Data publicării
01.06.1906
Volumul
27
Numărul
11
Turnul de veghe
Views from the Watch Tower
Revistele originale Turnul de veghe în limba engleză
../literature/watchtower/1906/11/1906-11-1.html
 
 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA. 
be 
without 
employment-not 
only 
the 
actual 
residents 
of 
the 
stricken 
city, 
but 
those 
who 
resided 
in 
the 
cities 
around 
the 
Bay, 
and 
what 
will 
result 
from 
it 
remains 
only 
to 
be 
seen 
by 
waiting 
and 
exercIsing 
patience 
and 
faith 
in 
God. 
It 
is 
impossible 
for 
any 
but 
those 
who 
have 
witnessed 
the 
effects 
of 
this 
catastrophe 
to 
conceive 
how 
complete 
was 
the 
destruction 
of 
what 
everyone 
must 
confess 
was 
a 
wicked 
city. 
Brother 
Owen 
and 
myself 
viewed 
the 
ruined 
city 
from 
an 
eminence 
that 
ga\ 
e 
us 
a 
complete 
view 
of 
both 
the 
burned 
and 
unburned 
districts. 
My 
estimate 
is 
that 
two-thirds 
of 
the 
city 
was 
destroyed, 
while 
Brother 
Owen 
thinks 
four-fifths 
was 
destroyed; 
but 
in 
either 
estimate 
it 
is 
very 
bad. 
What 
the 
suffering 
and 
inconvemence 
of 
many 
have 
been 
and 
will 
be 
for 
a 
time 
can 
only 
be 
surmiRed. 
We 
can, 
all 
of 
us 
here, 
thank 
God 
for 
this 
object 
lesson, 
and 
the 
strengthening 
effect 
it 
has 
upon 
each 
one 
of 
us, 
as 
does 
every 
experience 
in 
life, 
and, 
as 
you 
say, 
assists 
us 
in 
recognizing 
in 
this 
the 
ncar 
apl,roach 
of 
the 
kingdom 
which 
shall 
forever 
end 
such 
calamities 
and 
afilictions. 
Your 
brother 
and 
servant 
in 
Christ, 
H. 
M. 
FITCH, 
California. 
PILGRIM 
VISITS 
OF 
BRO. 
B. 
H. 
BARTON 
London, 
Eng. 
June 
24 
Uddingston, 
Scot. 
June 
22 
Luton, 
' 
, 
" 
6,7 
Motherwell, 
' 
, 
, 
, 
2:1 
Wing, 
Leighton, 
" 
8 
Glasgow, 
" 
" 
~4 
Birmingham, 
" 
" 
9,10 
Dundee, 
" 
"25,26 
Sheffield, 
" 
" 
11,12 
Kirkcaldy, 
" 
, 
, 
27 
Leeds, 
" 
" 
13,14 
Hawick, 
" 
, 
, 
28,29 
Barnoldswick, 
Scot." 
15 
Edinburgh, 
" 
"30-JuI.2 
Glasgow, 
" 
"16-18 
Bedlington, 
Northumb 
'ndJul.:3 
Greenock, 
" 
, 
, 
19 
Newcastle, 
Eng. 
July 
4 
Gourock, 
' 
, 
" 
20 
Stockton, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
5 
Rothesay, 
" 
" 
21 
Eston, 
" 
" 
6-8 
VOL. 
m. 
DAWN 
IN 
DANO-NORWEGIAN 
We 
have 
just 
issued 
the 
above, 
in 
cloth 
binding 
only. 
Uniform 
in 
style 
with 
Engllsh 
rdition. 
Price, 
25c., 
postpaHI. 
CLIPPINGS 
FOR 
THE 
EDITOR 
Friends 
are 
requested 
to 
send 
us 
clippings 
unfavorable 
to 
the 
interests 
of 
the 
Truth, 
as 
well 
as 
special 
news 
item.s, 
writing 
on 
same 
the 
name 
of 
the 
J01lrnal 
and 
date 
o.f 
publl­ 
catton. 
VOL. 
XXVII 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
JUNE 
1, 
1906 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
No. 
11 
THE 
WESTMINSTER 
CONFESSION 
AGAIN 
No 
doubt 
our 
Presbyterian 
friends 
thought 
they 
had 
buried 
the 
Westminster 
Confession 
of 
Faith 
so 
deeply 
under 
their 
new 
statement 
of 
PreRbyterian 
faith. 
that 
they 
wonld 
never 
have 
further 
trouble 
from 
its 
bad 
odor. 
