Data publicării
01.05.1915
Volumul
36
Numărul
9
Turnul de veghe
"The Ends of the Ages"--Conditions Similar
Revistele originale Turnul de veghe în limba engleză
../literature/watchtower/1915/9/1915-9-2.html
 
MAY 
I, 
1915 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
032--133) 
are 
frauds? 
It 
is 
an 
implication 
that 
our 
great 
institutions 
a 
re 
wrong. 
If 
these 
people 
are 
going 
to 
turn 
the 
world 
upside 
down, 
and 
bring 
us 
into 
disrepute, 
we 
must 
put 
them 
down 
before 
it 
is 
too 
late. 
Something 
must 
certainly 
be 
done!" 
OUR 
FIERY 
CHARIOT 
SO 
we 
sec 
there 
is 
hatred 
there. 
The 
Lord's 
true 
people 
are 
striving 
for 
a 
perfect 
ideal; 
they 
are 
striving 
for 
the 
like· 
ness 
to 
the.Lord 
as 
representatives 
of 
our 
Lord 
Jesus 
Christ. 
But 
this 
is 
not 
what 
the 
religious 
people 
hate 
so 
much. 
It 
is 
the 
disturbing 
of 
their 
institutions-the 
shaking 
and 
rocking 
of 
their 
boat. 
They 
are 
afraid 
that 
they 
will 
be 
capsized 
in 
the 
sea. 
It 
is 
the 
spirit 
of 
the 
world 
in 
them 
that 
hates 
the 
Lord's 
faithful 
ambassadors. 
Some 
of 
the 
noble·minded 
of 
the 
world 
now 
see 
somewhat 
of 
the 
truth. 
This 
is 
the 
more 
exasperating 
to 
these 
church 
people 
who 
are 
not 
fully 
in 
harmony 
with 
the 
Lord. 
What 
this 
may 
eventually 
lead 
to 
we 
do 
not 
know. 
But 
there 
are 
Scriptures 
which 
seem 
to 
indicate 
that 
the 
closing 
of 
the 
career 
of 
the 
true 
church 
will 
be 
one 
of 
persecution. 
We 
understand 
that 
Elijah 
was 
a 
type 
of 
the 
church. 
His 
last 
experience 
was 
his 
being 
carried 
away 
in 
a 
chariot 
of 
fire. 
It 
was 
the 
agency 
by 
which 
he 
was 
taken 
from 
the 
world. 
So 
in 
the 
close 
of 
this 
world 
(age) 
the 
Lord 
may 
take 
away 
his 
people 
in 
a 
fiery 
trouble-but 
it 
will 
be 
the 
chariot 
to 
carry 
them 
home, 
to 
glory, 
honor 
and 
immortality, 
to 
participation 
with 
Jesus 
in 
the 
divine 
nature. 
"Fear 
not, 
little 
flock; 
for 
it 
is 
your 
Father's 
good 
pleasure 
to 
give 
you 
the 
kingdom." 
"If 
we 
suffer 
with 
him. 
we 
shall 
also 
reign 
with 
him."-Romans 
2:7; 
8:17; 
Luke 
12:32; 
2 
Timothy 
2:12. 
"THESE 
THINGS" 
THAT 
WE 
MUST 
DO 
"If 
ye 
do 
these 
things, 
ye 
shAll 
never 
fail."-2 
Peter 
I: 
10. 
The 
context 
preceding 
the 
words 
of 
the 
above 
text 
shows 
\Ve 
see 
that 
our 
work 
as 
Christians 
is 
to 
co·operate 
with 
God 
us 
that 
the 
Apostle 
has 
been 
urging 
the 
development 
of 
the 
in 
the 
salvation 
of 
the 
church 
class-not 
a 
salvation 
from 
eter­ 
fruits 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
in 
the 
heart. 
and 
so 
far 
as 
possible 
in 
nal 
torture, 
but 
from 
death, 
and 
to 
glorious 
inheritance 
with 
the 
life-in 
the 
words, 
the 
deeds, 
the 
thoughts. 
