The u.s. government has attacked Jerusalem. It's an exciting day.

Were it not the faith age there could be no doubt. But because we're in the faith age there seems always some room for some doubt somewhere, no matter how well you know the Divine Plan it seems.  And then there are days when your faith in the Bible is bolstered by events and you feel vindicated. Today is the day of all days for that.

The u.s. government has attacked Jerusalem and made it their focus as a last-ditch effort, a sort of a reserve chute that they're pulling for their globalist scheme of one world order under Soros Clinton Obama Etc.  It's Muslim rule over Jerusalem to appease the terrorists. It's a real world Bible event happening right now that totally vindicates every Christian Bible Student who is a lover of Israel. It totally solidifies our faith in the Bible as the immutable word of God Himself. It's an exciting day.

So John Kerry, that snake, who routinely sticks his tongue out like a serpent, thinks he can summon the spirit of the dead Shimon Peres, whose name means "divide" and give away the heart of Israel, the very apple of God's eye. He thinks he can poke God in the eye with a stick and say "hey I'm Big John Kerry and it's time you gave up this place to our Muslim overlords so that we can have one world government under a Maleficent Pope, so that all true freedom of thought and worship can be banished forever from the Earth!"

Jersualem is prophesied in Zechariah to become a cup of drunkeness to the surrounding nations, and that all nations who come against it will be destroyed.  It's such a shame that the number one bestseller didn't make it to John Kerry's hotel room drawer.  Unless he stayed at a Trump hotel, then he didn't open it.  There they are, the players on the world stage fulfilling the Bible. It doesn't matter what they know, they are judged anyway.

We've been singing about this for years. 

Yours in Truth,

Regan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0y5xLCPedM

Zechariah 12:2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of reeling unto all the peoples round about, and upon Judah also shall it be in the siege against Jerusalem. 3 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all the peoples; all that burden themselves with it shall be sore wounded; and all the nations of the earth shall be gathered together against it. 4 In that day, saith Jehovah, I will smite every horse with terror, and his rider with madness; and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the peoples with blindness. 5 And the chieftains of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in Jehovah of hosts their God. 6 In that day will I make the chieftains of Judah like a pan of fire among wood, and like a flaming torch among sheaves; and they shall devour all the peoples round about, on the right hand and on the left; and they of Jerusalem shall yet again dwell in their own place, even in Jerusalem. 7 Jehovah also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem be not magnified above Judah. 8 In that day shall Jehovah defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of Jehovah before them. 9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

JOLLY VS. HOEFLE PART THREE : DF'd for saying "No Kingdom yet!"

RG Jolly Vs. JJ Hoefle: a study of events that shaped the LHMM

PART THREE

Dear friend,

There were approximately 35 POINTS OF CRITICISM from Raymond G. Jolly made against Bro. John J. Hoefle in the March 1956 PT explaining his removal.  This study shows a grave injustice was done.  This an honest attempt to ascertain the Truth regarding what was done with the L.H.M.M. after Bro. Johnson left the scene vs. what was authorized.

Raymond G. Jolly = RGJ, words in brown
John J. Hoefle = JJH, words in black and white 
Regan C Balman = RcB, words in purple

Before we were delayed by a class split instigated by partisans...  see   How do I tell my girls about our class break-up?   and   Bible Students ecclesia breaks up on a sectarian rock...

• 
  

...we saw how Brother John J. Hoefle completely routed R.G. Jolly on Baptism in part two.  Now in part three he continues to prosecute R.G. Jolly on many mistakes, errors and outright lies.  We will cover several in this segment.  Remember, these are Jolly's reasons for disfellowshipping a brother in Christ.  We prove his excuses are woefully insufficient for such an act.

The third false attack Jolly made against Hoefle was regarding...

3. Promotions in Service

[3.] *from PT 3/1956..."It continued in his criticism of the Sept. 1953 P.T. article on 'Promotions in Service.'"  

[RCB] My findings:  "Promotions in Service"  is simply what the Executive Trustee does when selecting able brethren to serve as pilgrims or auxiliary pilgrims.   He sends them out to serve.  As of yet I have not found sufficient dialogue regarding this, but suffice to say, as we find out how far wrong "Pastor" Jolly did go with his decision making, it becomes apparent he would have somewhere lost his authority for promoting, demoting or appointing the LORD'S people to any field of service, if he ever had it.  His actions up to this point in the study already prove his judgment to be questionable at the very least.  This will be obvious from our study of attack number 4 in the next section below. 

SCORE


RGJ 0
JJH 3


The fourth false attack Jolly made by Jolly against Hoefle was regarding...

4. "Basileia"

[4.]*from PT 3/1956... [JJH] ... "saying [of Jolly] that we [Jolly] had "immediately plunged into the Basileia work six years ahead of time"; that "the work you are doing is abortive in large part, and is sure to result in failure"; that it was "a work, which up to now [1954], cannot register one single success in any department."


[RCB] My findings:  This is regarding RGJ's erroneous teaching that we entered the "Basileia" time or Kingdom phase, again proving his lack of judgment.  

This is a three-in-one accusation.  I was going to supply quotes from Hoefle that prove he was right, but where to begin?  His entire life's work is a testimony to the errors of Jolly , especially this one.

There is no question RGJ was in error on this.  He's wrong at first glance, just read the news.  We are not in the Kingdom or "Basileia" as he taught for years.  And so the work did fail. The work was abortive. Therefore all his "Promotions in Service" spent their time in an erroneous work on behalf of an errorist.

The Epiphany and the Time of Trouble are identical and the Basileia follows after that.  These things are clear teachings of Present Truth.  He was teaching through pilgrim appointments and public works that we were in the Kingdom way too soon, meanwhile taking us further away from the work set out for us by Bro. Johnson.

