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Faith on the March
A.H. Macmillan
Copyright 1957
| CHAPTER 9
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| JEHOVAH CHOOSES AND CLEANSES HIS CHANNEL
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| PAGE 122
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JF. RUTHERFORD'S interest after leaving the penitentiary was to get the Society back on its feet and intensify the preaching work. But he had another purpose. Before he left Atlanta he had determined to rid the organization of creature worship. This he set about to do, and struck deep at the shackles still binding us to false forms of worship. That is why I think I should digress from my historical account for just a little to show you the change in attitude that has taken place with Jehovah's witnesses as regards the channel God is using to disseminate his truth. C. T. Russell had grown up with the Society. In fact, during his lifetime he was the Society. However, I would not want you to think he magnified his own importance. He did not. He appreciated to the full the responsibility that he had, but took no credit to himself for his position or the results of this work. Still it is quite reasonable that those associated
with him would drift into the attitude they did relative to his position. My own experience was similar to many others. On one occasion when I was quite young, as I remember, I went into Russell's study, looked around and said: "Brother Russell, those things that you explain in The Watch Tower and the literature are so wonderful; it seems to me no man could figure them out. Are you ever visited by angels here in your study to explain these things to you?" He looked a little curious and rather amused, and said, "No no, brother, everything necessary for us to know is in the Bible." He put his hand on his Bible. "I'm a student of prophecy, but not a prophet. God is blessing our efforts now and unfolding these truths as they are due to be understood. And as we continue to study and work, the light will increase and grow brighter." That settled my mind, of course; but I still had that lurking suspicion that perhaps he had dreams or visions of some kind.
| RUSSELL VIEWED AS THE CHANNEL
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You are well aware of how most people view the leaders in their religious organization. The religions with which all of us had been associated had so thoroughly trained us to look up to individuals, we didn't really at that time think of divorcing ourselves from such an attitude. Some would occasionally say to Russell: "Brother Russell, we wish we knew as much about God's Word as you do." He would reply: "If you do not know as much about it as I do, it is your own fault, because everything I know I put into print for you to read. I may know it a little sooner than you do, but sooner or later you'll get the same information. You must keep on studying." That was his view. His effort to minister and be of service to those associated with him in the work was tireless. That is one of my lasting
impressions of the man. When I talked to Russell at the assembly in Cleveland in 1901 and he invited me to make my home at Bethel, I readily accepted his invitation and returned to Allegheny with him that night by train. Russell had given three talks that Sunday. He had spoken in the morning with the conventioneers, in the afternoon he had delivered his public lecture, and at night a sort of parting message to the assembly. In those days public meetings would sometimes last two hours. When we got on the train the car was full of returning conventioneers. It was brightly illuminated and everyone was talking and laughing and I could see Russell was quite tired. At about 12:30, getting on to one o'clock, I went up to where he was seated in a double seat and said, "Brother Russell, you must be very tired after this strenuous day's work and the number of people that have been visiting with you here since we got on the train. Now the next car ahead of us is a sleeping car and there's a lower berth there with fresh clean linen all ready for you to slip into and lie down. Why don't you go in and rest tonight?" "No, brother, I'd rather stay with the friends here, thank you. It's very thoughtful of you, but I just want to stay with the friends. If the friends must stay up all night, so shall I." That made a lasting impression on my mind. Here was a great man, as I viewed him--serving Almighty God in a way that nobody else on earth was serving him at that time, and yet he was so anxious to minister to those who were looking for information about God that he was willing to work hard all day and then sit up all night if necessary giving more detailed instruction to those who were feeling after God if happily they might find him. Others were impressed in the same way. So, while Russell himself would never elevate his position in relation to the rest of us, it was an easy matter for us to conclude that he was a special servant. We found two places in the Hebrew Scriptures and two
places in the Christian Greek Scriptures that seemed to support the thought that Russell personally was the channel the Lord was using to dispense his truths. Russell did not think it so, but most of the rest of us did; and if any envied that he was that special servant we looked at him a little askance and thought he was not fully in accord with our work and did not understand matters properly.
One of those texts was in Ezekiel1 where it speaks of the man with the ink horn, clothed in linen, marking the foreheads of the people. That certainly pictured a work, but it was not, as we later saw, an individual's work.
