1959 Jehovahs Witnesses in the Divine Purpose

7/29/2019 1959 Jehovahs Witnesses in the Divine Purpose

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COPYRIGHT, 1959by

WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETYOF PENNSYLVANIA

F i r s t E d i t i o n500,000 COPIES

I n t h i s b o o k a l l S c r i p t u r e q u o t a t i o n s o r c i t a t i o n sn o t i d e n t i f i e d a s t o t r a n s l a t i o n a r e f r o m t h e N e wWorld Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NW)e x c e p t t h o s e f o u n d i n m a t e r i a l q u o t e d f r o m s o m eo t h e r p u b l i c a t i o n , i n w h i c h c a s e t h e y a r e f r o m t h eKing James o r Authorized Version ( A V ) . R e f e r -e n c e t o t h e American Standard Version is i n d i -c a t e d b y t h e a b b r e v i a t i o n AS .

O t h e r a b b r e v i a t i o n s u s e d :I b i d . . , a b b r e v i a t i o n o f I b i d e m , Latin, meaning" I n t h e s a m e p l a c e . "Supra, Latin, meaning "Above or beyond . "

PUBLISHERSWATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETYOF NEW YORK, INC .

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE STUDENTS ASSOCIATIONBrooklyn, New York, U . S . A .

M a d e i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s o f A m e r i c a


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CONTENTSCHAPTER PAGE1 A P e o p l e w i t h t h e M o s t A n c i e n t H i s t o r y 72 The Turning from Religious Confusion Begins 123 Charles Taze Russell Makes a Far-reaching Decision 1 64 P r e p a r a t i o n f o r H a r v e s t I n g a t h e r i n g B e g i n s 235 Preaching the Good News , a Commission fo r All 286 G o i n g o n t h e O f f e n s i v e 357 U n c o v e r i n g t h e R o o t s o f O p p o s i t i o n 418 The Climactic Approach to 1914 479 " E n d o f A l l K i n g d o m s i n 1 9 1 4 " 54

1 0 Strengthened for Patience and Endurance 591 1 A C h a n g e i n A d m i n i s t r a t i o n T e s t s G o d ' s S e r v a n t s 641 2 L e t G o i n t o C a p t i v i t y 741 3 R e l e a s e f r o m B a b y l o n i s h C a p t i v i t y 8414 R e o r g a n i z i n g f o r A c t i v e S e r v i c e 911 5 J e h o v a h ' s W r a t h P u b l i s h e d A g a i n s t t h e R u l e r s 1011 6 G o d ' s K i n g d o m E x a l t e d , I t s C o u n t e r f e i t E x p o s e d 1071 7 P u b l i s h i n g F r e e d o m f o r t h e P e o p l e T h r o u g h E x p a n d e d F a c i l i t i e s 1 . 1 21 8 J e h o v a h I d e n t i f i e s H i s P u r p o s e w i t h H i s P e o p l e 1201 9 T h e F i g h t f o r L i b e r t y t o P r e a c h 12820 T h e B a t t l e o f t h e A i r W a v e s O p e n s a N e w F i e l d 1342 1 Theocra tic Order Comes in as World War II Approach es 14122 Christian Neutrals During World War II 15023 Preaching Underground amid War's Intense Heat 15924 C o n c e n t r a t i o n C a m p s F a i l t o S t i l l L i p s P r a i s i n g G o d 16625 Champions of Freedom of Speech and of Worship 17526 Expanding the Preaching Service to Find and Feed the "Great Crowd" 18627 B u i l d i n g a n d P l a n t i n g w i t h a V i e w t o G l o b a l E x p a n s i o n 1962 8 Writing the Good News into the Law of the Land 2062 9 Th e Door of Preaching Opportunity Again Swings Open 2123 0 S e t t i n g t h e P a t t e r n o f F u t u r e T h e o c r a t i c A s s e m b l i e s 2223 1 Queb ec' s Burning Hate for G od and Freedo m Exposed and Defe ated 2393 2 T h e o c r a c y ' s I n c r e a s e M a n i f e s t e d i n P r e a c h i n g a n d P r i n t i n g O p p o r t u n i t i e s 2 5 03 3 Internation al Unity of Purpose Cements the New World Society 2603 4 Ending the Fourth, Beginning the Fifth Dec ade of Kingdom Operation 2 6 93 5 The Cloud of Modern Witnesses Advance in Faithful Conduct 2773 6 D o i n g t h e D i v i n e W i l l f r o m N o w O n i n t o E t e r n i t y 284


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A Pe o p l e

with the MostAncient History

Who on earth could be ringingour doorbell on suc h a stormy night ast h i s ? D o n ' t t e l l m e t h a t w e ' r e h a v i n gv i s i t o r s ?TOM : C o u l d b e ! I t m i g h t b e o u r n e i g h b o r

John down the street-you know, one oft h o s e J e h o v a h ' s w i t n e s s e s . I s p o k e o u t o fc u r i o s i t y t o h i m a b o u t t h a t d i f f e r e n t k i n do f f a i t h o f h i s , a n d h e s a i d h e ' d s t e p o v e rh e r e s o m e n i g h t w i t h h i s w i f e a n d a n s w e ra l l m y q u e s t i o n s a b o u t i t . B u t t h e r e ' s a n -o t h e r r i n g . S o l e t m e g o s e e j u s t w h o i t i sa t t h e d o o r .

LOIS : A l l r i g h t !TOM [ o p e n i n g t h e d o o r ] : W e l l , I g u e s s e d

it might be you, John . A n d t h e r e ' s y o u rg o o d w i f e M a r i a , t o o . C o m e r i g h t i n o u t o fthe bad weather and make yourself co m-f o r t a b l e , b o t h o f y o u . I t ' s c e r t a i n l y n i c eo f y o u t o c o m e o v e r a n d s e e L o i s a n d m e .When I spoke to you I didn't think youw o u l d t a k e t h e m a t t e r a s s o u r g e n t a s t ocome here through such a wild ni ght ast h i s .JOHN : B u t i t i s u r g e n t , T o m , w h e n t h e

w o r l d i s i n s u c h a n u n s e t t l e d c o n d i t i o n a st h e w e a t h e r i s t o n i g h t .

LOIS : G o o d e v e n i n g . H e r e , l e t m e t a k e

L OIS :

7

CHAPTER I

y o u r t h i n g s , a n d t h e n I w i l l j o i n y o u .JOHN AND MARIA : T h a n k s . I t ' s n i c e o f y o u .TOM : A h , i t ' s s u c h a p l e a s a n t f e e l i n g t o

b e i n d o o r s , i n a c o m f o r t a b l e h o m e o n s u c ha r o u g h n i g h t a s t h i s . Now I'm not goingt o a s k y o u t o l o o k a t t e l e v i s i o n w i t h u s -I h o p e t h i s d o e s n ' t s o u n d r o u g h - b u t s i n c ey o u p u t y o u r s e l f t o s u c h t r o u b l e t o v i s i t u st o n i g h t , I ' d l i k e t o p u m p y o u b o t h w i t h a smany questions as I can . A n d m a y b e m yr e l i g i o u s w i f e L o i s w o u l d a l s o l i k e t o a s ks o m e q u e s t i o n s . S h e h a s a g o o d k n o w l e d g eo f t h e B i b l e .JOHN : F i n e ! T h a t ' s j u s t w h a t M a r i a a n dI came for . Go ahead! Likely your wifeL o i s h a s r e a d i n h e r B i b l e t h e p r o v e r b o fKing Solomon : " C o u n s e l i n t h e h e a r t o fa m a n i s a s d e e p w a t e r s , b u t t h e m a n o fd i s c e r n m e n t i s o n e t h a t w i l l d r a w i t u p . "T h a t ' s P r o v e r b s 2 0 : 5 .

LOIS : T h a t ' s a n e n c o u r a g i n g s c r i p t u r e . Imust mark that down .TOM : T h a n k s f o r t h a t i n d i r e c t c o m p l i -

m e n t , J o h n , b u t l e t ' s s e e h o w m u c h o f aman of discernment I am to draw up thew a t e r o f f a c t s o u t o f y o u r w e l l o f i n f o r m a -t i o n . O f a l l t h e s c o r e s o f r e l i g i o n s h e r e i nt h i s c o u n t r y , y o u a n d M a r i a c e r t a i n l y h a v ea peculiar name . J e h o v a h ' s w i t n e s s e s ! Id o n ' t k n o w o f a n o t h e r r e l i g i o u s n a m e l i k ei t . W h y d o y o u a n d y o u r p e o p l e c a l l y o u r -s e l v e s t h a t ? W h e r e d o y o u g e t t h a t n a m e ?L o i s t e l l s m e t h a t h e r p r e a c h e r s a i d t h a ty o u J e h o v a h ' s w i t n e s s e s a r e j u s t a l o t o f


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8 JEHOVAH'S WITNESSESu p s t a r t s , j u s t a n e w r e l i g i o n s t a r t e d b ys o m e r e l i g i o u s c r a n k r e c e n t l y a n d w i t h o u ta good background .

LOIS : That' s what he said, and with al o t o f s c o r n , t o o !JOHN : Well, that doesn' t shock Maria

a n d m e . We've heard remarks like thatf r o m m a n y r e l i g i o u s q u a r t e r s i n C h r i s t e n -d o m . B u t q u i t e t o t h e c o n t r a r y o f s u c hc h a r g e s , d o y o u k n o w t h a t J e h o v a h ' s w i t -n e s s e s a r e t h e m o s t a n c i e n t r e l i g i o u s g r o u po f w o r s h i p e r s o f t h e t r u e G o d , t h e p e o p l ew h o s e h i s t o r y r u n s b a c k f a r t h e r t h a n a n yr e l i g i o u s d e n o m i n a t i o n o f C h r i s t e n d o m , o reven of Jewry?TOM:

H o , h o ! L i s t e n t o t h a t , L o i s ! Y o u rpreacher ought to be here and listen tot h i s . A n d t h e J e w i s h r a b bi a r o u n d t h ec o r n e r , t o o !

LOIS : T h e y f i r s t h a v e t o d o a l o t o f p r o v -i n g t o c o n v i n c e m e o f t h a t .JOHN : From that Bible of yours I be-l i e v e I c a n e s t a b l i s h t h e f a c t u a l n e s s o f w h a tI s a i d , L o i s . J e h o v a h ' s w i t n e s s e s h a v e ah i s t o r y a l m o s t 6 , 0 0 0 y e a r s l o n g , b e g i n n i n gw h i l e t h e f i r s t m a n , A d a m , w a s s t i l l a l i v e .O n e o f h i s s o n s i s r e f e r r e d t o a s b e i n g aWitness . Read Hebrews 11 : 4 , p l e a s e , L o i s .Y o u h a v e t h e King James Version , d o n ' ty o u ?

LOIS : Ye s . [Readin g] "By faith Abelo f f e r e d u n t o G o d a m o r e e x c e l l e n t s a c r i f i c et h a n C a i n , b y w h i c h h e o b t a i n e d w i t n e s st h a t h e w a s r i g h t e o u s , G o d t e s t i f y i n g o fh i s g i f t s : and by it he being dead yets p e a k e t h . "JOHN : T h a n k y o u . Y o u r e m e m b e r i n

G e n e s i s 4 : 1 0 G o d s a i d A b e l ' s " b l o o d c r i e t hunto me from the ground . " B u t A b e l w a so n l y t h e f i r s t o f a n u n b r o k e n l i n e o f W i t -n e s s e s . a N o a h c a r r i e d t h i s l i n e t h r o u g h t h ef l o o d a f t e r s o u n d i n g a w a r n i n g t o h i s g e n -e r a t i o n . R e a d H e b r e w s 1 1 : 7 , p l e a s e .a " Make Sure o f All Things" (1953), pp . 1 9 3 -1 9 5 .

