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Chosen no: R-5360 a, from: 1913 Year. |
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Editor At The International Purity Congress
A FEW weeks ago, Governor Glynn, of New York,
appointed the Editor of THE WATCH TOWER a delegate to represent New York State
at the seventh International Purity Congress, to convene in Minneapolis, Minn.,
November 7th to 12th.
We attended the Purity Congress and there met a number of noble men and
women, who are fighting valiantly to stamp out the various forms of disease and
vice which are vitiating mankind with alarming rapidity.
On Sunday, November 9th, we were appointed by the Purity Congress
Arrangements Committee to speak at the Schubert Theatre, Minneapolis, under the auspices of the local
class of the INTERNATIONAL BIBLE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION. The house was crowded.
Our topic was, THE WAGES OF SIN AND THE REWARDS OF PURITY, from the text: "The
wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through
Jesus Christ, our Lord."-- Romans 6:23.
ONLY GOD CAN GRANT THE VICTORY
We did not enter into statistics to prove that sin is in the world and
manifesting itself in many forms--in political corruption, physical corruption,
or disease, moral corruption, or impurity, and their various ramifications. We
endeavored to probe deeper, to show why human beings are born into the world
with sinful propensities or tendencies. After finding the cause, the source of
sin, we discussed the remedy, and pointed out why all good people should be
united in their opposition to sin and in their endeavor to stamp it out;
although experience has proved that none of the world's panaceas really cure.
Humanity must continually combat, only to find that sin, impurity,
breaks out in other places or in other forms. It is like fighting fire or a
plague. To cease fighting is to be overwhelmed. However, in the midst of the
battle for purity, while convinced that eternal vigilance is necessary, and
then only partially effectual, it is interesting to know that all on the side
of purity are fighting on God's side, and that in His own time and way He will
come to our rescue and grant a complete victory. So complete will be the
victory that there will be no more sighing or crying or dying; no more sorrow
or pain, because there will be no more sin, no more impurity. Heavenly
conditions will have come to earth, which then will be a world-wide Paradise.--Isaiah 35.
We admitted that this view of the situation is the very reverse of the
popular theory of Evolution. Thinking people are more and more coming to
realize that the wonderful blessings of our day, material and intellectual, do
not uphold the theory of the Survival of the Fittest, and of general progress,
physically and intellectually. The trend is downward. Imbecility, insanity and
moral degeneracy are on the increase, and especially manifest in the families
of the rich and the educated. The progress of our day must be accredited to
God, and should be considered as marking the inauguration of the New Era,
Messiah's Kingdom, so long promised.
GOD IS NOT RESPONSIBLE
The Bible alone explains the present situation. It alone tells us why so
many go astray. Children are born with evil, immoral instincts, against which
themselves and society must continually war. In Psalm
51:5we read, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my
mother conceive me." Here is the explanation. We inherit our tendency
toward sin, and some inherit more of it than others. Few have realized the
sacredness and responsibility of parentage. Few parents have realized how much
they have to do with the moral and physical status of their children, not
merely in the training of them after they are born, but in the qualities which
are given to them at the time of their begetting and during the period of
gestation.
Let none get the thought from what we have said that any child can be
born perfect, either physically, mentally or morally. The seeds of sin and
degeneracy were implanted further back than our immediate parents. As physical
likeness persists from grandparent to grandchild, so do moral traits and
tendencies, impurities of blood and of ideals. The Bible takes us away back to
the first man and the first woman, tells the story of their disobedience to
God, and explains to us that when Adam and Eve became sinners, they thus cut
themselves off from fellowship with God and came under the sentence,
"Dying, thou shalt die." Then started the downward trend, which has
been increasing in momentum ever since.
God created man perfect, in His own image and likeness, the Bible
assures us, and everywhere we see corroboration of this fact. In nearly every
human being a certain amount of moral character still persists, notwithstanding
the 6,000 years since the fall. In some more and in some less the Creator's
character likeness is observable; but all are sinners, all come short of the
glory of God--short of the Divine likeness originally granted to our race. God
is not responsible; for as the Scriptures declare, all His work is perfect. (Deuteronomy 32:4.) He was fully justified in
separating from Himself our disobedient first parents and sentencing them as
unworthy of His favor and everlasting life, under the decree, "Dying, thou
shalt die."
Ever since, the race has been under the reign of Sin and Death. More and
more has sin gained control. And the natural tendency of all sin is death-ward.
It has not been improper that mankind should seek through medicine and surgery
and in every manner imaginable to relieve himself of the burdens of Sin and
Death. The effort has developed noble characters in the world. [R5360 : page 362]
The fight against Sin and Death is still being prosecuted. Nevertheless,
our physicians realize that the mental and physical ailments of the race are
increasing, multiplying; and that their study, knowledge and skill are unable
to keep pace. Our Purity Congress assures us of the same things along the lines
of immorality. We must not relax our efforts for an instant. Every good man and
every good woman should be alert to counteract as wisely and forcefully as
possible, the influence of this reign of Sin and Death. As we contemplate the
work which is being done in this direction, we rejoice to see so noble an army
battling for the general good. We admire all sincere laborers for reform in any
direction.