He 
sums 
up 
his 
Christ 
in 
his 
corning 
kingdom. 
We 
see 
that 
this 
great 
work 
argument 
by 
saying 
that 
those 
who, 
following 
his 
advice 
in 
this 
has 
been 
progressing 
during 
the 
Gospel 
age, 
and 
in 
an 
orderly 
matter, 
add 
one 
after 
another 
of 
these 
qualities 
and 
so 
build 
up 
manner. 
their 
Christian 
character, 
will 
"never 
falL" 
The 
implication 
This 
blessed 
union 
with 
Christ 
whirh 
God 
has 
arranged 
for 
is 
that 
there 
would 
be 
some 
tendency 
to 
fall, 
some 
testings; 
the 
<'1mreh 
is 
to 
be 
soon 
t~onsummate(l 
by 
a 
marriage 
feast: 
and 
and 
that 
this 
development 
of 
character 
would 
be 
necessary 
in 
then, 
in 
the 
kingdom 
to 
be 
establishecl 
under 
the 
whole 
heavens. 
order 
that 
the 
individual 
might 
be 
able 
to 
stand 
these 
tests. 
she 
as 
his 
bride 
will 
with 
him 
have 
the 
blessed 
opportunity 
of 
So 
the 
Apostle's 
assurance 
is 
that 
those 
who 
do 
not 
fall, 
who 
uplifting 
and 
delivering 
fallen 
humanity. 
the 
entire 
race 
of 
stand 
all 
the 
tests. 
will 
be 
granted 
an 
abundant 
entrance 
"into 
Adam, 
of 
restoring 
men, 
"whosoever 
will," 
to 
the 
!rlorious 
the 
everlasting 
kingdom 
of 
our 
Lord 
and 
Savior 
Jesus 
Christ"- 
estate 
which 
was 
lost 
by 
Adam 
and 
redecmed 
by 
Christ 
Jesus 
the 
very 
thing 
that 
all 
of 
the 
Lord's 
people 
are 
invited 
to 
the 
Lord 
through 
the 
blood 
of 
his 
eross. 
How 
wonderful 
it 
is 
share. 
to 
realize 
how 
all·embracing 
is 
God's 
marvelous 
plan 
of 
salva· 
"Ve 
whose 
eyes 
of 
understanding 
have 
been 
enlightened 
can 
tion-that 
it 
includes 
in 
its 
gracious 
provision 
not 
only 
those 
realize 
the 
strength 
and 
reasonableness 
of 
the 
Apostle's 
argu· 
now 
living, 
but 
also 
all 
who 
have 
gone 
down 
into 
the 
tomb! 
ment; 
yet 
these 
things 
have 
not 
been 
much 
taught 
in 
a 
logi- 
With 
the 
eyes 
of 
our 
understanding 
thus 
enlightened, 
the 
de· 
cal 
way. 
Errors 
of 
the 
dark 
ages 
have 
hindered 
and 
made 
lusions 
are 
taken 
away 
from 
our 
minds, 
and 
we 
begin 
to 
usc 
void 
the 
teachings 
of 
the 
Apostles. 
The 
thought 
given 
out 
by 
our 
reason 
and 
to 
see 
the 
beautiful, 
wondprful 
things 
which 
the 
creeds 
of 
the 
past 
is 
that 
only 
a 
mere 
handful 
would 
be 
God 
planned 
from 
before 
the 
founda 
tion 
of 
the 
world. 
saved, 
and 
that 
the 
rest 
of 
the 
world 
would 
be 
banished 
to 
an 
DOCTRINE 
OF 
SANCTIFICATION 
LOST 
TO 
MAJORITY 
eternity 
of 
to~t~re 
an~ 
woe 
unspeakable 
.. 
Many 
of 
the 
world 
As 
we 
reason. 
we 
see 
tha 
t 
the 
primary 
ponsidpration 
with 
~ave 
taken 
thIS 
m 
a 
lIght 
wal" 
have 
been 
mcredulous-declar· 
us 
is 
our 
sanctification. 
