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Contents of the Golden Age
Millions Wasted Foolishly, Educational Items
Good and Bad Convicts, Other Social Burdens ........ 804
’ Finance—Commzbcb—Tbansfobtation
Automobile Items, Important U.S. Porst, Railroad Profits . . . . 305
Political—Domestic and Foreign
Canada, Mexico, Honduras, Brazil.....’. . . . . . . 809
Brporrs non Fomas Correspondents
A Glimpsb ar What Was Really Is........., . . 827
Thz Gray Wolves and the Golden Eggs
Science and Intention
' Travel and Miscellant
- The Tumbleweed............... . . . 810
1 ' Religion and Philosophy
The Prater or a Consecrated Heabt (Poem)
The Columbus Convention or i. r. s. a.
The One Rule—The Golden Rule..... .
Studies in "the Harp or God”.................
Published every other Wednesday at 18 Coneord Street, Brooklyn, N. Y., U. & A., by WOODWORTH, HUDGING3 4 MARTIN
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■stared aa aeeoad-claae Bette at Brooklyn, N. Y- under the Act of March 3, 187#
: ^GoldenAge
Volume V Brooklyn, N. T„ Wednesday, September 24, 1924 N amber 131
A Digest of World News
(Radio-cast from WATCHTOWER WBBR on a wave length of 273 meters, by the Editor.]
Biff and Little Incomes
THE returns of the Bureau of Internal Revenue shows that last year there were sixtyseven individuals who reported that their net incomes were $1,000,000 or more per year. However, this does not at all fairly represent the number of men whose incomes are over $1,000,000 per year; for it is well known that most rich men in the country have been investing their wealth, in tax-exempt securities.
It does not appear that the Franklin National Bank of Philadelphia can be righteously accused of overpaying its employes. The fact has just been brought to light that after fifteen years, one of its employes, a man with a wife and six children, had worked his way up to a salary of $135 a month, or about what a good mechanic now gets for two weeks' work. The man’s wife worked in a mill. The wages of the people who do the hard work seem to be rising constantly, while the wages of those employed at office work rise slowly, if at all.
TO- SAY nothing of the fires which destroyed much valuable property, the July Fourth celebration of this year cost 200 youngsters the sight of either one eye or both eyes. We do not see that there is anything gained by this annual carnival of foolishness, and it seems to us that such restrictions should be put upon the sale of fireworks and explosives as would make it impossible for these accidents to happen to the little folks.
Forty-five million pounds of powder were destroyed by fire recently at the Old Hickory Powder plant near Nashville, Tenn. It belonged to the Government, and it’s estimated cost was over $22,000,000. It was manufactured during the war at a cost of fifty cents a pound The present market price is one cent a pound.
Making allowance for the fact that the dollar of 1912 shrank about forty-two percent in value during the suceeding ten years, it transpires that whereas, if all the property in the country had been equally divided in 1912, each person would have received $1,950 of wealth; while if all the wealth of the country had been divided in 1922, each person would have received $257 less. In short, the actual wealth of the nation due to the wastage of the World War was $10,000,000,000 less in 1922 than it was ten years previous. ,
OF THE 572 occupations listed in the United States Census there are only thirty-five in which no women are employed. There are over a million women farm-workers; over a million women servants; over six hundred thousand teachers; and over 560,000 stenographers and typists. In one factory in Indiana is a woman who has been making gingham aprons in the same factory for more than forty years. In 1920 there were little less than 2,000,000 women who were working for wages, and at the same time were filling their place as wives and mothers, because their husbands could not earn enough money to maintain their homes.
WITH a great deal of satisfaction we record the fact that the wages of teachers in 1922 were a little more than four times as much as they were in 1890. Even now the average wages are but $1,166 per year, and this is certainly none too much. California has the largest cost per capita for schools, $25.30 per child per year; and her wealth is also the highest, $4,007 per capita, fifty percent higher than the average for the United States. Statistics show that a child with a high school education has a two-to-one better chance of success in life than has a child with a lesser education.
Records which have been kept of 20,000 cases of school children, classified as backward, mentally deficient, or stupid, show that after these children had been fitted with glasses to correct defective vision, seventy to eighty percent of them took their places without difficulty in classes with the normal average child.
IT IS reported that at the Eastern State Pen- TNVESTIGATION of the counters of the cus- -itentiary of Pennsylvania a message was re- tom tailors in several cities of the United
Good and Bad Convicts ceived over radio by the convicts that a rubber ball would be tossed over the wall containing narcotics. A visitor to the prison had been asked to do some repairing on a receiving set, and being acquainted with the telegraphic code read the message and reported the matter to the officials, whose vigilance was rewarded by seeing the ball tossed over the wall during the day. An immediate ban was issued on all receiving sets in possession of the prisoners.
The Governor of Maine has sentenced a Scotch collie to prison for life at the State Prison at Thomaston. The reason why the Governor did this was not that he had anything against the dog, but that he believed it would be good for the inmates of the prison. It has turned out to be so. The dog has been a prisoner but a short time and it is reported that he has already become acquainted with every man in the institution. .
TO KEEP the women beautiful requires 1,675 kinds of powder, 1,396 kinds of perfume, 752 toilet waters, 600 beauty creams, 100 special skin foods, 400 hair preparations, 453 kinds of soap, 251 breeds of lipstick, 110 eyelash outfits, and yet people wonder at the rapidly growing increase of insanity
Nine years after his death it was discovered that a supposedly wealthy and successful lawyer at Port Chester, New York, who left property worth nearly $300,000, had stolen all of that and $500,000 more from women who had trusted him to handle their financial affairs for them. It frequently happens that the very worst criminals are those who are supposed to be counselors or administrators of the law.
Some idea of the burdens which bear down upon public men may be gained from the fact that after the death of their son, President and Mrs. Coolidge received more than ten thousand telegrams of condolence; and these were followed by an immense number of letters and resolutions. It is the policy of the President to answer each of these letters and telegrams personally, necessitating the services of thirty-five . or forty employes for a period of several weeks.
States rarely discloses any American-made goods. Tailors claim that in the American mills there is not a sufficient quantity of virgin wool used to make first-class cloth. Without doubt they are right. During the war, the manufacturers of American woolen goods were conspicuous as profiteers. It would seem as though there should be a good opening in America for some honest men in the woolen business.
IN SPITE of a hurricane in Western Nebraska .
which compelled .one of the air men to make ' . a forced landing, the air mail service between ’ New York and San Francisco continues its . regular performance every day, and even the mail which was blown to the ground arrived in New York ready for delivery only two hours ’ late. More than a million miles have already been flown by mail planes without a fatality.
The air mail service is not sufficiently patronized to make it a financial success; yet in * point of time it averages forty hours better than the fastest trains, and has never failed to save less than thirty hours on any trip.
It is estimated that by use of the air mail service, there is an annual saving of $800,000 in interest charges on transactions between the New • York Federal Reserve Bank and eleven other Federal Reserve Banks or branches.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has lowered its rediscount rate to 3 percent. This is said to be the lowest not only in its history, but of the world. It is the result of large importations of gold to this country and of the slackening of business. It also means that credits are easy in the United States, and that money is seeking investment. Institutions which have surplus money must make it work. If there is -no demand for it at 3 percent, it will go even lower.
A despatch from Atlantic City shows that - bank deposits increased four million dollars as ~~ a result of the throng of visitors received at that resort over the Fourth of July.
EW YORK is in the midst of a taxicab war in which the rates have fallen first from
forty to thirty cents a mile, and then from thirty to twenty cents. At the new cheap rates all the taxicabs are doing a rushing business; but it is not believed that this can last. There are said . to be about 35,000 persons directly engaged in the taxicab business in New York. It is claimed that the actual cost of operating a cab is twelve and three-fourths cents per mile, which figure includes the portion of the time when the cab is idle. It is calculated that unless the taxicabs are busy eighty percent of the time, they will not be able to get on at the low rate.
One hundred eighty-eight persons were killed by automobiles in the state of New York during July, fifty-eight of these being in New York city.
Los Angeles has 425,572 automobiles. It has forty badly crowded street intersections, three , of which have a daily movement of over 45,000 cars each.
Magistrate George Simpson of the New-York Traffic Court broke all records by trying 240 automobile cases in one hour. Those who know something about it say that the experienced automobilist always pleads guilty when arrested, knowing that if he fights the case it would likely go harder with him in the end.
At a point in New Jersey much visited by automobilists, a beautiful rippling stream comes down over the rocks looking as pure as any water could be. It was not until seventy persons had contracted typhoid fever by drinking from these waters that an investigation was made, which showed that part of the stream originated from a cemetery, and that the germs from the bodies of those who had died from typhoid were causing the death of the living. In a much more subtle way, those who died in the dark ages and earlier are stunting and poisoning the minds of people today by bequests of impossible creeds of ideas which they have made to our generation.
BASED upon the tonnage the following are the most important ports in the United States: New York, 28,000,000 tons per year; Los Angeles, 12,000,000; Baltimore, New Orleans and Philadelphia, 8,000,000; San Francisco, 6,000,000; Boston 4,000,000; Buffalo and Port Arthur, 3,000,000; Galveston, Norfolk, Seattle, Portland Ore., each 2,000,000; Newport News, Cleveland, Fall River, Tacoma, Mobile, Baton Rouge, Toledo and Perth Amboy, each 1,000,000 tons. •
HE farmers in their desperation to get relief from their financial hardships petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission for lower freight rates on agricultural products; and, as might be expected, the petition was denied. The Commission had guessed at the valuation of railroad property, putting it at $20,000,000,000; and as the railroad figures did not show a profit of five and three-fourths percent, as guaranteed by the Cummins-Esch bill, the cut in freight rates could not be made.
Mr. Thomas Gibson,* a recognized authority in finance, has published a book which does not Agree with the Commission's findings. He shows that many railroads will pay from sever percent to twenty-seven percent dividends on common stocks, which in most cases are “watered”. It is pointed out that on the day when the Commission handed down its decision, which was the day that Gibson's book was reaching the investigating public, the railroads of the United States could have been purchased on the New York Exchange for $14,000,000,000, or $6,000,000,000 less than the Commission's “tentative valuation”.
Mr. Gibson further shows that the railroads conceal their earnings by increasing the expenditures for maintenance. If the expenditures in 1924 had been the same as in 1923, the profits of the railroads would have greatly exceeded the five and three-fourths percent; but as the gross income had fallen off some $80,000,000, so the maintenance cost had declined some $30,000,000. It is apparent from Mr. Gibson's figures that the profits of the roads were approximately $10,000,000 greater during the first four months of 1924 than in 1923.
Since the Government guarantees the rail* roads five and three-fourths percent on property value, the “property value'* has increased enormously; and hundreds of millions have been added during the past year. Also, if one road pays well, so that surplus earnings will be turned back to the Government, it will be consolidated with a road that loses, so that the losing road will absorb the profits of the winning road instead of permitting Uncle Sam to have any of the money.
Financial writers find out that during the six months just ended, more money was paid out in dividends by industrial anl railroad companies than in any other half-year in America’s history. These facts should be given due weight when considering the following:
Same Interesting Railroad Facts
DURING the first ten months of 1923 the
Detroit, Toledo and Ironton railroad, owned ed by Henry Ford, made a loss of $168,000. We do not know the reason for this. The last previous datum we had regarded this road was that Mr. Ford desired to obtain permission from the Government to reduce the rates, as he considered that he was making too much money. We merely present what are said to be the facts, without at this time attempting to offer any explanation. If any of our readers can give a reason for this changed situation, we would be glad to have it. We believe that the diverting of the passenger and freight traffic from the railroads to the highways is the correct explanation.
For the three years 1920-1922 inclusive, the average dividend on railroad stock in the United States was considerably less than one and one-half percent. In 1908 the stock of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul was $199.62 per share. It is quoted in recent stock quotations at $16.50 per share. On this railroad there has not been a dividend in five years. •
The bonded indebtedness of the railroads of the country is $11,420,000,000. These bonds are largely held by the great insurance companies and the trustees of educational and philanthropic institutions, so that to a large extent the owners of the bonds are the people who have taken out life insurance or who are’ sending their children to college. Thus every million of automobiles put into use by the American people works toward higher passenger and
Biookltk, • 1*
freight charge?, higher educational costs, and more expensive life and fire insurance.
The following is a statement of the relative costs of certain railroad items before and since the World War made us “safe for democracy”: Cost of Equipment, etc. Before the War After the War
Freight cars ' $ 800 > 1,800
Refrigerator cars 1,200 . 2,700 •
Passenger coaches 8,000 ’ 20,500
Engines 24,000 54,000
Annual payroll (millions) 1,739 3,698
During the year 1922, 44.4 percent of the railroad • revenue was spent for labor, 10 percent for fuel, 19.9 percent for materials and supplies, 6.5 percent for leases, losses, damages and miscellaneous items, 5.4 percent for taxes, 11.9 percent for interest and fixed charges, and 1.9 percent for dividends and improvements. .
