7

1

7

download/literature/watchtower/1901-3.pdf

../literature/watchtower/1901/3/1901-3-1.html

Vou. XXIT ALLEGHENY, PA., FEBRUARY 1, 1901 No. 3 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER The dawn of the twentieth century has naturally led to the launching of new programs along ethieal and religious lines. The United Free Churches of Great Britain, it ig announced, “have been quietly working to bring about one of the ereatest and most striking revivals on record.” Their primary effort, for which they have prepared for more than a vear, is the conversion of London, tho it expected to extend more or less to the whole world. In the same metropolis Rev. Dr. Joseph Parker has for a week tried to demonstrate the advantages of a religious daily newspaper. In our own land various Union-movements have been started which welcome Jews, Nomanists, and Unitarians who deny the ransom, to unite with the so-called SO:thodox” who ignore the ransom The emeral plaint of all is that an effort to uplift mankind must be made, and yet they ignorantly oppose or igneve the civinely appointed uplift so near at hand— the Mullennial kingdom of God’s dear Son, the result of the great sin-offeriny finished at Calvary over eighteen centuries ago, but dilaved until now for the calling and perfecting of the elect church to be joint heirs with her Saviour and Bridegroom in that heaveniy kingdom. What these various “movements” and ‘“erusades” will accompl: h ig hard to guess. our surmise ig that they will amount to little socially so long as times are prosperous; and that they will amount to nothing spiritually—along the lines of true spiritushty—"sanctification through the truth ;” because they are not built upen the truth of God’s Word, but upoa va.cous human philosephies and theories. Some, hewever, seem impressed with the fact that the new contin opens under eonditions very unfavorable to peace on earth and guod will amongst men. For instance,— CARDINAL VAUGHN DECLARES THE WOELD OUT-OF-JOINT In 2 1ecert addiess in London he is reported to have said: “Tho teentieth century will dawn on a world badly out-ofjoint and sick unto dearth. The sense of uncertainty and unrest is universal. Races are exasperated against races. Riyal nations have provoked each other to strife by gibes and insults, and men are asking whose influence is to dominate mankind when Asia is armed like ourselves? Will the heathen paces prevail agrinst Christion? “Envy, jealousy, hatred, desires for revenge, avarice, greed af poxer and iniduence. have broken out among the nations hike a pligue of vices that threaten to destroy them, Remedies hive heen applied, but remedies are worthless. “The nations called a conference for peace, but excluded the nope. They have forged weapons of destruction; harbored compulsory education without religion; preached the gospel of commerce; of the ‘open door’ and ‘spheres of influence” and then dispatched armies to fight the people. “They have dug passionately into the bowels of the earth for more and more of the precious metals; yet taxation is Increased and wants multiphed, and there ig a chance of conflictine cries, but no common “greement.” THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE’S VIEW OF THE NEW CENTURY “The nincteenth century goes out in war all around the world, The Hague Conference led some to sing ‘Hosanna!’ anl to ey. ‘The age of peace dawns!’ We sat among the doubters, for human nature unregenerated is the same al] over the world, The Christians are still cutting one another’s throats in South A\friet. The Cliistians are not done cutting one another's throats in the Phihppine Islands. The Christians and the qrigans are but pausing for breath in China. “Clouds are rising over various parts of Northern Africa, and the shadow of revolution is upon a score of nations in South and Central America and on the continent of Europe. “An epidemic of Jynching pervades this country, Prize fighting is a great popular amusement. and also can breed a race riot. .... “Those premillennarians who think that the world must get worse before Christ can come are solemnly pointing to these things as portents.” HOW THE NEW CENTURY LOOKS TO A MILLIONAIRE At the annual meeting of the Educational Alliance recently held, former Mayor of New York City, Abram S&S. Hewitt made caustic criticism of the mch men of New York City and of the country, and prophesied that unle-s they changed their attitude toward the masses of society the twentieth century would bring forth a social cataclysm such as the world has never seen. Mr. Hewitt said in the course of his remarks: “The rich are blind. There is not one among them who is giving what he would give if his conscience were properly aroused. They do not seeri to realize that this is a government by the majority. Ours is the only country in which there is universal suffrage. To be exercised rightfully and righteously, that suffrage must necds be educated. The rich in contributing to its education are but building for their own protection. If they neglect so to build, barbarism, anarchy and plunder will be the inevitable result. “I believe that in the twentieth century the spirit of commercialism will steadily grow less strong and the spuit of altruisin stronger. I believe that the rule, ‘Do unto others as you would have others do unto you!’ wil more geneially prevail than in all the centuries which have gone befoe. “Tf Tam mistaken in this—if the spit of commercialism and greed continues to grow stronger—then the twentieth century will witness a social cataclysm unparalleled im history. ‘It is only by the discountenaneing of commercialism and the spreading of altruism that we can safeguard justice, property and liberty.” How much the above words resemble the Scriptural declarations respecting our day, and their assurances that the erewing selfish rapacity will eventuate in that great time of tiouble “such as was not since there was a nation,” in which “every man’s hand shall be against his neighbor,” and lead to mutual distrust and anarchy!—James 5:1-5! Zech. 8:9, 10. The closing words of Mr. Hewitt’s address remind us foreibly of Malachi’s words (4:6) “He shall tuin the heart [sentiment] ... or else I will come and smite the eaith with a curse.” Here the Lord puts an alternative, as Mr. Wewitt suggests; but other Scriptures clearly indicate that no such reform will occur, and that the “curse” or trouble will surely come. How refreshing it is to have the Lord’s assurance that the coming trouble (in which the groaning creation will sutfer and groan still more than ever) is but a preparation for their introduction to the long promised Millennial kmedom_ blessings. How the Lord Hnks the fire upon the tare-field with the speedy shining forth thereafter of the Sun of Righteousness to heal and bless all the families of the earth! (Matt. 13:43) How this trouble, in which every man’s hand shall be against his neighbor, is prophetically connected with the building of the great spiritual temple!—Zech. 8:9, 10. All faithful “Watchers” may well lift up their heads and rejoice in the evidences which abound on every hand corroborative of what the Scriptures so clearly show is to be expected now. These evidences portend the speedy finishing of the Gospel age, “harvest,” the binding of Satan, and the inauguration of the reign of righteousness. Let us be glad and rejoice and give glory to God while patiently waiting for the consummation of his plans, and seeking to become more and more copies of his dear Son and meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. New York loves it, GOD’S BLESSING BRINGS RICHES “The blessing of Jehovah it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.’—Prov. 10:22. How reasonable it seems that those who become God’s friends, and especially those who are adopted into his family as clildren, should be blessed of him in multitudinous ways, in which others of mankind, who are aliens, strangers, and foreigners to him through wicked works (Col, 1:21), should not be blessed, We look back into the past and see father Adam, while in divine favor, very rich,—the possessor of the whole world filled with bounties. We read of Father Abraham, “the friend of God,” very rich in cattle and goods; and Ja (51-52) cob, altho losing all inheritance in his father’s estate, was blessed of the Lord, so that he became very rich in flocks and in herds. So Israel was promised that if as a nation they would be obedient to the Lord they should be blessed in all ef their temporal affairs; their land would bring forth bountifully; they would not be afflicted with drought or pests; their flocks and herds should prosper and multiply exceedingly, and even their phvsical health was provided for, so that God guaranteed them that abiding in his favor as a people [2760]