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&kWATCH
TOWER
AN
D
HERALD
OF
CHR]STS
PRESENCE
YOLo
XL
PITTSBURGH,
PA.,
JANuARY
1,
1919
N"o.
1
VIEW
FROM
THE
TOWER
"A
FAITHFUL
WATCHMAN"
"Son
0;
man,
I
IUll'p
/lwde
thee
a
wMc:hmall
unto
the
Muse
of
Israelj
therefore
hear
the
u:ord
at
my
'molltli,
and
give
them
'll)(M'ning
from
me.
"-Ezekiel
3:
17.
Tn
these
words
does
the
Lord
appoint
Ezekiel
to
be
a
PASTO:!.
RUSSELL'S
MISSION
wakhmlln
over
Israel
after
the
flesh;
and
Bi,ble
Students
have
Pastor
Russell
was
co=issioned
of
the
Lord
to
warn
the
learned
that
llntitypically
these
same
words
apply
to
that
wicked
that
they
should
surely
die.
If
the
watchman
would
faithful
man
of
God
who
for
over
forty
years
past
has
served
faithfully
give
this
warning,
he
would
deliver
his
BOul;
but
a~
watchman
to
spiritual
Israel,
"the
Israel
of
God"-Dharles
if
hc
were
not
faithful
in
this
respcct,
God
would
require
the
Taze
Russell.
How
few
people.
eveu
of
the
professedly
re-
blood
of
the
wicked
at
his
hands.
(Ezekiel
3:18,
19)
The
li~ious,
realize
that
God
always
has
his
special
servants,
unfaithful
watchmen,
on
the
contrary,
told
the
wicked
that
whosf'
work
is
to
serve
as
watchman,
to
give
special
heed
to
they
would
not
surely
die,
but
they
they
would
live
on
for
the
Lord's
Word
and
to
sound
out
the
warnings
as
these
are
ever
in
fiery
torment.
See
also
Genesis
2:.17;
3:3-5.
necessary.
This
is
exactly
the
meaning
of
our
text.
Faith-
Furthermorl'.
Pastor
Russell
forewarned
that
we
are
living
fulness
is
required
on
the
part
of
aU
who
would
serve
as
the
in
the
end
of
the
Gospel
age,
that
a
new
age
is
about
to
be
Lord's
watchmen;
for
they
must
give
an
account
of
their
ushered
in,
that
the
end
of
the
age
would
be
accompanied
stewardship.
As
the
Apostlc
suggests:
"Obey
them
that
with
a
great
time
of
trouble,
distress
and
perplexity.
He
have
the
rule
over
you,
and
submit
yourselves;
f()r
they
watch
foretold
that
Christ's
kingdom
would
,be
esta.blished
by
force
for
your
souls.
as
they
that
must
give
an
account,
that
they
during
this
troublous
period-the
force
of
the
Iron
Rule.
Years
may
do
it
with
jor
and
not
with
grief."
(Hebrews
13:
17)
ago
he
foretold
the
federation
of
churches
and
a
tacit
union
Rut.
alas!
The
Scriptural
record~
reveal
the
fact
that
a.
between
Protestants
and
Catholics,
and
pointed
out
that
each
majority
of
watchmen
are
unfaithful.
would
hate
the
other
even
while
co-operating
one
with
the
It
might
be
asked:
"What
should
these
watchmen
be
other.
He
also
foretold
the
return
of
the
Jews
to
their
own
watchinll
for!"
The
Prophet
answers
this
question
quite
land.
Moreover,
he
warned
the
people
that
all
these
events
plainly
in
these
words:
"I
will
stand
upon
my
watch,
a,nd
were
but
incidental
to
the
overthrow
()f
Satan's
kingdom
and
set
me
upon
the
tower,
and
will
watch
to
see
what
he
shall
the
establishment
of
the
kingdom
of
Christ.
He
forewar,ned
say
unto
me,
and
what
I
shall
answer
when
I
am
disputed
the
religious
systems,
both
CathOlic
and
Protestant,
of
their
with."
(Habakkuk
2:
1)
Th!'ir
watching,
then,
consists
in
final
and
complete
overthrow
unless
they
repented
of
their
watchin~
to
see
what
the
Lord
will
say
ftnd
what
answers
sins
and
changed
thcir
course.
But
his
message
went
un
they
will
give.
