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VOL.
XXXVI
BROOKLYN,
N.
Y.,
JANUARY
1,
1915
VIEWS
FROM
THE
WATCH
TOWER
No.1
\Vhen
our
worthy
President
and
also
his
Holiness.
the
Pope
requested
Christian
people
to
pray
God
for
the
cessatIOn
of
the
European
war,
we
declared
that
the
prayer
was
not
in
harmony
with
the
divine
arrangement
and
would
not
be
answered.
We
pointed
out
that
according
to
the
Scriptures
the
2520
years
of
Gpntile
dominion
pndpd
in
Spptember,
1914;
and
that
the
war
is
the
one
prpdicted
in
the
Scriptures
as
associated
with
the
great
d~lY
of
Almighty
God-"the
day
of
vengeance
of
our
God."
\Ve
pointed
out
the
\Vord
of
the
Lord
through
the
Prophet
.Joel
respecting
the
gathering
of
all
nations
to
the
Valley
of
Jehoshaphat-the
valley
of
death.-Joel
3:
1-12.
The
experienees
of
Elijah
in
the
closing
of
his
ministry
showed
us
how
the
great
day
of
the
Lord
will
be
ushered
in:
first,
the
wind
rendinCf
the
rocks,
representing
the
present
war;
secondly,
the
great
ea~thquake,
representing
the
revoluti?n
that
will
follow
the
present
war;
thirdly,
the
fire,
representmg
the
anarchy
that
will
follow
the
revolution;
fourthly,
"the
still,
small
voiee"
of
God-which
will
follow
the
anarchy
in
the
world-through
Mpssiah's
kingdom
speaking,
"Peace!
be
still!"
"'Beat
your
spears
into
pruninghooks
and
your
swords
into
plowsha
rl's.
and
learn
war
no
more!
"-Micah
4:
3.
\Ve
spe
no
rpason
for
thinking
that
the
present
war
will
terminate
until
either
Grl'at
Britain
or
Germany
has
a
decisive
victory
upon
the
sea.
The
strife
between
these
two
has
been
fomentinCf
for
thirtv
VPars.
Each
has
wished
the
destruction
of
the
othe;'s
fleet
and
~·olonies.
but
dreaded
the
war
which
would
accomplish
these
ends,
well
knowing
in
advance
that
it
would
he
a
terrible
one.
The
unfortunate
circumstances
which
sud
denly
led
up
to
Austria's
assault
upon
Servia,
Russia's
defense
of
Servia,
and
France's
revenge
for
Alsace-Lorraine,
involving
Germany
on
both
sides,
presented
Great
Britain
the
long
sought
opportunity
for
crushing
her
commercial
rival.
It
Reems
improbable
tbat
the
British
would
now
consent
to
cessa
tion
of
war
until
a
complete
victory
would
be
had
over
Ger
many,
or
until
her
own
existence
would
be
in
jeopardy.
So
far
as
at
present
may
be
discerned,
nothing
very
decisive
may
be
expected
before
Spring.
Meantime,
the
soldiers
are
perishing,
vast
debts
are
aceumulating
and
the
industries
of
peaee
are
being
neglected.
By
and
by,
doubtless,
the
people
will
awaken
to
a
saner
view
of
the
matter,
and
ask
themselves
why
the
people
of
Europe
cannot
live
as
happily
there
as
they
('an
live
together
in
the
United
States.
By
and
by
they
will
raise
the
question
as
to
why
it
should
be
wrong
to
murder
one
another
at
any
private
behest,
and
yet
right
to
slay
one
another
at
the
command
of
kings
and
kaisers.
By
that
time
the
earthquake
stage
'of
the
trouble
will
be
near.
\Vhen
the
earthquake,
or
revolution,
so
prominently
men
tionl'd
in
the
Scriptures
shall
have
come,
that,
no
doubt
will
be
the
time
when
the
kings
and
the
captains
of
industry,
of
finance
and
of
polities
will
in
self-defense
greatly
exalt
the
power
of
religious
leaf
leI's.
Then
we
may
expp('t
that
the
Fpder
ation
of
Churchps
will
exercise
a
power
in
the
world
such
as
has
not
been
sinee
the
days
of
Papal
supremacy.
In
the
symbolic
language
of
Revelation,
that
will
be
the
time
in
which
the
"image
of
the
beast"
will
have
life
and
work
great
won
ders.
threatening,
commanding,
in
the
name
of
lleaven.-Rev.
13:11-18.
distress
and
the
distress
of
their
loved
ones
on
the
battlefield,
there
is
a
natural
tendency
to
turn
to
heaven
for
help.
At
the
same
time
there
is
a
quickening
of
understanding.
People
are
more
ready
to
think
than
previously.