IN THE DIVINE PURPOSELOIS [ r e a d i n g ] : " B y f a i t h N o a h , b e i n g

w a r n e d o f G o d o f t h i n g s n o t s e e n a s y e t ,moved with fear, prepared an ark to thes a v i n g o f h i s h o u s e ; b y t h e w h i c h h e c o n -d e m n e d t h e w o r l d , a n d b e c a m e h e i r o f t h er i g h t e o u s n e s s w h i c h i s b y f a i t h ." Was hea W i t n e s s j u s t b y b u i l d i n g a n a r k ?JOHN : Not altogether, no . N o a h a l s o

preached . P l e a s e r e a d 2 P e t e r 2 : 5 .LOIS [ r e a d s ] : " A n d s p a r e d n o t t h e o l d

w o r l d , b u t s a v e d N o a h t h e e i g h t h p e r s o n ,a p r e a c h e r o f r i g h t e o u s n e s s , b r i n g i n g i nt h e f l o o d u p o n t h e w o r l d o f t h e u n g o d l y . "I never knew that . What did he preach,t h e c o m i n g o f t h e f l o o d ?JOHN : Y e s , h e w a r n e d h i s g e n e r a t i o n o fGod's coming judgment . Throughout theh i s t o r y o f t h e B i b l e J e h o v a h h a s r a i s e d u pw i t n e s s e s t o g i v e s p e c i a l w a r n i n g i n t i m e sof judgment . M o s e s w a r n e d E g y p t o f G o d ' scoming punishment upon Pharaoh and theEgyptians . T h a t ' s H e b r e w s 1 1 : 2 4 - 2 9 . T h e nt h e n a t u r a l J e w s , t h e a n c i e n t n a t i o n o fI s r a e l , w e r e p r o p h e t i c a l l y a d d r e s s e d a sJ e h o v a h ' s w i t n e s s e s a t I s a i a h 4 3 : 1 0 - 1 2 .

LOIS : I have that too . [Reading] "Yea r e m y w i t n e s s e s , s a i t h t h e LORD, a n d m yservant whom I have chosen : t h a t y e m a yk n o w a n d b e l i e v e m e , a n d u n d e r s t a n d t h a tI a m h e : b e f o r e m e t h e r e w a s n o G o df o r m e d , n e i t h e r s h a l l t h e r e b e a f t e r m e .I , e v e n I , a m t h e LORD ; a n d b e s i d e m e t h e r ei s n o s a v i o u r . I h a v e d e c l a r e d , a n d h a v es a v e d , a n d I h a v e s h e w e d , w h e n t h e r e w a sno stran ge god among you : t h e r e f o r e y ea r e m y w i t n e s s e s , s a i t h t h e LORD, t h a t Ia m G o d . "JOHN : I n t h e American Standard Ver-

s i o n " t h e L O R D " i s r e n d e r e d " J e h o v a h , " i nk e e p i n g w i t h t h e o r i g i n a l H e b r e w . S o t h e yw e r e J e h o v a h ' s w i t n e s s e s .

LOIS : I s e e . B u t t h e s e a r e J e w s t h a t h ec a l l e d J e h o v a h ' s w i t n e s s e s ; y o u c l a i m t ob e C h r i s t i a n s , d o n ' t y o u ?JOHN : Y e s , b u t J e s u s h i m s e l f w a s a m e m -


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b e r o f t h i s a n c i e n t J e w i s h n a t i o n a n d h ew a s o n e o f J e h o v a h ' s w i t n e s s e s .

LOIS : D o e s t h e B i b l e s a y t h a t ?JOHN : J e s u s s a y s i t h i m s e l f . Would youread John 18 : 3 7 .

LOIS [ r e a d i n g ] : " P i l a t e t h e r e f o r e s a i du n t o h i m , A r t t h o u a k i n g t h e n ? J e s u s a n -s w e r e d , T h o u s a y e s t t h a t I a m a k i n g . T othis end was I born, and for this causec a m e I i n t o t h e w o r l d , t h a t I s h o u l d b e a rw i t n e s s u n t o t h e t r u t h . E v e r y o n e t h a t i so f t h e t r u t h h e a r e t h m y v o i c e . " J e s u s d i ds a y h e b o r e w i t n e s s , d i d n ' t he?JOHN : No greater Witness than Jesush a s e v e r l i v e d o n e a r t h , a n d o n e o f h i sa p o s t l e s s p e c i f i c a l l y c a l l e d J e s u s a W i t n e s s .

L O I S : Now t h a t I w o u l d l i k e t o s e e !V e r y w e l l . R e a d R e v e l a t i o n 1 : 5 ,OHN :

p l e a s e .L O I S [ r e a d i n g ] : " A n d f r o m J e s u s C h r i s t ,

w h o i s t h e f a i t h f u l w i t n e s s , . . . " W e l l , In e v e r ! D o y o u m e a n t o s a y , t h e n , t h a t J e s u s 'd i s c i p l e s w e r e a l l J e h o v a h ' s w i t n e s s e s t o o ?JOHN : C e r t a i n l y . C h r i s t i a n s a r e u r g e d t oe m u l a t e a l l t h o s e a n c i e n t W i t n e s s e s t h a tprecede d them back to Abel . P a u l i s w r i t -i n g a b o u t t h e w h o l e l i n e o f W i t n e s s e s i n h i sl e t t e r t o t h e H e b r e w s t h a t y o u r e a d f r o m am o m e n t a g o . B e s i d e s A b e l , N o a h a n d M o s e s ,t h r o u g h o u t t h e e n t i r e e l e v e n t h c h a p t e r o fH e b r e w s , P a u l m e n t i o n s m a n y o t h e r s .T h e n i n H e b r e w s 1 2 : 1 - 3 h e u r g e s C h r i s -t i a n s t o o b s e r v e t h e i r f a i t h a n d f o l l o w t h e i re x a m p l e , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h a t o f t h e g r e a t e s tW i t n e s s o f a l l , t h e L o r d J e s u s C h r i s t .

L O I S : I h a v e H e b r e w s 1 2 : 1 - 3 . [ R e a d i n g ]" W h e r e f o r e s e e i n g w e a l s o a r e c o m p a s s e da b o u t w i t h s o g r e a t a c l o u d o f w i t n e s s e s ,l e t u s l a y a s i d e e v e r y w e i g h t , a n d t h e s i nw h i c h d o t h s o e a s i l y b e s e t u s , a n d l e t u sr u n w i t h p a t i e n c e t h e r a c e t h a t i s s e t b e -f o r e u s , l o o k i n g u n t o J e s u s t h e a u t h o r a n df i n i s h e r o f o u r f a i t h ; w h o f o r t h e j o y t h a tw a s s e t b e f o r e h i m e n d u r e d t h e c r o s s , d e -

s p i s i n g t h e s h a m e , a n d i s s e t d o w n a t t h er i g h t h a n d o f t h e t h r o n e o f G o d . F o r c o n -s i d e r h i m t h a t e n d u r e d s u c h c o n t r a d i c t i o no f s i n n e r s a g a i n s t h i m s e l f , l e s t y e b e w e a -r i e d a n d f a i n t i n y o u r m i n d s . "

A PEOPLE WITH THE MOST ANCIENT HISTORY 9

JOHN : T h a t m e a n s t h a t a l l C h r i s t i a n s i nt h e f i r s t - c e n t u r y c o n g r e g a t i o n w e r e w i t -n e s s e s o f J e h o v a h , i n c l u d i n g t h e n a t u r a lJ e w , t h e a p o s t l e J o h n , a t t h e t i m e o f w r i t -i n g t h e A p o c a l y p s e a b o u t A . D . 9 6 . H em a k e s t h a t f a c t c l e a r h i m s e l f i n t h e o p e n -i n g v e r s e s o f t h e b o o k o f R e v e l a t i o n , w h e r e ,y o u r e c a l l , h e a l s o i d e n t i f i e d J e s u s a s Je h o -v a h ' s f a i t h f u l w i t n e s s . Read Revelation1 : 1 , 2 , p l e a s e .

LOIS [ r e a d i n g ] : " T h e R e v e l a t i o n o f J e -s u s C h r i s t , w h i c h G o d g a v e u n t o h i m , t os h e w u n t o h i s s e r v a n t s t h i n g s w h i c h m u s ts h o r t l y c o m e t o p a s s ; a n d h e s e n t a n d s i g -n i f i e d i t b y h i s a n g e l u n t o h i s s e r v a n tJohn : w h o b a r e r e c o r d o f t h e w o r d o f G o d ,a n d o f t h e t e s t i m o n y o f J e s u s C h r i s t , a n do f a l l t h i n g s t h a t h e s a w . "JOHN : S o y o u s e e t h e a p o s t l e J o h n w a sm e r e l y r e p e a t i n g t h e t e s t i m o n y o f J e s u s ,which Jesus himself had received fromJehov ah G od . B o t h , t h e r e f o r e , w e r e J e h o -v a h ' s w i t n e s s e s a s c o l a b o r e r s .

THE FALLING AWAY COMES FIRSTLOIS : E v e n s o , t h e r e i s a l o n g g a p b e -

t w e e n t h o s e e a r l y C h r i s t i a n s a n d o u r o w nd a y .

T h a t ' s t r u e , a n d a s e a r l y a s t h en e x t o r s e c o n d c e n t u r y t h e p r o f e s s e d C h r i s -t i a n s f e l l a w a y f r o m s e r v i n g a s J e h o v a h ' sw i t n e s s e s , t i l l f i n a l l y t h e R o m a n C a t h o l i cChurch with its hierarchy of religiousc l e r g y m e n c a m e t o t h e f o r e a n d k e p t J e h o -vah and his written Word away from theb l i n d e d p e o p l e . W h y , e v e n w h e n t h e P r o t -estants broke away they didn't becomeJ e h o v a h ' s w i t n e s s e s a n d b e a r w i t n e s s t o t h et r u t h o f G o d ' s W o r d a s J e s u s C h r i s t a n dthose before him had done . C o n s e q u e n t l y

JOHN :


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1 0 JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN THE DIVINE PURPOSEi t b e c a m e n e c e s s a r y f o r J e h o v a h , i n f u l -f i l l m e n t o f h i s o w n p r o p h e c y , t o r a i s e u ph i s w i t n e s s e s i n t h e s e m o d e r n t i m e s , n o ta s a n e w r e l i g i o n , b u t a s a c l i m a x t o t h el o n g s u c c e s s i o n o f W i t n e s s e s t h a t h e h a shad down through the past millenniu msa l l t h e w a y b a c k t o A b e l . T h e f a c t i s , t h a ti s p a r t o f t h e p u r p o s e o f J e s u s C h r i s t w h e nh e r e t u r n s , t o l e a d h i s f e l l o w w i t n e s s e s o fJ e h o v a h i n t h e f i n a l t e s t i m o n y b e f o r e t h ee n d o f C h r i s t e n d o m a n d a l l t h e r e s t o f t h i sw i c k e d o l d w o r l d .

LOIS : H o w c a n t h a t b e ? D i d n ' t J e s u s s a yw h e n h e w e n t a w a y t h a t h e w o u l d b e w i t hh i s d i s c i p l e s u n t i l t h e e n d o f t h e w o r l d ?JOHN : Y e s , h e d i d . T h a t ' s f o u n d a t M a t -

thew 28 : 2 0 .LOIS [ i n t e r r u p t i n g ] : T h e n w h y d o y o u

s a y t h a t h e i s g o i n g t o c o m e a g a i n a n d r a i s eu p m o d e r n w i t n e s s e s ?

JOHN : S u p p o s e w e r e a d t h ef i r s t . M a r i a , d o y o u h a v e i t ?

MARIA : Y e s ; t h i s i s t h e New World Trans-l a t i o n o f t h e C h r i s t i a n G r e e k S c r i p t u r e s .[Reading] "Look! I am with you all t hed a y s u n t i l t h e c o n s u m m a t i o n o f t h e s y s t e mo f t h i n g s . "JOHN : T h a n k y o u . Y o u r q u e s t i o n , L o i s ,

a s t o w h e n a n d w h y J e s u s w o u l d r e t u r n , i so n e t h a t h a s t r o u b l e d s o m e B i b l e s t u d e n t se v e n f r o m t h e d a y s o f t h e a p o s t l e s . Someo f t h e e a r l y C h r i s t i a n s a t T h e s s a l o n i c aw e r e t e a c h i n g t h a t C h r i s t h a d a l r e a d y r e -t u r n e d i n P a u l ' s d a y , b u t h e w r o t e t h e m :"Let no one seduce you in any manner,b e c a u s e i t w i l l n o t c o m e u n l e s s t h e f a l l i n ga w a y c o m e s f i r s t a n d t h e m a n o f l a w l e s s -n e s s g e t s r e v e a l e d , t h e s o n o f d e s t r u c t i o n . " bTOM : W h o i s t h e " m a n o f l a w l e s s n e s s " ?JOHN : P a u l w a s a p p l y i n g t h e e x p r e s s i o n

to the great apostasy I mentioned thatw o u l d d e v e l o p a n d p r o s p e r b e f o r e C h r i s t

s c r i p t u r e

w o u l d b e p r e s e n t a g a i n . T h a t ' s t r a n s l a t e d" m a n o f s i n " i n t h e King James Versio nt h a t y o u a r e u s i n g , L o i s . I w o u l d l i k e t oread you something that I have broughta l o n g t h a t w a s p u b l i s h e d i n t h e e a r l i e s tday s of the Watch Tower Bib le & TractS o c i e t y .

