Data publicării
15.12.1906
Volumul
27
Numărul
24
Turnul de veghe
Views from the Watch Tower
Revistele originale Turnul de veghe în limba engleză
../literature/watchtower/1906/24/1906-24-2.html
 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
ing 
of 
the 
energies 
formerly 
put 
forth 
on 
behalf 
of 
the 
heathen. 
Furthermore 
it 
is 
beyond 
question 
that 
missionary 
effort 
has 
accomplished 
little 
in 
heathen 
lands 
in 
the 
way 
of 
making 
saints, 
and 
that 
its 
chief 
showing 
has 
been 
along 
the 
lines 
ot 
civilizin¥ 
influences 
-introduced. 
And 
is 
this 
not 
true 
through­ 
out 
Chr18tendom' 
The 
new 
thought 
is 
that 
this 
civilizing 
intiuence 
called 
Christianization 
can 
be 
introduced 
better 
and 
more 
quickly 
by 
national 
treaties, 
etc. 
Thus 
Secretary 
Boot's 
1aBt 
visit 
to 
South 
America 
in 
the 
interest 
of 
better 
business 
relation­ 
ship 
between 
those 
countries 
and 
the 
United 
States 
is 
pointed 
out 
by 
some 
as 
having 
been 
a 
great 
missionary 
enterprise. 
So 
greatly 
do 
the 
ideas 
of 
man 
gradually 
swing 
aroundl 
We 
quote 
below 
from 
the 
Springfield 
(Mau.) 
17mon 
on 
this 
sub· 
ject 
as 
follows:- 
Rev. 
Newton 
M. 
Hall, 
pastor 
of 
North 
Congregational 
Church, 
preached 
yesterday 
morning 
on 
the 
modern 
motive 
for 
missions, 
as 
a 
timely 
topic, 
in 
view 
of 
the 
meeting 
of 
the 
American 
Board 
of 
Commissioners 
for 
Foreign 
Missions 
in 
North 
Adams 
this 
week. 
He 
showed 
how 
the 
old-time 
motive 
of 
soul-saving 
had 
largely 
given 
place 
to 
the 
motive 
of 
Chris­ 
tian 
work 
to 
uplift 
and 
better 
the 
conditions 
of 
the 
non­ 
Christian 
peoples. 
He 
said 
in 
part: 
"We 
must 
admit 
that 
the 
impulse 
for 
missions 
simply 
from 
the 
standpoint 
of 
soul-saving 
is 
not 
as 
strong 
as 
it 
was 
a 
century 
ago. 
We 
may 
regret 
this, 
but 
we 
must 
face 
the 
facts. 
Yet 
the 
interest 
in 
missions 
must 
not 
die. 
No 
greater 
calamity; 
from 
both 
moral 
and 
economic 
standpoints, 
could 
happen 
to 
America 
than 
to 
lose 
interest 
in 
foreIgn 
missions. 
What, 
then, 
is 
to 
be 
the 
new 
motive 
tor 
missions' 
It 
must 
be 
the 
motive, 
old, 
yet 
new, 
set 
forth 
by 
Paul 
in 
the 
text; 
the 
oneness 
of 
God, 
the 
brotherhood 
of 
all 
men 
as 
proclaimed 
and 
mediated 
by 
Jesus 
Christ. 
It 
is 
not 
our 
civilization 
which 
we 
wish 
to 
impose 
upon 
alien 
peoples, 
for 
we 
are 
far 
from 
being 
Christian, 
but 
the 
civilization 
which, 
please 
God, 
we 
mean 
to 
have. 
Brotherhood, 
fraternity, 
is 
the 
message, 
the 
lifting 
up 
of 
other 
races, 
not 
to 
our 
level 
only, 
but 
far 
beyond. 
"Now 
and 
then 
you 
will 
tind 
a 
man 
who 
will 
defend 
the 
religions 
of 
the 
East. 
