THE WATCHTOWER.

Published Semimonthly By

WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY 117 Adams Street - Brooklyn, N.Y., U. S.A.

OFFICERS

J. F. Rutherford President_____W. E. Van Amburgh Secretary

“And all thy children shall be taught of Jehovah; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” ~ Isaiah 54:13.

THE SCRIPTURES CLEARLY TEACH

THAT JEHOVAH is the only true God, is from everlasting to everlasting, the Maker of heaven and earth and the Giver of life to his creatures; that the Logos was the beginning of his creation, and his active agent in the creation of all things; that the Logos is now the Lord Jesus Christ in glory, clothed, with all power in heaven and earth, and the Chief Executive Officer of Jehovah.

THAT GOD created the earth for man, created perfect man for the earth and placed him upon it; that man willfully disobeyed God’s law and was.¹ sentenced to death; that by reason of Adam’s wrong act all men 'are born sinners and without the right to life.

THAT JESUS was made human, and the man Jesus suffered death in order to produce the ransom or redemptive price for all mankind; that God raised up Jesus divine and exalted him to heaven above every creature and above every name and clothed him with all power and authority.

THAT JEHOVAH'S ORGANIZATION is called Zion, and that Christ Jesus is the Chief Officer thereof and is the ■rightful King of the world; that the anointed and faithful followers of Christ Jesus are children of Zion, members of Jehovah’s organization, and are his witnesses whose duty and privilege it is to testify to the supremacy of Jehovah, declare his purposes toward mankind as expressed in the Bible, and to bear the fruits of the kingdom before all who will hear.

THAT THE WORLD has ended, and the Lord Jesus Christ has been placed by Jehovah upon his throne of authority, has ousted Satan from heaven and is proceeding to the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth.

THAT THE RELIEF and blessings of the peoples of earth can come only by and through Jehovah’s kingdom under Christ, which has now begun; that the Lord’s next great act is the destruction of Satan’s organization and the establishment of righteousness in the earth, and that under the kingdom all those who will obey its righteous laws shall live on earth forever.

ITS MISSION

THIS journal is published for the purpose of enabling the people to know Jehovah God and his purposes as expressed in the Bible. It publishes Bible instruction specifically designed to aid Jehovah’s witnesses and all people of good will. It arranges systematic Bible study for its readers and the Society supplies other literature to aid in such studies. It publishes suitable material for radio broadcasting and for other means of public instruction in the Scriptures.

It adheres strictly to the Bible as authority for its utterances. It is entirely free and separate from all parties, sects or other worldly organizations. It is wholly and without reservation for the kingdom of Jehovah God under Christ his beloved King. It is not dogmatic, but invites careful and critical examination of its contents in the light of the Scriptures. It does not indulge in controversy, and its columns are not open to personalities.

Yearly Subscription Price

United States, $1.00; Canada and Miscellaneous Foreign, $1.50; Great Britain, Australasia, and south Africa, 7s. American remittances should be made by Postal or Express Money Order or by Bank Draft. Canadian, British, South African and Australasian remittances should be made direct to the respective branch offices. Remittances from countries other than those mentioned may be made, to the Brooklyn office, but by International Postal Money Order only.

Foreign Offices

British ......... 34 Craven Terrace, London, W. 2, England Canadian ...... 40 Irwin Avenue, Toronto 5, Ontario, Canada Australasian . . 7 Beresford Road, Strathfleld, N. S. W., Australia South African ......Boston House, Cape Town, South Africa

Please address the Society in every case.

(Translations of this journal appear in several languages.)

All sincere students of the Bible who by reason of infirmity, poverty or adversity are unable to pay the subscription price may have The Watchtower free upon written application to the publishers, made once each year, stating the reason for so requesting it. We are glad to thus aid the needy, but the written application once each year is required by the postal regulations. Notice to Subscribers: Acknowledgment of a new or a renewal subscription will be sent only when requested. Change of. address, when requested, may be expected to appear on address label within one month. A renewal blank (carrying notice of expiration) will be sent with the journal one month before the subscription expires.

Entered as second-class matter at the post office at Brooklyn, N. Y., under the Act of March 3, 1819.

“MOUNT PERAZIM”

The next testimony period, named “Mount Perazim’’, will occupy the dates August 7 to 15 inclusive. This falls due right In the midst of the special summer campaign; hence there will be no change in the special offers of literature to be exhibited during this testimony period, only that the kingdom publishers will arrange their affairs to devote as much time as possible during said period to place these special offers with the people. See the announcement elsewhere under “Summer Campaign’’, and also consult forthcoming issues of the Informant for fuller information.

SUMMER CAMPAIGN

The Lord’s storehouse is large and bursting with abundance. Appropriately a large and most attractive offer will featuie the summer activities and efforts of Jehovah’s publishers. Such will consist of six bound books, on a contribution of $1.00, or, better still, six bound books together with seven booklets, on a $1.25 contribution. The Informant will go into more detail regarding this campaign and the Society’s provision therefor. Let the publishers order now the extra literature needed in addition to what stocks they now have on hand for this campaign, which begins July 1 and continues to September 12 inclusive.

PORTABLE PHONOGRAPH

The Society now manufactures and has to offer a light-weight phonograph, which is 14 by 13 by 5 inches in size, and covered with brown cloth and having rounded corners. It weighs 9 pounds 13 ounces. With the three phonograph discs which can be carried in it, it weighs 12 pounds 6 ounces. The. volume of sound is strong, and the tone is of the best quality. As shipped out from our factory, the phonograph is timed properly, at 78 r.pjn., and should be checked from time to time. This model, including three discs, is offered on a contribution of $10.00; without the three discs, $8.00. Remittance should accompany orders. Also specify the particular discs wanted.

CONVENTIONS

The Watchtower joyfully announces the following conventions for Jehovah’s witnesses and companions: Paris, France, August 21-23 inclusive, which will serve for Great Britain and Continental Europe; Columbus, Ohio, September 15 20 inclusive, which will serve the United States, Canada, and others, who may be able to attend.

The president of the Society expects to be present at both conventions. Make your arrangements for vacations during those periods. Let all of his people ask Jehovah to make these conventions a great witness to the honor of His name.

More information in later issues of The Watchtower.

OPPOSING GOD

“The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord.”—Prov. 15: 9.

• PART 2

JEHOVAH is always consistent, just and right. God’s law is a safeguard to man; bui, consistent with his law and with his purpose to permit man to be put to a test and to maintain his integrity, God must permit man the freedom of exercising his choice either to fully trust and obey God or to take a contrary course and follow the Devil. This is particularly emphasized in what took place at Mount Sinai at the time of the inauguration of the law covenant. The people of Israel stood there waiting for Moses to return from the mountain with a message from God. They should have fully appreciated the fact that they had been greatly oppressed in Egypt, and that God had delivered them from their oppressors and that he therefore was their true Friend and Helper. While they waited for Moses to return from the mountain with instructions from the Almighty God they should have remained quiet and trusted wholly in the Lord. But the Devil saw to it that they had a temptation placed before them, and he used religion to cause the Israelites to show their lack of faith in God. Consistent with his purpose and course, Jehovah permitted them to be subjected to that test by the Devil. The Israelites fell under the temptation put upon them by the Devil, but God heard the cry of his faithful ones and extended his mercy toward Israel, and gave them further opportunity to prove their integrity toward him.

• ² Within a short time after the giving of the law to Israel, and while Moses was in the mountain, the Israelites in violation of God’s law made a golden calf as an image for worship, and in punishment for their sin God caused 3,000 of the Israelites to be killed in one day. ‘And God plagued the people, because they made the golden calf.’ (Ex. 32: 28-35) The worshiping of the Israelites before the golden calf was the practice of religion, and they were therefore yielding to the influence of the Devil. For God to permit the people, whom he had set aside for himself, to indulge in religion, which is of the Devil, would, to be sure, mean that he would permit them to align themselves with his enemy the Devil. The making of an image of anything in heaven, such as an image of the Lord himself, and bowing down or worshiping before that image, is a violation of God’s fundamental law. To safeguard them from the Devil men are commanded to worship the Lord God and refrain from worshiping before images. The use of any kind of image in connection with worshiping the Lord is a sin. God gave his law to the people, therefore, to safeguard them from the influence and power of the Devil, who, operating chiefly through religion, endeavors to turn all people away from Almighty God. It is written in the Scriptures that Jehovah God gave his word of promise to Abraham that He would raise up a seed and in that seed the opportunity for blessing should come to all the peoples of the earth. Abraham pictured God himself, and his son or natural seed, Isaac, pictured Christ Jesus, the beloved Son of God. God’s law looked forward to the coming of that promised seed, Christ Jesus, the Redeemer of mankind, and he gave the law because of sin, to safeguard his chosen people, the Israelites, that they might be in a proper condition to receive his promised seed Jesus when he did come.