"This 
is 
the 
will 
of 
God 
[concerning 
mg 
that 
they 
would 
take 
theIr 
chance, 
etc. 
Others, 
who 
were 
voul. 
even 
vour 
sanctification." 
\Y<11pn 
we 
thought 
that 
the 
of 
the 
Lord's 
pe?ple, 
have 
been 
frantic 
in 
their 
efforts 
to 
save 
~alva 
tion 
or'the 
world 
was 
dependent 
upon 
our 
feeble 
efforts 
as 
m~ny 
as 
pOSSIble 
from 
the 
threatened 
eterJ.Ial 
torture. 
Some 
here 
in 
the 
flesh, 
we 
had 
little 
time 
to 
study 
the 
Bihle 
or 
to 
had 
It 
that 
un!ess 
.they 
belong.ed 
to 
a 
certam 
class, 
or 
cu~t, 
think 
particularly 
about 
Jur 
sanctification. 
Indeed, 
the 
thought 
or 
h~d. 
a 
certam 
kmd 
of 
baptIsm, 
or 
turned 
away 
f~om 
sm 
of 
sanctification 
faded 
away 
from 
the 
minds 
of 
the 
majority 
of 
and 
]0 
III 
I'd 
some 
~hurch, 
they 
~er~ 
sure 
of 
never-endmg 
and 
professing 
Christians; 
and 
for 
a 
Christian 
to 
press 
the 
im- 
unspe~kable 
su!ferm~ 
beyo~d 
t~IS 
IIf.e. 
. 
porta 
nee 
of 
this 
doctrine 
was 
to 
brand 
himself 
as 
n 
religious 
\VIth 
these 
Ideas 
m 
theIr 
mmds, 
It 
IS 
not 
.strange 
~hat 
they 
fanatic. 
The 
general 
thought 
has 
sepmed 
to 
be 
that 
those 
were 
too 
bus,Y 
to 
study 
the 
Word 
of 
God 
WIth 
suffiCIent 
care 
who 
were 
really 
thus 
set 
apart 
were 
surely 
so 
small 
a 
numher 
to 
see 
what 
.It 
really 
tea('h~s, 
and 
that 
therefore 
they 
adopted 
that 
sanctification 
could 
not 
be 
God's 
plan 
for 
the 
ehurch. 
Ro 
plans 
of 
theIr 
.own 
fC?r 
s~vmg 
the 
world. 
These 
del?ded 
ones 
the 
many 
drifted 
apart 
from 
the 
Rcriptures, 
and 
thought 
that 
seem 
to 
be 
qUIte 
R?tIve 
I!1 
what 
they 
term 
soul· 
savIng 
,,:ork. 
only 
those 
guilty 
of 
most 
heinous 
crimes 
would 
be 
punished 
We 
cannot. 
but 
admIre 
theIr 
courag~ 
and 
z~al, 
even 
though 
It 
be 
with 
eternal 
torment, 
and 
that 
all 
others 
would 
by 
some 
means 
not 
accord.lll!;\' 
to 
knowledge. 
If.then 
premIse 
were 
correct, 
then 
get 
into 
heavpn. 
Peoplp 
havp 
thou~ht. 
amI 
this 
thought 
S('PIl1S 
~veqT 
ChrIstIan 
should 
be 
rushmg 
arollRd 
as 
though 
demented, 
to 
prevail 
today 
to 
an 
increasing 
p:dent. 
that 
unless 
onp 
dips 
a 
m 
hIS 
endeavors 
to 
save 
the 
world. 
murderer 
or 
a 
lawless, 
disreputahlp 
character, 
he 
will 
some· 
Suppose 
that 
a 
great 
fire 
broke 
out 
but 
a 
few 
doors 
from 
how 
be 
saved 
us, 
that 
the:e 
,,:as 
n.o 
fire 
department 
ac?essible, 
and 
that 
hun· 
"If 
a 
pers'on 
can 
squeeze 
into 
Ilf'3ven 
without 
any 
sanctifi. 
,heds 
were 
m 
Immment 
danger 
of 
bemg 
burned 
to 
death, 
cation, 
so 
much 
the 
bptter," 
is 
the 
thought. 
