Letter of General Interest PT. 1969 Pg. 79

Dear Bro. Jolly: Loving greetings in Jesus' name!...

...Sister was faithful to the end. Her consecration dated from some time before 1914, so it is possible that she will be given a reward in the spiritual phase of the kingdom...

Your brother by God's grace, R. E. Armstrong.

[Representative in Britain.]

How many times did the door close?

At a recent convention in Ohio, the Executive Trustee once again said that the door to the high calling closed or "Slammed shut!" more than once. Listen to the entire seven minute question and answer here. This obvious error contradicts what Pastor Russell has stated in his writings.


What Pastor Russell Said, Pages 150-51
"...We concede it reasonable to infer that the close of the favors upon fleshly Israel represent the close of the special favor of this Gospel Age, viz., the invitation to the High Calling; accordingly, our understanding is that the open' or general 'call' of this Age to Kingdom honors ceased in October, 1881. However, as already shown in Scripture Studies, we make a distinction between the end of the 'call' and the closing of the 'door;' and believe that the open' or general 'call' of this Age to Kingdom honors ceased in October, 1881. However, as already shown in Scripture Studies, we make a distinction between the end of the "call" and the closing of the 'door;' and believe that the door into the Kingdom class is not yet closed; that it stands ajar for a time, to permit those who had already accepted the 'call' and who fail to use its privileges and opportunities in self-sacrifice to be thrust out, and to permit others to enter to take their crowns, in harmony with (Rev. 3:11). The present time, therefore, from 1881 until the door of opportunity for sacrifice in the Lord's service shall fully close, is a period of 'sifting' as respects all who are already in Divine favor, in covenant relationship with God."

"This, we trust, makes plain the answer to your question, proving that some not previously consecrated will, in the eleventh hour, be admitted to the vineyard labors and to the rewards of the faithful, after the open call ceased, and before the 'door' closes."
Of the many references available, we recommend Scripture Studies, Vol. 3, chap. 6, as well as the following WT reprints: 2676, 2901, 4842, 5407, and 5523.

The Error Continues Part Two - The Denial of the 1914 Date

PT 1951 p. 135, C1

"Thus the material was all ready, initially, for the Epiphany temple by the Fall of 1914; and, as Bro. Johnson indicates in E Vol. 11, p. 493, the work of building the Epiphany tabernacle, or temple (frequently used interchangeably—. E Vol. 8, p. 623), 'had its beginning in the call of the Youthful Worthies from 1914 onward.' Hence we are warranted in beginning the time of the laying of the foundations of the Epiphany temple in the Fall of 1914."

PT 1951 p. 135, C2

"As already seen (in the third and fourth preceding pars.), the work of building the Epiphany temple had its first beginnings in the Fall of 1914 with the call of the Youthful Worthies. The Youthful Worthies will all be appointed by Oct. 1954, after which no more Youthful Worthies will be won (E Vol. 10, p. 114; P '51, p. 90),..."

PT 1959 p. 56, C1

"These other leaders could not see, e.g., that a great step of progress in connection with the antitypical Tabernacle had set in—that beginning in the Fall of 1914 in the call of the Youthful Worthies as a class, God was building the Epiphany Tabernacle Court as distinct from the Holy..."

The above references show that PT 2006, p. 21, col. 2, p. 22, col. 1. denies the 1914 date.

E-5 p.42 Par. 40

(40) "The Present Truth and Herald of Christ's Epiphany stands squarely and sincerely for the Parousia Truth, as basic for all further development of the Truth. Thus it heartily embraces the system of which is presented in the writings of our beloved Pastor, as well as holds to its principles and spirit. Whenever he gives two or more harmonious views of a Scriptural passage or doctrine, we accept all; whenever, as in a few instances in the great system of Truth which he presented, these cannot be harmonized, we accept the latest expressions:"

Bro. Johnson's early and later expressions on the subject are congruent:

PT 1947 p.51

"The Youthful Worthies as individuals have been developing since in 1881 the general call ceased, and as a class since the last Little Flock member was won in 1914."

See PT 1927 pages 129-130

PT 1949 p.156, C1

"Another wonderful happening of these past years is the many consecrators who are given the privilege of Youthful Worthiship. While there were Youthful Worthies from 1881 to 1914, i.e., in the case of those for whom no crowns were then available, since 1914 all new consecrators are of this class; because by Oct. 1914 all crowns were filled to completion. Grandly is this class coming to the front; and its members give evidence of acceptableness to the Lord as Youthful Worthies."

The Error Continues Part One - The Denial of the 1914 Date

The current Executive Trustee asked a basic Epiphany question followed by a misleading question in the Summer 2006 Present Truth magazine: "What is the correct date for the beginning of the Youthful Worthy call? Why are there differing views on it, 1878 or 1881?"

Where in our writings was 1878 or 1881 ever a consideration for the Youthful Worthy call? The 1878-1881 dates are misleading because his question deliberately ignores the correct date of 1914 (the date that has always been recognized by God's appointed leaders).

How are we as Epiphany Bible Students suppose to answer his question with two incorrect answers: 1878 and 1881?

He claims that both dates are given. Yet, in reality, he only accepts one.

Part two coming tomorrow...

