1885 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

charges against the seventh or last stageof the gospel house--"in Laodicea."First, by declaring himself "the faithfuland true witness, the beginning ofthe creation of God," he implies that sheis not a faithful witness for the truth,and in acknowledging the supremacy ofthe Father as his Creator, shows his oppositionto the man made dogma of thetrinity. He then amplifies his chargeby declaring her "neither cold nor hot":I would that thou wert (he prefers openhostility to half-heartedness), so then,because that thou art lukewarm andneither cold or hot, I will spue thee outof my mouth, i.e., I will no longer useyou to give expression to my word...thou art the wretched, and miserable,and poor, and blind, and naked one.(Var. Rend. Rev. 3:14-17.) Hermisery and wretchedness is caused by herblindness and unnatural alliance with theworld by which she is being overcome.The Lord informed his disciples instrong negative language, that few rulerswould be found giving to the householdof faith meat in due season at hiscoming (presence). "Who then (atthis time) is a faithful and wise servant,whom his lord hath made rulerover his household, to give them MEATIN DUE SEASON? Surely not these unfaithful'watchmen.' Blessed is thatservant, whom his lord when he comethshall find so doing" (Matt. 24:45,46).In fulfillment of the Master's words,the rulers of the nominal church havenot only not given them the meat nowdue, but have positively warned themagainst tasting it, and continue to feedtheir flocks on milk mixed with themuddy waters of tradition on whichBabylon is built. And this pitiable conditionis very contrary to the self-satisfiedopinion she entertains and statementsshe makes concerning herself.The Lord says, "Thou sayest I am rich