International Bible Students Association, Publishers.

Vol. VI.

BROOKLYN, N. Y.

No. 10

FACTS FOIL THE ASSASSINATION OF PASTOR RUSSELL’S CHARACTER

A post card request brings free to any one who doubts Pastor Russell’s purity of life and sincerity of purpose, a clear cut statement of the facts at issue. Address Watch Tower, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Those who read carefully and get the benefit of the pure spiritual atmosphere into which Pastor Russell leads them, need not be told that the many vile printed and pulpit attacks are wholly false and merely the desperate efforts of opponents whose nefarious schemes to keep the people in ignorance of the truth on all subjects Pastor Russell is so fearlessly and thoroughly exposing.

It is for this reason that the millions of newspaper readers continue to enjoy Pastor Russell’s pen products and are not being influenced by any of the so-called news reports with scare-headlines, some of which, if even partially true, would have sent Pastor.Russell to prison long ago; but the fact is that not a soul on earth has the slightest cause for grievance against Pastor Russell, except that he is telling the common people truths the clergy wish them not to know.______

PASTOR RUSSELL’S CANDID VIEW OF “BILLY” SUNDAY

SAYS “BILLY” IS UNIQUE—HIS VIRTUES AND FAULTS

God and Man Dishonored by False Doctrines Which Preachers Do Not Believe—Fake Preaching Abominable to God—Instilling Superstitious Fears a Crime—If the Bible Does Teach That Eternal Torture Is the Fate of All Except the Saints, It Should Be Preached, Yea, Thundered, Weekly, Daily, Hourly—If It Does Not So Teach, the Fact Should Be Made Known and the Foul Stain Dishonoring to God's Holy Name Removed.

Asked recently to express his candid opinion of the “baseball evangelist,” Pastor Russell made some kindly but pungent remarks on “ Billy” Sunday, “ the most noted preacher of our day.”

The Pastor would not depart from his custom and the Bible rule, “Speak evil of no man.’’ His remarks merely appertained to “ Billy’s ” preaching of the Gospel.

“Billy” Sunday catches the public eye and ear by the n&velty of his methods. Some go to hear him lambaste the preachers on the platform behind him,, and to watch their faces and see them smile as though it were a good joke when he tells them that their preaching has made the churches cold storage places with little storage,, or when he. likens them to the Scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites, of old, or when he tells them that they are leading their congregations straight down to Hell. These things told in the newspapers seem so astounding that people must see and hear for themselves.

“Billy’s” Chair-Smashing Proclivities.

Others go to hear “Billy” because it is the “fad.” Businessmen and electric and steam railway managers realize that thousands will come to town as they would to a circus. They bring pressure to bear upon the poor preachers; for “Billy” wisely.insists that he will not come and save the citizens from Hell if there is any competition in the business—=> insists that all the churches close down. Under the pressure the preachers cannot help themselves and try to "make the best of itj hoping that people will not take “Billy ” seriously as respects their hypocrisy, etc., and assured that he will divide the spoils evenly amongst all the churches—not the financial spoils, but the souls for “cold storage” or to be let down to Hell.

{Continued on 2d page, 1st column.')

WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN?

WHAT ARE HIS STANDARDS?

OUR CIVILIZATION UNCHRISTIAN—“CHRISTENDOM” NOT CHRISTLIKE.

“Putting on Christ”—“The Very Elect”—Their Citizenship in Heaven—“Christian World” a Misnomer—Civilization is Not Christianity—“Kingdoms of This World”—Basis of Membership in the Church of Christ.

.(PASTOR. RUSSELL)

Pastor Russell’s recent discourse on “ What is a Christian?” widely published, has created a sensation amongst ministers and churchgoers the world over, as indicated by public comment and private letters which have come to our attention.

His text was “ Almost thou persuad-est me to be a Christian.” (Acts 26:28.) A synopsis of this remarkable sermon we here publish:

A Christian is a

disciples, His followers, His pupils. He did not assume to be a Teacher of the world, but merely of those who leave the world, sacrificing all to become His disciples. To these He said, “Ye are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” Again, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you.” . The great Teacher did not include the nominal church, as His disciples, but rather counted them in with the world. In evidence of this, we note the fact that the. world which persecuted Him was the Jewish nation, professedly God’s consecrated people; and that those who have persecuted the followers of Jesus have likewise been nominally people of God, but really of the world.

Duties, Rights and Privileges of

Christians.

person who intelligently believes, that he is These are the Christians addressed by the by nature it Siimer, that by Djlvine grace Master, saying,“I say unto you, That ye ^J            ’ resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite

thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the

Jesus Christ the Righteous died for his sins, and that through faith in the atoning blood and obedience to the Redeemer’s

teachings he has become “a New Creature

other also. And if any man shall sue thee

at law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel ile. co with him twain.”—

in Christ Jesus.” For such, “Old things tny cioaK also. Anci wnosoever snail coir have passed away, and all things have thee to go a mile, go with him twain, become new.” Such New Creatures are Matthew 5:39-42.

separate and distinct from all other members’ of the race. Instead of earthly aims, ambitions and hopes, theirs are Heavenly.