• ³ The situation was this: Adam had sinned, and by inheritance all mankind came under the effect of that sin and condemnation, and in due time all men must perish by reason thereof, unless saved by and through God’s provision for them: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Therefore, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” (Roni. 5:12,18) “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.”—Rom. 6:23.

• ⁴ Jehovah God is the Giver of life, and his provision is to give life through his beloved Son, Christ Jesus. God’s gift of life is to those who have and exercise faith in God and in Christ Jesus, the promised Seed, and who therefore faithfully resist the Devil. God had selected the Israelites from amongst all the peoples of earth and would now give them an opportunity to

maintain their integrity toward him by showing their faith in him and obedience to his law, and in order to safeguard them he put his law about them as a hedge or fence to keep them from serving the Devil. With the coming of Christ Jesus those who had then maintained their integrity toward God by obeying his law to the best of their ability, and who had and exercised faith in Christ Jesus, would be in line to be saved and receive the gift of life. Therefore it is written that the transgression of God’s law is sin. “Whosoever eommit-teth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4) It is further written : “It [that is, the law] was added because of transgressions, till the seed [Christ] should come to whom the promise was made; . . . Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us [God’s chosen people] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (Gal. 3:19, 24) Thus it dearly appears from the testimony that God commanded the Israelites to serve him as the only God and that it was solely for their benefit, that they might be safeguarded from the assaults of the enemy, Satan the Devil.

⁸ The Israelites were about to begin a forty years’ journey through the wilderness land. They would come in contact with other nations and peoples, that practiced the Devil religion. They must be safeguarded from that Devil religion and must remain faithful and true to the Almighty God and thereby maintain their integrity toward him. All who thus did would be permitted to enter the land of promise, and the violators of that law would die and not be permitted in the land of promise. The Israelites, under the Lord’s direction, would thereafter be making living pictures of God’s purpose toward all who would faithfully serve him, and hence the experiences through which Israel passed foreshadowed greater things to come at the end of the world. Moses then led the Israelites on that long journey, during which time he wrote the five books of the Bible, which God dictated to him, that is, the books from Genesis to Deuteronomy inclusive; and thereafter other servants of God wrote down the things that came to pass upon the Israelites and which God caused them to write, not merely as historical facts, but to foreshadow or foretell far greater things to come to pass thereafter.—1 Cor. 10:11; Ileb. 10:1.

“BESETTING SIN”

⁸ Behold now an army of more than 600,000 men, from twenty years of age upward, besides women and children, marching through the desert on their way to the land of promise, taking with them their food and their animals, a people (and their beasts of burden) which God had separated from other peoples of earth. They were marching in obedience to God’s commandment. How many of those men would maintain their integrity toward God and reach the land of promise? What was the great sin that beset them so easily, and that was about them from the very time they began their journey? The answer clearly shown by all their experiences, and by what is recorded in the Scriptures, is this: Religion and formalism, invented by the Devil, and which the people were induced to practice to turn them away from the Almighty God. Religion has ever been the Devil’s chief instrument by which he has beguiled the people and blinded them to the truth. Religion was the besetting sin of Israel, which sin has been the besetting sin of those who have professed to follow in the footsteps of Christ Jesus. Long years after that journey in the wilderness began the apostle Paul, of the Hebrew stock, wrote the epistle to the Hebrews, and therein he lists a number of faithful men, from Abel to John the Baptist, who had maintained their integrity toward God, and wherein he shows that it was their shunning religion and their unswerving devotion and faithfulness to the commandments of Almighty God that had gained for them God’s approval. Then it is written as an admonition to all those who have agreed to do the will of God and to follow in Jesus’ footsteps that they should have in mind these faithful witnesses who went before and should follow a similar course. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”—IIeb. 12:1.

⁷ Man’s besetting sin, from the time of Eden till now, has been and is religion. It has been the means by which Satan has deceived man, and he has kept it around man and turned him away from God. It was the instrument that the Devil used to cause the Israelites to fall away from God. It is so easy to fall under the seductive influence of religion and thereby to violate God’s law, and the Devil has seen to it that religion has ever been kept before man to cause him to fall. The making of images, of beads, crosses, and other things of that kind, and using them in what is supposed to be worship of God, is a direct violation of God’s law and shows that those who thus practice are unwittingly falling to the Devil. The saluting of flags or men or other like objects, or bowing down to them, is attributing protection and salvation to creatures or things, and that is a religious formalism and in open violation of God’s law. No creature can divide his affections or devotion between God and anything. Jehovah God is his only protector and is the Lifegiver, and He is therefore a “jealous God”, or zealous for righteousness, and will not permit his name or his Word to be sullied by any part of the Devil’s operations or schemes, and therefore He will not give life to those who indulge in things invented and used by the Devil to defame Jehovah’s name. The law of God which provides that men shall have no other god before Him and shall make no image of anything in heaven or in earth and bow down to it, is solely for the purpose of safeguarding man from the Devil’s wickedness, “the sin which doth so easily beset” all creatures.

•Referring again to the apostle’s words, “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, ’ ’ which words are addressed to God’s covenant people, it is clearly to be seen that no person can faithfully and truly serve God and permit anything to divide his affections between God and any creature of creation; that he cannot practice religion and at the same time serve God faithfully; that he must lay aside these weights, and do as the apostle Paul did and said: “This one thing I do’’ (Phil. 3:13), and that is, to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and obey God’s commandments. Religion is dearly in opposition to the commandments of Almighty God.

•God’s law is plain, and stubbornness on the part of anyone in obeying that law is idolatry. (1 Sam. 15: 23) Every religious practice under the sun means that the practitioners are indulging in idolatry. The use of images in worshiping is idolatry, and all idolatry is abominable in the sight of God. As God permitted Job to be subjected to great trials, so he permitted the Devil to tempt the Israelites, and to tempt his covenant people since, that they might prove their choice between God and the Devil. Knowing that the Israelites would come in contact with those who practiced the Devil religion, God therefore gave them this specific commandment: “Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the Lord your God.” (Lev. 19:4) “Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the Lord your God. And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.” (Lev. 26:1, 30) “All the gods of the people are idols.” (1 Chron. 16: 26) Religion, therefore, clearly appears to be one of man’s great enemies, which the chief enemy, the Devil, has invented to lead men into destruction.

• ¹⁰ What followed after the giving of the law shows the great necessity for that law. The record of the Israelites during their journey is replete with instances of turning to idols or Devil religion. Coining in contact with the Moabites they found that people practicing a religion called “Baal-peor”, and many of the Israelites indulged in that religion in violation of God’s law and thus exposed themselves to God’s wrath, and many of them were destroyed: “And they [the Moabites] called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel. And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baal-peor.”—Num. 25:2-5.

• ¹¹ Time and again the Israelites violated God’s law by turning to Devil religion, and the result was that only a very few of those who left Egypt lived to see the land of promise. When Moses was delivering to the Israelites his last exhortation, he said to them, as commanded by the Lord God: “(For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by; and ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:) lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turncth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that bcarcth gall and wormwood; and it come to pass, when he hcarcth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: the Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that arc written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven. Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land? what mcaneth the heat of this great anger? Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt: for they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that arc written in this book.”—Dcut. 29:16-20, 2-1-27.

• ¹² God, having accepted Satan’s challenge, was permitting him to put men to the test and was safeguarding them by his law so that the covenant people of God had the privilege of exercising their will or choice to serve God and live, or serve the Devil and die. This is God’s fixed and unchangeable rule.

• ¹³ When the Israelites, led by the faithful Joshua, readied the land of promise, they served God for a time. They were God’s chosen people, and were made the objects and were the objects of continual assaults by the subtle enemy. Yielding to those temptations, the Israelites time and again fell away to the Devil religion. During that period of time there were some men who led the Israelites faithfully to serve God, while others took exactly the opposite course. It was during the reign of King Ahab and his wife Jezebel that almost all the people were turned away to Devil religion. God sent his faithful prophet Elijah to deliver his message of warning and to tell Ahab that his practice of religion was causing the Israelites all the trouble that they were experiencing: “And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim [the Devil religion].”—1 Ki. 18:17,18.

