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AFRIL
1,
1901
ZION'S
WATCH
TOWER
(131-132)
sible
from
churches
or
governments
under
the
present
dispen
l'lation;
to
hold
themselves
ready
for
tremendous
convulsions,
ann
changes
of
all
things
established,
and
to
expect
their
good
things
only
from
Christ's
second
advent."
VOL.
XXII
ALLEGHENY,
PA.,
APRIL
15,
1901
VIEWS
FROM
THE
WATCH
TOWER
No.
S
MISAPPREHENSIONS
CORRECTED
Some
misunderstood
an
item
in
our
March
1
View,
namely,
that
we
commended
the
course
of
the
Boers
and
Filipinos
and
condemned
Socialism.
Nothing
of
the
kind
was
meant.
(
1)
THE
UNITED
STATES
AND
THE
FILIPINOS.
The
Filipinos
would
have
been
much
wiser
to
have
thrown
themselves
upon
the
mercy
and
justice
of
the
United
States
and,
expressing
thanks
for
deliverance
from
Spanish
misrule,
to
have
asked
for
civil
and
religious
liberty
under
the
protec
tion
of
this
great
Republic.
But
theIr
ignorant
f.ailure.
to
take
this
course
did
not
make
it
right
to
ignore
theIr
aspIra
tIOns
for
liberty,
and
to
treat
them
as
enemies
on
this
ac
count.
Rather
they
should
have
had
from
the
v~ry
start
distinct
assurances
and
guarantees
of
as
much
lIberty
as
they
could
show
capacity
for
;-eventually
full
free~o~.
But
the
right
policy
was
offset
by
land·hunger,
commercIalIsm
and
the
spirit
of
empIre
building,
will~ng
to
s.pend.
thousan.ds
of
hves
and
millions
of
money
for
Its
gratificatIOn.
ThIS
we
('onnemn
as
being
contrary
to
the
spirit
of
Christ,
the
spirit
of
love,
and
as
sure
to
bring
its
own
reward
in
due
time.
(2)
TH~;
BRITISH
AND
THE
BOERS.
Others
thought
that
we
commended
the
Boers,
because
.we
l'l'1lUked
the
British
Ministry's
lust
for
empire
extensIOn
that
would
give
British
capitalists
the
control
of
Boer
.g?ld
and
diamond
fields,
at,
however,
a
far
greater
cost
of
BrItISh
lives
and
money
than
they
expected.
No
one
is
deceived
by
the
claim
that
the
war
was
precipitated
by
Mr.
Chamber
lalli's
desire
to
free
the
Boer
slaves
and
correct
the
Boer
morab'
everybody
knows
that
he
had
plenty
of
room
to
work
along
those
lines
at
home,
where
thousands
of
white
eh
l/dren
are
still
the
wage-slaves
of
commercial
selfishness,
and
need
deliverance
and
schooling
and
moral
training.
Xeither
are
sensible
people
deceived
by
the
plea
that
the
war
was
precipitated
by
lo~.e
of
liberty
and
the
desire
to
give
the
Lallot
to
the
assorted
white
foreigners,
called
Uitlanders.
Thi~
was
till'
pretext
by
which
the
st~tesman
who
engine.e~ed
the
\\
ar
for
commercialism
and
empIre
deluded
the
BrItIsh
mAsses
and
got
their
support.
Indeed,
the
claim
that
Britain
for(,l'd
the
WHr
by
insl~tance,
that
her
own
sons,
known
as
"Cltland!'rs,"
~hould
be
allowed
to
expatriate
themselves
as
Britl~h
and
sweal
alll'giance
and
support
to
the
Boer
repub
hcs,
I~
tmghaLh'.
The
Boers
well
knew
that
such
an
oath
to
~uch
lllen
who
openly
avowed
their
hostility
would
be
nH'aningle~s-that
at
the
very
time
they
were
ready
to
take
the
oath
of
a
l1eglance
these
men
were
conspiring
for
a
revo
lutIOn.