Getting Into Christ’s Body.

It is not sufficient that these should make the proper start of faith in Christ and full consecration, to do God’s will and not their own wills. It is incumbent upon them, after having made such a start and after having been begotten of the Holy Spirit, that they shall grow in grace, knowledge and love. (2 Peter 3:18.) This is styled “putting on Christ”; that is to say, adding, the graces of character which God will accept and reward with association with the Lord Jesus Christ in His Kingdom. For these God has made provision of spiritual food in the Bible—“meat in due season for the Household of Faith.” (Matthew 24:45.) These are represented as at first “ babes in Christ,” requiring “ the milk of the Word,” but if faithful gradually attaining full stature— “strongin the Lord and the power of His might.”

Such spirit-begotten Christians must needs “fight a good fight”—not with others, but with themselves—overcoming the weaknesses and besetments of their own. fallen, flesh, the allurements of their environment and the wiles of the Adversary. Such as are faithful in these respects are Scriptur-ally styled ‘‘ overcomers, ’ ’ ‘ ‘ the very Elect.” The promise to them is that they shall have part in the Chief, or best, Resurrection, and thereafter be no longer humans, but spirit beings of the highest order—“partakers of the Divine nature. These in death are “ sown in weakness,” “in dishonor,” human beings, but are raised from the dead “in glory,” “in power,” spirit beings.—1 Corinthians 15:43.

Jesus* promise to these overcomerg reads, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My Throne, even as I overcame and am set down with My Father in His Throne”—“I will give him power over the nations,” etc. Again He says, ' ‘ Blessed and holy are all those who have part in the Chief Resurrection: on such the Second Death hath no power, but they shall be priests unto God and unto Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”—Rev. 3:21; 2:26; 20:6.

All Jesus’ teachings are applicable to thia special class; namely, those who become His

Matthew 5:39-42.

the Christian is not to submit himself to> every whim of everybody; but, seeking to do the will of God, he is to go about his own business, unless the opposition to him amount to a compelling. And this compelling, under ordinary circumstances, would mean a legal compelling; for the protection of the laws of the land in which he lives may be sought to protect his rights and liberties, as St. Paul appealed to governors and kings.

Christians Live for the Future.

Christians are to love their enemies in the same sense that God loves the world—sympathetically. They are not to love their enemies in the sense of affectionate love and tenderness, such as they bestow upon their families, friends and lovable persons. Their love for their enemies, as defined by Jesus, should .be such as would lead them to feed their bitterest enemy if he were hungry, to clothe him if he were naked. They should not pray, against their enemies, but tor their enemies in the sense of wishing, desiring for them enlightenment and true wisdom, which would turn them from being enemies and evil-doers, to make of them followers of Jesus or, at least, well-doers.

Christians are not to lay up for themselves treasures on earth; for they have renounced the earth and all hopes of a future life upon earth. Their walk in the footsteps of Jesussignifi.es that as He cast, aside earthly ambitions,, hopes and aims, so would they, taking, instead the Heavenly ambitions, hopes and aims. In other .words, they live for the future. This will not hinder them from the ordinary pursuits of life to the extent that may be necessary in “providing things honest in the sight of all men”—in providing for their families, etc. But, with these Christians, any overplus above life’s necessities represents so much opportunity for serving the Lord and His Cause; and in so doing these are laying up treasure in Heaven—a future reward.

This, does not signify that they must live “from hand to mouth” nor that, if. they have possessions, they must riotously distribute these to others. On the contrary, they are to seek in all things to have the mind of the Lord—to do God’s will. God’s mind is a. sound, mind; and these Christians, in seeking to do God’s will, are said to have, “the spirit of a sound mind.”. This dictates that they should live wisely and economically.

Christian Stewardship and

Citizenship.

To these Christians, everything that comes to them or that they possess by nature is. considered a thing of God, because in becoming followers of Christ they made a full consecration

The thought of non-resistance is here, yet not to the extreme degree supposed by some. The turning of the other cheek, as illustrated by Jesus* own conduct, was a figurative expression, signifying the willingness to have both cheeks smitten rather than to do injury to another. Christians are to be law-abiding, whether they consider the laws just or unjust. If, therefore, the law deprive them of a coat, they are to yield it up. If it go still further and deprive them of their cloak, they are. still.to be non-resistant to the law, but submit to it with good grace, knowing that hereunto they were called.

Be it noted that neither the coat nor the cloak was to be given up upon demand merely, but only after the law, justly or unjustly, had so decreed. Similarly with repeat to the compulsory walking of a mile;

of their wills—their all—to God.

Hence from that moment forward these Christians are stewards of God’s mercies—• stewards of their time, their talents, their influence, their property, their all. According to the way they use their stewardship, investing their talents to the Master’s praise, will be His commendation of them, as represented in the parable. Whether many talents are possessed or few, the commendation is to those who have done well, have been, good and faithful in the use of their talents, not for self-aggrandizement or show, or worldly accumulations of treasure, but faithful in the service of God, showing forth God’s, praises in the assisting of others, and themselves to the knowing and doing of the

Divine will.

