Data publicării
15.02.1916
Volumul
37
Numărul
4
Turnul de veghe
Views from The Watch Tower
Revistele originale Turnul de veghe în limba engleză
../literature/watchtower/1916/4/1916-4-1.html
 
 
VOL. 
XXXVII 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
FEBRUARY 
15, 
1916 
No.4 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
It 
would 
lippear 
that 
our 
nation 
is 
entering 
the 
danger 
cede 
to 
our 
wishes 
may 
be 
brought 
to 
the 
snapping-point. 
zone 
as 
respects 
the 
great 
war-conflagration 
of 
Europe. 
The 
Their 
friendly 
relationships 
sundered, 
what 
would 
there 
be 
to 
war 
fever 
seems 
to 
spread. 
Our 
President, 
who 
has 
been 
so 
restrain 
the 
Germans 
from 
going 
any 
length 
they 
might 
please 
staunch 
a 
friend 
of 
peace, 
is 
manifestly 
being 
influenced 
by 
in 
what 
they 
recognize 
as 
a 
war 
for 
their 
very 
existence 
as 
a 
the 
prevalent 
spirit 
of 
pride 
and 
the 
demand 
that 
American 
nation? 
The 
result 
might 
be 
to 
give 
every 
submarine 
com- 
rights 
shall 
brook 
no 
interference. 
Our 
President's 
peace 
mander 
liberty 
to 
sink 
any 
and 
every 
thing 
bearing 
the 
flag 
policy 
has 
been 
changed 
to 
a 
preparedness 
policy. 
And 
what 
of 
Germany's 
enemies. 
Moreover, 
the 
animosity 
undoubtedly 
could 
preparedness 
mean 
except 
that, 
if 
we 
had 
the 
largest 
would 
extend 
to 
the 
American 
flag. 
Furthermore, 
if 
not 
re- 
navy, 
the 
Government 
sooner 
or 
later 
would 
become 
more 
sented, 
it 
would 
be 
considered 
as 
more 
or 
less 
of 
an 
injustice, 
proud 
and 
arrogant 
and 
wish 
to 
dictate 
conditions 
to 
other 
on 
the 
part 
of 
many 
Americans 
whose 
sympathies 
must 
nations, 
and 
thus 
plunge 
us 
into 
war? 
naturally 
go, 
to 
some 
extent, 
with 
their 
blood 
toward 
their 
From 
our 
viewpoint, 
the 
United 
States 
has 
a 
very 
respect- 
kinsmen 
across 
the 
water, 
waging 
battle 
for 
existence 
against 
able 
navy, 
abundantly 
sufficient 
for 
its 
own 
home 
defenses- 
a 
combined 
world 
in 
arms. 
especially 
when 
supplemented 
with 
the 
laying 
of 
ocean 
mines 
To 
Bible 
students 
we 
merely 
suggest 
that, 
if 
the 
worst 
and 
with 
port 
fortifications, 
if 
any 
of 
the 
latter 
be 
lacking. 
should 
happen, 
we 
should 
remember 
that 
God 
is 
at 
the 
h!'lm, 
What 
has 
America 
to 
fear? 
Do 
Great 
Britain 
and 
Germany, 
and 
that 
thus 
he 
will 
allow 
human 
pride 
and 
wrath 
to 
further 
France, 
or 
all 
of 
them 
together, 
wish 
to 
destroy 
their 
best 
work 
out 
the 
great 
troubles 
incident 
to 
the 
"Battle 
of 
Arma- 
customer, 
from 
whose 
trade 
they 
make 
their 
largest 
profits? 
geddon" 
and 
the 
inauguration 
of 
Messiah's 
kingdom. 
Let 
us 
Nonsense! 
All 
the 
great 
countries 
of 
Europe 
are 
anxious 
for 
remember 
Jesus' 
words, 
applicable 
to 
the 
present 
time, 
"When 
our 
friendship, 
and 
all 
of 
them 
should 
have 
it, 
with 
our 
in- 
these 
things 
begin 
to 
come 
to 
pass, 
then 
look 
up, 
and 
lift 
up 
fluence 
exerted 
in 
the 
interests 
of 
their 
peace 
and 
welfare. 
your 
heads; 
for 
your 
redemption 
draweth 
nigh.,,_Luke 
21 
:28. 
