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rOL.
xxxv
BROOKLYN,
N.
Y.,
JUNE
15,
1914
No.
12
THE
VOICE
FROM
HEAVEN
,
'Corne
out
of
her,
my
people,
that
ye
be
not
partakers
of
her
sins,
and
that
ye
receive
not
of
her
plagues.'
'-Revelation
18
:4.
Lord.
Should
we
not
kaye
these
systems
v'hen
"'e
sec
all
this?
This
is
Gorl's
voice
to
"come
out
of
her."
\V
p
hear
this
yoice
now
slJl'aking;
we
see
that
this
propheey
of
Hevelation
is
now
being
fulfillefl.
If
any
remom~tratp:
But,
Lord,
we
have
many
preeious
frienrls
in
Babylon,
and
we
are
loth
to
leave
them.
We
have
tried
to
show
them
what
Babvlon
is
but
they
will
not
heed.
It
\liJl
11e
a
great
loss
to
us
to
leav~
them
all
and
take
a
stand
against
them.
Must
we
,'ome
out!
Our
friends
wil!
think
us
crazy!
The
Lord
replies:
"Come
out
of
her,"
or
"J'l·('pive
of
l)er
plagues."
You
are
not
sharprs
of
llCr
sillS
until
the
time
you
see
this.
You
\vere
born
in
Bab:,·lcJll.
The
.l,01'(1
is
not
holding
you
responsibl('
for
what
you
did
not
understand.
But
tho
better
you
untl(,l':;tantl,
the
more
n"ponsihility
you
have.
If,
when
you
sec
\vhat
th('
truth
is
and
\\'hat
the
untruth
is,
you
still
remain
in
Babylon
alll[
support
her
I\ith
your
influPlll'e
and
rlollars,
you
\\'ill
be
yery
eulpable.
1£
you
fail
to
come
out
of
her
when
you
h"ar
the
Lord's
voice,
it
will
imply
that
you
are
not
thoroughly
loyal
to
him.
You
may
be
his
('hil
r!ren,
but
if
you
fail
to
obey
the
Lord
through
fear
of
('arthly
loss,
it
will
prove
that
these
things
are
rnon,
l']'('r·jous
to
you
than
his
favor,
and
he
will
trpat
you
as
he
tn'ats
the
hypo
nites:
you
\rill
have
a
share
in
their
experienc('s.
If
you
arc
approviug
of
the
sins
of
the
spewed-out
systems
by
upholding
them
and
giving
them
your
influence,
you
will
surely
be
partakers
of
Babylon's
plagues,
This
is
a
fair
warning.
\Ve
unrlrrstancl
that
it
is
the
duty
of
every
Chris
tian
to
break
ev('ry
tentler
tie,
if
necessary,
awl
to
be
loyal
to
God,
to
stand
free
from
the
error
:lllcl
sins
of
Bahylon.
The
time
of
her
judgment
has
corne.
The
plagues
coming
upon
Babylon
are
sore
troubles,
whioh
will
result
in
the
complete
overthrow
of
the
present
order
of
things-political,
social,
finaneial
and
religions.
This
order
of
things
in
its
various
phasl's,
is
one
eause,
umler
rlifferent
uniforms;
these
interests
arc
all
united
in
One
great
policy.
The
princes
and
kings
of
the
earth
and
their
supporters
are
Babylon's
great
army,
and
pitted
against
it
is
another
,"ast
army,
composed
of
the
masses
of
the
people.
The
conflict
between
these
two
great
armies
will
ere
long
precipitate
the
present
order
of
things
of
the
world
into
anarchy.
THE
VOICE
OF
PRESENT
TRUTH
It
becomes
an
important
question
then:
Have
all
God's
people
heard
this
voicef
We
ans,wr
that
we
clo
not
think
all
have
yet
heard;
hence
there
must
be
some
Christians
still
in
Babylon,
partakers
of
her
sins,
but
confused
because
of
ignorance,
because
of
lack
of
knowleclge.