Christians are to “lend, hoping for nothing {Continued on 2d page, 2d column.)

edge of God. He could scarcely reconcile

with honesty Billy’s attempt to tie up all the ---------- -------------------------

eouls he saved, in the churches Which he de- the extent of going into the trenches and being dared were cold storage plants leading down shot at, but no further.

to HeH. He wished that “Billy” would Is it urged that such a view of Christianity reconcile these opposites.                    would wreck our present civilization? We

Ho was pleased to note that “Billy” reply that nothing in the Bible implies that Sunday’s last sermon in each place was usu- our ciyilization is Christian or that the Lord / ally on the Second Coming of Christ; and ever expected it to be Christian. God’s time (   that “Billy” apparently recognizes the pres- for saving the world from its sin and weak-

^!   ent and last stage of the Church, typified in ness has not yet come The. present is

Laodicea. This caused him all the more to merely the time for calling, finding, testing wonder why “Billy” would help people into and delivering the Elect. . The Elect, when the Laodicean Church which the Bible styles glorified, will constitute Messiah’s Kingdom, Babylon, and declares that God spues out of and with Him will be empowered fully with His mouth. (Revelation 3:16.) Next Sun- spiritual control for the government of the day the Pastor will discuss the Second Com- entire world.

ing of Christ, viewing that great event and ™

Messiah’s Kingdom from a somewhat differ-

shapen in iniquity (Psalm 61:5), and then

failed to live saintly lives. True, “Billy” _______ _____ ______ ________ _____________

does not explain Hell. Like most preachers tions” are in the Bible styled, “kingdoms of he probably hides his true thought on this subject, while allowing the common people to think that he believes in a Hell of eternal

standard higher than that which he attributes to his God. The injustice and persecution of centuries is largely attributable to the false doctrines which represent the Creator as a demon who unjustly and unlovingly created our race with the knowledge and in-______________________

tention that nine hundred and ninety-nine _of ^_ne great and learned, who appear to have out of every thousand would endure an eter- gjght of the Bible and heart-conversion.

Gr, on the other hand, they are met by the Salvation Army, with traditions as indigesti-FREE LITERATURE.       X ble as a stone, to anybody of ordinary intel-

Send postal-card request to the editor for XL ligence. They are told with all seriousness free copies of this paper. Some of the inter- XL            _createj _{our race> w}jth knowledge

sSkidsmisVemonfem^              I and intention that nearly all of them would

Where are the Dead?                   X spend eternity in torture. They are told

The Rich Man in Hell.                 X that to be saved from that awful fate they

Thieves in Paradise.                    X should become Salvationists, and storm the

Distress of Nations Preceding Armageddon. X _el_uma for Jesus. Their experiences remind '                                       3? one ^{of Jesus}’ words-respecting a father who,

Clergy Ordi^aHon Proved Fraudulent.    f asked for bread, would give his son a stone;

Church of the Living God.               al who, asked for fish, would give him a serpent.

It is our hope that this article may min-

(.Continued from 1st page 4th column.) WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN?

WHAT ARE HIS STANDARDS?

i n return,” and not, as the world, merely to be willing to do good and to lend to those who would do as much or more in return. Christians are thus to illustrate the fact that they are children of the Highest, that they have been begotten of God, that they have His Holy Spirit and disposition, and that it is shining out more and more in their words and conduct as they grow in the character-likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Christians are not to go to war. Their fight is not to be with carnal weapons, but with “the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” They have the most powerful weapon known in the world for their warfare. This does not signify that they may not put bolts and bars upon their doors to prevent robbery. It does not signify ‘that they may not call for police protection; for ■ this is a thing they pay for in taxation and are entitled to according to the laws of the world. They may not claim of their own nation anything that an alien might not claim; but they may Gaim all that an alien may claim. Indeed, Christians are styled aliens, strangers, foreigners, so far as the present government of the world is concerned. Their citizenship, according to the Bible, is the Heavenly one, which they will fully enter into when they shall have shared the Chief Resurrection.

No Christian Nations.

The Bible knows nothing of Christian nations or of a Christian world. The Bible puts the Christian as separate and distinct from the world and from all nations. Christians are a nation, or people, by themselves, in the same sense that the Jews are a nation, or people, by themselves. “Ye are a Royal Priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people”—a people for a purpose.. (1 Peter 2:9.) The term Christian nation comes from a serious doctrinal error which crept into the Church about 800 A. D. At that time Pope Leo III. began to recognize as Christian nations all the nations which recognized his Pontificate. The custom has prevailed and is still. in vogue .amongst Protestants and Catholics; but it is wholly unscriptural.