• ¹⁴ God raised up Jehu, a faithful servant and who slew Ahab and his household because of the idolatrous practice of religion in which they indulged. “So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jczrccl, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.” (2 Ki. 10:11) All the practitioners of Baalism, the Devil religion, in Israel were slain by Jehu, and he brought forth the images out of the house of Baal and burned them, and “thus Jehu destroyed Baal [worship] out of Israel”. (2 Ki. 10:25-28) These instances here are cited as further proof that religion is directly in opposition to God’s commandments, is devilish, and is therefore one of man’s great enemies, and an abomination.

BACKSLIDERS

• ¹⁵ Time and again the Israelites acknowledged their wrong and asked for forgiveness, and the Lord forgave them. Straightway they would go again and indulge in the Devil religion and fall under that wicked influence. The Lord therefore called them “backsliding Israel”. (Jer. 3:6-14) God had put his name on the Israelites as his own people and was giving them every opportunity to prove their integrity before him, that they might have part in proving Satan a liar and that they might remain faithful to God and have his favor; and for his name’s sake, therefore, he was safeguarding Israel, forgiving them and restoring them from time to time, giving them further opportunity to prove their integrity; therefore it is written concerning Israel: ‘ ‘ Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury Upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.” (Ezekiel 20:21,22) The nation as a whole was unfaithful to God, but there were always a few Israelites that remained faithful and true to Jehovah, maintaining their integrity toward him.

• ¹⁰ Then God sent his faithful men, his prophets, who repeatedly prophesied before the Israelites concerning the coming of the Messiah, God’s anointed One, that is, Christ, the Seed of promise according to the promise which God had made to Abraham. (Gen. 22:17,18) He warned the Israelites through his prophets that if they continued their unfaithfulness to him in the practice of Devil religion he would destroy them, and in harmony with his warning he did destroy them because of their unfaithfulness. Exactly at God’s fixed time he sent Jesus, his beloved Son, whom he sent to deliver his message of truth. The priests of the Israelites were obligated, by God’s commandment, to teach the people concerning his law and the prophecies which referred to the coming of the great Messiah, the promised Seed; therefore they should have known about the coming of Jesus, and the priests in particular should have been ready to receive him. When Jesus was born, not one of the priests or clergymen or other practitioners of religion was permitted to be witness to the fact, and manifestlj’ that was because they were practicing the Devil religion. God chose as his witnesses to the birth of Jesus the meek herders of sheep. God caused his angels from heaven to announce the birth of Jesus and to speak to the shepherds these words: “And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and [ZfotA.] on earth peace, among men of good-will.” (Luke 2:9-14) By that time almost all the people of Israel had turned to religion; but there were a few who were faithful to God’s commandments.

DEVIL AND HIS AGENTS

• ¹⁷ Had the priests, Pharisees and scribes, otherwise known as the clergymen of Israel, been faithfully devoted to doing the will of God and obeying his commandments, they would have known that Jesus would begin his, ministry when thirty years of age and they would have instructed the people to be ready to receive him and to obey his commandments. When Jesus reached the age of thirty years and began his ministry, not a single one of the clergy class received him end hailed him as the Son of God. The reason why they did not was, because they were religionists and were looking for favor to themselves from amongst men (John 5:44), and they were the instruments of the Devil practicing his religion. Those Jewish clergymen or religionists were full of guile and fraud and deceit. A few honest and faithful Israelites were looking for Christ the Messiah, and it was from among such that Jesus chose his disciples, concerning one of whom Jesus said: “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” (John 1:47) This was conclusive proof that all the religious leaders, the clergymen, were full of guile and deceit.

• ¹⁸ Jesus was baptized in the Jordan river and was anointed of Jehovah, and John, standing by, beheld the manifestation of God’s power upon Jesus and his approval of him. “And, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17) No Pharisee or other clergyman was there to witness that great event. No doubt the Devil looked on from some point, but, of course, was invisible to men. Immediately after his anointing of the holy spirit Jesus was assaulted by the Devil, who made a subtle and vicious attack to bring about th destruction of Jesus. The Devil demanded that Jesus perform a miracle by making bread from stone, to which Jesus replied that man’s existence does not depend upon material bread alone but does depend upon his obedience to God’s Word. The Devil then dared Jesus to show his superiority by jumping from a high pinnacle into the valley, to which Jesus replied: “It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” The Devil, being the invisible ruler of the world, mockingly and sarcastically offered to turn the world over to Jesus if Jesus would bow down and worship the Devil, to which Jesus replied: “Get thee behind me, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Matt. 4:1-10; Luke 4:1-13) This is further and conclusive proof that the Devil is the enemy of God, that he is a fraud, a deceiver and a liar, that he is the inventor of religion, and that those who worship any creature or thing, and fail to worship the Lord God, are the enemy of God, and the agent or ally of the Devil, whether they know it or not. There was not one clergyman of the Jews that accepted Jesus and stood by him; which shows that all such were agents of the Devil.

• ¹⁹ Thereafter Jesus began his work of preaching to the people, and introduced his discourse with these words: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Did any of the clergymen accept that as true? Not one. The priests, Pharisees and other religious leaders were hypocrites and loved the plaudits and approval of men, and sought the worship of the people, even as their father the Devil had done. A great multitude of the people went with Jesus into the mountain, where he delivered to them that famous “Sermon on the Mount”. From the record it does not appear that a single clergyman was there to hear that great sermon. The common people listened with eagerness to learn, and amongst other things Jesus said to them: “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut-thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” (Matt. 6:5-8) Then Jesus gave to the people a model prayer, which is generally known as “the Lord’s prayer”.—Matt. 6: 9-13.

• ²⁰ In the foregoing text it was the priests or clergymen who practiced religion to whom Jesus referred as hypocrites making a great show of their pious faces in the streets that they might be seen of men. Compare the conduct of those Jewish clergymen with the clergymen and religious leaders of this present day. Often you have observed a priest or other clergyman or religious practitioner going about the streets with a prayer book in his hand, pretending to read it, or sitting in the parks doing the same thing. Daily those clergymen walk through the streets wearing peculiar garments that they may attract the attention of men. They stand in the church buildings, as the Jewish clergymen stood in their synagogues, and strike a sanctimonious attitude, and utter senseless speech in a language that few, if any, of those present can understand ; and that they do that they may attract attention of men to themselves. Thus Jesus shows that tho practitioners of religion among the Jews find their counterpart in the practitioners of religion now on earth in “Christendom”.

• ²¹ The man Jesus was the great and true witness of Jehovah God, whom God sent to the earth to tell his message of truth for his name’s sake. If the priests and clergymen of that day had been honest and on the side of Almighty God they would have gladly heard the words of Jesus and followed his instructions, but instead they refused to believe him and opposed him in every possible manner, and this they did because they were the agents of the Devil and therefore the enemies of God. It is written concerning the sincere Jews of the common people, who listened to the preaching of Jesus, that “the common people heard him gladly”. (Mark 12:37) Did the clergymen believe the words of Jesus? They did not, but, on the contrary, they did everything they could to induce the people not to believe. When a sincere man reported to those clergymen the wonderful words that Jesus had uttered and things he had done, they replied: “Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?” (John 7:47,48) Instead of supporting Jesus the clergy of his time’ used every possible means in opposition to him to prevent the people from hearing his words of wisdom and life. Exactly the same condition exists today with the religious leaders of “Christendom”.

OPPOSERS OF TRUTH

• ²² Whht advantage is there in now considering the clergy who were on the earth when Jesus was here, and why should this be done at all? The purpose is to show that those men were practitioners of religion, claiming to represent God, but in fact were on the side of the Devil and were the enemies of God; and that in the present time those who oppose Christ Jesus and his kingdom are the enemies of God and of man; that religionists are always opponents of the truth; which shows that religion proceeds from the Devil and is employed to deceive the people; and what was true when Jesus was on earth is still true, to wit, that religion is against God and his kingdom. By his prophets of old God had foretold that the religious leaders of Israel would turn the people away from God, and now Jesus, the greatest of all prophets, told those religious teachers to their face that they were hypocrites and the Devil’s representatives. What Jesus said to those men applies with even stronger force to those of the present time who practice religion for gain and who oppose those who proclaim God’s Word of truth concerning Christ and his kingdom.