SCORE 

RGJ 0
JJH 4

Yours in Truth,

Bro. Regan C. Balman

Pastor Russell Predicts: "earth's great rulers" leading to "The Armageddon of Anarchy"

"This war [1914] will proceed and will eventuate in no glorious victory for any nation, but in the horrible mutilation and impoverishment of all. Next will follow the Armageddon of anarchy." HG674:3 

"The warring element will fight out this battle; and this will be the way in which God will promote the change, which is represented in the Bible as a great "fire," which will consume the present "heavens," or ecclesiastical ruling powers, and the "earth," or social institutions." 

http://www.ctrussell.us/ctrussell/ctrussell.nsf/22284ee7f683acc9862566bd000b278c/eb82e6a63d139bf38625646100815790?OpenDocument 


"Doubtless earth’s great rulers have done the best they knew how to do for their peoples. ... While they knew that this (WWI) would be the worst war ever known, yet they preferred it to that which they were striving to ward off and which they have succeeded in keeping off for the present... 

Then will come the determination for something like Socialism. This the governments will endeavor to put down, and to some extent they will succeed. Then will come the great explosion—the Armageddon of the Scriptures."SM419 

"The Battle of Armageddon... will be a great contest between right and wrong..." Pastor C.T. Russell R5659 




Hint! 

"Aggressiveness on the part of the trusts and syndicates will bring about the final catastrophe of this age in the wreck of the entire social structure by the masses." NS377:5 Comments Book re: Matt. 24:21 

Q: Who are the trusts and syndicates of today? 

Yours in Truth, 

Bro. Regan 

Discussion at The Present Truth Forum re: Trump vs. Globalism and "The Battle of Armageddon"

Octaman - The Octablog: Is Trump vs. Globalism "The Battle of Armageddon"?


Discussion available at The Present Truth Forum

• Is Trump vs.Globalism "The Battle of Armageddon"? ... view thread - Regan Balman on Nov 3, 2016, 11:30 AM
• Possible Proofs of Armageddon 1: World at War August 2014 - Regan on Nov 4, 2016, 3:10 PM
• Possible Proofs of Armageddon 2: UNESCO’s vote on the Temple Mount - Regan on Nov 4, 2016, 3:43 PM
• Possible Proofs of Armageddon 3: ECUMENISM: Life to the Image of the Beast - Regan on Nov 4, 2016, 4:09 PM
• Possible Proofs of Armageddon 4: "Return of Wealthy Jews to the Holy Land" - Regan on Nov 4, 2016, 4:28 PM
• Possible Proofs of Armageddon 5: AN ERUPTION OF EVIL SPIRITS - Regan on Nov 4, 2016, 6:02 PM
• Possible Proofs of Armageddon 6: Forces Mustering To ARMAGEDDON - Regan on Nov 4, 2016, 6:25 PM
• Possible Proofs of Armageddon 7: Many Earthquakes, Symbolic AND Real - Regan on Nov 4, 2016, 8:04 PM

Is Trump vs. Globalism "The Battle of Armageddon"?

R5659

"The Battle of Armageddon, to which the war is leading, will be a great contest between right and wrong, and will signify the complete and everlasting overthrow of the wrong, and the permanent establishment of Messiah's righteous kingdom for the blessing of the world." Charles Taze Russell

THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON

Our thought is that the war (1914) will so weaken the nations that following it there will be an attempt to bring in Socialistic ideas, and that this will be met by the governments – the wealthy and all classes interested in the present order of things, "the world which now is," the present "heavens," or ecclesiastical system, and the "earth," the social order. The present order will be supported by the rich, by financiers, politicians, princes of industry, and the kings upon the thrones. All these will do their best to maintain present conditions, and will summon the clergy to their support. Then will come a general uprising everywhere; on one side those who are beneficiaries of the present institutions will be against any change. Against them, on the other side, will be the masses, who are striving to better their condition; for in God's Plan, the time has come for a change.

Shall the Lord's people have any part in the struggle? Nay! Let us ever keep in mind that we are peacemakers. Not only are we peaceable ourselves and seeking to live peaceably with all men, but we are to be peace-promoters, and to help others to see things straight and right. That course would be tending toward putting away anarchy and strife; but anarchy will surely come, despite all endeavors to the contrary.

Nevertheless, the Lord shows us through His Word that there is to be a victory on the part of the New Order of things, now coming in. The Socialists do not want anarchy; but they are not far from it. Anarchy is the worst thing that could be – a lack of some form of government being the worst thing the world could experience. The warring element will fight out this battle; and this will be the way in which God will promote the change, which is represented in the Bible as a great "fire," which will consume the present "heavens," or ecclesiastical ruling powers, and the "earth," or social institutions."  Z1914NOV" from R5563 "MAKING READY FOR THE REIGN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS "

Does this sound familiar?  It's on TV right now.  I'm not suggesting a President Trump's policies will bring about the Kingdom... 

I'm saying that Armageddon has already been going on for many decades just as expected and yet unnoticed, even by the Bible Truth groups.  

Therefore, THE Anarchy is next, also already begun in my view, to be followed directly by Messiah's Kingdom, exactly as our Pastor did teach us.  RcB

"The Lord long ago pointed out this great Time of Trouble, which has already begun and which will culminate in an awful period of anarchy, the Armageddon of the Scriptures." 

