[BLANK]

Health and

Life

explained in

Seven Bible Treatises

by

J. F. RUTHERFORD

S The standard

12 The first

Resurrection

20 Millions Now Living "'if Never Die

• 29 Health and Life for

The People

• 38 Judgment of the People ”

• 47 Judgment of the

Nations

55 Judgment of Christians

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Judge Rutherford's book, explaining the Bible show and prove how the billions who have peopled this earth will each and every one have a iull, comprehensive opportunity to enjoy everlasting life on earth in complete happiness, perfect health and ever-increasing delight.

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COPYRIGHTJudged 1932 All PUBLISHED Ltd

WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY International Bible Students Association

Brooklyn, N. Y.,

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MADE in U.S.A.

HEALTH AND LIFE

The standard

there are two general divisions of the human race, to wit, the one that rules and the other that is ruled. The minority elaHs rules the majority class. Al honest persons, regardless of which class they are in, desire to see the people follow a course that will result in the general welfare and peace and prosperity. All realize that harmonious action of the people of any nation tends to bring about the desired result.

A standard is .a guide directing the people in the course that they are to take, and which standard is raised up to enable the people to clearly see that course. In all nations the people in general have had to depend upon their rulers to lift up a standard for them. The rulers desire to keep the people in subjection that they might continue their rule. The commercial, political and religious elements, which constitute the ruling class of all nations, jointly formulate a standard and raise it up before the pe_o-pIe and advise the people that they must follow such standard if tlley desire peace, prosperity and happiness. This triune "standard" company, of the nations of "Christendom" in particular, in substance says this: "Our organized govern-

ment represents the Lord and by divine right and authority is ruling, al1d all -people should patriotically support the same. We must have more revenue for war purposes, for public improvements, and for salaries of -the rulers; bence the imposition of heavy taxes. The com-mer<^ial, political and religious elements must stand together, and we must 11Rve an orthodox religion j and whatever our individual views concerning the Bible or religion may be, we must not indulge in the discussion of anything that might be controversial. If you will follow our standard, it will yield you to peace and prosperity and happiness." The rulers do not advise the people, however, what lord they are serving. The Scriptures say that Satan is the god of this world of "Christendom", and not Jehovah.

With a few exceptions the people have for centuries followed such worldly standards so raised by the ruling class and have learned from experience that the facts do not support the claims made by the rulers. They see the comparatively small number of rich becoming more avaricious and oppressive and that these are crushing out competition and centralizing all the power in the hands of a few to the detriment of the many. They see fraud, deceit, duplicity and trickery freely resorted to in political affairs and that thereligious leaders are marked with arrogance, impiety and ungodliness j hence the people cannot believe that the righteous

The triune "standard" company of "Christendom" ^f Page 3

Jehovah God would approve of a combi.nation and system such as now rules the world. The peopJe in genera] hDve therefore lost faith in their standard bearers.

All standards held up before the people for centuries past have failed, and now every nation of "Christendom" 'is in distress and perplexity. Such an unsatisfactory condition could not exist if the scheme of government or standard had divine approval and authority. Vlhy have these standards faifed, and why is there so much distress throughout the earth! The answer clearly is, Because the people are in darkness concerning ,Jehovah and his Word and have bel'D blinded by Satan the god of this world.

It is written, in Psalm 33: 12: "Bles!3ed is the nation whose Godis the Lord [Jehovah]." Whife the nations of "Christendom" claim t.o be operating by divine right and approval, not one of them gives its unqualified allegiance tn Jehovah God, and therefore their claim of divine authority is untrue. This unsatisfactory condition has come about in this manner : Men have formed governments and lifted up selfish standards to be followed by the people. These have ignored the instruction of God'$ Word and relied upon the wisdom of men and therefore have fallen easy victims to the wily foe Satan. The scheme of Satan has ever been to turn all mankind away from Jehovah God and to lead them into the paths of selfishness and unrighteousness.

The faets are, alld they cannot be denied, that nearly all of the schools and colleges of the land today teach the theory of the evolution of man, and the origin concerning man as set forth in the Bible i. f'ntirply ignored and pushed uside, In the mfiJority of the churches of the land the ministers arc higher crltics and cvolutio]1ists. They pose as the spirItual adnsers of the rom-mei’cial ami political elcifC'nts, and all wnlk on togetller in darkness; and now all the foundations of the '''orld are upside down, How could the people be expected to he benefiteu by following the standards raised up before them by such standard hearers °

Distressing conditions have now reached a climax, bf'cause Satan's world (which means "Christendom") has ended and Jehovah God has announced his purpose to completely destroy Satan's organization and to remove blindness from the eyes of understandlllg of the people that they may sec and know that Jehovah is the only truE' God, from whom all hlessings flow. Not only are- the people and nations in diRtreRs and perplexity, but they have reached an extremity, Before God proe.eeds to completely destroy Satan's organization, he directs that those who love him shall lift up before the people God's standar(l of righteousness that all peoples of good will may see the :right way in which to go. Ther€'fore this commandment is written, in Isaiah 62: 10, dIrected to Jehovah's

faithful witnesses, to wit: "Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of tl:3 people j cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stonesj lift up a standard for the people."

"\'T}mt is the standard that J(,hovah commands must be lifted up for ifle- people1 That ••element is of first import.ance in that stundard is that Je-llOvah is the only true und living God. He is the Creator of heaven and earth, and the sonl'ce of life and all attending blessings. He ('reated the earth for man and man for the earth. He is the true and lasting Friend of man. His 'Vord, the Bible, if' the truth and is the light by which the feet of men are guided properly into the pathway of righteou.': ness. All persons must comf' to know that Jehovah is God.

Also, the divine standard shows that Christ Jesus, the beloved Son of God, is theredeemer of man; that his blood was poured out in death in order that man might have an opportunity to live; that Jehovah raised up Christ Jesus out of death, exalted him to the hight:'st place in IH'aycn and committed into his hands all power in heaven and in earth; that Jehovah has made Christ Jesus the King of the world and has appointed the time in which he shall judgmentp the world in righteousness.

Jehovah's standard also discloses that Satan's wicked rule must now come to an end; that Christ J('sus, the world's rightful King, is now upon bis throne and that Christ has thrown Satan out of heaven and that his next great act will be the complete destruction of Satan's power in the earth, the destruction of Satan's organization particularly incluuing <'Christendom", and that Hus will take place in the great battle of God Almighty; that, with the fraudulent and wick('d rule of Satan forever destroyed, right- I eousuess will prevaif in the earth forever; and that Christ, the great King invisible to mankind, will rule the world in righteousness, and his visihle repl'cscntatives on the earth will carry out his rule of order for the general welfare of mankind.

This divine standard puints the people, not only to the way of everlasting peace and Dros-perity, but also to the way of everlasting life and happiness. The fact that Jehovah commanded that his standard be now lifted UD for the people is conclusive proof that the time has come when the people must have an opportunity to know God and his purpO!les. Hence the worldwide educational campaign now carried on.

Note that the commandment Jehovah gives his witnesses is to '<go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people". A gate is a way of entrance to the kingdom of righteousI1css. Jehovah'::3 witnesses are therefore commanded to take the lead and show the people the \\ ay that they must enter in to the favor of Jeh(wah and his kingdom. They prepare the way f01: the people by telling them the truth. They point

out to the people Jehovah's great highway and go up on it in advance of the people in general. ThC'y gflthf'l' out the shnnbliIlg'-stOTIes by S]lOW-ing the prorle that the many doctrines taught by the rc1igioniBts of earth art' false and hence have cau&cd t!Jem to stumlJle. They lift up) not * mun's standard, hnt Jehovah God's standard, which guides the people into evedasting joy and life.

It was Jesus who said that if a man loved Cod he would prove it by obeying his conmmanU-ments. Because they love JellOvah there arc today many men and women going from house to house with JC'hovah'fl standard of truth in printed form and exhibiting the same to the people. TllOse who hear this mC3Sf.;age may be bf'le ftten thereby. The visit of t11('se men and women to your home is no part of a comrocniul enterprire. They take only a nominal sum of money for the books which they bring to you and which contain the message of the Lord, in order that more books may be published to aid the )1E'ople. 'rhese witnesses discharge their responsibility to God by bringing to you his tltandard of righteollsness. The l'('sponsihifity is llpon you as to whether you will heed the message. Satan's agents will try to prevent you from getting this information and from seeing the standard of righteousness which JellQvah commands shall be lifted up. Do not permit yourselves to be deceived. You desire life in

happiness, and a government of peace and prosperity. Remember that Jesus said that these blessings come to you by reason of knowing ftnd obeying Jehovah God and Christ Jesus whom he has scnt. .

