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THE
WATCH
TOWER
BROOKLYN,
N.
Y.
they,
also,
recognize
Bible
ordination,
that
they
are
not
merely
dependent
upon
each
other.
But
we
challenge
them
to
prove
that
they
ever
had
a
divine
ordination
or
that
they
ever
think
of
it.
They
merely
think
of
a
sectarian
ordination,
or
author
ization,
each
from
his
own
sect
or
party.
True,
Catholics
and
Episcopalians
are
different
and
do
recognize
a
Divine
ordination.
They
claim
that
Jesus
ordained
his
twelve
apostles
and
that
these
have
successors
in
the
bishops,
who
are
styled"
apostolic
bishops,"
and
under
the
theory
of
"apostolic
succession"
have
the
same
power
as
the
original
Twelve
Apostles
to
ordain
and
to
teach.
Bible
students
believe
that
they
err
in
this
claim
and
that
the
doctrine
of
"apostolic
succession"
is
unscriptural.
The
Bible
recognizes
only
twelve
apostles.
More
than
that,
the
Bible
denounces
all
apostolic
bishops
as
being
in
error.
Heferring
to
them,
Jesus
said
that
they
claimed
to
be
apostles,
and
are
not,
but
do
lie.
(Revelation
2:
2.)
In
other
words,
contrary
to
the
superstitions
of
Catholics
and
Episcopalians,
their
hishops
have
no
authority
whatever
to
ordain
anybody.
What,
then,
is
the
proper
ordination
of
a
minister
of
Christ,
and
how
can
it
be
obtained,
according
to
the
Bible
~
We
answer
that
God's
ordination,
or
authorization,
of
any
man
to
preach
is
by
the
impartation
of
the
holy
Spirit
to
him.
Whoever
has
received
the
holy
Spirit
has
received
the
power
and
authority
to
teach
and
to
preach
in
the
name
of
God.
Whoever
has
not
rl'ceived
the
holy
Spirit
has
no
divine
author
ity
or
sanction
to
his
preaching.
In
other
words,
he
is
un
ordained
in
the
highest,
truest
sense
of
that
word.
What
is
the
secret
of
the
opposition
and
slander
that
is
Leing
raised
up
against
me
and
against
all
who,
like
me,
are
Bible
students
1
It
is
malice,
hatred,
envy,
strife,
on
the
part
of
those
who
are
still
hugging
the
nonsense
of
the
dark
ages
and
neglecting
true
Bible
study.
They
see
that
their
influence
is
waning.
But
they
have
not
yet
awakened
to
the
true
situa
tion.
They
think
that
I
am
responsible
for
their
smaller
con
gregations
and
small
collections.
But
not
so.
The
real
diffi
culty
with
them
is
that
the
people
are
becoming
more
intelligent
and
can
no
longer
be
driven
with
the
crack
of
a
merely
man
devised
whip
of
fear.
The
colleges
of
the
world
have
been
teaching
that
the
Bible
is
a
foolish
old
book,
until
few
preach
ers
and
few
of
the
educated
of
the
world
believe
it
to
be
of
divine
inspiration.
Losing
faith
in
the
Bible,
in
the
preachers
and
in
the
creeds,
the
people
are
drifting
toward
atheism.
That
is
the
real
difficulty.
While
my
work
does
not,
indeed,
help
to
build
up
any
of
the
sects
of
Christendom,
it
is
helping
to
establish
Christian
people
in
a
true
faith
in
God
and
in
the
Bible.
It
is
giving
them
a
firm
foundation
and
an
intelligent
understanding
such
as
they
had
prayed
for
and
hoped
for
before,
but
never
found.
This
is
not
because
of
great
ability
on
my
part,
nor
on
the
part
of
my
associates,
but
because
God's
time
has
come
for
blessing
Bible
study
in
the
light
of
present-day
opportunities.