In
refu'olllg
the
franchise
under
such
circumstances
to
such
persons,
they
did
what
C\
ery
Briton
would
have
done
I
f
ill
their
stead.
'Ve
by
no
means
('omll1cnd
the
Boers!
\Ve
deprecate
their
low
i,lea..,
of
civilizatIon,
theu
practice
of
slavery
of
the
na
tnt'
blacks,
and
thclr
lack
of
hberality;-their
narrowness
,lIlel
sl'lfishness.
But
two
wrongs
do
not
make
one
right;
and
III
Oil!
opmion
the
Boers
should
have
been
permitted
to
pos
'-e~~
their
land,
and
gradually
improve
its
government
as
their
Idpas
enlarg"d.
It
is
but
very
few
years
since
Britain
took
t1.l'
"tt'll
o(
giving
the
ballot,
even
under
limitations,
to
her
0\\
II
'oon~
\r
e
lovp
and
respect
British
character
far
more
111
til
that
of
till'
Boers;
and
we
refuse
to
believe
that
the
llntl~h
masses
\HJUld
have
sanctioned
this
land-stealing
war
1'1
South
Atric,l,
hall
they
not
been
blinded
and
deceived
by
tltl'll
tI
ll'otC<!
political
and
financial
leaders.
Our
appreciation
or
th('
Bllton~
does
not
mean
a
love
for
their
rulers,
but
for
the
peoplp
who
more
than
once
have
shown
their
sturdy
love
of
pI
inciple
to
the
extent
of
compelling
thetr
rulers
to
adopt
at
home
the
"ery
hhpral
government
which
they
now
enjoy
as
a
consequence.
But
as
the
"god
of
this
world"
is
using
Do<·toni
of
Divinity
to
bhnd
many
to
the
divine
plan
and
its
Justice
and
love.
~o
he
uses
Do(·tors
of
Finance
and
Doctors
ot
l'ohtil's
to
Llm,l
noble
and
liberty-loving
nations
to
the
rIghts
and
lIbertIes
of
others.
Thank
God,
the
liberty
of
"the
prinl'e
of
this
world"
will
soon
be
curtailed,
that
he
shall
"DecClI'e
the
peoples
no
more."-Rev.
20
:3.
However,
it
is
not
and
has
never
been
our
wish
to
dabble
in
worldly
politics
\Ve
are
citizens
of
another
country,
even
a
heavenly,
and
have
our
Lord's
Word
for
it
that
none
of
the
earthly
k'mgdoms
are
his;
but
that
they
all
are
under
the
dommation
of
"the
prince
of
this
world"-"the
god
of
this
world;"
Satan,
who
will
continue
to
blInd
and
deceive
the
masses
until
our
Master,
according
to
promise,
takes
tne
kingdom
and
restrains
Satan.
(Rev.
20:
3
)
Then
the
blind
ing
influences
being
removed
and
the
true
light
shining,
all
men
shall
see
clearly,
and
all
the
worthy
will
rejoil'e.
Our
object,
in
these
occasional
Views
from
the
Tower,
of
Babylon's
matters
and
affairs,
is
to
have
all
those
who
belong
to
the
"holy
nation"
(I
Pet.
2:
9)
see
how
widely
astray
are
all
the
kingdoms
of
this
world,
even
tho
they
call
themselves
"Christian
nations"-"Christendom."
We
who
are
in
har
mony
with
the
Lord
and
his
righteousness
must
realize
that
the
entire
social
structure
is
out
of
joint,
else
we
could
not
so
honestly
and
earnestly
pray,
"Thy
kingdom
come,
thy
WIll
be
done
on
earth
as
it
is
done
in
hcaven,"-knowmg
that
the
coming
of
God's
kingdom
means
the
utter
wre('k
of
earthly
kingdoms,
in
a
time
of
trouble
su('h
as
was
not
since
there
was
a
nation.
vVhoever
sees
no
fault
in
present
arrangements
and
con
ditions,
but
approves
them,
is
not
very
fit
for
the
kingdom.
nor
to
be
made
one
of
the
rulers
under
the
new
regime.