Yours in Truth,

Regan

Edison and the Bible: Absurdity of the "invisible" human soul theory

We are not personally acquainted with Mr. Edison, nor with his religious views, but we believe that his philosophical mind is turning quite into line with the teachings of the Bible respecting man and his future. We do not say that he has attained the Bible viewpoint, but merely that he has taken a good step in that direction. Without discounting good features contained in our own creeds, we must admit that many of them are thoroughly illogical and unscriptural. For instance, the theory that a human soul is an invisible entity specially created by God and full of Divine intelligence, and that this intelligent soul is introduced into the newborn child and is the real child--this is no longer reasonable or logical to us. We wonder that our forefathers of the darker period, in their wonderful philosophies, did not see the absurdity of such a position..... 

read all:

[R4773 : page 69] 

THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL

MR. EDISON has taken time from his scientific investigations, which have centered chiefly in electricity, to take a look into things metaphysical and spiritual. In a magazine article recently he discussed the immortality of the soul. He brought to his subject the reasoning and philosophical powers of a gifted brain accustomed to look more carefully than usual at the relationship and bearing of one principle upon another, one theory upon another, one fact upon another. Mr. Edison denies the immortality of the soul; he declares that he can see no facts in nature leading to any such conclusion. As a sample of his close reasoning on the subject we quote one of his statements, which he considers too self-evident to need proof. Indeed we doubt not that Mr. Edison's position would be that human immortality is not to be assumed, in view of the fact that we are a dying race. We presume that his position is that the proofs must be sought in the opposite quarter--that man must be assumed to be mortal and that any disputing this position must give the proofs of his immortality. We quote Mr. Edison:--
"A man's intelligence is the aggregate intelligence of the innumerable cells which form him--just as the intelligence of a community is the aggregate intelligence of the men and women who inhabit it. If you cut your hand, it bleeds. Then you lose cells, and that is quite as if a city lost inhabitants through some tremendous accident."

PHILOSOPHERS OF THE PAST HANDICAPPED BY DREAD
OF THUMB-SCREWS, ETC.

It will not do for us to claim that Mr. Edison is not a philosopher because he disagrees with philosophers of the past. We must admit that his attainments in science have all been results of the exercise of a naturally philosophical mind, which now for years has been trained in philosophical study, and that for this reason he has his splendid rank as a scientific man. On the contrary, we must admit that many of the philosophers of the past in their reasoning on theological questions were handicapped by dread of thumb-screws, racks and other tortures of the "Dark Ages," as well as by certain ignorance and superstitions, which, thank God, are gradually passing from the minds of all intelligent people. Indeed, we must remember that nearly all the philosophies as respects cosmogony and chemistry have proven themselves fallacious, and the latest researches of science astound us by threatening a revolution of the philosophies respecting astronomy. Perhaps philosophy has made progress in every other direction than along religious lines. And in this particular we note that the great majority of the learned have entirely abandoned the philosophies of their fathers and are known as "Higher Critics," "Evolutionists," etc. Only in the Catholic Church are the theological philosophies of a century ago given the slightest weight amongst the learned, although these theories, embodied in Protestant creeds, still hold a powerful sway in the minds of many Protestants who still like to think that what their fathers believed was infallible on every subject.
Meeting Mr. Edison's statement, above quoted, with such candor as the gentleman's intellectual prowess seems to justify, we must admit that there is a great deal of force and logic in his deduction. Mr. Edison has Apostolic authority for considering man as made up of various members, each intimately related to the welfare and intelligence of the whole. St. Paul uses this argument in illustrating the true Church, "the Body of Christ." He likens one member to the hand; another to the foot; another to the eye, etc., and declares that each is necessary to the completeness and harmony of the whole and adds, So, also, is the Church.
We will not here follow the Apostle's argument to the Church to note particularly how Jesus is the Head of the Church, how every member is united to each other member and interested in each other member. We will take the same example of the human figure. It seems to justify the statement that a man's intelligence is represented in the intelligence of all his members. Human skill is related to human intelligence. Consequently the man who has lost his hands has less intelligence, less opportunity and less skill than previously. If he lose also his feet, his intelligence decreases proportionately. If he lose his sight, his hearing and his sense of smell, each loss diminishes his intelligence. A whole village of people devoid of sight, hearing, taste, the sense of smell and of touch, would be a very unintelligent community. This we understand to be Mr. Edison's argument, expressed in different terms. Mr. Edison's terms seem appropriate if we take a sufficiently broad view of his language. To illustrate: If one [R4774 : page 70] lose a few drops of blood, the loss may make no perceptible impression upon his intelligence. But if he lose a quart of blood, his intelligence will be considerably diminished; faintness, stupor, may be expected. This would seem to prove Mr. Edison's statement correct, and that the loss of a few drops of blood is really a loss, to some extent, of vital power, and hence a loss of intelligence, but in so small a degree as not to be appreciable to one in health.

PUZZLED OVER BELIEF THAT BLOW THAT WOULD KILL
WOULD ENABLE MAN TO KNOW EVERYTHING

In olden times we were told, and tried to believe it, that a dead man knew more than a living one. We were puzzled by the fact that a blow on the head might stun one to insensibility, in view of the fact that we were told that a heavier blow, that would kill the man, would enable him to know everything in an instant. The philosophy (?) of this was handed to us thus: The soul is the intelligent being, of which nobody knows very much. It is imprisoned in our mortal bodies and can operate in them only unsatisfactorily. The moment of death is the moment of release to the soul, which then can think and reason more soundly than when obliged to use the brain.
Many of us tried in childhood years to believe such unphilosophical philosophy. We asked for proofs and were told that it was the voice of the Church's philosophers, and if we would doubt it we would be damned to eternal misery. Believing this, and not willing to be doomed to eternal misery, many of us restrained ourselves and that portion of our brain became well-nigh atrophied.
Even the religious found it difficult to believe in so immaterial a soul and inquired, Why, then, a resurrection of the dead? Will the resurrection signify another real imprisonment of the soul and a decrease of intelligence, as this philosophy (?) would seem to imply? Some gave up the quest for knowledge in despair and sought for something more intelligent outside of all the creeds and philosophies of "science falsely so-called." Others of us have held to the Word of God and sought to see its philosophy, its teachings, and to harmonize them.
We are glad to belong to this growing class of Bible students who declare, Let God and his Word be true, though it disprove many of the theories we once believed and almost worshipped. (Rom. 3:4.) We want the Truth!

