevertheless 
the 
real 
evidence 
of 
llis 
fitness 
for 
the 
service 
of 
an 
elder 
must 
not 
be 
determined 
by 
his 
knowledge 
merely, 
hut 
additionally 
mllst 
bp 
measured 
by 
his 
growth 
in 
grace. 
So 
then 
such 
of 
the 
brethren 
in 
any 
place 
as 
possei:ls 
clear 
knowledge 
of 
the 
divine 
plan 
and 
are 
"apt 
to 
teach," 
and 
who 
additionally 
give 
unmistakable 
evidence 
that 
they 
have 
grown 
in 
grace 
and 
are 
bearing 
in 
daily 
life 
the 
fruits 
of 
the 
spirit 
of 
the 
Lord, 
in 
considerable 
measure 
of 
maturity, 
[2654] 
(194 195) ZION’S a blessing, it evidences to our minds what is abundantly stated elsewhere in Scripture, that nothing that we have or could offer to the Lord would be more acceptable in his sight than faith— faith in him, in his power, in his love and in his promises. Whoever will not exercise faith in these things cannot grow in knowledge of the Lord, cannot make development, cannot be overcomers, gaining the desired victory, for, “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith,” and ‘Without faith it is impossible to please God.”—1 John 5:4; Heb. 11:6. There is little that any of us possess that we could reasonably hope would be acceptable to God outside those mercies which he has bestowed upon us through Christ—faith, trust Vou. XXI “THE SERVANT OF THE LORD MUST NOT STRIVE, BUT BE WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, PA., JULY 1. 1900 AtrecHevy, Pa in God, 18 one of those heart-qualities which we can bring to the Lord, that he will not despise; honesty of heart is another, humility, realizing our utter dependence upon him, and confessing it, is another. These various sentiments were expressed by the woman in the narrative, by her actions and by her words, and as these brought to her divine favor. even before it was due to come to the Gentiles, much more should our humility, faith and candor prevail and make us endeavor to do that which is pleasing to God, who has already accepted us in the Beloved, and with whom he is well-pleased in proportion to the measure of our accepting through the Lord all the exceeding riches of his grace, which he has promised to them that love, reverence, trust and obey him. No. 13 GENTLE UNTO ALL” 2 TIMOTHY 2:24-26. We commend this text and its context to the careful consideration of all—espceiallv do the “Volunteers” need to remember it in connection with the service they are seeking to render to the Lord’s true sheep still in Babylon. All thus engaged are “ministers” and “teachers” and hence amenable to the same instructions as Timothy. Some have exposed themselves to rebuke and criticism justly, by intruding into church property uninvited. It is usually best to keep off the pavement fronting a church where there is any reason to think the service would give offence ;— and to apologize if asked to move off it. If possible it is desirable to keep at such a distance from the building as to avoid seeming to want to serve its attendants more than other passers-by. Especially make sure that your heart is so full of the love of the Lord and his brethren that it will shine out in your face;—then it will not be necessary to urge your gift, but merely to say—Accept a free paper! Lay stress upon the word free, because some refuse thinking that either a price or donation will be expected in return. “LOVE AS BRETHREN; BE SYMPATHETIC; BE COURTEOUS” “Yeu, ull of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and showeth favor to the humble, Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” I Perer 3:8; 5:5, 6. The Apostle has been addressing the elders of the church, exhorting them to give attention to the feeding of God’s flock, and pointing out what should be the constraining influence to such a service. That they may feel his sympathy with them he points out that he also is an elder, and then warns them against a tendency, natural to all fallen humanity in any place of influence, to misconstrue their position, and to think of themselves as loids of God’s heritage rather than as servants of the flock. In our day, the natural tendency in this direction is greatly accentuated by the long established custom of all denominations of Christians to regard the ministers or servants of the church as of a different class from the others of the flock,—a class vested with authority from God, and not amenable to the same regulations which govern all the members of the body. But how great a mistake this is! The Apostle distinctly points out that a servant is not a ruler, that a servant has no authority. Indeed, so far as the true church is concerned, the only authority in it is the Lord, the Head of the church, and his Word, and the words of those whom he specially chose to be his mouth-piece, the apostles. Where these speak. all of the body of Christ are to give attention to hear. Where these are silent, no one has authority to speak.And while an elder should be chosen to the position of serving and feeding the flock because of special aptness to teach (to point out the instructions of our Lord and the apostles upon any subject), and while such an elder should, therefore, in this way be specially helpful to the body of Christ in drawing the attention of all to the inspired authority of the Word, nevertheless any member of the body of Christ has the same privilege—not of exercising authority, but of calling the attention of his fellows to the Word of authority. The Apostle exhorts the elders that so far from in any manner or degree exercising a lordly or authoritative position in the church, they should rather be “ensanples to the flock.” They should be examples in the matter of meekness, in the matter of patience, in the matter of brotherly kindness, in the matter of courtesy, so that the more any of the brethren would copy these elders the more would the spirit of the Lord prevail in the flock, and the fruits and graces of the spirit be manifested. On the contrary, we know that if the elder or leader of a little company of the Lord’s people be self-assertive, dogmatic, imperious in manner, tone or look, the effect upon the company under his influence is to produce bickerings, rivaliies, ambitions, strifes ag to wlio is ereatest, ete. Manifestly, whoever occupies the position of an elder amongst the Lord’s people, however small the group may be, occupies a position fraught with responsibilities to the Lord and to the flock, as well as with besetments to himself. Great care should therefore be exercised by every company of the Lord’s people, to so far as possible sclect for the position of leaders or elders in the church such persons as would not be likely to be injured by the privilege of service—such as occupying this post would indeed be ensamples of the flock in humility and in all of the graces of the Lord’s spirit. It would seem to be with reference to the special trial of such as occupy this position of service in the church that the Apostle speaks, saying, “Be not many of you teachers. brethren, knowing that we [occupying such a position] shall receive, the severer testing.”—James 3:1. It may not be amiss that here we notice the fact that altho the word “Elder” has the significance of “older,” yet amongst the Lord’s brethren it is not merely years of natural life that is to be taken into consideration; in the Lord’s family we sometimes sce “babes” with gray hairs. Nor can we even count eldership according to the number of years that have elapsed sinee the begetting of the spirit, for some grow rapidly and mature quickly; others who receive the truth permit the “thorns” of cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches to choke the word, and hence never get beyond the position of “babes,”’—mnever bring forth the ripe fruits of the spirit. Nor can we reckon this matter of relationship merely according to the degree of knowledge of the divine plan attained; for, as the Apostle assures us, it is possible for some to have much knowledge and yet be but “tinkling cymbals” according to the Lord’s standpoint of estimation. While therefore an elder, in order to be “apt to teach,” must have attained to some considerable degree of knowledge of the divine plan, nevertheless the real evidence of his fitness for the service of an elder must not be determined by his knowledge merely, but additionally must be measured by his growth in grace. So then such of the brethren in any place as possess clear knowledge of the divine plan and are “apt to teach,” and who additionally give unmistakable evidence that they have grown in grace and are bearing in daily life the fruits of the spirit of the Lord, in considerable measure of maturity, [2654]

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