Imagine 
an 
army 
of 
a 
million 
men 
crossing 
the 
Atlantic 
BITTERNESS 
AND 
PASSION 
INCREASE 
ocean! 
Imagine 
the 
number 
of 
ships 
required! 
Remember 
In 
STUDIES 
IN 
THE 
SCRIPTURES, 
Vol. 
IV., 
we 
have 
clearly 
that 
the 
largest 
vessels 
can 
barely 
carry 
coal 
enough 
to 
bring 
pointed 
out 
the 
things 
now 
transpiring, 
and 
the 
worse 
condi- 
them 
properly 
across 
the 
ocean 
without 
replenisihment. 
\Vho 
tions 
yet 
to 
come. 
\Ve 
have 
said 
in 
so 
many 
words 
that 
this 
~an 
i~agine 
the. 
inability 
of 
the 
United 
States 
to 
meet 
any 
great 
time 
of 
trouble 
will 
manifest 
fully 
that 
the 
civilization 
lllvadmg 
army, 
If 
we 
had 
no 
navy 
at 
all? 
of 
our 
day, 
of 
which 
we 
have 
so 
greatly 
boasted, 
is 
merely 
We 
are 
not 
di~puting 
that 
it 
would 
be 
a 
policy 
of 
rea- 
skin 
deep-merely 
a 
veneer. 
Already 
we 
have 
seen 
manifesta 
s?nll;~le 
wor.ldly 
.wlsdom 
to 
be 
pre~ared. 
for 
any. 
rea.sonable 
tions 
of 
this 
in 
various 
quarters, 
and 
our 
understanding 
~f 
hablhty 
of 
lllvaSlOn. 
We 
are 
not 
dlsputmg 
that 
It 
might 
be, 
the 
Bible 
teaching 
is 
that 
these 
matters, 
so 
deplorable, 
Will 
in 
some 
respects~ 
a 
wise 
policy 
to 
enroll 
the 
youth 
of 
the 
grow 
from 
bad 
to 
worse. 
National 
animosities 
will 
become 
land 
and 
to 
reqUire 
all 
to 
spend 
two 
weeks 
every 
summer 
in 
personal 
animosities 
until, 
as 
the 
Bible 
foretold, 
there 
will 
be 
camp 
life. 
This 
would 
be 
both 
a 
recreation 
and 
an 
educa- 
no 
peace 
to 
him 
that 
goes 
out. 
nor 
to 
him 
that 
comes 
in. 
tion, 
and 
with 
the 
inculcation 
of 
the 
thought 
that 
they 
are 
a 
because 
"every 
man's 
hand 
will 
be 
against 
his 
neighbor." 
peace 
army, 
and 
not 
an 
army 
of 
aggression, 
the 
influence 
(Ezekiel 
38:21) 
Our 
Savior, 
in 
describing 
these 
matters, 
pro- 
might 
be 
favorable. 
phetically 
declares, 
"Unless 
those 
days 
should 
be 
cut 
short, 
no 
VIEWS 
OF 
BIBLE 
STUDENTS 
flesh 
would 
survive." 
(Matthew 
24:22) 
But 
we 
are 
glad 
that 
The 
foregoing 
is 
what 
we 
might 
call 
a 
worldly 
view 
of 
he 
also 
gi~es 
us 
the 
.assu.rance 
that 
because 
of 
the 
elect 
(him- 
the 
situation. 
Bible 
students, 
looking 
from 
the 
standpoint 
se.If 
and 
hiS 
church 
m, 
~m~do~ 
power 
ll;nd 
glory) 
those 
days 
of 
the 
Word 
of 
God, 
see 
clearly 
that 
the 
present 
great 
war 
Will 
be 
cut 
short-MeSSiah 
s 
klllgd~m 
Will 
.b~ 
set 
up. 
