There are two sides to every question, so also there are two views from the TOWER. The one is glorious, bright and encouraging, the other dark, and would be discouraging were it not that "the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are His." (2 Tim. 2:19.)
The dark outlook is that we see from the TOWER that another testing is in progress, and the adversary—Satan—presents errors under the guise of "light," and as his custom (Matt. 4:6) uses Scripture to accomplish his object—wresting it from its proper meaning. We are not surprised at this in one sense, because we have long seen that we are living in the "Evil Day" of which Jesus and apostles and prophets forewarn us, saying "that it will be difficult to stand—and not fall before the attacks of the enemy. (Luke 21:36; Mal. 3:2; Eph. 6:11,14,13.) Paul is very specific, and warns us that we will need the whole armor of God, because the conflict will not be with men (flesh and blood), but with the prince of darkness himself, whose "wiles" or deceptions he carefully mentions. (Eph. 6:11,12.) Thus divinely forewarned of what we might expect in this day, we have been calling attention to the coming storm and dangers for some time, and endeavoring to have all the saints armed with the panoply of God, in order that whatever the test might be, ye might be able to withstand all the wiles and fiery darts of the enemy, and having done all, to stand.
We have not the gift of prophecy, and could not tell you in what form, nor from what quarter the testing would come, for our adversary, the devil, is sure to bring the test from an unexpected quarter. This has ever been his policy.
Our surprise is that some whom we had supposed to be well grounded upon the Rock foundation—our ransom—should be at all assailable from the standpoint of our redemption, and the nature of our Redeemer. Paul expresses the same surprise concerning some in his day, saying: "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel: which is not another, but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ." (Gal. 1:6-8; notice also vs. 11,12.)
As we had anticipated, our article, "An Unpleasant Duty," in last issue, was misjudged by some, as three letters received indicate. They hinted that our "DUTY" was too pointedly expressed, and that if we had said that we took a "different view" of matters, in a mild and very gentle way, it would have been more in the spirit of Christ. Our reply is, that our usual method is mild, especially when discussing differences of opinion relative to Christian faith, but when the foundations of all our faith are assailed by some among us attempting to teach, it is, in our judgment, the spirit of Christ to lay aside mildness and cry aloud so as at once to arouse all Israel to the danger of the hour. (Ezek. 33:6.)
Jesus did not hesitate to call doctrines and people by their true names. Please recollect that many of his utterances were far from "mild and gentle." While his utterances are devoid of all malice and hatred, they were often full of force and keenly to the point. Fear to speak the truth finds no place in the spirit of Christ. We feel sure that no candid reader can trace malice or hatred in our article referred to, and subsequent developments prove that we stated the matter none too strongly.
Others, we are glad to know, rightly judged both of our motives and the necessity of the article. We extract a sentence from a letter of the latter sort, of which we received several:
"Best thanks for the WATCH TOWER for December, in which you have performed 'An Unpleasant Duty,' as agreeably as possible, and respecting which it would have involved a serious sin not to have called attention to the present teaching of the 'Day Star' after having recommended it."
The importance of the subject is our
excuse for devoting so much of the
space of this number to its consideration.
We trust that it will be helpful to you [R426 : page 1] to fully realize—
"How firm a foundation, ye saint of the Lord,
It may be that the subjects treated will
be very valuable to new readers and
help to establish them firmly on the
Rock.
A testing on first principles seems peculiar at this late hour, yet,
from present appearance, it seems to us
that this will be the general line of
attack in which the entire nominal
Church is to be overwhelmed—in which
"a thousand shall fall at thy side, and
ten thousand at thy right hand, but it
shall not come nigh thee, because thou
has made the Most High thy habitation."
We hope that all will take their
Bibles and refer to every text quoted in
this issue and note the contexts.
But we have very much to encourage
and refresh us.
Thousands of hungry
hearts are upturned to God in thanksgiving
for the blessed light now shining
on and revealing the precious plan and
promises of God.
Thousands of letters
tell of renewed faith in God and quickened
lives resulting from even a first
glimpse of "the riches of His grace,"
and the grandeur of the great plan of
God for the salvation of all who die in
Adam, based on the grand old rock of
truth that we were "redeemed"—that
"Christ died for our sins." Yes, praise
the Lord, the general prospect was
never so encouraging as now.
But
these new readers will find their love of
truth and their reliance on and consecration
to the Lord tested also.
All
must be tested; we are in the testing
time; you should know to expect, that
though these truths be in your mouths
sweet as honey, yet after partaking of
them you must expect to encounter
bitter opposition from your old nature
and your former friends. (Rev. 10:10.)
Though you rejoice greatly in the strong
meat of God's Word, yet you will find
your after experiences with it to be bitter—friends and dear ones will oppose,
and "ye shall be hated of all men for
my sake and the Gospel's," yet rejoice
and be exceeding glad, and
"Bear the cross, endure the shame,
We present you herewith extracts
from a few of the many similar letters
received daily:
DEAR BRO.:—I have now mastered
the "Food" after seven months' hard
study, and believe it to be no more nor
less than a revelation from our Heavenly
Father.
Next Sabbath I shall begin to
preach for the first, on these blessed
truths, regardless of friends or enemies.
Send me 400 TOWERS (Oct. No.) and
as many "Food" as you can spare, and
I assure you that they will do as much
good as any you ever had distributed
heretofore.
I am satisfied that I can get
500 subscribers in Orange and 500 in
Rockland Counties.
You shall hear soon.
I shall use six months of my time
now, just to distribute tracts and get
subscribers for the TOWER.
Help me
by prayers and prompt returns.
The "Food" and TOWER I distribute only
to those whom I believe to be zealous
Christians.
Yours in the work, __________.
DEAR BRO. RUSSELL:—The books
("Young's Concordance" and "Diaglott")
came duly, and have proved a
valuable help to me in studying the
Bible.
Heretofore I have been without
a concordance, and have depended too
much on the writings of others as a
guide.
Now I can judge for myself.
I enjoy the study of the Bible more and
more as the opportunities are increased
for studying, and my love for my
Saviour is increased by the knowledge
that I may be permitted to prove my
following and "help fill up that which is
behind of the afflictions of Christ."
Yours in brotherly affection,
DEAR BRO.:—I write this to thank
you on behalf of both my wife and myself
for the papers sent her, and also for
the copies of "Why Evil was Permitted."
That little book has done
more than anything I ever read to
resolve and remove my doubts about [page 2] the Old Testament Scriptures, and by
its help and the help of the Holy Spirit
I am indulging a hope that I may yet
come into the kingdom.
For thirty
years I have been one of those who
could see nothing in Christianity but a
bone of contention between differing
professors and churches, but now, thank
God, I am able to look beyond professors
and churches, and to believe that
"Christ came to seek and to save that
which was lost."
Thank God for me
and pray for us both.
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word;
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You who unto Jesus for refuge have fled."
Supported by God's Word."
"Let us, then, stand the storms,
It will not be very long,
We will anchor by and by."
__________.