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VOL.
XXXVII
BROOKLYN,
N.
Y.,
OCTOBER
15,
1916
WHAT
WE
PREACH
AND
TEACH
No.
20
"For
I
determined
not
to
know
anything
among
you,
SCWe
Jesus
Christ,
and
him
erucified."-1
Corinthians
2
:2.
At
no
time
in
the
church's
history
has
our
great
adversary
be
blamed
for
rejecting
the
old
theory
that
God
first
made
a
bef'n
so
active
in
multiplying
false
doctrines
and
in
diverting
roasting
Hell,
and
then
made
a
race,
knowing
that
all
would
attention
from
the
truth
by
introducing
unprofitable
and
spend
an
awful
eternity
there,
eXe'f'pt
the
few
who
would
hear
irrelevant
questions
as
at
present.
Just
when
the
exaltation
of
Christ
and
become
saints.
This
blasphemy
against
our
and
glory
of
the
church
are
soon
to
be
accomplished,
and
when
Creator's
holy
name
needs
to
be
rebuked.
The
pl>ople
need
to
the
faithful
are
about
to
be
received
into
the
joy
of
their
be
taught
what
the
educated
clergy
and
laity
already
know
Lord,
every
device
is
resorted
to,
to
beguile
them
of
their
that
the
only
Hebrew
word
translated
"hell"
is
SHEOL,
and
reward
and
to
frustrate
this
feature
of
the
divine
plan.
To
that
its
Grl'ek
equivalent
is
HADES,
and
that
neither
word
rC'ally
frustrate
any
part
of
the
divine
plan
is
impossible:
signifies
a
place
of
torment,
but
the
tomb,
the
grave,
the
state
God
has
purposed
to
take
out
from
among
men
a
Little
Flock,
of
unconsciousness,
in
which
both
good
and
bad
must
remain
"n,
people
for
his
name,"
a
royal
priesthood;
and
such
a
after
death
until
the
resurrection,
which
is
to
follow
the
company
is
assuredly
being
gathered;
but
whether
all
of
those
second
coming
of
the
Redeemer.
now
in
the
race
for
the
prize
will
surely
be
of
that
number,
The
literature
of
the
WATCH
TowF.R
BIBLE
AND
TRACT
is
still
an
open
question.
Take
hf'ed,
beloved,
that
no
m
1n
SOCIETY
has
helped
thousands
along
this
line.
as
we
go
into
take
thy
crown.
(Revelation
3:
11)
If
any
come
short
of
their
details
of
explanation
of
the
parables,
dark
sayings
and
privileges
and
prove
unworthy
of
the
inheritance,
there
are
symboJi.sms
of
the
Bible,
which
other
Bible
teachers
do
not
others
who
will
fill
their
places.
find
time
for,
with
their
many
and
varied
cares
connected
We
be,eech
you,
brethren,
a,
you
value
the
glorious
hope
with
modern
church
activity.
In
a
word,
the
work
of
our
set
before
you
in
the
Gospel,
that
you
give
no
heed
to
seduc·
Society
is
conducted
on
the
belief
that
the
Bible
is
divinely
ing
spirit,
and
doctrines
of
devils.
a,
the
Apostle
terms
them
inspired,
and
that
we
are
now
living
in
the
wonderful
day,
(I
Timothy
4:
I
);
but
that,
with
fixedness
of
purpose,
you
mentioned
by
the
prophets,
when
"the
wise
shall
undersbnd."
apply
yourselve,
to
the
one
thing
to
which
you
are
called
and
when
they
sh.all
receive
"meat
in
due
season"
from
Go(l's
are
privileged
to
do
as
prospective
members
of
that
royal
wonderful
Book.
By
the
''wise''
we
mean,
of
course,
those
who
priesthood.