• ²⁸ The religious leaders among the Jews claimed to be the seed of Abraham according to the promise and that they were the sons of God. Jesus had told them that God had sent him to the earth to bear witness to the truth, and that the message he was delivering was not his own, but that he was speaking the words which God had commanded him to speak; and in the face of these statements the clergy or religionists tried to kill Jesus, and Jesus reminded them of this fact. Mark here the words of Jesus, addressed to those opposing religionists: “I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me; for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech ? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I lell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.”—John 8:37-47.

• ²⁴ And did they show themselves to be sons of the Devil, as Jesus had told them? The facts conclusively show that they did. They practiced religion, based upon the traditions of men, ignored the commandments of God, and thus made the Word of God of none effect, and therefore they were the enemies of God and enemies of the people. Mark here the words of Jesus, which conclusively show the difference between religion and obeying the commandments of God:”Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, . . . saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? . . . But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? . . . Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites! well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”—Matt. 15:1-9.

• ²³ Those clergymen and preachers were practitioners of “the Jews’ religion” and were the instruments of the Devil. Saul afterwards testified to the same effect, as will appear at Galatians 1:13,14. The Devil got those Jewish clergymen on his side because they were proud and sought the favor of men and taught Ihe doctrines which men had invented and taught and they ignored and disregarded the commandment of God. From the day of Nimrod onward the Devil has employed religion to turn men away from God in furtherance of the Devil’s wicked challenge to Jehovah. The Devil works upon the vanity of men and induces them to adopt and practice formalism by which it is claimed that they worship God, but which in truth and in fact is an abomination in the sight of God.

• ²⁶ God, through his holy prophets, had announced his purpose to set up a kingdom which should rule the world in righteousness to the honor of God’s name and for the good of all righteous creatures. He foretold that he would send his beloved Son, the Messiah, to rule and bless the people. Then came Jesus in due time, declaring to the people that he had come as the representative of Jehovah God and for the gathering of men unto himself who would faithfully serve Jehovah God and be witnesses to His name. Were there any religionists amongst those Jews who joined with Jesus in proclaiming the kingdom and inviting the people to put themselves under Jehovah’s King? Not one; but, on the contrary, they tried to keep the people out of the kingdom; concerning which Jesus said: “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.” (Matt. 23:13) At this present time who among the religious leaders are telling the people of God’s kingdom under Christ as the only hope for the world ? Not a single one. On the contrary, they tell the people to give no heed to those persons who come to them preaching the message of God’s kingdom. They cite human inventions and human agencies as the means of relief and salvation for the people.

²⁷ The religious Pharisees, who opposed Jesus, weie great sticklers for formalism, that they might appear in the eyes of men as being very clean and righteous and wonderful men. They were following the traditions of their fathers who had murdered the faithful prophets of God, and so now they would seek to kill Jesus, the greatest of all prophets. Therefore Jesus said to them: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanncss. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers! how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” (Matt. 23: 27-33) Here is the clear declaration of Jesus that religionists are the agents of the Devil, whether they are aware of that fact or not.

MURDERERS

• ²⁸ All liars and murderers are religionists. Whenever a murderer is about to be executed he has some religious practitioner to say some senseless words over him, which is supposed to save him, but which does no good. The Devil was the orginator of religion, and the Devil is the father of lies and a “murderer from the beginning” and ever thereafter. (John 8:44) From Nimrod down to the present hour the breakers of God’s everlasting covenant, who have opposed God and murdered human creatures, have been and are religionists, practicing some form of religion. It was religionists that murdered the holy prophets of God, whom he had sent to declare his truth, and those religionists murdered them because they represented God and followed the truth. (Matt. 23:30-32) When Jesus, the great Prophet and Heir of the Almighty God, came to earth the Devil put it into the minds of the religionists to kill him, and therefore they said concerning Jesus: “This is the heir: come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.” (Matt. 21:38) It was not the common people, but the religionists, that opposed Jesus and that sought his lifeblood, and this they did because he told the truth.

• ²⁹ The man Jesus was the only righteous perfect man ever on the earth. He was holy, harmless, undefiled and without sin. (Heb. 7:26; 1 Pet. 1:19) He went about doing good to the people and never did a wrongful or harmful thing to anyone. He was repeatedly charged with crime, and on every occasion it was the religionists who falsely accused him. It was the religionists who entered into a conspiracy to have Jesus put to death, because they feared that the people who followed him would all abandon the clergymen and those religionists would be left without any means of support; and in proof of this it is written: “The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.” (John 12:19) “Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we ? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place [our jobs] and nation.”—John 11:47,48.

• ³⁰ The high priest then expressed himself in these words: “Ye know nothing at all, ... it is expedient for us, that one man should die . . . he prophesied that Jesus should die . . . Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.” (John 11:49-53) This was a conspiracy to commit deliberate murder, and that conspiracy was carried into effect by the commission of the overt act.

• ³¹ The clergymen caused Jesus to be wrongfully charged with the high crime of treason. It was not the common people or the political element that demanded his death, but it was the religionists, who cried out: “Crucify him,” and, “His blood be on us.” (Matt. 27:12-26) When Christ Jesus was nailed to the tree and was pouring out his lifeblood, the clergy mocked him: “Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and ciders, said, . . . He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him; for he said, I am the Son of God.” (Matt. 27 : 41-43) The same spirit moves modern-day clergymen to speak against those who proclaim the message of God’s kingdom. The clergymen or religionists did not see that the body of Jesus had a decent burial, but it was a rich lawyer of honorable estate who had not consented to the action of the priests that begged for the body of Jesus that he might give it a decent burial. (Matt. 27:57) It was the chief priests and Pharisees, the religious leaders, that tried to prevent the resurrection of Jesus, and that bribed soldiers with large sums of money to say falsely that his disciples had stolen the body while they slept. (Matt. 28:11-13) Can any honest person for one moment doubt the guilt of those religionists and that they, the leaders of religion, scribes and Pharisees, clergymen, acted as the agents and representatives of the Devil ? As progress is made in this study keep in mind that it was the religionists that murdered Jesus, and then compare therewith the facts which show that the murderers in modern times are leaders in religious practice.

PURPOSE OF HIS COMING

• ³² The man Jesus was the Son of God. Before he became a man he was known as the Logos, the active agent of Jehovah God in the creation of all things. (Col. 1:16) By the supreme power of Jehovah God, Jesus, the Logos, ‘was made flesh [a human creature] and dwelt among men.' (John 1:14) Jehovah God sent him to earth as his special representative, and the message which he delivered was the message from the Almighty God. (John 7:16) The Devil, the inventor of lies, the deceiver and murderer, for centuries had slandered the name of Jehovah God, mocked him and defied him and challenged him to put on earth any man who would remain true to God when the Devil put him to the test. After giving the Devil four thousand years to carry on unhindered his wicked work Jehovah God sent his beloved Son Jesus to earth to prove the Devil a liar and to be the vindicator of Jehovah’s name. In carrying out the will of God it was of first importance that Jesus proclaim the truth ; therefore when asked concerning his mission on earth, he replied: “I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” (John 18:37) It follows, therefore, that every person who refuses to hear the message of Jesus is not of the truth, but that he is under the control of the arch liar and enemy, the Devil.

REDEMPTION

• ³³ The primary reason and purpose of Jesus’ coming to earth was to bear witness to the truth of and concerning Jehovah God and his kingdom and to vindicate Jehovah’s holy name. Incidental thereto, and as a secondary reason, he came to redeem man from the condemnation resulting from Adam’s sin. Because of the willful violation of God's law Adam was sentenced to death and after that all his children were born. The condemned Adam was imperfect because under sentence of death, and could not produce a perfect child, and the result has ever been that all men have been born in sin and conceived in lawlessness. ‘‘Behold. I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Ps. 51: 5) ‘‘Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” (Rom. 5:12) Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham were faithful to God, but, being born as imperfect men and therefore without right to everlasting life by reason of Adam’s sin, they could not get everlasting life unless provision for the redemption was first made. Jian must be ransomed from death by the sacrifice of the perfect human life, because it was the perfect human life which God’s law required Adam to give up as a penalty for sin. All men being descendants of Adam, there was no man who could present a perfect sacrifice unto God in the place and stead of Adam. God made the necessary provision.