Told
that
the
soldiers
are
fighting
for
the
Lord's
cause,
and
with
the
implication
given
that
those
who
die
are
more
or
less
martyrs
for
the
cause
of
right
(and
are
therefore
heirs
of
heaven),
the
people
are
fight
ing
valiantly.
The
newspapers
tell
them
how
the
Catholics
and
the
Protes
tants
of
Great
Britain
are
praying
for
the
Allies
against
their
enemies;
and
how
the
German
churches,
Catholic
and
Protes
tant,
are
praying
for
the
Germans
and
against
the
Allies.
The
people
are
wondering
and
will
wonder
still
more
as
they
think
further
as
to
how
these
different
prayers
can
be
answered
how
the
Germans
could
be
taken
to
heaven
for
fighting
against
the
Allies
and
the
Allies
be
taken
to
heaven
for
fighting
against
the
Germans!
With
all
their
thinking
some
will
be
sure
to
wonder
whether
or
not
these
are
reasonable
conclusions,
and
what
is
their
foundation.
On
the
other
hand,
they
will
think
of
the
hell
of
fire
and
the
purgatory
of
suffering
taught
them
from
infancy;
and
if
all
the
soldiers
are
going
to
heaven,
they
will
wonder
who
is
going
to
hell.
The
sober
thinking
which
the
war
is
engendering
will,
no
doubt,
be
helpful
in
the
end,
however
unreasonable
some
of
the
conditions
may
be
in
the
beginning.
Saner
views
mu~t
ultimately
come.
The
American
people
are
in
some
respects
suffering
more
from
the
war
than
are
the
peoples
of
Europe;
for
the
traffic
of
the
world
is
temporarily
hindered.
They
have
not
the
businesg
stimulus
whieh
prevails
in
Europe,
because
of
military
preparation
there.
Americans,
too,
have
a
better
opportunity
of
taking
a
calm,
unprejudiced
view
of
the
war
than
have
the
people
of
Europe,
who
are
so
close
to
it
and
so
liable
to
be
influenced
by
the
spe('ious
argllmentg
of
f'l"afty
leaders
who
tell
them
that
the
war
is
necessary
for
the
maintenance
of
civilization-putting
on
their
construction
as
to
what
is
real
civilization.
Partisan
spirit,
called
patriotism,
runs
high
in
the
countries
engaged
in
the
strife.
The
newspapers
defend
and
uphold
the
govern
ments;
so
do
Ule
preachers;
so
do
tlle
orators.
The
few
who
take
the
saner
and
correct
view
of
matters
are
forced
to
silence.
From
a
distance
the
war
seems
most
unreasonable.
Ger
many
should
be
allowed
to
build
as
many
ships
as
she
desires,
until
her
people,
vexed
and
worn
out
with
the
cost
of
militar
ism,
will
insist
on
a
change
of
governmental
policy.
Great
Britain
should
be
allowed
to
have
as
many
ships
as
she
wants
and
as
her
people
an)
willing
to
pay
for.
Each
nation
should
be
allowed
to
do
all
the
business
she
can
do
justly,
honestly.
Christian
ministers
should
have
long
ago
pointed
out
to
the
people
that
the
present
kingdoms
of
Europe
are
not
God's
kingdoms,
but
human
institutions;
and
that
all
these,
accord
ing
to
the
Bible,
will
eventually
pass
away
at
the
inauguration
of
:Messiah's
kingdom.
The
reverence
of
the
Lord
should
have
been
taught,
and
patient
waiting
for
his
time
and
way.
The
effect
of
the
war
has
certainly
in
America
been
favorable
to
Christian
enlightenment.
People
who
may
be
said
never
to
have
MEANTIME,
WHAT
SHALL
WE
DO?
thought
before
on
religious
suhjects
are
thinking
now.
thinking
The
effect
of
the
war
is
not
unfavorable
in
all
respects.
hard,
and
many
are
reaching
reasonably
sane
conclusions.
From
Europe
we
have
the
word
that
a
great
religious
impres-
The
work
which
our
Society
has
been
doing
in
the
world
sion
is
being
made
upon
the
people
by
the
war.
In
their
own
for
several
years
is
bearing
some
fruitage.