Never in the history of mankind has it been so important that the people learn the truth. They must have some aid to know where in the Bible to find the great truths and how to fit these to the facts. The books that are brought to you are such aids disclosing to you Jehovah's standard. I bid you to be difigent in learning what is upon that standard; and, learning that, you may rejoice and live fore'Ver in happiness.

':J.h e standard of Jehovah.h holds forth a real bope for the people. Thcro can be no hope without faith; and there can be no faith without knowledge, and then R confident reliance upon that knowledge. The promises of imperfect men constitute no basis for hope. The promise of Jehovah a ad is sUfe and certain, upon which the people can wholly rely. His promise is that the government of the world shall be upon .the shoulder of his beloved 8011, who shall be known as the Wonderful Counselor of the people; the Giver of life and happinE'13s, and the Prince of everlasting peace. This promise Jehovah bas made and bound with his oath, and then, that he might further assure the people, he adds, by his prophet Isaiah: 'I }lave spoken it, I will also bring it to pass.'

The First Resurrection

Jehovah raised up Jesus out of death, and I the Scriptures declare that such is a guarantee that there shall be a resurrection of those who ure dead. "Hesnrrection'> means to bring bach: to life. Many have erroneously taught that all the dead will be raised up and appear within one twenty-four-hour day before the Lord. '1'hat teaching is entirely wrong. In 1 Corinthians 15: 22, 23 it is written: "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order; Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ'S, at his coming." In Revelation 20: 6 it is written: "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection j on such the second death hath 110 power, but they shall be pl'iests of God and of Christ, and shaifl'eign with him a thousand years."

These scriptures definitely prove thatthe dead will be raised up and iflere is an order in their coming. Christ Jesus was the first one raised from the dead, and those who have part in the first resurrection will share in theresurrection like Ullto Christ Jesus'. It is theresurrection that is first in time and first in importance. The first resurrection relates only to those who are the faithful followers of Christ Jesus, having been taken into the covenant by sacrifice and for the kingdom, and who continue fully and wholly devoted to God until the end of their earthly course. To such the Lord said: "Be thou faitllfu] unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life."-R.V.

For many centuries the people have been erroneously taught that when a good man dies he goes immediately to heaven. This error is another of Satan's falsehoods, and his purpose in teaching it is to destroy the beauty and truth of theresurrection taught in the Scriptures. The Bible plainly says that all men who die go into the grave or tomb and are entirely unconscious and know nothing until theresurrection. The Apostle Paul was a good man and a faithful and true follower of Christ Jesus, and is one to whom is given the privilege to have a part in the first resurrection. Being one of the Lord's inspired witnesses he wrote with authority, when his long and faithful service was done. in 2 Timothy 4: 6-8, to wit: "For I am now roady to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judgmente, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." These Words conclusively prove that Paul is oue who receives the crown of life because of his faithfulness, and that this he receives at his resurrection and not until the second coming of the Lord .Jesus Christ. In the first verse of the same chapter he said Hmt the Lord Jesus Christ will judgmente the living and Ole dead at his appearing and his kingdom. That fixes the time of theresurrection of the faithful followers of Christ.

Other scriptures sIiow conclusively, and these I have pointed ont on another occasion, that the second coming of the Lord dales from 1914-, when he took his power ns King, and that the coming of the Lord to Jehovah's temple for' judgmentment dates from the spring of 1918. Concerning this the apostle wrote, in 2 Thessalo-ni ans 2:1, that then would take place the gathering unto the Lord of his f ait hful followers, The purpose of eorn.lng to his temple is for juUg-jneiit, and it is stated, in 2 Corinthians 5: 10, that all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ. These $crjptures thenefoTe deUnite-ly show that theresurrection of the faithful apostles could not take place until the seecnd coming of Christ Jesus to his temple for judgmentment. Those of like faith and faithfulness have part in the first resurrection.

The book or Revelation states in terms that there will be only 144,000 who have part in the first resurrection. The Scriptures also make it clear as to how one can get into that place of favor, and which wa.y is this. to wit: A man must first realize that He is a binner and in need of a Savior j that the blood of Christ Jesus is the redemptive price provided whereby He may be saved; coming to this knowledge He shows his faith by fully agreeing to do God's will, which means his consecration. He is justified by ,Jehovah Gou and brought forth as the son of God; that is to say, God gives his word of promise to him that if He continues faithful to his covenant to the end He shall live with Christ .Tesus. His covenant with God requires lnan to l)e lawful, faithful and true to Jehovah at all times, and to refuse to compromise with Sedan or his organizatiOll. He must be a faithful footstep follower of Chri"t Jesus.

Jesus told his faithful disciples that God had marIe a covenant vdth him for the kingdom, and then said to them, as appears in Luke 22: 28-30: "Ami you are they who have continued with me in my trials. And I covenant for you, even as my Father has covenanted for me, a kingdom, Hlat you may ('-at and l.11'hll;: at my table In my kingdom, and sit on thrones, judging the tWf'lve tribes of Israel." (lJiaglott) This shows that only these fully devoted to God are invited to a place in the kingdom and only these who continue faithful unto death shall have a part in the kingdom. Sueh are the ones that live and reign with Christ, having part in the first rf'sul'l'ection.

The reign of Ghrist for the reconstruction covers a period of a theusand years, otherwise called the Miflennium. It is not required by the Scriptures that the entire 144,000 must begin to reign with Christ at the beginning of his kingdom. these \who reign with 11im l'f'ipl within that period of a theusand years. Christ was placed upon the throne in 1914; but the resurrection, even of his faithful apostles, did not begin until three and oIle-halI years thereafter. From and after the beginning of the resurrection of these faithful ones, it is written in Revelation, chapter fourteen, "messed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth." 1'his shows why the apostle, in 1 Corinthians 15: 51, 52, said: "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment."’ these who died faithful, such as the apostles, are the first ones resurrected, and then these on tIle eal'th who thereafter die faithful have an instantaneous change or resurrection. The very moment they die, that very moment they are raised to life with the Lord, alld therefore blesEed is their condition.

This is in exact harmony with the statement of Revelation 20: 6, which says : "Blessed and holy is He that hath part in the first resurrection." Both of these texts are beatitude's of the TIewlation and identify a class that are blessed \with greater privileges than others because of their faithfulness to the Lord. They share with Christ Jesus in his resurrection. That explains \\by Paul in Philippians 3: expressed14 $aid that He counted all things as nothing that He might win ellrist and. know the power of his resurrection and participate thercin.

This first resurrection is lineited to the royal famify that \"-ha11 compose the heaven1y kingdom, and there is a glory attached to it (hat none otller receive. these who have part in this resurrection are not only blessed, hut they are holy. That means that they are completely and wholly devoted to God and to his ldngdom. Such cannot compromise with this world or its god Satan. They must be absolutely devoted to God and to his kingdom. Such will be extremely blessed, as is stated in Psalm 21 : 6: I'li'or theu hast made him must blessed for ever."

before receiving such blessings the followers of Christ must prove their faithfulness and loyalty, and li)t this D\lr"D'i)so ar'G Imt to thft IDo%t severe test. Hence it is written, in James 1: 12: 'Blessed is the man that endures the test, for when He is tried, and maintains his integrity with God, He shall receive the crown of life, which is immortality: Of such it is said that the second death has no power over them. In the beginning God only was irrunortaJ. Christ Jesus was given immortality at his resurrection, and these who share in his resurrection shall also be made immortal. And for this reason it is written, in 1 Corinthians 15: 53, "This mortal must put on immortality." All such faithful ones resist Satan to the very end and steadfastly maintain their integrity toward God.

These faithful ones who have part in the nrst resurrection "hall He priests unto God and unto elrrist. Jehovah haf" made Christ Jesus as high priest for ever) and these who have a purt in his resnrr('ction are made under-priests of ChriE\t and thrir day shall never end.