MR. EDISON AND THE BIBLE

We are not personally acquainted with Mr. Edison, nor with his religious views, but we believe that his philosophical mind is turning quite into line with the teachings of the Bible respecting man and his future. We do not say that he has attained the Bible viewpoint, but merely that he has taken a good step in that direction. Without discounting good features contained in our own creeds, we must admit that many of them are thoroughly illogical and unscriptural. For instance, the theory that a human soul is an invisible entity specially created by God and full of Divine intelligence and that this intelligent soul is introduced into the new-born child and is the real child--this is no longer reasonable nor logical to us.
We wonder that our forefathers of the darker period, in their wonderful philosophies, did not see the absurdity of such a position. If it were true, would it not make the Almighty Creator a co-laborer with fornicators and adulterers in the bringing into the world of illegitimate children? Still worse, does not this theory charge to the Almighty God of Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power the creation of idiots and mental imbeciles and moral degenerates? If the human parents merely bring human bodies into existence as receptacles for souls which God individually and specifically creates in each instance, then not the parents, but the Almighty is responsible for all the degeneracy we see in the world, for it is the soul that is responsible, as all must admit.

THE FIRST MAN, OF THE EARTH

The center of the mistake on this subject, handed to us from the philosophers of the "Dark Ages," is the assumption that the real man is the spirit being, the soul. St. Paul assures us to the contrary of this, saying, "The first man was of the earth, earthy." The Lord through the Prophet David declares the same truth, saying, "What is man that thou art mindful of him?...Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels." (Psa. 8:4,5.) The angels are the lowest in rank on the spirit plane, and man, although in God's image when perfect, was still lower than the angels, in that he was not a spirit being, but a human, an earthly being--"of the earth, earthy."
The Scriptural proposition is not that God made a body for man out of the dust of the earth and put a spirit man into that body, but that God made man of the dust of the earth, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (an animal life) and "man became a living soul"--an animal or earthly soul. In other words, the entire Adam became a living soul--a living being. That one man was subsequently made twain for the very purpose of propagating living souls in his own likeness. And thus for six thousand years the Divine command has been in process of fulfillment--"Multiply and fill the earth." God created but the one soul originally, divided it, and then, by natural processes, generation after generation of human souls have been born. Man is an earthly soul or earthly animal, as are all the earthly creatures, only that his is a higher nature--an earthly image of his Creator, who is a Spirit Being.
From this standpoint how clearly we can discern the mistakes of the philosophies of the past and the true philosophy revealed to us only in the Bible, although discerning, penetrating, philosophical minds like that of Mr. Edison may reach the same truth from the study of the great Book of Nature.
From this standpoint we see that the entire man is a living soul--that is to say, a sentient being. The formation of Adam was very important, just as today, under the same Divine regulations, the shape of the brain has to do with the character of the man--gentle or vicious, criminal or conscientious, benevolent or stingy, reverential or otherwise. As the Bible declares: "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." (Prov. 23:7.) And a man's thoughts shape themselves according to the structure of his brain. Thus phrenology is a widely-recognized science. Not only so, but physiology tells us that the various portions of the human body are so intimately related to the brain that the quality of the mind can be discerned in the general features, not only in the shape of the nose, the curl of the lip, the glance of the eye, but also in the grasp of the hand and its general shape, even to the particularity of a finger print.
All these outward signs indicate the character of the soul, being--all are identified with it. In a word, a soul is a person. The various districts of the brain representing the various sentiments and passions of the individual, are like so many members, each having its own personality. Amongst these various members of the human mind some are stronger, some weaker, and the stronger ones dominate. There are exceptions, of course, to this rule in what we sometimes term conversion. Conversion [R4774 : page 71] means the establishing of a new rule or order in the individual life. Note the method of its accomplishment:--
(1) Certain matters are brought to the attention of the person or soul which seem to indicate a wiser course than the one pursued in the past. The various districts of the brain, like so many members of a council, consider the proposition, weigh its pros and cons, advantages and disadvantages, and then reach a decision. That decision we call will. Sometimes there is desperate struggle in the brain, the various members of the council of thought battling and struggling against each other. The will may be strong or may be weak, just as a party in Congress may be strong or weak while in power. But the will rules with more or less vacillation or strength, according to the number and power of the members supporting it. Thus we have found some possessed of strong characters; others who are weak, vacillating--"double-minded."

THE WILL REPRESENTS THE SOUL, THE PERSON,
THE EGO

Some of the qualities of the mind may be styled the "flesh"--this term represents the lower and more animal qualities of the person, the soul. To the contrary of these are the higher organs of the mind--reverence, spirituality, conscientiousness, sublimity, ideality, etc., and these are called the heart, because they include the affections and qualities of the mind to which God appeals, saying, "My son, give me thine heart."
Thus seen, we are daily making soul-character, influenced by our environment and the lessons and experiences which come to us through our senses. The character develops either upward or downward--toward God or toward sin. But there is no such thing as total depravity, except in idiocy, for, by Divine providence, some features of the original Divine likeness in which father Adam was created still persist in all of his children who have reason. The effort of all reformers is to appeal to the mind, either through fear or love or selfishness, to effect an organization of the mental qualities favoring the things of righteousness and opposed to sin. The permanent conversion which produces the saintly character is the appeal of love--"The love of Christ constraineth us." The love of the Father is potent in the hearts of all who receive it. It can effect changes in conduct, in language and in thought, which can be accomplished by nothing else.

