(239-243) in public services of the church to other congregations, and that his words therefore do not apply at the present time. This is sophistry, false reasoning. The epistles to the Corinthians were not written to the debauchees, neither male nor female, of that time, but to the saints at Corinth, both male and female; and a saint at Corinth meant exactly the same thing as a saint elsewhere, namely, one whose life had turned from sin to righteousness, and who, accepting Christ as his Savior, had made full consecration of all to him. Indeed it would appear that the Apostle’s strictures on woman’s sphere came from the opposite quarter—that the chureh at Corinth seemed to feel itself superior to the other congregations, and desired to grasp liberties for its women which the other churches never thought of. Hence the Apostle after rebuking them asks, ‘‘What? came the Word of the Lord out from you? [Did it originate with you? Are we to look to the Christians at Corinth as the expounders of the message?]} or came it unto you merely? [Did you not receive the Gospel as others received it? Do you not admit that you were not the originators of it? You have, therefore, nothing whatever to do with adding to or changing its regulations. As you will see this matter in its correct light you will agree that you should receive the message of the grace of God in the line in which he sent it, and should obey it without thought of alteration or emendation to suit some supposed preferential teachings in your midst.] (1 Cor. 14:36.) ‘‘The faith once delivered to the saints’’ is not a variable but a fixed one. Hence the Apostle urges ‘‘that ye all mind the same things.’’ Another line of sophistry used to make void the teachings of the Scriptures on this subject seeks its object by handling the Word of God deceitfully: By taking the statement of Colossians 3:18, twisting it about so as to give it a different meaning from its proper one, and then using that improper twist in connection with all other Scriptures bearing on the subject. The passage in question reads, ‘‘ Wives, subm:t yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit, in the Lord.’’ The meaning of these words should be evident to everyone; they are very distinct. They tell the Christian wife that her relationship to the Lord, the liberty wherewith Christ makes free indeed, does not annul her relationship to her husband, whether he be in Christ or be not in Christ; and that she still owes to her husband the duty of a wife; that the wife in the divine order is not the head of the family, and that it is the duty of the wife to be submissive (in all matters which do not involve conscience—which would include all matters which would seriously endanger health). The Apostle points out that this is the fit eourse—the course which he has elsewhere pointed out to be the proper one also for the natural man or woman; for he distinctly declares that the primacy of the man in the family was established at creation, and that the man was created not to be the helpmate of the woman, but the woman to be the helpmate of the man. This is the fit course in nature; and in this verse the Apostle declared that it is still the fit course as respects the Christian wife (‘‘fit in the Lord’’) after she has been received into the liberty of the family of God. In other words, she has a relationship of heart and conscience to God and a relationship in the flesh to her husband; and these are not to be understood ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, Pa, to conflict but are*in full agreement under the Lord’s arrangement. Do you ask how sophistry could change the plain statement of this verse? We reply that it attempts to do so by juggling with the word ‘‘fit,’’ and implying that the Apostle means that the wife should subject to her husband as her mind tells her would be fit and proper. Of course the minds of many women would never tell them that it was fit or proper to be subject to their husbands, and according to this false, sophistical interpretation they would be following the Apostle’s injunction by violating the spirit of his Word in this text. After establishing this fallacious thought in the mind—and it seems to appeal to the natural mind of some,-—this philosophy which seeks to upset the teaching of God’s Word, while apparently remaining loyal to it, proceeds to deal with all the other texts of Scripture which relate to the wife’s relationship to her husband, by saying that they must all be understood and interpreted in harmony with this declaration of the Apostle, ‘if it is fit,’’ meaning as the woman sees fit in her judgment and certainly not as the husband would see fit. The Apostle on the contrary is saying that the submission of the wife to the husband is the fit, proper course ‘‘in the Lord’’ as also in nature. As before stated, we realize that many women, both in and out of the truth, suffer great hardships at the hands of inconsiderate and sometimes brutal husbands; and in view of our knowledge of this fact nothing would be further from our natural disposition than to give such advice respecting general submission, Rather, our natural mind on the subject would have been resistance, self-assertion, contending for rights, ete. But as we have learned not to follow our own inclinations and judgment in respect to our own matters, interests and rights, so we have learned and are more and more learning to advise others to most carefully follow not their own combativeness nor their own ambitions in these matters, but that if they would be overcomers and win the crown they should hearken to him who speaketh from heaven. We surmise that a large proportion of the trouble that is coming upon the world in general will be the result of discontent, which we expect to see increasing year by year until the turmoil of anarchy shall ruin all except those who shall have submitted their wills to the Lord and waited for him to establish righteousness and justice in the earth, We urge upon the Lord’s people, male and female, all the fruits and graces of the Spirit,—meekness, gentleness, patience, long suffering, brotherly kindness, love. We assure them, in harmony with the Word, that whether such conduct on their part be iovingly received and appreciated, or whether it shall bring them increased trials and oppositions and injustice, nevertheJess the peaceable fruits of righteousness prevailing in their hearts will bring them the peace of God which passeth all understanding even in the present life, and will prepare them the more surely for the kingdom and its glories and honors. ‘‘He that humbleth himself shall be exalted, he that exalteth himself shall be-abased.’’ ‘‘Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. For it is written, he giveth his favor to the humble, but resisteth the proud,’’ the self-assertive.—Luke 14:11; Jas. 4:6. Vou. XXVIT ALLEGHENY, PA., AUGUST 1, 1906 No. 15 a VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER CHANGE IN CHURCHIANITY’S METHODS The Editor of the Cincinnati Enquirer says:— ‘‘The churches of the country enter so largely into the character and direction of its growth, and accomplish so much that is helpful in various ways in the uplifting of society, that information as to their progress is of interest to readers outside as well as inside their varied folds. No one ean fail to notice how much in a general way their teaching and aims have changed with the times, and to how large an extent sectarian differences and angularities are disappearing and being disregarded. Fifty years ago churches were looked upon chiefly as divinely constituted organizations, insuring their members safe passage to and first-class accommodations in a better world, and their teaching was mostly along theological and doctrinal lines. Every sect, while doubting the efficiency of the insurance provision in the tickets of all rivals, was wholly confident of its own, and missions to the heathen were urged on the ground that unless converted they were all doomed to everlasting punishment for not accepting what they had never heard of. This world was not worth thinking about; the worse off we were here the better it would be for us in the next, and vice versa. ‘‘Tt is wonderful how complete and rapid the change has been. The churches now are trying to emphasize points of agreement, rather than of difference, and are working harmoniously together for moral and humanitarian ends. Theology and doctrine have been sent to the rear, and it is recognized that the true work of the church is here and now in making this world a happier and better place for everybody to live in, on a basis of unselfishness and brotherly love. In this effort agnostic and churchman, Jews and infidels, are working together, and what a man believes is regarded as of comparatively little consequence. ’’ * * * How clearly those whose eyes are opened to the true teachings of the Bible can see that the difficulty of the writer of the above and the general difficulty of Christendom is that the Truth of divine revelation has been buried under nonsensical human traditions which make the gospel an absurdity to them. There are two views of this matter. (1) If Christianity be [3828]
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