On
the
other
hand,
however,
we
do
not
understand
it
to
be
the
duty
of
the
Lord's
consecrated
people
("the
saints")
to
ti
rade
and
fight
against
the
world.
but
to
,sldJ1ntt
to
Its
ordi
nances,
except
when
conscience
would
be
violated
(I
Pet.
2:
13),
waiting
patiently
for
the
Lord's
promised
kingdom
as
the
only
hope.
Such
are
to
realize
that
the
worldly
are
blinded,
and
not
to
expect
any
to
see
the
truth
except
such
as
have
been
c;pecially
blessed
of
the
Lord
and
called
to
joint
heirship
with
Christ
in
the
kingdom,
on
condition
that
now
they
shall
suffer
with
him
for
righteousness'
sake.
(3)
SOCIALISTIC
PRINCIPLES
APPROH::U
Some
supposed
us
to
be
antagonistic
to
Socialism.
Quite
to
the
contrary;
we
are
very
sympathetic
toward
its
alms,
and
merely
object
that
they
are
wholly
impracticable
under
present
conditions.
Unquestionably
the
new
age
will
see
many
of
the
ideas
of
the
Single-Taxers
and
SOCialist".
modified.
in
successful
operation,
under
the
auspices
und
backed
by
the
power
of
the
heavenly
King
and
his
kingdom,
then
in
full
con
trol,
and
Satan
bound.
But
We
warn
any
of
the
saints
against
building
their
hopes
upon
any
relief
which
Socialism
now
promises.
That
anchor
and
its
cable
are
of
sand,
and
will
crumble
into
direst
anar
chy
as
soon
as
put
to
the
test.
Our
faIth
and
anchor,
on
the
contrary,
are
sure-faith
in
the
promises
of
God.
This
faith
anchorage
fastened
in
the
divine
power
will
endure
every
strain.
In
proportion
as
any
look
to
earthly
sources
for
the
deliverance
of
the
"groaning
creation"
(Rom.
R
'1!l-23)
they
are
turning
their
backs
on
the
heavenly
Deliverer.
And
in
proportion
as
we
trust
in
the
deliverance
that
I~
to
he
brought
about
by
the
second
advent
of
Christ
and
the
glorification
of
his
elect
"little
flock,"
to
be
the
king..,
and
prH'st~
01
God's
kingdom,
in
that
same
degree
we
must
rest
all
our
confidence
mit.
True.
if
all
the
princes
of
earth,
including
the
finanl'Ial.
the
"captains
of
industry,"
were
to
combine
to
establish
So
cialism,
its
tempolary
success
would
seem
to
1)('
a~sured;
but
no
sane
man
dreams
of
such
conditlOn«.
And
if
('~tablbhl'd
all
will
admIt
that
it
would
bp
but
an
experiment,
with
the
strong
probabilities,
all
would
admit
(with
the
certainty,
we
would
claim),
that
it
would
frequently
contend
With
anarchy
and
have
a
continual
fight.
With
the
;:pint
of
~l'lfislml's"
en
trenched
in
the
hearts
of
the
individuals.
could
we
suppo~e
that
the
endeavor
to
live
collectively
on
the
opposite
basis
of
love
would
be
very
successful?
Socialism
('an
only
succeed
to
a
limited
degree
at
pus
ent-to
the
extent
that
it
benefits
the
intellectual
and
wealthv
as
well
as
the
poor.
Any
attempt
to
carry
it
further
will
pr~
cipitate
anarchy.
Present
aggregations
of
capital
and
indus
try
are
favorable
to
Socialism-government
control,
by
the
people
and
for
the
people.
The
masses
seeing
this
wiil
ere
long
attempt
to
grasp
the
throttle,
expecting
capitalists
to
submit
to
save
their
lives.