, 
in 
Europe 
will, 
according 
to 
prophecy, 
so 
utterly 
wreck 
all 
But 
we 
are 
not 
to 
exp~ct 
the 
lllterposltlOn 
of 
the 
Lord 
s 
the 
participating 
nations 
that 
they 
will 
have 
no 
strength 
for 
p~wer 
to 
stop 
the 
grea~ 
time 
o~ 
troubl~, 
such 
as 
never 
was 
further 
combat 
no 
gold 
reserves 
called 
war-chests, 
for 
mili- 
smce 
there 
was 
a 
natIOn, 
untIl 
mankmd 
shall 
have 
be~n 
tary 
purposes. 
" 
greatly 
hu.mbl~d 
to 
the 
dust 
and 
shall 
call 
up~n. 
the 
Lon~ 
III 
War-smitten, 
bankrupted, 
discouraged, 
the 
nations 
will 
be 
great 
trepidatIOn. 
We 
are 
far 
from 
that 
conditIOn. 
of 
thmgs 
many 
years 
in 
repairing 
the 
terrible 
losses 
they 
are 
now 
in- 
now. 
Now 
the 
G~~mans 
pray 
to 
God 
that 
h~ 
Will 
destr~y 
flicting 
upon 
each 
other. 
Moreover, 
the 
Bible 
assures 
us 
that 
Eng~and. 
And 
BrItish 
prayers. 
go 
up 
for 
the 
vlc~ory 
of 
their 
with 
the 
crisis 
of 
their 
trouble, 
coming 
through 
revolution 
ar~les 
and 
t~~ 
do~nfa~l 
of 
their 
foes. 
And 
so. 
With 
t~e 
otl~er 
and 
anarchy, 
the 
world 
will 
be 
saved 
from 
its 
own 
madness 
natIOns 
partIclpa~lllg 
III 
~he 
war; 
each 
pr~Ylllg 
aT~am.st 
Its 
by 
the 
establishment 
of 
Messiah's 
kingdom. 
"He 
shall 
make 
foes; 
each 
~xpectlllg 
God 
s 
favor 
and 
blessm~. 
\\ 
111 
It 
not 
war 
to 
cease 
unto 
the 
ends 
of 
the 
earth." 
(Psalm 
46:9) 
The 
be 
a 
very 
different 
~tory 
and 
Will. 
not 
ve.ry 
dlff~rent 
prayers 
war-mad 
nations 
will 
"beat 
their 
swords 
into 
plowshares, 
and 
ascend 
when 
all 
natIOns 
shall 
reahze 
the~r 
~Illdomg 
an~. 
that 
their 
spears 
into 
prunino- 
hooks 
. 
. 
. 
. 
and 
learn 
war 
no 
the 
only 
suc~or 
they. 
~an 
hop~ 
!or 
from 
any 
quarter, 
,\Ill 
be. 
more."-Isa. 
2:4; 
Micah 
4~3. 
through 
the 
lllt~rposltlO.n 
of 
dlvIn.!' 
power 
to 
.stav 
the 
anarchy 
But 
of 
course 
we 
cannot 
expect 
others 
than 
Bible 
students 
of 
tl~at 
awful 
time 
~lllch 
the 
Bible 
symbohcall.v 
calls 
a 
de- 
to 
see 
matters 
from 
this 
viewpoint. 
Thev 
must 
wait 
for 
the 
,:ourmg 
fire, 
and 
which 
our 
creeds 
have 
all 
mIStaken 
to 
be 
. 
h' 
h· 
h 
ht!'ral 
fire' 
actu,al 
expenences 
w 
ICh 
we 
foresee 
t 
roug'h 
t 
e 
telescope 
of 
. 
RESPONSIBILITY 
OF 
THE 
PREACHERS 
GodFsaiTI':;dto 
see 
from 
the 
Bible 
standpoint, 
yet 
wishing 
to 
The 
~ollowing 
extra.cts 
from 
the 
AI 
ethodist 
Times 
purpor: 
carrv 
forward 
his 
policy 
which 
so 
far 
has 
been 
so 
verv 
suc- 
to 
be 
faithful 
translatIOns 
of 
.some 
German 
~ermons. 
recent!) 
cessful 
our 
worthy 
Pre~ident 
now 
seems 
in 
great 
dan;;'er 
of 
preached: 
The:,e 
sermons 
remllld 
us 
of 
the 
mfatu~tlOn 
unto 
being 
~isled 
by 
his 
past 
successes 
in 
the 
field 
of 
dipl;mal'Y. 
p~rsec~tlOn 
which 
once 
was 
gene~al 
bet\~e!'n 
the 
v~no~s 
seets. 