A METHODIST BISHOP'S DEFINITION OF SOUL

A Methodist Bishop is credited with the following definition of a soul: "It is without interior or exterior, without body, shape or parts, and you could put a million of them into a nut-shell." Mr. Edison does not believe in such a soul. In repudiating such a view he places [R4775 : page 71] himself in accord with the Divine teachings.
The word immortality is rarely used in its strict, academic sense, as signifying deathlessness or that which is proof against death--inherency of life, requiring no sustenance. Immortality in this sense of the word is, of course, a quality which belongs to God alone. As the Scriptures declare of him, "He alone hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen nor can see." Immortality in this sense of the word, possessed by the Heavenly Father and his only begotten Son, the world's Redeemer, is promised as a special reward (not possessed by angels or any other creature) to the elect, saintly few, called, chosen and faithful during this Gospel Age. These are styled the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, and the promise to them is that they shall receive this great reward of glory, honor and immortality when the Redeemer shall appear in his glory in the end of this Age to grant to them a share in the First or Chief Resurrection from the dead. With this attainment of immortality they are promised also new bodies, no longer flesh, but spirit, no longer in the likeness of the first man--"As they bore the image of the earthly, they shall also bear the image of the heavenly." --I Cor. 15:49.

ARE ALL MEN IMMORTAL?

Mr. Edison is in full agreement with the Bible in his conclusion that human soul or personality is always identified with an organism or body. We must also agree with the Bible and with Mr. Edison that all souls die. The Bible declares, "The wages of sin is death," and again, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." The Bible explains that Adam, as a living soul, might have continued his existence perpetually had he not transgressed the Divine Law and that the transgression brought to him the penalty of death. Mr. Edison agrees with this conclusion without, perhaps, admitting original sin or anything else connected with the Scriptures.
Where, then, is human immortality? We answer that there is no human immortality, in the same sense that there is a Divine immortality--in the sense that God is death-proof. He alone has immortality in that sense. When we speak of immortality in respect to mankind, we use the word, not in an academic sense, but in a relative way. We mean that death does not end all for Adam and his children--that a future life is arranged for them in Divine providence--when, where and how the Bible clearly tells.
We wish that Mr. Edison and many thinkers who have no confidence in the Bible might see the beauties and harmonies of its presentations. The Bible declares that the eternal life lost by father Adam has been redeemed for him by the death of Jesus Christ, "the Just for the unjust." It tells us further that as all of Adam's race share by heredity in his death penalty, so they all shall be permitted to share in his recovery from the power of the tomb, from sin and death. Thus the Scriptures declare, As by a man comes death, by a man also comes the resurrection of the dead; for as all in Adam die, even so shall all in Christ be made alive, every man in his own order or company.--I Cor. 15:21-23.
The great Apostle Paul declares that there shall be a "resurrection of the dead, both of the just and of the unjust." The Hebrew Prophet declares, "Many that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake." The awakening time will be the morning, as the present is the night-time of sin and darkness. The glorious morning nears, as the night of sorrow and tears passes. There will be a glorious dawn to that great day of a thousand years, whose light is already fore-gleamed in the wonderful inventions of our time, in which Mr. Edison has been used of the Almighty to assist. Shortly the Sun of Righteousness shall shine forth, scattering the darkness, ignorance, superstition, sin, death. Shortly the reign of the Divine righteousness and love, co-ordinated, will bring blessings to our race, now resting under the sentence or curse of death. Shortly all will have the opportunity of recovery from the fallen condition of weakness and degradation, being uplifted or resurrected gradually to the full perfection of human nature, earthly nature, in the image and likeness of the Creator, in the midst of a world-wide Paradise.

CARDINAL GIBBONS' WORDS AGREE TO THIS

Cardinal Gibbons gave an interview to a reporter of the Columbian Magazine in answer to Philosopher Edison. Noting with interest the Cardinal's defense of the [R4775 : page 72] doctrine of immortality, we have clipped and below produce the essence, the kernel, of his argument on the subject as based upon the Scriptures. We are pleased to see that, like ourself, the Cardinal finds the Scriptural proof of a future life, not in the philosophies of a darker past, but in the resurrection promise of the holy Scriptures, as follows:--

"Christ brings to humanity the certainty of eternal life. He proved it by his own resurrection; and if anyone thinks the evidence for Christ's resurrection is weak, I ask him to study and think deeply over the fifteenth chapter of First Corinthians. No sane scholar, remember, denies that we have the testimony of St. Paul himself; nor that St. Paul is honestly setting down the testimony of those who claim to have seen our Lord after death. If so many sane men, Apostles and disciples of Christ, are mistaken, if they cannot believe the testimony of their own eyes, if such a delusion can keep so firm a hold on so many different characters for so many years and become the basis of all their beliefs and the transforming power of their lives, then no human testimony is of any value; then let us close our courts of justice, for no case is proven by so many trustworthy witnesses. No!" the Cardinal said, in the tone of deepest conviction, "Christ is risen; and his resurrection is the plainest evidence of man's immortality."

Beauties of the Truth just beauties of fish stories? REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY ALERT

Dear Friends of Present Truth!

Peace in the name of our Redeemer.

Time doesn't allow for a thorough going over of every single point made in the article "Prophetic Events Closing Zechariah" [Beauties of the Truth, August 2016].   Suffice to say, to me it's so ridiculous that it's a wonder that anyone can read this and call it the Truth.