Let
us
never
forget
that
we
are
a
"peculiar
are
wise
toward
God,
not
the
worldly-wise.
people."
separate
from
the
great
body
of
nominal
Christians,
OUR
VIEWS
OF
THE
MILLENNIUM
as
well
as
from
the
world,
having
higher
hopes,
aims
and
If
our
underEtanding
of
the
Bible's
teaching
is
correct,
we
ambitions
and
favored
with
a
clearer
insight
into
the
deep
arc
on
the
threshold
of
the
Millennium.
And
this
fact
ex-
things
of
God,
having
been
called
out
of
our
former
darkness
plains
not
only
the
progress
of
invention
and
natural
science,
into
his
marvelous
light.
And
if
thus
separate
from
the
world
but
also
the
finishing
of
the
mystery
respecting
God's
gracious
and
from
Christians
who
partake
largely
of
the
spirit
of
the
purposes
for
our
race,
foretold
in
the
Bible
in
symbols
and
world,
what
wonder
if
we
find
them
all
out
of
harmony
with
types.
However,
our
expectations
of
the
Millennium
are
us,
and
either
ignoring
or
opposing
us!
along
different
lines
than
some
might
suppose.
We
find
no
OPPOSITION
TO
BE
EXPECTED
Scriptures
to
teach
that
the
world
will
be
converted
by
our
Such
opposition
is
to
be
expected
and
will,
doubtless,
con-
commendable
missionary
efforts
or
any
other
efforts.
To
11'>
tinue
until
we
finish
our
course
in
death.
To
submit
patiently
the
Bible
teaches
that
the
conwrsion
of
the
world
will
follow
to
thi,
opposition
is
to
sacrifice
our
own
natural
preferences
the
second
advent
of
our
Redeemer
to
gather
his
elect
church
fOT
the
friend,hip
and
the
pleasures
of
the
present
life,
and
to
(the
saints
out
of
all
denominations),
that
they.
changed
to
endure
hardne,s
as
good
soldiers
for
the
truth's
sake,
in
what·
the
spirit
nature,
may
be,
under
their
Lord
and
Head,
the
I'veI'
Shapl'
that
hardness
may
come,
in
our
effort
to
do
the
teachers,
guides
and
helpers
of
the
remaindpr
of
the
race-
Lord's
will
and
work
of
advancing
the
interests
of
his
king·
those
now
dead
as
well
as
the
living
nations-to
uplift
all
the
dom.
This
is
what
is
meant
by
the
presenting
of
our
bodies
willing
and
obedient
from
sin
and
death
to
perfection
and
living
sacrifices
in
the
divine
service.
To
be
really
in
this
everlasting
life
on
earth,
which
will
then,
during
those
timl's
service
involves,
First.
the
careful
and
continual
study
of
of
resUtution,
become
Paradise
restored.
God's
plan;
Second,
the
imbibing
of
its
spirit;
leading,
Statistics
agree
that
the
Millennium
is
not
wming
by
the
Thirdly,
to
an
enthusia,tic
zeal
for
its
accomplishment,
and
conversion
of
the
heathen;
for
there
are
twice
as
many
today
to
aC'tivity
to
the
extent
of
ability
in
its
service,
at
whatever
as
there
were
a
century
ago,
notwithstanding
all
our
mis-
cast
or
sacrifice
it
may
require.
sionary
efforts.
On
the
contr.ary,
we
mmt
agree
that
the
If
we
are
faithful
in
this
service
we
have
no
time,
nor
have
signs
of
the
time9
presage
the
near
approach
of
the
culmina-
\\'1'
the
disposition,
to
give
heed
either
to
false
doctrines
or
tion
of
the
great
"time
of
trouble
such
as
never
was
since
to
other
themes
whic'h
have
no
bearing
on
the
one
thing
to
there
was
a
nation,"
by
which,
the
Scriptures
assure
us,
Mes
which
we
have
solemnly
dedicated
our
lives.