The
question
might
be
asked:
Shall
we
go
forth
making
this
call
a
speeial
mes
sage~
We
answer:
This
is
not
our
thought.
Our
thought
is
that
where
this
is
made
a
speeial
message
the
result
is
usually
different
from
what
is
intended:
it
makes
many
angry.
'rhey
say:
By
what
authority
do
you
call
us
Babylon,
and
by
what
authority
do
you
tell
us
to
"come
out"
~
Our
thought
is
that
it
is
the
Lord
who
calls
his
people
out
of
Babylon;
the
call
is
to
be
recognized
especially
as
a
voice
from
heaven.
What
is
this
voice
from
heaven
~
Ap
parently,
the
voice
is
present
truth-a
presentation
of
the
doctrines
of
the
Scriptures,
with
their
times
and
seasons-a
sho,Ying
that
while
there
has
been
confusion
and
error
all
the
way
down
through
the
age,
we
are
now
in
the
harvest
time,
when
truth
is
clearer
than
ever
before.
This
voice
of
truth
tplls
us
whether
or
not
we
should
support
a
system
that
is
full
of
error,
full
of
confusion.
In
what
way
should
we
give
God's
message
to
corne
out
of
Babylon
~
We
should
show
them
the
light,
the
truth;
we
should
place
before
them
the
opportunity
for
investigation,
and
encourage
them
to
prove
these
things
for
themselves.
As
they
come
to
see
the
truth
and
the
bondage
in
which
they
have
been,
they
will
be
glad
to
stand
free
in
Christ
by
break
ing
off
these
shackles.
This
will
be
the
voice,
then,
that
will
show
all
the
Lord's
people
who
are
in
the
right
attitude
of
heart
that
they
should
stand
free,
that
they
should
come
out
of
sectarianism,
that
they
should
not
misrepresent
the
Lord
by
claiming
that
they
are
of
Babylon
when
they
are
not,
but
that
they
take
their
stand
for
God.
LOYALTY
TO
TRUTH
THE
TEST
This
stand
will
mean
the
holding
forth
of
the
divine
plan
of
the
ages,
the
truth.
If,
after
one
has
seen
th('
]"(·nl
ehar
acter
of
Babylon
and
has
gotten
his
bearings
in
a
general
way,
he
then
remains,
it
oan
be
only
by
compromising
the
truth.
By
being
worldly
wise
he
might
remain
and
continue
fo!"
a
time
to
have
popularity,
to
have
honor
of
men.
But
if
BABYLON
CAST
INTO
THE
SEA
Our
text
with
its
context
is
a
prophecy
that
in
the
end
of
the
present
age
a
timp
would
come
when
God
would
wholly
reject
Babylon.
In
the
picture
given
us
in
Revelation
of
this
time,
the
Lorfl's
rejection
of
the
apostate
systems
is
declared
in
the
words,
"Babylon
is
fallen,
is
fallen!"
She
has
been
spe,Yed
out
of
his
mouth,
and
the
Almighty
now
calls
upon
his
true
people
to
"corne
out
of
her."
The
faithful
ones
are
de
livering
themselws
out
of
Babylon
during
this
harvest
time;
the
separating
work
is
almost
completed.
Soon,
as
pictured
in
Scripture,
the
"spa"
of
anarchy
will
swallow
up
the
false
systems.
Babylon
is
to
be
"cast
as
a
great
millstone
into
the
sea."
(Psalm
46:2;
.Jeremiah
51:62-64;
Revelation
18:21)
We
believe
these
propheries
are
to
be
fulfilled
in
the
very
ncar
future.
The
nominal
ehureh
no
longer
stands
in
a
peculiar
position
-above
the
worlrl.
Rome
of
her
ministers
declare
that
they
do
not
believe
in
.Tesus
as
the
Savior
of
the
world-man
is
Ids
own
savior,
they
say.
They
believe
in
the
social
uplift
of
humanity,
which,
aceording
to
their
view,
is
to
corne
by
putting
the
right
men
into
the
right
placps,
by
giving
woman
the
franchise,
and
by
other
methods
of
social
reform.
