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ATd,E(:HII:NY,

PA.,

JA I\UARY

1, 1000

No. 1

VIEWS FROM THE WATCHFALLEN FROM GRACE VERSUS COLLAPSED

TOWER

More evident does it become, daily, that our 1,ords drrlaration, Babylon is fallen! does not signify the outward colha* laps(I of Churchianity ; but that nominal Christendom fallen from divine favor;-just as the fall of national .Jutlaism from divine favor, at the rejection and crucifixion of Mehsiah at his first presence, meant not the collapse at the moment of that religio-political system. The collapse of dudaism came after it had been fallen from divine favor for 37 years, CIZ.. in A. D. 69-70: and during that interim Gods true people, Israelites indeed, were called nut by the voice of the Gospel And just so now, the collapse of gloj~i~l I)lspensation. Christendom or Babylon, ih not to 11~1 exCliriatianitv, peetcatl until A. D. lQl4. though fallen from favor sinc2cb187% The collapse will be sudden and awful when it does come: and Hliilr 0nl.y the few realize the fallen-from-grnce condition of I3abylon In the present, none will be ignorant of her collapse whcu it comes. Rut to know then will be too late ho far a4 the little flock of overcomers 1s concerned;-they arc all called now, during the interim, Come out of her, my people, tll;tt ye he not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues-punishment.-Rev. 18 : Z-4. The collapse of Babylon is graphi~*allv described by the Revelator as like the casting of a great millstone into the sea. saying, Thus [suddenly], with violence shall that great city, 13;11)) inn. be thrown down and 1)r found no mole at all. Her sutltl~~n destruction is described as a great conflagration, and the declaration is made that it is because the hour of her will have come, that yhe will thus suffer judgment [krisis] Therefore shall her plagues come in overthrow or plaguee. one day [prophetic time is a day for a year], death and mourning and famine, and she shall be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. Whoever are worthy the name, S(~riptIlre3 inllicntc such a union, let no one hupp09r tll,lt cithrr nr or the Scriptnrcs npprorc of such a union. or cr)rl\itltkr that its influence T.vill be fnvor7ble to eithrr Quite to the contrary, the illthe truth or the snlntnntofv iniurious to the true churrh. The various 3cr15 oiChri~tc,nrlr,rn rc::liye that manv of the doctrinal Crrnrs, \\llirlt bnve hcrct:jfore hound their tirrcant Ned co-operation in mnrgl nnd pnlitiral reforms. And tlris fcdcrntire union. 33 alrrndv nointrd nut. brpan in IS-16 in tllc organization of thl- l?vanpelirnl Allian&: We are l,lokinlr vcnrlv for its final kmnt to hr tied in some manner tll:lt, will include with othrr Protestant denominations the Episcopal rhurch, and a working np-cemevlt with Papgcv. Thus the Zvnnoe of the r(rRqt (Rrv. 13) will rrreive life -vignr, enrrcy-he made active. And that nrtivitv which will s(xrm tq prnmiqp grrnt things for Bnhylnn. and whirh will artivrlv Fnrmrrs3 lihrrtv and br r\-crtcd nowerfullv REainst the Fprcnd of tile truth3 now nnblishrd hi 119, will bb hut the liftivy up of tbo crrnt millstone pr&nrnt,nrv to it,9 brin:! violclntlv nnd qnicklv d4rnvrrl. for it will 3nnnhe evident that r;urh a IJCW union of r~hnrrb aad statr (wbnllv different from that of the nnst\ will he a union of thr rlabqea again& the rnnq:rein no 21:1n ran work. nppr\llcs. lap up tr(>a+urrs in hcnvcln. l,p voluntarilv sarrificine time, inflll(lncar nnd ntluar c,nrthlv ronqfllerations for the TJlOIlPV. Ptir\ 1;~. of t!lr T,nrtl llv scrviee of thb h~rthren. should hestir lrinls:c If, l(xqt tllc> barr& pn siimmcr of opportunity end. :111d11(, fin(I tbnt II,, h:lq foil(td to nircsr hi3 sncTiiire which IIC ;,I r~c~ntc~dto GoI1 ll~cnrc~tic~:~Ilv when hr was bnptizrd into Cbr;.tq tl~~ath. And wboc~rt~r. ha&g brrnmr nnminnlly a membcr of tllc rnv21 nrie4llnnd. h-3 nnt offer avzv/ sacrifice .. tlurinc tlli>i Gnspcl dav nf carrifice forfeit3 hi; plnre 23 a memI)csr of t~ it 1 ~c~-llr~~otl--l~i~ nanlp will surely hp blotted nut to him on thr strength of his and tllc (rnwn. nnnnrtioncd covcn:lnt to ~arrifi;~~. will br I;& orrr t,n another wile will appreciate and uye the pri&egc of self-denial, self-sacrifice, suffering with Christ. TIIE PROSPECTS FOR 1900 It is our opinion that the ypnr just beginning will be a Thiq is not merclv a very prosperous year for tbr truth. xvi&, father to the thought. nor is it hprnnqr thr %ood IIopes already nent in seem to give prnmiqr of fnndq for a wider spread of the truth; for, as an offset, we have noticed