T h i s b o o k , p u b l i s h e d b a c k i n 1 8 8 9 , e x -plains that Paul was agreeing that thed a y o f t h e L o r d " c o u l d b e c o m m e n c e dw h i l e m a n y m i g h t b e i n i g n o r a n c e o f i t ,t h a t i t c o u l d c o m e w i t h o u t o u t w a r d d e m -onstration to mark it . " c S t i l l , P a u l w a sa r g u i n g f u r t h e r t h a t a f a l l i n g a w a y m u s tc o m e b e f o r e t h e d a y o f t h e L o r d ; t h e r e f o r e ,C h r i s t ' s k i n g d o m c o u l d n o t h a v e b e e n s e tu p a t t h e t i m e J e s u s a s c e n d e d i n t o h e a v e n .

LOIS : Y o u s a i d t h a t t h a t a p o s t a s y b e -g a n a b o u t t h e s e c o n d c e n t u r y ?JOHN : Yes, although ev en while the

a p o s t l e s w e r e a l i v e t h e r e w a s a b e g i n n i n go f i t . B u t t h e a p o s t l e s , b a c k e d u p b y t h ep o w e r o f t h e h o l y s p i r i t , w e r e a b l e t o k e e pit from contaminating the congregation .W i t h t h e a p o s t l e s d e a d a n d g o n e , t h o u g h ,m a n y f a l s e t e a c h i n g s w e r e i n t r o d u c e d t h a tcompletely changed the meaning of theScriptures and the purpose of God . T h i scondition of apostasy developed over ap e r i o d o f s e v e r a l c e n t u r i e s a n d c a m e t of u l l b l o o m d u r i n g t h e r e i g n o f t h e R o m a nEmperor Constantine in the four th cen-t u r y . Our book comments on this :

U n d e r C o n s t a n t i n e ' s r e i g n , t h e o p p o s i t i o n o ft h e e m p i r e t o C h r i s t i a n i t y g a v e w a y t o f a v o r ,a n d t h e I m p e r i a l P o n t i f e x M a x i m u s [ C o n s t a n -t i n e ' s t i t l e a s e m p e r o r o f R o m e ] b e c a m e t h epatron of the p r o f e s s e d b u t r e a l l y a p o s t a t eC h u r c h o f C h r i s t ; a n d , t a k i n g h e r b y t h e h a n d ,h e a s s i s t e d h e r t o a p l a c e o f p o p u l a r i t y a n ds p l e n d o r f r o m w h i c h s h e w a s a b l e a f t e r w a r d ,a s t h e i m p e r i a l p o w e r g r e w w e a k , t o p u t h e ro w n r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s u p o n t h e r e l i g i o u s t h r o n eo f t h e w o r l d a s C h i e f R e l i g i o u s Ruler-PontifexM a x i m u s [ t h e t i t l e n o w a s s u m e d b y t h e p o p e s ] . d

h 2 T h e s s a l o n i a n s 2 : 3 . c S t u d i e s i n t h e S c r i p t u r e s , V o l . I I ( 1 8 8 9 ) , p . 2 7 0 ( 1 9 0 5 Ed . ) . d I b i d . , pp . 2 90 , 2 91 .


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T R U E C H R I S T I A N S U P H E L D D U R I N GCOUNTERFEIT RULEThis was really the beginning of the

R o m a n C a t h o l i c C h u r c h , a l t h o u g h m a n yo f i t s p r e s e n t p r a c t i c e s w e r e e v e n l a t e r a d -d i t i o n s . I t i s t h e f a l l i n g a w a y t h a t t h e a p o s -t l e P a u l i n d i c a t e d m u s t d e v e l o p b e f o r e t h es e c o n d c o m i n g o f C h r i s t . And one reasonf o r C h r i s t ' s r e t u r n , h e p o i n t e d o u t , w a s t oe x p o s e a n d d e s t r o y i t . N o w l e t ' s a l l n o t i c ehow the book explains what Jesus meantwhen he said he would be with his truef o l l o w e r s a l l t h i s t i m e :

B u t l e t n o o n e s u p p o s e t h a t t h e r e a l C h u r c ho f C h r i s t , e v e n i n t h o s e c o r r u p t t i m e s , w a se i t h e r e x t i n g u i s h e d o r l o s t s i g h t o f . " T h e L o r dk n o w e t h t h e m t h a t a r e h i s " i n e v e r y a g e a n du n d e r e v e r y c o n d i t i o n . A s w h e a t t h e y w e r e p e r -m i t t e d t o g r o w i n t h e m i d s t o f a f i e l d o v e r r u nw i t h t a r e s ; a s t h o u g h t h e y w e r e i n t h e f u r n a c e ,b e i n g t r i e d a n d p u r i f i e d a n d " m a d e m e e t f o rt h e i n h e r i t a n c e o f t h e s a i n t s in l i g h t . " Tr u e , t h ec o u r s e o f t h e m u l t i t u d e , w h o c a l l e d t h e m s e l v e sC h r i s t i a n s , o c c u p i e s t h e m o s t p r o m i n e n t p l a c eo n th e pages of his t o ry ; but un d o ubte d ly af a i t h f u l f e w t h r o u g h a l l t h e p e r s e c u t i o n s , a n di n t h e m i d s t o f a l l t h e d e c e p t i v e a r t s o f t h eM y s t e r y o f I n i q u i t y , w a l k e d w o r t h y o f t h e i rh i g h c a l l i n g , w e r e l a i d t o r e s t a n d r e c o r d e d o fG o d a s h e i r s t o t h e c r o w n t h a t f a d e t h n o t a w a y ,r e s e r v e d i n h e a v e n f o r t h e m . e

A PEOPLE WITH THE MOST ANCIENT HISTORY

e S t u d i e s i n t h e S c r i p t u r e s , V o l . I I (1889), p . 298 (1905 Ed . ) . I Ibid . , p p . 298, 299

1 1

S o , b y h i s i l l u s t r a t i o n o f t h e " w h e a t a n dt a r e s , " a t M a t t h e w 1 3 : 2 4 - 3 0 , 3 6 - 4 3 , Je s u si n d i c a t e d t h a t o n h i s r e t u r n h e w o u l d r e -g a t h e r t h o s e f a i t h f u l o n e s w h o a r e a l i v e a tt h a t t i m e a n d m a k e t h e m f e l l o w w i t n e s s e so f J e h o v a h . T h i s h e h a s d o n e b y s e p a r a t i n gt h e m f r o m f a l s e o r a p o s t a t e C h r i s t i a n s a n ds e t t i n g t h e m f o r w a r d a s t h e c l i m a x t o t h e6,000-year-long successi on of Jehovah'sw i t n e s s e s .

Meanwhile, the false Christians haveshown themselves to be false witnesseso f J e h o v a h b y s e t t i n g u p t h e i r o w n c o u n -t e r f e i t o f G o d ' s k i n g d o m . Note what thebook says :

T h u s , c l e a r l y , o n t h e p a g e s o f h i s t o r y , t h ef a c t i s p o i n t e d o u t t h a t t h i s M a n o f S i n , A n t i -c h r i s t , w a s b o r n i n R o m e ; . a s p i r i t u a l e m -p i r e : it must claim to rule the ki ngdoms ofe a r t h b y t h i s s p i r i t u a l a u t h o r i t y ; i t m u s t t h u sb e n o t o n l y a n a n t a g o n i s t b u t a c o u n t e r f e i t ,m i s r e p r e s e n t i n g a n d p r e t e n d i n g t o b e C h r i s t ' sk i n g d o m , a n d e x e r c i s i n g w h a t w i l l i n G o d ' s d u et i m e b e t h e a u t h o r i t y o f t h e t r u e C h r i s t , t h ec h u r c h g l o r i f i e d a n d c o m p l e t e u n d e r t h e o n l yt r u e H e a d a n d L o r d . f

This counterfe it kingdom began aboutA. D . 800 and went into a dec line aboutA. D . 1 8 0 0 .


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T h e T u r n i n g f r o m

R e l igio u s Conf u s i o nB e g i n s

L o r s : If the Roman Catholic Churchc l a i m e d t o b e r u l i n g i n G o d ' s k i n g d o m f o ra p e r i o d o f a t h o u s a n d y e a r s d u r i n g t h eMiddle Ages, then why should they lookf o r a s e c o n d c o m i n g o f C h r i s t ?

JOHN : T h e y d i d n ' t . B u t , w h e n t h e p o w e rof the Roman Catholic Church had begunt o d e c l i n e a b o u t 1 8 0 0 , i t i s o n l y n a t u r a lt h a t t h e a t t e n t i o n o f s o m e B i b l e s t u d e n t swould turn to the Lord' s second coming .

L o i s : B u t w h a t o f t h e R e f o r m a t i o n ? Y o us a i d t h a t w h e n t h e P r o t e s t a n t s b r o k e a w a ythey didn't become Jehovah's witnessese i t h e r . W h y d o y o u s a y t h a t ?JOHN : W e l l , t h e R e f o r m a t i o n r e a l l y b e -g a n a s a r e b e l l i o n a g a i n s t c e r t a i n a u t h o r -ities of the Roman Catholic Church ands o o n d e v e l o p e d i n t o a s t r o n g p o l i t i c a l a r g u -m e n t . Many Protestant lead ers were asv i c i o u s i n t h e i r p e r s e c u t i o n o f r e l i g i o u s o p -p o n e n t s a s t h e I n q u i s i t i o n o f t h e C a t h o l i cC h u r c h h a d b e e n . F o r e x a m p l e , J o h nC a l v i n h a d a n t i - t r i n i t a r i a n M i c h a e l S e r v e -t u s l i t e r a l l y r o a s t e d a l i v e , i n h o r r i b l e t o r -t u r e , f o r n e a r l y f i v e h o u r s b e f o r e h e e x -p i r e d , w h i l e C a l v i n w a t c h e d f r o m aw i n d o w . a Furthermore, the Protestantc h u r c h e s c a r r i e d o v e r w i t h t h e m t h e s a m ea Q u a l i f i e d t o B e M i n i s t e r s ( 1 9 5 5 ) , p . 2 9 5 .

12

CHAPTER 2

teachings of apostasy that had been be-l i e v e d d u r i n g t h e c e n t u r i e s o f p a p a l r u l e .T h e s e f a c t s a l o n e a r e e v i d e n c e t h a t t h i sw a s n o t a t r u e R e f o r m a t i o n , n o r w e r e t h e s e" R e f o r m e r s " w i t n e s s e s o f J e h o v a h a s J e s u sa n d t h o s e b e f o r e h i m h a d b e e n .

H o w e v e r , J e s u s h i m s e l f h a d f o r e t o l d t h a tthe good news of God's kingdom would bepreached throughout the world as a wit-ness to all the nations before the endw o u l d c o m e . During the Dark Ages thisw o u l d h a v e b e e n i m p o s s i b l e . P o l i t i c a l a n dr e l i g i o u s c o n t r o l s w e r e b o t h s o t i g h t t h a ta c o m p l e t e b r e a k i n g o f t h e s h a c k l e s o f t h eRoman Catholic Hierarchy was necessaryfor any movement to grow to any exten t .S o , w h i l e a t t h i s p o i n t t h e r e w a s n o r e t u r nt o t r u e w o r s h i p , t h e s t i r r i n g e v e n t s o f h i s -t o r y d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d o f r e a d j u s t m e n tw e r e r e a l l y p r e p a r i n g c o n d i t i o n s f o r t h ei n t e r n a t i o n a l p r e a c h i n g o f t h e K i n g d o m o fG o d e s t a b l i s h e d a t C h r i s t ' s r e t u r n .

