1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

and simplicity of heart accept it. "Whoso shallreceive one such little child in My name, receiveth Me";whoever are My disciples are privileged to be God's littlechildren, and thus to be My younger brothers; whoeverwill receive one such will be receiving Me. "Whosoevershall offend," or injure, "one of these little onesthat believe in Me, it were better for him if a millstonewere hanged about his neck, and that he were sunk in thedepths of the sea."If some one were thus drowned in the sea, it wouldindeed terminate his present life, but it would not at allendanger or influence his future life. A future life, by aRestitution awakening, is assured to Adam and everymember of his race. Neither drowning nor any otherform of death could possibly interfere with it. But hewho would injure one of the Lord's little ones wouldthereby come under such a measure of Divine displeasurethat it would affect his future interests beyond the grave,beyond his awakening. He would be held responsible forhis deeds, even in the next life, in proportion as herealized what he was doing when he injured the Lord'ssaints.The Lord declares that His faithful ones are asprecious to Him as the apple of His eye, and that alltheir interests are subject to Divine supervision. Hewill allow nothing to happen to these; troubles permittedto come upon them will be only such as the Lord hasforeseen and is able to make work out some blessing inconnection with their preparation for the Kingdom. Buteven this fact will not excuse wilfulness on the part ofthose who do evil to the members of the Body of Jesus.We remember the persecution of the saints by Saul ofTarsus. We remember Jesus said to him, "Saul, Saul,why persecutest thou Me?" He answered, "Who artThou, Lord?" And Jesus replied, "I am Jesus, whomthou persecutest." In persecuting the saints Saul of Tarsushad been persecuting Jesus, but because he did it ignorantlyGod had mercy upon him. Doubtless manysaints from Jesus' day down have been persecuted ignorantly,and the Lord will have mercy upon those persecutors;but some of the persecuters have had such light,such knowledge, as to make them responsible; and it isof this class that our lesson speaks. Our Lord added awarning: "Woe unto the world because of offenses! Itmust needs be that offenses come; but woe to that manby whom the offense cometh."CUT OFF HAND OR FOOTHere the Master brought in a saying which has perplexedmany. "If thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut itoff, and cast it from thee; it is better to enter lifemaimed, or halt, than having two hands or two feet to becast into everlasting fire. If thine eye offend thee, pluckit out, and cast it from thee; it is better to enter into lifewith one eye, than that having two eyes thou be cast