During the last five years there have been 5,684 miles of unprofitable railway track abandoned. Ever since the war the Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis railway, 234 miles long, has had an annual operating deficit of $605,000. It is now in a state of complete collapse.
At this writing the railroad outlook does not seem rosy.
THE Republican platform most enthusiastically declares that the League of Nations
is all wrong, but that the Republican party purposes in the future, as in the past, to do all possible to cooperate with it and to join its world court. •
The Democratic platform, with equal enthusiasm, declares that the League of Nations is all right, but that nobody can be sure that it is right until it is submitted to the people on a referendum vote; and that meanwhile, in the future as in the past, the Democratic party purposes to do all possible to cooperate with it and to join its world court.
The only thing sure about the matter, in the minds of these politicians, is that the American people as a whole want nothing to do with the League; but this they both carefully refrain from emphasizing.
The candidacy of Robert M. La Follette for President has been endorsed by the Socialists. The thing which caused the Socialists to endorse Mr. La Follette’s candidacy was his statement that the supreme issue is whether the wealth of the nation shall remain in the hands of a privileged few. The official name of Senator La Fol-
lette’s new party is The Conference for Progressive Political Action. _
If Mr. La Follette should succeed in beating the Republican and Democratic parties, it would be good news to hosts of true Americans who are disgusted with both of the old parties. Those who nominated Senator La Follette contend that they represented at least 5,000,000 voters. They insist that he will carry all of the Northwestern states; while Senator La Follette himself is reported as believing that he will be the country's next President.
U. S. Most Lawless Country
AT THE installation of Judge William Allen in the Court of General Sessions of New York City, Judge Alfred J. Talley made an address in which he stated to Judge Allen that the United States must plead guilty to the indictment of being the most lawless country on earth. In Judge Talley’s address he said:
"Most of the desperate criminals are mere boys. You will be heartbroken at the discovery that the vast majority of defendants are under nineteen or twenty years.”
On the night of July 29, in the rum war which is being constantly waged between the United States Government and the fleet of liquor-laden vessels lying off the Jersey coast, three rum boats were captured as they were bringing their cargoes into New York. All three of the vessels were heavily loaded with whisky;
At the summer school of statesmen at Wil» liamstown, Mass., Dr. Tyler Dennett of Washington, D. C., who is studying President Roosevelt’s private correspondence, announced that during the Russian-Japanese war President Roosevelt had a secret agreement that Japan would keep out of the Philippines and that the United States would not interfere with their having their own way in Korea. At the same time, President Roosevelt warned France and Germany that they must not go into war on the side of Russia, for if they did, he would put the United States into war on the side of Japan.
Sundry Political Items
THE president of the American Bar Association in an address before that body stated that in the Federal Government alone there are more than 750,000 employes; and that there are more than 3,400,000 people employed by national, state and municipal governments, so that every twelve workers in the United States support one government employe.
Under the new immigration law, the number of Germans that can be admitted into the country next year is 51,227; residents of Great Britain 34,000; Irish Free State 28,557. Only, 3,845 may come from Italy.
Athletic Notes ~ ■
AT INNEAPOLIS has a policeman by the ■k’-L name of John Ward who has been on the staff thirty-five years, and. is now seventy years of age. He was told that he must retire on a fifty-dollar per month pension, but refused to quit. He took a new civil service examination and passed one hundred percent, including the physical test He was leader in a field of twenty-five applicants, all younger than himself.
Out of twenty-seven events in .the Olympic games held at Paris in July, the Amerinan representatives obtained first place in twelve events, and the representatives of Finland obtained first place in ten events; Great Britain obtained honors in three events; and Australia and Italy one each. The running high jump was won by H. S. Osborne of the United States. The jump was 6 feet 6 inches. In one of the events, R. Le Gendre of the United States made a world’s record of 25 feet 6 inches on a running broad jump. In the pole vault, L. Barnes of the United States scaled 12 feet iiy2 inches.
Agricultural Items. '
IN THE latter part of July Georgia peachgrowers are estimated to have thrown away four million bushels of peaches for which they could not obtain more than eight cents a basket or forty cents a crate, hardly enough to pay for the crates and baskets. At the same identical time peaches were selling at 65c a basket at Scranton, Pa., and could not be obtained for less.
The world’s wheat crop for this year is only about eighty-seven percent of what it was last year. This is giving American and Canadian farmers better prices for their products at a time when a little encouragement of the farming industry is greatly needed.
A new factor has become apparent in the cotton business. Less cotton is actually being used than before. Bags that used to be made of coc-Cotton towels in
ton are now made of jute.
public places have been replaced by paper towels. Thousands of table cloths have been succeeded by marble slabs. Most important of all is the fact that it is claimed that the weight of clothing worn by the modern woman is only about thirty-five percent of what it used to be. Sleeves and skirts are short, and many of them are made of silk. The petticoat, once an important part of women’s clothing, has almost ceased to exist.
In the cotton fields of Texas' cotton picking continues throughout September, October, and November, in temperatures ranging from 99* to 20° above zero. Cotton picking is hard on the hands of inexperienced pickers. In some of the Texas fields, babies three years old have been found working. In one field a six-year-old girl was found who had begun field work at the age of four, and by working twelve hours a day managed to pick eighty pounds a day. The wages given the pickers average 2c per pound.
BY MEANS of moving picture apparatus, 40,000 pictures have been taken of atoms in collision with other atoms. A professor of > Chicago University, when showing some of these photographs in a lecture, made the astounding statement that the nuclei of these atoms are only one ten-thousandth the diameter of the atoms themselves; and that if these nuclei could be separated from their electrons and packed tightly together, the weight of one cubic inch of such material would be one hundred million tons, or enough to construct 2,000 of the largest battleships afloat.
Fifty feet below the surface of the ocean at Atlantic City one Thursday afternoon, a diver with a microphone placed in the helmet of his diving apparatus, connected with one of the radiocasting stations at Philadelphia, described the appearance of two wrecks which lay near him; and his description went out all over the eastern part of the United States. He explained that in the bright sunlight at a distance of fifty feet below the surface, everything looks green.
Hebrew scholars have just called attention to the fact that the word radio is not a new word. It appears in the Talmud; and the rabbis have associated it with the flash of lightning that burned up the sacrifices offered on Mount Carmel when Elijah called down fire from heaven.
It is believed that a new era is dawning in the study and practice of music through a device by means of which any sound can now be photographed and a permanent record made of the sound waves produced. This invention is by; Professor Seashore, of the State University of Iowa, and is being used in the University, of Iowa in the study of music.
fPHE Johns Hopkins Hospital has discovered -*• a new and successful method for treating ' persons whose; bodies have been covered with burns. Heretofore, if one-third of a person’s body was burned the case was considered hopeless. Now the burned person is put into a tub of water, and kept there for six days, day and night, and meantime is compelled to drink large quantities of water. The water in the tub is changed frequently. This method has proven remarkably successful; and persons whose bodies were nearly covered with burns have regained their health by this method.
Scientists in New York who examined the white Indian children brought from Panama acknowledge that -these children are really white, but claim that their condition is due to a tropical disease called leucodermia, which is quite prevalent in the West Indies, but ordinarily manifests itself only in white patches on the skin. While the discoverer of these Indians was in Panama, he saw and photographed, about 400 of all ages.
It is a favorable sign, for the health of the American peqple that their annual per capita consumption of citrus fruits is over 30 pounds per year; 21.9 of this is in oranges, 6.1 in grapefruit, and 3.7 pounds in lemons.
IN DENVER the other day, a Baptist minister made the statement that the church is an ash heap and a junk pile; that five percent of the church members do not exist; ten percent can not be found; twenty-five percent do not go to church; fifty percent never contribute a cent toward Christian work; seventy-five percent never go to a week-day service; ninety percent do not have family altars in their homes; and ninety-five percent never attempt to win a new recruit for the church.
An Atlanta pastor has criticized President
Coolidge because in his radio address to the
• Boy Scouts the President advised the boys first • to reverence nature, second to reverence law, / - third to reverence God. We suggest as an alibi ‘ for President Coolidge that in mentioning God . last he meant it as a climax; but in any event, in mentioning God at all he was far ahead of the writers of the covenant of the League of Nations, who did not give Him any place whatever. Yet strange to say, there were ministers ’’r’sss jwMtW sama “the political
expression o£ God’s kingdom on earth”.
Reverend Dr. George Elliot, editor of the Methodist Review, New York city, in an address at Bridgeport, Conn., asked the preachers of the • city on Monday, July 7, who had caused the war and then answered the question by saying, "We all did, all Christians who did not cry out their Christianity, all narrow nationalists, all militarists.” He added: “It is cheaper to buy peace than make war. If we spent four billions a year for humanity instead of for war, no nation would dare to fight us.”
Dr. Wirt, a Presbyterian pastor of Los Angeles, recently returned from Europe, believes that Europe is turning toward another world war which will destroy civilization. He quotes a prominent German citizen as saying that the despairing peoples of Europe are everywhere be,*rirning to look upon another war as the only me,.ns of rectifying intolerable conditions; and Dr. Wirt himself made the pungent statemenf that the late war settled nothing, but rather unsettled everybody and everything.
The Canadian Minister of Immigration is at present in England endeavoring to speed up immigration, but many Canadian people oppose further immigration at this time.
THE already strained relations between Mexico and Britain have been augmented by the robbery and murder of Mrs. Rosalie Evans, the American wife of a British citizen. Mrs. ' wraa ^rocfteding to her estate along a -road where numerous robberies have occurred. She had with her at the time a large sum of money for meeting the weekly pay-roll on her estate.
The bandits who robbed and killed her have been identified; confessions have been obtained; and within a week after the crime was committed the trial was in progress. We see nothing in this for the British Government or the American Government to get excited about. Hardly a week passes in the United States without one or more pay-roll robberies. They are frequent . in New York city, where'the banks and express companies now use.armored cars exclusively in transporting funds.' •
Since the world was made safe for democracy robberies are so frequent in the United States . that it is impossible to take a through train of importance anywhere, without having to run the gauntlet of from two to six hard-visaged, hardvoiced, heavily-built and heavily-armed men. The world is in a bad way in more places than Mexico.
THE highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, Mount Robson, 13,068 feet high, has just been scaled by a party which contained two women, both of whom succeeded in making the summit. In one place the party had to climb up 100 feet of ice cliff by hand-holes cut into the ice.
One of the railroads of Canada recently advertised in Toronto for 500 men at 25c per hour, with a deduction for board of $5.50 per week. In answer to the advertisement 1,500 men presented themselves, and in their eagerness for work became so demonstrative that it was necessary to call out the police. With prices of all commodities at their present level, it is practically impossible for a man to maintain a home on any such earnings.
HONDURAS seems to be in a state of chronic revolt now-a-days. The troubles that were fixed up in May by the treaty of peace signed on the United States cruiser “Milwaukee” have broken out afresh. The Minister of War, who is a Liberal, has decamped from the capital, taking with him many of the troops and all the arms and ammunition he could seize. War has broken out afresh; two Americans are reported slain; and the American marines are again at* tempting to restore order. .
THE civil war in Brazil, which broke out in the large city of Sao Paulo, is virtually at an end. After the seizure of the city by the in- ’ surgent forces, federal airplanes dropped papers with, a notice of their intention to bomb ‘ the city. As a result 250,000 people fled into the wilderness, and the rebel forces left the city in order to prevent the threat from being carried out. This is an advanced picture of what will happen when Armageddon is world-wide.
The Prophet states the matter thus: “He hath broken the covenant [Treaties are not worth the paper they are written on}, he hath despised the cities [rendered uninhabitable by foes without and within], he regardeth no man [Every man’s hand is against his neighbor]. The earth moumeth and languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down [The forests disappear before the onslaughts of the multitude needing warmth and shelter]; Sharon is like a wilderness [The fields are stripped of their crops]; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits [The orchards are robbed by those whose necessities know no law].”—Isaiah 33:8,9.
LITTLE while ago a volcano was generally considered one of the most useless things
in the world, but new uses for them are being continually discovered. Volcanic dust in the air tempers the climate and promotes rainfall. Volcanic ash promotes vegetation. Volcanic sulphur has produced thousands of tons of this commodity; and now the tapping of volcanic flanks so that the steam from the volcano can be used for the generation of electricity for light, heat, and power purposes is quite common. The latest mountain which it is purposed to use in this way is Mount Tatio, on the boundary between Bolivia and Chile. It is stated that the steam from Mount Tatio is so pure that it does not have to be first cleansed, as is necessary where volcanic steam is used in Italy and Cali-' fomia. Engineers have figured that the power obtainable annually from Mount Tatio would require half a million tons of coal in an ordinary steam plant.