If
ever
any
man
was
faithful
in
this
work
heeded,
except
that
many
scoffed
and
ridiculed
the
ideas
which
it
was
Pastor
Russell.
'V!'
note
again
that
every
faithful
he
presented,
seemingly
unawares
that
even
their
scoffilng
had
Watcher
has
always
been
the
object
of
envy
and
jealousy
on
been
foretold.-2
Pet.
3:3,
4.
the
part
of
the
unfaith,ful
wa,tchmen,
leading
on
eventually
True
to
the
teachin/!s
of
the
Scriptures
and
to
the
w(lrd
to
persecution
and
violence.
of
Godls
faithful
watchman,
a
federation
of
Protestant
WATCHMEN
FAITBFl1L
AJm
UNl'AITID'trL
churches
and
a
closer
affiliation
of
Protestants
and
Oatholics
Prior
to
the
time
of
Jesu!,
the
faithful
watchmen
were
began
to
tak~
pl~e
a
few
years
ago
..
Gradually
the
two
ends
~foses
and
the
prophets.
The
unfaithful
watchmen
of
the
of
the
ecc~esIasbcal
hea.ven~
(OatholIc
and
Protesta~t)
have
same
perioo
were
the
Scribes,
Pharisees
and
the
doctors
of
been
drawmg
to/l~th~r,
untIl
less
than
a
year
ago
It
would
the
law
wh()
persecuted
the
faithful
wateners
and
for
a
seem
that
the
affilIatIon
was
('omplete.
and
that
the
tW()
great
pretense'made
long
prayers
on
the
street
corner~,
gave
alms
;e1igi~
bodies-federated
Protestantism
and
federated
publicly
to
be
seen
of
men,
thanked
God
that
they
were
not
(Jatholl('Ism-had
Tolled
to~!'ther
as
a
sproll.
.
(~
scr?ll
rolls
as
other
men,
gave
tithes
regularly
(and
particularly
of
their
toget
hcr
from
both
cnds)
For
ye~rs.
thIS
affilI.atIOn
WIth
each
mint
and
cummin)
but
at
the
same
time
devoured
widows'
othcr
had
be!'n
sou/!ht;
and
negotIatIOns
to
thIS
end
had
been
houses.
They
constituted
thl'
class
who
our
Lord
deelared
'~ecretly
carried
on
.by
those
high
in
authority
in
bo~h.
sides.
were
hypocrites,
and
to
whom
he
said:
"Ye
blind
guides,
So
secretly
was
thIS
work
done
that.
the
great
majOrIty
of
which
strain
at
a
gnat
and
swallow
a
camel!"
Since
our
the
mcm~rs
of
the
Protestant
sects
dId
n~t
know,
and
have
Lord's
time
the
faithful
watchmen
have
,been
the
Apostles,
not
yet
found.
out,
.t~at
they
have
,been
delIvered
over
to
the
John
Wycliffe.
Martin
Luther.
Pastor
Russell
and
others.
The
Papa<;y
by.
theIr
rehgwus
leaders.
But
the
Papacy
understood
unfaithful
watchmen
have
;!Jeen
the
money-loving,
pleasure-
the
SItuatIon
well;
for
the
whole
scheme
had
been
concocted
loving,
honor-seeking
clergy
class,
wh()
instead
of
listening
by
h!'r.
,
..
to
the
Lord's
words
and
declaring
his
message,
have
been
Many
of
God
s
prophets,
wrltm~
~rom
two
thou.sand
to
preaching
for
doctrines
the
commandments
of
men.
Speak-
four
thousand
years
ago,
had
foretold
.lust
such
a
unIOn,
and
ing
of
the
faithful
watchmen
the
Prophet
said:
"Thy
watch-
had
warned
of
the
consequences.
(C'..enesis::l:
15:
IBR.iah
8:
12
men
shall
lift
up
the
voicc;
with
the
v()ice
tog'ether
shall
they
15:
34:4)
.
The
Apostle
Peter,
a~
the
I,?rd's
mouthpIece,
very
sing:
for
they
snaIl
see
eye
to
eye
when
the
Lord
returns
clearly.
pomted
out
that
when
the
unIOn
was
complete
the
to
Zion."
But
of
the
unfaithful
watchmen
he
said:
"His
symbolIcal
heavens
would
come
to
an
end.