ETREMES IN THINKINGCLOUD THE KINGDOM ISSUEM a n y r e s t r i c t i o n s w e r e b e i n g l i f t e d , a l -

lowing for more freedom of thought anda c t i o n ; s t i l l m u c h o f t h i s l i b e r a l t h i n k i n gw a s c a r r i e d t o t h e e x t r e m e l e f t s o t h a tc o n t i n u o u s c o n f l i c t s w i t h r a d i c a l i d e o l o g i e swould keep the people concentrating ont h e s e i s s u e s r a t h e r t h a n o n t h e r e a l i s s u ebetween the kingdom of Jehovah God andt h e r u l e o f S a t a n t h e D e v i l .

A s e x a m p l e s o f t h i s l e f t i s t s w i n g o f l i b e r -


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THE TURNING FROM RELIGIOUS CONFUSION BEGINSa l i s m , i n 1 8 4 8 M a r x a n d E n g e l s i s s u e d t h e i r" C o m mu n i s t m a n i f e s t o , " a n d D a r w i n ' sr a d i c a l O r i g i n o f t h e S p e c i e s a p p e a r e d i n1 8 5 9 a s a l a n d m a r k i n t h e i n t e l l e c t u a l a n ds c i e n t i f i c r e v o l u t i o n t h a t w a s t a k i n g p l a c es i m u l t a n e o u s l y . O r g a n i z e d r e l i g i o n s r e c o g -n i z e d t h e i r w e a k e n i n g p o s i t i o n a b o u t t h esame time and the Vatican Council wasc a l l e d i n 1 8 6 9 - 7 0 t o s t r e n g t h e n t h e p o s i -tion of the Roman Catholic Church . F o rt h e f i r s t t i m e t h e p o p e w a s d e c l a r e d t o b ei n f a l l i b l e . The Protestant organizationsa l s o t o o k a b a c k w a r d s t e p a n d t h e c l e r g ybegan to assume even greater authorityo v e r t h e l a i t y . G r a d u a l l y , a s a r e s u l t o ft h e s e m a n y e x t r e m e s , a n e r a o f g o d l e s s n e s sb e g a n t o d e v e l o p . H i g h e r c r i t i c i s m o f t h eB i b l e , e v o l u t i o n , s p i r i t i s m , a t h e i s m a n di n f i d e l i t y a l l b e g a n t o i n v a d e C h r i s t e n d o m ,and many so-called evangelical churcheseven began to moderniz e their teachingsa c c o r d i n g t o t h i s t r e n d i n s c i e n t i f i c a n di n t e l l e c t u a l t h i n k i n g . S o o n a f t e r t h i s , i n1 8 9 1 , t h e b a s i c d o c u m e n t o f m o d e r n C a t h o -l i c s o c i a l p h i l o s o p h y w a s w r i t t e n . T h i s w a sthe encyclical by Pope Leo III called" R e r u m n o v a r u m . "

B u t w h i l e t h e r e l i g i o u s l e a d e r s w e r e t r y -i n g t o r e g a i n s o m e o f t h e i r s t r e n g t h a t t h ee x p e n s e o f t h e p e o p l e , p o l i t i c a l g o v e r n -m e n t s w e r e r e g a i n i n g t h e i r p o w e r i n a n -o t h e r s e n s e . T h e U n i t e d S t a t e s h a d j u s tr e c o v e r e d f r o m t h e C i v i l W a r a n d w a s b e -g i n n i n g t o r e s t o r e a n d b u i l d i t s e l f i n t o o n eo f t h e g r e a t e s t n a t i o n s t h e e a r t h h a s e v e rs e e n . Britain was passing through herg o l d e n e r a a s t h e s e v e n t h w o r l d p o w e r o fB i b l e p r o p h e c y a n d t h e B r i t i s h E m p i r e w a sp r o b a b l y a t i t s p e a k s t r e n g t h a t t h i s t i m e .B e c a u s e o f t h i s s t r e n g t h s h e l o o k e d w i t hsuspicion on the growing power of Ger-many, which had just won the Fran co-Prussian War of 1870 and which had be-g u n t o b u i l d h e r s e l f a s a g r e a t E u r o p e a np o w e r .

N o t o n l y w a s t h e r e a s t i r r i n g a n d a w a k -e n i n g p o l i t i c a l l y a n d r e l i g i o u s l y , b u t s c i e n -t i f i c a l l y , t o o , g r e a t a d v a n c e m e n t s w e r e b e -i n g m a d e . The inv ention of the steame n g i n e , t h e d i s c o v e r y o f e l e c t r i c i t y , d e v e l -o p m e n t o f t h e t e l e p h o n e , l a t e r t h e a u t o -mobile ; a l l t h e s e t h i n g s i n t h e l a t e 1 8 0 0 ' sa n d t h e e a r l y 1 9 0 0 ' s b e g a n a g r e a t c h a n g ei n t h e c i v i l i z a t i o n o f t h e W e s t . N e w b u s i -ness enterprises were blossoming forth .A flood of new corporations were organ-i z e d t o p r o c e s s t h i s b u s i n e s s ; a n d a c l a s so f p e o p l e , w h o , i n p r e v i o u s c e n t u r i e s , h a dh a d l i t t l e m a t e r i a l w e a l t h , w e r e n o w e n -couraged to invest their money and werebeginning to make fortunes . M a t e r i a l i s m ,money-making and pleasure seeking cameh a n d i n h a n d , a n d a l l t h i s b l i n d e d t h e p e o -p l e t o t h e p o t e n t i a l s t h a t w e r e b u i l d i n g u pa n d t h a t w e r e d u e t o c o m e t o a c l i m a x i n1914 . A l l t h e s e p r o s p e c t s o f b e t t e r t h i n g slooked so promising that the people ingeneral were little concerned with theprice they might eventually have to payfor them, nor were they much concernedw i t h t h e g r e a t s p i r i t u a l a w a k e n i n g t h a ta c c o m p a n i e d t h i s r e v i v a l , p o l i t i c a l l y a n dcommercially .

EARLY VOICES POINT THE WAYI n s p i t e o f t h i s a t t i t u d e o n t h e p a r t o f t h e

p e o p l e g e n e r a l l y , t h o u g h , i t i s t r u e a r e a lforward step had been made . Freedom oft h o u g h t a n d a c t i o n w a s p o s s i b l e , a n d i t i sinteresting to note that simultaneouslyw i t h t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e l o o s e n i n g o f p o -l i t i c a l c o n t r o l s i n E u r o p e a s e r i o u s a n da n a l y t i c a l s t u d y o f t h e B i b l e w a s b e g u nb y m a n y . O n e o f t h e m o s t w i d e s p r e a d i ne f f e c t w a s t h a t b e g u n b y W i l l i a m M i l l e ri n 1 8 1 6 . H e p r e d i c t e d t h e r e t u r n o f C h r i s tJ e s u s v i s i b l y a n d b o d i l y i n 1 8 4 3 o r 1 8 4 4 .But his view was completely opposed toG o d ' s p u r p o s e a s r e v e a l e d i n t h e B i b l e . b

b T h e L i f e o f W i l l i a m M i l l e r ( 1 8 7 5 : Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association), pp . 3 6 2 - 3 7 4 .

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1 4 JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN THE DIVINE PURPOSETOM : Was Miller the only one at this

t i m e t h a t w a s l o o k i n g f o r C h r i s t ' s r e t u r n ?JOHN : N o . The German-Lutheran theo-l o g i a n B e n g e l s e t t h e d a t e f o r 1 8 36 , w h e r e -a s t h e I r v i n g i t e s i n E n g l a n d l o o k e d f i r s t t o1 8 3 5 , t h e n 1 8 3 8 , 1 8 6 4 a n d f i n a l l y 1 8 6 6 , a n dt h e n g a v e u p . By t h i s t i m e s e v e r a l d i f f e r e n tA d v e n t i s t g r o u p s h a d f o r m e d f r o m M i l l e r ' sm o v e m e n t . S t i l l o t h e r s , s u c h a s t h e E l l i o t ta n d C u m m i n g gr o u p , w e r e l o o k i n g f o r1866. Brewer and De cker predicted 1867a n d S e i s s f a v o r e d 1 8 7 0 . T h e r e w a s a M e n -n o n i t e g r o u p i n R u s s i a t h a t p u t f o r t h t h ed a t e 1 8 8 9 . c

LOIs : But why were there so many dif-ferent ideas as to when and how Christwould return?JOHN : It was because men were stilla n x i o u s l y t r y i n g t o f o l l o w t r a d i t i o n a l r e -l i g i o u s t e a c h i n g s i n s t e a d o f w a i t i n g o nJehov ah . R e m e m b e r , t h e t r u e d o c t r i n e s o ft h e B i b l e h a d b e e n s o t w i s t e d t h r o u g h o u tt h e p e r i o d o f a p o s t a s y t h a t n o c l e a r v i s i o no f C h r i s t 's s e c o n d p r e s e n c e w o u l d b e p o s s i -b l e u n t i l t h e s e d o c t r i n e s t h e m s e l v e s h a db e e n c l e a r e d u p . T h i s h a d n o t b e e n a c c o m -p l i s h e d b y t h e s o - c a l l e d R e f o r m a t i o n , s oi n t h e e a r l y p a r t o f t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r ym a n y m i s t a k e s w e r e m a d e i n t r y i n g t o d e -t e r m i n e w h e n C h r i s t w o u l d r e t u r n , b e c a u s ec h r o n o l o g y a l o n e w a s r e l i e d o n . I t w a s n o ty e t G o d ' s d u e t i m e t o b r i n g a b o u t h i s r e s t o -r a t i o n o f t r u e w o r s h i p .MARIA : I s n ' t i t t r u e , t h o u g h , t h a t , w h i l em o s t o f t h o s e l o o k i n g f o r t h e s e c o n d p r e s -e n c e o f C h r i s t e x p e c t e d a p h y s i c a l r e t u r n ,t h e r e w e r e s o m e w h o b e l i e v e d t h a t C h r i s tw o u l d n o t b e v i s i b l e a t t h i s s e c o n d p r e s -ence?JOHN : Ye s . For ex ample, there wereG e o r g e S t o r r s o f B r o o k l y n , w h o p u b l i s h e da magazine called "The Bible Examiner"and who looked to the date 1870 ; H . B .

R i c e , w h o p u b l i s h e d T h e L a s t T r u m p , a l s ol o o k e d t o 1 8 7 0 , a n d a t h i r d g r o u p , t h i st i m e o f d i s a p p o i n t e d S e c o n d A d v e n t i s t s ,l o o k i n g t o 1 8 7 3 o r 1 8 7 4 . T h i s g r o u p w a sh e a d e d b y N . H . B a r b o u r o f R o c h e s t e r ,N e w Y o r k , p u b l i s h e r o f T h e H e r a l d o f t h eM o r n i n g . d

DAY BEGINS TO DAWNThen, fina lly, around 1870, anoth er

group began to appear . T h i s w a s t h e o n eh e a d e d b y C h a r l e s T a z e R u s s e l l o f P i t t s -b u r g h , A l l e g h e n y , P e n n s y l v a n i a . N o w l e t ' sr e a d a b o u t i t i n R u s s e l l ' s o w n w o r d s :

W e b e g i n t h e n a r r a t i v e a t t h e y e a r 1 8 6 8 , w h e nthe editor [of i o n ' s W a t c h T o w e r ], havingb e e n a c o n s e c r a t e d c h i l d o f G o d f o r s o m e y e a r s ,a n d a m e mb e r o f t h e C o n g r e g a t i o n a l C h u r c ha n d o f t h e Y. M . C . A . , b e g a n t o b e s h a k e n i n f a i t hregarding many long accepted doc trines .