But
they
are
mistaken.
Money
and
brains
and
selfishness
are
a
strong
combination,
self-confident,
resourceful,
powerful.
The
result,
as
the
Scriptures
foretell,
will
not
be
Socialism
but
anarchy,
humbling
to
the
pride
of
the
rich
and
the
poor,
the
reformer
and
the
demagogue.
But
that
extremity
will
be
the
Lord's
opportunity.
and
on
the
[2799]
Apri 1, 1901 sible from churches or governments under the present dispensation; to hold themselves ready for tremendous convulsions, ZION’S WATCH TOWER (131-132) and changes of all things established, and to expect their good things only from Christ’s second advent.” Vout. XXIT ALLEGHENY, PA., APRIL 15, 1901 No. 8 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER MISAPPREHENSIONS CORRECTED Some misunderstood an item in our March 1 View, namely, that we commended the course of the Boers and Filipinos and condemned Socialism. Nothing of the kind was meant. (1) THE UNITED STATES AND THE FILIPINOS. The Filipinos would have been much wiser to have thrown themselves upon the mercy and justice of the United States and, expressing thanks for deliverance from Spanish misrule, to have asked for civil and religious liberty under the protection of this great Republic. But their ignorant failure to take this course did not make it right to ignore their aspirations for liberty, and to treat them as enemies on this account. Rather they should have had from the very start distinct assurances and guarantees of as much liberty as they could show capacity for;—eventually full freedom. But the right policy was offset by land-hunger, commercialism and the spirit of empire building, willing to spend thousands of lives and millions of money for its gratification, This we condemn as being contrary to the spirit of Christ, the spirit of love, and as sure to bring its own reward in due time. (2) THE BRITISH AND THE BOERS. Others thought that we commended the Buers, because we rebuked the British Ministry’s lust for empire extension that would give British capitalists the control of Boer gold and diamond fields, at, however, a far greater cost of British lives and money than they expected. No one is deceived by the claim that the war was precipitated by Mr. Chamberlain’s desire to free the Boer slaves and correct the Boer morals: everybody knows that he had plenty of room to work along those lines at home, where thousands of white children are still the wage-slaves of commercial selfishness, and need deliverance and schooling and moral training. Neither are sensible people deceived by the plea that the war was precipitated by love of liberty and the desire to give the ballot to the assorted white foreigners, called Uitlanders. This was the pretext by which the statesman who engineered the war for commerciahsm and empire deluded the British masses and got their support. Indeed, the claim that Britain forced the war by insistance, that her own sons, known as “Uitlanders,” should be allowed to expatriate themselves as British and swear allegiance and support to the Boer repubhes, 1s laughable. The Boers well knew that such an oath to such men who openly avowed their hostility would be meaningless—-that at the very time they were ready to take the oath of allegiance these men were conspiring for a revoIution, In refusing the franchise under such circumstances to such persons, they did what cvery Briton would have done if in their stead. We by no means commend the Boers! We deprecate their low ideas of civilization, their practice of slavery of the native blacks, and their lack of lberality;—their narrowness and selfishness. But two wrongs do not make one right; and in our opmion the Boers should have been permitted to possess their land, and gradually improve its government as their ideas enlarged. It is but very few years since Britain took the step of giving the ballot, even under limitations, to her own sons We love and respect British character far more thin that of the Boers; and we refuse to believe that the British masses would have sanctioned this land-stealing war 11 South Atrica, had they not been blinded and deceived by then trusted political and financial leaders. Our appreciation of the Britons does not mean a love for their rulers, but for the people who more than once have shown their sturdy love of principle to the extent of compelling their rulers to adopt at home the very liberal government which they now enjoy as a consequence. But as the “god of this world” is using Doctors of Divinity to blind many to the divine plan and its justice and love. so he uses Doctors of Finance and Doctors of Politics to blind noble and liberty-loving nations to the rights and liberties of others. Thank God, the liberty of “the prince of this world” will soon be curtailed, that he shall “Deceire the peoples no more.”