"Do 
not 
try 
to 
get 
though 
we 
were 
ourselves 
safe 
fr,?m 
the 
fire. 
Suppose 
t.hat 
up 
too 
high. 
Do 
not 
try 
to 
get 
one 
of 
the 
ehief 
scats 
in 
then 
some 
one 
would 
say 
to 
us, 
Corne, 
let 
us 
have 
a 
BIble 
heaven. 
Take 
a 
lowly 
place"-crawl 
in 
under 
the 
<Yates. 
per. 
Study." 
We 
would 
be. 
sure 
to 
a?s~er 
quickll" 
"No 
indeed! 
haps! 
And 
thus 
many 
have 
tried 
to 
helieve 
that 
they 
and 
There 
are 
many 
people 
m 
that 
bUIldmg 
who 
WIll 
be 
burned 
to 
their 
friends 
would 
go 
to 
heavpn. 
Our 
Catholic 
friends 
have 
death 
unless 
they 
are 
quickly 
rescued!" 
We 
would 
be 
in 
such 
been 
taught 
that 
they 
must 
go 
to 
purgatory 
for 
awhile. 
But 
haste 
and 
such 
eagerness 
to 
sav~ 
the 
lives 
of 
the 
endangered 
nearly 
all 
others 
have 
hoped 
that 
they 
wouid 
get 
to 
heaven 
at 
ones 
that 
we 
would 
stop 
for 
nothmg 
else. 
once, 
This 
idpa 
of 
san('tifi('ation, 
of 
heing 
holy 
as 
our 
Lord 
was 
DOCTRINAL 
CONFUSION 
OF 
MANY 
CHRISTIANS 
holy, 
of 
walking 
in 
the 
footsteps 
of 
Jesus: 
is 
not 
the 
Bible 
So 
the 
great 
adversary 
has 
filled 
the 
minds 
of 
many 
Chris· 
yiew 
at 
~ll, 
ac.cording 
to 
their 
th?ught. 
They 
did 
n~t 
consider 
tian 
people 
with 
the 
vagary 
that 
the 
world 
is 
in 
imminent 
~t 
the 
BIble 
VIew 
~caus~ 
they 
dl.d 
not 
know 
the 
BIble 
teach· 
danger. 
not 
of 
being 
burned 
to 
death, 
but 
of 
heing 
precipitated 
mgs, 
and 
because 
they 
dId 
not 
WIsh 
.to 
eon 
form 
themselves 
to 
into 
a 
lake 
of 
burning 
brimstone 
or 
into 
an 
abyss 
of 
unimagin. 
so 
narrow 
a 
way-the 
broader. 
eaSIer 
',:ay 
was 
much 
more 
able 
horror 
and 
woe, 
there 
to 
be 
preserved 
in 
torture 
throughout 
ple~sant 
to 
the 
flesh: 
They 
could 
not 
belIeve 
that 
God 
would 
unending 
ages! 
He 
has 
thus 
engaged 
Christians 
in 
an 
imagin. 
be 
mtent 
upon 
roastlllg 
nearly 
everybody-surely 
he 
would 
be 
ary 
assault 
upon 
the 
devil, 
to 
rescue 
souls 
from 
this 
eternity 
of 
content 
to 
roast 
.the 
most 
degraded 
heathen 
and 
the 
worst 
torment. 
Not 
until 
our 
eyes 
are 
opened 
and 
we 
see 
that 
there 
characters 
of 
Chnstendom. 
is 
no 
such 
provision 
for 
the 
heathen. 
or 
for 
anybody, 
can 
we 
OUR 
"REASONABLE 
SERVICE" 
hegin 
to 
exercise 
the 
spirit 
of 
a 
sound 
mind. 
\Vhen 
we 
come 
So 
these 
have 
accepted 
what 
se('med 
to 
them 
to 
be 
a 
reason. 
to 
unders~an7 
God's 
arrangement. 