It
is
as
Jesus
promised-the
wise
virgin
class
of
Christian
people,
who
"trim
their
lamps'
'-study
the
Bible-find
it
tu
shine
out
brightly
and
to
point
them
to
the
new
age
of
blessing
under
Messiah's
kingdom.
"Of,.
XXXV
BHOOKLYN,
N.
Y.,
OCTOBER
1,
1914
No.
19
REJOICING
IN
TRIBULATION
"Blessed
are
ye
when
men
shall
revile
you,
and
persecute
you,
and
shall
say
all
manner
of
evil
against
you
falsely,
for
my
sake.
Rejoice,
and
be
exceeding
g'lad,
for
great
is
your
reward
in
heaven;
for
so
persecuted
they
the
prophets
which
were
before
you.'
'-
Matthew
5:
11,
12.
These
words
ot'
our
Lord
are
ad<1ressed
to
his
disciples-not
her
own
heart
to
see
\yhether
or
not
she
was
as
faithful
as
she
merely
his
apostles,
who
were
chosen
to
he
his
special
mes-
knew
how
to
be.
Upon
her
reply
we
said,
"ProhalJly
you
take
sengers,
but
all
his
fullowers
throughout
this
age.
A
disciple
your
persecutions
with
such
grace
that
you
are
happy
UTu1er
is
a
pupil-one
who
is
being
taught
by
another.
All
who
them."
The
sister
replied
that
she
would
be
happy
if
she
are
.1
esus'
disciples
are
to
take
the
message
of
our
text
to
them-
thought
that
was
the
case.
Then
we
told
her
that
the
only
selves.
"Blessed
are
ye,"
signifies
that
persecution
is
a
other
explanation
we
could
think
of
was
that
the
Lord
was
favor
from
God.
Consider
it
as
a
favor
from
the
Father
when
allowing
her
time
to
gain
strength
in
ordcr
that
she
might
men
shall
revile
you-not
hecause
of
the
reviling,
but
because
bear
what
would
come
to
her
later.
We
told
her
to
pray
about
they
shall
say
these
things
of
you
falsely,
for
Christ's
sake.
it.
A
year
or
two
after
we
again
saw
the
sister.
We
recnlled
Noone
would
choose
naturally
to
be
persecuted
or
to
the
circumstances,
and
asked
her
if
she
had
yet
had
any
per-
have
evil
spoken
against
him.
The
Scriptures
say
that
a
good
secution.
She
answered,
"Oh,
yes.
I
have
hnd
plenty
of
name
is
more
to
he
esteemed
than
great
riches.
But
if
it
is
persecution,
but
I
am
happy
and
rejoicing
in
it!
"
for
Christ's
sake
that
we
suffer,
we
IlIny
know
that
the
Lord
It
is
impossible
to
rejoice
in
persecution
until
we
get
will
recompense
us.
In
thr
Lord's
arrangement
there
is
to
be
the
right
focus
on
the
subject.
We
cannot
do
this
of
ourselves,
a
time
of
"evrning
up"
for
all
we
suffPI'
here.
Thus
we
lay
and
need,
thereforr,
to
take
the
matter
to
the
Lord
and
confer
up
treasure
in
heaven.
All
thnt
we
suffer
now
is
storing
up
,,-ith
him.
After
we
have
had"
a
little
talk
with
.Jesus,"
our
for
us
n
fnr
more
excee(1ing
:!IH1
eternal
weight
of
glory,
if
faith
takes
hold
on
him.
The
Apostle
Paul
tells
us
that
we
are
homo
for
him.
to
be
exceeding
glad
and
joyful
in
persecution
and
affliction
From
this
sta11(1point
we
should
ren
11y
desire
persecution.
for
Christ.
The
Apostle
Peter
also
declares,
"If
ye
be
re-
We
nre
not
to
stri
ve
for
it,
not
to
e11(1envor
to
bring
it
upon
proached
for
the
name
of
Christ,
happy
are
ye;
for
the
spirit
ourselves
unnecessnrily;
hut
realizing'
that
if
we
lack
persecu-
of
glory
and
of
God
resteth
upon
you.