The Tumbleweed By J. A. Bohnet
EVERY farmer from Dakota to Texas knows the tumbleweed, and knows it to his sorrow.
It is the curse of agriculture throughout the western plains, and causes as much trouble as any other weed.
The tumbleweed is known as the Russian thistle. It grows spherical in shape, about two feet in diameter usually.
It has numerous stems thickly covered with short thorns; and it starts growing when summer is well advanced. Its density makes it a pest. Its color is bluish green.
Late in the fall the tumbleweed dies, and is broken off close to the ground. Then it is sent scurrying across the level stretches by the high winds, bouncing along in leaps sometimes as high as the telegraph lines, on which it oftentimes lodges, and is blown along on the wire till halted by the pole. Often the telegraph pole is a grizzly sight by reason of the multitudinous tumbleweeds clinging to it.
As this weed hits the ground in its bouncings, it shells out its seed for the next year's croppage. The fences very often are so weighted with the .weeds that they give way under the strain. On a windy day the tumbleweeds resemble a flock of sheep scudding across the prairie wastes, seemingly racing with each other and vying as to which can bounce the high.:?, Gullies are quickly filled with the tumbling weeds. One day the tumbleweeds go rushing along in one direction; and the next day the same weeds may be seen hurrying back towards where they came from, driven at the impulse of the winds.
As one undertakes to capture the tumbleweed in its flight, it seems possessed of life in its seemingly persistent efforts to keep just out of arm’s reach. It goes as though it had-been sent for. It is as elusive as a butterfly or as a straw hat on a windy afternoon.
The Russian thistle is not the real tumbleweed, which is thornless and less offensive; but it makes an excellent substitute. The real tumbleweed behaves better, and grows more generally on waste places and along the wayside and not so much among the fanners’ croprows. It is partial to railroad trackage, as is likewise the Russian thistle. In the Millennium we may expect both gradually to disappear, as will other noxious growths.
The Prayer of a Consecrated Heart By Frederick J. Falkiner, (Ireland )
My gracious Father and my God, I praise and magnify Thy name, As in the way my Savior trod
I walk, devoid of wealth or fame.
I know that I have but to plead, ' According to Thy sacred will, In Jesus’ name, for all I need;
And Thou Thy promise wilt fulfil.
Grant that Thy love may fill my heart, That thus I may be more like Thee, My loving Father, Thou who art Custodian of my destiny.
Oh, keep me ever at Thy side,
- And sanctify me through Thy Word; Eemit my sins through Him who died, My living Head, my heavenlyLord!
Oh, keep me ever clean and free From all impurity and sin,
And grant that I may unto Thee Be found acceptable in Him.
Oh, let Thy work rejoice my heart, And give me grace from day to day
Faithfully to perform my part, Throughout this long and narrow way!
Thy workmanship in me complete, That thus I may be soon prepared
For glory; when I then shall meet The Christ of God, whose death I shared.
The glories of my future state, Revealed within Thy Sacred Word,
Will truly more than compensate For all my sufferings, gracious Lord.
Help Thou Thy child to tread Thy ways;
Lord, glorify Thyself in me;
Accept my worship and my praise: Oh, hear me^ as I pray to Thee!
The Columbus Convention of the I. B. S. A.
THE greatest convention of Bible Students held during the ages is past. It began Sunday morning, July 20th, 1924. It closed Sunday night, one "week later, with thousands of consecrated followers of Jesus standing, waving their handkerchiefs while they sang together, "God be with you till we meet again.” That convention was a blessed season never to be forgotten. In all there were probably 20,000 who attended the convention during the week. In this wicked world, filled with sorrow, perplexity and distress, think of 15,000 or more gathered together in one body, all of one mind, the heart of each one devoted to the Lord, with no murmurings, no complaining, no faultfinding, no controversies, no strife, and with their countenances beaming with the spirit of the Master.
Some were from far-away Australia; some from Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Scandinavia, and from Great Britain; and many came from Canada, and every state in America. They journeyed by steamship, by railway, by electric cars; thousands came by automobiles; and some even walked many long weary miles. Friends provided for these latter to return home by convenient conveyance. They came for no idle purpose, but to receive a blessing and to be a blessing.
Great numbers of children came with their parents. Blessed are the children. Thrice blessed are those whose parents are devoted to the Lord. And blessed is the privilege to teach these young minds concerning the Lord and His kingdom, and to lead them in the right way. In the near future these shall shine forth, reflecting the glory of the Lord’in the earth. Ample provision was made to care for these little ones during the meetings, and at the proper time the parents brought them into the great assembly and publicly consecrated them to the Lord. Let the parents look well to the interest of their children now. This old world and its desires are rapidly passing from the earth, but the kingdom of Christ and its blessings will abide forever. Teach and lead your children now in the right way, and the rich emoluments of the kingdom of righteousness may be their portion to all eternity.
The convention opened with an address of welcome from the Mayor of Columbus, who spoke words of good cheer to the Bible Students; and this kind spirit was manifested by the people of Columbus and vicinity to those who attended the convention. Discourses were given in the English language every day in the main auditorium, according to program, while at the same time meetings were being addressed by competent brethren in Arabic, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Lithuanian, Polish, Russian, Scandinavian and Ukrainian.
With the aid of an electric voice amplifier erected on the platform, and one also below the platform, every word of the speakers could be heard by the vast audience. Those who testified at the testimony meetings formed a line, and at the proper time stepped before the amplifier below the main platform and gave their testimonies, all of which could be heard by all present. This added greatly to the blessings enjoyed. It would have been impossible for such an assembly to carry on Bible study intelligently without the aid of these great inventions. '
Each evening a public meeting was addressed by one on the speakers in Memorial Hall, seating 3,000. The hall was packed out on each occasion. At the noon hour each day a public meeting was addressed by some competent speaker at the Keith Theatre for the benefit of the business men.
The Avery-Loeb Company,Station W P AL, placed their radio station at the disposal of the convention; and each evening a splendid program was rendered, to the edification of thousands of people in Ohio and adjoining states. Hundreds of the conventioners were camped at Indianola Park, where receiving sets were installed and the radio programs enjoyed.
The public press carried good reports each day of the convention. They did the best they could. The Ohio State Journal had promised to handle all subscriptions sent in, expecting of course only a few thousand; but when the subscription list for the convention edition reached 20,000 the management announced that ‘ it was utterly impossible for them to take care of any more.
THURSDAY was service day. Discourses on the preceding day emphasizing the privilege enjoyed by the Christian to meet the requirements laid down by the Lord, to proclaim the message of His kingdom. Those present 'caught the spirit and inspiration, and appreciated the privilege they would have of giving a personal witness to the people of Columbus and vicinity. The result was that 5,051 engaged in the field service work. Automobiles to the number of 359 carried those who visited the country towns. No meetings were held during the day until 7 o’clock in the evening.
It is easy to see how this was the happiest part of the convention; for it served as an opportunity for each one individually to preach the gospel to some hungry soul and to comfort some sorrowful heart. The vicinity within a radius of sixty miles of Columbus was canvassed by this little army.
The report of books placed in the hands of the people as a result of service day totaled 29,367 volumes. It would be impossible to preach so many sermons to so many people in any other way. We may easily multiply this number of books by five, which would amount to more than 100,000 discourses. As the average members of a family are five, it would not be out of the • way to say that this little service day resulted in preaching to practically 500,000 people.
WE GIVE here a few interesting items concerning the convention:
Italian Bible Students visited Marble Cliff, an Italian section, and placed 251 volumes ill the hands of Italians.
A lady remarked: f^You Bible Students look so happy. Your religion must be wonderfuL ' Columbus ought to appreciate you.”
One lady who was canvassed said that she was disgusted with the preachers of the nominal churches; that she had found one preacher intoxicated, and that an investigation disclosed a still in his cellar.
A young man who delivered refreshments to the grounds reported that a preacher had warned him against the Bible Students. This young man replied to the preacher in these words: “I smoke cigarettes, and have never been ashamed to smoke in front of you. But when I go to the Fair Grounds I throw my . cigarette away; for I am ashamed to be the only one smoking in that large gathering.”
A man living near the Fair Grounds had taken in eight Bible Students. His neighbor had taken four. At the instance of a clergyman the latter turned the four out in the streets. The gentleman who had eight provided extra beds, and took them in. In that little home he fed an average of 105 Bible Students per day. On the Monday following he sent his automobile truck to help clear the Fair Grounds, and could not do enough to show his appreciation of the Bible Students.
The Postmaster of Columbus stated to a Golden Age representative that the Bible Students
looked after their people better than any other convention that had ever attended Columbus. From the post office at the Fair Grounds had been sold 18,000 wrappers besides 186,000 wrappers sold and mailed from the main post office; and when some had not attached sufficient postage others who heard of it came to the post office and supplied the money to pay the postage. Every paper went out On time. The Postmaster said: “And we hope that you will hold your next convention in Columbus.”
The business men of Columbus were highly pleased with their contact with the Bible Students; and many of them in their advertisements spoke kindly concerning them. On Monday following the close of the convention the following appeared in the Ohio State Journal, published at Columbus: —
“Well, the Russellites have come and gone, and this and the Billy Sunday revival are the two biggest 'jolts on religion’ that Columbus ever had, and this is the way I compare the two:
“Billy preached hell fire, damination, torture and brimstone, after making his enterprise safe from any chance of financial failure by raising money in advance and, after raising huge sums of money from all classes, rich and poor, left our city in a financial panic, the merchant’s trade being ruined during his stay and for some time afterwards. On the other hand, the Russellites preached a more wholesome religion and scattered money all over our city in homes where a little money is a 'new stake' as many people are out of work and needed the cash. Furthermore, every Russellite had the very sweetest manner toward every one.
“Russellites, call again. You’ll find us at home. Many would say Billy left a bad taste. The Russellites were much better.”
The writer just quoted speaks of the Bible Students as Russellites. Of course he means no disrespect. We merely correct him by saying that we are Christians, followers of Jesus Christ and followers of no man; and that we recognize Charles T. Russell as the servant of the Lord, and our brother in Christ.
ONE of the happiest features of the convention was the music. Friends from different parts of the country brought their instruments, and under the supervision of B. M. Rice of Chicago, and E. G. Walters of Tamaqua, Pa., an orchestra of sixty pieces was organized, which played for all meetings. This instrumental music, added to the thousands of voices harmoniously united in praise, was inspiring and edifying to all that were present, "
THE i-mmersinn service was held at the swim
ming pool of the Indianola Park, where 485 persons were immersed. An enterprising moving-picture concern made pictures of this immersion service, which they have exhibited throughout the country, calling attention to the great number of Christians observing the baptism of our Lord.
THE meeting for the public was held in the
Ohio State University Stadium. Considering the population of Columbus, which, is less than 300,000, and the extremely warm day, the attendance of this meeting was unusual for its size. The gentleman having charge of the gate receipts at all functions at the Stadium estimated the crowd at 35,000.
By the use of a Western Electric voice amplifier every person in the vast Stadium could hear distinctly the words of Judge Rutherford’s address. The discourse was received with splendid attention; and while it is a pointed exposition of the fallacies of Christendom, it was received with enthusiasm and applause by the great audience. On the Monday following the Ohio State Journal carried the lecture in fulL
Judge Rutherford, President of the Society, delivered the keynote address, following which an indictment was read which was unanimously approved by the rising vote of this mighty throng of Christians. An indictment is a formal statement of offenses presented and charged against a certain class of persons. The indictment herein is laid chiefly against the clergy, showing that they have fallen before the temptations of Satan, proved unfaithful to the Lord and to the responsibility resting upon them; and that this is the chief cause of the world’s present deplorable state. We give the substance of Judge Rutherford’s address. The formal indictment follows;
Civilization Doomed By J. F. Rutherford
Reason'for Wcrld Crisis—Blessing of the People to Follow
TRUE civilization is the very antithesis of barbarism. It can be builded only upon truth, justice and righteousness, with love as the moving cause. It stands for education, culture, refinement, and truth. Present civilization is veneered, underneath which exists barbarism in its most malignant form.
Commerce and politics have both played their part in present civilization. Greed for gain and power has turned legitimate commerce into wicked profiteering. The commercial giants traffic in human blood as they do in the inanimate products of the earth.
Ambition for power and influence has caused politicians to juggle with the rights of the people, to prove unfaithful to their constituency, and to use public office for private gain.