B r o u g h t u p a P r e s b yt e r i a n , i n d o c t r i n a t e df r o m t h e C a t e c h i s m , a n d b e i n g n a t u r a l l y o f a ni n q u i r i n g m i n d , I f e l l a r e a d y p r e y t o t h e l o g i co f i n f i d e l i t y , a s s o o n a s I b e g a n t o t h i n k f o rmyself . B u t t h a t w h i c h a t f i r s t t h r e a t e n e d t o b ethe utter shipw reck of faith in God and theBible was, under God's providence, overruledfor good, and merely wreck ed my confide ncei n h u m a n c r e e d s a n d s y s t e m s o f Bi b l e m i s -i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s . e

D u r i n g t h e n e x t f e w m o n t h s R u s s e l l c o n -t i n u e d t o r e f l e c t o v e r t h e s u b j e c t o f r e l i -g i o n , u n a b l e t o a c c e p t i t , a n d y e t u n w i l l i n gt o l e t i t g o . T h e n h e r e l a t e s :

S e e m i n g l y b y a c c i d e n t , o n e e v e n i n g I d r o p p e di n t o a d u s t y , d i n g y h a l l i n A l l e g h e n y , P a . , w h e r eI h a d h e a r d t h a t r e l i g i o u s s e r v i c e s w e r e h e l d ,to see if the handful who m et there had any-t h i n g m o r e s e n s i b l e t o o f f e r t h a n t h e c r e e d s o fthe great churches . T h e r e , f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e ,I heard something of the views of Second Ad-ventism, by Jonas Wendell . . .

T h o u g h h i s S c r i p t u r e e x p o s i t i o n w a s n o t e n -t i r e l y c l e a r , a n d t h o u g h i t w a s v e r y f a r f r o mw h a t w e n o w r e j o i c e i n , i t w a s s u f f i c i e n t , u n d e rGod, to reestablish my wavering faith in th eDivine inspira tion of the Bible, and to showt h a t t h e r e c o r d s o f t h e A p o s t l e s a n d t h e P r o p h -e t s a r e i n d i s s o l u b l y l i n k e d .

A s a r e s u l t R u s s e l l ' s i n t e r e s t i n t h e B i -c T h e S m a l l S e c t s a n A m e r i c a , b y E. T . C l a r k , p p . 33, 34 (1949 R e v E d . ) . C a t h o l i c E n c y c l o p e d i a ( N e w Y o r k , 1 9 1 0 ) ," I r v i n g i t e s . " C yc l o p c e d i a ( N e w Y o r k , 1882 : M c C l i n t o c k & S t r o n g ) , " M i l l e n n i u m " ; " B e n g e l , J o h n A l b e r t . " d W1916, pp . 170, 171 . e Ibid .


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T H E TURNING FROM R E L I GI O U S CONFUSION B E G I N Sb l e w a s r e k i n d l e d a n d h e r e t u r n e d t o t h estudy of the Bible "with more zeal andc a r e t h a n e v e r b e f o r e . " H e c o n t i n u e s :

I s o o n b e g a n t o s e e t h a t w e w e r e l i v i n g s o m e -w h e r e n e a r t h e c l o s e o f t h e G o s p e l A g e , a n dn e a r t h e t i m e w h e n t h e L o r d d e c l a r e d t h a t t h ewise, watching ones of His children s h o u l dc o m e t o a c l e a r k n o w l e d g e o f H i s P l a n . A t t h i st i m e , m y s e l f a n d a f e w o t h e r T r u t h s e e k e r s i nP i t t s b u r g h a n d A l l e g h e n y , f o r m e d a c l a s s f o rB i b l e s t u d y ; f a n d t h e p e r i o d f r o m 1 8 7 0 t o 1 8 7 5was a time of consta nt growth in grace, inknowledge and in love of God and His Word .W e c a m e t o s e e s o m e t h i n g o f G o d ' s l o v e , h o w i th a d m a d e p r o v i s i o n f o r a l l m a n k i n d , h o w a l lm u s t b e a w a k e n e d f r o m t h e t o m b i n o r d e r t h a tG o d ' s l o v i n g P l a n m i g h t b e t e s t i f i e d t o t h e m ,a n d h o w a l l w h o w i l l t h e n e x e r c i s e f a i t h i nC h r i s t ' s r e d e m p t i v e w o r k a n d w i l l r e n d e r o b e -d i e n c e i n h a rm o ny w i t h t h e i r k n ow l e dg e o fG o d ' s w i l l , m i g h t t h e n , t h r o u g h C h r i s t ' s m e r i t ,b e b r o u g h t b a c k i n t o f u l l h a r m o n y w i t h G o d ,a n d b e g r a n t e d e v e r l a s t i n g l i f e . This we sawt o b e t h e R e s t i t u t i o n w o r k f o r e t o l d i n A c t s3 : 2 1 . . . .

However, we were then merel y getting theoutlines of God's Plan and unlearning manyc h e r i s h e d e r r o r s , t h e t i m e f o r t h e c l e a r d i s c e r n -m e n t o f t h e m i n u t i a n o t h a v i n g f u l l y c o m e . . . .

T h u s p a s s e d t h e y e a r s 1 8 6 8 - 1 87 2 . T h e y e a r sf o l l o w i n g , t o 1 8 7 6 , w e r e y e a r s o f c o n t i n u e dg r o w t h i n g r a c e a n d i n k n o w l e d g e o n t h e p a r to f t h e h a n d f u l o f B i b l e s t u d e n t s w i t h w h o m Im e t i n A l l e g h e n y . W e p r o g r e s s e d f r o m o u r f i r s tc r u d e a n d i n d e f i n i t e i d e a s o f R e s t i t u t i o n t oc l e a r e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e d e t a i l s ; b u t G o d ' sd u e t i m e f o r c l e a r l i g h t h a d n o t y e t c o m e .

It was during this time, the accounts h o w s , t h a t t h e s e B i b l e s t u d e n t s c a m e t or e c o g n i z e t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e L o r das "the man who gave himself" and theLord who would come again as a spir itc r e a t u r e . T h e y l e a r n e d t h a t s p i r i t c r e a t u r e sc a n b e p r e s e n t a n d y e t i n v i s i b l e t o m e n .A s a r e s u l t o f t h i s a d v a n c e d u n d e r s t a n d -i n g -

W e f e l t g r e a t l y g r i e v e d a t t h e e r r o r o f S e c o n dA d v e n t i s t s , w h o w e r e e x p e c t i n g C h r i s t i n t h ef l e s h a n d w e r e t e a c h i n g t h a t t h e w o r l d a n d a l li n i t e x c e p t S e c o n d A d v e n t i s t s w o u l d b e b u r n e du p i n 1 8 7 3 o r 1 8 7 4 , a n d w h o s e t i m e s e t t i n g s a n dd i s a p p o i n t m e n t s a n d c r u d e i d e a s g e n e r a l l y o fthe object and manner of our Lord 's Coming

b ro ugh t m o r e o r l e s s r e p r o a c h u p o n u s a n dupon all who longed for and proclaimed I r i sc omi ng Ki ngd om .

T h e s e w r o n g v i e w s s o g e n e r a l l y h e l d o f b o t ht h e o b j e c t a n d m a n n e r o f C h r i s t ' s S e c o n d A d -v e n t , l e d m e t o w r i t e a p a m p h l e t : " T h e O b j e c tand Manner of the Lord's Return," of whichs o m e 5 0 , 0 0 0 c o p i e s w e r e p u b l i s h e d . g

S o i t i s t h a t a f t e r c e n t u r i e s o f d a r k n e s sa n d w e e p i n g , t h e t r u e l i g h t o f G o d ' s W o r db e g a n t o s h i n e f o r t h a g a i n a n d t h e m e s s a g eo f C h r i s t 's r e t u r n t h a t b e g a n t o b e h e r a l d e ds o z e a l o u s l y w a s l i k e a j o y o u s s h o u t a t t h edawning of a new day . T h e j o y f u l c r y t h a tb e g a n w i t h t h i s s i g n i f i c a n t p u b l i c a t i o n ,The Object and Manner of the Lord's Re-t u r n , w a s e v e n t u a l l y t o g r o w i n v o l u m e u n -t i l i t s h o u l d b e l i k e t h e t h u n d e r o f m a n yw a t e r s .TOM : S o t h a t w a s t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h ei n t e r n a t i o n a l p r e a c h i n g o f J e h o v a h ' s w i t -n e s s e s . T h a t w o u l d m a k e t h e m o d e r n a c t i v -i t y o f y o u r g r o u p t i l l n o w o v e r e i g h t y y e a r so l d , w o u l d n ' t i t ? T h a t ' s o l d e r t h a n m o s tp e o p l e a r e t o d a y .

JOHN : Y e s , b u t f o l l o w i n g t h e d i v i n e w i l lo n a c o n t i n u o u s r o a d m e a n s f a r m o r e t h a nj u s t s t a r t i n g o u t i n t h e r i g h t d i r e c t i o n .F i l l e d w i t h e n t h u s i a s m a n d z e a l f o r t h ew o r k a h e a d , R u s s e l l s e t o u t a t f u l l s p e e do n l y t o f i n d h i m s e l f a l m o s t i m m e d i a t e l y a tan unmarked fork in the road . O b v i o u s l yhe knew that he could not trave l bothr o a d s a n d h e w a s c e r t a i n t h a t o n e o f t h o s ew a y s w o u l d s p e l l d i s a s t e r . H e k n e w h emust make a decision, but even then hec o u l d n o t k n o w h o w f a r - r e a c h i n g t h a t d e -c i s i o n w a s t o b e , n o r h o w i t w a s t o s e t ap a t t e r n f r o m t h e n o n . B u t i f I s t a r t o n t h a tp a r t o f t h e s t o r y w e ' l l b e h e r e a l l n i g h t . I fy o u l i k e , w e ' l l c o m e b a c k n e x t w e e k .TOM : B y a l l m e a n s . I s t i l l h a v e p l e n t y o fq u e s t i o n s .

L O I S : P l e a s e d o . I ' m i n t e r e s t e d i n t h a td e c i s i o n M r . R u s s e l l h a d t o m a k e .

t Y o u n g C h a r l e s ' f a t h e r , J . L . Ru s s e l l, was a member of th i s fi r s t st u dy grou p . (W 1 8 9 - 1 , p . 1 7 5 ) g W 1 9 1 6 ,p p . 1 7 0 , 1 7 1 .

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C h a r l e s T a z e R u s s e l lM a k e s a CHAPTER 3Far-reaching

OM : John something has been goingthrough my mind all week since you wereh e r e . W h y i s i t t h a t w h e n w e r e a d a b o u tPaul and others in th e Bible we have nop r o b l e m i n a c c e p t i n g t h e i r p o s i t i o n a n d a u -t h o r i t y , y e t t o d a y i t i s s o d i f f i c u l t t o b e l i e v et h a t a n y o n e m a n o r o r g a n i z a t i o n i s b e i n gused by God?JOHN : T h e r e s h o u l d b e n o p r o b l e m i f w er e m e m be r t h a t t h o s e w h o m G o d u s e s a sh i s w i t n e s s e s a t o n e t i m e a r e a l w a y s l i k et h o s e h e h a s u s e d a t a n y o t h e r t i m e . D i dy o u h a v e s o m e s p e c i f i c p o i n t i n m i n d , T o m ?TOM: W e l l , y e s . Y o u s h o w e d u s l a s t w e e kt h a t t h e n e e d f o r a f r e e w o r l d s i t u a t i o nh a d d e v e l o p e d s i n c e t h e d a y s o f t h e a p o s -t l e s . T h a t h a s n ' t b e e n t o o d i f f i c u l t t o r e c o g -n i z e . B u t w h a t o f a l l t h e v o i c e s t h a t b e g a nt o c r y o u t , T h i s i s t h e w a y ' ? I f G o d d i d i n -t e n d t o u s e a n y o f t h e m a s w i t n e s s e s , h o ww o u l d w e k n o w i t ? Y o u ' v e p o i n t e d o u t h o wC. T . R u s s e l l h a d j o i n e d h i s v o i c e i n h e r a l d -i n g t h e L o r d ' s r e t u r n , b u t w h a t r e a s o n d ow e h a v e f o r s i n g l i n g h i m o u t i n p r e f e r e n c et o o t h e r s ?JOHN : Today, because of the way the

w o r k h a s b e e n b l e s s e d , w e h a v e m o r er e a s o n s t h a n I c o u l d t e l l y o u i n o n e e v e -

D e c i s i o n ning . A s o u r d i s c u s s i o n d e v e l o p s I ' m s u r ey o u ' l l a gr e e . B u t e v e n a s v ie w e d b y R u s s e l l ' sc o n t e m p o r a r i e s t h e r e w a s s u f f i c i e n t e v i -d e n c e f o r t h o s e r e a l l y l o o k i n g f o r i t . I nf a c t , t h a t b e a r s o n t h e p o i n t I w a n t e d t od i s c u s s t h i s e v e n i n g .