He 
is 
greatly 
endangering, 
not 
only 
the 
peace 
of 
our 
own 
\\ 
~ 
l~'ld 
hoped 
that 
all 
such 
blttern('.~~ 
and 
a~nmo. 
y 
w~re 
land, 
but 
the 
breaking 
of 
all 
restraints 
of 
war 
throughout 
t~lllg-s 
of 
the 
pa.st, 
yet 
here 
they 
ar(' 
III 
.all 
theIr 
evil 
~ahg- 
the 
world 
by 
insisting 
that 
Germany 
shall 
declare 
that 
she 
mty. 
Rev 
.. 
\VIlliam 
Bur?e~s. 
the 
Methodist 
represe~~atIve 
at 
transgressed 
the 
laws 
of 
warfare 
in 
destroying 
the 
Lusitania. 
Rome, 
furmshes 
the 
quotatIOns 
referr('d 
to 
as 
follows. 
Germany's 
plea 
is 
that 
the 
submarines, 
recognized 
and 
used 
NO 
COM~RO~SE 
WITH 
HELL 
. 
bv 
all 
nations, 
bring 
in 
a 
new 
question 
as 
respects 
intern 
a- 
. 
"~astor. 
Zoe-bel, 
~peak.lIJg 
III 
the 
gr.eat 
Lutheran 
chur.ch. 
1TI 
tional 
law 
in 
dealing 
with 
life. 
To 
maintain 
the 
respect 
and 
LeIpSIC, 
s8: 
ld 
: 
'It 
IS 
thiS 
deep 
conSClOusne~s 
of 
our 
mlS~lOn 
good 
will 
of 
the 
United 
States, 
Germany 
has 
offered 
to 
pay 
th.at 
permits 
us 
to 
cong~atulate 
oursl'lves. 
and 
rest 
content 
for 
the 
lives 
of 
American 
citizens 
lost 
on 
the 
Lu~itania 
and 
With 
a 
heart 
full 
of 
gratItude. 
when 
our 
guns 
beat 
down 
thl' 
has 
given 
assurances 
of 
her 
intention 
to 
hereafter 
abstain 
from 
children 
of 
Satan, 
and 
.w~en 
our 
marvelous 
submarines-in- 
sinking 
passenger 
vessels, 
even 
though 
they 
carry 
munitions 
struments 
to 
execute 
dlvllle 
vengeallee-s('~d 
to 
th!' 
bottom 
of 
war; 
unless 
the 
passengers 
all 
be 
given 
first 
a 
full, 
fair 
of. 
the 
se~ 
thousands 
of 
th~ 
non-ele·et. 
\\ 
I' 
ml!st 
fight. 
the 
chance 
of 
safely 
leaving 
the 
captured 
vessel. 
The 
attainment 
wlckecl 
~Ith 
every 
means 
I~ 
ou~ 
power; 
th.!'lr 
suffenng~ 
of 
such 
a 
concession 
is 
a 
great 
honor 
to 
President 
Wilson'8 
should 
give 
us 
pleasure; 
their 
cnes 
of 
despair 
sho.uld 
J.lot 
diplomacy. 
We 
greatly 
fear 
that 
he 
is 
about 
to 
wreck 
the 
move 
German 
hearts. 
There 
ought 
to 
be 
n? 
compromise 
With 
entire 
matter 
by 
insisting 
that 
the 
German 
Empire 
shall 
say 
hell, 
no 
mercy 
for 
the 
servants 
of 
S'ltan-In 
other 
words, 
no 
"We 
eonfess 
that 
we 
were 
naughty." 
, 
pity 
for. 
the 
English. 
Fre,?ch. 
and. 