Then we found at Zechariah the passage Jesus quoted the night before he was hanged on the tree,2 "I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered." That was all Jesus quoted but we looked up the text and its context also, that said,3 "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones." Well, that man who was his fellow, we argued, must be Russell. We thought he might be smitten too, and the Lord would put his power over the little ones so they would not be scattered as they were in the case of Jesus' death.
In the Christian Greek Scriptures we would turn to Matthew 24:45-47 where Jesus speaks of his "faithful and wise servant" whom he would appoint over all his goods. We felt certain this must refer to the work Russell was doing. Then we also applied Revelation 19:10 literally to Russell.
If it had not been for his own sincere, conscientious attitude toward the work he was doing, you can imagine how easily he might have been encouraged to take advantage of the reliance on him and seek to establish himself as an infallible guide to the Scriptures. His attitude to the last was just the opposite--self-effacing.
| page 126
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| RUSSELL VIEWS THE SOCIETY AS THE CHANNEL
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Russell never claimed he was the channel the Lord was using to dispense his truths. He maintained that he was only the servant who was working in the channel at the time. He did not want to think or state that he alone was the servant, or that he was a special servant above everybody else, but rather that he was the one occupying a position in the channel together with others. [he often pointed out that if the one responsible for the work should prove unfaithful, he would immediately be set aside and somebody else put in his place. If a man ever thought he was the author of this truth, just that quickly he would cease to be a servant. The truth is Jehovah's, and his servants were used to give it out to others.
From the beginning of the organization of the Society this was Russell's thought. In announcing the application of the Society for a charter, he wrote in Zion's Watch Tower, as it was then called, in the issue of October, 1884: 4
It seems tolerably certain that some of the saints will be in the flesh during a great part at least of the "time of trouble"; and if so, there will be need of printed matter, tracts, etc., as much then, perhaps, as now, and possibly will be more needed; for when the judgments of the Lord are "in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness." (Isaiah 26:9) Should those at present prominently identified with the work not be the last to be "changed, "[undoubtedly referring to himself] some interruption of the work might result; but this may be obviated by having a legal standing, granted by a State charter.
Russell here clearly indicated that it was his thought that the Society, as organized in an orderly manner, would carry on the work he had begun. Often when he was asked, Who is that faithful and wise servants Russell would reply: "Some say I am; while others say the Society is." Both statements were true; Russell was in fact the Society (in a most absolute
sense), in that he directed the policy and course of the Society. He
sometimes sought advice of others connected with the Society, listened
to their suggestions, and then decided according to his best judgment
what he believed the Lord would have him do.
Commenting on this parable of the "faithful and wise servant," he wrote in Zion's Watch Tower in 1904: 5
The implication seems to be that when the right time should come for
understanding the parable, it would be clearly set forth: that at the
time of the parable's fulfillment the Lord would appoint a servant in
the household to bring these matters to the attention of all the
servants, and that certain responsibilities would rest upon such a one
respecting the dispatch of his duties. If faithfully performed, a great
blessing would be his reward; and if unfaithful to his charge, severe
penalties would be inflicted. The implication would be also that if
faithful the servant would be continued in his service, and if
unfaithful he would be dismissed and another take the position and its
responsibilities.
| THE FAITHFUL AND WISE SERVANT IDENTIFIED
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The belief of some of us, that Russell was the channel, led us to think
that when he died the work must be be finished. But when it became
evident that the work was only beginning, then someone had to carry on
in his place. I have already told you about the selfish ambition for
personal advancement that a few in the organization manifested and the
sifting that took place then in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. The rift
that developed helped us to realize that the clearness of our vision on
this point must be lacking. Further careful study along these lines
brought a number of truths to light and revealed to us that our attitude
toward individuals was not pleasing to the Lord.
Rutherford, having seen the disastrous results of elevating
an individual, refused to have anyone look up to him as either the pastor or channel, or the one who was to bring the truths to the people as an individual. As early as 1923 he reminded us that it was the Society as an organization that was responsible for carrying forward the work. He pointed out: 6
The word Society as used herein is a generic term applied to the body of consecrated, anointed Christians throughout the world engaged in the work of representing the King and the King's interests on earth. It is an organization for the purpose of doing the Lord's work in an orderly way. This organization has its officers, elected in an orderly manner. The officers are not the Society, but are servants of the Society. Should every individual now in the Society prove disloyal, the Lord could put others into their places, and still the Society would exist and continue his work. Let us be wise enough to make the distinction between office and individual. All the individual members of the Society may make mistakes, being imperfect, but that would not mean that the Lord would cast off his organization and go about doing his work in a disorganized manner.