Rev. 
Samuel 
T. 
Cart.1r, 
D. 
D., 
was 
one 
of 
those 
who 
warred 
for 
its 
burial 
at 
that 
time. 
Satisfied 
for 
the 
time, 
apparently, 
Dr. 
Carter 
now 
realizes 
that 
the 
Westminster 
Confession 
is 
still 
the 
creed 
- 
of 
the 
Presbyterian 
church 
and 
the 
newer 
statement 
a 
mere 
blind. 
His 
honest 
soul 
now 
charge,s 
into 
the 
battle 
afresh 
for 
its 
complete 
repudiation. 
He 
recently 
wrote 
to 
the 
Presbyterian 
General 
Assembly 
on 
the 
subject, 
and 
we 
quote 
from 
his 
letter 
as 
follows:- 
"Fathers 
and 
Brethren:-Many 
years 
ago, 
when 
I 
was 
orJained 
to 
the 
ministry 
of 
the 
gospel, 
I 
declared 
in 
the 
most 
solemn 
manner 
I 
believed 
the 
Westminster 
Confes­ 
Ilion 
to 
be 
the 
truth 
of 
God. 
I 
now 
in 
an 
equally 
solemn 
manner 
deeIare 
I 
don't 
believe 
it 
to 
be 
the 
truth 
of 
God; 
that 
I 
utterly 
reject 
it 
as 
a 
setting 
forth 
of 
the 
character 
of 
the 
heavenly 
Father. 
There 
never 
was, 
there 
is 
not 
now, 
and 
there 
never 
will 
be 
such 
a 
God 
as 
the 
God 
of 
the 
West­ 
minster 
Confe,ssion. 
"It 
is 
an 
idol 
of 
man's 
invention, 
as 
truly 
as 
any 
wor­ 
shiped 
in 
Delhi, 
Pekin 
or 
Africa. 
I 
believe 
the 
great 
and 
true 
God 
is 
inl~nitely 
and 
exquisitely 
good 
and 
gracious; 
tJ!at 
the 
one 
thing 
that 
we 
can 
neither 
fully 
receive 
nor 
declare 
is 
thr 
boundh'ss 
love 
of 
Goa; 
that 
all 
the 
noblest 
exhibitions 
of 
human 
love 
arc 
but 
bright 
and 
beautiful 
sparks 
from 
that 
intensc 
and 
llivine 
flame-the 
love 
that 
through 
nges 
and 
generations 
has 
bccn 
leading 
men 
by 
the 
fulle,st 
wisdom 
and 
most 
tcnner 
providrnce 
to 
heights 
of 
knowledge, 
love 
nnd 
boun(lIess 
hope 
that 
far 
transcend 
ali 
humnn 
thonght. 
I 
lift 
up 
this 
oYerwhelming 
divine 
love 
before 
my 
fel'ow-mcn, 
bclieving 
that 
this 
alone 
will 
draw 
all 
mcn 
nnto 
Him. 
"I 
he1irvc 
that 
the 
'Vrl'tminstcr 
Confession 
darkens 
and 
(lcllics 
this 
gl'l'at 
lo\'c 
of 
God 
nnd 
should 
not 
be 
retained 
as 
a 
CO'IlfcRsion 
hy 
any 
church 
today, 
ana 
that 
our 
church 
is 
fal~e 
to 
itR 
g'l"l'ah'Rt 
<luty 
of 
being 
a 
true 
witness 
for 
God 
so 
long 
as 
it 
retains 
this 
Confe.ssion." 
* 
* 
* 
have 
been 
prompt 
to 
obey 
conscience, 
and 
shouIn 
have 
stepped 
out 
of 
Presbyterianism 
into 
the 
liberty 
wherewith 
Christ 
makes 
free 
indeed. 
PresbyteriaIl,9 
who 
honestly 
and 
truly 
believe 
the 
statements 
of 
the 
Confession 
have 
a 
right 
to 
hold 
it 
and 
to 
tell 
it 
abroad. 
It 
is 
the 
others 
who 
are 
at 
fault. 
If 
all 
who 
disagree 
with 
the 
Westminster 
Con­ 
fession 
would 
promptly 
and 
decidedly 
withdraw 
from 
the 
denomination 
into 
liberty, 
explaining 
their 
reasons 
for 
with­ 
drawing, 
the 
effect 
would 
be 
a 
hundred 
time,s 
mOTe 
satisfac­ 
tory. 
"Actions 
speak 
louder 
than 
words." 
Dr. 