Rus~ia~s, 
nor 
indeed 
for 
Our 
President 
threatens 
that 
if 
Germany 
does 
not 
acknowl- 
any 
natIOn 
that 
has 
sold 
Itself 
to 
the 
d.evil. 
They 
have 
all 
edge 
that 
she 
did 
wrong, 
he 
will 
undertake 
to 
punish 
her 
by 
been 
condemned 
to 
death 
by 
a 
divine 
decree.''' 
breaking 
off 
friendly 
relations 
between 
the 
two 
governments, 
A 
WORK 
OF 
CHARITY 
etc. 
We 
see 
nothing 
to 
be 
gained 
by 
his 
course, 
but 
much 
to 
"Professor 
Rh('inold 
Seeby. 
who 
teaches 
theology 
in 
the 
be 
endangered. 
Germany's 
friendship 
and 
willingness 
to 
con- 
Berlin 
University, 
preaching 
in 
the 
cathr>dral 
of 
the 
city, 
[5852] 
Vou. XXXVIT BROOKLYN, N. Y., FEBRUARY 15, 1916 No. 4 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER It would appear that our nation is entering the danger zone as respects the great war-conflagration of Europe. The war fever seems to spread. Our President, who has been so staunch a friend of peace, is manifestly being influenced by the prevalent spirit of pride and the demand that American rights shall brook no interference, Our President’s peace policy has been changed to a preparedness policy. And what could preparedness mean except that, if we had the largest navy, the Government sooner or later would become more proud and arrogant and wish to dictate conditions to other nations, and thus plunge us into war? From our viewpoint, the United States has a very respectable navy, abundantly sufficient for its own home defenses— especially when supplemented with the laying of ocean mines and with port fortifications, if any of the latter be lacking. What has America to fear? Do Great Britain and Germany, France, or all of them together, wish to destroy their best customer, from whose trade they make their largest profits? Nonsense! All the great countries of Europe are anxious for our friendship, and all of them should have it, with our influence exerted in the interests of their peace and welfare. Imagine an army of a million men crossing the Atlantic ocean! Imagine the number of ships required! Remember that the largest vessels can barely carry coal enough to bring them properly across the ocean without replenishment, Who can imagine the inability of the United States to meet any invading army, if we had no navy at all? We are not disputing that it would be a policy of reasonable worldly wisdom to be prepared for any reasonable liability of invasion. We are not disputing that it might be, in some respects, a wise policy to enroll the youth of the land and to require all to spend two weeks every summer in camp life. This would be both a recreation and an education, and with the inculcation of the thought that they are a peace army, and not an army of aggression, the influence might be favorable. VIEWS OF BIBLE STUDENTS The foregoing is what we might call a worldly view of the situation. Bible students, looking from the standpoint of the Word of God, see clearly that the present great war in Europe will, according to prophecy, so utterly wreck all the participating nations that they will have no strength for further combat, no gold reserves, called war-chests, for military purposes. War-smitten, bankrupted, discouraged, the nations will be many years in repairing the terrible losses they are now inflicting upon each other. Moreover, the Bible assures us that with the crisis of their trouble, coming through revolution and anarchy, the world will be saved from its own madness by the establishment of Messiah’s kingdom. “He shall make war to cease unto the ends of the earth.” (Psalm 46:9) The war-mad nations will ‘‘beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks .... and learn war no more.”—Isa. 2:4; Micah 4:3. But of course we cannot expect others than Bible students to see matters from this viewpoint. ‘hey must wait for the actual experiences which we foresee through the telescope of God’s Word. Failing to see from the Bible standpoint, yet wishing to carry forward his policy, which so far has been so very successful, our worthy President now seems in great danger of being misled by his past successes in the field of diplomacy. He is greatly endangering, not only the peace of our own land, but the breaking of all restraints of war throughout the world by insisting that Germany shall declare that she transgressed the laws of warfare in destroying the Lusitania. Germany’s plea is that the submarines, recognized and used by all nations, bring in a new question as respects international law in dealing with life. To maintain the respect and good will of the United States, Germany has offered to pay for the lives of American citizens lost on the Lusitania and has given assurances of her intention to hereafter abstain from sinking passenger vessels, even though they carry munitions of war; unless the passengers all be given first a full, fair chance of safely leaving the captured vessel. The attainment of such a concession is a great honor to President Wilson’s diplomacy. We greatly fear that he is about to wreck the entire matter by insisting that the German Empire