These matters here discussed can only be mentioned IH1C'fly. If you would have a full explanation thereof I advise that you provide yourself with the books. called Light, which give a detaifed explanation of the book of Revelation. Almost daify there come to you men and women who have entered into the covenant with God to do 11is will and who in obedience to his commandment are bringing tllis information to you that you may learn the truth. They mnst obey God's commandments in order to be faithful to him. Therefore when they come, know that they are not coming for any selfish reason, but that the message of the Lord's kingdom might be brought to you that you may understand his purpose and Ius manner of salvation f for the human race. By being faithful to God and to their covenant to the end these witnesses will have part in the first resurrection and then ",ifl have much to do with comforting and blessing the peoples of the earth. The officjal famify of God "ifl administer the affairs of his kingdom, will always uphold his honor and dignity, and hring glory to his name, and will He permitted to teach the people the way to life and t1l<' grf'at privifege of feverr serving and bon-Oying the name of Hle must lIig-h,

The first resurrection is lineited to a f'1mall number. These arc 144,000 ones with whom shares his kingdom. To smch the Lord Jesus said: "'Fear not, little flock j for it is yom- Fa -ther's good pleasure to give you tHe kingdom." ']'11e setting- up of the Idngdom will be the TIn-dieation of his word of promise that He would In'ing forth The Seed by which all the faJl1ifies ^{ -tlw. -c"'..U\ %\\'U.\\ It \\1i,",':1f.:'i1. 'It is the Seed is the kingdom class!, or royal famify, and under the l'f'ign of this Socd, the Christ, a1l1he families of tlle carth will have an opportunity to receive the blessings of life.

The fact that the Scriptures emphasize the impliesortance of the resurrection of ClITist Jesus and "'peak of it as the first resurrection implies that therp will be a general resurrection of others, and it is even SQ. Jesus said, in John 5: 28, 29: 'All in theiT graves shall ('amp forth.' In Acts 24: 15 it is written: "There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." The gener-all resll rection covers a period of a theusand years, and 'within that period of time all in their graves will be brough.t forth and given a trial for life. Then those who under the test are obedieJlt to the Lord will be given evel-lastlng life. Thlls it is seen that these wh 0 have part in the first resurrection are grmlted immortality by 3 change from hrul an to spirit nature; and in the general resurrection restitution to human perfection and life on the earth will be given to the people. In that period of time the earth will be made glorious and a fit place for retored man to live. At the end of t]l(^ theusand-year reign of Christ the entire universe will He wholly devoted to God, and then all creation together shall praise Jehovah. His kingdom is the hope of the world.

millions Now Living Wifl Never Die

THE PEOPLES of this earth are now numw bered by the thousands of millions. Many of these mifi ons are in the days of theit youth. The average length of human life is now approximately forty years. In view of these admitted facts and of the positive and indisputable truths set forth in the Bible it can now be confidently said that there are millions of these persons now on the e.arth who will never die. That does not mean that they will pass on to Mme other planet and reside there; but it means that they will live on this earth forever, and not die. Since life is man's dearest treasure, surely all theughtful persons should have a keen interest in the facts related to this subject matter.

Let all creatures bear in mind that God is the great Creator and the Giver of every good and perfcct gift. He created roan in his own likeness and image and gave him the right to live on earth forcvC'T upon the spC'cific condition that man would be faithful and loyal to and obey God. The 'Vord of God is true and can be confidently relied upon. What God has purposed, He will bring to pass in his own good time and way. Anyone, recognizing that J ehovah God is all-powerful and perfect in wisdom, then may be sure that \\'hat God has promised, that He will also do. Jehovah gave man this assurance, when He caused his prophet Isaiah to write: 'I haye purposed it, I will also do it. My word shall not return unto me void, but shall accomplish that whereunto I have sent it:

After man had been sentenced to death and expelled from Kden that He might die, God 8-pressed his purpose to bring forth a seed, meaning an organized power or government, through which all the famifies of the earth shall be blessed. That promise He not only made, but bound with his oath. Speaking of this promise, one of the inspired writers of the Bible, in Hebrews s, chapter six, records that by these two unchangeablechangeable things, to wit, his word and his oath, in which it was impliesossible for God to live, we have great consolation. The fact that God promised tl18t the blessing should come to alll the famifies of the earth means that all men shall have an opportunity for everlasting life, because nothing would constitute a reall blessing unless. the creature receiving it has life. In proof that life is his greatest hlessing it is written, in Romans 6: 23: 'The gift of God is life everlasting, through Jesus Christ,>

Jehovah organized the people of Israel into a nation for himself and used that nation to make prophetic picture.s foreshadowing his purpose and the manner of executing the same. l'He rulers or Israel tnrned to wickedness, and God east that nation away from him for ever. At the time of so doing Jehovah said by his prophet Ezekiel (chapter twenty-one): 'Remove the diadem. and take off the crown; I will overturn it, and it shall be no more until He comes whose right it is, and I will give it to him.' Thus Jehovah declared that with tIle fall of the last lul'g- of Israel no ono should over rule on earth in his name and by his will, until He whose right it is to rule shall come; which means the coming of Christ, earthes rightful King.

Both profane history and the Bible agree that the overthrow of Zedekiah, lsuel's last king, occurred in 606 B.C., and there began the universal rule of the Gentifes under Satan as the god of the whole world. Other prophecies of God show that the period of time that must elapse after 606 B.C. until the end of the 'gentife times' and the coming of Christ, would be 2520 years, which period of time ended in the

MILLIONS NOW LIVING WILL NEVER DIE 23 fall of 1914. This dnte is fully and completely supported by the testimony of Jesus given in his great prophecy rceorded in 'Matthew, chapterter twentyfour, He said that the time would be marked by the World War. famine and pestilence, and that these would be tlte begjrming of sorrows leading to the complete downfall of Satan's organization. These things came to 11MS us foretold in 1914, Since that t day other prophecies mentionoO by Jesus are in eoorse of fni-Ultnent And turther snow that we are at the end of the wodd. that Christ has come, and that God has given Wm the right to rule the worin according to his promise. The time is thereLore def_ initely fixed, Satan has already been cast ont of benveji nnd is now confining his operations to the earth, which explains the F/-llson for so juuch crime and wickedness now abroad. The facts and the Scripturul proof are Uiat the next great nct of Christ is to destroy Satan‘s ojgani-zntion at Armageddon and that such will be the last troubJe upon the earth. Preparation is now in progress {or that great and final bahle of .Armageddon; and, following it, must begin the restitution blessings of the people according to God's gracious promise.

Jesus specifically says to his followers that betweeu the date or the conclusion Of the World War nnd the tiwe of the battle of Armageddon they must give testimony to the people and inform them of what is about to oome to rass.

His words are in Matthew 24: 14: ('This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the ""world for a witness unto all nations i and thm shall the end come." The witness work in obedience to that commandment is now in progress. It is carried on by radio, by books containing the message of the kingdom, and by frequentt visits to the homes of the people. Already more than one hundred and ten million books containing the message of the kingdom fire in the hands of the people, and the work is on the increase and is nearing a conclusion. The purpose of this work is not to convert the world, but to give in-fonnation to the people; and immediately following the completion of that witness work, JeSUS declares, Armageddon shall be upon the world in a trouble such as never before was known. In that time of trouble millions will die j but the Scriptures show that other millions will be carried through the time of trouble and survive. God says to the people through his prophet, in Zephaniah, to seek meekness and righteousness, and you may be hid in that time of trouble. It follows that those who are thus favored may be taken through the time of trouble. It is reasonable to conclude that those 'who are now hearing the message of truth will be such favored ones. All the facts show that Armageddon is only a short time away, and that period much Ie-55 than the length of a generation.

What, then, 'wil be the work of Christ Y The Scriptures answer, in Acts, chapter seventeen, that then will follow the judgmentment of the world in righteousness, which means the giving to each one a trial and opportunity for life. In 2 Timothy 4: 1 it is stated that the Lord Jesus shall judgmente the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom. It is certain that he will first judgmente the living on earth. These must be brought to a full knowledge of the truth and given an opportunity to prove their love for and devotion to the Lord and to his righteous government. The fact that God gave his word and oath that they shall be blessed, and the further fact that the blessing is life through Jesus Christ, is conclusive proof that all those who do obey shall receive the gift of life and shall not die. Whatsoever Jesus stated is the truth, because he spoke with authority from Jehovah. In John S: 51 Jcsus uses these words: "Verify, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death." It 'Would be impossible for anyone to keep the sR),ings of the Lord until he first receives a knowledge of them. Now the people are beginning to learn something about God's gracious provision through Christ and his kingdom j but when all hindrance is removed and blindness taken away from them, then they shall see and understand the truth. That will be at the very l)eginning of the restoration work of Christ. Then, says Jesus, tllOse who obey or keep sacred the truth they learn shall never see death. Surely there will be millions of people taken through that time of trouble and given a knowledge of the truth who will gladly obey; and, that being so, those millions will live and never die.