LOIS : Y o u m e a n a b o u t t h e i m p o r t a n td e c i s i o n M r . R u s s e l l h a d t o m a k e a s t o t h ec o u r s e h e t h o u g h t h e s h o u l d f o l l o w ?JOHN : Ye s . Y o u w i l l r e c a l l t h a t m o s t o ft h e s e e a r l y g r o u p s o f w a t c h e r s w e r e i n t e r -e s t e d p r i m a r i l y i n t i m e c a l c u l a t i o n s . B u tR u s s e l l h a d a d i f f e r e n t t y p e o f m i n d . T r u e ,i n s p i t e o f h i s y o u t h , h e w a s u n u s u a l l ya n a l y t i c a l i n h i s a p p r o a c h t o a n y s u b j e c t ,b u t h e h a d b e c o m e c o n v i n c e d t h a t C h r i s t ' sp u r p o s e f o r r e t u r n i n g w a s m o r e i m p o r t a n tt h a n s o m e d a t e t h a t c o u l d b e s e t .

L O I S : By the way, John, how old wasMr. R u s s e l l w h e n h e b e g a n t o s t u d y ?TOM [ i n t e r r u p t i n g ] : That' s somethinge l s e I ' ve w a n t e d t o a s k . C o u l d w e i n t e r r u p tt h e p r o g r e s s o f t h e s t o r y l o n g e n o u g h t og e t s o m e v i t a l s t a t i s t i c s ? I t h i n k i t w o u l dh e l p u s t o k n o w m o r e a b o u t R u s s e l l p e r -s o n a l l y .

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C. T. RUSSELL'S BACKGROUNDJOHN : V e r y w e l l . A c t u a l l y , h e w a s s t i l l i nh i s t e e n s w h e n h e b e g a n t o t h i n k s e r i o u s l ya b o u t h i s r e l i g i o u s b a c k g r o u n d a n d t o q u e s -t i o n i t s f o u n d a t i o n s . H e r e ' s s o m e t h i n g f r o mt h e o p e n i n g p a r a g r a p h s o f h i s b i o g r a p h ya s p u b l i s h e d i n t h e F o r e w o r d o f a l a t e r


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C H A R L E S T A E R U S S E L L M A K E S A F A R - R E A C H I N G D E C I S I O N 1 7

edition of his popular book, T h e D i v i n eP l a n o f t h e A g e s .

C h a r l e s T a z e R u s s e l l , k n o w n t h e w o r l d o v e ra s P a s t o r R u s s e l l , a u t h o r , l e c t u r e r a n d m i n i s t e ro f t h e G o s p e l , w a s b o r n a t P i t t s b u r g h , P a . ,F e b r u a r y 1 6 , 1 8 5 2 ; d i e d O c t o b e r 3 1 , 1 9 1 6 . H ewas the son of Joseph L . a n d E l i z a B i r n e yR u s s e l l , a b o t h o f S c o t c h - I r i s h l i n e a g e . H e w a seducated in the common schools and underp r i v a t e t u t o r s . bTOM : H e m u s t h a ve be e n a n e xt r e m e l y

s e r i o u s - m i n d e d y o u n g m a n .JOHN : H e w a s . His mother died when he

w a s n i n e y e a r s o l d , s o h e s p e n t m u c h t i m ew i t h h i s f a t h e r a f t e r s c h o o l h o u r s . W h e nhe was only twelve years old, his fatherf o u n d h i m i n t h e s t o r e o n e t i m e a t 2 a. m . ,p o r i n g o v e r a c o n c o r d a n c e , u n c o n s c i o u s o fthe lapse of time . c A t t h e a g e o f f i f t e e nR u s s e l l w a s i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h h i s f a t h e r ,a s s i s t i n g h i m w i t h h i s b u s i n e s s a c t i v i t y i na m e n ' s f u r n i s h i n g s t o r e . W h e n h e w a s i nh i s e a r l y t w e n t i e s h e h a d h e l p e d h i s f a t h e re x p a n d t h e i r b u s i n e s s t o s e v e r a l s t o r e s a n dw a s w e l l o n t h e w a y t o e s t a b l i s h i n g a n a -tional chain of stores when he abandonedi t a l l t o d e v o t e h i s e n t i r e t i m e t o t h e m i n -i s t r y . W h e n h e c l o s e d o u t h i s i n t e r e s t s t h e ynetted him more than a quarter of a mil-l i o n d o l l a r s . dTOM : H e m u s t h a v e b e e n a m a n o f c o n -

siderable resourcefulness and determina-t i o n .JOHN : He showed it in many ways . W h i l e

s t i l l a l a d , b e f o r e h e l e a r n e d t h e t r u t h c o n -c e r n i n g G o d ' s p u r p o s e , h e w o u l d g o o u t a tn i g h t t o c h a l k u p B i b l e t e x t s i n c o n s p i c u -o u s p l a c e s s o t h a t w o r k i n g m e n , p a s s i n g b y ,m ig h t be w a r n e d a n d be s a ve d f r o m t h e"torments of hell." His zeal in teachingGo d ' s l o ve w a s j u s t a s s t r o n g w h e n h ef i n a l l y s a w t h e e r r o r o f t h i s b l a s p h e m o u sh e l l - f i r e d o c t r i n e . T h a t ' s w h y h e p u t e v e r y -

thing he had into his life's work . H e i squoted by a later associate as declaringve h e m e n t l y :I f t h e B i b l e d o e s t e a c h t h a t e t e r n a l t o r t u r e i st h e f a t e o f a l l e x c e p t t h e s a i n t s , i t s h o u l d b ep r e a c h e d - - y e a , t h u n d e r e d f r o m t h e h o u s e t o p sw e e k l y , d a i l y , h o u r l y ; i f i t d o e s n o t s o t e a c h , t h ef a c t s h o u l d b e m a d e k n o w n , a n d t h e f o u l s t a i nd i s h o n o r i n g G o d ' s h o l y n a m e r e m o v e d . e

B u t t h e r e a r e a f e w m o r e p o i n t s i n t h e s eb i og r a p h i c a l n o t e s w e w e r e r e a d i n g I' dlike to show you .

P a s t o r R u s s e l l w a s m a r r i e d i n 7 . 8 7 9 t o M a r i aF r a n c e s A c k l e y . No c h i l d r e n b l e s s e d t h i s u n i o n .S e v e n t e e n y e a r s l a t e r t h e y d i s a g r e e d a b o u t t h em a n a g e m e n t o f h i s j o u r n a l ; a n d a s e p a r a t i o nf o l l o w e d . . . .

H e w a s n o t t h e f o u n d e r o f a n e w r e l i g i o n , a n dn e v e r m a d e s u c h c l a i m . H e r e v i v e d t h e g r e a tt r u t h s t a u g h t b y J e s u s a n d t h e a p o s t l e s , a n dt u r n e d t h e l i g h t o f t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y u p o nt h e s e t e a c h i n g s . H e m a d e n o c l a i m o f a s p e c i a lr e v e l a t i o n f r o m G o d , b u t h e l d t h a t i t w a s G o d ' sd u e t i m e f o r t h e B i b l e t o b e u n d e r s t o o d ; a n dt h a t , b e i n g f u l l y c o n s e c r a t e d t o t h e L o r d a n dt o h i s s e r v i c e , h e w a s p e r m i t t e d t o u n d e r s t a n di t . B e c a u s e h e d e v o t e d h i m s e l f t o t h e d e v e l o p -m e n t o f t h e f r u i t s a n d g r a c e s o f t h e h o l y s p i r i t ,t h e p r o m i s e o f t h e L o r d w a s f u l f i l l e d i n h i m :" F o r i f t h e s e t h i n g s b e i n y o u a n d a b o u n d , t h e ym a k e yo u t h a t y e s h a l l n e i t h e r b e b a r r e n n o ru n f r u i t f u l i n t h e k n o w l e d g e o f o u r L o r d J e s u sC h r i s t . " - 2 P e t e r 1 : 5 - 8 . f

L o i s : B u t w h a t a b o u t t h e d e c i s i o n P a s t o rR u s s e l l w a s f o r c e d t o m a k e , J o h n ? Y o us a i d i t c o u l d h a v e c o m p l e t e l y w r e c k e d h i sw o r k .JOHN : I was thinking about that as Tom

w a s a s k i n g f o r e v i d e n c e s o f G o d ' s a p p r o v a lof Pastor Russell's work . A c t u a l l y , t h e r ewere a number of decisions involved, allrelated somewhat to this matter of timec a l c u l a t i o n s . T h e c o u r s e R u s s e l l c h o s e w a sp a r t i c u l a r l y s i g n i f i c a n t b e c a u s e i t w a s h i sf i r s t m a j o r t e s t i n g a n d b e c a u s e i t h a d s u c hf a r - r e a c h i n g r e s u l t s .

a J . L . R u s s e l l d i e d i n 1 8 9 7 a t 8 4 , h a v i n g c o n t i n u e d a c l o s e a s s o c i a t e o f h i s s o n i n t h e S o c i e t y ' s a c t i v i t i e s( W J a n . 1 , 1 8 9 8 , p . 4 ) . b S t u d i e s i n t h e S c r i p t u r e s , Vol . I ( 1 8 8 6 ) , F o r e w o r d : " B i o gr a p h y , " p . 1 (1926 E d . ) . S e ea l s o W 1916, p . 3 5 6 . a S t u d i e s i n t h e S c r i p t u r e s , Vol . V I I ( 1 9 1 7 ) , p . 53 (1918 E d . ) . d A G r e a t B a t t l e i n t h eE c c l e s i a s t i c a l H e a v e n s ( 1 9 1 5 ) , b y J . F R u t h e r f o r d , p . 1 6 . e S t u d i e s i n t h e S c r i p t u r e s , Vol . I ( 1 8 8 6 ) , F o r e w o r d :" B i o g r a p h y , " p . 1 8 ( 1 9 2 6 ) . 1 I b i d . , p p . 1 , 2 .


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1 8 JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN THE DIVINE PURPOSETIME FEATURES BECOME IMPORTANTY o u w i l l r e c a l l R u s s e l l ' s s t u d y gr o u p h a d

c o m e t o r e a l i z e t h a t w h e n C h r i s t r e t u r n e di t w o u l d n o t b e i n t h e f l e s h , a s c o m m o n l yb e l i e v e d a n d t a u g h t b y t h e S e c o n d A d v e n t -i s t s . P a s t o r R u s s e l l h a d l e a r n e d t h a t w h e nJ e s u s s h o u l d c o m e h e w o u l d b e a s i n v i s i b l ea s t h o u g h a n a n g e l h a d c o m e .

T h e n , i n 1 8 7 6 , w h i l e P a s t o r R u s s e l l w a si n P h i l a d e l p h i a o n a b u s i n e s s t r i p , h e h a p -p e n e d t o c o m e i n t o p o s s e s s i o n o f a c o p yo f t h e m a g a z i n e The Herald of the Morn-i n g , w h i c h , y o u w i l l r e c a l l , w a s b e i n g p u b -l i s h e d b y N . H . B a r b o u r o f R o c h e s t e r , N . Y .H e w a s s u r p r i s e d a n d p l e a s e d t o n o t e t h a th e r e w a s a n o t h e r g r o u p t h a t e x p e c t e dC h r i s t ' s r e t u r n i n v i s i b l y a n d , b e c a u s e o ft h e s i m i l a r i t y o f t h e i r v i e w s , h e r e a d m o r eo f t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n , e v e n t h o u g h h e r e c o g -n i z e d i t a s a n A d v e n t i s t p a p e r a n d e v e nt h o u g h , u p t o t h i s t i m e , h e h a d h a d l i t t l er e g a r d f o r t h e i r d o c t r i n e s . B u t R u s s e l l w a si n t e r e s t e d i n l e a r n i n g f r o m a n y q u a r t e r ,w h a t e v e r Go d h a d t o t e a c h . H e b e c a m ei n t e r e s t e d i n t h e c h r o n o l o g y s e t f o r t h i nt h e m a g a z i n e a n d i m m e d i a t e l y g o t i n t o u c hw i t h B a r b o u r t o a r r a n g e a m e e t i n g a t R u s -s e l l ' s e x p e n s e i n o r d e r t o d i s c u s s t h i s m a t -t e r f u r t h e r .