Do 
not 
believe 
him. 
Ask 
the 
men 
who 
have 
lived 
'East 
of 
Suez, 
Where 
the 
best 
is 
like 
the 
worst,' 
who 
have 
looked 
the 
gods 
of 
the 
East 
in 
the 
face, 
and 
they 
will 
tell 
you 
that 
the 
work 
of 
Buddha 
and 
Krishna 
and 
the 
rest 
is 
the 
work 
of 
the 
beast. 
- 
"We 
want 
to 
save 
men 
from 
bestiality 
and 
the 
supersti­ 
tion 
of 
heathendom 
to 
the 
glory 
of 
the 
brotherhood 
of 
Jesus. 
The 
mission 
of 
Mr. 
Root 
to 
South 
America 
wu 
in 
a 
large 
sense 
a 
missionary 
journey. 
He 
went 
not 
with 
threats, 
but 
in 
the 
Christian 
spirit 
of 
love 
and 
brotherhood. 
Every 
mis. 
sionary 
is 
first 
an 
ambassador 
of 
the 
Lord 
Jesus, 
and 
then 
God's 
ordained 
apostle 
of 
liberty 
and 
democracy. 
The 
peo· 
pIes 
of 
the 
earth, 
the 
downcast, 
the 
oppressed, 
the 
king·ridden 
are 
on 
the 
march 
to 
freedom. 
Missionary 
activity 
in 
the 
20th 
century 
means 
that 
we 
are 
to 
aid 
them 
in 
their 
progress. 
The 
haystack 
missionaries 
sought 
its 
individuals. 
We 
are 
to 
seek 
the 
nations 
and 
help 
them 
in 
the 
struggle 
until 
all 
shall 
come 
in 
the 
unity 
of 
the 
faith, 
to 
the 
kingdom 
which 
hath 
no 
end, 
the 
joy 
and 
expectation 
of 
the 
whole 
earth." 
AJI 
A.P08!'ASY 
OB 
A 
lUIVIV 
AL 
The 
editor 
of 
Bam'. 
Horn 
declares 
that 
the 
Christian 
church 
is 
facing 
an 
apostasy 
or 
a 
revival. 
He 
says:- 
'I 
For 
nearly 
twenty 
years 
we 
have 
been 
marking 
time, 
but 
we 
have 
not 
been 
making 
progre88. 
True, 
we 
have 
been 
adding 
wealth 
and 
numbers, 
but 
we 
have 
not 
been 
gaining 
power. 
Sporadic 
revivals 
break 
out 
in 
places, 
but 
evangelism 
does 
not 
spread 
like 
a 
holy 
contagion. 
There 
is 
no 
use 
blink­ 
ing 
facts. 
Conditions 
are 
serious. 
But 
they 
are 
not 
excep­ 
tional. 
Compared 
with 
those 
of 
some 
previous 
periods 
they 
are 
discouraging, 
but 
compared 
with 
other 
epochs 
they 
appear 
far 
trom 
hopeleu. 
The 
march 
of 
the 
kingdom 
seems 
to 
be 
measured 
by 
the 
ebb 
and 
tiow 
of 
the 
spiritual 
tide. 
Today 
the 
tide 
is 
low. 
It 
has 
been 
falling 
steadily 
since 
the 
stirring 
days 
of 
Dwight 
L. 
Moody. 
There 
are 
many 
signs 
that 
low-water 
mark 
has 
been 
registered, 
and 
that 
henceforth 
we 
will 
see 
a 
rising 
tiood. 
But 
whether 
it 
comes 
this 
year, 
or 
next, 
or 
in 
tive 
or 
ten 
years, 
Christ's 
people 
will 
not 
lose 
faith 
or 
courage. 
God 
is 
in 
this 
world 
with 
a 
purpose, 
and 
that 
purpose 
cannot 
be 
thwarted 
or 
defeated. 
He 
can 
do 
wonders 
with 
only 
a 
few 
to 
help 
him. 