A Christian conscripted to the army or the navy would be “subject to the powers that be,” and obeying the Master’s words would go, as in Matthew 5:41: “Whosoever shall compel thee to go.” The Christian compelled to enter the army or the navy might properly request service as a non-combatant in the Quartermaster’s Department . or in the Hospital Department; but if required to kill he is to obey God rather than man, and not kill. He may comply with his orders, to

tion is Scripturally outlined as incidental to ' the establishment of God’s glorious Kingdom ' under Messiah, for which we pray, “Thy ] Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, ] even as in Heaven.” .                    1

Some may wonder how it ever came to pass that all the people of civilized lands are enumerated as Christians—except Jews and ₍ professed infidels. Statistics tell us that all ₍ the inhabitants of Italy are Christians; that . more than ninety-nine per cent, of the pop- . ulation of Great Britain, France, Germany, , Belgium, etc., are Christians; and that the , total number of Christians thus reckoned is | nearly five hundred millions. Surely it is ₃ time that intelligent people realize that some । great mistake has been made, and that more < than ninety-nine per cent, of these “Chris- ; tiaps” make no pretense of being followers ₍ of Jesus.                                          ■

The error arose in the now long ago. _; When Pope. Leo III. recognized a king as a ^: Christian king and his kingdom as a Chris- ■ tian kingdom he recognized that king’s subjects as Christian. There we have the matter in a nut-shell. The whole thing was ; a .mistake. The king was not a Christian, , did not know the meaning of Christianity ; and was not taught it. His kingdom was not a Christian kingdom, and his people were • not Christians.

Meantime, here and there, obscured to the World, there have been true followers of the Lord Jesus Christ in every denomination. They have been out of accord generally with the great leaders of . the church systems as well as with the political leaders of the world. It has been true of them as the Apostle wrote: “The world knoweth us not, even as it knew Him not.” (1 John 3:1.) The world does not yet know, understand or appreciate that the Church of Christ is not to be found in any one of the professed churches of various names—Roman, English, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, etc. The Church of Christ is composed exclusively of those who have made a covenant with the Lord through faith in the precious blood, who have been accepted of the Lord by the begetting of the Holy Spirit, and who are seeking to walk to the bestof their ability in the footsteps of Jesus.—1 Peter 2:21.

Heaven, Hell and Purgatory.

The theory that Christians only are saved from eternal torture has had much to do with the error of counting all civilized people Christians. The creeds save Christians only —Jews, Mohammedans, heathen, all go to Hell to roast eternally. Roman Catholics provide a Second Chance for members of their church, in Purgatory; and many Protestants hold to a Second Chance for the heathen who have never heard of Christ. All the while, however, the Bible declares for only one chance, but that a full one for every member of the human family.

The only chance offered during this Gospel Age is the opportunity of becoming a member of the Church—a true follower of Jesus. Such are to get the Heavenly inheritance, but not until the Resurrection. The remainder of the world will be offered an earthly future; and this offer , will begin with the establishment of Messiah’s Kingdom of a thousand years.

The Bible nowhere teaches that either saints or sinners pass to a conscious condition at death. The Bible declares that they all “sleep,” and that the awakening time will be at the Second Coming of the Redeemer to establish His Kingdom. The First Resurrection will be the Church, and subsequently “every man in his own order.” When once the fact is grasped that the Bible Hell is the grave—Sheol, Hades—then all is plain.

The great Divinely arranged Purgatory,’ to last a thousand years, will be glorious. All the heathen and the ignorant, superstitious millions of Christendom,, who were taught to call themselves Christians, but who knew that they were not, will have the opportunity of coming to a knowledge of the true God and of His gracious* provision for them.

ment and uplift and blessing of the whole world of mankind—the non-elect.. Theirs will not be a blessing of the same kind that the Elect will secure, but a blessing which they will appreciate, equally. The world’s blessing and salvation will not signify a change of nature from human to spirit, but a Restitution to human perfection.—Acts 3:19-23.

this world”; and their complete disintegra-

HOW TO BECOME A TRUE CHRISTIAN

CLERGY OFTEN ANGERED BY THE TRUTH-HUNGRY.

Hungry Souls Ask for the Bread of Life—Indigestible Stones and Fetid Errors Repel Them—Only the Bread from Heaven Truly Satisfies—God’s True Message is Delicious.

ister comfort to some of these hungry souls We propose to give them no human theories or speculations—nor would we compromise the Truth? nor dodge the question. We shall endeavor to make the way to God so plain that a wayfaring man need not err therein. Not by wisdom of our own but’by presenting God’s arrangement and quot ng’God’s Word.

Where Eternal-Torture Error Leads, shah not return unto Me void; but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall

No doubt those who invented the theory of eternal torture thought that they were taking the proper steps to drive the whole human family to God. But, on the contrary, it seems to drive away from God and the Bible the mosti ntelligent people of every land, who have naturally a more reasonable and just conception of the Creator than the one. presented in the church creeds. Instinctively they are repelled with the thought that the Creator would pursue a course which would be beneath the most degraded.