Our
time
is
not
siah's
kingdom
will
be
ushered
in,
to
"bless
all
the
families
our
own
if
we
have
dedicated
all
to
God;
.and
consequently,
of
the
earth."
we
have
none
to
spare
for
the
investigation
of
fanciful
false
SCRIPTURAL
TERMS
AND
SCRIPTUR.A.L
ORDINATION
theories,
built
upon
other
foundations
than
that
laid
down
in
Perhaps
we
should
explain
that
we
do
not
recognize
as
thl'
Scriptures.
~either
have
we
time
to
devote
to
the
ideas
Biblical
the
terms
"clergy"
and
"laity,"
nor
the
titles
and
pursuit»
which
engross
the
world's
attention,
many
of
"Reverend,"
"Doctor
of
Divinity,"
and
other
similar
appella-
wll1('h
are
harm!('ss
in
them,elves,
but
would
be
harmful
to
tions
now
in
vogue.
This,
however,
does
not
lead
us
to
dis-
u,
if
we
were
to
allow
tlH'm
to
occupy
consecrated
time
and
fellowship
those
who
differ
from
Ug.
We
u,e
the
Scriptural
divprt
our
attention
from
the
one
thing
we
ought
to
be
doing.
terms
"Pastor"
"Evangeliot"
"Teacher"
"Elder"
"Deacon"
The
A
po,tlc
warns
us
to
"shun
profane
babblings,
for
they
will
etc.,
and
recognize
that
ail'
of
God's
c~nsecrated
people
a;e
in('rease
unto
more
ungodliness";
but
adds,
"Study
to
show
ministers-that
is,
servants--each
authorized
to
serVe
his
thyself
approved
unto
God,
a
workman
that
needeth
not
to
be
brethren
as
his
talent
mwy
permit
and
as
the
brethren
may
ashamed,
rightly
dividing
the
word
of
truth."
"Teach
no
desire.
As
for
ordination,
we
cannot
accept
as
Scriptural
the
othl'r
doctrine;
neither
give
heed
to
fables
and
endless
theory
of
the
"Apostolic
Succession,"
and
that
the
specific
genealogiC's.
which
minister
questions
rather
than
godly
edify.
power
or
authority
comes
from
men
to
men.
We
hold
that
the
ing
"hich
is
in
faith."-2
Timothy
2:
15,
16;
1
Timothy
anointing
of
the
holy
Spirit
alone
gives
the
power
and
the
I:
3,
4.
authority
to
understand
and
explain
the
Scriptures.
NOT
HIGHER
CRITICISM
NOR
EVOLUTION
Ours
is
not
the
gospel
of
the
Higher
Critics
and
Evolu-
HOW
ERRORS
OF
THE
pAST
CREPT
IN
tioni,ts.
We
cheerfully
accord
these
friends
of
a
modern
The
Editor
is
being
attacked
at
present
by
.about
one·
gospel
their
liberty
to
believe
as
they
think
proper,
remind·
fourth
of
all
the
ministers
of
the
world,
simply
because
we
inO'
them,
however,
of
the
warning
words
of
the
Apostle
Paul
preach
the
Bible
message
voiced
by
the
angel
at
the
birth
of
in"Galatians
1
:6-!).
Our
own
faith
is
firmly
planted
on
the
Jesus:
"Behold,
I
bring
you
gQOd
tidings
of
great
joy,
which
Bible
as
the
only
divine
revelation
of
the
will
and
plan
of
shall
be
unto
ALL
PEOPLE!"
(Luke
2:
10,
11)
That
good
our
Creator.
But
this
does
not
mean
that
we
believe
the
Bible
message
of
God's
love
and
of
his
merci.ful
provision
in
Jesus'
to
teach
all
that
our
well-meaning
forefathers
of
the
dark
ages
death
for
the
sins
of
the
whole
world
began
to
be
lost
sight
supposed
were
its
doctrines.
'Ve
find
that
they
burned
one
of
in
the
close
of
the
second
century.
The
doctrine
of
another
at
the
stake
for
disbelieving
things
that
the
Bible
"Apostolic
Succession"
led
the
people
of
that
time
to
respect
does
not
teach.
the
bishops
as
successors
to
the
divinely-ordained
twelve-St.