He 
is 
in 
need 
of 
real 
Gideons, 
men 
and 
women 
whose 
primary 
business 
it 
is 
to 
serve 
God. 
Perhaps 
there 
are 
more 
of 
these 
faithful 
ones 
than 
we 
realize. 
Jonah 
was 
deceived 
by 
superficial 
appearances 
in 
Nineveh. 
Doubt­ 
less 
there 
are 
more 
amongst 
us 
than 
we 
think 
who 
have 
not 
bowed 
the 
knee 
to 
Baal. 
So 
we 
will 
be 
hopeful 
and 
charitable, 
yet 
alert 
and 
discerning. 
God 
is 
calling 
the 
church 
and 
in­ 
dividual 
Christians 
to 
higher 
walks 
of 
faith 
and 
duty. 
It 
must 
be 
either 
advance 
or 
apostasy." 
!'BB 
OOS!' 
OF 
OOBVEBSIONS 
The 
value 
of 
a 
genuine 
conversion 
from 
sin 
to 
the 
Lord 
-to 
saintship, 
to 
a 
membership 
in 
the 
"little 
tiock" 
of 
the 
footstep 
followers 
of 
the 
Lamb-is 
almost 
beyond 
estimation 
i 
because 
they 
are 
all 
"Je"",els.". 
But 
when 
we 
think 
of 
the 
COmmon 
run 
of 
church 
membership, 
unregenerate, 
merely 
bear­ 
ing 
a 
gloss 
of 
civilization, 
the 
following 
tlgures 
from 
a 
more 
than 
ordinarily 
reliable 
channel 
seem 
very 
high 
for 
the 
reo 
sults 
obtained. 
We 
quote 
the 
following 
from 
the 
Pittsburg 
Chronlcle-Telegral'h:- 
VILLAOIC 
SINN.a 
OONVDTZD 
OHLU'LY 
i 
IT'S 
DIJ'FEUNT 
WITH 
'I'D 
OITT 
ONU 
Frankfort, 
Ind., 
Oct. 
n.-The 
closing 
session 
of 
the 
Indi· 
ana 
BYDOd 
of 
the 
Presbyterian 
ehurch 
was 
made 
interesting 
by 
a 
report 
on 
the 
money 
it 
costs 
to 
convert 
a 
sinner 
and 
bring 
hUn 
into 
the 
church. 
The 
report 
was 
made 
by 
the 
Rev. 
Dr. 
Donald 
Morrison, 
who 
showed 
that 
the 
cost 
in 
cities 
with 
the 
large 
ehurches 
is 
greatest. 
He 
found 
that 
the 
average 
ranges 
from 
$27 
in 
villages 
to 
$212 
in 
cities. 
In 
large 
churches 
the 
cost 
is 
greatly 
in­ 
creased. 
Dr. 
Morrison 
showed 
that 
the 
cost 
of 
a 
church 
for 
each 
sinner 
brought 
within 
its 
pale 
in 
Indianapolis 
is 
$620. 
There 
was 
no 
adverse 
comment 
on 
these 
tlgures. 
The 
In· 
dianapolis 
sinner 
is 
supposed 
to 
be 
worth 
the 
time, 
effort 
and 
money 
required 
to 
get 
him 
into 
the 
church. 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BIBLE 
AND 
TRACT 
SOCIETY'S 
REPORT 
DBOJCKBD 
1, 
1906, 
'1'0 
D:&OJlJOD 
1, 
1906. 
Viewed 
from 
the 
standpoint 
of 
the 
great 
institutions 
of 
conditioD 
of 
those 
who 
are 
in 
the 
light 
of 
present 
truth. 