While they were bound to hit close to the truth on a number of items by virtue of the fact that they were starting with Brother Russell's work as their opening premise (as everyone should!), they certainly ended up in the ditch with an odd theory that Messianic Jews are now the "House of David", as a special class to be working as direct assistants to the Ancient Worthies. 

You might call the publication "beauties of theories" because they're just fish stories.  Anybody can say probably this and maybe that, but when you say of "The House of David" in Zechariah 12 that ""This may point to a group described today as Messianic Jews" and say "maybe" this group will be working side by side as "direct assistants to the ancient worthies"!   This places them above their fellow Jews (?), those encouraged by Pastor Russell to keep their own faith and traditions.   This is replacement theology.

That there's a special class higher than the Jews, between the restitution class and the spiritual class as "special helpers" to the Ancient Worthies is something never taught by That Servant, nor hinted at by his chief defender and exponent brother Paul Johnson, the two Star Members - the Lord's own composite messenger to the Church of Laodicea.

This article is described as being "condensed from an after-hours panel at the 2016 International Convention in Szczyrk, Poland."  Even the merest babe in Present Truth knows this view does not agree with Pastor Russell, whose work they crafted the article with as their premise.  Their theory also does not agree with Reason nor the Bible.  Of course they do not mention what was really taught by That Servant, that there will be a class of consecrated between the ages that could be referred to as "youthful worthies" ...

Brethren! As for me and my home, we've away with these publishing houses who through similar fish stories are just leading you hook line & sinker into the worst areas of fishing in the entire ocean. They're fishing for the wrong things, expecting the wrong things, looking for the wrong things to happen and from the wrong direction.  These editors are just the fallible representatives of the errors left us by crown losing Great Company bumblers, those who began these bad Levitical movements - those who abandoned the 6 Volumes of That Servant to whatever degree they have...

Think of it.  "Messianic Jews" are the people who are as confused about Judaism as they are about Christianity - representing the worst kind of Jews because they're the ones who left their religion (the opposite of what Pastor Russell encouraged them to do, which was to keep to their own religion of Judaism and not to convert nor to assimilate, not to take on Christianity with their replacement theology) - and not only that but they next take on a trinitarian form of Evangelical fanaticism that is far from the Truth, and much more into the far reaches of the depths of error!  Then our dear wayward editors take this confused group of people, call them part of "the House of David".   How did their entire experience as betrayers of their natural brethren and errorists and opposers to true spiritual brethren (Truth People), how did that prepare them to help the Worthies in the Kingdom?

So now the "High Calling" brethren have joined up in the exact parallel belief that their "low calling" brethren share. That's the same thing as taught by the L.H.M.M. who have their own special class above the restitution class known as the "Consecrated Epiphany Campers" - who they refer to as a "special people" who will theoretically be working with Ancient Worthies, who are higher among the restitution class, lower than the little flock and great company and yet higher than the Jews! And that's the bottom line.  That's replacement theology at it's core.   Higher than the Jews!   In spite of what the Apostles and our Pastor have thoroughly taught us ("To The JEW FIRST") 

Romans 1: 16For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

And finally, their entire presentation and their subsequent expectations on Zech 12 and Ezekiel 38 are in lockstep with the same beliefs, the same errors and the same erroneous views held by Hal Lindsay and the rest of the TBN viewing Evangelical crowd, the charismatic crowd, those "Christians" so-called in Christendom - in the City   -  who expect all of these Bible verses to happen in the future when in reality they are happening now right under their own noses.  They write about how in the future, Israel's enemies may fight against one another as they did in the days of old.  Have they not seen Israel's worst enemy Syria in the news lately?  Talk about fighting each other! Yet when Bible Students look at Syria today, do they see any connection? Are they permitted to see?

They're waiting for a time in the future when Jerusalem will be split and divided and yet don't dare look at Wikipedia.  In 1948 Jerusalem was divided for the first and only time in it's long history of millennia, and it remained that way for 19 years. All of the items from the passage of Zechariah14: 2 were fulfilled to a "t".  Why don't Bible Students see God manifesting Himself through His amazing Divine Providence over historical events? Who will consider whether or not these things are fulfilled?

They did accurately point out the U.N.'s continual condemnation of the tiny nation of Israel (with 20 U.N. resolutions against Israel last year with only three against all the other nations of the earth combined. RcB). That in itself could serve as prima facie proof that this verse is fulfilled already, naturally through the course of recent history.  Are they not able to see from their own writings enough to put together all the prophetic verses which show recent fulfillment? 

Again time doesn't allow for picking apart all their fanciful theories, such as the one about which segments of Israeli society are which "third" of Zechariah 13:8-9!  We certainly agree with their thoughts that there will indeed one day be a "removal of false ideologies."  Clean up always begins at home. In conclusion, it appears the "narrow way" brethren, those publishing "Beauties of the Truth" at leaset - now share a parallel view with  but just called by a different name.  In this they join the Jehovah's Witnesses who are already have their own erroneous earthly "Jonadab" class.  

Praise be to God for preserving and works of that servant Pastor Charles Taze Russell forever!

Yours in Truth,

Bro. Regan

L.H.M.M. : "God's chosen earthly organization" ?

L.H.M.M. :  "God's chosen earthly organization"

Leon Snyder to Adam Urban, Dec. 1 2014

"There is only ONE publisher of God's word of Truth: The Truth Movement!  These arrangements have been set forth by the great Jehovah through the vessels He has chosen to serve earthly and this practice continues to this very day!"