People
who
sneered
[6601]
(3--4)
Vou. XXXVI erald of ({hrists Presenec BROOKLYN, N. Y., JANUARY 1, 1915 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER When our worthy President and also his Holiness the Pope requested Christian people to pray God for the cessation of the European war, we declared that the prayer was not in harmony with the divine arrangement and would not be answered. We pointed out that according to the Scriptures the 2520 years of Gentile dominion ended in September, 1914; and that the war is the one predicted in the Scriptures as associated with the great day of Almighty God—“the day of vengeance of our God.” We pointed out the Word of the Lord through the Prophet Joel respecting the gathering of all nations to the Valley of Jehoshaphat—the valley of death——Joel 3:1-12. The experiences of Elijah in the closing of his ministry showed us how the great day of the Lord will be ushered in: first, the wind rending the rocks, representing the present war ; secondly, the great earthquake, representing the revolution that will follow the present war; thirdly, the fire, representing the anarchy that will follow the revolution; fourthly, ‘‘the still, small voice” of God—which will follow the anarchy in the world—through Messiah’s kingdom speaking, “Peace! be still!” “Beat your spears into pruninghooks and your swords into plowshares, and learn war no more!”—Micah 4:3. We see no reason for thinking that the present war will terminate until either Great Britain or Germany has a decisive victory upon the sea. The strife between these two has been fomenting for thirty years. Each has wished the destruction of the other’s fleet and colonies, but dreaded the war which would accomplish these ends, well knowing in advance that it would be a terrible one. The unfortunate circumstances which suddenly led up to Austria’s assault upon Servia, Russia’s defense of Servia, and France’s revenge for Alsace-Lorraine, involving Germany on both sides, presented Great Britain the longsought opportunity for crushing her commercial rival. It seems improbable that the British would now consent to cessation of war until a complete victory would be had over Germany, or until her own existence would be in jeopardy. So far as at present may be discerned, nothing very decisive may be expected before Spring. Meantime, the soldiers are perishing, vast debts are accumulating and the industries of peace are being neglected. By and by, doubtless, the people will awaken to a saner view of the matter, and ask themselves why the people of Europe cannot live as happily there as they can live together in the United States. By and by they will raise the question as to why it should be wrong to murder one another at any private behest, and yet right to slay one another at the command of kings and kaisers. By that time the earthquake stage ‘of the trouble will be near. When the earthquake, or revolution, so prominently mentioned in the Scriptures shall have come, that, no doubt will be the time when the kings and the captains of industry, of finance and of politics will in self-defense greatly exalt the power of religious leaders. Then we may expect that the Federation of Churches will exercise a power in the world such as has not been since the days of Papal supremacy. In the symbolic language of Revelation, that will be the time in which the “image of the beast”? will have life and work great wonders. threatening, commanding, in the name of heaven.—Rev. 13:11-18. MEANTIME, WHAT SHALL WE DO? The effect of the war is not unfavorable in all respects. From Europe we have the word that a great religious impression is being made upon the people by the war. In their own (5601) distress and the distress of their loved ones on the battlefield, there is a natural tendency to turn to heaven for help. At the same time there is a quickening of understanding. People are more ready to think than previously. Told that the soldiers are fighting for the Lord’s cause, and with the implication given that those who die are more or less martyrs for the cause of right (and are therefore heirs of heaven), the people are fighting valiantly. The newspapers tell them how the Catholics and the Protestants of Great Britain are praying for the Allies against their enemies; and how the German churches, Catholic and Protestant, are praying for the Germans and against the Allies. The people are wondering and will wonder still more as they think further as to how these different prayers can be answered— how the Germans could be taken to heaven for fighting against the Allies and the Allies be taken to heaven for fighting against the Germans! With all their thinking some will be sure to wonder whether or not these are reasonable conclusions, and what is their foundation. On the other hand, they will think of the hell of fire and the purgatory of suffering taught them from infancy; and if all the soldiers are going to heaven, they will wonder who is going to hell. The sober thinking which the war is engendering will, no doubt, be helpful in the end, however unreasonable some of the conditions may be in the beginning. Saner views must ultimately come. The American people are in some respects suffering more from the war than are the peoples of Europe; for the traffic of the world is temporarily hindered. They have not the business stimulus which prevails in Europe, because of military preparation there. Americans, too, have a better opportunity of taking a calm, unprejudiced view of the war than have the people of Europe, who are so close to it and so liable to be influenced by the specious arguments of crafty leaders who tell them that the war is necessary for the maintenance of civilization—putting on their construction as to what is real civilization. Partisan spirit, called patriotism, runs high in the countries engaged in the strife. The newspapers defend and uphold the governments; so do the preachers; so do the orators. The few who take the saner and correct view of matters are forced to silence. From a distance the war seems most unreasonable. Germany should be allowed to build as many ships as she desires, until her people, vexed and worn out with the cost of militarism, will insist on a change of governmental policy. Great Britain should be allowed to have as many ships as she wants and as her people are willing to pay for. Each nation should be allowed to do all the business she can do justly, honestly. Christian ministers should have long ago pointed out to the people that the present kingdoms of Europe are not God’s kingdoms, but human institutions; and that all these, according to the Bible, will eventually pass away at the inauguration of Messiah’s kingdom. The reverence of the Lord should have been taught, and patient waiting for his time and way. The effeet of the war has certainly in America been favorable to Christian enlightenment. People who may be said never to have thought before on religious subjects are thinking now, thinking hard, and many are reaching reasonably sane conclusions. The work which our Society has been doing in the world for several years ig bearing some fruitage. People who sneered (3-4)
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