Undoubtedly the Bible i s true in declaring such fallacies “doctrines of demons.” (1

to stand by the Bible and to recognize that God’s consecrated ones have indeed lifted up a light which the world has hated—a light on account of which they have frequently been put to death, or have had “ their names cast out as evil,” or have been boycotted, socially or otherwise.

If their h’opes were merely in the present life, these would be making a miserable failure of their opportunities. But not so; they are waiting for their reward in the future—at the .Second Coming of Jesus—by a share in the First Resurrection. And even now their joy, peace and fellowship with God more than ■offset all their trials, difficulties and ostracism. Besides, “To them it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.” Shepherd’s Voice, “Come Unto Me.”

The trials and difficulties qf life pressing many today are giving them a hearing ear for -the Great Shepherd’s words, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” He does not say, “Go to the Lutheran Church; go to the Presbyterian Church; go to the Methodist Church; go to the Roman Catholic Church ’ ’; or “Go to any other Church”; He says, “ Come unto Me.”

It is the privilege of whoever hears this Message to go immediately to the Lord, •direct. True, he cannot go to the Heavenly Father direct; for as we read, “God heareth not sinners.” But he can go to Jesus, because Him hath God set forth to be our Savior, our Redeemer. Thus Jesus said, “No man cometh unto the Father but by Me.” (John 14:6.) He did not say, “No ■man can come unto Me except th-ough a preacher, or a priest, or a bishop, or a pope. ”

But when we desire to come to the Father, and learn that we must come through Jesus, what shall we say to Him? We have only -one alternative; namely, to ask Him upon what terms He will introduce us to the Heavenly Father, and thus bring us back -from the condition of condemnation into the ■family of God. When we suggest that Jesus would raise conditions the proposition seems astoundmg to some. They have somehow gotten the impression that the Heavenly Father and Jesus are in great distress because so few people desire to become members of the Church; and that they would be ready to receive anything and anybody on any terms, simply to have another name added. How absurd, when we come to think of it!

We call to mind the teaching of the Master. He did not say, “So many of you as wish to hit the sawdust trail can go to Heaven!” He did not say, “Seek to excite the people and get them to do something that they would not afterward fully understand and appreciate.” He did the reverse: He said, “Sit down first and count the cost,” before complying with the terms of discipleship. Do nothing rashly.

--Some of us can count more rapidly than others. Many of the poor ones who are weary and heavy-laden through sin are ready to say, “I know the cost of sin in my personal experiences. The cost of being disciples of Jesus cannot be greater than the cost of being rebels against the Divine Law.” Such are frequently ready to decide quickly and take their stand firmly on the Lord’s side.

How to Become a Christian.

It should not require long to count how much more we shall receive than we give. We give a condemned and dying existence; we give mental, moral and physical imperfections—we have no more except as our Savior, by imputing His merit, makes our sacrifice of value in God’s sight. But in exchange we receive riches of grace in the present life—peace, joy, blessing of heart, which the world can neither give nor take away—and in the life to come, “glory, honor, and immortality,” joint-heirship with our Savior in the Heavenly Kingdom which shall dominate the world for the thousand years, for its blessing and uplift.

Really, after counting the cost, there is a danger that we would feel so ashamed of the littleness of our offering that we would fear to come to the Lord with it. We gain courage to present our bodies only by a knowledge of the Lord’s Word, and a realization of the mercy and favor which has prompted His kind invitation for an exchange of something of little value for great things of inestimable value. The covenant with the Lord is the beginning, and to each covenanter ■comes * ‘ grace to help in time of need. ” Jesus said, “Without Me ye can do nothing.”

But, says.one, Surely this is not the only way of coming into God’s family! Yea, we answer, it is the only way. “There is none •other Name given under Heaven or amongst men whereby we must be saved” from our condition of condemnation, and be brought back into the family of God.

Have you ever heard the limitations and obligations of the Christian so Scripturally defined before? Have not the facts been hidden from you by the clergy? Have they not rather sought to set aside the words of Jesus because they conflict with their theories? Is not this really why so many have been unable to find the satisfying “meat.in •due season” in the nominal churches?. We believe it is; and we urge all—ministers, everybody—to return to the Bible simplicity of a fully consecrated Church of Christ, and then a restitutionary blessing for mankind through Christ’s Millennial Kingdom.

The blessing upon the world will be earthly restitution to human nature, instead' of a change to the Divine nature, as promised to the Church. All who refuse both the Call of the present time and the opportunity of the future Restitution will die the Second Death, which St. Peter describes as like that of the natural brute beast.—Acts 3:19-23; 2 Peter 2:12.

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False Theology Drives Many Away from God and the Bible^-" you the whole armor of God, that ye may be - --       -   -   — --         able to withstand in the Evil Day, and having

done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:11-13.) Who shall be able to stand? is the question.

Predicted Hour of Trial Upon the Whole World Has Come—Balm for the’Wounded Soul—“Come Unto Me All Ye Weary and Heavy Laden.”

That ye may * * * know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”—Eph. 3:17-19.