Dec. 8, 2014, from the Executive Trustee

"I'm grateful for the privilege that the lord has placed upon my shoulders to, to be the guide at this present time for His movement.  Amen"   Leon Snyder

March 2015  Seattle Convention

"In recognition of Bro. Leon Snyder as the Lord's choice as leader of the Consecrated Epiphany Campers, the brethren will vote for him as Executive Trustee (Conducting the business) of our Movement. "

Florida 3/11/16
Muskegon May 20
Bible house 7/15

Present Truth Winter 2015 - "Only God Appoints His People's Leaders"

In March of 2015 just after our small class hosted the Seattle convention, I was given documents from two brethren in my class regarding "errors" on justification by faith and sectarian errors.  I was asked my opinion.

It said:

"ERRORS of PT 749"

"starting with paragraph No 4, the present “acting executive trustee” comes up with his own version of justification"

It went on to describe what seemed very close to Ransom denial.

Notice it says:

"one should go back to the original version of the said article, found in BS 202, of January 1953, written by Bro. Jolly, to see to what extent the authors of the two differ on the subject." (available here: http://www.obronaprawdy.pl/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Errors-of-PT-749.pdf )

Here's how I was set up.  I honestly studied and studied. Acts 17:11  Then I found that the brother taking over as Executive of the movement was in error - on many things. 

• Both he and brother Herzig before him refer to the LHMM as "God's chosen Earthly organization" - exactly the way the Jehovah's Witnesses say it. 

• On more than one occasion it was also written that the Executive Trustee was the "Spiritual Leader" of the Lord's people.

What were they thinking?

THIS is what I had been thinking all along, before I knew anything.

"I love these brethren.  I love Leon who visited our class.  I loved Ralph and enjoyed talking with him.  Nice old knowledgable guys.  And I have no problem with them deciding on a business office or choosing favored successors..."

We all wondered aloud: Why the rush?

Why couldn't we have had independent third-party health reports on brother Ralph?  Rather than his own successor, the assistant to the executive trustee.   Even worldly people have a higher standard of verification and trust so that they have a third-party give the report on the health of a current top executive.  We were told at times that Ralph was still lucid, but never told his view on elections while he yet lived... Why the rush to have the election with Ralph still alive?

Why the reluctance for the E.T. to simply act as "Interim E.T."?

Why not simply sign documents as "assistant executive trustee" until an election can take place? He signed docs as "E.T." while Ralph was even still working in office.

Why the drum beat of propaganda re: "E.T."?

During conventions, speaker after speaker alluded to the change over to the new executive trustee, at least somewhere in their talk.  For some it was the entire content of their talk. We all noticed it was like a running commercial for one man's election.

Can't things can be done more properly, brethren? 

Especially in light of the storied history of Present Truth?  Especially in light of the remarkable protection and direction by God over Pastor Russell and Bro. Johnson who blessed so many?

In the words of Leon Snyder himself

from the convention platform, verbatim

"Paul S.L. Johnson, founder of the LHMM, and the way he was set in place for the office of Executive Trustee was, by Pastor Charles Taze Russell.  He was (trailing off)...It was, the announcement was made, that he was to be the one that would follow.

Then the Lord also had a hand in it. The Lord set in place then as the leader of the Lord's people.  Two different offices entirely.  Yet they are performed as they had been from day one by the same individual. I don't see any reason where the Lord would change that at the present time."

Though he does not describe it, "Executive Trustee" is supposed to be a business office only.   He does not explain at all about the other office he presumes to take, as "Spiritual Leader" and "leader of the Lord's people."
So he sees himself as filling both executive offices in one person.  During all this I remembered Pastor Russell's views regarding the errors of organizations, and the dangers of leaders grasping for power, etc....

I took the bait and took a look at when Raymond Jolly took over these"two offices in one", trying to take the place of Brother Johnson. That's when things went wrong.  He may have been well intentioned and properly chosen, but he was as wrong for the job as Matthias was to replace the 12th Apostle. 

So today, Bro. Snyder publishes new errors on justification, because he received new errors from Bro. Ralph Herzig, and before him from Bernard Hedman, and Gohlke before him...  Each of them have coming up with new mistakes to cover for the last ones.  All have introduced teachings that wrestle against what Pastor Russell and brother Johnson would ever endorse, then or now.

Rutherford = Jolly

So it all began with self proclaimed "Pastor" Raymond G. Jolly, whose multitude of errors are documented and are being highlighted in this blog.  It is our contention that, just as "Judge" Rutherford perverted Pastor Russell's teachings, so did  R.G. Jolly do the same, to both brother Russell and Johnson's teachings.

It's not hard to see the big picture here, as a Scripture comes to mind.

Rev. 18:4 

Yours in Truth,

Bro. Regan

From That Servant

IMAGE worship is hindering hundreds from seeing the beauties of the Word of God. They may perhaps glance at it, and for a moment think for themselves, but that is all. The church discipline is so strict, and they reverence it so much, that a look or frown is sufficient to warn them that independent thought is a dangerous thing, and must not be indulged in, lest they be regarded as infidels. Would that all could see that these local organizations called churches are not THE CHURCH, but that the Church of God includes all Christians, all whose names are written in Heaven, and that when these local organizations attempt to come between them as children, and God their Father, or to put their creed instead of the Word of God, their assumed authority is not to be recognized, nor tolerated; and that it is our duty to rebuke it as sinful."  Pastor C.T. Russell

This arrangement by which God gave Israel its judges is in considerable harmony with his dealings with spiritual Israel during this Gospel age--raising up for them from time to time special counselors, deliverers, ministers. Similarly Spiritual Israelites are not to caucus and wire-pull and decide for themselves who shall be their spiritual leaders; but are to regard the Lord as the great Chief Captain, and to look to him to raise up from time to time such spiritual chieftains as he may please. The acceptance of the leadings of these as God's appointees does not necessarily mean their selection by ballot, but may be indicated merely by giving ear to their teachings in harmony with the Word of the Lord. The lead of such spiritual lieutenants of divine appointment will always be marked by spiritual victories and the bringing of the Lord's people into closer heart-relationship with him. Any leadership which does not produce such fruits is evidently not of the Lord; the spirit of the Lord leads not to bondage, ignorance or strife, but to love, joy, peace of heart, liberty of conscience.