• ³⁴ It is the male of the human species that furnishes the life germ, by God’s provision. How, then, could a perfect man be provided, and who could become a ransom price for or deliverer of mankind? Jehovah the Almighty God caused Mary to conceive while yet a virgin. (Matt. 1:18) She conceived in her womb by virtue of the power of the holy spirit of God exercised upon her. Seeing that God made man and woman out of the elements of the earth, there would be no difficulty whatsoever in God’s causing a child to be conceived in the womb of Mary; which he did. The man-child Jesus was born, and was pure, holy, undefiled and entirely separate from sinners, having none of the contaminated life germ descending from Adam. (Heb. 7:26) Jesus therefore is always designated in the Scriptures as ‘‘the Son of man”, which is ‘‘the Son of God”. When the man Jesus reached the age of thirty years he was qualified, under the terms of God’s law, to become a priest unto God. It was then that Christ Jesus consecrated himself fully to do the will of God, and his immersion in the waters of the Jordan river was an outward evidence to others that he had made the covenant to be obedient to the will of God. It was then that his words apply: “Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, 0 my God; yea, thy law is within my heart.” (Ps. 40:7,8; Matt. 3:15-17) The one who would redeem mankind must offer himself voluntarily as a sacrifice; and that being the will of God, Jesus voluntarily and gladly complied with God's will and thus offered himself by presenting himself wholly unto the Lord God. The lifeblood of the perfect man Jesus could and did furnish the ransom or redemptive price for sinful man. The life is in the blood. (Lev. 17:11,14) The voluntary sacrifice of the perfect human life of Jesus provided the redemptive price, his lifeblood being poured out in sacrificial death. ‘Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.’ (Heb. 9:22) The lifeblood of the perfect man Jesus God could accept, and did accept, as the ransom price and sin offering for sinful man. (For detailed consideration of the redemption of man see book Reconciliation.)

• ³⁵ The perfect man, Christ Jesus, was subjected to all manner of assaults and persecutions inflicted upon him by the Devil and the Devil’s religious representatives on the earth, and through all of such assaults and persecutions Jesus maintained his integrity toward God, never for one moment deviating from the path of loyalty and faithfulness to God. Thereby Jesus proved Satan a liar, and this in vindication of Jehovah’s name and word. After he had given testimony concerning the name of Jehovah and the kingdom, which covered a period of three and one-half years, he was then charged with the capital crime of treason, was given a mock trial, convicted without legal evidence, and crucified by being nailed to a tree, thus being put to death as a sinner accursed of God; and thus he would appear in the eyes of all others. (Deut. 21:23) God permitted his enemies to put Jesus lo death, knowing that Jesus would remain faithful even unto death, proving his integrity to God, and that God would raise him up out of death. Jesus thus met all the requirements and fully showed his qualification to become the vindicator of God’s name. Because of his faithfulness God raised up Jesus out of death and gave to him life and immortality, not as a man, but life divine, an endless and indestructible life, and exalted Jesus to the very highest place in all the universe next to Jehovah. (Phil. 2:5-11) God committed to Christ Jesus, the immortal One, all power in heaven and in earth. (Matt. 28:18) Therefore Jesus said: "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Rev. 1:18) Christ Jesus therefore becomes clothed with all power and authority to act for Jehovah in all things as his chief executive officer.

• ³⁸ When with his disciples, Jesus instructed them that all creatures that will receive everlasting life and the blessings of Almighty God must willingly and faithfully serve God. Then of himself he said: “And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20: 27, 28) This shows that the man Jesus understood that it was the will of his Father Jehovah not only that he tell the truth and become the Vindicator of his Father but that as a man he must die to provide the ransom or redemptive price “for many” of the human race. For how many of the human race: all or only a part? Not for all, because the redemptive price results beneficially only to those who believe on and obey God and Christ Jesus. Therefore he gave his life as a ransom for as many of the human race as take their stand on the side of God and Christ and maintain their integrity toward God when put to the test. It is written: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23) Here the matter is squarely put to every man, to wit: If you prefer to continue on the side of the Devil and against God the result will be complete destruction; but if you take your stand on the side of God and Christ, showing full faith in the redemptive price and proving your integrity toward God, you will receive at God’s hands, through Christ Jesus, the gift of life everlasting. In further corroboration of this, it is written: “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:35,36) Otherwise stated, all men came under condemnation by reason of sin, and God’s wrath against sin is death ; if one believes on the Lord Jesus Christ God removes that condemnation from him; but if man prefers to remain on the side of the Devil and continue in sin, then God’s wrath or condemnation abides on him and is not removed. Thus it is seen that God’s intelligent creatures are made free agents to choose life or death after having received a knowledge of God’s provision for them.

• ³⁷ The provision God has made to give life to men is prompted entirely by unselfishness or love on the part of God; as it is written: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16,17) It necessarily follows, then, that those who do not believe “perish”, which means to be completely annihilated. God has no pleasure even in the death of the wicked, and certainly he could have no pleasure in inflicting torture upon anyone. The doctrine of eternal torment in hell is another one of Satan’s vicious lies, which lies are taught to the people only by religionists, and the purpose of this Devil lie is to turn people away from God and force them into the Devil’s organization, that is, the “religious” organizations. “Hell” means the condition of death, not a place of torture. When a man prefers to continue in wickedness God mercifully puts him to sleep in death, and that man never again awakens. “God is love,” and he could not be guilty of a fiendish act such as eternal torture. The Lord causes to be brought to the attention of the people the truth, and then each one has the opportunity to believe or not to believe, as he may choose.

• ³⁸ While instructing those who listened to and believed him, Jesus said: “I am come that they [who believe] might have life, and that they [who prove faithful unto death] might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) In order for anyone to believe, he must learn of God’s provision for man through Christ Jesus. Therefore it is written: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed'! and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent ? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”—Rom. 10:13-15.

• ³⁸ Further exercising his loving-kindness, God has provided that the attention of the people should be brought to the truth of and concerning himself and his provision to give them life. He causes his Word to be proclaimed that the people may hear. The enemy Satan seeks to destroy all mankind, but the Almighty God graciously informs man that all those who will get on God’s side, believe upon and serve the Lord Jesus Christ and Jehovah and prove faithful, shall live.

• ⁴⁰ After the flood Satan induced men to practice religion in mockery of God and all the nations adopted and practiced the Devil religion. Jehovah God then chose the people of Israel, formed them into a nation, and gave them his commandments and instructed them how they could obey God and live. Thus the matter was clearly put before mankind. Man could choose to stay in the Devil’s crowd or could serve Jehovah God faithfully and truly. Soon thereafter the Devil invaded the camp of Israel and induced that people to adopt formalism, which formalism in an outward way appeared to give honor to God but which in fact was against God. The Israelites soon began to use images in connection with their formalistic worship, and that was in direct violation of God’s law. Continuing m this way, the nation went fully over to the Devil; oniy a few of the individual Israelites remained true to God. Men began the practice of formalism, which constituted “the Jews’ religion”, and that formalism and those man-made doctrines were handed down from parents to children; which is called “tradition”. When Jesus came to earth the Jews were practicing religion, based upon such tradition, and which religion and tradition made void the commandments of God; and Jesus so told them.

¹¹ Jesus taught the people fully and sincerely to obey the commandments of God, and thus Jesus established true Christianity. There is no such thing in existence as “the Christian religion”, because all religion proceeds from God’s enemy, the Devil. “Christian religion” is a misnomer, fraudulent and deceptive. “Christianity” means the full and complete obedience of man to God’s commandments, even as Christ Jesus taught and obeyed God’s commandments. Therefore a person is a Christian only when he is a true follower of Christ Jesus, which means that he must be diligent in obeying God’s commandments and follow them and not the teachings of man. Religion is a great enemy, always working injury to mankind, and this without regard to whether man is sincere or otherwise. Religion is entirely out of place in the church of God. The enemy has at all times attempted to corrupt the “church of God”. He has used wicked angels and men to accomplish that purpose. All on God’s side must resist the enemies in order to maintain therer integrity toward God.

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY

K 1-4. What was Jehovah’s purpose in giving to man His law, and in permitting man to be put to a test of integrity? Describe the idolatry of the Israelites at Sinai. Account for therer failure to meet the test to which they were subjected. How were they punished therefor? and why were they spared as a people? With scriptures, explain why God gave to that people his law and specially dealt with them.

H 5,6. Did the Israelites benefit by Jehovah's having given them his law and his particular direction in therer affairs? W’hy? With what result to them? What is the great significance thereof to God’s people now?

K 7, 8. Point out how and why religion has done so great injury to man.

K 9,10. Why did God specifically command the Israelites concerning idols and images or allegiance to any creature or thing?

If 11,12. Did the Israelites that left Egypt reach the land of promise? Why?

