Data publicării
01.02.1919
Volumul
40
Numărul
3
Turnul de veghe
Views from the Watch Tower
Revistele originale Turnul de veghe în limba engleză
../literature/watchtower/1919/3/1919-3-2.html
 
I'rHRI'ARY 
I, 
1919 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(36·-37) 
and 
Bi,ble 
Students 
have 
heen 
apprised 
of 
these 
lapts 
for 
the 
past 
forty 
years 
through 
the 
writings 
of 
Pastor 
Russell. 
Even 
the 
discontent 
which 
would 
follow 
the 
war, 
and 
the 
numerous 
complications 
in 
world 
politics, 
have 
bccn 
picturcd 
by 
the 
holy 
prophets, 
as 
well 
fL~ 
the 
glorious 
kingdom 
of 
Messiah. 
which 
is 
to 
be 
established 
on 
the 
ruins 
of 
the 
present 
order. 
Incident 
to 
the 
great 
time 
of 
trouble 
in 
which 
we 
find 
our­ 
selves 
at 
the 
present 
moment, 
the 
Lord's 
people 
are 
called 
upon 
to 
undergo 
special 
trials 
and 
test's 
along 
with 
the 
rest 
of 
the 
world. 
Hut 
while 
the 
worldly-minded 
ones 
chafe 
under 
their 
experiences, 
the 
Lord's 
people 
have 
the 
blessed 
assurance 
that 
all 
things 
shall 
work 
together 
for 
their 
good, 
and 
that 
no 
weapon 
formed 
against 
them 
(a~ 
new 
creatures) 
shall 
pro"per; 
for 
this 
is 
their 
heritage 
as 
servants 
of 
the 
Lord.­ 
Isaiah 
54: 
17. 
Among 
the 
numerous 
conslJientious 
objectors 
and 
political 
pri~oners 
now 
in 
confinement 
will 
be 
found 
many 
members 
of 
the 
INTERNATIONAL 
Emu; 
STUDt;:-iTS 
ASSOCIATION. 
They 
have 
consecratE'<! 
their 
all 
upon 
the 
altar 
00 
sacrifice, 
and 
are 
accl'pting 
thl' 
cup 
which 
the 
Father 
hath 
poured 
for 
them 
in 
the 
true 
spirit 
of 
the 
Master. 
Tn 
considering 
the 
"arious 
articles 
now 
appearing 
in 
the 
newspapl'rs 
and 
magazines 
on 
the 
subject 
of 
Amnesty 
for 
political 
prisoners, 
and 
its 
possible 
effect 
upon 
the 
release 
of 
our 
own 
brethren 
in 
bonds, 
we 
are 
reminded 
of 
the 
experi­ 
enoos 
of 
Jcrcmiah 
in 
the 
days 
of 
Israel's 
IftSt 
king. 
He 
was 
imprisoned 
for 
his 
cOJlvictions 
and 
teachings, 
and 
was 
later 
rell'ased 
through 
the 
agitation 
caused 
by 
the 
radical 
element 
of 
that 
time. 
He 
was 
lifted 
from 
the 
dungeon 
by 
means 
of 
rags. 
WhetheT 
all 
the 
features 
connected 
therewith 
are 
typical 
we 
would 
not 
venture 
to 
say; 
but 
there 
are 
many 
things 
involved 
which 
make 
the 
general 
circumstances 
pic­ 
torially 
interesting. 
Who 
knows 
·hut 
that 
it 
may 
be 
through 
the 
newspaper 
agitation 
of 
the 
country 
that 
the 
release 
of 
all 
political 
prisoners 
may 
be 
shortly 
l,>rought 
about, 
and 
partic­ 
ularly 
those 
of 
the 
I,ord's 
people 
who 
have 
been 
incarcerated 
for 
conscienoo's 
sake? 