(2
Peter
3:9·12)
watchmen
are
blind;
they
are
all
ignorant:
they
are
all
dumb
Sti.ll.
another
prophet.
had
foretold
tha~
t~ese
two
ends
of
.the
dogs;
they
cannot
bark:
sleeping,
lying
down,
l()ving
to
slum-
relIgtous
heavens,
whIle
outwardly
affilIatl!1g
and
cO'OJH;rat~ng,
ber.
Yea,
they
are
greedy
dogs
which
can
never
have
enough;
woyld
hate
one
anot~er,
each
a
thorn
In
the
other
s
SIde.
and
they
are
shepherds
that
cannot
understand:
they
all
look
(N
ahum
1:.10)
Durmg
the
p~
few
years
the
tend.ency
t()
their
own
way
everyone
for
his
gain
from
his
quarter."-
toward
affilIatIOn
and
co-<lperatIOn
has
been
very
manIfest,
Isaiah
52:
8;
56:
'to,
11.
'
and
seemingly
the
ancient
hatred
was
forgotten.
But
this
How
ardently
this
latter
class
hated
Pastor
Russell!
How
w!1s
merely
how
the
matter
appeared,
and
really
was
a
decep
much
they
threatened
and
persecuted!
How
diligently
they
twn.
The
word
of
the
prophet
Jeremiah,
wrItten
over
two
tried
to
stop
the
message
and
how
signally
they
failed!
Hear
thousand
years
ago,
was
true.
The
old
hatred
still
existed;
the
Word
of
the
L()rd
~n
this
point:
"But
the
house
of
they
were
indeed
"folded
together
as
thorns."
Israel
[nominal
spiritual
Israel]
will
not
hearken
unto
thee;
GBTTING
THEIR
EYES
OPEN
TO
I'AOTS
for
they
will
not
hearken
unto
me;
for
all
the
house
of
Israel
Recent
events
are
revealing-
these
ancient
foes
as
enemil!!
are
impudent
and
hard-hearted.
Behold,
I
have
made
thy
still;
and
Protestants
are
lust
awakening
to
the
knowledge
face
stron!!,
against
their
faces,
and
thy
forehl'lld
~trong
that
they
have
been
duped
again.
The
ediwI'6
of
various
against
their
foreh<>ads.
AI'!
an
adamant
harder
than
flint,
have
denominational
journals
are
g"l1ashing-
tbf'ir
teeth
with
ra!!'e
at
I
made
thy
forehead;
fear
them
not,
neither
be
dismayed
at
Papacy;
and
it
now
looks
as
if
she
has
passed
the
zenith
of
their
looks;
for
they
are
a
rebellious
house."-Ezekiel
3
:7-9.
her
power,
and
that
the
doom
foretold
by
the
Apostle
nineteen
[6373]
(3--4)
HNATCH TOWER, AND HERALD OF CHRISTS PRESENCE Vout. XL PITTSBURGH, PA., JANUARY 1, 1919 VIEW FROM THE TOWER “A FAITHFUL WATCHMAN” “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.”—Ezekiel 3:17. In these words does the Lord appoint Ezekiel to be a watchman over Israel after the flesh; and Bible Students have learned that antitypically these same words apply to that faithful man of God who for over forty years past has served aa watchman to spiritual Israel, “the Israel of God”—Charles Taze Russell. How few people, even of the professedly religious, realize that God always has his special servants, whose work is to serve as watchman, to give special heed to the Lord’s Word and to sound out the warnings as these are necessary. This is exactly the meaning of our text. Faithfulness ig required on the part of all who would serve as the Lord’s watchmen; for they must give an account of their stewardship. As the Apostle suggests: “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give an account, that they may do it with jov and not with grief”’ (Hebrews 13:17) Rut, alas! The Scriptural records reveal the fact that a majority of watchmen are unfaithful. Tt might be asked: “What should these watchmen be watching for?” The Prophet answers this question quite plainly in these words: “I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he shall say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am disputed with.’ (Habakkuk 2:1) Their watching, then, consists in watching to see what the Lord will say 4nd what answers they will give, If ever any man was faithful in this work it was Pastor Russell. We note again that every faithful Watcher has always been the object of envy and jealousy on the part of the unfaithful watchmen, leading on eventually to persecution and violence. WATCHMEN FAITHFUL AND UNFAITHFUL Prior to the time of Jesus, the faithful watchmen were Moses and the prophets. The unfaithful watchmen of the same period were the Scribes, Pharisees and the doctors of the law, who persecuted the faithful wateners, and for a pretense made long prayers on the street corners, gave alms publicly to be seen of men, thanked God that they were not as other men, gave tithes regularly (and particularly of their mint and cummin), but at the same time devoured widows’ houses. They constituted the class who our Lord declared were hypocrites, and to whom he said: “Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat and swallow a camel!” Since our Lord’s time the faithful watchmen have been the Apostles, John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, Pastor Russell and others. The unfaithful watchmen have been the money-loving, pleasureloving, honor-seeking clergy class, who instead of listening to the Lord’s words and declaring his message, have been preaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Speaking of the faithful watchmen the Prophet said: “Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord returns to Zion.” But of the unfaithful watchmen he said: “His watchmen are blind; they are all ignorant; they are all dumb dogs; they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough; and they are shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.”