1f 13,14. Show that religion was the chief snare used by the Devil to entrap God’s chosen people even after they reached the land of promise.

If 15,16. Explain the Lord’s referring to the Israelites as ‘ ‘ backsliding Israel ’ ’. Account for his continued dealing with them ‘notwithstanding therer rebellion’, and for his repeatedly warning them through his prophets. W’hy, at the coming of Jesus, were the people and even the priests not ready to receive him? How, and to whom was the announcement made of Jesus' birth? and why to these? What was the witness there given?

1f 17. Just why did Jesus disregard the clergy class when choosing his disciples?

If 18. Explain (a) the absence of the clergy from Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan, (b) How and for what purpose the Devil assaulted Jesus immediately thereafter.

If 19. How did the clergy and the common people regard Jesus and his message? Why?

If 20, 21. Compare the conduct of those Jewish clergymen with that of the clergymen of the present time. Account for therer attitude and conduct.

1f 22. Why should we now, or at all, consider the clergy who were on earth when Jesus was here?

If 23,24. Compare the claims of the Jewish eleigy with the facts declared by Jesus concerning them. How had they come into such condition?

If 25. Why has the Devil so easily succeeded in using the clergy as his chief instruments?

If 26,27. Compare the religionists of Jesus’ day with those of the present time in point of the declaration recorded (a) at Matthew 23: 13. (b) At Matthew 23: 27-33. What do those declarations show?

If 28-31. How are lying and murder related to religion? How is this shown in the leeord concerning God’s prophets of old? Whom did the Devil use to persecute Jesus? Describe therer procedure then, and since, as clearly proving the origin and purpose of religion.

If 32. Who was Jesus when on earth, and why was he here?

If 33-35. Point out (a) the primary reason and purpose of Jesus’ coming to earth, (b) The secondary reason and purpose. How was each of these purposes accomplished?

If 36. With related scriptures, explain 1 Timothy 2: 6 and Matthew 20: 28 as being in entire harmony.

If 37-39. Show that God’s provision to give life to man was prompted entirely by love. As shown in the apostle’s words at Bomans 10: 13-15, and in the provision God has made for the piescnt time, what is the purpose, and the importance, of the message now proclaimed by God’s witnesses?

T 40,41. Explain whether the practice of religion, and the ignorance of God’s Word and purpose, among the Jews when Jesus came to earth, and amoug professed people of God today, can be chaigcd to luck of instruction and of opportunity.

INSPECTION, PREPARATION, WAR

JEHOVAH is now preparing those who love him for the most stupendous event in the history of man. For more than six thousand years conditions have appeared to be entirely adverse to those who have tried to do right. Now there is revealed to those who have taken therer stand on Jehovah’s side the great truth that there is rapidly approaching a time of unprecedented prosperity and blessings for the human race. Those who are diligent to grasp the truths that are placed before them are lifted far above the present sad conditions of this world and see the incontrovertible proof that the time of deliverance is at hand.

In all the ages past a subtle foe has beset men, heaped upon them injustice and oppression, led them into pitfalls, filled therer days with perplexity and distress, and in the end brought them in sorrow to the grave. That same enemy, Satan, has employed every conceivable means to defame the name of the great Creator Jehovah and to turn man away from Him. That enemy long ago formed an organization made up of false and fraudulent religion, planted superstitious fear in the heart of man, and has drawn multitudes into his religious net. He has created a great commercial system and used it to rob the people of the fruits of therer honest toil, and to corrupt the political element to compel the people to remain in subjection. The climax of this wicked organization has been reached in the seventh world power, which is otherwise designated as “Christendom”, and which world power has fraudulently and falsely assumed the name of The Christ of God and has brought upon Jehovah’s holy name the greatest amount of ignominy and shame. The end of such defamation and wickedness must come, and now it rejoices the hearts of honest men to see that the climax is at hand when there will be a complete change for the good.

Jehovah declares his purpose to vindicate his holy name at Armageddon; hence it is designated in his Word “the battle of that great day of God Almighty”. The organization of Jehovah, symbolized by Mount Zion, is the place of the assembly of his troops; hence that place is called “Armageddon”. It is there that he will “go forth and fight” for his own. (Zech. 14:3) The militant host of Jehovah will be led by Christ Jesus, who is now King of kings exercising his royal authority. (Rev. 17:14; 19:11-16) To be sure, Jehovah docs not need to prepare himself for the great battle, but it is necessary to prepare some parts of his organization and to send them forth to make known that he is God,- and that his purpose is to destroy the enemy that has defamed his name and brought suffering and death upon his creatures. The administration of the affairs of the world must pass completely from the control of Satan and into the hand of Christ Jesus, who is earth’s rightful Ruler. For centuries Satan has been “the prince of this world”, and now he refuses to abdicate; hence his power and organization are to be completely destroyed. Jehovah is long-suffering and forbearing. (Ex. 34:6) He has given the enemy every opportunity to make good his challenge and boast to turn all mankind against God. But the time must come for Jehovah to act, and when his wrath is expressed it will be so emphatic that all will know that he is the Almighty God. Before executing his judgment against the enemy fair warning and complete notice is given, and such is a part of his preparation.

In the centuries of long ago Jehovah, by his holy spirit, moved honest men to write down that which he purposed to bring to pass in future days, and now the prophecies then written are being fulfilled. Among those honest and God-fearing men who wrote prophecy was Zechariah, the grandson of Iddo the prophet. It was about the year 520 B.C. when Zechariah was given his first vision by Jehovah and when he began to write prophecy. More than 2,400 years thereafter that prophetic vision began to have fulfillment. At that time the World War, which began in 1914, had come to a conclusion, and the ruling powers of the world were bringing forth various schemes of reconstruction. The rulers of “Christendom” had received the evidence that Satan’s world had come to an end and that the time was at hand for the beginning of the kingdom of God under Christ Jesus. Instead of heeding this evidence the seventh world power set up a substitute for God’s kingdom, which is an abomination and is detestable in Jehovah’s eyes.

Zechariah’s vision came to him from the Lord and in the nighttime. In vision he beheld a company of men riding on horseback. The leader of that company rode a red horse, and those who followed after him rode red, bay and white horses. That was a heavenly vision foreshadowing things to come to pass in future days upon the earth. That company of heavenly cavalry halted therer horses upon the side of the Mount of Olives, in the shadow of a grove of myrtle trees. From this vantage point the chief horseman made a careful survey of the city of Jerusalem, while the other horsemen of his company rode up and down in the land gathering information and returned and reported that information to therer chief. The information gained by his own inspection, and that reported to him by his aides, filled the chief with righteous indignation. In the vision Jerusalem appeared to be trodden down, and there was utter indifference on the part of the Jews to put it in proper shape. The chief horseman immediately began to prepare his forces for a great war, which foreshadows the greatest war that is ever to come to the nations of the earth. A period of years passes while the chief horseman continues the work of preparation, and in that time only a small number of men on earth give any heed to what is being done. The preparatory work is not done in silence, but openly and aboveboard, the chief even serving notice upon his adversary and calling upon him to prepare for the great battle, and then he tells the enemy exactly what will be the result of that fight. In vision the prophet sees both Jehovah’s and the enemy’s mighty armies drawn up in battle array and marks the people taking therer position in the respective militant forces. The crucial hour arrives, and the two mighty armies are hurled against each other, resulting in a complete victory for the leader who stood in the shade of the myrtle trees on his red war mount.

The vision discloses the chief and his assistants making an inspection of Jerusalem. That city symbolically stood for God’s covenant people in the present-day “Christendom”, which particularly means the Anglo-American empire system, and which people are in an implied covenant to do God’s will. The inspection also includes all who have made a covenant to do the will of God; and that which follows involves all classes of people in the world.

The facts now fully known disclose that the work of preparation, in fulfillment of the prophetic vision, began in 1918 and has progressed over the period of nineteen years, and now the hour draws near for the terrible clash of the armed forces. Zechariah the prophet foreshadowed a small company of persons who arc wholly devoted to God and who are now on the earth, and to which company of faithful ones Jehovah God has given an understanding of the prophetic vision. At the same time Jehovah has laid upon this company of witnesses taken out for his name the obligation and great privilege of informing other persons on earth as to the vision and its meaning. These arc commanded to serve notice upon the rulers of the world to inform them of what is about to come to pass in fulfillment of the prophetic vision, and also to give information to all persons of good will that they may find a way of escape in that time of great slaughter that is shortly to take place.