('Vprything 
c]langps 
be- 
a 
blp 
mora 
I 
standard, 
instead 
of 
pn'leavoring 
to 
find 
out 
wha 
t 
f~r~ 
our 
mllld 
s 
eye. 
We 
then 
see 
that 
God 
lIas 
ma?e 
full 
pro· 
the 
Bible 
calls 
our 
"reasonahle 
service." 
The 
great 
Apostle 
VISIOn 
for 
the 
heathen 
and 
for 
all 
men, 
and 
we 
realIze 
that. 
Paul 
in 
his 
Epistlc 
to 
the 
church 
at 
Rome 
(Romans 
12: 
1), 
"Faith 
can 
firmly 
trust 
Him, 
says, 
"I 
beseech 
you 
therefore, 
brethren, 
by 
the 
mercies 
of 
Come 
what 
may." 
God, 
that 
ye 
present 
your 
bodies 
a 
living 
sacrifice, 
holy, 
ac- 
YI-60 
[5677] 
May 1, 1915 are frauds? It is an implication that our great institutions are wrong. If these people are going to turn the world upside down, and bring us into disrepute, we must put them down before it is too late. Something must certainly be done!” OUR FIERY CHARIOT So we sec there is hatred there. The Lord’s true people are striving for a perfect ideal; they are striving for the likeness to the.Lord as representatives of our Lord Jesus Christ. But this is not what the religious people hate so much. It is the disturbing of their institutions—the shaking and rocking of their boat. They are afraid that they will be capsized in the sea. It is the spirit of the world in them that hates the Lord’s faithful ambassadors. Some of the noble-minded of the world now see somewhat of the truth. This is the more exasperating “THESE THINGS” THE WATCH TOWER (132-133) to these church people who are not fully in harmony with the Lord. What this may eventually lead to we do not know. But there are Scriptures which seem to indicate that the closing of the career of the true church will be one of persecution. We understand that Elijah was a type of the church. His last experience was his being carried away in a chariot of fire. It was the agency by which he was taken from the world. So in the close of this world (age) the Lord may take away his people in a fiery trouble—but it will be the chariot to carry them home, to glory, honor and immortality, to participation with Jesus in the divine nature. “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” “Tf we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him.”—Romans 2:7; 8:17; Luke 12:32; 2 Timothy 2:12. THAT WE MUST DO “Tf ye do these things, ye shall never fail.”—-2 Peter 1:10. The context preceding the words of the above text shows us that the Apostle has been urging the development of the fruits of the holy Spirit in the heart. and so far as possible in the life—in the words, the deeds, the thoughts. He sums up his argument by saying that those who, following his advice in this matter, add one after another of these qualities and so build up their Christian character, will “never fall.” The implication is that there would be some tendency to fall, some testings ; and that this development of character would be necessary in order that the individual might be able to stand these tests. So the Apostle’s assurance is that those who do not fall, who stand all the tests, will be granted an abundant entrance “into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”’-— the very thing that all of the Lord’s people are invited to share. We whose eyes of understanding have been enlightened can realize the strength and reasonableness of the Apostle’s argument; yet these things have not been much taught in a logical way. Errors of the dark ages have hindered and made void the teachings of the Apostles. The thought given out by the creeds of the past is that only a mere handful would be saved, and that the rest of the world would be banished to an eternity of torture and woe unspeakable. Many of the world have taken this in a light way, have been incredulous—declaring that they would take their chance, etc. Others, who were of the Lord’s people, have been frantic in their efforts to save as many as possible from the threatened eternal torture. Some had it that unless they belonged to a certain class, or cult, or had a certain kind of baptism, or turned away from sin and joined some church, they were sure of never-ending and unspeakable suffering beyond this life. With these ideas in their minds, it is not strange that they were too busy to study the Word of God with sufficient care to see what it really teaches, and that therefore they adopted plans of their own for saving the world. These deluded ones seem to be quite active in what they term soul-saving work. We cannot but admire their courage and zeal, even though it be not according to knowledge. If their premise were correct, then every Christian should be rushing around as though demented, in his endeavors to save the world. Suppose that a great fire broke out but a few doors from us, that there was no fire department accessible, and that hundreds were in imminent danger of being burned to death, though we were ourselves safe from the fire. Suppose that then some one would say to us, “Come, let us have