The desire for bodily ease and comfort; the desire to be approved by men rather than to have the approval of God; ambition for the establishment of the Lord’s kingdom on earth before due time, and contrary to His way, has caused the clergy to fall to the seductive influence of Satan, to become disloyal to God and to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to form a part of present unrighteous civilization.
Had the clergy been faithful to their trust in representing the Lord, the world today would not be facing the greatest crisis of all time.
The sayings of some of the greatest thinkers of the world are here given in proof of the near collapse of civilization:
“Before the war people often supposed that ours was a Christian culture. The war has revealed us to ourselves. Civilization is Pagan.”—Dr. Bernard I. Bell.
“The future is very dark. We have reached the twilight of civilization.”—Dr. H. L. Brailsford.
“No man unless he is drunk with optimism can deny that the world is very sick, and. it may be a sickness unto death.”—Sir Philip Gibbs.
“The United States is preparing for war that would tax us to the utmost in man-power resources.”'—Secretary of War Weeks.
“You responded to Europe’s need in 1917. The work is only half done; and if not completed, civilization is doomed within this generation to a catastrophe such as the world has
never known.” “Force is the only thing that rules in the world. Unless you stamp out that conviction civilization is doomed upon this earth.”—Lloyd George.
THESE great men of the world see the storm of fire and blood irresistibly sweeping on to the destruction of human institutions; but they assign no cause, and are at a loss for an adequate remedy. Hence their perplexity and distress. Jehovah, knowing the end from the beginning, foresaw and through His prophets foretold this dreadful day thus: “Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people. ... For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations.... For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance.”—Isaiah 34:1, 2, 8.
Those composing the nations within the meaning of the Scriptures are financiers, politicians, and clergy, because combined they rule the people. They are the chief ones of the world, of which world Satan is the god, or invisible ruler.
In what manner have the clergy of the churches become a part of the world? The answer is that they have fallen to the temptation of Satan, and have willingly joined with profiteers and politicians to rule the people contrary to the plain teachings of the Word of God, whom they claim to represent. The indignation of the Lord is not against the common people, but against those in authority who have claimed to represent Him but who have been unfaithful to Him. After the expression of His indignation the Lord, through His kingdom of righteousness, will bless with liberty, life and happiness all the people who hear and obey.
In the Catholic and the Protestant churches there are millions of honest people who desire to know and to do God’s will; but they are blinded to the truth by reason of the unrighteous course of the clergy. The Lord will open the minds of these honest souls by drastic measures against the false prophets and their allies.
These words are spoken not in vindictiveness but in love in order that the people might .know the truth. I have no personal animosity 814 v ■
against the clergy. My hope is that this may serve to enable some of them to awaken to the importance of the hour and to aid the people and themselves by preaching the truth of God's Word.
OW have the clergy been overreached by Satan T God has permitted the devil to tempt and test all who claim to be His representatives in order to prove their loyalty or disloyalty to Him. There are three cardinal points upon which such are tempted; namely, the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life.
Adam and Eve, the parents of the human race, when in Eden were in harmony with God, therefore His representatives. God commanded them to refrain from eating certain fruit lest they die. To induce disloyalty to God Satan presented the temptation to Eve from the three standpoints, to wit: (1) To her flesh, by inducing her to believe that the food would be good for her body; (2) that the fruit was beautiful and she should possess it and eat it; and (3) that it would make her as wise as God. She yielded to all these temptations, and became disloyal to God. Adam then voluntarily joined her in the transgression.
estts, the Son of God, was Jehovah’s special representative on earth. Satan knew that in due time Jesus was to be the king of the earth. Hoping to induce Jesus to be disloyal to His Father and thereby cause His destruction, Satan presented the temptation to Jesus similar to that which had caused Eve and Adam to fall. (1) The temptation was presented to the body of Jesus, in this, that he suggested that Jesus use His power selfishly to create from the stones bread that He might eat when He was hungry. This was contrary to God’s will; and Jesus replied: “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God,” thus proving that loyalty to God is essential to life. (2) The temptation was presented to the eyes of Jesus, in this, that Satan showed Jesus the possibility of establishing His kingdom before God’s time by immediately taking over all the world and blessing the people and making them beautiful. The only condition which Satan added was that Jesus should worship him. This was contrary to God’s will; and to this temptation Jesus replied: “Get thee hence, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only thalt thou serve.” (3) The temptation was presented to Jesus' pride in this, that Satan pointed out that Jesus must do something spectacular in order to convince the people that He was sent from heaven; that . therefore He should go- up on the top of the temple and jump off; that Jehovah would preserve Him, and that this would prove that He was superior to all other men and the people would flock to Him. To this temptation Jesus answered: “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
These tests show that no one can be pleasing to the heavenly Father, and have His final approval, unless that one is absolutely loyal to God. To be loyal means to do that which the x divine law requires. . .
esus Chbist organized His church in purity, * providing it with elders, designating them .
as shepherds of the flock. These were com- ' manded to feed the flock of God, not to lord it over them, and faithfully to represent the Lord ■ and keep themselves separate from the world. After the death of the apostles the elders in the church began to yield to Satan’s temptations. They organized councils, synods, presbyteries, etc., elected their own members to the high offices of popes, cardinals, bishops, doctors of divinity, pastors, reverends, etc., and thus formed ecclesiasticism, themselves being the ecclesiastics, otherwise called the clergy. They laid themselves open- to the three great temptations and Satan promptly presented them:
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(1) To the flesh or body: These clergymen saw that it was to their bodily advantage to use their powers selfishly to feed themselves. This they did, neglecting to feed the flock of God, just as the prophet had foretold. (Ezekiel 34:8) They made themselves important in the church, . ' withheld the truth from the people, and thus created a famine for the hearing of the Word of God.—Amos 8:11.
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(2) To the lust of the eyes: These eccle- •
siastics, otherwise termed clergymen, desiring . to possess the seductive things of this evil world and to be admired of men rather than to be approved of God, yielded to the lust of the eyes, clothed themselves in scarlet and long flowing robes, decked themselves with jewels, and have arrogantly assumed a form of godliness while denying the power thereof.
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(3) The pride of life: The clergy, as the Lord's representatives, were commanded by . Him to keep themselves separate from politics and other worldly entanglements, to teach the people concerning God’s kingdom, and to await that kingdom which would relieve the people of their afflictions and sufferings and establish righteousness on earth. Satan appealed to the pride of the clergy, induced them to believe that they could establish a kingdom on earth which they would call God’s kingdom and which would rule the people. Yielding to his temptation, the clergy sought and brought into the church the big commercial giants, the great politicians and other men of worldly influence, and made them the principal of their flock. These were already under the control of Satan. i The clergy had become the allies of these worldlings, and claimed that this combination of rulers is a rule by divine right.
Jesus refused to worship the devil in consideration of establishing His kingdom on earth before due time. Anxious to run ahead of the Lord, and thus appear great, the clergy yielded to the devil’s condition, and have worshiped him by conforming themselves to his order. To this end they have sanctified war and hailed it as a holy thing, have turned their church edifices into recruiting stations, have recruited men for the armies, and have preached them into the trenches. The clergy boast of having the rich and the mighty and the strong of this world in their churches; and, as Jesus foretold, they boast: ‘We are rich and have need of nothing,’ when in truth and in fact, they are wretched, and miserable, poor, blind and naked. (Revelation 3:17) No one can gainsay the fact that the clergy have by joining hands with profiteers, politicians and other worldlings, attempted to make the people believe that their government is God’s kingdom on earth, thereby directly proving their disloyalty to the Lord Jesus Christ.
THE ecclesiastics, to wit: popes, cardinals, bishops, reverends, doctors of divinity, theological professors, claim the exclusive right and authority to interpret the Scriptures and to tell the people what they should believe. They deny the right of any one to preach the gospel unless ordained by them. They have set aside the pure doctrines of the Word of God and have substituted their own doctrines. For many centuries they kept the people in ignorance of the contents of the Bible by discouraging them from studying it; and now in this day of greater advancement they destroy faith in the Bible by flippantly denying that it is the Word of God. They have proven disloyal to God by. yielding to the temptations above mentioned, and have repudiated the Lord’s Word by teaching contrary thereto. In proof of this the following is cited:
The Bible teaches that man was created perfect and, because of sin, was sentenced to death, thereby losing perfection of organism and the right to life.
Ecclesiastics teach that man is a creature of evolution; that he never fell, and never lost the right to life by reason of sin.
The Bible plainly states that man is mortal; that because of Adam’s sin, all are born sinners and subject to death.
Ecclesiastics teach that all men have immortal souls, which cannot, die, which doctrine is supported only by Satan’s great lie.—Genesis 3:16; John 8:44.
The Bible plainly teaches that the wages of sin is death; and that death, destruction, is the punishment of the wilfully wicked.
Ecclesiastics teach that there is no real death, that the punishment of the selfish and wicked is conscious torment, eternal in duration, and that to escape such terrible punishment the people must join their church denominations.
The Scriptures plainly teach that there is one God; and that Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, is the Redeemer of mankind.
Ecclesiastics teach the unscriptural, God-dishonoring doctrine of the trinity.
The inspired Word of God declares that Jesus Christ is the Ransomer of all; and that all members of the human race, in due time, shall have an opportunity to know about the ransom and to receive its benefits.
KJ? -
; SUTtMUt 24, 1924
. - Ecclesiastics by teaching evolution, human
£•:. immortality, eternal torment and the trinity, ‘ deny the ransom by implication; and now the chiefest among them deny that there is any i* purchasing value in Jesus’ sacrifice thereby di" rectly denying the only Lord God and the blood
, . of the Lord Jesus Christ, by which mankind is
. redeemed.
The Scriptures teach that Christ Jesus is King, and the only One who has the right and authority to rule the earth in God’s due time.
Ecclesiastics teach the divine right of earthly kings to rule, and they have joined hands with big business and politicians to enforce this rule of the peoples of earth.
Jesus constituted His apostles as the foundation of His kingdom, and the Scriptures teach that the apostles have no successors.
Ecclesiastics have fraudulently claimed to be the successors of the apostles, and thereby have arrogated to themselves great authority and have attempted to deceive, and have deceived, " the people.
The Bible emphasizes the second coming of Christ and His kingdom of righteousness as the hope of mankind, and admonishes all the followers of the Lord to faithfully proclaim this message of His coming kingdom, and to advocate and follow peace with all men.
, The ecclesiastics scoff at the proof of Christ’s second presence; and they have sanctified war and wrest the Scriptures to justify their conclusions. They have repeatedly had their portraits made and exhibited with great warriors , of the world. They have turned their church edifices into recruiting stations. They have received and accepted filthy lucre in consideration of rendering service for recruiting young men for the war. And now when the evidence is plain and conclusive that the old world has ended, that the Lord for the second time is present and that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, the ecclesiastics ignore the proof, and scorn,ridicule and persecute those who dare tell the truth to the people. Instead of bidding welcome to the King of glory, and telling the people of His kingdom and the blessings it will bring, they openly unite with the devil in his schemes to control the peoples of the earth in a compact designated the League of Nations, and piously and fraudulently declare it to be “the political expression of God’s kingdom on earth”.
SIT
Thus they have sent forth to the people a very river of death-dealing doctrines, and now shall drink themselves the nauseating* potion; for they deserve it at the hand of the LonL
Jesus declared Himself to be the true vine, and that His followers are the branches and are therefore a part of that vine. God foreknew how the apostate ecclesiastics would fall before the temptation of Satan, and of this He testified aforetime through His holy prophet Jeremiah, as follows: .
“Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed; how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me f For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord God. How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim [Satan] ! See thy way in the valley, know that what thou hast done; thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways; a wild ass,, used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away! all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her. Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst; but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.”—Jeremiah 2:21-25.
The ecclesiastics, having fallen before the temptation of Satan, having proved their disloyalty to God, having joined hands with the advocates and makers of war, and by force and coercion controlled the people, and acknowledging that they have preached the young men into the trenches, must take the responsibility which the Lord has laid upon them when He says of them, through His prophet: “In thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents.”—Jeremiah 2: 34.
T THE fall of Zedekiah, king of Israel, in the year 606 B. C., Satan became the god of the entire evil world. Good men have fought against Satan’s influence in order that better conditions might obtain. The Lord has not restrained the devil, but has permitted him to ply his wicked temptations throughout the Gentile period. God pointed out that the Gentile times would end, and that the world or old
SIS
order of evil things would reach its legal end 2,520 years later, to wit, 1914; that at the end of the world Christ, whose right it is to reign, would begin to exercise His power to the setting up of His kingdom for the blessing of mankind, which kingdom He had instructed His disciples and’all His followers, including the clergy, to pray for and to preach to the people. His disciples, anxious to know what would be proof that the world had come to an end, propounded this question: ‘Master, tell us, how may we know of thy presence and of the end of the world!’ (Matthew 24:3) Jesus announced that a world war, famines, pestilences, and revolutions in various parts of the earth would mark the beginning of the sorrow upon the nations, proving that the time of the end of the world had been reached.