The witness work that Ib now being done will not bring the trnth to all th!" millions of the world. The chief purpose of giving that testimony is as a warning find to serve noti('c upon the people and the rulers, God by his prophet Isaiah (chapter twenty-five) shows that blinn— nesl'1 shall be removed early in the kingdom, and then the people shall i‘ecogiiiz(' God's irovision for thC'm throngh Christ and and will gladly sny: fThis is onr God, we have waited for 1ifm, and now he will bless us.' In corroboration of these words Jesus said, as written in John 11: 26: “AVhosoevcr liveth and believeth in me shull never be." The people now begin to believe; and as others get a kno"ledge, they will believe the truth, and all who win obey the Lord are iSUTe to receive his blessings according to his promise and shall never die.

The book called Life, millions of copies of which are in the hands of the people, and copies of which are brought to your door, give the complete Scriptural proof that millions now living will never die. Therein is set forth in the prophecy of .Job the truth concerning the restoration of man to health and life. In the thirty-third chapier of that prophecy mankind is described as sick and afflicted, enduring great pain and sorrowi and headed straight for the grave. Then the prophet shows man being brought to a knowledge of the truth that Christ is his great Redeemer and King then, says the scripture, man shall pray unto God and the Lmd will be. favorablo unto liim and render unto man his righteousness, meaning’ that he will give to man the blessings of his right eous government which man so much craw’s. What will be the result' Tho Rcriptures answer in those words: •God shall be gracious unto luan and restore him, and man's flesh shall become fresher than that of a chifd and he shall return to the days of bis youth.' That means the blessings of everlasting," life which God has promise d and which he will br s tow through Christ upon al those who obey his righteous law.

Even though men have be.en very bad, as miflions are today, God by his Prophet Ezekiel {chapter eighteen) shows that if such turn away from their unrighteous course and tIo right when they learn the truth, they shall live and not die. Without a. question of doubt we a re now in the most important period of time yet experienced by man. It is the transition period, meaning that \\'C are now passing out from the old and wicked rule of Satan and into the glorious and righteous kingdom of God undpr Christ. For that reason, among others, God is now giving the truth to the people. .Al these scriptures, and all the facts now well known to exist, prove that the downfall of Satan's organization and the beginning of restoration are only a few years away at most. For this reason it can now be confidently said that millions now living will never die. I urge upon you to be difigent to obtain a knowledge of God's gracious provision for mankind, take your stand on the side of the Lord, seek meekness and do right, and be in line for the greatest blessings that could possibly come to creatures and thut are certain to shortly be granted by the gracious hand of Jehovah God.

His kingdom is described, in beautiful poetic phrase, in Revelation, chapter twenty-one, as coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. This bespeaks a happy and blessed time for man, a time of rejoicing, because God's promised blessing made centuries ago is now to be fulfifled. The Revelator then continues in these words: "And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, ncither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon

HEALTH AND LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE 29 the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, 'Write ; for these words are true and faithful. "-—Revelation 21:3-5.

These words were uttered by Jehovah God through his great prophrt Christ Jesus 3Jld describe the blessings that are coming to men through his kingdom ; and since the kinguom is at hand, this is further a conclusive proof that millions now living will never die. The more fully you understand this great and beautiful truth, the more you will want to praise Jehovah God.

Health and Life for the People

•

THE majority 01. the human "raoo aTe sick both in mind and in body. An unhealthy body frequently results ina diseased mind.

Practically all persons have some aifment. Not one enjoys perfect health and real life. Men have put forth their best endeavors to .find the way to health, and the result is that in the course of time even the strongest become sick and die. If it is possible to learn the way to perfect health and everlasting liie, then surely there could be nothing of gre.ater importance to man than to gain a Imowledge of that way. Jehovah God is the Giver of life everlasting, and his words point man to the means of gaining perfect health and life. It is worth your whife

to examine God':: Word eoiiceniinl:l' health and life and then dptermine whether Or not you wish to make an effort to obtain these desirable things.

The wry oppointe of health and life is sickness and death. The l'f'al canse of t-ickness and death must nl'bt he known b('£o1'e onp can appreciate God"s rCDlC'dy therefore. SicloH'f's and death must b(' removed in order fnI' health and lift' to be perpetually enjoyed by man. The {'ause of dii:'-eal'C and death is statpd in plain terms in the' Bible. Adam, who ,was God's direct creation, was rnaclc peTfect in health und given the right to life upon (condition of his complete obediencp to God's law. The Scripiurps declare that aU of GOIl'o: creation is prriec1., which is further p.roof that the original man was a perfeet creature with perfect health. God pnL man to the lest in onlel' to give man the opportunity to prove his loyalty and devotion to the Lord. The eating of the forbidden fruit probably appeared to Adam as a small thing, but the higger thing was his act of disobedience to God's commandment. The law of God plainly stated that any willful brE'f11ring of that law by perfect man would result in death. ,Vl1Cn put to the feRt Adam did v.riflful\y disobey God's law. God mUflt be true and consistcnt and therefore must enter judgmentment against Adam in harmony with his law. The judgmentment of God prononnced against man appears in Genesis, chapter three,

-in these words: "And unto Adam he said, Be-cau::,c thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of It; emsed is the gronnd for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy tife. ThoIns also and thistles slJall it bring forth to thee; and thon shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat hread, tifl thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken ; for dust thon art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

There is in this judgmentment no mention of eternal torment. Gotl could not consistently senttence man to eternal torment, because Blat would have been contrary to his law; and for that reason alone the doctrine of hell tOTment is wholly false and the product of the fertife liar Satan. Only Eden was perfect, and all of the eurth outll-ide of E.den was unfinished; henee the words in the judgmentment : «Cursed is the ground for thy sake." The word «cursed" means unfinished. Eden proided man win] all the necps-sary food, hut after IllS expuhdon thereltherefrom he must earn his bread by hard labor. Such labor has really been a blessing to IUan to keep his mind nnd body employed; hence the unfmished earth was for his sake. The judgmentment against Adam was enforced over a long period of 930 years. That gave him plenty of time to meditate on what he had done and also for his children to be bol'l.

In Eden all the fruits, being perfectt, were well balanced and would sustain life without sickness. Outside of Eden the fruit was imperfect, and the usc thereof produced disease and sickness, which aft er a long period of time resulted in death. God had formed man out of the dust of the earth; and when Adam was dead, be returned to the dust, and since then has been completely out of existence. This is the plain Bible statement as to how sickness and death entered into the world and destroyed health and life.

But how does that judgmentment affect all men' Adam was the natural parent of all mankind. God gave to him the power to produce children, but this he did not exercise until after Jie was under the sentence outside of Eden and undergoing the sentence of death. The law of inheritance is that the children are visited with the weaknesses and sickness of the father; consequently the man, under sentence of death and undergoing the execution thereof, could not produce perfect children, but all his children would inherit and did inherit the imperfections of the father. Every man that is imperfect is a sinner in God's sight. Romans 5: 12 states the divine rule in these words: "'Wherefore, as by onc man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon al men, for that all

BEALTH AND LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE 33 have sinned." It is therefore sin that is the primary canse of all slcknrss flJId death and is the evif cffect rE'snlting from the violation of God's law by the first man.

Jehovah God alone could make the necessary provision for maIl to again have health and life, and this he has done. To deceive the peo-pIe Satan brings forth a faJse remedy. First he induces men to tea{'h that thele is no death. Jesus said that such was Satan's first lif'. Thon Satan gets up a religious organization and falsely attaches the name of Christ thereto in order to mislead the people. This organization is called "Christian Seienee" and teaches that there is no death and that if health or sickness is a mental conclus.ion and that men and women can hf'al and give health to all who exercise faith in said so-called "science". Each one of these announced remedies is in full contradic. tion of God's VI'ord and his announced purpose through Christ. This shows that many persoIls of good wiII have been inveig-Icd by the Devif into his trap of so-callod "Christian Science" and bodify healing. It is true that JeSllS did some healing of thc sick when he was on earth) but he stat('d that such was merely an example foreshadowing the great work that he would do in his kinp;dom. It also served to establish the faith of the people in him as the Messiah. So far as it is possible, Satan uses his power to cause some healing from sickness, his very ob-

Jesus to turn the people away from God. One thing all must admit: that no one who claims to have been healed by the so-calleded "Christian Science" method ever stayed continually well, but in the course of time died, and even the leadersers themselves grow sick and die in like manner.

God"s remedy to give health and life to the people is complete. If you will Read the book called Reconciliation. and companion hooks that are brought to yon. therein yon will find and the Bible proof bearing upon these very important questions. In brief. God's provision for mun is this: The judgment against Adam must be , satisfied, and the could be done only by the giving up of a perfect human life. The death of Adam, of course, satisfied that judgment; but before it was fully executed God made provision for another to take Adam's place iji death, and in due time all mankind shall be released from the pen alty of death and the effects thereof. God's law provides that a life may be substituted for a life. There was no perfect offspring of Adam; hence no man could take Ine place of Adam in death. In his own due time Jehovah sent Jesus to the earth. Jesus was made a perfect man, free from all sin. He was not the offspring of Adam, but the direct creation of God; hence he was qualified to take the plare of Adam in death.