Carter's 
words 
say 
that 
he 
is 
an 
honest, 
bold, 
advocate 
of 
truth 
at 
any 
cost; 
but 
his 
actions 
speak 
the 
reverse. 
They 
tell 
us, 
"The 
Westminster 
Confession 
has 
ties 
and 
emoluments 
which 
I 
Jove 
more 
than 
I 
love 
'the 
truth 
and 
the 
liberty 
which 
Christ 
offers. 
I 
prefer 
the 
bondage, 
and 
to 
be 
amongst 
those 
who 
misrepresent 
my 
God, 
than 
to 
forsake 
all 
and 
follow 
the 
Redeemer 
and 
his 
'little 
flock' 
whom 
the 
world 
counts' 
fools' 
fOr 
Christ's 
sake 
and 
too 
conscientious." 
We 
hape 
that 
Brother 
Carter 
and 
many 
others 
will 
ulti­ 
mately 
grow 
stronger 
in 
the 
Lord 
and 
still 
more 
devoten 
to 
the 
truth. 
so 
that 
ultimately 
they 
will 
take 
glanly 
the 
spoiling 
of 
their 
goods-worldly 
prospects, 
etc.-for 
Christ's 
sake, 
the 
truth's 
sake, 
hoping 
for 
the 
"better 
resurrection" 
as 
"more 
than 
conquerOTs." 
EPWORTH 
LEAG'UE 
FACING 
A 
CRISIS 
Throughout 
the 
entire 
Methodist 
church, 
we 
are 
informed, 
"mutterings 
of 
uncertainty 
and 
dissatisfaction" 
are 
being 
heard 
in 
regard 
to 
the 
future 
of 
the 
Epworth 
League, 
the 
young 
people's 
organization, 
which 
has 
a 
membership 
of 
about 
2,000,000. 
Indeed, 
the 
crisis 
has 
become 
so 
serious 
that 
The 
Epworth 
Herald 
(Chicago), 
official 
organ 
of 
the 
League, 
is 
publishing 
a 
series 
of 
articles 
about 
it 
from 
the 
pen 
of 
Dr. 
Wentworth 
F. 
Stewart, 
author 
of 
the 
"Evangel­ 
istic 
Awakening." 
Dr. 
Stewart 
says 
it 
is 
his 
observation 
that 
"the 
League 
in 
Illany 
places 
is 
lacking 
in 
vigorous, 
self-sustaining 
life; 
in 
others, 
is 
a 
problem 
in 
itself; 
and 
only 
rarely 
is 
it 
measuring 
up 
to 
reasonable 
expectation 
in 
spiritual 
<jUlture, 
evangelistic 
zeal, 
and 
a 
missionary 
enterprise; 
.. 
\. 
it 
is 
not 
a 
reviving 
and 
recruiting 
force, 
and 
is 
not 
saving 
to 
any 
reasonable 
doegree 
the 
young 
peo- 
Brothrr 
('arter's 
expNiences 
encourage 
us 
to 
hope 
and 
pIe 
within 
its 
reach." 
He 
says:­ 
~,ait 
pntipntly 
for 
fllrthl'r 
awakenings 
amongst 
the 
theo- 
10girn.1 
"dry 
bones." 
For 
years 
and 
years 
Dr. 
Carter 
A 
GENERAL 
CRITICISM 
prcnclJrd 
lllldpr 
the 
ConfeRsian 
which 
he 
did 
not 
believe. 
"Our 
whole 
church 
has 
been 
for 
years 
cammitted 
to 
the 
For 
ycnrs 
he' 
Irnt 
his 
name 
and 
voice 
and 
iJifluence 
for 
God- 
numerical 
ideal 
of 
quantity 
instead 
of 
quality. 
Anything 
di,<honorillg 
enol' 
until 
he 
got 
strong 
enough 
and 
courageous 
to 
secure 
a 
crowd, 
multiply 
numbers, 
increase 
the 
member- 
enough 
to 
protpst 
an(1 
cry 
for 
libel 
ty 
from 
his 
slavery. 
Rhip 
roll. 
Some 
churches 
and 
some 
leagues 
double 
their 
T'he 
partial 
liherty 
{Irm/fra 
was 
doubtleRs 
appreciated; 
hut 
membership 
while 
the 
same 
pews 
hold 
the 
congregation, 
now 
he 
lonjZ's 
and 
cries 
fo]' 
mOl'e, 
more 
liberty 
to 
think. 