Later, in 1931, at London, England, Rutherford gave a talk on the ninth chapter of Ezekiel, proving from the Scriptures that the man with the ink horn was not an individual.7 He pointed out that the other six men in that picture were not individuals but represented Jehovah's invisible heavenly forces that he would use to destroy Satan's organization, including false religion, at Armageddon. Now there were six of those men with slaughter weapons and one man with the ink horn. If the six were symbolic of a group, then the man with the ink horn must likewise picture a group or an organization. So he concluded that the "faithful and wise servant" could not be an individual, such as C. T. Russell, but was a class of persons made up of those faithful Christians anointed with God's holy spirit who were sharing in the commission to preach "this good news of the kingdom."
| page 129
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| ONE ORGANIZATION IS MADE RESPONSIBLE
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All associated with the organization were enthusiastic in their reception of this understanding, and as time went on it became even more fully established. In Isaiah 43:10-12 (American Standard Version), it says, "Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and my servant." Although a number of witnesses are indicated, the term "servant" is in the singular. "My servants whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he." (Italics mine.) It can readily be seen that that servant is made up of many witnesses. We realized then that the chosen servant of Matthew 24:45-47 could not apply to one man, but must represent a group of faithful Christians eating the same spiritual food at the same spiritual table and all, according to Jesus' own promise, being served by him at the time of his return.8
It is true that in his dealings with mankind in times past Jehovah sent his truth to the people in various ways, often through individuals. Some came through Enoch and some through Noah as well as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; but a great flood of revelations came through the channel of the nation of Israel in the days of Moses while the truth was being unfolded. Later on came the prophets and then God's own Son through whom all of his Word is now spoken.9 Since Jesus established the early congregation there is no indication that Jehovah would especially select an individual as set apart from others. The Scriptures show clearly that he would use a visible or physical channel which Jesus called a "faithful and wise servant," whom he said he would appoint over all his "goods" or earthly interests of his Kingdom. This means there would be just one organization authorized to dispense the good news to others. So, while some head ship must be exercised and Rutherford was readily accepted in that capacity, still it is the entire organization that has the responsibility,
not just one man or even a small group of men at the head of the organization.
This advancing view of the channel and the proper place of individuals in the Society was a great blessing to us. It was also a source of assurance that Jehovah's purpose was to maintain his own organization and keep it clean. This was because God had put his name on his organization. That knowledge made us all the more aware of our own individual responsibilities, because we knew now more than ever that if any of us would not keep ourselves in line with Jehovah's righteous requirements, he would send his angels to gather us out of the organization.10 And since the prophecies had so clearly foretold that only one united group would be used as a composite "servant," it meant that all other organizations would be called up for an accounting.
| SINCERITY ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH
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This may be difficult for you to understand. Perhaps you've always been taught that sincerity is enough. But just being sincere doesn't teach us what God's will is, does it? So no matter how "sincere" we may be or think we are, if we are associated with an organization that is not actually doing God's will, then how can we expect God to approve us? Paul said at I Corinthians 4:4 (Revised Standard Version), "I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me."
Some time ago in my house-to-house preaching I met a man who raised these very objections. He said: "One thing that I can't understand or agree on with you people is your coming to the doors of regular church members like me. I have no objection to your practicing your own religion, but I have been a member of my church as long as I can remember. My parents belonged to the same church and I expect to
die in this faith. So why should I be interested in changing?" "My calling at your door is not an evidence of doubt as to your sincerity," I replied. "If I thought there were no sincere people other than Jehovah's witnesses why would I even bother to go from door to door? But belonging to an organization is not enough to gain salvation." "I know that," he answered; "that's what my church teaches. If I don't practice my religion, I can't expect to be saved." "But the matter goes deeper than that. I've been a minister for over fifty years and at one time or another I have talked to people from just about every religion there is, I suppose. And I've learned something first-hand that you will no doubt be willing to admit. It is that in all religions there are some, perhaps even many, who do not practice their religion sincerely. Most of them don't even know too clearly what their church teaches. Isn't that true?" "Yes, but it's their own fault and they're the ones that will suffer for it. You don't think that God is going to condemn a religion just because some who are associated with it are insincere, do you?" "It really isn't what you or I think about it that counts, is it? But what God himself thinks or has said he will do. Religious organizations are like nations, they are made up of people. No nation can be morally stronger or healthier than its nationals. If the ones making up that society are not individually righteous, the entire nation will be rotten to the core." "I'm not sure I altogether agree with that conclusion," the church member stoutly contradicted. "God does not condemn the righteous with the wicked. I believe the sincere few will save the organization." "Perhaps for a time," I agreed, "but sooner or later a time of accounting for the entire organization will come. There is an excellent example of this in the Bible you know."