Exactly on time this came in 1914. 'All Christians who were diligently watching the development of the Lord’s plan, could see in 1914 that the World War and other events incident thereto marked the end; and many of these preached this truth to the people. The clergy, who claimed to be the representatives of the Lord, should have known these truths as set forth in the Scriptures, and should have boldly preached them to the people, advising them of the Lord’s presence and of His kingdom, and that all Christians should keep out of war. On the contrary the clergy of every nation of Christendom used their church buildings as recruiting stations, urged Christians to be patriotic to the world powers (the devil’s empire) and go to war, preached and urged the young men to enlist for the war, and received money from the governments for thus doing. They openly preached that the evil world is God’s kingdom.
When in 1918 the political and financial powers of the world brought forth the League of Nations compact, which utterly ignores God and the Lord Jesus, the clergy united in a proclamation declaring the League of Nations to be the political expression of God’s kingdom on earth. Thus further they proved their disloyalty to God and to His kingdom, and their loyalty to the devil’s empire. When the World War came on, there were some humble Christians who were conscientiously opposed to war, and who humbly tried to teach the people the truth. They were poor and fatherless in this, that their fathers, or pastors, had abandoned them as the Lord’s sheep; and they were, as the Prophet puts it, "like sheep without a shepherd.” Instead of shielding and protecting and helping these humble followers of Jesus, the clergy joined hands with conscienceless politicians and wicked profiteers in arresting, imprisoning, persecuting, and in killing some of these faithful Christians.
The Lord, speaking to them through His prophet, says: “How long will ye [clergy— chief ones in “Christendom”] judge unjustly; and accept the persons of the wicked! Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. DeEver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.” (Psalm 82:1-4) The clergy failed, and refused to hear this admonition of the Lord, but go hand in hand with profiteers and politicians in their fraudulent attempts to control the people under various pacts, leagues and other forms of government. And now concerning them God’s prophet says: “They know not, neither will they understand: they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.”— Psalm 82:5.*
The evidence from 1914 to 1918, so conclusively estabhshing the end of the world and the time of the Lord’s kingdom, ought to have convinced the clergy. If they had been faithful to the Lord and had taught the people the truth then they would have saved the people from the impending collapse of Christendom, which is just at hand. Concerning this the Prophet makes it clear that the clergy are they who are chiefly responsible before God for the great trouble just ahead.—Jeremiah 18:8,9; 23:21,22.
The Lord has declared His indignation and vengeance against these false shepherds who claim to teach His flock, and against the principal ones of the flock with them, to wit: the profiteers and the politicians who are allied with the preachers, and who assume a form of religion for the furtherance of their selfish ends. Concerning them the Lord says through His prophet: "Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds that do feed themselves!... Behold, I am against the shepherds.” “Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished [full]; and ye shall fall like a pleaa-
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ant vessel. And the shepherds shall have no earth to be man’s redeemer; (Matthew 20:28;
way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.”—Ezekiel 34:2,10; Jeremiah 25:34,35.
Collapse of Civilization
THE Lord foreknew that the clergy would prove their unfaithfulness to Him and to His kingdom; that they would not heed the evidence that He would bring forth to prove the end of the world; that they would totally repudiate Him in 1918 and the years immediately following. He then stated that after the war, the famines,the pestilences, the revolutions, etc., there should follow distress of nations, with perplexity, that all the nations would prepare for further trouble, and then He adds: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matthew 24:21) This and the prophecy of Daniel [Daniel 12:1] definitely identify the collapse of civilization with the full establishment of Messiah’s kingdom for the purpose of blessing all the families of the earth.
This final trouble upon the world is the expression of God’s vengeance against Satan and those who organize and maintain systems under his direction and influence.
THROUGH His prophet Jehovah admonishes the people to seek meekness and righteousness and turn to the Lord and thereby be favored in the time of this great trouble. (Zephaniah 2:2,3; Psalm 41:1,2) Let the people avoid controversy, strife and trouble, and now wait upon the Lord. Christ is present; and following the trouble He will begin to exercise the blessings of His kingdom in behalf of mankind. This will mean the restoration to man of all that he has lost. What then has man lost?
God created th£ earth for man’s habitation, and the earth will abide forever. (Isaiah 45:12, 18; Ecclesiastes 1:4) He created perfect the first man, who violated God’s law and was sentenced to death. Thereafter Adam’s children were born, all of whom were born in sin and shapen in iniquity because of the father’s sin. (Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12) Jehovah promised to redeem man from death and to restore the obedient ones to life and happiness. (Hosea 13: 14) He sent His beloved Son Jesus into the John 10:10) Christ Jesus died upon the cross for the entire human race. (1 Timothy 2:3-6; Hebrews 2:9) All mankind must have the benefit of the ransom sacrifice in God's due time.
Jehovah said: “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” (Genesis 22:18)' This seed of promise is the Christ: Jesus Christ, the Head, and His faithful followers, the body members. (Galatians 3:16,27,29) From the ascension of Christ into heaven until His second coming and the setting up of His kingdom God has been selecting Christ’s body members from ' amongst men. These are called the true Church. These are they who are faithful and loyal to the Lord God and to Jesus Christ These likewise are subjected to temptation; and only the overcomers, who are faithful unto death, are granted joint-heirship with Christ Jesus in His kingdom. (Revelation 2:25, 26; 3:21) The Apostle plainly states that the second coming of Christ and the setting up of His kingdom is for the purpose of restoring to mankind all that was lost.—Acts 3:19-21.
The evidence is now conclusive that we have come to the end of the old world and to the beginning of Messiah’s kingdom; hence the time . for the world's blessings is about due. The millions of people now on earth will be first tried, and then the dead will be resurrected and have an opportunity for life. (2 Timothy 4:1) Those who refuse to obey the Lord will be destroyed forever. (Acts 3:19-23; Psalm 145: 20) All the wicked that turn to righteousness shall Eve and not die. (Ezekiel 18: 27,28) Then will come to pass the sayings of Jesus: “If a man keep my saying he shall never see death”; “Whosoever liveth and beheveth in me shall never die.” (John 8:51; 11:26) Because we have come to that time in the development of -the divine plan, it can now be confidently stated that millions Eving on earth will never die.
Man-made schemes must now aU fait The plan of God will be fulfilled as foretold. It is now appropriate for Christians to “say among the nations that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.'* (Psalm 96:10) The Lord will estabhsh a new civilization that wiU be lasting. The obedient ones of the people will abide forever in peace, Efe, Eberty, and happiness.
Indictment
The Seed of the Serpent versus
The Seed of Promise
WE, the International Bible Students, in convention assembled, declare our unqualified allegiance to Christ, who is now present and setting up His kingdom, and to that kingdom.
We believe that every consecrated child of God is an ambassador for Christ and is dutybound to give a faithful and true witness on behalf of His kingdom. As ambassadors for Christ, and without assuming any self-righteousness, we believe and hold that God has commissioned us to "proclaim the day of vengeance of our God and to comfort all that mourn."— Isaiah 61:2.
We believe and hold that it is God’s due time for His displeasure to be expressed against wicked systems that have blinded the people to the truth and thereby deprived them of peace and hope; 'and to the end that the people might know the truth and receive some comfort and hope for future blessings we present this indictment, based upon the Word of God, and point to the divine plan as the remedy for man’s complete relief. ■
We present and charge that Satan formed a conspiracy for the purpose of keeping the people in ignorance of God’a provision for blessing them with life, liberty and happiness; and that others, to wit, unfaithful preachers, conscienceless profiteers, and unscrupulous politicians, have entered into said conspiracy, either willingly or unwillingly. *
That unfaithful preachers have formed themselves into ecclesiastical systems, consisting of councils, synods, presbyteries, associations, etc., and have designated themselves therein as popes, cardinals, bishops, doctors of divinity, pastors, shepherds, reverends, etc.,-and elected themselves to such offices, which aggregation is herein designated as “the clergy"; that these have willingly made commercial giants and professional politicians the principal of their flocks.
We present and charge that the clergy have yielded to the temptations presented to them . by Satan and, contrary to God’s Word, have joined in said conspiracy, and in furtherance thereof have committed the overt acts as follows, to wit: '
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(1) That they have used their spiritual powers, enjoyed by reason of their position, to gratify their own selfish desires by feeding and exalting themselves, and failing and refusing to feed or teach the people God’s Word of truth;
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(2) That loving the glory of this world, and desiring to shine before men and have the approval of men [Luke 4:8; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15], they have clothed themselves in gaudy apparel, decked themselves with jewels, and have assumed a fornr of godliness while denying God’s Word and the power thereof;
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(3) That they have failed and refused to preach to the people the message of Messiah’s kingdom and to point them to the evidences relating to his second coming; and being unwilling to await the Lord’s due time to set up His kingdom and being ambitious to appear wise and great, they have, together with their co-conspirators, claimed the ability to set up God’s kingdom on earth without God, and have endorsed the League of Nations and declared it to be “the political expression of God’s kingdom on earth”, thereby breaking their allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ and declaring their allegiance to the devil, the god of evil; and to this end they have advocated and sanctified war, turned their church edifices into recruiting stations, acted as recruiting officers for pay, and preached men into the trenches, there to suffer and die; and when the Lord presented to them the clear and indisputable proof that the old world has ended and that His kingdom is at hand, they have scoffed at and rejected the testimony,-persecuted, arrested and caused the imprisonment of witnesses for the Lord.
Doctrines
WE FURTHER present and charge that the clergy as a class have constituted themselves the fountain of doctrines which, in the furtherance of said conspiracy, they have sent forth to the people, claiming such doctrines to be the teachings of God’s Word, well knowing the same to be untrue, in this, to wit:
brr>M>i> 24, 1924 TX, QOLDSN AQE 8=1
*
— (1) That they falsely claim to be the divinely appointed successors to the inspired apostles of Jesus Christ; whereas the Scriptures clearly show that there are no successors to the apostles;
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(2) That they claim the sole right to interpret the Scriptures, and that therefore they alone know what the people should believe; and by this means they have kept the people in ignorance of the Bible; and now in this time of increased knowledge and much reading, when the people might, read and understand, these self-constituted "successors to the apostles" discourage the people from reading the Bible and Bible literature, deny the inspiration of the Scriptures, teach evolution, and by these means turn the minds of the people away from God and His Word;
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(3) That they have taught and teach the divine right of kings to rule the peoples, claiming ' such rule to be the kingdom of God on earth; they hold that they and the principal of their flocks are commissioned of God to direct the policy and course of the nations, and that if the . people do not submissively concur in such policies then the people are unpatriotic or disloyal;
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(4) That they are the authors of the unreasonable and false doctrine of the trinity, by which they claim and teach that Jehovah, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are three persons in one, which . fallacy they admit cannot be understood nor explained; that this false doctrine has blinded the people to the true meaning of the great ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ, through which men can be saved;
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(5) That they teach and have taught the false doctrine of human immortality; that is to say, that all men are created immortal souls, which cannot die; which doctrine they well know to be false, for it is based exclusively upon the statement of Satan, which statement Jesus declares to be a great lie (John 8:44);
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(6) That they preach and teach the doctrine of eternal torment; that is to say, that the penalty for sin is conscious torment in hell, eternal in duration; whereas they know that the Bible teaches that the wages of sin is death; that hell is the state of death or the tomb; that the dead are unconscious until the resurrection, and that the ransom sacrifice is provided that all in due time may have an opportunity to believe and obey the Lord and liv’e, while the wilfully wicked . are to be punished with an everlasting destruction;
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(7) That they deny the right of the Lord to establish His kingdom on earth, well knowing that Jesus taught that He would come again at the end of the world, and that the fact of that time would be made known by the nations of Christendom engaging in a world war, quickly followed by famine, pestilence, revolutions, the return of God’s favor to the Jews, distress and perplexity of the nations; and that during such time the God of heaven would set up His kingdom, which will stand forever (Daniel 2:44); that ignoring and refusing to consider these plain truths and evidences, they have willingly gone on in darkness, together with their allies, profiteers and politicians, in an attempt to set up a world power for the purpose of ruling and keeping the people in subjection, all of which is contrary to the Word of God and against His dignity and good name.
The doctrines taught by the clergy and their course of action herein stated are admitted; and upon the undisputed facts and upon the law of God’s Word they stand confessedly guilty before God and in the eyes of the world upon every charge in this indictment. .