The
growing
scepticism
of
today
regarding
God
and
the
Paul,
and
not
Matthias,
taking
the
place
of
Judas.
Bible,
we
find,
i,
generally
the
outgrowth
of
a
misunderstand·
It
is
not
to
be
wondered
at,
that
at
a
time
when
ability
to
ing
of
the
Bible's
teaching
respecting
Hell.
No
sane
man
can
read
was
not
general,
when
Bibles
were
few
and
expensive,
(307-308)
[5970]
Vou. XXXVII BROOKLYN, N. Y., OCTOBER 15, 1916 No. 20 WHAT WE PREACH AND TEACH “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”—1 Corinthians 2:2. At no time in the church’s history has our great adversary been so active in multiplying false doctrines and in diverting attention from the truth by introducing unprofitable and irrelevant questions as at present, Just when the exaltation and glory of the church are soon to be accomplished, and when the faithful are about to be received into the joy of their Lord, every device is resorted to, to beguile them of their reward and to frustrate this feature of the divine plan. To really frustrate any part of the divine plan is impossible: God has purposed to take out from among men a Little Flock, “a people for his name,” a royal priesthood; and such a company is assuredly being gathered; but whether all of those now in the race for the prize will surely be of that number, is still an open question. Take heed, beloved, that no min take thy crown. (Revelation 3:11) If any come short of their privileges and prove unworthy of the inheritance, there are others who will fill their places. We beseech you, brethren, as you value the glorious hope set before you in the Gospel, that you give no heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, as the Apostle terms them (1 Timothy 4:1); but that, with fixedness of purpose, you apply yourselves to the one thing to which you are called and are privileged to do as prospective members of that royal priesthood. Let us never forget that we are a “peculiar people.” separate from the great body of nominal Christians, as well as from the world, having higher hopes, aims and ambitions and favored with a clearer insight into the deep things of God, having been called out of our former darkness into his marvelous light. And if thus separate from the world and from Christians who partake largely of the spirit of the world, what wonder if we find them all out of harmony with us, and either ignoring or opposing us! OPPOSITION TO BE EXPECTED Such opposition is to be expected and will, doubtless, continue until we finish our course in death. To submit patiently to this opposition is to sacrifice our own natural preferences for the friendship and the pleasures of the present life, and to endure hardness as good soldiers for the truth’s sake, in whatever shape that hardness may come, in our effort to do the Lord’s will and work of advancing the interests of his kingdom. This is what is meant by the presenting of our bodies living sacrifices in the divine service. To be really in this service involves, First, the careful and continua] study of God’s plan; Second, the imbibing of its spirit; leading, Thirdly, to an enthusiastic zeal for its accomplishment, and to activity to the extent of ability in its service, at whatever cost or sacrifice it may require. If we are faithful in this service we have no time, nor have we the disposition, to give heed either to false doctrines or to other themes which have no bearing on the one thing to which we have solemnly dedicated our lives. Our time is not our own if we have dedicated all to God; and consequently, we have none to spare for the investigation of fanciful false theories, built upon other foundations than that laid down in the Scriptures. Neither have we time to devote to the ideas and pursuits which engross the world’s attention, many of wiuch are harmless in themselves, but would be harmful to us if we were to allow them to occupy consecrated time and divert our attention from the one thing we ought to be doing. The Apostle warns us to “shun profane babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness”; but adds, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” “Teach no other doctrine; neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith.”