The entire prophecy of Zechariah which is now being unfolded thrills the heart of everyone who has an honest desire to sec a righteous government established in the earth. While this prophecy and its fulfillment involve all creatures now on the earth who arc in an implied or direct covenant with Jehovah God, only a small number understand it and appreciate it. The clergy of “Christendom” and the principal ones of therer flocks, the opposers of the proclamation of the message of God’s vengeance and of his kingdom, and the “evil servant” class, the “man of sin”, “the son of perdition” (2 Thess. 2:3), not only fail to understand the prophecy and its interpretation from the Lord but treat it with contempt and ridicule. On the other hand, those who are wholly devoted to Jehovah, and who arc therefore his chosen witnesses, and those who are of good will and who go to make up the Jona-dab class, the “great multitude”, are seeing and greatly appreciating the prophecy and its meaning. —2 Ki. 10:15-23 ; Rev. 7: 9-14.

It was in A.D. 1914 that the Prince of Peace stood up and cast Satan out of heaven. (Dan. 12:1; Rev. 12:1-9) It was in 1918 that this mighty Prince came to the temple of Jehovah for judgment, and from that time dates the preparation. “He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face.” (Nah. 2:1) That prophetic statement means that the mighty Field Marshal of Jehovah is now present and preparing for the great battle. To his anointed remnant on earth Jehovah now says: “Keep [securely] the fortress, watch the way, make thy loins strong, . . . For Jehovah restoreth the excellency of Jacob [his anointed; meaning his faithful remnant on the earth].” (Nah. 2:1,2, A.R.F.) God’s people have been brought into unity, and now they “offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness”, and that continually; and thus these are pie-pared to perform therer part. The fact that Jehovah foretold by his prophet concerning the coming of the battle of Armageddon and that he would prepare for it is proof that the battle will be fought; and the further fact that he has now opened these prophecies to the understanding of his anointed is evidence that the time of the battle is near; hence the prophecy is of profound interest to the anointed.

Concerning his militant organization and its preparation “in that day” Jehovah’s prophet says: “The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet; the chariots flash with steel in the day of his preparation, and the cypress spears are brandished.” (Nah. 2:3, A.R.V.) God’s organization is fired with zeal for the vindication of his great name, and hence that organization flashes as fiery steel. Furthermore, Jehovah says: “I have commanded my consecrated ones, yea, I have called my mighty men for mine anger, even my proudly exulting ones.” (Isa. 13: 3, A.R.V.) Then Jehovah addresses the enemy and tells him to prepare and warns him of what will be the result. “Draw thee water for the siege; strengthen thy fortresses; go into the clay, and tread the mortar; make strong the brickkiln. There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off; it shall devour thee like the canker-worm: make thyself many as the canker-worm; make thyself many as the locust. Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven : the canker-worm ravageth, and fleeth away. Thy princes are as the locusts, and thy marshals as the swarms of grasshoppers, which encamp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee away, and therer place is not known where they are.” —Nah. 3:14-17,

The Lord further gives assurance that this battle will be the final end. “What do ye devise against Jehovah ? he will make a full end; affliction shall not rise up the second time.”—Nah. 1: 9, A.R.V.

The enemy knows that his time is short, and hence he prepares with haste for battle. (Rev. 12:12) Continuing his policy of fraud and deceit, diplomacy, boasting and flattery, Satan pulls his commercial, political, military forces and strong-arm squad together, and then by the mouth of his sanctimonious clergymen tells the people that this unholy alliance is the means for the salvation of the world. Satan uses the various elements of his wicked organization to draw the people of all nations, and particularly those of “Christendom”, away from God and into his own wicked camp. The Anglo-American empire system, which chiefly is “Christendom”, Satan makes his chief spokesman on earth, and therefore in the Scriptures this system is called the “false prophet”; and by this beastly organization Satan speaks to and deceives the people. “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”—Rev. 16:13,14,16; see Light, Book Two, page 42.

Thus Satan prepares for the great battle, and at the same time he takes a careful inventory of the faithful followers of Christ Jesus. Against these he forms a conspiracy the purpose of which is to cut off these faithful witnesses of God and to destroy them. (Pss. 2: 3,4; 83: 2-5) That conspiracy is formed, and the overt acts are committed against God’s anointed within the realms of “Christendom”, and this is further proof that “Christendom” is Satan’s instrument. His reason for attempting the destruction of these faithful ones of God is that they might not maintain therer integrity toward God, and might thereby fail to be made part of His holy nation; and because these are the ones whom Jehovah uses to give notice to the world of his purpose to destroy the enemy organization. Jehovah causes his prophet to speak concerning his witnesses in these words: “Proclaim ye this among the nations; prepare war; stir up the mighty men; let all the men of war draw near, let them come up. Let the nations bestir themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the nations round about.”—Joel 3:9,12, A.R.V.

LETTERS

PHONOGRAPH EXPERIENCES.

Dear Brethren-:

Our' loving Father Jehovah God has provided at this time the phonograph, as one of the best means of preaching his kingdom message and to make known his great name and that of bis King. It is very effective in overcoming prejudice, and assists us in placing many books and booklets with these with whom it would have been impossible to leave any Hteratnre;

I wish to express my thanks and deep appreciation to the Lord for this another provision of his loving kindness" and for the privilege of using it to the glory of his name. I also like to thank Brother Rutherford for his arrangement making it possible for every member of the Bethel family to have one.

Since obtaining this phonograph, from December 3 to December 29, it alone has placed 7 Riches, 21 booklets, with 15 ob-tamers, 74 attendance, and I have played it 14 hours. I have had many interesting experiences with the phonograph during this month [December] and would like to relate just a few of them briefly, showing its effectiveness.

While witnessing I came across two ladies who told me that they were Roman Catholics, that I was wasting my time with them. I tried to explain the purpose' of my calling on them, when suddenly they remarked that the only doctrine of the Catholic religion they did not believe was that about bell, saying that we have plenty of hell here on earth. I saw my- opportunity then to use the phonograph. So I told them that there are millions of honest Catholics throughout the earth who really want to know the truth about where the dead are, and that we are glad to assist them in getting the correct information free through the means of the phonograph. Without waiting for an answer I got busy, placed the phonograph on a near-by table, and put on the lecture “Where Are the Dead?,” They listened very attentively, and at the end thereof they exclaimed': “That sure is the truth, and so different from what the-Catholic. priests tell ual ” I suggested that they could learn more of the truth from the Bible, with the help of the Riches book. Each of them took a Riches book and three booklets.

I called on another lady that I had met a year ago without success. This time, through one of her family, I started to play the phonograph, and began with the record “Where Are the Dead?” At the close of the lecture she manifested real interest. Then three more of her grown-up children came in to listen. The mother began to ask some intelligent questions; and it happened that I had with me three records which answered all her questions. For that I was glad. Then she asked: ‘ ‘ In case people ask of me why there is so much wickedness on earth, and why the Lord has not stopped it, what shall I answer?” So, to her delight and satisfaction, the lecture, ' ‘ Wickedness: Why Permitted, ’ ’ answered her last question. She being poor, and not having the contribution for Riches, I told her she could have it anyway. But she asked the boys to search therer pockets for a quarter. But they found nothing. They tried again, and one of the boys had a quarter, which I accepted.

Another Catholic lady, very poor indeed, heard the phonograph and said that it was most interesting and that she delighted to hear the truth. She was very much pleased, too, that I left Riches with her. She will save a few pennies daily; and when I go baek she will have the 25 cents contribution for me.

Your brother in Jehovah’s service,

J. Correnti, Bethel.

RESOLUTION

Dear Brother Rutherford:

We received from the Canadian branch, Toronto, this afternoon, information leading to the disfellowshiping of Walter F. Salter by the Toronto company. At the regiuar weekly service meeting of the Winnipeg [Canada] company of Jehovah’s witnesses, held this date, the motion of disfellowshiping Walter F. Salter by the Toronto company was also concurred in by the company here. The following resolution was also moved, seconded, and passed unanimously:

• (1) Seeing that the Lord’s people are being subjected to a barrage of literature calculated to undermine and overthrow the faith of some, the Winnipeg company of Jehovah’s witnesses hereby recommend to all of the Lord’s people, here and elsewhere, the following course as a means of protection and safety:

• (2) Increased activity and interest in the Lord’s work, especially in the ‘strange work’ in the field service now beginning, as also the studies in The Watchtower and other publications of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.