I t s e e m s t h a t o n e o f B a r b o u r ' s g r o u p h a dc o m e i n t o p o s s e s s i o n o f B e n j a m i n W i l s o n ' sD i a g l o t t translation of the "New Testa-m e n t . " H e n o t i c e d , a t M a t t h e w 2 4 : 2 7 , 3 7 ,3 9 , t h a t t h e w o r d r e n d e r e d c o m i n g i n t h eK i n g J a m e s V e r s i o n i s t r a n s l a t e d p r e s e n c ei n t h e D i a g l o t t . T h i s w a s t h e c l u e t h a t h a dl e d B a r b o u r ' s g r o u p t o a d v o c a t e , i n a d d i -t i o n t o t h e i r t i m e c a l c u l a t i o n s , a n i n v i s i b l ep r e s e n c e o f C h r i s t . R u s s e l l h a d b e e n i n -t e r e s t e d f i r s t i n t h e p u r p o s e o f C h r i s t ' sr e t u r n . H i s r e a l i z a t i o n t h a t i t w o u l d b e i n -v i s i b l e l e d h i m n o w s e r i o u s l y t o c o n s i d e rt h e time f e a t u r e s . H e w a s s a t i s f i e d w i t h t h ee v i d e n c e B a r b o u r p r e s e n t e d .

P a s t o r R u s s e l l w a s a m a n o f p o s i t i v e c o n -a TV 1916, p . 1 7 1 .

v i c t i o n s a n d f u l l y d e d i c a t e d t o t h e L o r d .He wrote later :

I a t o n c e s a w t h a t t h e s p e c i a l t i m e s i n w h i c hwe live have an important bearing upon ourd u t y a n d w o r k a s C h r i s t 's d i s c i p l e s ; t h a t s i n c ew e a r e l i v i n g i n t h e t i m e o f t h e H a r v e s t , t h eH a r v e s t w o r k s h o u l d b e d o n e ; a n d t h a t P r e s e n tT r u t h i s t h e s i c k l e b y w h i c h t h e L o r d w o u l d h a v eu s d o a r e a p i ng w o rk ev e ry w h e r e am o ng h i sc h i l d r e n . g

This conv iction stay ed with Russellt h r o u g h o u t h i s e n t i r e l i f e a s a C h r i s t i a nm i n i s t e r .

A s a r e s u l t o f R u s s e l l ' s m e e t i n g w i t hB a r b o u r , h i s s t u d y g r o u p i n P i t t s b u r g h b e -c a m e a f f i l i a t e d w i t h t h e g r o u p i n R o c h e s t e r ,and Russell contributed money from hisp e r s o n a l f u n d s t o B a r b o u r t o g e t t h e p r i n t -i n g o f t h e i r m e s s a g e g o i n g a g a i n i n t h emagazine T h e H e r a l d o f t h e M o r n i n g . S i n c eBarbour was a printer by trade it wasa g r e e d t h a t h e s h o u l d d o t h e a c t u a l p u b l i s h -i n g o f t h e m a g a z i n e , w h e r e a s R u s s e l lwould become a coeditor of T h e H e r a l do f t h e M o r n i n g a n d a s s i s t i n t h e f i n a n c i a le n d o f t h e e n t e r p r i s e .

R u s s e l l w a s f i r e d n o w w i t h t h e i d e a o fs e r v i c e i n h a r m o n y w i t h h i s k n o w l e d g e o ft h e d i v i n e w i l l . B u t h e w a s n o t p e r s o n a l l ya m b i t i o u s . O n e o f t h e f i r s t s t e p s h e t o o kwith his important message shows that,b u t i t a l s o r e v e a l s o n e o f h i s f i r s t d i s a p -pointments . L e t m e r e a d t h i s t o y o u :

I n 1 8 7 7 P a s t o r R u s s e l l c a l l e d a m e e t i n g o fa l l t h e m i n i s t e r s o f A l l e g h e n y a n d P i t t s b u r g h ,showed them the Scriptures which indicatedo u r L o r d ' s p r e s e n c e a n d u r g e d t h e m t o i n v e s t i -gate and proclaim the message . A l l o f t h em i n i s t e r s o f t h e t w o c i t i e s w e r e p r e s e n t ; a l lo f t h e m i n i s t e r s o f t h e t w o c i t i e s r e f u s e d t ob e l i e v e . I n t h e s a m e y e a r h e d e t e r m i n e d t o g i v eu p s e c u l a r w o r k a n d d e v o t e h i s e n t i r e t i m e a n df o r t u n e t o t h e w o r k i n d i c a t e d i n t h e S c r i p t u r e s. . . As a means of determining whether hisc o u r s e w a s i n h a r m o n y w i t h t h e S c r i p t u r e s , a n da l s o a s a m e a n s o f d e m o n s t r a t i n g h i s o w n s i n -c e r i t y , h e d e c i d e d t o t e s t t h e L o r d ' s a p p r o v a la s f o l l o w s : ( 1 ) D e v o t e h i s l i f e t o t h e c a u s e ;( 2 ) I n v e s t h i s f o r t u n e i n t h e p r o m u l g a t i o n o fthe work ; ( 3 ) P r o h i b i t c o l l e c t i o n s a t a l l m e e t -i n g s ; ( 4 ) D e p e n d o n u n s o l i c i t e d c o n t r i b u t i o n s


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CHARLES TAE RUSSELL MAKES A FAR-REACHING DECISION( w h o l l y v o l u n t a r y ) t o c o n t i n u e t h e w o r k a f t e rh i s f o r t u n e w a s e x h a u s t e d . h

L O I S : I n e v e r h e a r d o f a n y t h i n g l i k e t h a tb e f o r e . D o y o u m e a n P a s t o r R u s s e l l n e v e rt o o k u p a c o l l e c t i o n o r s o l i c i t e d m o n e y i nh i s e n t i r e l i f e ? H e r e a l l y m u s t h a v e b e e n am a n o f c o u r a g e a n d c o n v i c t i o n .JOHN He was a man of faith . He wash i g h l y p r i v i l e g e d t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e d i v i n ewill and he knew it . Remember, he waso n l y t w e n t y - f i v e y e a r s o l d i n 1 8 7 7 . Y e t ,w h e n a l l t h e r e l i g i o u s l e a d e r s o f A l l e g h e n ya n d P i t t s b u r g h r e f u s e d t o a c c e p t t h e w o n -d e r f u l o p p o r t u n i t y o f s h a r i n g i n t h e h a r -v e s t w o r k t h a t h e f e l t w a s b e g i n n i n g , R u s -s e l l d i d n o t h e s i t a t e . H i s f a i t h w a s r e w a r d -ed many times over .

That s ame year, 1877, together withBarbour, Russell produced a book called" Three Worlds or Plan of Redemption . "N o t h i n g l i k e i t h a d e v e r b e e n p u b l i s h e db e f o r e . I t c o m b i n e d f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e t h ee x p l a n a t i o n s o f t i m e p r o p h e c i e s w i t h t h ew o r k o f R e s t i t u t i o n . i A t t h i s e a r l y d a t et h e y r e c o g n i z e d t h a t t h e e n d o f S a t a n ' sp e r i o d o f u n i n t e r r u p t e d r u l e o f t h e e a r t h ,c a l l e d " G e n t i l e t i m e s , " w o u l d c o m e i n 1 9 1 4 .A l m o s t a t o n c e , R u s s e l l w a s c a l l e d u p o nto make another important decision .

A KNOTTY PROBLEM UNRAVELSL O I S : W a s i t o n t h i s p o i n t o f 1 9 1 4 t h a t

P a s t o r R u s s e l l ' s d e c i s i o n w a s f o r c e d o nh i m ?JOHN : N o t o n t h a t p a r t i c u l a r p o i n t , b u ti t d i d i n v o l v e h i s a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h B a r b o u ra n d h i s d e v o t i o n t o t h e t r u t h a s i t h a d b e e nr e v e a l e d u p t o t h i s t i m e . I n r e g a r d t o t h i st e s t i n g n o t e R u s s e l l ' s w o r d s i n T h e W a t c hT o w e r u n d e r t h e c a p t i o n t e x t , L u k e 2 2 : 3 1 ," S a t a n h a t h d e s i r e d t o h a v e y o u , t h a t h emight sift you as wheat . " ( A V ) H e r e i sw h a t h e s a y s :

U n t i l t h e n a l l h a d r u n s m o o t h l y o n w a r d . W eh a d b e e n g r e a t l y b l e s s e d w i t h t h e T r u t h , b u t

n o t e s p e c i a l l y t e s t e d i n o u r l o v e a n d f i d e l i t yt o i t . B u t w i t h t h e s u m m e r o f 1 8 7 8, t h e p a r a l l e li n t i m e t o o u r L o r d ' s c r u c i f i x i o n a n d H i s u t t e r -a n c e o f t h e a b o v e q u o t e d w o r d s , t h e s i f t i n gb ega n w h i c h h a s c o n t i n u e d ev e r s i n c e, a n dw h i c h m u s t , s o o n e r o r l a t e r , t e s t e v e r y o n e w h or e c e i v e s t h e l i g h t o f P r e s e n t T r u t h .

" T h i n k i t n o t s t r a n g e c o n c e r n i n g t h e f i e r yt r i a l w h i c h s h a l l t r y y o u , a s t h o u g h s o m es t r a n g e t h i n g h a p p e n e d t o y o u " ; f o r " t h e f i r eshall try every man's work of what sort i ti s " . . . [ 1 P e t e r 4 : 1 2 ] .

T h e o b j e c t o f t h i s t r i a l a n d s i f t i n g e v i d e n t l yi s t o s e l e c t a l l w h o s e h e a r t d e s i r e s a r e u n s e l f i s h ,who are fully and unreservedly consecratedt o t h e L o r d ; w h o a r e s o d e s i r o u s o f h a v i n g t h eL o r d ' s w i l l d o n e , a n d w h o s e c o n f i d e n c e i n H i sw i s d om, Hi s w ay a n d H i s W o r d i s s o g r e a t,t h a t t h e y r e f u s e t o b e l e d a w a y f r o m t h e L o r d ' sW o r d , e i t h e r b y t h e s o p h i s t r i e s o f o t h e r s o rb y p l a n s a n d i d e a s o f t h e i r o w n . T h e s e i n t h i ss i f t i n g t i m e w i l l b e s t r e n g t h e n e d a n d w i l l i n -c r e a s e t h e i r j o y i n t h e L o r d a n d t h e i r k n o w l -e d g e o f H i s p l a n s , e v e n w h i l e t h e i r f a i t h i s b e -i n g t e s t e d b y t h e f a l l i n g i n t o e r r o r o f t h o u s a n d son every hand . -P s a lm 91 : 7 . 1

T h e n P a s t o r R u s s e l l e x p l a i n s a n e r r o n e -o u s v i e w t h a t h a d b e e n h e l d b y a l l u p t ot h i s p o i n t . B a s e d o n P a u l ' s s t a t e m e n t a t1 C o r i n t h i a n s 1 5 : 5 1 , 5 2 , i t h a d b e e n e x -p e c t e d " t h a t a t s o m e t i m e t h e l i v i n g s a i n t sw o u l d b e s u d d e n l y a n d m i r a c u l o u s l y c a u g h ta w a y b o d i l y , t h e n c e f o r t h t o b e f o r e v e r w i t ht h e L o r d . " B e l i e v i n g t h i s w o u l d t a k e p l a c ein 1878, some were disappointe d becausen o t h i n g o c c u r r e d t h a t t h e y c o u l d s e e .H o w e v e r , P a s t o r R u s s e l l w a s l e d t o a r e -e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h e s c r i p t u r e a n d r e a l i z e dt h a t t h e i r " m i s t a k e l a y i n e x p e c t i n g t o s e ea l l t h e l i v i n g s a i n t s c h a n g e d a t o n c e , a n dwithout dying-an erroneous view sharedi n b y t h e w h o l e n o m i n a l c h u r c h , a n d o n ewhich we had not yet observed or dis-c a r d e d . " R u s s e l l ' s r e - e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h i st e x t r e v e a l e d t h a t t h e t r u e s i g n i f i c a n c e o fthe apostle's words was that those whow e r e t o b e o f C h r i s t ' s b o d y a n d w h o w e r ea l i v e a t h i s p r e s e n c e o r a f t e r h i s r e t u r nw o u l d n o t l i e u n c o n s c i o u s i n t h e g r a v e a shad those who preceded Christ's return .I n s t e a d t h e y w o u l d b e c h a n g e d i n s t a n t a n e -

h S t u d i e s i n t h e S c r i p t u r e s , V o l . VII (1917), p . 55 (1918 Ed . ) . i W 1 9 1 6 , p . 171 . j I b i d . , p . 1 7 2 .