that our paper (the chief item of cost in our publication) will cost us nearly double what it did last year-in other words. a dollar will do onlv about sixtv cents worth as comparedto last year. No; b&, we have felt for several months past that Churchianlty has reached and is at a crisis, where a clr,avnge is sure to take place,-which will separate from her some true saints who hitherto have been perplexed respecting the Lords will, but who will not gradually become convinced that Babylon is no longer hi3 mouthpiece, but already spewed out of his mouth (Rev. 3:16), and that her evohltionnry teachings are not of him but in radical opposition to his Word and plan. We have confidence that Gods time is ripe for present fruth to he more widely mnde known among hiq people n? a p:ilt of the Gnsprl which is either a savor of lifr IInto life or of death unto death. We have confidence, too, that all thr money and all the colaborers neressary will he forthcoming, 2nd we nre arranging plans accordingly. Tbnse wbn co-operate will sh:lrr> the sprvire and the h!rssings nttrndant; those who do not llsr their privileges will hut mar tb(iir own hlca~ings, hut shall not hinder tbr work that is (111~to 11r tlnnr T~I- J.~rrl wi!l provitlr 1 Imlertl, wr csrxzrt tlg:lt C:IP~I vciI IJOW will note ripid sprcnd of tllc truth lolt!l thr dnp;. i\ illlIt . -until the war!; is intcrfrrcd wit11 fnrcihlv l)\- orltsirlr influrnres. Then we shall nnderhtnncl that our ;\ror$ is dcnr -that the elert have all bren sra!cr?, arid thzt rlnnrht, Vmains hnt to stand 2nd assist others to stnnd. lnclcctl. tlriq. nq WC all know, is a mo9t important pnrt of the prcs;rnt: for, while others are being reachrd with the truth. tbos,? rlrratlv blessed nre brin,g ~33aultecl by the ndrersary, so thnt all rnnk he tritrd and only the faithful be ahlc to sta?l:l.-Sre lCp11 6:10-IS. TO HIM THAT HATI-I USED SHALL MORE BE GIVEN The Volunterr spirit is yron ln,: llltty nho 11:,\-r .,I-\ cd thus have been blessed and arc mnr r nnxiolls for tllil (*011:111~st ihnn thpv wrre for the first. Thixv look nllro::d art1 xc tllm~sands blinded hp the god of t?ris world enl;~ti~ig to kill nncl bc killed, and they read the reports of the Irillc~l. wnmdcd and prisoners, and the hardships endured, and the tnxes to he borne: and then they say: 110~ small is thr srrrire, how 3llght the hardship and 3ufferinc and self-deninl our c~rac~iirns King is willing td accept as r&nnahle service fr&nrus who have conserrated to him our nil--cren unto death-and to whom he has already given such rich rewards as well as promised IIR a share in his nlillennial kincrclom. We are resolved that neither cares of this life. nor nricle. I--~- srlf-elcl-nest to the Fathrr, and exalted to hir right band In a coming .\Icssiah. the% SOJI of God, to be the worlds Deof no\\ rr 711r .\not .tt tills most appropr~atc~ tlmra. as dl\ inrly Similarly, in evrry city and town where, the Lords penplc arc arrangetl for. tllat Ca(axitr Augustus, the Roman Empelnr, (his true saints). there arc many who would make them 11 rl~ssncd 11 clot I((* rc+;)cBc+inp the tasinp of his worldwide empire. IS, come and give them the best at their disposal, did they 1,11t Ihr tlt~re wa, not nrrrcAl,v an asqcssment of taxes, but ma3 recognize them a3 the messrngrr3 of *Jesus and of the Healrll1iltlrc~l a crnsu.s, or c~iirnllnient for taxation. But instead of ly Father; but as the Apostle says, The world knoweth 114 +endiug a53e~sorh to theI people, according to the present cus(1 .Jnlln .?: 1 ) The disciple not, because it knew him not. tom. the ariangomcnt tlien was that cverv male citizen must must not expert to bc above ltib J,nrtl. ant1 henrr. corn when report himsrlf at the headquarter3 of h-is own familv linci. ant1 brnr\-0lrnc.r iintl RS nnigoing upon miq+inns of mcrq c*nmlng nf .Jo~ph a&d his T&i< mat t11r orrauinn for-the hassadors for Gntl. we sl~ould r-\pcrt that the J,o~tla plovirs~ousetl u i te. .