1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org 1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
making the second part of each statement mean less than thefirst?Now without asserting positively that man will live again in theflesh, restored to Adamic perfection, let us consider our attitudein connection with the fact, (if it be a fact) and who would belikely to know it.First, then, those would be most likely to know it who are in acondition to receive the truth whatever it be. Not that the truthcan be anything but the truth, but it may be very different fromwhat we had supposed it to be, owing to previous education andtraining; but if we are willing to receive it because it is truth, it ispresumptive evidence that we shall be likely to recognize itwhen brought to view.Again, having recognized the truth, and having becomeacquainted with it, we should be likely to love it, and of courseto receive it; for we cannot suppose one would reject a thingthey loved (unless indeed they love something else more, andthat something antagonize this). Then having recognized, lovedand received this truth, what more natural than that they shouldproclaim it?It is hardly supposable that one could become acquainted with atruth of such a deep interest to mankind as this is, and yet saynothing about it.The subject is one so full of comfort, and one, too, whichappeals to our sense of God's wisdom, justice, and love; and onewhich, from every stand-point, except of settled prejudice, givesus a view of God's attributes shining forth gloriously, which soentrances us as we gaze that we are constrained to cry out withthe Psalmist (107-8): "O that men would praise the Lord for hisgoodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men."But if the doctrine of restitution be true (don't forget that there isa "much more" salvation), how nicely it would match with andexplain this Scripture which has so long puzzled us: Ezekiel16:53. In this chapter, God, through the prophet, is "causingJerusalem to know her abominations," (2nd verse) and afterspeaking at some length upon the subject, says: "When I shallbring again the captivity, the captivity of Sodom and herdaughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, thenwill I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst ofthem." But says one: "That does not prove restitution; somecommentators say that God did not intendR236 : page 6to bring again the captivity of either; he only says, when I doone, I will do the other, and he is speaking not of death."We are not asserting NOW that it does prove restitution, onlyconsidering that if the doctrine is true, how easy you would get
along with some Scriptures, and how you would not have to beso very "wise and prudent" with a good many passages ofScripture.(55th verse): "When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shallreturn to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shallreturn to their former estate, [they were dead and in their graves,you know,] then thou and thy daughters shall return to yourformer estate."Opposed to the thought that this was an emphatic way of sayingthat he would do neither is the statement in the 61st verse: "AndI will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thycovenant--(i.e., the old covenant).Again, if it is true, what light would be shed on the words ofJesus in Matthew 11:24, where in speaking of the privilegeswhich Capernaum had failed to improve, he said: "But I sayunto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom inthe day of Judgment, than for thee." And this last wouldharmonize with the other quoted from Ezekiel. This view wouldlend some meaning to the words of Jesus in Luke 12:32:"Whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it shall not beforgiven him, neither in this world nor in the world to come."With this view we shall not wonder so much that Peter said(Acts 3:21) of Jesus: "Whom the heaven must receive until thetimes of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by themouth of his holy prophets which have been since the worldbegan."But say some: "Do not tell the people such things; if you do theywill never repent, but will live right on in sin." My dear sir, whotold you that?If it is true, and God has been speaking of it by the mouth of allhis holy prophets since the world began, as Peter says, shall webe prudent above that which is written? If we should, it wouldbe equivalent to saying that God was very unwise to allow theprophets to utter such things, even though they were true, andthat if he had the prudence of some of his creatures, he wouldnever have allowed such writings as that in Ezekiel to be putbefore the world, together with many other careless (?)statements, lest men might guess that the Psalmist was right,when at the end of every verse of the 136th Psalm he says: "Themercy of the Lord endureth forever," and if they were to thinkthat, just as likely as not the very next thing they would thinkwould be that the punishment of the wicked would end sometime; and if they should get that idea, they might find anexplanation to some texts that prudence has said taught thedoctrine of "endless torment;" and if they should becomeconvinced that God did not intend to punish the wicked beyondthe point of reformation, they might conclude that his name(Love) was very appropriate, and love him too.