Upon the authority of the prophecy of God’s Word now being fulfilled, we declare that this is the day of God’s wrath upon Christendom; and that He stands in the midst of the mighty and controlling factors of the world, to wit, the clergy and the principal of their flocks, to judge and to express His righteous indignation against them and their unrighteous systems and doctrines.
We further declare that the only hope for the peace and happiness of the peoples of earth is Messiah’s kingdom, for which Jesus taught His followers to pray.
Therefore we call upon the peoples and nations of the earth to witness that the statements here made are true; and in order that the people might, in this time of perplexity and distress, have hope and comfort, we urge upon them prayerful and diligent study of the Bible, that they might learn therefrom that God through Christ and His kingdom has a complete and adequate plan for the blessing of mankind upon earth with peace and prosperity, liberty, happiness and eternal life, and that His kingdom is at hand. -
Sugar and the Shylocks
IN Golden Ace No. 38 we had an article entitled "A Tale of a Billion Dollar Sweetness,” in which were given many items respecting the. great sugar squeeze of 1921, by which, in the fruit-canning season, the Amp-ri nan people were robbed of a billion ddllars.
The price of sugar went up from six cents to as much as thirty cents per pound. The papers were full of stories of whole towns unable to get any sugar at all, and great threats of what would be done when the miscreants back of the steal should be discovered. The statistics revealed the fact that there was plenty of sugar in the country. Everybody agreed that something must be done this time to make sure that no such dastardly outrage should ever occur again.
The Government was as active and excited as a fly in a bottle, and as .efficient and effective. It threatened to close up the sugar exchange. It sent one or two men to prison for some little jobs of a carload or so. It was going to do great things when it found out what to do. But it never found out; and the billion dollar sugar steal passed into history, like all the million and one steals for which we are as patriotically and enthusiastically thankful as conditions permit.
And now comes a little book, “Paul’s School of Statesmanship," written by W. H. Harvey in far-off Monte Ne, Arkansas, and tells what it was that really happened at the time of the sugar steal; and now we know why nothing was ever done about it. We quote from the interesting little book:
“At a time when it wu made and sold to consumers, at a profit, for 5 and 6 cents a pound, two men went to a banker in New York city and said to him, TVe are going to bay sugar: we have, of our own, money and securities on which we can raise more money, one million dollars. With this we will begin buying sugar, placing it in warehouses and taking warehouse certificates to show we have it. We want to know of you if we can borrow of you on these warehouse certificates, representing sugar we have paid for, borrow from you as we buy, on these certificates, 90 percent of their face value. As we continue to buy, thus cornering the supply of sugar, sugar will advance in price, we will control the price, and your security will be gilt-edged, ample.’
"The banker replied, ‘You have a sure thing; and if I can jdace these certificates for you, getting you the money, you not only can afford to pay good interest but additionally pay me 10 percent on the 25 million or more you will need.
“The deal was closed, the banker making $2,500,000 commission, he and other money lenders the interest; and the two men who ran the deal made more than 100 million dollars. That is the way the people paid at that time as high as 30 cents a pound for sugar. You are now paying 8 cents a pound, about 2 cents above what its price otherwise would be. Each cent per pound added represents millions of dollars to the Sugar Trust."
Everybody is interested in these facts. They may not know that they are interested. They may be solid bone from the "neck up; but they are actually parties in interest, whether they know it or not, and are paying and will pay tribute indefinitely to these well-dressed, gentlemanly robbers every time they sit down to a. meal. -
The only way that they will get out of paying the tribute will be when the bankers have finally obtained such full control of the whole earth and its bounties that only those may eat who have a warehouse certificate, properly endorsed at the bank; and when the common people hava no way left by which they can get such certificates.
We wondered how a simple recital of these facts would impress an intelligent, reaanning man, a doctor; and so we told him just what we have recited here, and asked him what he thought should be done. Hi* answer was startling. He would have the three men strung up immediately, at the nearest lamp-post. But that can not be done. The law must take its course; and the history of law enforcement in this country shows that great gentleness of treatment may be expected by men clever enough to get away with a billion dollars. Several groups of men have done it; and they are all at large and likely to remain so. Coal! Munitions! Airplanes! Federal Reserve! Sugar! Oil! Sheets! Towels! '
And now our readers may wish to know how near are the happy days when the great bankers will really own or control it all; and the little book tells us that, too. It establishes from the United States Census of 1919 that the true value of all taxable property in the United States is $150,000,000,000, and provides a table showing that the long-time interest-bearing debts now outstanding can not be less than $110,000,000,000, and are probably $117,000,000,000. '
It must be admitted that for the bankers, in
Ssmxac* 24, 1924
the little time they have been at it, to obtain 75% to 80% of all the property in the United States, indicates that there is something rotten in Den' mark. When they get to the point where they deliberately hold np a great national political convention for two,weeks in order to force a man of their choice upon each of the two great parties, it comes pretty near showing that they 1 know who has the power in this country and that-they purpose to make full use of it, even in the open. Death and ruin await all opposers.
But if the bankers are doing nicely in their . enterprises in the United States, they are doing much better abroad. The little book gives for the principal foreign countries the same data as for the United States, and establishes that the total interest-bearing debt of Britain, France, Germany and Italy is about $540,000,000,000, while their total taxable wealth is $287,000,000,000. In other words, the peoples of those four countries are in helpless and hopeless slavery, and have pledged all that they own to the bankers and almost as much again.
Now the question arises, “Upon what meat 'doth this our Casar feed that he is grown so great!" How, when, and why do the bankers get all this power! And the little book tells us . about this, too. It all comes back to the question V of interest, legal according to human laws, illegal according to the Bible. Events now are plainly demonstrating that a civilization that is based on any foundation other than the Bible is bound to ruin itself.
In the sixteenth century, “loaning money for interest 1 was prohibited. The churches condemned it. Christian - burial was denied money-lenders. It was the prevailing opinion in England that the loaning of money for in-‘ terest, or usury, as it was then called, was unjust gain, . forbidden by divine law. It was decreed that the effects of all money-lenders should be forfeited to the King. They were declared outlaws. It was made an indictable offense, and Edward III made it a capital crime. You will find all this in English history."
But the money-hoarders, the potential bankers of that day, hid all the gold and silver they could lay hands on. Business came to a standstill. The Government became hard pressed for money, and at length was forced to change its laws and bow to the little group of men who in 1694 organized the Bank of England, a privately owned concern. At that time the British Government borrowed 1,200,000 pounds of gold money from these financiers, and gave them the privilege of lending out money at interest to others. The impending ruin of our civilization dates from that act.
So sure is Mr. W. H. Harvey, the author of the little book, that this civilization is sure to be destroyed, every vestage of it be wiped out, that he is building at his own expense at Monte Ne a pyramid or obelisk in which the reasons for this destruction will be recorded. He is in hope that thousands of years hence, when the race has again slowly emerged from barbarism, his records of present-day inventions and of our present so-called civilization may be helpful inpreventing another destruction such as the one . that now impends.
Of course Mr. Harvey has a plan for avoiding the catastrophe. We can hardly undertake to cover it in this article. He is in hope that the bankers, now that they, as well as all other men, are threatened with extinction by modern methods of warfare, may be willing to give up their business and retire on $50,000 each, which he contends, rightly enough, is sufficient for anybody. One can but admire his simple-hearted goodness. .
Mr. Harvey establishes to his own satisfaction that if the people can be freed from selfishness, vanity and prejudice, and will forego the practice of usury, it is quite possible to create a government built on a new, sensible Bank of the Common Good, where there will be no taxes, no assessors, no tax collectors, no bonds and no debts, and yet with many more public improvements than now.
All that Mr. Harvey and other good men long for, and much, oh very much, more will come with the Lord’s kingdom now being ushered in. Mr. Harvey need not be ashamed of his ideas and ideals. Such men will be greatly used ere long for the blessing of others. Of that we feel sure. Meantime we continue to pray: Thy kingdom come I
The question may be asked, If our civilization is now on the brink of ruin, as the best thinkers generally agree is the case, and if it has come to this through neglect of the teachings of the Bible on war and usury and other elemental subjects, why is it that the clergy have been silent on these things, but have devoted their time to impressing upon the people lessons on the trinity, hell fire, patriotism, and the divine right of
kings and clergy, none of which subjects is even remotely hinted at in the Bible ?
The answer is that these men who have supposedly been teaching the Bible have not been teaching the Bible at all, but have been putting out as Bible doctrine ideas which they received from other men, and which have come down from the dark ages. Most of the clergy do not believe the Bible at all. None of them understand it, and some of them do not even have a Bible in the house.
One clergyman was found at Columbus, Ohio, in July, 1924, who has been in the ministry for seventeen years and who admitted that he did not own a Bible and did not have one in the house. His only qualification for the ministry was the gift of gab. A sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal!
' The One Rule—The Golden Rule (Contributed)
WHAT the world needs is a cooperative interest in mankind. Men have striven to accomplish selfish ends, and have not sought the common good. Herein is found the festering sore that has polluted the body politic. “How has the problem of evil tried men’s souls!” said Burroughs, the American naturalist. A workable basis of cooperation among the nations of earth may be found in the Golden Rule. Jesus of Nazareth said: "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”
The application of the Golden Rule as a practical guide is not an experiment; it was not preached by a fanatic. Today the Man of Nazareth stands where He stood 2,000 years ago— far in advance of the world. He still remains the ideal toward which the spirit of man strives.
The life of the. Master alone will show men anew that no philosophy, no science, no creed, has offered the world anything which will replace the teachings of that life.
The Golden Rule is not a mere altruistic formula of abstract ethics, not a mere religious ideal. It enters into every phase of human activity and endeavor. It is a formulation of the law of life itself. It is the rule of fair play, the basis of democratic life, and the very symbol of equality. What is more, it is the common denominator of all religions, the one practical ideal on which all are agreed, whatever their creedal differences.
The practical application of the Golden Rule has already come to be recognized and appreciated by various prominent business concerns in some of the larger cities of the country. A few years ago a western business publication sternly advised big business and the laboring classes to read the Se- -non on the Mount, and go back to work.
The more the Golden Rule is tried out and proven, it does not matter what test we apply— in commerce, society, education, politics or international relations—the more will it come into general use as the best practical guide for material success, a priori:
"Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” the moral ingredients and elemental interests of our very Constitution!
Did not our late President, Mr. Harding, himself, speak for the aspirations of the nation, when he told the War Veterans in his speech at Denver: -
"I should like more of fraternity among ourselves in the United States; I should like more of fraternity among the nations of the world. If we could bring the Golden Rule into every phase of American life, we would be the happiest people in the world. There would be no injustice to complain of; but human beings would live among their fellows as they would like to be lived with. That would bring a state of blessedness to mankind.”
If these nations calling themselves Christian were living the great principle which we call the Golden Rule, what a different world this would be! And if it is feasible for a municipality to celebrate a Golden Rule Day, why not for a nation to do the same as a formulation of its "law of life”!
What humanity needs is not the selfish domination of any class or classes, but the actual domination in social, business and political life of the spirit and principles of the Sermon on the Mount, the Golden Rule, and the study of the Word of God to find out what is the only procedure, the only process, by which the ability, to comply with the Golden Rule may be vouchsafed.
Reports from Foreign Correspondents
WE ABE astonished to hear of hot weather in America.; for here we have had continuously rainy weather till today, August 5, and, decidedly low temperature, too. It snowed in the mountains, of course; and the crops are miserably going to ruin. There are heavy fogs - crawling low; and for hours every day it rains in streams. The best weather we had between July 8 and 22; and even then rain storms occurred daily in the valleys. Since July 15 it has rained every day, and often like the flood.
Last week a storm raced from Geneva to the lake of Constance in three hours’ time, causing damages never before experienced. From Uz-’ will to St. Gallen all trees are ruined by hail. Nearly all are bare-limbed, the leaves having been chopped from the branches. Hundreds of fruit trees were blown over like flower pots, and as many lost their tops or some branches. In St. Galen and vicinity thousands of window panes were broken, and all crops ruined. Firemen in the city stood in the water up to their waists, because the mass of hail had stopped up the sewerage. And when the sun eomes out, it is sure that soon another storm will develop.
At Dornbirn, in Voralberg, the lightning struck five times in one day. People were so scared and so full of fear that with covered eyes and stopped-up ears they hid themselves.
The Vienna Express, that arrives at Buchs toward noon, was stopped by the brakes several times in succession in the tunnel; and no one could detect or discover by whom or for what reason. As it happened always to this selfsame train and at the same spot in the tunnel, the thing became somewhat uncanny. They changed engines, and the crew and locomotive engineer were guarded by police and engineers; but the train stopped at the same place nevertheless. The riddle still awaits solution.