IS NOT GOD INTERESTED?
As we realize our own deep interest in the welfare of humanity, it would
seem strange if our Almighty Creator were not Himself interested in the race
which He made and which He justly condemned to death. The Bible points out that
God still loves the world; and that He has a great plan for human recovery from
sin, sorrow and death. The perplexity of Christians in the past has arisen from
not taking a sufficiently broad view of the Divine character and Plan. Once we
wondered why God did not more particularly bless reformers and use His power
for the overthrow of the vicious and the corrupting elements of society. But
now the light of the Millennial Morning is dawning. The Bible explains why God
has permitted the reign of Sin and Death; and the understanding of this mystery
is a blessing.
The Bible teaching concerning the penalty of sin is not what was taught
us in the creeds of the Dark Ages. The teachings of the Bible show that there
is indeed a terrible penalty upon sin, but not the penalty of eternal [R5361 : page 362] torture, which we once
supposed. The wages of sin is death; and everlasting life is a gift
of God, to be bestowed only upon believers, through Christ. Hence
the wicked cannot get everlasting life. "They shall perish;" "All the wicked will He destroy." But how many are really
wicked? is the question. How many prefer sin to righteousness? How many would
rather be right than wrong, were it not for the depraved tendency which
prevails in themselves and the influence from others to which they are susceptible?
SATAN, SIN AND DEATH TO BE
OVERTHROWN
With considerable elaboration of Scripture we pointed out that God loves
His creatures deeply--not merely the Church, but the world. He loved mankind
"while we were yet sinners." God is proceeding with a great Plan of
Salvation, which will reach every member of the race and bring to each an
opportunity of full recovery from sin and death--either in this life or in the
next. To this end Christ died for all. Since Pentecost the work of God has been
the calling, testing, proving of a select class, a very loyal and very faithful
class, to be joint-heirs with Jesus in a glorious Kingdom of Righteousness.
This Kingdom is to be established in the earth, and is not only to overthrow
Satan, Sin and Death, but to restore to human perfection all who will prove
willing and obedient, under the light and opportunity then to be granted.
In the meantime, the reign of Sin and Death has not been valueless. It
has given most instructive lessons, both to angels and to men, respecting God's
holiness and the reasonableness of His requirements. It has demonstrated that
all of God's creatures must be holy, pure, in order to enjoy His blessings,
which He provides for no others. Those who have some knowledge and appreciation
of righteousness should be on the alert to serve righteousness, purity, Truth,
in proportion as they perceive these and see the terrible results of sin and
impurity. The whole world should know that only the earnest followers of Christ
will gain the great prize of joint-heirship with Him in His Kingdom.
Nevertheless, of the whole world it is true that "Whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap."
In other words, as any serve sin, and debauch themselves and others,
they degrade themselves in proportion to their knowledge and wilfulness in the
matter. And in proportion as any seek to live justly, purely, soberly, in that
same degree do they benefit others, and prepare themselves for a more favorable
condition in the Resurrection. Although all fall asleep in death, each will
come forth in the great Day of Resurrection, which will last a thousand years.
They will come forth in more or in less favorable conditions, with more or with
less shame and contempt, to receive few or many stripes, or punishments,
according as they knew or did not know the Master's will--the way of
righteousness.
URGES DILIGENCE IN BIBLE STUDY
If the Bible story were more fully understood, its reasonableness would
appeal to larger numbers, and its influence would be a blessing, physically,
morally, in every way. Let us be diligent in Bible study, along unsectarian
lines. Getting near to God means to come in touch with the power of God, which
gives the victory over sin in the heart, and which will fit and prepare true Christians
for the great work of the future when they will be heirs of God and joint-heirs
with Jesus Christ, their Lord, in that Kingdom which is to bless all mankind,
and for which we pray: "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, even
as it is done in Heaven."
In the meantime, those in preparation for the work of the future, and
co-laboring with God in the work of grace in their own hearts at the present
time, should be glad to participate according to their opportunities in all
moral reforms of the present time, or at least sympathetically to uphold the
hands of those who are engaged in these reforms; as, for instance, the
International Purity Federation.
----------
SEED-TIME AND HARVEST
We are sowing, ever sowing,
Something good or something ill
In the lives of those around us--
We are planting what we will.
Not a word we say falls fruitless,
Not a deed we do decays;
Every thought and word and action
Will be found in future days,
When perhaps the hand that sowed
them
Shall itself have ceased to be;
Still the record of their being
Will live on eternally.
Grant, then, Lord of all the
harvest,
That the seeds we daily sow
May refresh the hearts of others,
Spreading blessing as they grow.
May each thought and word and action
Be the growth of Christian love,
To be found in coming ages
In Thy garner-house above!
Treasured there, in Thine own
keeping,
Just to prove our love was true;
For the motive gives the value
To the meanest thing we do.
Charlotte Murray.
W.T. R-5360a
: page 361 - 1913r