\l:nV. thr mother of ,Jehus. to Ucthlehem. their dence would furnish for 11% not the most palatial ronditinno. n~tivc~ city. or f:~n~ily city, for they mere hot11 of the hnusr of but more prnbably v(brv hitmblr rnntlitinns. .4nd wlirn \vr fitltl David ( tlin t hi oufili different lines), and Jlethlehem was the It thus we should rejoice that to some e.\tcnt at lea-t wr II:I\( city of I)av~d. Thun in a providential manner :untl by n drcree IIIC rxperiences whirh harmonize with those of our Lord. over nhich tllq had 110 control whatever, Joreph and Mary were Lords people will obtain a blessing in proportion a3 thca\ brought to thr vrry c,itp in whirh most appropriately the great are prepared to receive all opportunities for God3 service a* heir of Da\ it1 ~hnuld be born, as had been foretold by the divine favors and to appreciate them, no matter how humblt~ prophet.--l\fic.lh. 5.2. the conditions, and it is noteworthy that neither Joseph, noI The noting of theac littlr incidentals hy which divine Mary, nor Jesus, nor the disciples. nor the Evangelist who nro\idencc prrnarrd for nur Sariours birth and for the sendrecorded the incident, offers the slightest complaint or suging forth oi the Gospel message, are strengthening to the faith gestion of dissatisfaction with the arrangement provided !)r Realizing Gods care in the past over of the Lordr people. divine providence. In proportion as they would hare felt dlbeven the little things, plres a foundation for confidence in his satisfied with the arrangements provided, in that proportion wisdom and prnrisinu for the features of his plan which are the divine plans would not have worked for their good. vet future-the falfilment of all the exceeding great and preThe vicinity of Bethlehem is a pastoral country, and to>ious promisr\ ~hiclk centered in him who was born in Bethleda.v is covered with flocks. Jt was the custom at that tirnp so alw a realization of the divine providence in the hem. hd for the shepherds to remain with their flocks by night as d larger affair+ of the divine plan stimulates faith also in the 1t \VilS guard against thieves as well as against wild beasts Lords providcnccs as rrspccts the personal and more private in this vicinity that David (afterward king). when a shrphrrdaffair3 of his people. Let us more and more realize that, as hov nrotertinb his flocks. slew on one occasion a lion ,lnd at rven the smallcht incidents rnnnected with the birth of our The shepherd3 as a Class mere not anotiler time*- a bear. Saviour were nrtlcrrd of the Lord. so also he is both able and narticularlv well educated people as respects sc*honls, and y-et willing to order all of the affair3 of his spiritual children. many of ihem were thou&f;1 and thu3 secured. in their Let us reason with the Apostle that, if God lo,-ed us while leisure time while watchin, n their flocks, hg reflertion and hv we were yet sinnrrs, co as to make such careful provision for conversation, considerable knowledge, so that they might lw our redemption, muc~h more J~OWthat we are no longer rebels, termed an intellectual and thinking class of people--tllcalr aliens, atrangrrs, foreigncr3. but have become his sons, fellowmind3 being turned more to reflection on large subiccts than heirs with Christ and all the saints, we map hare co@dence are the minds of some who are constantlp immersed in tr.ldr in his love and in hi3 providential care, that according to and of mechanics. The shepherd whom God honored in makill:: 111s promi+ca all things shall work together for good to them him king of his typical kingdom, was a great poet. and WIthat. love bin-to tllr called ones acrordinp to his purpose.dently much of his time while shepherding was gilen to thr RO~JI. 5.S.IO: S:O,R. muse, and one of his most beautiful poems (Psalm Zl J rq,Thr qamr tlrc~rc~t~ that brnllgllt .Jnscph and I\larv to Bethleresent3 Jehovah himself as the Shepherd of his penplr.