1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org 1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

11.07.2015 Views

faith.Already many are falling; many are standing alooffrom God and the Bible. Incidentally, the Lord describesthat time when He says He will proceed to "do His work,"His strange work"--the procedure which will seem mostR4977 : page 65strange to mankind, causing great trials and difficulties tocome upon the earth and upon the nominal Church systemsand all who have identified themselves with nominalChurch Christianity. Many will be thus caused to loseall faith. We know to expect these things and we have,therefore, blessing and keeping-power now. And perhapswe shall need this special help more in the next few years.Who can say?We can readily suppose that our Adversary will haveincreased power as this time of trouble comes on. Wecan suppose that the evil work which will be done willbe done by Satan and his fallen angels, who will exercisea very baneful influence upon humanity. Some caseshave been brought to our attention recently. One was astatement about a person who had had a picture manifestation.When the picture was developed, it showeda man who had been dead for some time. It is evident,then, that the evil spirits are able to exercise some influencewhich can produce a picture upon a camera. Anothercase drawn to our attention was that of a personwho has "seen things." This person thoroughly believesthat he has seen the things with his own eyes. Howcould this be so? We may not know all the powerswhich the evil spirits may be able to use, as, for instance,with those who are clairvoyant and are able to see at adistance. We have all heard of mesmerism--that a personunder this spirit control would be able to tell accuratelythings taking place at a distance. This power wastested by having a person do certain things at a certaintime; and the person under the influence of the evil spiritswas able to fully describe the things that were takingplace. We are not sure how these things were done.The person must have seen the thing pictured in thebrain in some manner beyond our comprehension. Weassume that it must have been the fallen angels who couldgive this picture upon the brain of the medium, who couldgive the medium the things she would see. In ourdreams we see people walk and hear them talk. And ifwe could have such things given naturally, we can easilysuppose the power the evil spirits could have in this matter.This does not, however, make us understand thephilosophy of it.To what extent these things will be used in the future,we know not. We have no doubt that the thingswhich will be permitted will be very startling. Even toR4977 : page 66

those who have the right understanding of the DivinePlan of the Ages, the things which will be permitted willbe very strange. We are prepared for almost anythingthat might be told. We are convinced of the power ofthese evil spirits who pretend to do these various things.In fact, we can see that while materialization would bepossible to them, a representation upon the mind would bemuch easier; it would be easier to paint a picture uponthe brain.The Lord's people should have on at all times thewhole armor of God that they may be able to stand inthis particularly evil day.R4977 : page 66====================RIGHTEOUS REPROOF AND FORGIVENESS OF WRONG"Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let himreprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not breakmy head."--Psa. 141:5.IN THE SCRIPTURES the word righteousis used in a two-fold sense. In one sense,absolute righteousness is referred to, aswhen we read, "There is none righteous, no,not one." In the text under considerationthe intimation is given that our Lord Jesusis the Righteous One who smites. In thissense, of course, the chastisements wouldcome from our Lord; and the one chastisedwould receive them with appreciation,knowing that the Wisdom, Justice and Love of God areconnected with such reproof. But there is a secondaryuse of the word righteous, applying to mankind. Variouspersons are spoken of in the Scriptures as being righteous,not because they were perfect, but because they wereright-intentioned, right-willed, and manifested in theirconduct the Spirit of God, the spirit of righteousness.In this use of the word righteous, the text seems toimply that all who are the Lord's people should be ableto give reproof and correction in righteousness in a mannerthat would be helpful to those corrected, and for theirgood; in a way that would bring a measure of comfortand blessing and refreshment; in a manner thatwould be like excellent or fragrant oil, whose perfumewould linger for hours. With this thought before ourminds, there is a valuable lesson here. First of all, weshould be of those who receive the corrections as of theLord; and who are glad to be set right if we are wrongin any manner; secondly, we should be of those whorecognize that if reproof be proper to give, it should beof a kind that would not be injurious, but such as wouldbe spiritual, uplifting and refreshing.In order to accomplish this end a reproof should be

those who have the right understanding of the DivinePlan of the Ages, the things which will be permitted willbe very strange. We are prepared for almost anythingthat might be told. We are convinced of the power ofthese evil spirits who pretend to do these various things.In fact, we can see that while materialization would bepossible to them, a representation upon the mind would bemuch easier; it would be easier to paint a picture uponthe brain.The Lord's people should have on at all times thewhole armor of God that they may be able to stand inthis particularly evil day.R4977 : page 66====================RIGHTEOUS REPROOF AND FORGIVENESS OF WRONG"Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let himreprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not breakmy head."--Psa. 141:5.IN THE SCRIPTURES the word righteousis used in a two-fold sense. In one sense,absolute righteousness is referred to, aswhen we read, "There is none righteous, no,not one." In the text under considerationthe intimation is given that our Lord Jesusis the Righteous One who smites. In thissense, of course, the chastisements wouldcome from our Lord; and the one chastisedwould receive them with appreciation,knowing that the Wisdom, Justice and Love of God areconnected with such reproof. But there is a secondaryuse of the word righteous, applying to mankind. Variouspersons are spoken of in the Scriptures as being righteous,not because they were perfect, but because they wereright-intentioned, right-willed, and manifested in theirconduct the Spirit of God, the spirit of righteousness.In this use of the word righteous, the text seems toimply that all who are the Lord's people should be ableto give reproof and correction in righteousness in a mannerthat would be helpful to those corrected, and for theirgood; in a way that would bring a measure of comfortand blessing and refreshment; in a manner thatwould be like excellent or fragrant oil, whose perfumewould linger for hours. With this thought before ourminds, there is a valuable lesson here. First of all, weshould be of those who receive the corrections as of theLord; and who are glad to be set right if we are wrongin any manner; secondly, we should be of those whorecognize that if reproof be proper to give, it should beof a kind that would not be injurious, but such as wouldbe spiritual, uplifting and refreshing.In order to accomplish this end a reproof should be

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