1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

"heathens."The proposition of a certain Laymen'sMissionary Movement to promptly collect$30,000,000 and immediately convert theworld naturally aroused the query respecting the possibilityof attaining such desirable results. No doubtexisted that benevolent people would willingly expendthirty million dollars, and much more, if the results aimedat could be attained. On the other hand, many rumorshad been reaching Europe and America respecting the inefficiencyof the Missions and Missionaries already in theOriental lands. These tales possibly had something to dowith the falling off of contributions to Missionary Societies.It is the thought of many, however, that the secret ofthe curtailment of donations to various propaganda is thesame as applies to the home work of all Christian denominations.The secret is that the masses of the people,as well as the wealthy, are rapidly losing faith in revealedreligion--in the Bible.The Higher Critics in all of our Colleges and Seminaries,and in the chief pulpits of Christendom, have forfifty years been carrying on a subtle warfare against theBible. Are we not now beginning to see the fruits ofR5008 : page 123their labors in a general agnosticism? Many manifesttheir loss of faith merely by a non-attendance at religiousservices, and by failure to contribute as formerly to religiousbenevolences. Others are showing their agnosticismby joining Socialism, which many believe is graduallyleading them to atheism and anarchy.Bible Students of the I.B.S.A. are very generally ofthe opinion that the Bible teaches that nothing short ofMessiah's Kingdom in power and great glory can scatterthe thick religious darkness in the world--that nothingshort of that Kingdom, as the "Sun of Righteousness,"can scatter the darkness that covers the earth and thegross darkness that benights the heathen. These BibleStudents very generally hold that the Bible teaches thatthe Bride of Christ (the saintly few of this Gospel Age)must be completed, and must by the First Resurrection beglorified with the Redeemer and sit with Him in Histhrone, before the time will come when Jesus shall enlightenthe world.In other words, "Jesus is the true Light which lightethevery man that cometh into the world." But, in Divineprovidence, the world separates itself into two distinctclasses. The first and smaller class consists of those"Elect" who have the hearing ear, the understanding andappreciating heart, and the willing mind to be the footstepfollowers of Jesus, and thus to gain the great prizeof joint-heirship with Him in His Kingdom. To thesethe light of Truth comes now. To others, the non-elect,it will come by and by, when, according to Divinepromise, "All the blind eyes shall be opened, and all the