"What is it?"
"It is that of the ancient commonwealth of Israel; the historical account of its birth as a nation, its entry and occupation of God- assigned territory and its rise to prominence in the ancient world."
"But how do we know that it is an example to us today?"
"Because the apostle Paul said that it was. In fact, he was speaking about the division that had already begun in the early Christian congregation and then he mentioned the various causes for deflection in the formative years of Israel and said: 'Now these things went on befalling them as examples and they were written for a warning to us upon whom the accomplished ends of the systems of things have arrived.'11 Are you familiar with that account of Moses and the Israelites in the wilderness?"
"I remember reading about it in Sunday school. That was some time ago," he admitted.
"Then suppose we refresh our memories along the line of this point of national salvation?"
| INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY DEMONSTRATED
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"When the Israelites were slaves in Egypt and Jehovah God sent Moses as his servant to deliver them, they left Egypt en masse. They went out by entire families, taking with them even people of the land who manifested interest in their God. It was not difficult for them to go, viewing the matter in one way, because there was some strength in their great multitude. Since it is believed there were at least two million people in that exodus, it can be seen that it would be much easier for a member of a family to go along than to remain behind."
"It's always easier to go along with the crowd."
"That's the point. But they all didn't go out with full faith
in the delivering arm of Jehovah. That was soon clearly demonstrated. Before they had reached the Red Sea some began to complain and show fear. After they were again miraculously delivered and had witnessed the destruction of Pharaoh's pursuing army in the sea, they still failed to maintain unbroken solidarity in worship. They flagrantly flouted the simple requirements of Jehovah and brought on themselves a speedy purge that God commanded Moses and a few faithful followers to execute. "Again, in spite of these experiences, the nation balked when the way of entry into the land of promise lay open to them. Again they demonstrated lack of faith and displayed fear instead. For this evidence of spiritual rottenness Jehovah required them to wander in the wilderness for forty years. All of those, with a few exceptions, who had been over twenty on leaving Egypt soon died by the way and were left literally to rot in the desert. Now that the spiritual strength of the nation was thus renewed it was permitted to enter and occupy the land. Aside from the second generation of those leaving Egypt, only a carefully selected faithful few were permitted to attain what all had sought through the Exodus."
| SPARED FOR GOD'S NAME'S SAKE
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"But the nation was delivered in spite of the fact that most of them died." "Yes, the nation was delivered, but not because of the few who remained faithful. Moses warned the small remnant of survivors and the new generation of this in a discourse he made to them just before they entered the land. He said, 'It was not because of your being the most populous of all the peoples that Jehovah showed affection for you so that he chose you, for you were the least of all the peoples. But it
was because of Jehovah's loving you and because of his keeping the sworn statement that he had sworn to your forefathers that Jehovah brought you out with a strong hand, that he might redeem you from the house of slaves, from the hand of Pharaoh the king of Egypt. And you well know that Jehovah your God . . . will not hesitate toward the one who hates him. He will repay him to his face.'12 In the Psalms it shows further why God preserved the Israelites. It says, 'Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.'"13
"What you are saying is that God saved them only because of his promise to their forefathers and because he had put his name on them."
"That's right; the Bible says that."
"Then you believe that if the organization does not have God's name it will not be spared for the sake of those in it who may be faithful or sincere?"
"Yes, that's my point. You see, true worship is an individual matter. 'Following the crowd' or the 'family religion' did not bring salvation to those of Israel. And even the few faithful ones did not save the nation, even though God had put his name on it. Eventually, because of the extent of their apostasy in the days of Jesus, the nation was completely rejected and God withdrew his name from it. Then A.D. 70 the nation was destroyed by the Romans, and only a small remnant of those who clung to Judaism escaped. But even these were not shown favor. Until just a few years ago the nation has not been in existence, but even now modern Israel admittedly has not returned to the government of the Mosaic Law Covenant. Only those, in Jesus' day, who completely separated themselves from the traditions of the Jewish apostasy were preserved by God. It was to these that he demonstrated a new way of life and later they were joined by faithful persons from many other nations on an equal footing in the Christian congregation."