Nor should any brother assume public duties in the Church as leader, representative, etc., without an election-- even though assured that there is no question respecting his acceptability. The Scriptural method of ordaining elders in all the churches is by congregational election--by stretching forth the hand in a vote. To insist on such an election before serving is to follow Scriptural order; it fortifies the Elder, and, additionally, reminds the Ecclesia of its duties and responsibilities as appointees of the elders in the Lord's name and spirit--as expressing God's choice, God's will. Additionally, this Scriptural arrangement interests the members of the Ecclesia in all the words and deeds of the elders, as their servants and representatives. It opposes the too prevalent idea that the elders own and rule the congregation and puts an end to their thinking of them and speaking of them as "my people"--rather than as "the Lord's people whom I serve."

How do I tell my girls about our class break-up?

The first Wollochet Bay Bible Students class

 9/11/16 

How do I tell my girls about our class break-up?  That was my biggest worry for 6 weeks as I couldn't decide for the life of me what to tell my beautiful young ladies regarding our friends in our Bible study class and why they have left us.

Finally I chickened out and left it to my wife to explain it during the news portion of our meeting on Sunday, September 11, 2016.

She did a good job though I don't recall much.  I was very distraught over it and have been for weeks.  But we still have an interested class and so we had a study, with me as elder.  

For my part, we covered these three main things:

#1  Why do we meet?  

We meet to build one another up in the Most Holy Faith, but why?  Based on what?  

To answer this, we proved that the God of the Bible is real and that His Word is to be trusted.  We did this through three areas of proof:  First by discussing the Jewish people (as my step-daughters are of Jewish background) their existence proving the Bible.  We then learned about Bible Numerics and Dr. Ivan Panin.  This week on 9/18 we discussed Bible manuscript evidence.

#2  How do we meet?  

We don't want formalism, yet we do have a form.  We start at 11 AM with a hymn and a prayer, the news, views and manna.

We don't want any fuss over temporal provisions which proved to be a source of contention.  Each may have their own beverage of choice.  

#3  What do we study?

So far we are studying current events and how they relate to Scripture, especially regarding ISRAEL.

We are bringing together our girls Jewish heritage with their prophetic Bible study, all while talking about current events.  We will continually emphasize Israel's right to live as Jews in their own land - all of their land!

We will of course have further Berean study.  By so doing, we not only learn our proper course respecting how we should study, but as an added bonus, we now learn even more about our own present distress regarding our class difficulties!  

from Pastor Russell in Volume 6:

Another kind of meeting which has proven very advantageous in the study of the Word is known as a "Berean Circle for Bible study." These are not merely reading circles, but a systematic study of the divine plan in all its phases, taken up item by item. The several volumes of SCRIPTURE STUDIES, treating the subjects, as they do, in a connected and consecutive order, constitute (with the Bible) textbooks for these Bible studies; but in order to the profit of these classes it is necessary that the leader and the class should clearly differentiate between reading and studying. So far as the reading is concerned, all of the dear friends can 

F326

as well, or perhaps better, do their reading by themselves at home. The object of these studies is to take up a certain portion of each topic as presented in one or more paragraphs, and to discuss it thoroughly between themselves, calling up collateral passages of Scripture, etc., and thoroughly ventilating the matter, and, if possible, getting each member of the class to give an expression of his thought respecting the particular matter under consideration, proceeding then to the next topic. Some of these Berean Circles have taken a year or two for the study of a single volume of SCRIPTURE STUDIES--and that to great interest and profit.* 

"Let Every Man Be Fully Persuaded in His Own Mind"
--Rom. 14:5--

All logical minds delight in reaching a decision, if possible, respecting every item of truth; and this the Apostle declares should be striven for by each member of the Church for himself--"in his own mind." It is a common mistake, however, to attempt to apply this personally good rule to a Church or to a class in Bible-study--to attempt to force all to decide on exactly the same conclusion respecting the meaning of the Lord's Word. It is proper that we should wish that all might "see eye to eye"; but it is not reasonable to expect it when we know that all are fallen from perfection, not only of body, but also of mind, and that these deflections are in various directions, as shown by the various shapes of head to be found in any gathering of people. Our various kinds and degrees of education are important factors also in assisting or hindering oneness of view.

Oh how wonderfully charitable are the wise words of That Servant when compared to the intolerance of the day!

THE ANARCHY is another thing we discuss.  We think we are in THE ANARCHY PHASE, according to the Bible and the two Star Members.  More on that later.

As for me and my family, I'm just a simple Bible student. My wife and I are basically newlyweds coming up on 5 years of marriage.  She and my daughters are new to the Truth.  My wife chose to consecrate.  The girls are typical teenagers, so they don't participate too much yet.  I hope for them to know all they can about the Bible. I hope to influence them in that way.

That's why we all meet.  During our brief time with the L.H.M.M., so often we'd hear about "consecrated Epiphany campers". And so almost as soon as we first even ask: "we'd love to hear more, please where is it in the Bible?"  - they just split the class and basically disfellowshipped us.  

All I have to do is tell this story to any person, be they Muslim or Hindu, Catholic or Jew, democrat, republican, Lutheran, you?  I think you would say "wow really this happened to you?" 

Yeah.  Like so many who have gone before.  John 16:2

Yours in Truth,

Regan