He 
the 
same 
chairs 
seat 
the 
people 
at 
the 
mid-week 
prayer 
desires 
to 
be 
sct 
free. 
His 
conscience 
longs 
and 
cries 
out 
service 
and 
the 
devotional 
meeting 
of 
the 
League, 
and 
only 
that 
it 
can 
stano. 
the 
galling 
E'rror,s 
no 
longer. 
the 
same 
prayers 
and 
testimonies 
are 
heard 
because 
there 
Poor 
Brother 
Carter 
does 
not 
see 
the 
inconsistency 
of 
is 
not 
leaven 
enough 
to 
permeate 
their 
entire 
following. 
hi'! 
position. 
He 
should 
not 
have 
entered 
the 
Presbyterian 
"To 
gain 
Our 
membership 
one 
by 
one, 
seeking 
their 
con­ 
house 
of 
bondnge! 
He 
should 
never 
have 
confessed 
the 
version 
first, 
and 
relation 
after, 
through 
a 
slower 
process, 
Confession 
which 
his 
hend 
and 
his 
heart 
repudiated. 
Or, 
is 
infinitely 
more 
valuable 
than 
a 
red-and-blue 
contest 
with 
if 
he 
nid 
believe 
the 
errors 
at 
the 
beginning 
of 
his 
Chris- 
no 
significance 
attached; 
the 
same 
amount 
of 
energy 
thor­ 
tian 
life 
and 
ministry, 
and 
learned 
of 
them 
later, 
he 
should 
oughly 
spiritualized 
and 
spent 
in 
evangelistic 
activities 
[3782] 
(159-163) be without employment—-not only the actual residents of the stricken city, but those who resided in the cities around the Bay, and what will result from it remains only to be seen by waiting and exercising patience and faith in God. It is impossible for any but those who have witnessed the effects of this catastrophe to conceive how complete was the destruction of what every one must confess was a wicked city. Brother Owen and myself viewed the ruined city from an eminence that gave us a complete view of both the burned and unburned districts. My estimate is that two-thirds of the city was destroyed, while Brother Owen thinks four-fifths was destroyed; but in either estimate it is very bad. What the suffering and inconvenience of many have been and will be for a time can only be surmised. We ean, all of us here, thank God for this object lesson, and the strengthening effect it has upon each one of us, as does every experience in life, and, as you say, assists us in recognizing in this the near approach of the kingdom which shall forever end such calamities and afflictions. Your brother and servant in Christ, H. M. Fitcu, California. ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, PA. PILGRIM VISITS OF BRO. B. H. BARTON London, Eng. June 2-4 Uddingston, Scot. June 22 Luton, . ”? 6,7 Motherwell, ’’ ” 23 Wing, Leighton, ” 8 Glasgow, ” ”? 24 Birmingham, ”’ 2? 9,10 Dundee, ”? 7) 25,26 Sheffield, ,”? 7? 41,12 Kirkealdy, ” ? 27 Leeds, ” 7? 13,14 Hawick, ” 7? 28,29 Barnoldswick, Seot. ’’ 15 Edinburgh, ”’ ?930-Jul.2 Glasgow, ” ?? 16-18 Bedlington, Northumb’ndJul.3 Greenock, ”? ” 19 WNeweastle, Eng. July 4 Gourock, ” ” 20 Stockton, ” ”? 5 Rothesay, ” ” 21 = Eston, ”? ” 6-8 VOL. III. DAWN IN DANO-NORWEGIAN We have just issued the above, in cloth binding only. Uniform in style with English edition. Price, 25c., postpaid. CLIPPINGS FOR THE EDITOR Friends are requested to send us clippings unfavorable to the interests of the Truth, as well as special news items, writing on same the name of the journal and date of publicatton. Vou. XXVIT ALLEGHENY, PA., JUNE 1, 1906 No. 11 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER THE WESTMINSTER CONFESSION AGAIN No doubt our Presbyterian friends thought they had buried the Westminster Confession of Faith so deeply under their new statement of Presbyterian faith, that they would never have further trouble from its bad odor. Rev. Samuel T. Carter, D. D., was one of those who warred for its burial at that time. Satisfied for the time, apparently, Dr. Carter now realizes that the Westminster Confession is still the ereed of the Presbytcrian ehurch and the newer statement a mere blind. His honest soul now charges into the battle afresh for its complete repudiation. He recently wrote to the Presbyterian General Assembly on the subject, and we quote from his letter as follows:— “(Fathers and Brethren:—Many years ago, when I was ordained to the ministry of the gospel, I declared in the most solemn manner I believed the Westminster Confession to be the truth of God. JI now in an equally solemn manner declare I don’t believe it to be the truth of God; that I utterly reject it as a setting forth of the character of the heavenly Father. There never was, there is not now, and there never will be such a God as the God of the Westminster Confession, “It is an idol of man’s invention, as truly as any worshiped in Delhi, Pekin or Africa. I believe the great and true God is inftnitely and exquisitely good and gracious; that the one thing that we can neither fully receive nor deelare is the boundless love of God; that all the noblest exhibitions of human love are but bright and beautiful sparks from that intense and divine flame—the love that through ages and generations has been Icading men by the fullest wisdem and most tender providence to heights of knowledge, love and boundless hope that far transeend ali human thought. I lift up this overwhelming divine love before my fel'ow-men, believing that this alone will draw all men unto Him. ‘*T believe that the Westminster Confession darkens and denies this great love of God and should not be retained as a Confession hy any church today, and that our church is false to its greatest duty of being a true witness for God so long as it retains this Confession.’’ * * * Brother Carter’s experienees encourage us to hope and wait patiently for further awakenings amongst the theological ‘‘dry bones.’? For years and years Dr. Carter preached under the Confession which he did not believe. For years he lent his name and voice and influence for Goddishonoring error until he got strong enough and courageous enough to protest and ery for lberty from his slavery. The partial liberty granted was doubtless appreciated; but now he longs and cries for more, more liberty to think. He desires to be sct free. His conscience longs and cries out that it can stand the galling errors no longer. Poor Brother Carter does not see the inconsistency of his position. He should not have entered the Presbyterian house of bondage! He should never have confessed the Confession which his head and his heart repudiated. Or, if he did belicve the errors at the beginning of his Christian life and ministry, and learned of them later, he should have been prompt to obey conseience, and should have stepped out of Presbyterianism into the liberty wherewith Christ makes free indeed. Presbyterians who honestly and truly believe the statements of the Confession have a right to hold it and to tell it abroad. It is the others who are at fault. If all who disagree with the Westminster Confession would promptly and decidedly withdraw from the denomination into liberty, explaining their reasons for withdrawing, the effect would be a hundred times more satisfactory. ‘* Actions speak louder than words.’’ Dr. Carter’s words say that he is an honest, bold, advocate of truth at any cost; but his actions speak the reverse. They tell us, ‘‘The Westminster Confession has ties and emoluments which I love more than I love the truth and the liberty which Christ offers. I prefer the bondage, and to be amongst those who misrepresent my God, than to forsake all and follow the Redeemer and his ‘little flock’ whom the world counts ‘fools’ for Christ’s sake and too conscientious.’’ We hope that Brother Carter and many others will ultimately grow stronger in the Lord and still more devoted to the truth, so that ultimately they will take gladly the spoiling of their goods—worldly prospects, ete.—for Christ’s sake, the truth’s sake, hoping for the ‘‘ better resurrection’’ as ‘‘more than conquerors.’’ EPWORTH LEAGUE FACING A CRISIS Throughout the entire Methodist church, we are informed, ‘‘mutterings of uncertainty and dissatisfaction’’ are being heard in regard to the future of the Epworth League, the young people’s organization, which has a membership of about 2,000,000. Indeed, the crisis has become so serious that The Epworth Herald (Chicago), official organ of the League, is publishing a series of articles about it from the pen of Dr. Wentworth F, Stewart, author of the ‘‘Evangelistic Awakening.’’ Dr. Stewart says it is his observation that ‘‘the League in many places is lacking in vigorous, self-sustaining life; in others, is a problem in itself; and only rarely is it measuring up to reasonable expectation in spiritual qulture, evangelistic zeal, and a missionary enterprise; ..|. it is not a reviving and recruiting force, and is not saving to any reasonable degree the young people within its reach.’’ He says:— A GENERAL CRITICISM ‘‘Our whole ehurch has been for years committed to the numerical ideal of quantity instead of quality. Anything to secure a crowd, multiply numbers, increase the membership roll. Some churches and some leagues double their membership while the same pews hold the congregation, the same chairs seat the people at the mid-week prayer service and the devotional meeting of the League, and only the same prayers and testimonies are heard because there is not leaven enough to permeate their entire following. ‘“To gain our membership one by one, seeking their conversion first, and relation after, through a slower process, is infinitely more valuable than a red-and-blue contest with no significance attached; the same amount of energy thor. oughly spiritualized and spent in evangelistic activities [3782]

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