-— Isaiah 52:8; 56:10, 11. How ardently this latter class hated Pastor Russell! How much they threatened and persecuted! How diligently they tried to stop the message, and how signally they failed! Hear the Word of the Lord on this point: ‘But the house of Israel [nominal spiritual Israel] will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. As an adamant harder than flint, have I made thy forehead; fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks; for they are a rebellious house.”’——Ezekiel 3:7-9. [6373] PASTOR RUSSELL'S MISSION Pastor Russell was commissioned of the Lord to warn the wicked that they should surely die. If the watchman would faithfully give this warning, he would deliver his soul; but if he were not faithful in this respect, God would require the blood of the wicked at his hands. (Ezekiel 3:18, 19) The unfaithful watchmen, on the contrary, told the wicked that they would not surely die, but they they would live on forever in fiery torment. See also Genesis 2217; 3:3-5. Furthermore, Pastor Russell forewarned that we are living in the end of the Gospel age, that a new age is about to be ushered in, that the end of the age would be accompanied with a great time of trouble, distress and perplexity. He foretold that Christ’s kingdom would be established by force during this troublous period—the force of the Iron Rule. Years ago he foretold the federation of churches and a tacit union between Protestants and Catholics, and pointed out that each would hate the other even while co-operating one with the other. He also foretold the return of the Jews to their own land. Moreover, he warned the people that all these events were but incidental to the overthrow of Satan’s kingdom and the establishment of the kingdom of Christ. He forewarned the religious systems, both Catholic and Protestant, of their final and complete overthrow unless they repented of their sins and changed their course. But his message went unheeded, except that many scoffed and ridiculed the ideas which he presented, seemingly unawares that even their scoffing had been foretold.—2 Pet. 3:3, 4. True to the teachings of the Scriptures and to the word of God’s faithful watchman, a federation of Protestant churches and a closer affiliation of Protestants and Catholics began to take place a few years ago. Gradually the two ends of the ecclesiastical heavens (Catholic and Protestant) have been drawing together, until less than a year ago it would seem that the affiliation was complete, and that the two great Teligious bodies—federated Protestantism and federated Catholicism—had rolled together as a seroll, (A scroll rolls together from both ends) For years this affiliation with each other had been sought; and negotiations to this end had been secretly carried on by those high in authority in both sides. So secretly was this work done that the great majority of the members of the Protestant sects did not know, and have not yet found out, that they have been delivered over te the Papacy by their religious leaders. But the Papacy understood the, situation well; for the whole scheme had been concocted by her. Many of God’s prophets, writing from two thousand to four thousand years ago, had foretold just such a union, and had warned of the consequences. (Genesis 3:15: Isaiah 8:1215; 34:4) The Apostle Peter, as the Lord’s mouthpiece, very clearly pointed out that when the union was complete the symbolical heavens would come to an end. (2 Peter 3:9-12) Still another prophet had foretold that these two ends of the religious heavens, while outwardly affiliating and co-operating, would hate one another, each a thorn in the other’s side. (Nahum 1:10) During the past few years the tendency toward affiliation and co-operation has been very manifest, and seemingly the ancient hatred was forgotten. But this was merely how the matter appeared, and really was a deception. The word of the prophet Jeremiah, written over two thousand years ago, was true. The old hatred still existed; they were indeed “folded together as thorns.” GETTING THEIR EYES OPEN TO FAOTS Recent events are revealing these ancient foes as enemies still; and Protestants are just awakening to the knowledge that they have been duped again. The editors of various denominational journals are gnashing their teeth with rage at Papacy; and it now looks as if she has passed the zenith of her power, and that the doom foretold by the Apostle nineteen (3-4)
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