1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

And my speech and my preaching were not with enticingwords of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of theSpirit and power [of the Truth], that your faith shouldnot stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power ofGod."--I Cor. 2:1-5.St. Paul was an outspoken, uncompromising teacher.When he knew that he had the Truth, he spoke it withconfidence, and boldly declared that everything contraryto it is false doctrine. He also taught believers thatit was not only their privilege, but their duty to be establishedin the faith, to know on the evidence of God'sWord, why they believed, and to be able to give to everyman that inquired a reason for the hope that was in them.Let it be so with us also. Each consecrated believerR5045 : page 195should ask himself, "How carefully have I studied thatwhich I recognize as Divine Truth? How fully capableam I of handling the Sword of the Spirit?" Few indeedare those who can say they have fully digested and assimilatedall they have received; and that they have letnone of these things slip from memory; that they have sotreasured it up in their hearts that it is their meditationby day and by night; that they have a ready answer--a"Thus saith the Lord"--for every man that asks them areason for the hope that is in them, concerning any pointof doctrine; that they can clearly and intelligently portraythe Divine Plan, quote the Divine authority for each successivestep of it, and, if need be, point out its place inthe Divine system of types. To gain such proficiency inthe Word is the work of a lifetime; but every day shouldsee a closer approximation to that proficiency, and will ifwe are faithful students and faithful servants of theTruth.If all the consecrated were thus busily engaged inputting on the armor of God, and in proving it by actualuse in zealous endeavor to herald the Truth and to helpothers to stand, there would be no time left for evengood temperance reform work, nor for work among theslums of the great cities, nor for the doctrine ofhealing, nor any such things. We have no consecratedtime for these matters, which are only side issues and notharmful in themselves, except as they divert attentionand consume time which has been consecrated to anotherand higher use. All these works will be effectuallyaccomplished in the "Times of Restitution" (Acts 3:19-22),now in the near future. Besides, there areothers engaged in these works; we recognize andseek to accomplish the work set before us in the DivinePlan.In all the history of the Church there has never beena time in which the great Adversary has been so active indiverting attention from the Truth by introducing unprofitableand irrelevant questions as at present. Just now,when the exaltation and glory of the Church are soon to