shall say, “We confess that we were naughty.” Our President threatens that if Germany does not acknowledge that she did wrong, he will undertake to punish her by breaking off friendly relations between the two governments, etc. We see nothing to be gained by his course, but much to be endangered. Germany’s friendship and willingness to con (51-52) cede to our wishes may be brought to the snapping-point. Their friendly relationships sundered, what would there be to restrain the Germans from going any length they might please in what they recognize as a war for their very existence as a nation? The result might be to give every submarine commander liberty to sink any and every thing bearing the flag of Germany’s enemies. Moreover, the animosity undoubtedly would extend to the American flag. Furthermore, if not resented, it would be considered as more or less of an injustice, on the part of many Americans whose sympathies must naturally go, to some extent, with their blood toward their kinsmen across the water, waging battle for existence against a combined world in arms, To Bible students we merely suggest that, if the worst should happen, we should remember that God is at the helm, and that thus he will allow human pride and wrath to further work out the great troubles incident to the “Battle of Armageddon” and the inauguration of Messiah’s kingdom. Let us remember Jesus’ words, applicable to the present time, “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.’’--—-Luke 21:28, BITTERNESS AND PASSION INCREASE In StupIes IN THE SCRIPTURES, Vol. IV., we have clearly pointed out the things now transpiring, and the worse conditions yet to come. We have said in so many words that this great time of trouble will manifest fully that the civilization of our day, of which we have so greatly boasted, is merely skin deep—merely a veneer. Already we have seen manifesta tions of this in various quarters, and our understanding of the Bible teaching is that these matters, so deplorable, will grow from bad to worse. National animosities will become personal animosities until, as the Bible foretold, there will be no peace to him that goes out, nor to him that comes in, because “every man’s hand will be against his neighbor.” (Ezekiel 38:21) Our Savior, in describing these matters, prophetically declares, “Unless those days should be cut short, no flesh would survive.” (Matthew 24:22) But we are glad that he also gives us the assurance that because of the elect (himself and his church in kingdom power and glory) those days will be cut short—Messiah’s kingdom will be set up. But we are not to expect the interposition of the Lord’s power to stop the great time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, until mankind shall have been greatly humbled to the dust and shall call upon the Lord in great trepidation. We are far from that condition of things now. Now the Germans pray to God that he will destroy England. And British prayers go up for the victory of their armies and the downfall of their foes. And so with the other nations participating in the war; each praying against its foes; each expecting God’s favor and blessing. Will it not be a very different story and will not very different prayers ascend when all nations shall realize their undoing and that the only succor they can hope for from any quarter, will be. through the interposition of divine power to stav the anarchy of that awful time which the Bible symbolically calls a devouring fire, and which our creeds have all mistaken to be literal fire? RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PREACHERS The following extracts from the Methodist Times purport to be faithful translations of some Gernian sermons recently preached. These sermons remind us of the infatuation unto persecution which once was general between the various sects. We had hoped that all such bitterness and acrimony were things of the past, yet here they are in all their evil malignity. Rev. William Burgess, the Methodist representative at Rome, furnishes the quotations referred to as follows: NO COMPROMISE WITH HELL “Pastor Zoebel, speaking in the great Lutheran church in Leipsic, said: ‘It is this deep consciousness of our mission that permits us to congratulate ourselves, and rest content with a heart full of gratitude, when our guns beat down the children of Satan, and when our marvelous submarines—instruments to execute divine vengeance—send to the bottom of the sea thousands of the non-elect. We must fight the wicked with every means in our power; their sufferings should give us pleasure; their crics of despair should not move German hearts. There ought to be no compromise with hell, no mercy for the servants of Satan—in other words, no pity for the English, French. and Russians, nor indeed for any nation that has sold itself to the devil. They have all been condemned to death by a divine decree.’ ” A WORK OF CHARITY “Professor Rheinold Seeby, who teaches theology in the Berlin University, preaching in the cathedral of the city, [5852]

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