We 
quote 
from 
The 
SlYT'antonia-n 
of 
Scranton, 
Pa., 
under 
date 
of 
Dec~mber 
15, 
as 
follows:- 
"TIME 
'f0 
P 
ARDO~ 
'THE 
FnnSHED 
:MYSTERY' 
EDITORS 
"A 
New 
J~rsey 
paper 
()f 
recent 
date 
has 
the 
following, 
that 
is 
worthy 
of 
the 
consideration 
of 
every 
man 
who 
believes 
in 
justice: 
"TIME 
TO 
PARDON 
'THE 
FINISHED 
MYSTERY' 
EDITORS 
" 
'About 
one 
of 
the 
first 
things 
that 
President 
Wilson 
should 
do 
is 
to 
pardon 
the 
followers 
of 
the 
late 
Pastor 
Russell, 
who 
were 
sentenced 
to 
long 
terms 
of 
imprisonment 
for 
alleged 
vio­ 
lation 
of 
the 
Espionage 
Act. 
Some 
people 
think 
these 
men 
are 
more 
sinned 
against 
than 
sinning.' 
"That 
the 
administration 
will 
seriously 
consider 
this 
hint 
if 
the 
matter 
is 
properly 
presented 
at 
Washington 
there 
can 
be 
no 
doubt. 
It 
seems 
to 
conservative 
people 
that 
the 
im­ 
prisonment 
of 
the 
Russellites 
was 
a 
mistake 
that 
bordered 
on 
injustice. 
It 
will 
be 
remembered 
that 
a 
number 
of 
men. 
two 
of 
them 
from 
this 
city, 
engaged 
in 
the 
work 
of 
eompleting 
a. 
book 
that 
was 
being 
written 
by 
Pastor 
Russell 
at 
the 
time 
of 
his 
dl!ath. 
Certain 
pasBllges 
in 
the 
book, 
which 
in 
the 
main 
is 
a 
jumble 
of 
references 
to 
the 
Bible, 
denounced 
war 
on 
gen­ 
eral 
principles. 
"When 
the 
attention 
of 
the 
editors 
was 
called 
to 
what 
seemed 
disloyal 
utterances 
they 
quickly 
withdrew 
the 
'FIN­ 
ISHED 
MYSTERY' 
from 
circulation 
and 
offered 
to 
re-write 
it, 
or 
suppress 
it 
entirely 
until 
the 
end 
of 
the 
war 
with 
Germanv. 
They 
declared 
that 
they 
had 
no 
thought 
of 
committing 
a 
di's­ 
loyal 
act. 
"When 
the 
Russellites 
were 
sentenced 
several 
months 
ago 
it 
would 
have 
been 
useless 
for 
anyone 
to 
attempt 
to 
secure 
modification 
of 
their 
punishment. 
Public 
sentiment 
was 
too 
warm 
against 
anything 
that 
looked 
like 
an 
attempt 
to 
hamper 
the 
Washington 
government. 
But 
it 
is 
different 
today. 
And 
it 
se~IIIs 
time 
to 
make 
reparation 
for 
the 
error 
of 
classing 
these 
honest 
and 
loyal 
men, 
who 
nlight 
perhaps 
be 
religiou 
.. 
fanatics, 
with 
red-handed 
criminals 
who 
for 
money 
secured: 
from 
the 
Ger'JIlan 
government 
stood 
ready 
to 
stir 
up 
dissen­ 
sion, 
burn 
buildings 
and 
commit 
murder 
in 
the 
interest 
of 
their 
employers. 
"The 
SlYT'antonian 
has 
no 
interest 
in 
the 
sect 
formed 
by 
the' 
late 
Pastor 
Russeli 
and 
cares 
nothing 
for 
the 
teachings 
of 
the 
late 
Bible 
exponent. 
We 
have 
no 
afffiliation 
witH 
the 
cult, 
or 
whatever 
it 
may 
be 
called. 