On
their
part
he
is
tion
we
lack
one
of
the
evidencrs
of
heing
true
d~sciples
of
evil
spoken
of,
but
on
your
part
he
is
glorified.
But
let
none
the
Lord,
,ye
rejoice
when
in
the
provi<1encc
of
God
it
is
our
of
you
suffer
as
...
an
evil-doer,
or
as
a
busybody
in
other
portion.
Some,
it
is
true.
might
he
reviled
for
something
evil
men's
matters;
yet
if
any
man
suffer
as
a
Christian,
let
him
or
unwise
thnt
they
hn<1
done.
There
,Youl(1
he
no
blessing
in
glorify
God
on
this
behalf.
"-1
Peter
4
:14,
15.
such
nn
experience.
The
hlessing
comes
when
the
accusation
The
Master
was
not
surprised
at
the
attitude
of
the
chief
agninst
118
is
falsc
and
is
for
the
truth's
sake.
priests
and
religious
leaders
of
his
day.
He
knew
from
the
"
All
who
will
liye
godly
in
Christ
.Jesus
Sll:111
suffer
perse-
beginning
that
he
would
have
their
opposition
and
hostility,
eution."
Hencc
we
should
investigate
our
lives
to
see
whether
and
he
warned
his
(1isciples
not
to
expect
otherwise
As
to
the
we
have
this
evidence
that
,ye
are
living
godly.
The
Lord
is
reason
why
there
shoul<1
he
persecution
against
the
Lorc1
and
the"
true
light
thnt
lighteth
every
man
that
cometh
into
the
those
who
faithfully
follow
in
his
footsteps,
he
himself
tells
us,
,,·orIc1."
We
arc
the
lesser
lights.
In
letting
our
lights
shine
saying,
t,
The
darkness
hateth
the
light."
Darkness
stands
for
faithfully,
we
shall
hring
upon
ourselves
persecution.
Let
us
Satan,
for
sin,
for
everything
contrary
to
righteousness.
God
not
imagine
that
escape
from
persecution
in
our
own
ease
is
the
is
renresented
as
the
great
light,
"anr1
in
him
is
no
darkness
result
of
s11perior
wisc10m
or
tact
on
our
part.
"All
who
will
at
all."
Light
is
healing,
beneficial,
health-giving.
live
godly
shall
suffer
persecution,"
is
the
promise,
the
assur-
They
who
are
of
the
darkness
hate
those
who
are
of
the
ance
of
Scripture.
We
should
not
court
it.
hut
should
desire
light,
because
the
light
reproves
the
darkness,
and
the
darkness
this
evidence
of
our
faithfulness,
and
should
wish
to
be
one
does
not
like
to
be
reproved.
Wherever
righteousness
is,
it
is
of
the
t
t
blessed"
ones,
of
,yhom
the
Master
speaks
in
our
text.
a
rebuke
to
that
which
is
sinful,
dark.
Our
Lord
stood
for
the
Then
let
us
ask
ourselves,
Do
I
have
persecution
for
Christ's
light.
He
represented
the
truth,
the
heavenly
Father.
And
sake'
We
should
make
a
prayerful
examination
of
our
hearts
those
who
were
in
darkness
were
in
opposition
to
him
in
prop
or-
to
see
whether
we
arc
fully
loyal
to
God,
to
see
whether
we
are
tion
to
their
darkness-some
of
these
knowingly,
others
in
letting
our
light
shine
out
properly.
If
we
lack
this
proof
of
more
or
less
of
ignorance.
"The
god
of
this
world
hath
sonship,
we
should
inquire,
Wbat
is
the
reason'
hlinded
the
minds
of
all
them
which
believe
not."