The Word Love is as warming and cheering correspondingly as the words Hatred and Selfishness are cold and discouraging. To some who all their lives have been immersed in a world of selfish frigidity the real, quality of the word Love is disallowed, disputed, claimed not to exist. Nevertheless, in every human being there is a craving for love, pure and sincere, even though expected never to be found.

For the majority inevitable reverses and failures take the place of anticipated successes. However strong, courageous, or even brutally fierce has been the warrior in the battle for bread, fame and glory, he.craves ultimately, in his partial or complete disaster, the love which he has neither shown to others nor ever really expected that others would show 'to him. Whether he succumbs to financial disaster, to immorality, to narcotic stimulants or to disease, the balm of Gilead for the wounded soul is Love.

Sometimes this love comes from the partner of life—the wife or the.husband; sometimes from parents or children, sisters or brothers. Thank God for these sometimes and for the evidence they afford us of some measure of. the image of God in humanity! But alas! in. a vast majority of cases the failure, the disaster suffered, not only shatters hope, but cools friendship and destroys the semblances of love, which were merely emotional or perfunctory or admiration. At such a time the Message of the Love of God and Christ is a balm indeed, if it comes to the wounded and discouraged one.

. It is our thought that particularly at this time such discouragement is being borne in upon large numbers of the human family. With the opening of the year many properly made resolutions to themselves, or to their friends or to the Lord, that they would live more noble lives, that they would be loyal to their Creator, to their companions, to themselves and to all of their interests and obligations. But. as the year slips away it brings trials, testings, and to many defeat and discouragement.

“Come, Weary and Heavy-Laden.”

Now is the opportune moment to these discouraged ones to hear the voice of Him that speaketh from Heaven, telling them of His love, His sympathy and His willingness to aid all who will accept His assistance. Hearkening obediently to His voice, such may change the hour of defeat to the hour of victory by the Lord’s assisting grace; just as, many a time in earthly warfare, victory has been wrested from defeat by the arrival of reinforcements at the opportune moment. The moment of discouragement, of loss of confidence in earthly progress, and of hopeless despair, is the opportune moment for the discouraged one to recognize his need of the Savior, to cry. unto Him and forthwith to receive the reinforcements from Him who has declared, “My strength is made perfect in your weakness”; and again, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. ’ ’

But it requires faith to believe in a Savior whom we have never seen, with whom we have not been acquainted, and especially One who has been so frequently misrepresented to us as having prepared from before the foundation of the world for our eternal torment. How can we assure ourselves of His Love? How may we know that He is not the cruel One that has been pictured to us? How may we know that He is a loving, generous, kind,, faithful Friend—a God who delighteth not in our trouble, who rejoiceth not in iniquity, who rejoiceth not in eternally tormenting His creatures, nor even in destroying them eternally in the Second Death; but, conversely, in doing us good, in exhibiting towards all who will receive it His loving kindness and tender mercy, enabling them more and more, in the language of our text, to appreciate the height, the length, the breadth and the depth of His Love—a God who eventually will have all men saved (recovered) and brought to a knowledge of the Truth, to obedience and characterdevelopment, to life everlasting in the Paradise of God?

We see the difficulty of such; and it cries aloud to those of us who have learned the way of the Lord more perfectly, to let our light shine, to let all the world who are not completely blinded by the Adversary see the true character of our God and of the Son of God, to let them see the Scriptural presentation of . the love, the mercy and the abundant provision arranged for in the Divine Purpose.

What the world needs is to get over its fright respecting the Lord and the future and to see. the Love of God and His gracious provision in Christ. This alone will win the heart in the proper sense of the word. Fear may bring torment, but only the Truth can sanctify and happify—fulfil our Redeemer’s prayer, “Sanctify them through Thy Truth; Thy Word is Truth.”

The fright that is upon the world came from the Dark Ages and is echoed by all the creeds of orthodoxy, breeding in the hearts of

men distrust, hatred of God and of the Bible, which is falsely accredited with being the fountain from which have been drawn these brackish waters of tradition represented by the creeds. It is time that every true Christian should take his stand for the right, the Truth, for the Word of God, for ■the exposition of the falsehoods which have slandered the Almighty Character, which have benumbed the zeal of the saints, and which have repelled the weary and heavy-laden as they looked for relief and balm in the direction of their Creator.

Is it not time that all ministers of the Gospel announce and manifest their freedom from the creedal misstatements of the Divine character and purpose, which in their hearts they have rejected long ago? It is well that all such should lift up their voice like a trumpet, and give no uncertain sound to the masses of the groaning creation, who are awakening and are hungering and. thirsting for the Bread and the Water of Life, which alone can satisfy their longings.

Bible Study the Great Need.

This is the Message which we bear to the troubled and discouraged ones. Until they have time to take up with us a thorough study of the Scriptures and demonstrate the fact to themselves, they must take our word for it that the Justice, Wisdom, Love and Power of God are all enlisted on behalf of Adam and his race—to save us from our sins and from the dead and dying condition in which we find ourselves, mentally, : morally and physically. Nor should it be very difficult to exercise this degree of faith. The Scriptures declare, “He that cometh unto God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6.) This involves a faith in the Justice of God that, having invited us, He will not spurn us when we respond to His call.