God promised that he would ransom man from death and the grave. That means that he would provide a substitute for Adam and that through that substitute the right to life would a.gain be granted to man. When Jesus came he said '1 carnt: to give my life a ransom [and that the people might have life.' Again, he said: 'I give if;.' hllman life for the life of the world.' The perfect man .Tesns wa:; put to death, and God rai1'>ed np out of death .Jesus Christ the divine and immortal One. Chrio:t JCliflS then appeared in heaven and presented the value of His human sacrifice in behalf of man, because it is written that Jesus Christ by the graee of God died for all men and that lIe appeared in heaven for us. This is a guarantee that some day all men shall have an opportunity to be raised to health an<l life. Before ber;mning the restoratif)ll of manl,-ind God proceeds to do another work, to wit: he causes the preaching' of the truth, and by this means takes ont from amon,Q;l't the people those who are willingly the followers of Christ and who lwcome his witnesses. Then Chl'i<:t comes the sf'Cond time, and the restitution \YOJ'k begin,,: after his coming and the setting up of 11i"l kingdom and after ife 1mB onsted Satan from heav('n and destroyed his org[mization in the earth. All the prophpts foretold that coming time of blessedness for the people. lfoved by the spirit of God Peter after Pentecost tpo:tified, in Acts, chapter three: "Times of refreshing shall come from the face of of the Lord ; and he shall send .Jesus Christ,

Wllich before was preached unto yon; whom the heaven must [retain] untif the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up nnto you of your brethren, like unto me ; him shall yo hear in all things, whatsoever he shall say unto you." TIifs is proof conclusive that the only remedy for health and life is by and through the administration of God's great prophet, Christ Jesms.

The Scriptures plainly state that at the coming of the Lord Jesus and his kingdom he will judge the living and the dead and -give to all the opportunity for health and life. Hc0ms now come, and as soon as Satan's organization is destroyed he will hegin his judgment and blessing upon the people. The people will then learn what is the right thing to do, as it is written in Isaiah, chapter twenty-six, '1Vbcn the judgmentments of the Lord are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will lcarn righteousness.' The meek are those who are willing to be taught, concerning "thorn it is 'wTitten, in Psalm 23: 9: "The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way."

At the same time the Scriptures dedare that the earth shall yield her increase for man's good. The blood of Christ bought the TIght to life for all men, and it now remains to apply

HEALTH AND LIFE FOR THE PEQPLE 37 the benefits of that ransom and teach the people the way to life. As Eden, the only finished part of the earth, produced perlC'ct food, even so the Lord will make the earth to yield its increase and produce perfect food and will teach the people how to eat it and, the people thus learning of God's gracious provision for them through Christ Jesus, and rendering themselves fully in obedience thereto, the result is certain to be a restoration to health and life.

In proof of this, note these words in the Bible, at Jeremiah 33 : 6: "Behold, I will bring [them] health and cure, and I will cure tlleIl , and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth." Thus it is proven that a lmowlcuge of the truth, and obedience thereto, is essential to health and life, even after that begins to be ministered to the people. Then, in corroboration of this prophecy, it is written, in Isaiah 33: 24: 'And the inhabitants shall no more say, I am sick, because the people shall be forgiven their iniquity: Those who are obedient to the Lord will not only be made IlCalthy and strong, but be granted everlasting life as a gracious gift from God. In Romans 5: 18, 19 these words appear: j'Therefore, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all Il1en to condemnation ; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedi-

ence of one shall many be made righteous." This means that every one will have th0 opportunity for health and life. Sickness and death are man's great enemies. The"e enemies shall be destroyed, because it is written, ifl 1 Corinthians 13: 23, 26: "For he must I’eign, tifl he hath put ulJ enemies undrr his feet. The last enemy that shall he destroyed is death," God's kingdom is the only means by which man can obtain health and life everlasting. That kingdom is at the door.

I

Judgment of the People

•

WHEN announcement is made that judgment is about to be rendered, those who are involved await the decree with fear and trembling. For centuries the peoples of earth have been told to expect a coming judgment day. False teachers have led the people to believe that thc (lay of judgment will be a time of intense sorrow and suffering. It is the cx-pressed will of God that the people r"hall know the truth upon this important question, und his time has come for thcm to get the truth.

Satan the Devil, working through his representatives on earth, and particularly those of '•organized Christianity", so called, has deceived the rulers and the people. With the execution of God's jUflgment upon the nations at Arma- .. geddon Satan's ininfluence will end, and concerning Wlli('h it is ,nittell, in Revelation 20: '3: "1'he Lord shall bind Satan the enemy that he may deceive the nations no more: Immediately thereafter mllst hegin the judgment of the people, which means that they must lx> Imt on trial before the Lord. Concerning tbis the Bible, at Acts 17: 31, says th[lt God has appointed a day in whieh he will judge the world in righteousness by that man, Christ JeSlls, whom he hath appointed, whereof he has given assurance unto all men in that lJe:,lius raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Other scriptures show that the jlldg-mcnt of Christ toward the -people will be righteous, and this text shows that the judgment wiJI take place at a time when righteousness is on the earth and when there will be notlling to deceive the people. That time of j'ndgment, therefore. must be a happy timue for all who will love that whicll is right and WllO try to do right.

For many centuries the clergy of "Christendom" have tuught the people that all l1uve been on trial during the past alid that the destiny of each one is fixed at the time of death and that the judgment of tIle I)ord is merC'ly to confirm what had [dready been determined at death. Such teaching and conclusion al'e entirely wrong. God's law is just and right. He y;ifl not put anyone on trial without first informing that one of the terms of the trial, bE'canse his Word so

declares. 'Almost all people have been krpt in total ignorance of God and his purposes. It is therefore first necessary to bring them to a knowledge of the truth, and this will be the first work of the judgment day.

Knowing that Satan has been the one who has deceived and 11linded the people, the promise of the Lord is that when Satan is bound blindness shall be removed that the people may see and undE'rstand the truth. In proof thereof God's prophet Isaiah, in chapter twenty-five, records this prophetic promise, that the Lord will destroy the face of the covering east over the people, and the veif that is spread over all nations ; and this he will do in the judgment day.

With such blindness removed the people will See and understand the truth and will recognize that .Jehovah is the only true God and the real friend and benefactor of the people. In that same chapter the prophet, speaking to the people, uses these words : "And it shall be said in that day, Lo) this is our God; we have waited for him, and lIe will sa.ve us ; this is the Lord j we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation."

All the people that have ever lived will, at the beginning of the judgment, be either dead in the gra.ve or alive on the earth. Jesus Ghrist gave his life a ransom for all of these j therefore nll are properly spoken of as "the ransomed of the Lord". The prophet, at Isaiah, chapter thirty-five, says: "The ransomed of the Lord shall return" and come unto Ood's orgnnization, which is headed by Christ JC'siis the Chief Judge, and of which the tTue and faithful overcomers form a part. Whence wiU these ransomed people come 1 Tht'Y will come from every part of the earth and the dead will be fi"\vakcned and brought out of the graves. This is the same time mentioned by Jesus, when all tlmt are in their graves shall hear his voice and be brought forth. Why will they come to the Lord and his organization 1 They come for trial and judgment. Each one will be given the opportunity to prove that he loves righteousness and wants to do right.

There will he no secret meetings of lawyers and judgmentes and side conferences in that trial. That everything will be open and aboveboard, that no one "ifl be deceived and that all will have a full and fair show, is fully proven by the promise in Isaiah 33 :8, which read:o: "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called, The way of llOliness ; the undean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those ; the wayfaring men, though fools, shall flat err therein,"

A highway :rppresents a clear and unobstructed road to travel. It means, then, a clear and unobstructed way to learn the truth, to be obedient thereto, and to return to God, The people will not be clean at the beginning of restitution, but must c1<'an up and devote themselves to the Lord in order to go uI?on the highway. Neither "the Devil nor any of hts agencies, nor any other unclean or wicked thutg, will f'V('l' he upon that higlnyay or be permii.tcd to hinder those' who are faithfully serviflg God. Jehovah's faithful witnesses are UpOll the highway amI arc appointed and act as leaders of the people by di. recting them in the right way to ('Dter into the kingdomd(!"lJ:!. It is a "way of. h.f!^^S."t"\ be^.\i<:'e wholly tlevotrd to Jehovah.