Hut 
The 
Sarantonian 
believes 
in 
fair 
play, 
and 
conservative 
people 
evt>rywhere 
who 
are 
('on­ 
versant 
with 
the 
proceedings 
beginning 
with 
the 
arrest 
of 
the 
'l<'r:"vsJIED 
MYSTERY' 
editors 
and 
followed 
by 
their 
trial, 
con­ 
viction 
and 
sentence, 
must 
admit 
that 
the 
alleged 
offense 
did 
not 
call 
for 
any 
such 
punishment 
as 
was 
meted 
out." 
ROME 
IN 
:POLITICS 
Bible 
Students 
are 
familiar 
with 
the 
teachings 
of 
the' 
Scriptures 
which 
indicate 
that 
the 
Catholic 
Church 
would 
figure 
very 
largely 
in 
the 
political 
affairs 
of 
th~ 
world. 
For 
a 
brief 
period 
at 
the 
end 
of 
this 
age, 
the 
Revelator, 
referring,. 
we 
believe, 
to 
the 
Papal 
system 
as 
a 
world 
power, 
says: 
"And 
when 
he 
cometh 
he 
must 
continue 
a 
short 
space." 
(Revelation' 
17: 
10) 
Students 
of 
prophecy 
are 
therefore 
interested 
to 
learn 
with 
accuTal'y 
the 
views 
of 
the 
Pope 
on 
the 
coming 
"League 
of 
Nations." 
The 
habitus.! 
interest 
of 
Papacy 
in 
the 
politics. 
of 
the 
country 
is 
well 
expressed 
in 
the 
followlllg 
extract 
from 
The 
Christian 
IJeade1' 
of 
January 
7, 
1919: 
"It 
is 
no 
new 
thing 
that 
the 
Church 
of 
Rome 
seeks 
to 
con-· 
trol 
the 
political 
movements 
of 
any 
country 
in 
which 
it 
i~ 
strong 
enough 
to 
make 
it 
worth 
while 
to 
try. 
In 
the 
early 
history 
of 
our 
country, 
Rome 
was 
too 
weak 
to 
make 
itself 
felt, 
except 
in 
a 
small 
way 
in 
two 
or 
three 
of 
the 
states. 
But. 
of 
late 
it 
thinks 
of 
itself 
somewha.t 
as 
Germany 
has 
been 
do­ 
ing-able 
to 
control 
the 
government 
and 
derive 
its 
own 
nour­ 
ishment 
from 
the 
life 
of 
the 
nation. 
Usually 
it 
proceeds 
very 
slyly, 
and 
rarely 
publishes 
its 
purpose 
to 
the 
world; 
but 
OCClll­ 
sionally 
it 
forgets 
discretion 
and 
allows 
its 
inward 
thought1lll 
to 
escape. 
One 
of 
our 
contemporaries 
has 
lighted 
upon 
an 
article 
credited 
to 
The 
Nationa.l 
CathoUc 
Register, 
which 
lets 
fall 
statements 
of 
fa.ct~ 
and 
purposes 
which 
may 
well 
open 
thc 
eyes 
of 
our 
people. 
The 
paper 
referred 
to 
congratulates 
itse] 
I 
and 
its 
readers 
in 
such 
paragraphs 
as 
the 
following: 
"'It 
is 
God's 
plan 
that 
the 
Holy 
Fathcr 
of 
Rome 
should 
be 
the 
temporal 
and 
spiritual 
head 
of 
His 
Kingdom 
on 
earth. 
It 
is 
the 
same 
today 
as 
in 
the 
time 
of 
the 
first 
pope. 
The 
best 
way 
to 
accomplish 
this 
is 
through 
political 
power, 
through 
religious 
education 
and 
service. 
God 
has 
doubly 
hlessed 
the 
Catholic 
Church 
of 
America 
by 
placing 
one 
of 
its 
most 
faith­ 
ful 
sons 
at 
the 
right 
hand 
of 
President 
Wilson. 
Next 
to 
the 
President, 
Hon. 