Satan
has
PERSECUTION
A
SURE
RESULT
OF
FAITHFULNESS
been
skilful
in
putting
darkness
for
light
and
light
for
dark-
A
sister
once
said
to
the
Editor,
t,
I
hnve
no
persecution,
ness.
no
opposition.
E"erything
seems
to
be
going
favorahly
with
Thr
fact
that
many
of
the
world
are
in
opposition
to
God
me."
She
seemec1
troubleil.
We
asked
the
sister
to
study
and
righteousness
is
not
because
as
a
rule
they
are
evil
of
[5544]
(287-291) they, also, recognize Bible ordination, that they are not merely dependent upon each other. But we challenge them to prove that they ever had a divine ordination or that they ever think of it. They merely think of a sectarian ordination, or authorization, each from his own sect or party. True, Catholics and Episcopalians are different and do recognize a Divine ordination. They claim that Jesus ordained his twelve apostles and that these have successors in the bishops, who are styled ‘‘apostolic bishops,’’ and under the theory of ‘‘apostolic suecession’’ have the same power as the original Twelve Apostles to ordain and to teach. Bible students believe that they err in this claim and that the doctrine of ‘‘apostolic succession’’ is unscriptural. The Bible recognizes only twelve apostles. More than that, the Bible denounces all apostolic bishops as being in error. Referring to them, Jesus said that they claimed to be apostles, and are not, but do lie. (Revelation 2:2.) In other words, contrary to the superstitions of Catholics and Episcopalians, their bishops have no authority whatever to ordain anybody. What, then, is the proper ordination of a minister of Christ, and how can it be obtained, according to the Bible? We answer that God’s ordination, or authorization, of any man to preach is by the impartation of the holy Spirit to him. Whoever has received the holy Spirit has received the power and authority to teach and to preach in the name of God. Whoever has not received the holy Spirit has no divine authority or sanction to his preaching. In other words, he is unordained in the highest, truest sense of that word. Vou. XXXV THE WATCH TOWER BROOKLYN, N.Y. Brooxryn, N. Y, What is the secret of the opposition and slander that is Leing raised up against me and against all who, like me, are Bible students? It is malice, hatred, envy, strife, on the part of those who are still hugging the nonsense of the dark ages and neglecting true Bible study. They see that their influence is waning. But they have not yet awakened to the true situation. They think that I am responsible for their smaller congregations and small collections. But not so. The real difficulty with them is that the people are becoming more intelligent and can no longer be driven with the crack of a merely mandevised whip of fear. The colleges of the world have been teaching that the Bible is a foolish old book, until few preachers and few of the educated of the world believe it to be of divine inspiration. Losing faith in the Bible, in the preachers and in the creeds, the people are drifting toward atheism. That is the real difficulty. While my work does not, indeed, help to build up any of the sects of Christendom, it is helping to establish Christian people in a true faith in God and in the Bible. It is giving them a firm foundation and an intelligent understanding such as they had prayed for and hoped for before, but never found. This is not because of great ability on my part, nor on the part of my associates, but because God’s time has come for blessing Bible study in the light of present-day opportunities. It is as Jesus promised—the wise virgin class of Christian people, who ‘‘trim their lamps’’—study the Bible—find it to shine out brightly and to point them to the new age of blessing under Messiah’s kingdom. OCTOBER 1, 1914 No. 19 REJOICING IN TRIBULATION ‘¢Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.’’—~ Matthew 5:11, 12. These words of our Lord are addressed to his disciples—not merely his apostles, who were chosen to be his special messengers, but all his followers throughout this age. A disciple is a pupil—one who is being taught by another. All who are Jesus’ disciples are to take the message of our text to themselves. ‘‘Blessed are ye,’’ signifies that persecution is a favor from God. Consider it as a favor from the Father when men shall revile you—not because of the reviling, but because they shall say these things of you falsely, for Christ’s sake. No one would choose naturally to be persecuted or to have evil spoken against him. The Scriptures say that a good name is more to be esteemed than great riches. But if it is for Christ’s sake that we suffer, we may know that the Lord will recompense us. In the Lord’s arrangement there is to be a time of ‘‘evening up’’ for all we suffer here. Thus we