The Bible pictures the Devil nndf’i’ 1hf' spnbol of a vicious lion and his visible organization on earth under the symbol of a beast. The Lord gives assurance to the people that neither Satan the lion, nor any cruel oppressive money power, nor political organir.ahon. nor false preachers shall he there to deceive the people and hinder them in gaining and obeying tIle truth. He gives his aSRurance in these words of the prophet (Isaiall 35: 9) : "No lion shall be thrre, nor any ravenous beast shall go up tllereon ; it shal l not be found there ; but the redeemed shall walk there."

The "redeemed" are all of the people, and all such who will do right shall walk in thC! way of righteommess and become righteous. As earth's ransomed miflions learn the truth they WIll be happy and greatly rejoice because their deliverance and blessing has come to them in the day of judgment. In proof of that the prophet says :

<rAnd the ransomed of the Lord shall return, find come to Zion with songs, aud eyerlasting joy upon their heads ; they shall obtain joy and gladMRs, and sorrow and sighing shall flM awny,"

The .Jewish clergy were proud and haughty and austere and oppressive. They sought the. favor of Ole rich and influential, whife they made the bmdcns of tRe poor grievous to be borne. Jesus Raid of them, in 1Iatthew, chapter eleven: 'It shall hI:' more tolerahle for the people of Sodom in the day of judgment than for yon: The people of Sodoru were extremely immoral; but they were totally ignorant of God, and therefore God has promisC'd that he will bring them out of the grave and give them a knowledge of the truth that they may have a trial under righteom; conditions; and it will be easier for them in that day of judgment than it will be for the bypocritical clergy who knew Jesus and yet who willfully denied und persecuted him.

Have conditions changed 1 Are the dergy of this day austere, haughty and proud, and do they seek the favor of the rich and the influcn-tiaU Judge from observation for yourselves, Concerning all such in the time of judgment the LOl'd says (Isaiah 10: 33) : 'The high and haughty ones shall be Lrought low and humbleu.' But how about the poor? The poor man now has little or no show hefore the courts. And will it be the same way during the great day of judgment of Christ upon the prople 1 No;. the poor will then have all equal sJiow with all otberst because it is written, in Isaiah 11: 4, 5: ''With righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his month, and with the breatli of 111s lips shall he slay the wickeU. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins."

A meek person is one who is willing to be taught and anxious to learn. When the meek receive a lesson they will be glad to profit by it. All 8iich will have their trial before the Lord under most favorable conditions. That it will be a happy time for such poor and oppressed ones, who are meek, the proof is given in the words recorded at Psalm 37: 11: "But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Again, it is written, in Matthew, chapter five: "Blessed are the meekj for they shall inherit the earth!'

The Lord states, at James, chapter five, that the cries of the poor and oppressed have reached his ears and that his time to take an account with tlw oppressors and relieve the oppressed is at hand. In that judgment the oppressors shall be broken anU the poor shall receive God's favor. In Psalm 72 the Lord says of such: "He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save tho chifdren of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor . . . . For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him tlUlt bnth no helper. He shall spnre the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.” To Abraham Jehovah ronde promise that he would raise up a seed that would bring blessings to all the famifies of the earth. God caused MoS2S to write down the prophecy, set forth in Dnuteronomy 18: 1.3, ..hich says: "The Lord Uy God will raise up \mto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, U1;:c Ulto me; unto him ye sh all hearken," These two grea t prophecies refer to the Ramc One, to wit, Christ, who is the seed of promise, and Christ the King, who is the great Prophet, Priest and King and Judge, who shall try and bless all the people wlio obey bis law.

The clergy of "organized Christianity"’' have repeatedly told the people that aU the unjust and unrighteons go to eternal torment at death and that in hell they win be forever tortured. Such is a defamation of God's name and word. Jehovah is just and he is the God of love, and torment is wholly repugnant to love and justice. What good could result to anyone by torment' God willl torment no one. Almost all people have 'died in sin and without n knowledge of God and his purposes. They must know the truth. before they are put on trial. They will therefore be brought out of death. as imperfect creatures, and the truth win be given to them. In proof of this it is -written, in Acts 24: 13: "‘Have hope toward Cud, ...that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the .just and unjust."

Ali persons by reason of inheritance are born sinners, and it is written, in 1 Timothy, chapter one, Christ came to the world to save sinners. A wicked person is one Who first receives the truth and then repudiates it and despise God's law. Judas was one of the wicked, and the clergy werc likewise, because they hired him to betray Jesus and bribed the !'\oldiers to try to prevent ktwwledge of his l"e!'\urTcetiotl. The judgment of each is written : "Good and upright is the Lord : therefore wi11 1e teach sumers in His way. The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way," "The Lord preserveth all them that love hjm; but all the wicked will he destroy."

India and China are full of an ignorant and degraded race; but in due time all of these shall be given the truth and cleaned up and given an opportunity to receive life, because God has promised that through Christ all the famifies of the earth shall have an opportunity for the blessings of llfe. God has not delayed these blessings, but he has awaited his own good time to bring forth his kingdom and set it up under Christ, vindicate. his name and bless all those who give honor and praise to mm and his word.

Judgment of the Nations

TIlE DIVINE record at Habakkuk 2: 20 reads : "Jehovah is in his holy temple; let all the carth keep silence before him," (.A.R.v.) ']'hi8 and other prophecies written centuries ago shall be fulfifled in the last days, as God has declared. We are now at that time Jehovah has clothed his beloved Son with all power and authority in heaven and earth and seated him upon his throne as the great Judge of all creation. The Scriptural proof submitted on another occasion shows that Christ .Tesus came to the temple of God in 1918 and began his judgment, lirst at the llOuse of God, and quickly thereafter follows the judgmentml'mt of the nations of the earth. Now therefore says the Lord: "Let all the earth keep sifence." This means that God has a message to deliver to the people and he commands that they Ileal' that message.

The word "earth" here used symbolically represents the visible organization of the peoples and nations of the earth. There are three specific elements of men that make up the visible and ruling powers, and these urc, to ,yit, the commercial, the political, and the religious element. Whife the people cast their votes for the selection of men to office, they have nothing to say about the rule of the nation. There is a proverb in the land which says, "Money talks"; and those WllO seek favor and influence yield readify to the power of money. In 1 Timothy 6; 10 it is written that "the love of money is the root of all evil". That does not mean that the inanimate thing called "money" is evil, but it means that the love that selfish men have for money and the power it brings breeds evil or injury to their fellow creature. Although there are one hll dred and twenty millions in the United States, less than three hundred men control the greut corporations and money power of the land. At the same time there are many millions of people who desire to earn an honest living but who are deprived of so doing, and this in a time of the greatest material wealth the nation has ever known. It is doubtful if any of these ultrarich ever stop to consider how many people are suffering for the necessities of life. Their love for money blinds them to everything else but the gain of more power and influence.

Greed has caused the greater banking institutions to swallow up the smaller ones. The small merchant is forced into bankruptcy because of the oppressive power of combined wealth. The farmer grows his crops by much laborious effort, only to be compelled to sell tllcm "at a sacrifice or loss. Many day laborers work for a wage inadequate to properly support themselves and famifies, whife many others are unable to find employment. The greatest law_ yers of the land are in the employ of the corporate money power, and few, if any, able lawyers are looking after the gC'ocral welfare of that common people. A great public service corporation bas a selfish desire to increase its holdings, and to do 80 it induces the law-making power to grant the privilege, and then the canrts uphold its wrongful action, thus oppressing the people with greater burdens. The people have no redress. Crime and corruption hold sway in high places, and public officials seem to have forgotten that they have an obligation to serve the people. Tllf'ir conscience is seared as with a red-hot iron. This dcpJorabJe condition, found in America, exists in every other nation, and particularly those nations called "Christian".

"-1mt is the cause of this unhappy condition amongst the nations of the earth 7 In the fmal analysis tho answer is that Satan, the ruler of this world, has blinued the nations and led them into a trap. In doing so, however, the Devil has used subtle and hypocritical instruments to thus deceive and mislead the rulers and the people. Tife instrument of deception used is "organized Christianity" with its apostate clergy in the lead forming a part of the world. Everyone knows that the clergy freely purticipate in the politics of the land. The clergy cannot be blind to the fact that money and greed oppress the people and that this oppressive power is in the bands of those that rule. Even some of tho most prominent dcrgymel} collect Jarge sums of money and use it in political campaigns to elect their favorites to office. 'fhese elergympll cannot be blind to the fact that public officjals walk with their hands behind them and that the acceptance of brihes has been so baIJ and open thut even the givers of bribes are shocked.