Moreover, it should appeal to every reasonable mind that God should be just and loving towards all. The thought of au angry, vindictive, torture-loving Creator should be rejected instantly by every rational mind as being ungodlike, demoniacal. No doubt this would have been so had it not been that the misconception on the subject, which the Apostle calls the “doctrines of devils,” was imposed upon our minds from our very earliest childhood, and often by those whom we loved and whose piety we reverenced, but who were themselves deceived.

It is high time that more reverential, more loving, theological views were seen by all mankind. It is the lack of this true theology that is driving many away from the Lord and His Word into vain philosophies and “science falsely so-called”—Higher Criticism, Christian Science, Evolution, Theosophy, etc., etc.—1 Timothy 6:20.

The world has discovered that the bonds of ignorance and superstition have been holding it for centuries, and that its eyes of understanding have so long been covered that now they blink in the dazzling light of the dawning Millennial Day. At one bound the so-called scientific world has left God’s Word and leaped into a refined agnosticism, which professes a faith not possessed. The middle and the lower classes are ever ready to follow their leaders; this means, shortly, what the Bible predicts—“ a Time of Trouble such as was not since there was a nation”—a social, religious, financial, political upheaval—anarchy.

Where Judgment Begins.

Thank God for the assurances of His Word that the spasm will be a brief one! “A short work will the Lord make with the earth.” Everything has been prepared for the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom upon the ruins of present systems. It is folly to. think of holding the people back, of bandaging the eyes of their understanding, and of enslaving them again with ignorance and superstition. Those who are thus endeavoring to meet the situation show clearly that they do not understand it. The tidal wave of liberty of mind can no more be repressed than can the ocean tide be stayed with a broom.

There is just one remedy—the correct understanding of the Bible teachings. Whoever fails to receive the Truth fails of everything with respect to the present life. This statement applies not only to the world in general, but also to the Church of Christ.

The hour of trial predicted to come upon the whole world is now upon us; and the Apostle Peter’s declaration is that it must

The Measurements of Love Divine.

We are not able to tell the wonderful meas- . urements of God’s Love—nor can others tell them. Indeed, as. the Apostle suggests, the privilege of appreciating these measurements is granted only to the saints, and to these in proportion to their saintliness. Thus a babe in Christ, though beloved of the Lord and carefully cherished, cannot comprehend these measurements of the Divine character, because he is only an infantile saint.

When first he believed in the Lord he saw something of Divine Loye and Mercy, which influenced him, drew him to the exercise of faith and the renouncement of sin. From the standpoint of Justification by Faith, he could se'e more of the Lord and could appreciate more the measurements of Divine greatness. Then, called and appreciating the call, he bowed his heart before the Lord and made a.full surrender to Him in response to the invitation, “I.beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Having, thus done all in his power and having laid himself at the Lord’s feet, he received the begetting of the Holy Spirit, not with outward show or demonstration, but with inward grace and enlightenment of the eyes of his understanding. From this new standpoint, of consecration and harmony with the Divine will, he began to see more of the length, more of the breadth, more of the height, more of the depth of God’s Love. If he has lived up. to his privileges faithfully, he has been growing hourly, daily, monthly, yearly—growing in grace, in knowledge, in ability to see these measurements of the Divine character.

Note that this is the very expression of our text and context: The reception of Christ into our hearts by faith brought, as a rule, mighty strengthening by His Spirit in the inner man—to the new nature. As this Spirit of Christ dwelt, or resided, in our hearts by faith, it tended to root us and to ground us in His character-likeness, which ia the. same as that of His Father—Love. This experience enables us to comprehend with all saints these measurements of our Creator’s character as others cannot appreciate them. Yet, as the Apostle says, even we who now know only in part shall, after experiencing the resurrection change from earthly to Heavenly nature, see our Lord aa He is, and shall know as we are known.

“Filled with the Fulness of God.”

So in our text, which applies to the present life, the Apostle declares that even the saints cannot know the Love of Christ; for it passes knowledge. He. then gives a further intimation of how this keen appreciation of the glorious character of God comes to His consecrated ones—by their being “filled with all the fulness of God.” This means, not only the renouncement of sin, not only faith in the Lord as our Redeemer, not only consecration to Him, but also a filling with His Spirit, His disposition. This, as already stated, is a gradual work. “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord ”

The Spirit of the Lord is one of holiness— not only of separateness from sin, but of opposition to it; not only of sympathy with righteousness, but of activity on its behalf; not only of putting away from our hearts every sympathy with the unfruitful works of darkness, but also of the receiving of that spirit which condemns them by daily life and a word fitly spoken; not only by an appreciation of the fruits and graces of God’s Spirit —meekness, gentleness, long-suffering, brotherly kindness, love—but so great an appreciation of them as more and more induces us to stamp these gracious characteristics of God upon our own thoughts, words and deeds.