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| APOSTASY BEGAN IN THE EARLY CONGREGATION
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"Well I think I can agree with what you've said; but, of course, I believe that God has put his name on my church. It has survived all these centuries, and yours has only come up in the last generation. Why should I believe that you are right? Doesn't the Bible say that false prophets will arise?"
"Yes it does. But the fact that a religion has survived for centuries does not of itself make that religion true. Already in the days of the early congregation the apostasy had begun. The apostle Paul called this to the attention of the Corinthians in his first letter and warned them against the divisions that had begun to arise in the congregation over doctrine.14 Even before that he had cautioned the Galatians about being drawn away by another good news that was being preached and reminded them that 'a little yeast ferments the whole lump.' It seems that even after the governing body had settled the question of circumcision, some were still resisting and trying to establish a teaching of their own.15 Still later Paul wrote Timothy a warning against two men who were teaching a false doctrine about the resurrection and he pointed out their false teaching 'will spread like gangrene.'16
"Then Paul wrote a letter about this to the Thessalonians. This was the second letter he had written, because in the first he had been discussing the second coming of Christ and some had read into his words that Jesus' presence was imminent. So he wrote to them to correct that false impression and said: 'Let no one seduce you in any manner, because it will not come unless the falling away comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed.' Then he added these words: 'True, the mystery of this lawlessness is already at work.'17
"So Paul pointed out clearly that false doctrine was already beginning to work corruption within the organization and as a sort of farewell warning to the overseers of the congregation at Ephesus he said: 'I know that after my going away
oppressive wolves will enter in among you and will not treat the flock with tenderness, and from among yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore keep awake.'18
"You see, Paul did not believe the falling away or the arising of false prophets would wait until the last days. He showed it had already begun. Apparently by the end of the first century some had already begun to teach that Jesus was part God while on earth because John, just before he died, wrote: 'Many deceivers have gone forth into the world, persons not confessing Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.'19
"Now the conclusion of the matter is this. Jehovah God does not change in principle. He has no more reason now to approve a religion indiscriminately of its adherents than he did centuries ago in the wilderness of Sinai. Jehovah's witnesses do not believe that he will do so."
| BEING SURE OF THE RIGHT RELIGION
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"Then what do you think is the answer?"
"Jehovah's witnesses believe that the truths that have been lost through the centuries are now being restored to all kinds of people. They believe these people are being 'called . . . out of darkness into his wonderful light,' and are being associated together in an organization dedicated to God's service.20 The only way we can be sure of our doctrine is to test it thoroughly by going to the Bible itself. Those of the early congregation did. They did not leave it to someone else do for them. They made sure of all the things they believed, and they were approved by God.21 That is what Jehovah's witnesses have done, too. That is why we believe we have the truth and why we call at the homes of people of all faiths," I concluded.
Have you been told that Jehovah's witnesses are narrow and bigoted for having these views? Before you make up your own mind on the matter, remember this: Jesus and all of his disciples of the first century were sure they had the right religion. They were so sure of it they were willing to oppose all the popular and so-called orthodox views of the day.22 They were willing to persist in this course even to the point where they sacrificed their lives for it.23
We all live in the same world community. Therefore we should examine one another's religions even if only for the purpose of understanding our neighbors better. Besides, we should examine our own religion from time to time. The apostle Paul said: 24 "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith."
To condemn a religion only because it claims to be the right one is to deny God's promise to have only "one way" and is to condemn Jesus himself who said, 25 "I am the way." True, many religions claim to be "Christian" and therefore following that "one way," but remember, Jesus said also: 26 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Italics mine)
Jehovah God does not have any contradictory "wills." He communicates with us through one Word, the Bible. But he does not reveal his purposes separately to each individual. His one will is expressed through one channel that he himself has built up. No man can claim any credit for it. No man or group of men could accomplish its work without God's spirit. That makes it God's work.
But how does God express himself through his channel? Isn't it just a matter of interpretation of the Bible? Perhaps we'd better settle those questions, too, before I describe to you the growing pains of the new-born New World society.
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