What
a
sorry
hope!
Somp
may
ask:
How
may
we
recognize
God's
voice
calling
his
people
to
come
out
of
the
churches
now~
In
what
man
ner
shall
we
hear
his
voice~
We
answer
that
God
bids
his
people
to
separate
themselves
from
all
sin
and
sinful
condi
tions.
Our
forefathers
did
not
hear
this
voice,
did
not
see
this
condition
of
sin.
The
voice
had
not
t.hen
spoken.
Even
in
the
time
of
the
Reformation
these
entanglements
of
error
were
not
clearly
discerned.
But
now,
in
this
harvest
time,
we
ean
see
very
clearly
that
the
teachings
of
the
nominal
churches
have
been
grossly
in
error-have
grossly
misrepresented
the
divine
purpose
and
the
divine
character.
\Ve
now
perceive
that
Babylon
is
full
of
error
and
corruption
of
doctrine,
and
filled
with
the
spirit
of
the
world.
KNOWLEDGE
BRINGS
RESPONSIBILITY
Furthermore,
the
times
and
seasons
of
God's
plan
are
now
marle
plain.
\Ve
are
shown
that
we
are
now
living
in
the
time
foretold,
when
these
systems
or
error
are
to
be
rejected
by
the
[5478]
The
eontext
of
tlte
above
R('riptuf('
shows
that
our
text
rpfer,;
to
Babyloll-not
the
literal
city
of
BabYlon,
but
to
the
sym
bolic
('i
ty,'
dcseri
bed
in
the
Book
of
Hevela"tion.
The
term
Babyloll
seems
to
~ignify
a
coneentration
of
the
various
rl'l'ors
in
apostate
chl1l'eh
systems,
!,ersonified
in
Revelation
as
mother
and
daughters.
"Bal)ylon
the
Great,
the
Mother
of
Harlots,"
is
tlte
name
given
by
the
Lord
to
the
original
sys
tpm,
titus
intimating
that
the
whole
brood
is
illrgitimute
in
evpry
s,'nsr,
of
the
liard,
Rite
neglrtt,'d
the
Iteanmly
Bride
gTOO'Ill,
and
min,gle,l
in
Jl('r
"('up"
a
stu]lefying
pot'ioll
that
has
intoxi('ate,l
the
,vorld;
esell
the
Lord's
saints
were
be
wildererl.-nc\'elation
17:1-6.
c\ft"r
the
apostles
"fell
asleep,"
th,'
people
of
God
gTa,lnaIly
drifte'[
into
(']'1'01'
of
dodrine
and
practise,
which
('ldminater[
in
tlte
dark
ages.
A
grpat
system
developed,
and
le,[
into
('on
fusion
anrl
rlarkness.
\Ve
nel'd
not
suppose
that
in
all
these
e('nturies
m'erY
Oil,'
"ollJl<'l'te(l
with
this
,;ystcm
\vas
hypoeJitieal.
As
tlte
l,col,le
of
nntural
Israel
were
led
captive
into
literal
Babylon,
so
the
people
of
spiritual
Israel,
among
whom
wr're
some
of
the
Lord's
true
saints,
,,,ere
led
captive
into
)'1:ystic
Babylon.
Some
of
these
would
have
liked
to
get
free,
yet
did
not
know
what
to
(10.
\Vhen
\\'e
('orne
down
to
the
Reformation,
we
see
that
instead
of
getting
entirely
free
from
Babylon
and
her
errors,
the
various
sy,;tems
then
formed
partook
to
a
considerable
exU'nt
of
the
spirit
of
the
mother
system
from
which
they
had
separate,!.
The
same
spirit
of
pcrsenltion
that
was
mani
fested
in
the
"mother"
has
also
been
manifested
more
or
less
in
the"
daughters."
The
enslaving
power
extended
from
medieval
times
to
the
Reformation;
so
that,
looking
out
upon
the
so-callerl
Christian
world
today,
we
see
that
there
could
not
he
a
better
wortl
used
to
picture
existing
conditions
than
the
word"
confusion.