lay up treasure in heaven. All that we suffer now is storing up for us a far more exeecding and eternal weight of glory, if borne for him. From this standpoint we should really desire persecution. We are not to strive for it, not to endeavor to bring it upon ourselves unnecessarily; but realizing that if we lack persecution we lack one of the evidenees of heing true disciples of the Lord, we rejoice when in the providence of God it is our portion. Some, it is true, might be reviled for something evil or unwise that they had done. There would be no blessing in such an experience. The blessing comes when the accusation against us is false and is for the truth’s sake. ““ All who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer perseeution.’’ Hence we should investigate our lives to see whether we have this evidenee that we are living godly. The Lord is the ‘‘true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.’? We are the lesser lights. In letting our lights shine faithfully, we shall bring upon ourselves persecution. Let us not imagine that escape from persecution in our own case is the result of superior wisdom or tact on our part. ‘‘AII who will live godly shall suffer persecution,’’ is the promise, the assurance of Scripture. We should not court it. but should desire this evidence of our faithfulness, and should wish to be one of the ‘‘blesscd’’ ones, of whom the Master speaks in our text. Then let us ask ourselves, Do I have persecution for Christ’s sake? We should make a prayerful examination of our hearts to see whether we are fully loyal to God, to see whether we are letting our light shine out properly. If we lack this proof of sonship, we should inquire, What is the reason? PERSECUTION A SURE RESULT OF FAITHFULNESS A sister once said to the Editor, ‘‘I have no persecution, no opposition. Everything seems to be going favorably with me.’’ She seemed troubled. We asked the sister to study her own heart to see whether or not she was as faithful as she knew how to be. Upon her reply we said, ‘‘ Probably you take your persecutions with such grace that you are happy under them.’’ The sister replied that she would be happy if she thought that was the case. Then we told her that the only other explanation we could think of was that the Lord was allowing her time to gain strength in order that she might bear what would eome to her later. We told her to pray about it. A year or two after we again saw the sister. We recalled the circumstances, and asked her if she had yet had any persecution, She answered, ‘‘Oh, yes. I have had plenty of persecution, but I am happy and rejoicing in it!’’ It is impossible to rejoice in persecution until we get the right focus on the subject. We cannot do this of ourselves, and need, therefore, to take the matter to the Lord and confer with him. After we have had ‘‘a little talk with Jesus,’’ our faith takes hold on him. The Apostle Paul tells us that we are to be excceding glad and joyful in persecution and affliction for Christ. The Apostle Peter also declares, ‘‘If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you. On their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But Iet none of you suffer as... an evil-doer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters; yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him glorify God on this behalf.’’—1 Peter 4:14, 15. The Master was not surprised at the attitude of the chief priests and religious leaders of his day. He knew from the beginning that he would have their opposition and hostility, and he warned his disciples not to expect otherwise As to the reason why there should be persecution against the Lord and those who faithfully follow in his footsteps, he himself tells us, saying, ‘‘The darkness hatcth the light.’’ Darkness stands for Satan, for sin, for everything contrary to righteousness. God is represented as the great light, ‘‘and in him is no darkness at all.’’? Light is healing, beneficial, health-giving. They who are of the darkness hate those who are of the light, because the light reproves the darkness, and the darkness does not like to be reproved. Wherever righteousness is, it is a rebuke to that which is sinful, dark. Our Lord stood for the light. He represented the truth, the heavenly Father. And those who were in darkness were in opposition to him in proportion to their darkness—some of these knowingly, others in more or less of ignorance. ‘‘The god of this world hath hlinded the minds of all them which believe not.’’? Satan has been skilful in putting darkness for light and light for darkness. The fact that many of the world are in opposition to God and righteousness is not because as a rule they are evil of [5644]
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