-hiq hem brought JII~JI~ others of thr nllmernuh family of David, flock, for which he cares. It was to men of this thnughtful and a4 tile iuns or lintrls of that time were comparatively elas3, and no doubt men familiar mitb David3 Psalnr~. and limited in numheis and in rnpacaity, it is not surprising that with the Messianic hopes therein set forth, that the J,nrtl sent the inn proper wa3 full of guests when tJonepll and Mar! the first message respecting his Son made flesh. Tndrctl. it was rathrr thr cllhtnm for many traveler3 arl ivrtl. The description of the appearance of an angel, and of the to carrf with thrm their own lodging outfit, and to provide fear which the brightness of his countennnre engendered, is for their own conrcniencrs in the courtvard connected with both simple and natural. All mankind more nr less feels iu,4ntl hrncc the eyperienc*e< o? .Jnseph and Mary the inn-. stinrtivelv a fear of the supernatural, a trepidation at the wrre l,v no iiit~.inh r\c~c7,tionnl. \Vhen therrfnrr the Babe *Jesus very tho;ght of being in the presence of the holy angels. Alld was bdln. a manger l,&ame his most convenient rradle. thik is nroner as well a3 natural, for all realize their own The city of Brthlehem still existideration is one of three things,-a novice iu mental exerpreach. It is no part of our mission to criticise persons and cise, or a near relative to the fool who hath said in his motives, but With malice toward none and with charity heart, There is no God, or a coward, preyed upon by fears, toward all WC consid-r it not only our privilege but 0~11 instigated by Satan to hinder honest investigation of the duty to criticise doctrines, that th&eby the truth may be divine message of love and mercy. more freelv established. and error brought into disrenute. Even a hasty glance into the intelligent faces of this large Before Uwe proceed to the consideracon of the Gbspel of audience assures me that you all hare given some thought which the Apostle was not ashamed-the Gospel set forth to our theme;-though experience assures me that comparain the Scriptures-it will be expedient for us to take a glance tirelv few of vou have ever reached conclusions on this subat the different gospels set forth by the various denominaject fully sat&factory to yourselves. Hence your faith and tions of Christendom. It is not our thought that each delove and zeal toward God and your zeal for the Gospel are nomination represents a different gospel, for the differences less strong than you could desire. Let us hope that as we in many instances are chiefly respecting ceremonies, forms, reason together on this great subject to-day, we may, by Gods methods of government, name, etc., and not in respect to the grace, see more clearly than ever before which is the true 125931

(84-85)

ZIONS

WATCH

TOWER

ALLEGHENY.

Plr.

Severthelesz. there are three meSSage or gospel held forth. diqtmct lines of faith. or doctrinethrze distinct gor;nels set forth in Christendom, all rerognlzed as 01 tbodox, because they all contain RS their fundamental the doctrine of the eternal tormcbnt of all mankind, except the comparatively few %lrYl. Rncah of the-c three go\pels has mlllions of These in supporters, divided into numerous denominations. point of numbers are (1 j The Roman Catholic faith. or ynqpel. in which concur the (irrrk Catholicts and Armenian Catholirs, and some of the high-rhurcoh Episcopalians. (2 I The Calviniitir po