—2 Timothy 2:15, 16; 1 Timothy 1:3, 4. NOT HIGHER CRITICISM NOR EVOLUTION Ours is not the gospel of the Higher Critics and Evolutionists. We cheerfully accord these friends of a modern gospel their liberty to believe as they think proper, reminding them, however, of the warning words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 1:6-9. Our own faith is firmly planted on the Bible as the only divine revelation of the will and plan of our Creator. But this does not mean that we believe the Bible to teach all that our well-meaning forefathers of the dark ages supposed were its doctrines. We find that they burned one another at the stake for disbelieving things that the Bible does not teach. The growing scepticism of today regarding God and the Bible, we find, is generally the outgrowth of a misunderstanding of the Bible’s teaching respecting Hell. No sane man can (307-308) be blamed for rejecting the old theory that God first made a roasting Hell, and then made a race, knowing that all would spend an awful eternity there, except the few who would hear ef Christ and become saints. This blasphemy against our Creator’s holy name needs to be rebuked. The people need to be taught what the educated clergy and laity already know— that the only Hebrew word translated “hell” is SHEOL, and that its Greek equivalent is HADES, and that neither word signifies a place of torment, but the tomb, the grave, the state of unconsciousness, in which both good and bad must remain after death until the resurrection, which is to follow the second coming of the Redeemer. The literature of the Warcu Tower BiIBLe AND TRACT Sociery has helped thousands along this line. as we go into details of explanation of the parables, dark sayings and symbolisms of the Bible, which other Bible teachers do not find time for, with their many and varied cares connected with modern church activity. In a word, the work of our Society is conducted on the belief that the Bible is divinely inspired, and that we are now living in the wonderful day, mentioned by the prophets, when “the wise shall understand,” when they shall receive “meat in due season” from God’s wonderful Book. By the “wise” we mean, of course, those who are wise toward God, not the worldly-wise. OUR VIEWS OF THE MILLENNIUM If our understanding of the Bible’s teaching is correct, we are on the threshold of the Millennium. And this fact explains not only the progress of invention and natural science, but also the finishing of the mystery respecting God’s gracious purposes for our race, foretold in the Bible in symbols and types. However, our expectations of the Millennium are along different lines than some might suppose. We find no Scriptures to teach that the world will be converted by our commendable missionary efforts or any other efforts. To us the Bible teaches that the conversion of the world will follow the second advent of our Redeemer to gather his elect church (the saints out of all denominations), that they, changed to the spirit nature, may be, under their Lord and Head, the teachers, guides and helpers of the remainder of the race— those now dead as well as the living nations—to uplift all the willing and obedient from sin and death to perfection and everlasting life on earth, which will then, during those times of restitution, become Paradise restored. Statistics agree that the Millennium is not coming by the conversion of the heathen; for there are twice as many today as there were a century ago, notwithstanding all our missionary efforts. On the contrary, we must agree that the signs of the times presage the near approach of the culmination of the great “time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation,” by which, the Scriptures assure us, Messiah’s kingdom will be ushered in, to “bless all the families of the earth.” SCRIPTURAL TERMS AND SCRIPTURAL ORDINATION Perhaps we should explain that we do not recognize as Biblical the terms “clergy” and “laity,’ nor the titles “Reverend,” “Doctor of Divinity,” and other similar appellations now in vogue. This, however, does not lead us to disfellowship those who differ from us. We use the Scriptural terms “Pastor,” “Evangelist,” ‘Teacher,’ “Elder,” “Deacon,” etc., and recognize that all of God’s consecrated people are ministers—that is, servants—each authorized to serve his brethren as his talent may permit and as the brethren may desire. As for ordination, we cannot accept as Scriptural the theory of the “Apostolic Succession,” and that the specific power or authority comes from men to men, We hold that the anointing of the holy Spirit alone gives the power and the authority to understand and explain the Scriptures, HOW ERRORS OF THE PAST CREPT IN The Editor is being attacked at present by about onefourth of all the ministers of the world, simply because we preach the Bible message voiced by the angel at the birth of Jesus: “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto ALL PEOPLE!” (Luke 2:10, 11) That good message of God’s love and of his merciful provision in Jesus’ death for the sins of the whole world began to be lost sight of in the close of the second century. The doctrine of “Apostolic Succession” led the people of that time to respect the bishops as successors to the divinely-ordained twelve—St. Paul, and not Matthias, taking the place of Judas, It is not to be wondered at, that at a time when ability to read was not general, when Bibles were few and expensive, [5970]
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