Joseph 
Tumulty, 
a 
Knight 
of 
Columbus 
of 
the 
33rd 
degree, 
wields 
the 
grea.ust 
political 
power 
of 
a~y 
maTI 
in 
America; 
and 
as 
a 
true 
Catlwhc 
he 
is 
exercising 
the 
great­ 
est 
trust 
which 
God 
has 
given 
into 
his 
hands 
for 
the 
glory 
of 
the 
holy 
church. 
Through 
his 
tact 
and 
holy 
zeal 
he 
has 
cre­ 
ated 
a 
warm 
friendship 
between. 
the 
Catholic 
Church 
and 
Presi­ 
dent 
Wilson. 
This 
is 
the 
first 
time 
in 
the 
history 
of 
the 
country 
when 
the 
President 
and 
a 
great 
political 
party 
have 
openly 
sought 
an 
equal 
and 
honest 
alliance 
with 
the 
Catholic 
Church. 
Through 
the 
e1Jorts 
of 
Hon. 
Joseph 
Tumulty, 
Pre~i­ 
dent 
Wilson 
has 
practically 
granted 
that 
education 
in 
the! 
Philippines 
shall 
be 
under 
control 
of 
the 
Catholic 
Church; 
andl 
that 
religious 
activity 
in 
the 
great 
American 
army 
shall 
1ll!! 
under 
the 
direction 
of 
the 
Knights 
of 
Columhus. 
This 
mealJl$ 
the 
addition 
to 
the 
church 
of 
one 
million 
of 
the 
country's 
best. 
and 
bravest 
young 
men, 
or 
at 
least 
their 
strong 
preference 
and 
sympathy 
for 
the 
Catholic 
Church.''' 
SATAN'S 
SNARES 
AND 
DELUSIONS 
"Surely 
he 
sM!! 
deliver 
thee 
from 
the 
8nare 
of 
the 
fow!er."-PBlllm 
91 
:3. 
Throughout 
the 
Bible 
Satan 
is 
pictured 
as 
a 
great 
fowler 
sctting 
snares 
for 
the 
feet 
of 
the 
unwary; 
and 
in 
this 
work 
he 
has 
the 
eo-operation 
of 
a 
host 
of 
unseen 
spirit 
beings, 
all 
actu· 
ated 
by 
one 
common 
purpose, 
namely, 
that 
of 
hindering 
the 
lJOrd's 
people 
from 
making 
their 
calling 
and 
election 
sure. 
These 
evilly 
inclined 
beings 
are 
variously 
referred 
to 
in 
the 
Scriptures 
as 
"devils," 
"unclean 
spirits," 
"wicked 
spirits," 
"lying 
spirits," 
"seducing 
spirits," 
"the 
angels 
that 
smned." 
(Deuteronomy 
32: 
17; 
Matthew 
8: 
28; 
12: 
45; 
Mark 
1 
:23; 
2 
Peter 
2: 
4) 
They 
obsess 
or 
possess 
human 
beings, 
using 
the 
tongues 
and 
the 
voicps 
of 
these 
unfortunate 
persons 
to 
utter 
their 
own 
lying 
deceptions. 
(Matthew 
4:24; 
Luke 
8:2) 
Satan 
is 
repeatedly 
declared 
to 
be 
their 
"prince" 
or 
leader. 
The 
Bibll' 
further 
declares 
them 
to 
be 
the 
author 
of 
many 
of 
the 
false 
doctrines 
extant, 
and 
asserts 
that 
by 
believing 
and 
teaching 
these 
false 
doctrines 
the 
Lord's 
people 
may 
be 
unwittingly 
fellowshiping 
with 
these 
devils. 
This 
fact 
alone 
should 
be 
a 
sufficient 
rea~on 
why 
the 
Lord's 
people 
should 
be 
on 
their 
guard 
against 
such 
fellowship.-Matthew 
6:24; 
Ephesians 
2:2; 
1 
Timothy 
4:1; 
Revelation 
16:14; 
I 
Corinthians 
10: 
20, 
21. 