It 
the 
world, 
Bible 
Societies, 
Tract 
Societies, 
etc., 
ours 
is 
a 
very 
is 
not 
for 
us 
to 
judge 
the 
hearts 
except 
in 
the 
general 
sense 
small 
work, 
if 
the 
measurement 
be 
by 
the 
amount 
of 
dollars 
that 
the 
Lord 
directed, 
that 
we 
may 
know 
the 
difference 
be­ 
received 
and 
expended; 
but 
if 
the 
measurement, 
on 
the 
con· 
tween 
thorns 
and 
grapes 
and 
between 
brambles 
and 
tlgs. 
tr~ry, 
be 
by 
the 
amount 
of 
work 
accomplished, 
we 
are 
eer' 
"By 
their 
fruits 
ye 
shall 
know 
them." 
t&1nly 
in 
the 
tirst 
rank 
so 
far 
as 
we 
know. 
We 
distance 
all 
Viewing 
the 
entire 
harvest 
tleld 
from 
this 
standpoint 
which 
tract 
circulators 
in 
the 
tract 
matter 
distributed 
freely, 
in 
the 
Lord 
gives 
us, 
we 
are 
encouraged 
to 
believe 
that 
the 
the 
Bible 
Study 
Helps 
put 
into 
the 
hands 
of 
the 
people, 
etc., 
spirituality 
of 
the 
Bock 
is 
u 
hi¥h 
or 
higher 
than 
it 
has 
ever 
etc. 
God 
forbid 
that 
we 
should 
boast: 
we 
have 
nothing 
that 
before 
been. 
We 
feel 
like 
8&l1ng 
higher 
than 
ever 
before, 
we 
have 
not 
received 
of 
divine 
favor, 
and 
if 
the 
work 
has 
nevertheless 
remember 
that 
the 
Lord's 
dear 
peo:ple 
in 
various 
prospered 
we 
believe 
that 
it 
is 
of 
the 
Lord's 
providence 
and 
quarters 
have 
had 
some 
very 
severe 
trials 
durm~ 
the 
year, 
blessing 
and 
not 
by 
human 
wisdom 
and 
might. 
However, 
from 
which, 
we 
dare 
trust, 
however, 
they 
are 
emergmg 
puritled 
surrounded 
by 
much 
opposition 
from 
the 
world, 
the 
tiesh 
and 
and 
polished, 
better 
titted 
for 
the 
presence 
of 
the 
King 
and 
the 
devil, 
and 
the 
nominal 
church, 
we 
have 
need 
to 
encourage 
for 
a 
share 
of 
his 
glory. 
These 
trials, 
for 
the 
most 
part, 
have 
ourselves 
in 
every 
way 
possible, 
and 
believe 
it 
to 
be 
the 
Lord's 
come 
apparently 
from 
the 
outside: 
and 
although 
the 
Apostle 
will 
that 
we 
should 
communicate 
these 
encouralflng 
fsatures 
suggests" 
false 
brethren," 
we 
like 
to 
hope 
that 
some 
who 
to 
you 
all, 
knowing 
well 
that 
you 
will 
share 
1D 
the 
trials 
have 
apparently 
tllled 
that 
role 
were 
not 
at 
heart 
false, 
but 
and 
discouragements 
which 
the 
Lord 
forewarned 
us 
we 
should 
merely 
temporarily 
blinded 
by 
ambition 
or 
some 
other 
un· 
expect 
if 
we 
would 
be 
faithful 
to 
him 
and 
his 
Word. 
worthy 
motive; 
and 
we 
like 
to 
hope 
also 
that, 
by 
the 
Lord's 
By 
the 
grace 
of 
God 
the 
report 
of 
this 
year 
is 
the 
most 
grace, 
some 
at 
least 
of 
these 
will 
ultimately 
overcome, 
realiz· 
encouraging 
we 
have 
ever 
had 
to 
present 
to 
you. 
It 
shows 
ing 
the 
force 
of 
the 
Apostle's 
argument 
that 
the 
Lord 
reo 
progress, 
increase, 
all 
along 
the 
line. 