Regardless of all suGh wickedness and oppression the clergymen in America, in Britain, in Germany find in Itnly :mrl all other nations called "‘Cbristian"’, boldly claim that these nations are divine institutions and that the rulers are holding sway by divine right and authority and that BUell constitutes God's kingdom on earih. TheBe gentlemen of the doth have misled the commercial and political men that rule the na.tions, and have wrongfully induced them to believe that they ean continue their evil course without fear of God. These clergymen forming a part of the world are more reprehensible than the other lllen becausc they have claimed to speak as God's representatives. The time has come \vhen the commercial and political men of the world must quickly see that they have been deceived by the religionists, and then they will east off such as meTe bUl'lc les upon their organization.

God's judgment .bas been written against snch onE'S, and now God 'wi.!l have the people hear a statement of that judgment before he causes it to be fully executed. The duty of a true Christian tiun JS not to injure anyone, but to tell the people the' truth as this appears m God s Word, in order that the people may know what j<o about to come to Dass. Concerning those who fire oppressing iiiiiiinnd the Lord says, at ,Tanws 5: 1-6: "Go to now, ye nch men, ,.,Teep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon )OU. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motll ('aten. Your !!;,old and f"ilvcl' is can-kei cd; and the rust of them shall be a witness agamst you, and shall cat yom' flesh as It were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Be!wlJ, tJle wages of the laboun:ls who 1mve reaped down your fields, which is 01 you kept bark by fraud, cried ; and tIle ('rles of them which have reaped are elltered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been ,", anton ; ye have Hour-i:>hed your hemt'l, as m a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and lolled the Just; and he doth Dot resist j au."

In the mnth chapter of OenC'sis is the record of the evellasting covenant God made, if wltich he announeed the sacredness of Inuiian hie. God exp res sly commands that Christians shall not takf' the hfe of a fellow man. The clergy should know what the Blblc says. When the World War came, they not only supported that war but urged young men to go {o battIe and t old them that if they chcd upon the battleneld their blood thus shed would be an imll1ediate passport into heaven. r.J'he-y were therefore, in a large degree, responsihle for the death of many of these young men. Concermng such a od's judgment is written : "Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the pOOl' innocents j I have not founu it by secret search, but upon all these."-Jeremiah 2: 34.

Is it not time for the commercial and political rulHs of the nation to ::twaln.'ll to the fact that they have been misled by men who claim to tearh Ood's \10rd and that the time has come for them to put away such aSbociates1 Concerning t1108e who refuse so to do, but who continue in their wrongful course, at the same time misrepresenting God, his jlldgment is wTitten, in Jeremiah 51: 57, in these words: ^r'I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men; and they shall sleep a perpetnal sleep, and not wake, saith the IGng, whose name is the Lord of hosts."

The religious leaders haye misled many people of good will by inducing thC'm to believe that such organizations as the Anti-Saloon League and the League of }l"ations are instruments provided by the Lord to clean up the world and make it a fit place in which to live. In this they have done a great wrong. '"\IllY should the people longer be misled by such teachers 1 Many good people .say that ('we mnst put forth an effort to clear out crime, that we may have a righteous

JUDGl'iIENT OF THE NATIONS 53 ,

government". It is proper to desire a righteous government ; but why not hC'ul' the Word of the Lord, \\ ho has pronounc('o his judgment and declared ",hat he will do? When th(' Lord acts to dear out mine, the result will hr entirely satisfactory to all honest creatures. To those w ho desire an honco:,t rule and who are S11ffC'}'ing under oppressioii the Lord now says through his prophet Zephaniah: "Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, untif the day that I ri:: (' up to the prey; for my dctennination is to gatlwr the nations, that I m.ay assemble the kingdums, to pour U]lOn them mine indignation, even all my tierce anger; for 011 the earth l"hull be devoured with the fire of my jealousy,"

The nations arc now assembled for judgment, and shortly the Lord's judgment WIll fall. "The earth,"’ used in this text. means the organized ruling powpr. These have dehuwd God's name and broken his law, and this tIley have dom' as members of SatUll's organization ; alld the Lord now declares Jlis purpose to destroy the entire organization or Satan the enemy. Shortly this shall come in the expression of God's ind.Jb'11U-tion at the great battle of Armageddon.

What shull follow that great hattle 1 Wifl the people then have any rclief 7 The answer is given in Zephaniah 3: 9 of this prophecy. After expressing his determination to destroy the oppreSSIve organization the prophecy continues : "For then will I turn to the people a pure lan-

• guage, that they may all call upon the name or the Lord, to serve him with one consent." Such is a statement of Gou.'s judgment agnimt the nations und what shall follow therearter.

Ilcdiatcly followlllg the great battle of God Almighty, or Armageddon! the Lord ,vifl pro-(',ced v.ritll the judgment of tll(} people!i of the earth. This will be an inuividual judgment. Never has there been a time of stIch iflJ Ortance as just now. The Lord is in his holy tcrllple for judgment and that judgment is in progress, It is the will of God that the people now have an opportunity to know the truth, that they may choose the course they will take and thus be in line to receive the favorable decree of Jehovah. To aid the people in gaining such knowLedge. and in obedience to the commandments 01 i1-re-Lord, there is now a company of men aDd wow-en calling at your homes with books which are true helps to the understanding of the Bible. Their one purpose is to aid you to understand the meaning of these present-day events as de-scribQd in God's Word. Ood's judgment upon the nations is llOW in progress and sooIl will be concluded by the complete faif of Satan's organization. TllQ Lord is in his holy terople for judgment, By his prophet, at Isaiah, chapter thirtY-fout, he 110"\"" spC'aks to the assembled nations and says: "Come ncar, yc natIOns, to bear j and hearken, ye people ; let the earth hear. , ' • and all things that come forth of it. For tlle indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armieR.!J 'The cleeree of God is that they shall fall in the gneat battle of Armageddon. Then quickly will follow the individual judgment of the peoplD. A kno\\'ledge thereof is of v"ital importance to eV('l'yone. You owe it to YOl1l'sell to gain tlus knowledge quickly awl thereby learn the way of the Lord and the blessings that he has ifl store for those that obey and sel'.e 11im. Your Bible, togf'ther with books brought to you, give you the information you need that you may learn God's complete remedy for man.

Judgment of Christians

JEHOVAH'S law or rule of action concerning judgment is written in the Biflie. The careful student can determine therehoju the nature of the judgment of the Lord. His judgmentmejits arc now in progress concerning those who have made a covenant to do God's will and who arf' therefore called "Christians". An under1'-tanding of this mutter will make clear SOme of the things that we now see coming to pass.

“Judgment"’ means a judicial decree rendered by 0. court or judgmente having authority and j'uris-diction so to do. A judgment rendered by such authority is binding upon all involved therein.

A trial or hearing of the facts must precede the judgment. The authority for this statement ap peurs in John 7: 51 to the effect that the law of God judgmentl's no man without a hearing. That means that each one must have the opportunity to intelligently do or refuse to do God's will before final judgment is relldered.

All power and authority proceed from Jehovah, and he delegates power and authority to whomsoever he may choose. Psalm fifty states : "God is Judge him"l€'lf:' meaning that he is the supreme or chief justice. The Bible further states that ,justice and judgment are the habitation of God's throne and that the law of God is perfect and right. A Creature can therefore always be sure that a judgment rendered ifl hannony with the wil of God is just and right. When Jehovah delegates to another the power and authority to act in his name, the judgmentrnrnt rendered by that one is thr-refore the judgment of Jehovah God.

Jehovah appointed Christ Jesus as the great Judge and clothed him with all rightful power and authority in heaven and in earth. This statement appears in Matthew 28 : 18. It is writwritten, in John 5: 22, that God has committed and delegated aU judgmentmf'nt to his beloved Son. In 2 Corinthians 5: 10 the statement i:: found that in due time al must appear before the judgment seat of Christ. That me-ans that when God's due time arrives Christ Jesus begins his

JUDGMENT OF CHRISTIANS 57 judgment, and all the judgmentments rendered by him are in exact accord with what is already written in the ",Yora of God.

Before Jehovah appointed Christ Jesus the great Judge it was necessary for Jesus himself to undergo n trial and thereby prove his qualifications. }'or three and one-half years; following his baptism in the Jordan Jesus was subjected to all mannerne r of trials and tests and, upon the authority of Hebrews 5:8, he learned obedience by the things that he suffered during such trials. In Philippians 2: 8-11 it is written that Jcsus was fully obedient even unto an ignominious death, wherefore God raised him up out of death and exalted him to the highest position in the universe and commanded that all creation shall bow before his name and acknowledge him as the Messiah to the glory of God. .