The 
only 
sucoossful 
way 
to 
resist 
these 
evil 
spirits 
is 
to 
be 
armed 
with 
the 
truth 
on 
all 
doctrinal 
points. 
(Ephesians 
6: 
11-13) 
The 
Scriptures 
still 
further 
teach 
clearly 
that 
these 
evil 
spirits 
approach 
the 
human 
mind 
by 
using 
cunning, 
crafty 
suggestions 
couched 
in 
Biblical 
language, 
often 
quoting 
Scrip- 
[6383] 
Trarvary 1, 1919 and Bible Students have been apprised of these facts for the past forty years through the writings of Pastor Russell. Even the discontent which would foltow the war, and the numerous complications in world politics, have been pictured by the holy prophets, as well as the glorious kingdom of Messiah, which is to be established on the ruins of the present order. Incident to the great time of trouble in which we find ourselves at the present moment, the Lord’s people are called upon to undergo special trials and tests along with the rest of the world. But while the worldly-minded ones chafe under their experiences, the Lord’s people have the blessed assurance that all things shall work together for their good, and that no weapon formed against them (a3 new creatures) shall prosper; for this is their heritage as servants of the Lord. Isaiah 54:17. Among the numerous conscientious objectors and political prisoners now in confinement will be found many members of the INTERNATIONAL Bisie Stupenrs AssocraTiIon. They have consecrated their all upon the altar of sacrifice, and are aceepting the cup which the Father hath poured for them in the true spirit of the Master. In considering the various articles now appearing in the newspapers and magazines on the subject of Amnesty for political prisoners, and its possible effect upon the release of our own brethren in bonds, we are reminded of the experiences of Jeremiah in the days of Israel’s last king. He was imprisoned for his convictions and teachings, and was later released through the agitation caused by the radical element of that time. He was lifted from the dungeon by means of rags. Whether all the features connected therewith are typical we would not venture to say; but there are many things involved which make the general circumstances pictorially interesting. Who knows but that it may be through the newspaper agitation of the country that the release of all political prisoners may be shortly brought about, and particularly those of the Lord’s people who have been incarcerated for conscience’s sake? We quote from The Serantonian of Scranton, Pa., under date of December 15, as follows:— “TIME TO PARDON ‘THE FINISHED MYSTERY’ EDITORS “A New Jersey paper of recent date has the following, that is worthy of the consideration of every man who believes in justice: “TIME TO PARDON ‘THE FINISHED MYSTERY’ EDITORS “ ‘About one of the first things that President Wilson should do is to pardon the followers of the late Pastor Russell, who were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment for alleged violation of the Espionage Act. Some people think these men are more sinned against than sinning.’ “That the administration will seriousl if the matter is properly presented at Washington there can be no doubt. It seems to conservative people that the imprisonment of the Rugsellites was a mistake that bordered on injustice. It will be remembered that a number of men, two of them from this city, engaged in the work of completing a book that was being written by Pastor Russell at the time of his death. Certain passages in the book, which in the main is a jumble of references to the Bible, denounced war on general principles, “When the attention of the editors was called to what seemed disloyal utterances they quickly withdrew the ‘FinISHED Mystery’ from circulation and offered to re-write it, or suppress it entirely until the end of the war with Germany. They declared that they had no thought of committing a disloyal act. “When the Russellites were sentenced several months ago it would have been useless for any one to attempt to secure consider this hint THE WATCH TOWER (36-37) modification of their punishment. Public sentiment was too warm against anything that looked like an attempt to hamper the Washington government. But it is different today. And it seems time to make reparation for the error of classing these honest and loyal men, who might perhaps be religious fanatics, with red-handed criminals who for money secured from the German government stood ready to stir up dissension, burn buildings and commit murder in the interest of their employers. “The Serantonian has no interest in the sect formed by the Jate Pastor Russell and cares nothing for the teachings of the late Bible exponent. We have no afifiliation with the cult, or whatever it may be called. But The Scrantonian believes in fair play, and conservative people everywhere who are conversant with the