a Bible Study.” We would be sure to answer quickly, “No indeed! There are many people in that building who will be burned to death unless they are quickly rescued!” We would be in such haste and such eagerness to save the lives of the endangered ones that we would stop for nothing else. DOCTRINAL CONFUSION OF MANY CHRISTIANS So the great adversary has filled the minds of many Christian people with the vagary that the world is in imminent danger, not of being burned to death, but of being precipitated into a lake of burning brimstone or into an abyss of unimaginable horror and woe, there to be preserved in torture throughout unending ages! He has thus engaged Christians in an imaginary assault upon the devil, to rescue souls from this eternity of torment. Not until our eyes are opened and we see that there is no such provision for the heathen, or for anybody, can we begin to exercise the spirit of a sound mind. When we come to understand God’s arrangement, everything changes hefore our mind’s eye. We then see that God has made ful! provision for the heathen and for all men, and we realize that. “Faith can firmly trust Him, Come what may.” yI—60 We see that our work as Christians is to co-operate with God in the salvation of the church class—not a salvation from eternal torture, but from death, and to glorious inheritance with Christ in his coming kingdom. We see that this great work has been progressing during the Gospel age, and in an orderly manner. This blessed union with Christ which God has arranged for the church is to be soon consummated by a marriage feast; and then, in the kingdom to be established under the whole heavens, she as his bride will with him have the blessed opportunity of uplifting and delivering fallen humanity, the entire race of Adam, of restoring men, “whosoever will,” to the glorious estate which was lost by Adam and redeemed by Christ Jesus the Lord through the blood of his cross. How wonderful it is to realize how all-embracing is God’s marvelous plan of salvation—that it includes in its gracious provision not only those now living, but also all who have gone down into the tomb! With the eyes of our understanding thus enlightened, the delusions are taken away from our minds, and we begin to use our reason and to see the beautiful, wonderful things which God planned from before the foundation of the world. DOCTRINE OF SANCTIFICATION LOST TO MAJORITY As we reason, we see that the primary consideration with us is our sanctification. “This is the will of God [concerning you], even your sanctification.” When we thought that the salvation of the world was dependent upon our feeble efforts here in the flesh, we had little time to study the Bible or to think particularly about our sanctification. Indeed, the thought of sanctification faded away from the minds of the majority of professing Christians; and for a Christian to press the importance of this doctrine was to brand himself as a religious fanatic. The general thought has seemed to be that those who were really thus set apart were surely so small a number that sanctification could not be God’s plan for the church. So the many drifted apart from the Scriptures, and thought that only those guilty of most heinous crimes would be punished with eternal torment, and that all others would by some means get into heaven. People have thoucht. and this thought seems to prevail today to an increasing extent, that unless one dies a murderer or a lawless, disreputable character, he will somehow be saved. “If a person can squeeze into heaven without any sanctification, so much the better,” is the thought. “Do not try to get up too high. Do not try to get one of the chief seats in heaven. Take a lowly place’—crawl in under the gates. perhaps! And thus many have tried to helieve that they and their friends would go to heaven. Our Catholic friends have been taught that they must go to purgatory for awhile. But nearly all others have hoped that they would get to heaven at once, This idea of sanctification, of heing holy as our Lord was holy, of walking in the footsteps of Jesus, is not the Bible view at all, according to their thought. They did not consider it the Bible view because they did not know the Bible teachings, and because they did not wish to conform themselves to so narrow a way—the broader. easier way was much more pleasant to the flesh. They could not believe that God would be intent upon roasting nearly everybody—surely he would be content to roast the most degraded heathen and the worst characters of Christendom. OUR ‘‘REASONABLE SERVICE’’ So these have accepted what seemed to them to be a reasonable moral standard, instead of endeavoring to find out what the Bible calls our “reasonable service.” The great Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the church at Rome (Romans 12:1), says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, ac {[5677]

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