In Russia a new great “Hungersnot" [famine] threatens several governments because of the lasting drought, and in Germany lockouts threaten in a general way because money is so high and very little of it at that. For instance, great shoe factories have not funds enough to pay off employes, but on pay-day hand their men shoes instead; and those men go out into the country to exchange the shoes for food of any kind. From all sides voices are heard full of horror for the incoming winter.— Zephaniah 1:17.
The friends are full of zeal, and in groups they go out on Sunday with the booklets; and witnessing for the kingdom at the same time, they are very successful.
0 MORE striking statements have appeared in the Canadian press than the recent utterances of the Rev. Father A. D. Rheaume, incumbent of St. Edwards (R. C.) Church, Winnipeg. The statements of this priest, in assuming the pastorate, as reported by the Winnipeg Evening Tribune, have never been surpassed by any of the arrogant and ill-conceived vaporings of any pope:
"The power of the priest is threefold: First, the power to offer the sacrifice of the mass, and thus each morning bring God down upon the altar for sacrifice.”
Then, according to the Rev. Father, the second power is “the power to forgive sins":
“Now Christ knew that we have all sinned; and His love for fallen man forced Him to establish a tribunal where fallen man might approach with greatest ease to receive forgiveness for their sins. Christ’s mission was to destroy sin, and so this power has been handed down to the apostles and their successors, the priests. As the priest sits in his tribunal and pronounces the words of absolution, those will be remitted as readily and as truly as when Christ said to the man sick of die palsy: ‘Son, be of good cheer; go in peace and sin no more.’ The third mission of the priest is to expound the gospel of Jesus Christ Each time he ascends the pulpit and expounds the doctrines and teachings of the Catholic Church, we accept it as the criterion of truth, because we know it to be the Word of God."
It is obvious that if we accept as a fact the power of the priest “to bring God down upon the altar for sacrifice”, we shall not quibble over the trifling matter of his personal infallibility, the expounder of the "criterion" of truth.
But the Rev. Father is not yet satisfied with his delineation of the power of the priest and the abasement of God. Read this carefully:
"Upon the soul of the priest an invisible character has been sculptured by the chisel of the Holy Ghost, which makes him the property ef the Blessed Eucharist forever. His hands are anointed to touch Jesus. None of the mystical wonders of the saints are to be compared to his: They attract Jesus from the tabernacle, the priest (attracts Him) from Heaven! The priest bids Him go to the garrets of dying sinners, and He obeys! Mary drew the Eternal Word down from Heaven once, while the priest draws Him daily. She bore Him in her arms until He grew beyond that; but with the priests His sacred infancy is prolonged throughout their lives. To Jesus, the priest is as Mary and Joseph'and the apostles and evangelists, and if His dear sacrament require it, the company of the martyrs; whilst to the people, he is Jesus himself!"
ass
Could any statement be more utterly and devastatingly blasphemous f
Taking the Reverend Father’s first hypothesis that the sacrament of the mass (the body and blood of Jesus) brings God down upon the altar, thus postulating that Jesus is God, then his last statement is "the priest is God Himself”! I
The Protestant churches of various denominations still continue to add to their stock of resolutions against war.
“The glorification of war must end,” says the Manitobia Methodist Conference, and goes on to show that no longer can the so-called Christian churches go to the Bible for justification for war. Sunday school teachers and all workers who have to do with children are called upon to lose no opportunity to denounce war and the war spirit. One newspaper pertinently remarks:
“It is a queer civilization that worries about the infant mortality rate and keeps on inventing new ways to butcher the kids when they grow up."
MEANWHILE the Dearborn Independent tells us that in Europe the question is not, “Will there be another war!” but “When and where will the next war start f” The Vancouver Sim, heading an editorial "Playing with Dynamite,” suggests that the mid-Pacific manoeuvres of the American fleet are bound to bring the New World one step nearer war:
“The overgrown boy with big muscles who wanderf over into the next block to show off his muscular prowess, is looking for trouble, and taking the right method of * finding it.” "It is just as dangerous for nations to play with powerful navies as it is for individual men to play with loaded pistols.”
Britain makes an imposing display of her . fleet at Spithead, and Canada sends her repre. sentatives to sit in parleys in Great Britain with the intention of binding the bonds of Empire closer. Canada perhaps cannot lift the club but she enthusiastically helps to wave it.
General Sir R. Baden Powell, of Boer War fame and more generally known as founder and head of the Boy Scout movement, deplores the spirit of militarism. As reported by the Vancouver Daily Province, he says:
"The problem which seems to stare him in the face was whether Christianity and religion were going to continue to exist Tnquiries have resulted in the conclusion being reached that eighty percent of our men axe not religious and the remainder do not carry out the * < Christianity which they possess. The Great War was a disgrace to all of us.’ ” .;
The Toronto Telegram adds its plaint to the general chorus of hatred of war:
“What of the future, the new decade about to begin ? Our sun at least is still in the heavens of strength. There is no watchman in the tower to guide our hearts and to quiet our fears. The morning of great empires has come, and also the night The ancient challenge echoes through the world as in the days of Babylon, ‘Watchman, what of the night?”’
Reviewing all such expressions and accepting them as being sincere truths as to the desirability of peace, one can only say: “Wait, for the answer by the watchman is now being given; and if it has not yet permeated all parts of the earth it will do so, in God’s due time.”
It is a glorious answer, well worth waiting for and suffering for. “It satisfies each longing, as nothing else can do.”
“The tumult and the shouting dies, The captains and the kings depart; Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice, An humble and a contrite heart. Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lett we forget, lest we forget!”
‘Tor heathen heart that puts its trust In reeking tube and iron shard, All valiant dust that builds on dust, And guarding calls not Thee to guard; For frantic boast and foolish word, Thy mercy on Thy people, Lord 1”
A Glimpse at What War Really Is
- TT'enest Thut.tle, member of the British ; Parliament, in an endeavor to put a stop
' to the murder of boys for supposed cowardice,
' has published a number of letters received by
-him from his fellow soldiers in the World War.
. Mr. Thurtle states that there were 264 such executions in the British army during the war. We publish the letters without comment:
: Letter No. 1
“The following are the true facts relating to the execution of No..., Pte. ‘A,’ B Company, 1st Berkshire Regt.:— x;
“We were in reserve trenches at Metz. Farm on or about September 22,1914, each man in his own dug-out, when an enemy shell dropped in the trench, killing two . men. I was standing in the road at the time. When the shell burst, Pte. 'A’ jumped out of his dug-out and I promptly jumped in. This occurred about 3:30 p.m. At 5.30 the Company fell in on the road, when Pte. ‘A’ reported himself to Sergeant-Major S--------, who asked
him why he ran from the trenches. fA’ stated that he
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* was dightly wounded, whereas he was not.
. “For this crime he was court-martialed on September 29, and executed on September 30, 1914. Only his
-
•- Coy. Sergt.-Major was called to give evidence. I was the only man that saw what happened, and yet I was never called. -
. - “Now for his death. To get the firing party, as we were going into the line that night, they called for twelve men
■ to carry tools. Now the men who carried tools at that time had the first chance of using them, so you see there were plenty of volunteers, but once on parade they quickly realized that their job was to shoot poor 'A.’ On his being brought out he broke away from the sergeant of the guard, and the firing party fired at him on the run, wounding him in the shoulder. They ' brought him back on a stretcher, and the sergeant of the guard was ordered by the Provost-Marshal to finish him oft as he lay wounded.
“These are the true facts, and you are at liberty to use my name and number and letter any time you think fit.” nerve I'ailiuc alter prolonged bombardment, then execution at 1814.
Letter No. 3 •
“I was a Transport Driver of the 10th Durham Light Infantry, 43rd Brigade, 14th Division. In the early part of 1916 we were on the Arras front. While battalion was in the line the Brigade transport camp was at a village called Warlus. On the evening of May 20, 1916, we were informed that reveille would be at 2 a.m. next morning, and we were to parade in full equipment, with ammunition. At three o'clock next morning we were marched to the outskirts of the village, where we found the rest of the Brigade transports. At 3:30 a.m. we were called to attention, and to our surprise a prisoner with escort was marched down in front of us. Then came the A.P.M. with some papers in his hand.
"Then the prisoner’s cap was taken off, and he was told to take one pace forward, which he did. Then the A.P.M. commenced to read the papers, which were to the effect that Private T,’ of the 7th K.R.R., 41st Brigade, 14th Division, was found missing from his battalion the night they went into the line. He was arrested and charged with desertion. The man plead that he was drunk that night and missed his way. He was tried by court martial, found guilty and sentenced to death, the sentence being confirmed by Sir Douglas Haig
“The man was then told to take a pace back again, which he did without a quiver—a braver man at that moment wasn’t to be found in France. He was then marched away to the place where he was To be shot. We were then ordered to about turn, and the Brigade Transport Officer threatened us that any man who turned around would be put on a crime. So we stood in silence for what seemed hours, although only minutes. Then the shots rang out and one of the Yorkshires fainted, the strain was that great. Still we stood in silence until we heard another shot, which I afterwards ascertained was the doctor's shot to make sure he was dead.
“This is the whole thing as it happened. Hoping this will help the cause. I am ready to substantiate all I have written here.”
Letter No. 2
“This is the case of Pte. ‘B,’ of my late platoon, No. 5, B Company, 11th Middlesex Regt., 36th Brigade, 12th Div. He was a boy of 18y>, and he was shot at dawn at Sailly La Bourse on April 26, 1916. He was known to the whole Company as a bundle of nerves. He ran away from the trench known as Vigo Street, at Ver-melles, after it had been bombarded for six days and nights, and we had suffered heavy casualties. This lad joined the army in August, 1914, at the age of 17.”
Note.—Here ia little more than a bald statement of facts, but these facts are eloquent. Enlistment at 17,
Letter No. 4
“On February 9. 1916, when I was a sergeant in the 1st Battn., West York Regt., 18th Brigade, 6th Division, I was ordered to take over the guard of Lance-Corporal ‘X,’ of the same regiment, who was to be shot for desertion, having been absent for twenty-three days, until apprehended by the police. He was not to be shot until two days after this. On the evening of the 10th I handed him over to the new guard and proceeded with my platoon to the trenches. Next day I was orderwi to pick the two wont characters in my platoon to fon* part of the execution party. 'X’ was a clean, smart, brave soldier, respected by all his comrades.
‘•'The two men. I selected for the firing party went with the adjutant When they came back, tough characters though they were supposed to be, they were sick, they screamed in their sleep, they vomited immediately after eating. All they could say was: ‘The sight was horrible, made more so by the fact that we had shot one of our own men.’
“Lance-Corporal ‘X’ had been very lucky gambling with his comrades and had won a fair amount of money while the battlion was back at rest. This had been his downfall, as he had gone on a drinking bout only a few hundred yards away from his battalion.”
Extract from a letter from an ex-private of the 1st Battn., East Kent Regt., who gives full details:—
“I think it was hard lines that I should have had to make one of his firing party, as he was a chum of mine. ... We were told that the only humane thing that we could do was to shoot straight. The two men were led out blindfolded, tied to posts driven into the ground, and when we received our orders by sign from our officer, so that the condemned men should not hear us getting ready. Our officer felt it very much, as he, like me, knew the fellow {E' years before. ‘G’ I never knew, but his case was every bit as sad, as he was only a boy.” ]
Extracts from a letter of an ex-sergeant of the 13th' Middlese Regt., who was in charge of the firing party in this case, and who gives full detail^:—
... It was a terrible scene, being that I knew him made it worse for me. The ten men were selected from, a few details left out of the line. They were nervous wrecks themselves, and two of them had not the nerve to fire. Of course, they were tried, but they were found to be medically unfit—their nerves had gone.... I have always had it on my mind. I think these terrible things should be abolished, and so would everyone else who had witnessed a ‘Shooting at Dawn’ affair.... Excuse my writing. It is difficult for me to write, but I felt it my duty to help to get these executions abolished....
“P. S.—The last words the lad said were: ‘ What will my mother say ?* ”
The Gray Wolves and the Golden Eggs {A Modem Fable) By a. Sap
THERE was a certain tribe of ’savages called the tribe of wisdom, because they excelled all other tribes in riches and possessions. This tribe had a goose which laid golden eggs, upon the proceeds of which they lived in luxury far above that of any other tribe. Such was the wisdom of this tribe that they entrusted the golden eggs to certain of their most valiant warriors, saying, “These shall safeguard our most valuable possession.” And it was so. But the custody of the golden eggs was changed from time to time, lest continual possession might breed a sense of proprietorship, and the custodians be led to say: “Lo, these eggs have been in our possession so long that we have achieved ‘nine points of the law.’ O ye wise ones, get ye another goose!”