Not only did the great Apostle Paul preach Christ and shun not to declare the whole counsel of God, but he never once referred to eternal torment or to anything akin to it— and his writings constitute more than one-half off the New Testament Scriptures! The severest penalty that he ever declared is that of everlasting destruction, the Second Death, from which there is no hope of deliverance^ Undoubtedly he was right in this course. On the contrary, he preached and wrote not only about the length and breadth and height and depth of the love of Christ, but in the context he tells us that he prayed for the Church, that they might be able to attain such and more of the Love of God. Undoubtedly this is the great need of the Church today.

From this attainment comes our blessing and also the world’s blessing. The light from the. great Sun of Righteousness, which shortly is to flood the world, will be “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God”—of Divine Mercy and Love.

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THE TIME IS AT HAND

THE NEW DAY DAWNS

“HE THAT SITTETH UPON THE THRONE SAID, BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW.”

“Ai the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, to the glory of Godf'—Philippians 2:10,11.

and the removal of the curse. Satan will be bound for a thousand years. The knowledge of God will gradually fill the whole earth. The Natural Seed of Abraham will be the first to receive the Restitution blessings—to return to the image and likeness of God in the flesh, and to have returned to them Paradise conditions and Divine favor. The ancient saintly ones of the Jewish race, we are assured, shall be made princes in all the earth for the correction of their brethren, Natural Israel, and for the instruction and assistance of the people of every nation, kindred and tongue—the living and the dead.

Paradise Restored.

Rapidly the knowledge of the glory of God will fill the whole earth. Corrections in righteousness will be meted out to all not doing their very best to come into harmony with the Divine Law. Blessed rewards of increasing perfection of mind and body will gradually come to the willing and obedient in that Day. The wilful evil-doers shall be cut off in the Second Death. Then, as a result, before the thousand years of Messiah’s Kingdom shall expire, every knee shall bow, to the glory of God.

Meantime, also, the blessings of Paradise will be coming to the earth as a whole. God will make the place of His feet glorious. (Isaiah 60:13; 66:1.) Jesus will see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied. (Isaiah 53:10, 11.) All those who have suffered for righteousness’ sake during the reign of Sin and Death will be more than compensated therefor in the blessings and joys of the New Dispensation. The knowledge of the glory of God shall fill the whole earth. The glorious Divine character will be made manifest, not only to angels, but to men. The infinitude of God’s Love, Justice, Wisdom and Power may then be seen by all; whereas today, under the reign of Sin and. Death, with minds beclouded by the errors instilled by the Prince of Darkness, the opposite condition—darkness—covers the earth, and gross darkness the heathen.

What a glorious consummation is before us! . What lengths and breadths of human possibility in perfection we. see with the eye of faith! Man was made in the image and likeness of his Creator, and the earth was provided to be his everlasting home. The curse that has rested upon the earth and its king has brought both to angels and to men valuable lessons, which perhaps could not have beenlearned under any other process.

The result will, be glorious, as described by the Master Himself. There shall be no more sighing, no more curse there, nor sorrow nor pain nor any more dying; for all the things of sin and death will have passed away. He who sits upon the Throne will make all things new.—Revelation 21:4, 5.

The Prophet. Isaiah declares that Jehovah will do these things, and that every knee shall bow. to Him and every tongue confess. (Isaiah 45:23.) St. Paul applies this Scripture, and declares that it will be - fulfilled through Jesus, and incidentally it will be fulfilled by the Church through Jesus. The thought is that in acknowledging Christ and the Church and in bowing to them the world will be bowing to Jehovah; for the Logos, Jesus, the Redeemer, forever will be the Representative of the Father and His Power. Hence all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father—not honor the. Son as the Father, but. as the Father’s direct Representative—Heir of all things.—John 5:23; Hebrews 1:2.

The Elect Church Already Bows.

The elect Church of the present time already bows the knee to Jesus as the Representative of the Heavenly Father, and already enjoys a great blessing through this special relationship into which she has entered and which is to be completed in her resurrection change. Jesus, as the great King of Glory, and His Bride class, as the great Queen of Glory, will be distinctly separate from the world—sharers of an altogether different salvation. These, begotten of the Holy Spirit, are promised a participation in the Divine nature, which is far above that of the angels, the Apostle assures us..

For the same reason that God. is invisible to men, Christ and the Church will be invisible, though all-powerful. The blessings of human.Restitution that they will bring mankind will be conveyed through earthly channels, of whom Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the Prophets and faithful ones of Israel will be leaders, or princes, as God has declared. These shall not judge by the hearing of the ear or by the sight of the eye, but shall judge righteous judgment.—Isaiah 11:3.

No mistakes will be made; no evil deed shall fail of just recompense; even attempts to commit crimes must cease. Every knee shall bow to the Power then in.control, and every tongue confess to the justice of the arrangement. Gradually the new order will appeal to the hearts of mankind, and what at first was obedience by force will become obedience from love and appreciation of righteousness. Eventually all. who obey merely because of compulsion will be cut off in the Second Death.