Yet
then'
arc
true
people
of
God
still
in
this
Babylonian
system.
But
the
time
of
separation
is
here:
those
yet
re
maining
in
Babylon
must
hasten!
The
fact
that
some
of
God's
chilrlren
have
been
in
Babylon
all
through
the
age
shows
us
why
God
has
had
any
respect
at
all
for
Babylon;
His
saints
have
been
more
or
less
enslaved
there
for
centuries.
This
is
the
reason
why
God
has
dealt
with
Babylon
in
any
sense
or
degree.
Vou. XXXV BROOKLYN, N. Y., JUNE 15, 1914 No. 12 THE VOICE FROM HEAVEN ‘Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.’’—Revelation 18:4. The context of the above Scripture shows that our text refers to Babylon—not the literal city of Babylon, but to the symbolic city, described in the Book of Revelation. The term Babylon seems to signify a concentration of the various errors in apostate church systems, personified in Revelation as mother and daughters. ‘‘Bahbylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots,’’ is the name given by the Lord to the original system, thus intimating that the whole brood is illegitimate in every sense of the word. She neglected the heavenly Bride groom, and mingled in her ‘feup?? a stupefying potion that has intoxicated the world; even the Lord’s saints were bewildcred.—Revelation 17:1-6. After the apostles ‘‘fell asleep,’’? the people of God gradually drifted into error of doctrine and practise, which culminated in the dark ages. A great system developed, and jed into confusion and darkness. We need not suppose that in all these centuries every one connected with this system was hypocritical. As the people of natural Israel were led eaptive into literal Babylon, so the people of spiritual Israel, among whom were some of the Lord’s true saints, were led captive into Mystic Babylon. Some of these would have liked to get free, yet did not know what to do. When we come down to the Reformation, we see that instead of getting entirely free from Babylon and her errors, the various systems then formed partook to a considerable extent of the spirit of the mother system from which they had separated. The same spirit of persecution that was manifested in the ‘mother’? has also been manifested more or less in the ‘‘daughters.’’ The enslaving power extended from medieval times to the Reformation; so that, looking out upon the so-called Christian world today, we see that there could not be a better word used to picture existing conditions than the word confusion. Yet there are true people of God still in this Babylonian system. But the time of separation is here: those yet remaining in Babylon must hasten! The fact that some of God’s children have been in Babylon all through the age shows us why God has had any respect at all for Babylon; His saints have been more or less enslaved there for centuries. This is the reason why God has dealt with Babylon in any sense or degree. BABYLON CAST INTO THE SEA Our text with its context is a prophecy that in the end of the present age a time would come when God would wholly reject Babylon. In the pieture given us in Revelation of this time, the Lord’s rejection of the apostate systems is declared in the words, ‘‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen!’’ She has been spewed out of his mouth, and the Almighty now calls upon his true people to ‘‘come out of her.’’? The faithful ones are delivering themselves out of Babylon during this harvest time; the separating work is almost completed. Soon, as pictured in Scripture, the ‘‘sca’’ of anarchy will swallow up the false systems. Babylon is to be ‘‘cast as a great millstone into the sea.’? (Psalm 46:2; Jeremiah 51:62-64; Revelation 18:21) We believe these prophecies are to be fulfilled in the very near future. The nominal church no longer stands in a peculiar position —above the world. Some of her ministers declare that they do not believe in Jesus as the Savior of the world—man is his own savior, they say. They believe in the social uplift of humanity, which, aecording to their view, is to come by putting the right men into the right places, by giving woman the franchise, and by other methods of social reform. What a sorry hope! Some may ask: How may we recognize God’s voice calling his people to come out of the churches now? In what manner shall we hear his voice? We answer that God bids his people to separate themselves from all sin and sinful conditions. Our forefathers did not hear this voice, did not see this condition of sin. The voice had not then spoken. Even in the time of the Reformation these entanglements of error were not clearly discerned. But now, in this harvest time, we can see very clearly that the teachings of the nominal churches have been grossly in error—have grossly misrepresented the divine purpose and the divine character. We now perceive that Babylon is full of error and corruption of doctrine, and filled with the spirit of the world. KNOWLEDGE BRINGS RESPONSIBILITY Furthermore, the times and seasons of God’s plan are now made plain. We are shown that we are now living in the time foretold, when these systems of error are to be rejected by the (179-180) Lord. Should we not leave these systems when we see all this? This is God’s voice to ‘‘come out of her.’’ We hear this voice now speaking; we see that this prophecy of Revelation is now being fulfilled. If any remonstrate: But, Lord, we have many precious friends in Babylon, and we are loth to leave them. We have tried to show them what Babylon is, but they will not heed. It will be a great loss to us to leave them all and take a stand against them. Must we come out? Our friends will think us erazy! The Lord replies: ‘Come out of her,’? or ‘receive of her plagues. ”’ You are not sharers of her sins until the time you sce this. You were born in Babvlon. The Lord is not holding you responsible for what you did not understand. But the better you understand, the more responsibility you have. If, when you see what the truth is aud what the untruth is, you still remain in Babylon and support her with your influence and dollars, you will be very culpable. If you fail to come out of her when you hear the Lord’s voice, it will imply that you are not thoroughly loyal to him. You may be his children, but if you fail to obey the Lord through fear of earthly loss, it will prove that these things are more yrecious to you than his favor, and he will treat you as he treats the hypocrites: you will have a share in their experiences. If you are approving of the sins of the spewed-out systems by upholding them and giving them your influence, you will surely be partakers of Babylon’s plagues. This is a fair warning. We understand that it is the duty of every Christian to break every tender tie, if necessary, and to be loyal to God, to stand free from the error and sins of Babylon. The time of her judgment has come. The plagues coming upon Babylon are sore troubles, which will result in the complete overthrow of the present order of things—politieal, social, financial and religions. This order ot things in its various phases, is one cause, under different uniforms; these interests are all united in one great policy. The prinees and kings of the earth and their supporters are Babylon’s great army, and pitted against it is another vast army, composed of the masses of the people. The conflict between these two great armies will ere long precipitate the present order of things of the world into anarchy. THE VOICE OF PRESENT TRUTH It becomes an important question then: Have all God’s people heard this voice? We answer that we do not think all have yet heard; hence there must be some Christians still in Babylon, partakers of her sins, but confused heeause of ignorance, because of lack of knowledge. The question might be asked: Shall we go forth making this cal] a special mes sage? We answer: This is not our thought. Our thought is that where this is made a special message the result is usually different from what is intended: it makes many angry. They say: By what authority do you call us Babylon, and by what authority do you tell us to ‘‘eome out’’? Our thought is that it is the Lord who ealls his people out of Babylon; the call is to be recognized especially as a voice from heaven. What is this voice from heaven? Apparently, the voice is present truth—a presentation of the doctrines of the Scriptures, with their times and seasons—a showing that while there has been confusion and error all the way down through the age, we are now in the harvest time, when truth is clearer than ever before. This voice of truth tells us whether or not we should support a system that is full of error, full of confusion, In what way should we give God’s message to come out of Babylon? We should show them the light, the truth; we should place before them the opportunity for investigation, and encourage them to prove these things for themselves. As they come to see the truth and the bondage in which they have been, they will be glad to stand free in Christ by breaking off these shackles. This will be the voice, then, that will show all the Lord’s people who are in the right attitude of heart that they should stand free, that they should come out of sectarianism, that they should not misrepresent the Lord by claiming that they are of Babylon when they are not, but that they take their stand for God. LOYALTY TO TRUTH THE TES This stand will mean the holding forth of “che divine plan of the ages, the truth. If, after one has seen the real character of Babylon and has gotten his bearings in a general way, he then remains, it can be only by compromising the truth. By being worldly wise he might remain and continue for a time to have popularity, to have honor of men. But if [5478]
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