Now it happened that a certain pack of gray wolves lived in the vicinity, whose predatory habits caused them from time to time to assault the custodians of the golden eggs and relieve them of their responsibility. In every instance the tribe arose in wrath, haled the inadequate 'defenders before the tribal tribunal, and hired for many golden eggs certain learned and adroit men to prove by legal process that the golden eggs were missing because the custodians were too weak to defend them; and that therefore the weak ones should be incarcerated. And it was so. And the tribe said: “Yea and Amen; it is better that these should expiate rather than the gray wolves, seeing that we some time may have the opportunity to achieve gray wolfship.” But some were not satisfied with this procedure.
Now it came to pass in the latter days that an ancient of the tribe arose and addressed them thus: "Hearken unto me, brethren. 'Many years have I lived amongst you. Many custodians of the golden eggs have I seen appointed, and many times have they been overcome by the wiles and superior strength of the gray wolves. Go to, now; we have lacked wisdom who are accounted the wisest, because our hearts were not right, because we envied the gray wolves and hoped for an opportunity to become even as they. Seeing that few can become gray wolves, the great majority must remain of the tribe. If ye listen to my counsel we will follow the gray wolves to their lair, and destroy it and them.” And it was so. Therefore thereafter lived the tribe with its golden eggs unmolested and its honor untarnished.
Explanation: Let Teapot Dome equal a golden egg. You can work out the remainder.
Wonderfully Made By C. E. Guiver (London)
MAN is fearfully arid wonderfully made; and nothing is more wonderful than consciousness, the mystic something by which we know that we continue one and the same being. We go to bed at night, and lapse into unconsciousness. We awaken in the morning to take up the threads of life where we left them the night before, and we have need of none to tell us who and what we are.
We know that we are the same being, but why we cannot tell. Years may pass, and we may change. We may grow to maturity, and pass from ignorance and weakness to knowledge and strength. We may change so much outwardly and inwardly that old friends know us not. Our life may be different, our thoughts may be different, and yet we know ourselves, and know that we are the same. Who can analyze the mysterious complexity of the human mind and tell us what this inner consciousness is!
MEMORY is another marvelous thing. Its importance as a power of the mind may be • . appreciated when we think that, without it, ev. -- ery moment we live would be like the beginning ■ of a new life; for we would be unable to recall and benefit by the past. Everything would be - forgotten as soon as experienced.
Without memory there could be no development of character, no building up of knowledge . and wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to see an analogy between the present and the past, and to use rightly the knowledge that memory has stored up for us.'
It is by memory and consciousness that ac-countibility is made possible. We could not feel responsible for things of which we had lost all knowledge, and would deem it a gross injustice if we were punished for the misuse of them. We hold ourselves responsible for the deeds committed by us because we know that we are the same being, and because we remember them. No one would think of charging us with the actions of earliest infancy, nor do we feel that we should be; for we have no innate knowledge of them.
MAN is so constituted that it is impossible for others to see into his mind and heart, «nd we are glad that this is so. We prize most
highly this secrecy which w'e possess, and into which the prying eyes of the carious cannot look. Others may judge of our thoughts by our words and actions, but they cannot read the thoughts themselves. The inner sanctuary is known only to ourselves; and others are not permitted, cannot in fact, lift the veil and look within. But we may tell them what is there. ■
The adversary and his minions of darkness may project thought into the mind, and may be able to judge what are our thoughts and desires; but only God can read the heart. The Scriptures, say: “AU things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with-whom we have to do.” (Hebrews 4:13) "For thou [Jehovah] only knowest the hearts of the children of men.”—2 Chronicles 6:30.
There is one striking instance of God’s knowledge of the human heart, demonstrating at the same time the inability of others to read it correctly. .
. Job was a very wealthy man, and had rest and contentment in a happy home life. One day the sons of God [the angels] presented themselves ’ . before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.
“And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like . him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil! Then Sa- . tan answered, ...Doth Job fear-God for nought!
. . . Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land, but ' put forth thy hand now and touch all that he hath, and he wiircurse thee to thy face.”
Then God gave Satan permission to destroy all that Job possessed. Immediately the adversary caused enemies to come and take away Job’s oxen, his asses and his camels; a fire came to destroy his sheep; and a whirlwind to blow down the house in which his sons and daughters were feasting, killing them aU.
News of these catastrophies was brought to Job by different messengers, so rapidly that as soon as one finished speaking another commenced his message. What a succession of calamities ! Enough to break the heart of any man. And yet Job was able to say: “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” God had judged the heart of Job aright, but Satan had been mistaken.
The adversary asked for further power against the righteous Job, and God granted him leave to attack Job’s body but not to take his life. Job was smitten from head to foot with painful boils, so that life became a misery. His wife urged him to curse God and die. But Job remained unmoved; for he said: “What! Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” And the record adds: “In all this did not Job sin with his lips.”—Job 2: 6-10.
God could read the heart; He could look right down to the bottom of human thought and action and see the motives prompting. Satan, unable to do this and being evil himself, imputed evil to the other. He who had deflected from God and who knew no will but his own, but who worked only for selfish ends, could not conceive that a man, however righteous he might be, would serve God in sincerity and truth.
It is evident that God knows us through and through; that there is nothing hid from His searching gaze. We like to think that our hearts are secret to ourselves; yet it is a blessing that there is One who can read them—God.
If our hearts are pure, we need have no fear. So often we are misunderstood by others. At times we cannot make even our friends understand; but there is One who always understands. God never errs; and we can go to Him at all times with the assurance that He knows and is able to temper every wind that blows.
The question has been asked: Since God knows us thoroughly, what need is there for us to go to Him in prayer? He knows what we need better than we do ourselves; no amount of praying can make any matter clearer to Him.
There are some things which we cannot confide even to our nearest friends, not because we are ashamed of them, but because they affect us so deeply. The heart needs sympathy; it needs somone to whom it can tell its joys, its sorrows, its hopes, and its fears. And when we think of it, the very fact that God knows all about us makes it possible for us to tell Him all about ourselves.
SINCE God can read our hearts and knows with unerring certainty the motives that lead us to act, it is necessary, if we would have His favor, to keep our hearts pure. It is the pure in heart that shall see God. Only honorable motives must operate within us; and'in our self-scrutiny the question should always be, Why do I act thus? Is it my purpose to serve self or to serve God?
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life,” says the inspired Word. (Proverbs 4:23) This is true; for our ultimate destiny is determined-by the desires which we cherish in the present. God has arranged to satisfy the desires of all those who love righteousness and hate iniquity; and of His rich provision for them the Apostle says: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, [to conceive] the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
The Hour Has Struck By Charles Jf. Weaver [Copltd from LoSor]
If I all languages could speak And send my voice the world around, I fain would tell earth's poor and meek About the priceless boon I've found— Beholding God's all-potent hand Deliv’ring by its mighty power
The sore-oppressed in every land In this, the world’s distressful hour.
I’d haste away with speed of thought, And shout my message far and near Wherever human hands have wrought And say to them; “Dismiss your fear.
God keeps His throne; and by His grace Your galling chains shall broken be, And tears no more shall bathe your face Because of want and poverty.
“The hour has struck; the die is cast;
And from Jehovah’s awful throne
Swift retribution comes at last
To make His power and justice known;
And when His wrath is fully spent
And thrones have crumbled into dust, Vain man will then, at last, relent
For having served his grovelling lust.”
Ah, yes! I’d gladden every heart
And dll with peace each troubled breast. The fullest joy I would impart
To all who sigh for needed rest, By telling them, “The night is past
And soon will dawn the promised day: That Right has won her crown at last, The Kingdom comes for which we pray.*'
STUDIES IN THE “HARP OF GOD* (njo<a^H^oKRD”) ffTTI With issue Number 00 we began running Judge Rutherford's new book, j “The Harp of God", with accompanying questions, taking the place of both rJt Advanced and Juvenile Bible Studies which have been hitherto published.
“’The one that is justified before Jehovah is . then counted right or justified that he might be , a part of the great sacrifice of God’s beloved Son Jesus, to the end that he might be a part * of the mystery class and ultimately reign with ’ Christ The next thing indicated by the Scrip’ tures is the begetting of such a one as a new creature. Begetting means the beginning. The - begetting of the new creature, then, means the beginning of a newness of life. When justified by Jehovah, there results to him the right to live as a human being on earth, and this is what he immediately sacrifices. At the same time Jehovah begets him to a hope of life upon the high or heavenly plane; for he is called to a “high calling,” a “heavenly calling.” (Philip. plans 3:14; Hebrews 3:1) This begetting is K in the nature of a contract or an agreement. • Covenant is also a word used for contract. In ..order to make a contract there must be two or more parties, and there must be a consideration passing from one to the other. Where there are v mutual promises, made on both sides, this is sufficient consideration. We will name the one whom we have been discussing as coming to justification Honest Heart.
"‘Honest Heart presents himself to the Lord Jesus the High Priest, fully surrendering himself and agreeing to do the will of God. There is the promise on his part, then, and he is one party to the contract through his Advocate, the Lord Jesus. And when Christ Jesus the High Priest presents him to the Father, Jehovah, the Lord Jehovah in substance says to Honest Heart: Tn consideration of the fact that you have turned away from the wrongful course, and have come to Jesus, and have made a full surrender of yourself in consecration, thereby exercising faith in His blood shed for you and your faith in my plan; and in consideration of the further fact that my beloved Son has imputed to you His merit to make you acceptable before me, I accept you and determine that you are right, or justified; and accepting you as a part of His sacrifice, I give to you my exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might become partaker of the divine nature.’
“’This is in harmony with St. James’ statement: “Of his own will begat he us with, the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.” (James 1:18) The Psalmist shows that this begetting is in the nature of a contract when he says: “Gather my saints together unto me; those who have made -a covenant [contract] with me by sacrifice.” (Psalm 50:5) Honest Heart now being begotten has the promise of life upon the highest plane, the divine nature. He is begotten to a new hope of life. See 1 Peter 1:3-5. The inheritance to which Honest Heart is now begotten is an incorruptible inheritance, which, is the divine nature. This means that if he is faithful unto death, faithful to his part of the contract, he is certain to be born upon the divine plane, for the reason that Jehovah is always faithful to His part of the contract; and. " so Jesus says: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”—Rev. 2:10.
QUESTIONS ON “THE HARP OF GOD*
For what purpose does God justify any one during the Gospel age? fl 333.
What is meant by begetting one as a new creature? What results to the man who is justified by Jehovah?, What does such a one sacrifice ? fl 333.
To what does Jehovah beget this sacrificer? fl 333.
How many parties must there be to a contract? and what is the consideration for begetting one as a new creature in Christ? fl 333.
State the terms of the arrangement between Honest Heart, the one who presents himself to the Lord, and Jehovah, who justifies and begets him. fl 334.
In this arrangement, what office does the Lord Jesus perform ? fl 334. ’
What is meant by the word “advocate” ? fl 334.
Give Scriptural proof that the begetting is in the nature of a contract, both from the Old and the New Testament, fl 335.
To what is Honest Heart, or any sacrificer like him, begotten ? fl 335.
Quote the Scripture with reference to the nature to which he is begotten, fl 335.
Should the one thus begotten continue faithful unto death, what is his certain reward? Give Scriptural proof, fl 335.
1
Prepare for Fall Discussions
Modernists and Fundamentalists have been airing their views, and the controversy thus far finds the people generally just onlookers.
A disposition to fairness is to hear both sides, influence and sup- ' port naturally going where one’s sympathies lie.
And a decision is often guided by talking matters over with friends; for there a free exchange of views can be had.
Fall evenings will likely find this topic the subject for discussion. A breadth of view will result from examination of the points of contention ’ from an unbiased angle.
The views of each faction implicate the Bible teaching; but whether the Bible supports creedal dogmas is the greater question. <
The Harp Bible Study Coubse is not eimumsnrihed by allegiance to doctrines and creeds of orthodox Churchfanity. Its examination maintains an unprejudiced inquiry which equips one for the decision he will ultimately make.
An ordered reading takes up the points of discussion in their natural' sequence, self-quiz cards test the conclusions arrived at, written answers are not submitted. The course is completed in thirteen weeks of an hour’s reading weekly.-
For analytical examinations, Studies nr the Scriptures, a library of seven topically arranged books Scripturally indexed, provides a library for extensive reference of particular texts.
The Harp Bible Study Course and Studies nr the Scriptures, eight cloth bound volumes, gold stamped, printed on dull finish paper and containing over 4,000 pages, $2.35 delivered.
International Bible Students association, . -
Brooklyn, N. Y. Gentlemen: ,
Enroll my name for the Hasp Bttti Study Course and also forward the reference library of Stodiis is the Scsinsua. Enclosed and I2.SS payment la full.