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2 0 JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN THE DIVINE PURPOSEo u s l y a t d e a t h t o b e p r e s e n t w i t h h i m . T h i sw a s r e a l l y a n i m p o r t a n t r e v e l a t i o n o f s c r i p -ture and one that many fundamentalistss t i l l h a v e n o t c o m e t o a p p r e c i a t e . R u s s e l lc o n c l u d e s t h i s p o i n t b y s a y i n g : " S o t h i sr e - e x a m i n a t i o n s h o w e d f u r t h e r l i g h t u p o nthe pathway and became a good cause fore n c o u r a g e m e n t , a s e v i d e n c i n g t h e L o r d ' sc o n t i n u e d l e a d i n g . "

T E S T E D O N I N T E G R I T Y T O P R I N C I P L EB u t w h i l e I w a s t h u s h e l p e d t o c l e a r e r v i e w s

a n d b r i g h t e r h o p e s , a n d w h i l e I d i l i g e n t l y e n -d e a v o r e d t o h e l p o t h e r s , t h e s p r i n g o f 1 8 7 8p r o v e d f a r f r o m a b l e s s i n g t o M r . B a r b o u r a n dto many under his influence . R e j e c t i n g t h eplain, simple solution presented above, Mr .B a r b o u r s e e m e d t o f e e l t h a t h e m u s t o f n e c e s -s i t y g e t u p s o m e t h i n g n e w t o d i v e r t a t t e n t i o nf r o m t h e f a i l u r e o f t h e l i v i n g s a i n t s t o b ec a ug h t aw ay . B u t a l a s , h o w d a n g e r o u s i t i s f o ra n y m a n t o f e e l t o o m u c h r e s p o n s i b i l i t y a n dt o a t t e m p t t o f o r c e n e w l i g h t ! T o o u r p a i n f u ls u r p r i s e , M r . B a r b o u r s o o n a f t e r w r o t e a n a r t i -c l e f o r T h e H e r a l d d e n y i n g t h e d o c t r i n e o f t h eAtonement-denying that the death of Christw a s t h e R a n s o m - p r i c e f o r A d a m a n d h i s r a c e ,saying that our Lord's death could no morea v a i l f o r t h e p a y m e n t o f t h e p e n a l t y o f m a n ' ss i n s t h a n w o u l d t h e s t i c k i n g o f a p i n t h r o u g ht h e b o d y o f a f l y a n d c a u s i n g i t s u f f e r i n g a n dd e a t h b e c o n s i d e r e d b y a n e a r t h l y p a r e n t a s aj u s t s e t t l e m e n t f o r m i s d e m e a n o r i n h i s c h i l d .I was astonished ; for I supposed that Mr .B a r b o u r h a d a c l e a r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e w o r ko f C h r i s t a s o u r S i n - O f f e r i n g . . . E i t h e r I h a dg i v e n M r . B a r b o u r c r e d i t f o r c l e a r e r v i e w st h a n h e e v e r h a d , o r e l s e h e w a s d e l i b e r a t e l yt a k i n g o f f a n d c a s t i n g a w a y t h e w e d d i n g g a r -m e n t o f C h r i s t ' s r i g h t e o u s n e s s . T h e l a t t e r w a st h e o n l y c o n c l u s i o n l e f t ; for he afterwardss t a t e d t h a t h e h a d p r e vi o u s ly r e c og n i z e dC h r i s t ' s d e a t h a s m a n ' s R a n s o m - p r i c e . k

TOM : W h a t d i d h e m e a n b y t h e " w e d d i n gg a r m e n t " ?JOHN : R u s s e l l w a s r e f e r r i n g t o J e s u s '

i l l u s t r a t i o n a t M a t t h e w 22 : 1 1 - 1 4 . Thisp a r a b l e d e p i c t s a k i n g w h o i n v i t e d g u e s t st o t h e m a r r i a g e f e a s t o f h i s s o n . T h o s ef i r s t i n v i t e d r e f u s e d t o c o m e , s o h e f i n a l l ys e n t o u t i n t o t h e h i g h w a y s a n d b y w a y s a n dg a t h e r e d o t h e r s , b u t f i n a l l y a t t h e w e d d i n gk W 1 9 1 6 , p . 172 . 1 2 Peter 2 : 1 .

feast he found a man without the appro-p r i a t e w e d d i n g g a r m e n t t o s h o w h i s r e c o g -nition of the occasion and he commandedt h a t h e b e p u t o u t . J e s u s h e r e i l l u s t r a t e dt h a t o n l y t h o s e p r o p e r l y i d e n t i f i e d a s b e i n gi n c o m p l e t e u n i o n w i t h h i m w o u l d b e a l -l o w e d t o r e m a i n i n t h e g a t h e r i n g o f h i sc h o s e n o n e s . A p p l y i n g t h i s i l l u s t r a t i o n i nt h i s l i g h t , R u s s e l l w a s p o i n t i n g o u t t h a tB a r b o u r ' s r e j e c t i o n o f t h e m e r i t o f J e s u s 'r a n s o m s a c r i f i c e w a s a d e l i b e r a t e d i s c a r d -i n g o f h i s C h r i s t i a n i d e n t i f i c a t i o n . P e t e rwarned about this when he said : " T h e r ea l s o c a m e t o b e f a l s e p r o p h e t s a m o n g t h ep e o p l e , a s t h e r e w i l l a l s o b e f a l s e t e a c h e r sa m o n g yo u . T h e s e v e r y o n e s w i l l q u i e t l yb r i n g i n d e s t r u c t i v e s e c t s a n d w i l l d i s o w ne v e n t h e o w n e r t h a t b o u g h t t h e m , b r i n g i n gs p e e d y d e s t r u c t i o n u p o n t h e m s e l v e s . " 1

MARIA : P a s t o r R u s s e l l w a s o n l y t w e n t y -six at that time and Mr . Barbour was amuch older man . Be s i d e s , T h e H e r a l d o ft h e M o r n i n g w a s M r . B a r b o u r ' s m a g a z i n ei n t h e s e n s e t h a t h e h a d s t a r t e d i t , a l t h o u g hP a s t o r R u s s e l l w a s f i n a n c i n g i t w h e n t h i sd i v i s i o n a r o s e . So Pastor Russell couldeasily have been influence d by Mr . B a r -b o u r ' s p o s i t i o n . H e c o u l d h a v e h e s i t a t e d t oo p p o s e h i m f o r f e a r o f l o s i n g w h a t g r o u n dt h e y h a d g a i n e d .

P O S I T I V E A C T I O N D E F E A T S C O M P R O M I S EJOHN : But, young as he was, he knewf r o m h i s s t u d y o f t h e B i b l e t h a t c o m p r o -m i s e i s t h e b e g i n n i n g o f a p o s t a s y , a n d t of o r s a k e G o d ' s p r i n c i p l e s o r t r u t h s f o r t h esake of expediency would be fatal . T h i sw a s R u s s e l l ' s f i r s t r e a l t e s t o f i n t e g r i t y t ot h e t r u t h . T h e c o u r s e h e c h o s e w a s i m m e d i -a t e a n d d e c i s i v e . H e w r o t e a n a r t i c l e f o rT h e H e r a l d a t o n c e i n c o n t r a d i c t i o n o f t h ee r r o r . F o r s e v e r a l m o n t h s s i m i l a r a r t i c l e sa p p e a r e d , t h e n R u s s e l l r e p o r t s :

I t n ow b e c ame c l e a r t o m e t h a t t h e L o r dw o u l d n o l o n g e r h a v e m e a s s i s t f i n a n c i a l l y , o rb e i n a n y w a y i d e n t i f i e d w i t h , a n y t h i n g w h i c h


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CHARLES TAE RUSSELL MAKES A FAR-REACHING DECISION 21c a s t a n i n f l u e n c e i n o p p o s i t i o n t o t h e f u n d a -m e n t a l p r i n c i p l e o f o u r h o l y r e l i g i o n . T h e r e f o r e ,a f t e r a m o s t c a r e f u l t h o u g h u n a v a i l i n g e f f o r tt o r e c l a i m t h e e r r i n g , I w i t h d r e w e n t i r e l y f r o mT h e H e r a l d o f t h e M o r n i n g , and from furtherf e l l o w s h i p w i t h M r . B a r b o u r . B u t a m e r e w i t h -d r a w a l I f e l t w a s n o t s u f f i c i e n t t o s h o w m ycontinued loyalty to our Lord and Redeemer

. I t h e r e f o r e u n d e r s t o o d i t t o b e t h e L o r d ' sw i l l t h a t I s h o u l d s t a r t a n o t h e r j o u r n a l , i nw h i c h t h e s t a n d a r d o f t h e C r o s s s h o u l d b e l i f t e dh i g h , t h e d o c t r i n e o f t h e R a n s o m d e f e n d e d , a n dt h e G o o d T i d i n g s o f g r e a t J o y p r o c l a i m e d a se x t e n s i v e l y a s p o s s i b l e .

A c t i n g u p o n t h i s l e a d i n g o f t h e L o r d , I g a v eu p t r a v e l i n g , a n d i n J u l y , 1 8 7 9 , t h e f i r s t n u m b e ro f THE WATCH TOWER AND HERALD OF CHRIST'SPRESENCE m a d e i t s a p p e a r a n c e . F r o m t h e f i r s t ,i t h a s b e e n a s p e c i a l a d v o c a t e o f t h e R a n s o m ;a n d , b y t h e g r a c e o f G o d , w e h o p e i t w i l l b es o t o t h e e n d . m

T h e f a r - r e a c h i n g e f f e c t s o f t h i s b o l ds t a n d f o r p u r e d o c t r i n e c o u l d n o t h a v e b e e nf o r e s e e n a t t h a t t i m e ; b u t i t i s n o w e v i d e n tt h a t , h a d R u s s e l l c o m p r o m i s e d o n t h i s v i t a li s s u e, h i s s e r vi c e t o J e h o va h w o u l d h a vebeen of no more value than the lame sacri-f i c e s b e i n g o f f e r e d b y t h e l e a d e r s o f a p o s -t a t e C h r i s t e n d o m . T h i s w a s a t im e o f im -p o r t a n t d e c i s i o n s . I t w a s a t i m e w h e nChrist Jesus, as Jehovah's representative,w a s s e l e c t i n g t h e c h a n n e l t o b e u s e d t ogather his "wheat" class .

T h e t r u t h s t h a t h a d be e n r eve a l e d f r omG o d ' s W o r d h a d c o m e t o R u s s e l l a n d h i sa s s o c i a t e s o n l y b y c a r e f u l a n d d i l i g e n ts t u dy . Their acceptanc e of them was basedo n a n h o n e s t c o nv i c t i o n t h a t t h e t im e h a dnow come for Jehovah to cal l "but of dark-ness into his marvelous light" all men whos i n c e r e ly d e s i r e d t o k n o w a n d d o t h e d i -v i n e w i l l . R u s s e l l ' s p o s i t i o n b r i n g s t o m i n dt h e s c r i p t u r e a t G a l a t i a n s 2 : 4 , 5 . L o i s ,w o u l d y o u l i k e t o r e a d t h a t ?

LOIS [ r e a d i n g ] : " B u t b e c a u s e o f t h ef a l s e b r o t h e r s b r o u g h t i n q u i e t l y , w h osneaked in to spy upon our freedo m which

w e h ave i n u n i o n w i t h C h r i s t J e s u s, t h a tt h ey m igh t c om p l e t e ly e n s l av e u s - t o t h e s ewe did not yield by way of submission, no,n o t f o r a n h o u r , i n o r d e r t h a t t h e t r u t h o ft h e g o o d n e w s m i g h t c o n t i n u e w i t h y o u . "I t w a s P a u l w h o s a i d t h a t, w a s n ' t i t?

JOHN' Y e s . H e h a d m a n y s u c h p r o b l e m sin the early congregation ; b u t h e n o t o n l ys t o o d h i s g r o u n d f o r t h e t r u t h o f G o d ' sW o r d , h e a l s o w r o t e m u c h e n c o

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1959 Jehovahs Witnesses in the Divine Purpose