—Rev. 20:3. However, it is not and has never been our wish to dabble in worldly politics We are citizens of another country, even a heavenly, and have our Lord’s Word for it that none of the earthly kingdoms are his; but that they all are under the domination of “the prince of this world”—‘“the god of this world;” Satan, who will continue to blind and deceive the masses until our Master, according to promise, takes tne kingdom and restrains Satan. (Rev. 20:3) Then the blinding influences being removed and the true light shining, all ™men shall see clearly, and all the worthy will rejoice. Our object, in these occasional Views from the Tower, of Babylon’s matters and affairs, is to have all those who belong to the “holy nation” (1 Pet. 2:9) see how widely astray are all the kingdoms of this world, even tho they call themselves “Christian nations’—“Christendom.” We who are in harmony with the Lord and his righteousness must realize that the entire social structure is out of joint, else we could not so honestly and earnestly pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven,”’—knowing that the coming of God’s kingdom means the utter wreck of earthly kingdoms, in a time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation. Whoever sees no fault in present arrangements and conditions, but approves them, is not very fit for the kingdom. nor to be made one of the rulers under the new regime. On the other hand, however, we do not understand it to be the duty of the Lord’s consecrated people (“the saints”) to tirade and fight against the world. but to submit to its ordinances, except when conscience would be violated (1 Pet. 2:13), waiting patiently for the Lord’s promised kingdom as the only hope. Such are to realize that the worldly are blinded, and not to expect any to see the truth except such as have been specially blessed of the Lord and called to jointheirship with Christ in the kingdom, on condition that now they shall suffer with him for righteousness’ sake. (3) SOCIALISTIC PRINCIPLES APPROVED Some supposed us to be antagonistic to Socialism. Quite to the contrary; we are very sympathetic toward its aims, and merely object that they are wholly impracticable under present conditions. Unquestionably the new age will see many of the ideas of the Single-Taxers and Socialists, modified. in successful operation, under the auspices and backed by the power of the heavenly King and his kingdom, then in full contro], and Satan bound. But we warn any of the saints against building their hopes upon any relief which Socialism now promises. That anchor and its cable are of sand, and will crumble into direst anarchy as soon as put to the test. Our faith and anchor, on the contrary, are sure—faith in the promises of God. This faith anchorage fastened in the divine power will endure every strain. In proportion as any look to earthly sources for the deliverance of the “groaning creation” (Rom. 8°19-23) they are turning their backs on the heavenly Deliverer. And in proportion as we trust in the deliverance that 1s to be brought about by the second advent of Christ and the glorification of his elect “little flock,” to be the kings and priests of God’s kingdom, in that same degree we must rest all our confidence in it. True, if all the princes of earth, including the financial. the “captains of industry,” were to combine to establish Socialism, its temporary success would seem to be assured; but no sane man dreams of such conditions. And if established all will admit that it would be but an experiment, with the strong probabilities, all would admit (with the certainty, we would claim), that it would frequently contend with anarchy and have a continual fight. With the spint of selfishness entrenched in the hearts of the individuals, could we suppose that the endeavor to live collectively on the opposite basis of love would be very successful? Socialism can only succeed to a limited degree at present—to the extent that it benefits the intellectual and wealthy as well as the poor. Any attempt to carry it further will precipitate anarchy. Present aggregations of capital and industry are favorable to Socialism—government control, by the people and for the people. The masses seeing this will ere long attempt to grasp the throttle, expecting capitalists to submit to save their lives. But they are mistaken. Money and brains and selfishness are a strong combination, self-confident, resourceful, powerful. The result, as the Scriptures foretell, will not be Socialism but anarchy, humbling to the pride of the rich and the poor, the reformer and the demagogue. But that extremity will be the Lord’s opportunity. and on the [2799]
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