• (3) The destruction, without reading, of any such literature received through the mail or otherwise.

• (4) The turning of a deaf ear to anyone among us manifesting a desire to debate or argue respecting this course of action.

We take this opportunity to tell you that we are unitedly behind you as the one Jehovah has raised up to carry forward the Kingdom witness, as directed by Christ Jesus, Jehovah’s mighty King and Vindicator.

We are in full harmony with the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society and the teachings which Jehovah is so bountifully providing us, through his visible channel, the columns of The Watchtower.

We assure you of our Christian love and our desire is that the Lord will continue to guide and direct you to the end that his purposes might be carried out.

The above motion was unanimously adopted at a regular meeting of the company.

CLOSER TOGETHER IN THE GREAT BATTLE

Dear Brother Rutherford:

The Cleveland [Ohio] company of Jehovah’s witnesses and our Jonadab companions, in service assembly this evening, voted unanimously to take this means of telling you we are thankful to our heavenly Father that the recent outburst of poison from the adversary and his emissaries has had the effect of drawing us closer together, and is spurring us to greater zeal and effort in co-operating with you in the great battle of today against the Devil and his harlot wife.

Please be assured of our warmest love for you as you continue to press the battle to the gate, calmly ignoring the vicious snarling, snapping and gnashing of those who are inspired by therer father, the Devil.

May Jehovah, our. God, continue to direct your thoughts so that you, in turn, may be used to assist us in real understanding as so wonderfully explained in the May 15 Watchtower.

OBVIOUSLY THE LORD’S ARRANGEMENT

Dear Brother Rutherford:

On a suggestion representing the unanimous opinion of the company, we find joy in putting into words our loyalty to God’s organization and expressing the unity presently existing in the company.

After more than a year of disagreement and some strife that has divided us and hampered our work, under the Lord guidance the advent of the new Canadian servant and the reorganization effected by him have been the means used by the Lord to open to us a new era of united kingdom service.

The organization of the Eastern Division has given us opportunity for useful and helpful fellowship with near-by companies with such prosperity resting upon our mutual efforts that it is obviously the Lord’s arrangement.

Coming at the same time as our company reorganization, and making its blessings all the more pronounced, is the opening up of the ‘great multitude’ work heree, on a substantial scale. The phonograph is the instrument for calling thepi. It has provided a common ground on which we can get acquainted, develop friendship with the people which leads to informal discussions with them and ultimately to permanent Riches studies in therer homes. In three months about a dozen Riches studies have been formed in this way, and now we have practically one phonograph to each worker.

An assembly of the Eastein Division was held at Ottawa on January 1,2,3, and was attended by friends from all parts of the Division. This brought a real blessing to all taking part therein.

Assuring you of our continued loyalty to the Watch Tower as part of God’s organization, and our continued service in His work, we are

Yours in the kingdom service,

Ottawa Company of Jehovah’s witnesses.

JEHOVAH’S MOUTHPIECE UPON THE EARTH

Dear Brother Rutherford:

I have been noting in The Watchtower the points you have been stressing of late conceining the criticism of the Society’s publications by those in high positions and otherwise. I find myself in disagreement with all these criticisms, believing The Watchtower to be Jehovah’s mouthpiece upon the earth ever since its first publication, in 1879, and I have been fed and nourished from its pages for the last forty years.

The warnings through The Watchtower are necessary and timely to all belligerents. If they still persist in this course, the Scriptures advise whither they are drifting. We cannot mourn therer loss, but think of them as Jehovah does: “My just one by faith shall live; and if he should shrink back my soul does not delight in him. But we are not of those shrinking back into destruction; but of faith in order to a preservation of life.” —Hebrews 10: 38, 39, Diaglott.

The above scripture is self-evident, that obedience alone to God’s law guarantees a preservation of life to all those agreeing to its terms, and that is a delight to Jehovah, but if any of these turn aside, despising this precious gift of life, Jehovah has no more a pleasure in them and his broken law slays them. It appeals to me that this and other scriptures corroborate the statements in The Watchtower, and authorize the warnings given. It appears of inestimable value that God’s law should now take its rightful place in the hearts of his people in this day of his power, when all opposing forces shall fall before him and his great name shall be exalted. The loss of eternal life to the above class pales into insignificance in compaiison to the majesty of God’s beneficent eternal law of obedience being upheld before men and angels.

Another point of contention we note by The Watchtower is the objection to one man’s controlling the Watchtower articles. ‘There should be a committee having control,’ they say. Brother Russell found out early in his career that only one man could successfully edit The Watchtower. Again in the early part of the Elisha period the icsults of an editorial committee's controlling the Watchtower articles demonstrated that one man should have the chief control. In looking to the Scriptures for corroboration we find Jehovah’s arrangement from the first was carried out through one man at a time. One man, Moses, led out the children of Israel; also the priesthood, one son of Jacob, Levi; one son of Levi, Kohath; one son of Kohath, Annam; one son of Amram, Aaron; and his son Eleazar succeeded him. Jesse had many sons, but only one chosen, David; and there arc hosts of other instances. Paul was the only one chosen for his special work. The twelve apostles were not given to dictate to him, ete.

In the Elijah period one man was chosen, and all the evidences now give conclusive proof that Jehovah still carries out His approved method by the selection of one man to control the appointments of His capital organization in their operation upon the earth at this time. It’s the same old story, rebelling against the Lord’s arrangement and falling by the wayside, as is demonstrated throughout Israel’s history and the [spiritual Israel’s] times, the Elijah period, up to now, and to the end.

Further in regard to the contention of some, as noted in The Watchtower, that it’s not due time to carry on a vigorous witness to the people of good will for their enlightenment, the physical facts prove their contention to be wrong. I have contacted a number this last year of energetic activity and enthusiasm. We see and hear from all points of the compass that they are coming out of every kindred, tongue and people, not prematurely, not sickly, but strong and sturdy with remarkable clearness of vision, gladly singing the song of their deliverance and rejoicing to have a part in declaring Jehovah’s judgments. If they are not of the great multitude, then who are they? They surely are not like those we contacted in the Elijah work.

Is it possible that this present vigorous campaign in behalf of the people of good will, with its contending voices for and against, may be the herald of another marvelous feature in the establishment of God’s kingdom in the earth before the wholesale slaughter of Armageddon?

We recall that in the past when the time came for the “projecting of the active power of Christ Jesus to things pertaining to the earth ’ ’, that most important feature in the establishment of the kingdom along with the casting of Satan out of heaven, a state of affairs similar to now obtained. In close proximity to that Jehovah authorized a vigorous world-wide campaign beginning February 24, 1918, declaring that “millions now living will never die”, which message brought the subject of the establishment of the kingdom vividly before the minds of all ‘ ‘ Christendom ’ ’. Some tune ago I met a graduate from Bowdoin College, Maine, who said, “That lecture ‘Millions Now Living Will Never Die’ was very popular among the men at Bovvdoin, and that lecture made Judge Rutherford famous.” He has not the vision to see it made Christ’s kingdom famous.

Then, as now, there was a controversy for and against which made the subject of the kingdom prominent. That message has continued to reverberate, until now it is accentuated by the message to the real ‘millions’, the great multitude, who may abide until the kingdom is established in power.

Another correspondency obtained in Jesus’ day: Then the message of the kingdom was vigorously proclaimed just preceding Calvary, where the purchase price of the human race was guaranteed to justice and the kingdom rights were then secured. The strife of words then gave the kingdom greater prominence.

The interpretation of the prophecy of Obadiah concerning the Roman Catholic Hieiarchy is rich. We can see that the hour for Jehovah’s declaration of vengeance against her is heie. It’s good to see how every prophecy agrees to the same order of procedure against this giant foe; and who would dare to launch such a forceful attack upon her were it not sustained by all the prophets, each one giving some different aspect of the tactics of the enemy though all converge to the one point?

Vour letter marked private and personal came to hand, calling for another great campaign against “her” in battle. I am thrilled with the prospect. I believe this method of prolonged attack with the phonograph beginning March 14 will accomplish a mighty expose of that iniquitous system. I often want to say to you that in your endeavor to express the proper interpretation of the various prophecies I see eye to eye and am “standing by you until the morning” of perfect vision and daily remember you at the throne of heavenly grace. ‘Watch Tower! what of the night?’ we ask. We will not lose sight of the night, neither will we lose sight of the morning which cometh also. Praise Jehovah!

Yours in the best of bonds,

Edith E. Mason, Pioneer.