But 
there 
is 
one 
report 
sisteth 
the 
proud 
and 
shows 
his 
favor 
to 
the 
humble. 
I 
I 
Humble 
we 
cannot 
set 
forth 
in 
dollars 
or 
tlgnres 
of 
any 
kind, 
yet 
it 
yourselves 
therefore 
under 
the 
mighty 
hand 
of 
God, 
that 
he 
is 
the 
most 
important 
of 
all-the 
report 
of 
the 
spiritual 
may 
exalt 
you 
in 
due 
time." 
[8908] 
(387-388) ing of the energies formerly put forth on behalf of the heathen. Furthermore it is beyond question that missionary effort has accomplished little in heathen lands in the way of making saints, and that its chief showing has been along the lines of civilizing influences ‘introduced, And is this not true throughout Christendomf The new thought is that this civilizing influence called Christianization can be introduced better and more quickly by nationa) treaties, etc. Thus Secretary Root’s last visit to South America in the interest of better business relationship between those countries and the United States is pointed out by some as having been a great missionary enterprise. So greatly do the ideas of man gradually swing around! We quote below from the Springfield (Mass.) Union on this subject as follows:— Rev. Newton M. Hall, pastor of North Congregational Church, preached yesterday morning on the modern motive for missions, as a timely topic, in view of the meeting of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in North Adams this week. He showed how the old-time motive of soul-saving had largely given place to the motive of Christian work to uplift and better the conditions of the nonChristian peoples. He said in part: ‘*We must admit that the impulse for missions simply from the standpoint of soul-saving is not as strong as it was a century ago. We may regret this, but we must face the facts. Yet the interest in missions must not die. No greater calamity, from both moral and economic standpoints, could happen to America than to lose interest in foreign missions. What, then, is to be the new motive for missions? It must be the motive, old, yet new, set forth by Paul in the text; the oneness of God, the brotherhood of all men as proclaimed and mediated by Jesus Christ. It is not our civilization which we wish to impose upon alien peoples, for we are far from being Christian, but the civilization which, please God, we mean to have. Brotherhood, fraternity, is the message, the lifting up of other races, not to our level only, but far beyond. ‘*Now and then you will find a man who will defend the religions of the East. Do not believe him. Ask the men who have lived ‘Bast of Suez, Where the best is like the worst,’ who have looked the gods of the East in the face, and they will tell you that the work of Buddha and Krishna and the rest is the work of the beast. ‘“We want to save men from bestiality and the superstition of heathendom to the glory of the brotherhood of Jesus. The mission of Mr. Root to South America was in a large sense a missionary journey. He went not with threats, but in the Christian spirit of love and brotherhood. Every missionary is first an ambassador of the Lord Jesus, and then God’s ordained apostle of liberty and democracy, The peoples of the earth, the downcast, the oppressed, the king-ridden are on the march to freedom. Missionary activity in the 20th century means that we are to aid them in their progress. The haystack missionaries sought its individuals. We are ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, Pa, to seek the nations and help them in the struggle until all shall come in the unity of the faith, to the kingdom which hath no end, the joy and expectation of the whole earth.’’ AN APOSTASY OR A REVIVAL The editor of Ram's Horn declares that the Christian church is facing an apostasy or a revival. He says:— ‘For nearly twenty years we have been marking time, but we have not been making progress. True, we have been adding wealth and numbers, but we have not been gaining power. Sporadic revivals break out in places, but evangelism does not spread like a holy contagion. There is no use blinking facts. Conditions are serious. But they are not exceptional. Compared with those of some previous periods they ara discouraging, but compared with other epochs they appear far from hopeless. The march of the kingdom seems to be measured by the ebb and flow of the spiritual tide. Today the tide is low. It has been falling steadily since the stirring days of Dwight L. Moody. There are many signs that low-water mark has been registered, and that henceforth we will see a rising flood. But whether it comes this year, or next, or in five or ten yeara, Christ’s people will not lose faith or courage. God is in this world with a purpose, and that purpose cannot be thwarted or defeated. He can do wonders with only a few to help him. He is in need of real Gideons, men and women whose primary business it is to serve God. Perhaps there are more of these faithful ones than we realize. Jonah was deceived by superficial appearances in Nineveh. Doubtless there are more amongst us than we think who have not bowed the knee to Baal, So we will be hopeful and charitable, yet alert and discerning. God is calling the church and individual Christians to higher walks of faith and duty. It must be either advance or apostasy.’’ THE COST OF CONVERSIONS The value of a genuine conversion from sin to the Lord —to saintship, to a membership in the ‘‘little flock’’ of the footstep followers of the Lamb—is almost beyond estimation; because they are all ‘‘Jewels.’? But when we think of the common run of church membership, unregenerate, merely bearing a gloss of civilization, the following figures from a more than ordinarily reliable channel seem very high for the results obtained. We quote the following from the Pittsburg Chronicle-T elegraph:— VILLAGE SINNERS CONVERTED CHEAPLY; IT’S DIFFERENT WITH THE OITY ONES Frankfort, Ind., Oct. 11—-The closing session of the Indiana synod of the Presbyterian church was made interestin, by s report on the money it costs to convert a sinner an bring him into the church. The report was made by the Rev. Dr. Donald Morrison, who showed that the cost in cities with the large churches is greatest. He found that the average ranges from $27 in villages to $212 in cities, In large churches the cost is greatly increased. Dr. Morrison showed that the cost of a church for each sinner brought within its pale in Indianapolis is $620. There was no adverse comment on these figures. The Indianapolis sinner is supposed to be worth the time, effort and money required to get him into the church. WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY'S REPORT DECEMBER 1, 1905, TO DroxMBER 1, 1906. Viewed from the standpoint of the great institutions of the world, Bible Societies, Tract Societies, ete., ours is a very small work, if the measurement be by the amount of dollars received and expended; but if the measurement, on the contrary, be by the amount of work accomplished, we are certainly in the first rank so far as we know. We distance all tract circulators in the tract matter distributed freely, in the Bible Study Helps put into the hands of the people, ete., ete. God forbid that we should boast: we have nothing that we have not received of divine favor, and if the work has prospered we believe that it is of the Lord’s providence and blessing and not by human wisdom and might. However, surrounded by much opposition from the world, the flesh and the devil, and the nominal church, we have need to encourage ourselves in every way possible, and believe it to be the Lord’s will that we should communicate these encouraging features to you all, knowing well that you will share in the trials and discouragements which the Lord forewarned us we should expect if we would be faithful to him and his Word. By the grace of God the report of this year is the most encouraging we have ever had to present to you. It shows progress, increase, all along the line. But there is one report we cannot set forth in dollars or figures of any kind, yet it is the most important of all—the report of the spiritual condition of those who are in the light of present truth. It is not for us to judge the hearts except in the general sense that the Lord directed, that we may know the difference between thorns and grapes and between brambles and figs. ‘¢By their fruits ye shall know them.’’ Viewing the entire harvest field from this standpoint which the Lord gives us, we are encouraged to believe that the spirituality of the flock is as high or higher than it has ever before been. We feel like saying higher than ever before, nevertheless remember that the Lord’s dear people in various uarters have had some very severe trials during the year, rom which, we dare trust, however, they are emerging purified and polished, better fitted for the presence of the King and for a share of his glory. These trials, for the most part, have come apparently from the outside: and although the Apostle suggests ‘‘false brethren,’’ we like to hope that some who have apparently filled that role were not at heart false, but merely temporarily blinded by ambition or some other unworthy motive; and we like to hope also that, by the Lord’s grace, some at least of these will ultimately overcome, realizing the foree of the Apostle’s argument that the Lord resisteth the proud and shows his favor to the humble. ‘‘ Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.’’ [8906]

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