- Page 175 and 176: Paul's was a critical and calculati
- Page 177 and 178: every man in his own order, Christ
- Page 179 and 180: In the other five cases, it has ref
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- Page 183 and 184: twelve disciples; their sacrifices,
- Page 185 and 186: shut to the door (to the "Narrow wa
- Page 187 and 188: The Lord's grace (favor) he says, "
- Page 189 and 190: Seeing our justification, we reflec
- Page 191 and 192: efers to several such cures at "Pin
- Page 193 and 194: seem too, to show God's special fav
- Page 195 and 196: walk among them, and I will be thei
- Page 197 and 198: And for you, brethren, we pray that
- Page 199 and 200: R228 : page 1VOL. II.PITTSBURGH, PA
- Page 201 and 202: consecrated ones--the jewels which
- Page 203 and 204: A bed is a place in which to rest;
- Page 205 and 206: was literally fulfilled; they fled
- Page 207 and 208: influence, how you would lose your
- Page 209 and 210: God knows--not I--why, when I'd fai
- Page 211 and 212: THE CREDIBILITY OF THE SCRIPTURES.E
- Page 213 and 214: This is symbolical and expressive o
- Page 215 and 216: I contend, then, that the Israeliti
- Page 217 and 218: Jerusalem shall be trodden down of
- Page 219 and 220: "We are inundated with books and pa
- Page 221 and 222: you be. He was armed with the sword
- Page 223 and 224: the false teachers of Baal (Papacy)
- Page 225: was denounced, and for the same rea
- Page 229 and 230: This rendering sheds light on the r
- Page 231 and 232: (Gal. 4:19) "the hope of glory;" (C
- Page 233 and 234: prophetic periods, the parallels an
- Page 235 and 236: enlightening and blessing of the na
- Page 237 and 238: this city, we have had very pleasan
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- Page 241 and 242: expenses--not to mention the additi
- Page 243 and 244: As we have seen, Jesus understood t
- Page 245 and 246: R241 : page 2the graves shall hear
- Page 247 and 248: now preached. We were not called, n
- Page 249 and 250: How blessed then, to lay the cross
- Page 251 and 252: irth of the flesh or of the Spirit?
- Page 253 and 254: flower: so in the six branches that
- Page 255 and 256: "And he made the lampstand of pure
- Page 257 and 258: y human wisdom or knowledge, "not b
- Page 259 and 260: mercy endureth forever") but now du
- Page 261 and 262: and, like the paschal lamb, affecte
- Page 263 and 264: lifetime subject to bondage" --Let
- Page 265 and 266: and praying be the reason of the ke
- Page 267 and 268: "Well, are you redeemed?""Yes, I am
- Page 269 and 270: R247 : page 7WHAT WE EXPECT.The hop
- Page 271 and 272: heads, "standards" and "authorities
- Page 273 and 274: THE NEW VERSION.The revised version
- Page 275 and 276: the destruction of our globe, and t
along with some Scriptures, and how you would not have to beso very "wise and prudent" with a good many passages ofScripture.(55th verse): "When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shallreturn to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shallreturn to their former estate, [they were dead and in their graves,you know,] then thou and thy daughters shall return to yourformer estate."Opposed to the thought that this was an emphatic way of sayingthat he would do neither is the statement in the 61st verse: "AndI will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thycovenant--(i.e., the old covenant).Again, if it is true, what light would be shed on the words ofJesus in Matthew 11:24, where in speaking of the privilegeswhich Capernaum had failed to improve, he said: "But I sayunto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom inthe day of Judgment, than for thee." And this last wouldharmonize with the other quoted from Ezekiel. This view wouldlend some meaning to the words of Jesus in Luke 12:32:"Whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it shall not bef<strong>org</strong>iven him, neither in this world nor in the world to come."With this view we shall not wonder so much that Peter said(Acts 3:21) of Jesus: "Whom the heaven must receive until thetimes of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by themouth of his holy prophets which have been since the worldbegan."But say some: "Do not tell the people such things; if you do theywill never repent, but will live right on in sin." My dear sir, whotold you that?If it is true, and God has been speaking of it by the mouth of allhis holy prophets since the world began, as Peter says, shall webe prudent above that which is written? If we should, it wouldbe equivalent to saying that God was very unwise to allow theprophets to utter such things, even though they were true, andthat if he had the prudence of some of his creatures, he wouldnever have allowed such writings as that in Ezekiel to be putbefore the world, together with many other careless (?)statements, lest men might guess that the Psalmist was right,when at the end of every verse of the 136th Psalm he says: "Themercy of the Lord endureth forever," and if they were to thinkthat, just as likely as not the very next thing they would thinkwould be that the punishment of the wicked would end sometime; and if they should get that idea, they might find anexplanation to some texts that prudence has said taught thedoctrine of "endless torment;" and if they should becomeconvinced that God did not intend to punish the wicked beyondthe point of reformation, they might conclude that his name(Love) was very appropriate, and love him too.
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