proceedings beginning with the arrest of the ‘FinIsHeD Mystery’ editors and followed by their trial, conviction and sentence, must admit that the alleged offense did not call for any such punishment as was meted out.” BOME IN POLITICS Bible Students are familiar with the teachings of the Scriptures which indicate that the Catholic Church would figure very largely in the political affairs of the world. For a brief period at the end of this age, the Revelator, referring,. we believe, to the Papal system as a world power, says: “And when he cometh he must continue a short space.” (Revelation: 17:10) Students of prophecy are therefore interested to learn with accuracy the views of the Pope on the coming “League of Nations.” The habitual interest of Papacy in the politics. of the country is well expressed in the following extract from The Christian Leader of January 7, 1919: “Tt is no new thing that the Church of Rome seeks to control the political movements of any country in which it is strong enough to make it worth while to try. In the early history of our country, Rome was too weak to make itself felt, except in a small way in two or three of the states. But. of late it thinks of itself somewhat as Germany has been doing—able to control the governmend and derive its own nourishment from the life of the nation. Usually it proceeds very slyly, and rarely publishes its purpose to the world; but occasionally it forgets discretion and allows its inward thoughts to escape. One of our contemporaries has lighted upon an article credited to The National Catholic Register, which lets fall statements of facts and purposes which may well] open the eyes of our people. The paper referred to congratulates itself and its readers in such paragraphs as the following: “Tt is God’s plan that the Holy Father of Rome should be the temporal and spiritual head of His Kingdom on earth. It is the same today as in the time of the first pope. The best way to accomplish this is through political power, through religious education and service. God has doubly blessed the Catholic Church of America by placing one of its most faithful sons at the right hand of President Wilson. Next to the President, Hon. Joseph Tumulty, a Knight of Columbus of the 33rd degree, wields the greatest political power of any man in America; and as a true Catholic he is exercising the greatest trust which God has given into his hands for the glory of the holy church. Through his tact and holy zeal he has created a warm friendship between the Catholic Church and President Wilson. This is the first time in the history of the country when the President and a great political party have openly sought an equal and honest alliance with the Catholic Chureh. Through the efforts of Hon. Joseph Tumulty, President Wilson has practically granted that education in the Philippines shall be under contro] of the Catholic Church; andl that religious activity in the great American army shall te under the direction of the Knights of Columbus. This meame the addition to the church of one million of the country’s best and bravest young men, or at least their strong preference and sympathy for the Catholic Church.’ ” SATAN'S SNARES AND DELUSIONS “Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler.”—Psalm 91:3. Throughout the Bible Satan is pictured as a great fowler setting snares for the feet of the unwary; and in this work he has the co-operation of a host of unseen spirit beings, all actuated by one common purpose, namely, that of hindering the Lord’s people from making their calling and election sure. These evilly inclined beings are variously referred to in the Scriptures as “devils,” “unclean spirits,” “wicked spirits,” « lying spirits,” oecducing spirits,” “the angels that stnned.” (Deuteronomy 32:17; Matthew 8:28; 12:45; Mark 1:23; 2 Peter 2:4) They obsess or possess human beings, using the tongues and the voices of these unfortunate persons to utter their own lying deceptions. (Matthew 4:24; Luke 8:2) Satan is repeatedly declared to be their “prince” or leader. The Bible further declares them to be the author of many of the false doctrines extant, and asserts that by believing and teaching these false doctrines the Lord’s people may te unwittingly fellowshiping with these devils. is fact alone should be a sufficient reason why the Lord’s people should be on their guard against such fellowship.—Matthew 6:24; Ephesians Ben} 1 Timothy 4:1; Revelation 16:14; 1 Corinthians 10: 0, 22. The only successful way to resist these evil spirits is to be armed with the truth on all doctrinal points. (Ephesians 6: 11-13) The Scriptures still further teach clearly that these evil spirits approach the human mind by using cunning, crafty suggestions couched in Biblical language, often quoting Scrip [6383]

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