Long ago God expressed his purpose to have associated with Jel:iiis Christ in his judgment work a limited number of others, who would be taken from amongst men. Before exalting anyone to the high place of associate judge with Chi’ist Jesus God's law requires him to do the following things, to wit: the creature must first exercise faith in God and in Christ by making a consecration or an agreement to do the will of God; must be accepted by Jehovah and .justified and brought forth as the son of God; and then he is put upon trial and must prove his

complete loyalty and devotion to God under the test. Such trial covers the entire experience or the Christian from the time he becomes a son of God untif his death. Just before his death Jesus called his disciples that had been faithful to bini and said to them. as appears in Luke 22: 28-30, in subslance this: 'You have stood faithfully by me in my trials, and now I invite you to share with me in my kingdom, that you nia:v eat and dl'lIlk at my table in my kingllom, and sit on the throne)';, judgmenting the twelve tribes or Israel.' A like invitation has been given to every one who has willingly devoted bimself to God and entered upon trial for a place in the heavenly kingdom. In order to be elected to that high positionition and exalted into the kingdom the man now must he faithful and true to God and to Christ to tlw very end. He must be overcomerCOlle r, which means that he must relinquish the sellif:h things of this world and devote himself ulll'el';(.'Tvedly to the Lonl and hi:=; kingdom.

"The world"’ means the organization of the peoples into forms of government lwder the supervision of the invisible one Satan. The world is composed, therefore, of an invisible and a visible part, The Christian who receives the final approval of the Lord in th( judgment can bwe 110 part m tife world, because his allegiance is wh olly to God and his kingdom and he must prove his faithfulness. It is easy to be seen that the Lord would not exalt u man to the high position in his court unless that man first prove 11imself faithfut and true to his agreement to do God's ,vifl. In Matthew 7: 21 .Jesus said: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall mtN" into the kingdom of heaven : hut he that docth the win of my Father which is in beaven." To those who would agree to do the wiH of God, Jesus stated: ‘I have chosen you out of the world, and you must overcomE' the world. Then, as appears in Revelation, chapters two and three, JpSllS further says : "And he that overcometh, and kecpeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations." ‘''To him that overcometh will I grunt to sit with me in my throne, evell as 1 also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." This proves that from the time one becomes a Christian untif his death he is on trial, and upon the record that he makes final judgment is rendered when due time for judgment arrives.

Concerning those who are approved upon final judgment it is written, in Revelation 20: 6, that these have a part in the first resurrection and live and reign with Christ.

When does the judgment begin ¥ That question is answered in 2 Timothy 4: 1 in these words : t'The Lord Jesus Christ ... shall judgmente the [living] and the dead. at his appearing and his kingdom." 'fhe Scriptures show that the second appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ and the beginning of his kingdom dates from the autumn of 1914, evidenced on earth by the World War and what followed tiioreafter. The SCl'jptnres further prove that three ana one-half years thereafter, to wit, in the spring of 1918, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared at God's temple for judgment. In the prophecy of Malachi (3: 1-3) Jehovah says: "Behold. I will send my messengrl', and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom yc seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in : behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming ? and who shall stand when he appeareth f for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' sope : and he shall sit as a refiner and'. purifier of sifver ; nlld he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge tliem all gold and sifver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteonsne!'s." This statement is further supported by Psalm eleven, to the effect that Christ Jesus comes to his temple for the purpose of rendering judgment. In 1 Peter 4: 17 it is plamly stated that "judgment must begin at the house of God". The "11Ouse of God" means those \\ who professes to be Christians or followers of Christ Jesus.

The claim is madC' that there are millions of Christians on earth and that these are going to beaven. No man has anthority to say who shall or who shall not go to heave)), but it is our privifege to examine ourselves according to the law of God and to determine whether or not we can hope to be of the beavenly kingdom class. Many have believed that, if a man is a preachher or clerQ)'llnn, he is sure to be taken to heaven. Such a conclusion is wrong. No man can occupy a more favorable position than that of a pr('aeh-er of the gospel of Jesus Christ; and when I speak of clergymen or preachers I do it, not unkindly, but Duly to aid the people in arriving at a just conelusion as to whom the Lord says he will approve. If it appears that a mnn cannot have God's approval merely because he bears the title of clergyman or preacher, then if you find those who do not measure up to the Lord's requirements, you may know that they are not s afe guides or advisers and you shoUd avoid them. This does not mean that you are to treat them unkindly, but merely refuse to follow their instruction. Now let eaeh one measure himself according to the law of God and thereby dete r-mine whether or not he is in line for a pJace in heaven. Do not be discouraged, bowever, hut bear in mind that only a small numher win be taken to heaven and that the great majority will have their place of life on earth.

It is recognized that great corporate interests and the professional politicians constitute the chief rulers of the world and that their allies a re the clergymen of the various churches. The clergymen make themselves a part of the world and actively take part in the politics thereof. They take sides ifl war and use their church balldings as recruiting stations and urge young men into war. Tlie$e things tlieY huve a right to do, of oouro;o, as uien of the worll; but a true follower of Clu’ist has no surh right. In JnmC"s 4:4 these words appear: "Know yc not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God 1 whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world\ is the Fnewy of Uoel." Surely God would not approve Ms enemy and put him in the heavenly kingdom. nor would he delegate to such power to ad in his name.

In the year 1930, m New York city, a great structure was erected which is called a "church"”. One of the richest men in the world furni"hed most of the money to balld it. MaiiY statues are there installed of scientists and phifosophers, and the tower itself is dedicated to a woman. Tliese figures of persons represent all creeUs, including higher criticism and Darwinism, which is a direct contraUiction of God's Word. The pastor claims to be a Christian minister. In tli3t church the mighty and the rich draw nigh to God with their moutlis, but, as the prophet says, God is not in their thoughts. It is a worldly institution parading under the name of Christ. When the campaign was on to put the United States into the League of Nations one hundred and forty thousand preachers aetively participated in that campaign. I

JUDGMENT OF CHRISTIANS 63 cite these things to show tJmt the church ()t'-ganizatiom, of the land are a part of this world and uo not support God's kingdom.

Since the day Jesus was on earth mun have not changed. I1111is day the clergymen claimed to represent God, and yet they pt'l'secuted JeSUll lJ8CD.llS(, he told them the trlltll. In the present day tife men Wl10 oppose the teac11ing of' the truth of the Bible arc the clerg)lnen and thoir allies. I now advise you to carefully read the hH'llty-third dw;pter of Matthew and note that Jesus expos0d the hypocl'i"Y of the sanctimo-niou>,> clergymen and told them that they loved to appear in long garments, to he hailed as rabbi and doctoror, to court thf' favor of the rich ; and that they made the burdens of the poor grievous to be borne ; and that tlwy loved to pray to be seen of men ; and that they lw.d a form of g-odliness, bnt were llypocrites. Call to mind the facts at the present day and see how well these words of Jesus tit the men today who claim to represent G ad. Then Jesus said to those same clergymen that they knew God had promised to set up his kingdom, and that tht’y had once been in line for the kingdom, hut because of their unfaithfulness God would take away from them the right of the king-doIl and give it to those bringing forth the fruits thereof. (l\Iatthew 21; 43) That meaus that only tho<;(' will be approved by the' Lord, and be received into his kingdom, who are faithful and loyal to God and bring forth the fruits of the kingdom. The words "fruits of the kingdom" mean God's truth, as set down in the Bible, concerning the redemption of the human race, the establishment of his kingdom, and the complete vindication of his word and name. Men feed upon natural fruits to sustain the body, They also feed the mind upon spiritual truths, that they may grow in the knowledge and grace of the Lord. Those \vho please Ood must teach his truth and carry this to thc people. The c]ergyme-ll completely fail to bear the fruits of the kingdom to the people, and to this all must agree. A sruan company of humble men and women bring to your door these fruits of the kingdom.

•

AN EYE OPENER

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Only ONE reading of Judge Rutherford's books and you will be able to see very quickly how the religious leaders mutilate anct twist the plain beauty and hannony of the Bible into a hodgepodge of nonsensical creeds so that they can gain their own selfish ends. Jesus likened the clergymen of his tinle to dogs in a manger that did not themselves eat hay, but out of sheer cussedness kept the sheep and cattle away.

Here are the books:

Reconcifiation Prophecy

Government   Light (1)

Life            Light (2)

Al clothbound, illustrated in colors, 352 or more pages each; sent to any address anywhere postpaid, 50¢ each, 4 for $1.00, or all 12 for $3.00

The Watch Tower, 117 Adams St., Brook1)"n, N. Y.

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