Subtle Error "present view" Introduced - Part Two

The 2004 article then introduces two new sentences not found in the 1978 version. The first sentence completes the condition of the Great Company, while the second brings in the “present view” of the Youthful Worthies: “The Great Company has finished its course and has now received the spirit nature (Rev. 7: 1-14). The Youthful Worthies, as the last elect class, has been in the process of development since their inception in 1878 (see E4, The Epiphany's Elect, pp. 372-376; PT No. 519).”

There are some important questions that we need to ask ourselves. Was Bro. Johnson unable to hold a consistent thought within the same book (E4)? Did he express two dates for one event? We know this to not be the case when we look at the other pages such as 23, 39, 318, 327, 339, 405, 419, 426, 437, 440, 462 and 469.

The position of Executive Trustee is purely a business office only. Please see PT QB, pages 314 - 322.

Did Brother Jolly's election as Executive Trustee of the LHMM confer on him any powers aside from those of a business office, such as pastor, teacher, interpreter, pilgrim, etc.? No.

Are there any Scriptural indications that the leader of the good Levites is likewise the leader of the Great Company as a whole? Yes, there are several. Is there any Scriptural support for the current Executive Trustee as being our leader? No. There is no indication of any leader as now defined by the Executive Trustee.

Is the Executive Trustee of the LHMM as such authorized to bring forth advancing Truth? No. There was a difference between Bro. Jolly's office as the Lord's executive and as Executive Trustee of the LHMM? As taught, the office of the Executive Trustee of the LHMM is a much lower office, being merely a business office, to which they were elected by the brethren.

The brethren in America want the current Executive Trustee to do his job, refrain from rewriting cleansed truth, handle the business affairs of the LHMM, and keep the Parousia and Epiphany Truth in its purity.This is the truth on the matter.

Subtle Error "present view" Introduced - Part One

The current Executive Trustee’s “present view” of the dates for the existence of the Youthful Worthies is what caused the split in America. This was first expressed in print with his modification of the first paragraph of Bro. Jolly’s 1978 PT Quasi-Elect article in his 2004 version (both shown above).

Two years later, on p.18 of PT. 2006, he attempts to take the attention off of himself and place it on a Pilgrim and an Auxiliary Pilgrim in the US.

The Auxiliary Pilgrim seeded questions at a convention to create the controversy knowing the Pilgrim would defend the Truth. The Pilgrim, who did defend the Truth date as always known (1881) was later dismissed. "We have been going through a short period where some brothers at various conventions, in discourses, or while leading question meetings, have expressed the answer to these questions differently; one brother has said 1878 while another 1881..."

The "short period" was from June 2004-2006. Up to 2004, this thought of 1878 as the beginning of the Youthful Worthies was never taught from the platform or by the Spirit Begotten leaders. Epiphany Bible Students in America began to ask questions at conventions about the changes in the 2004 version of Bro. Jolly's 1978 PT Quasi-Elect article. The changes may have been introduced in order to pave the way for the "present view" error brought out in 2006. During this time many Pilgrims, Evangelists and local classes were suspended, ignored, or set aside.

Comparing the 1978 article to the 2004 article.

In the first sentence, he replaces “additional light” with “considerable light” and thereby loses the meaning of adding to or building upon existing truth. This subtle alteration of meaning is confirmed with the replacement of “with a number of important additions” to “with few changes to reflect our present view” at the end of the sentence. In the 1978 article, the rest of the first paragraph is a single sentence listing a sequence of events (A, B, C). The 2004 article keeps items A and B, but completely replaces Bro. Jolly’s item C with something new.

• 1978—“(c) the last two classes of the elect—the Great Company (Rev. 7: 14) and the Youthful Worthies, who constitute the antitypical Court of the Epiphany Tabernacle or Temple in the finished picture—have as classes been in the process of development (see E 4, The Epiphany's Elect; PT No. 519).”
• 2004—“(c) the antitypical Court of the Epiphany Tabernacle and Temple has been occupied by the Great Company and Youthful Worthies while in the flesh and is now inhabited solely by the Youthful Worthies.”

The 1978 version shows BOTH the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies developing AS CLASSES (not individuals) in the Epiphany. The 2004 version loses this parallel meaning completely. Even if one of the two classes is no longer in the flesh today, the 1978 item C is still grammatically accurate. Why the change? Notice how the development of the Youthful Worthies has been disassociated with the Great Company in item C and given its own focus in the second sentence. The parallel has been removed, the E 4 reference modified, and a date not previously used is brought into play. The 2004 version does, in fact, change the truth instead of adding to it.

True information about the split not given to brethren in foreign countries!

Brethren in foreign countries have been mislead especially by a certain Auxiliary Pilgrim Brother from New Jersey as to what really caused the split in America. Perhaps the Executive Trustee doesn't want the foreign brethren to know that his error and attitude, along with clerical acts by some of his relatives and partisan supporters in local classes, have split the movement down the middle and includes brethren from classes in California, the Midwest, Canada, and Northeastern and Southeastern states.

Part two to appear on Sunday. See also Changes vs. Additions to Truth posted on 11/29/08

New Consecrators No Longer Called for High Calling Purposes after 1914

PT. 1959 Pg. 59: We called special attention to Bro. Johnson's explanation in E Vol. 11, p. 472, where he shows that the work of Jesus as God's Executive in inviting new consecrators for High Calling purposes ceased by Oct. 1914, but that thereafter "With a changed purpose [emphasis ours] He [Jesus] still invites the justified to consecrate as Youthful Worthies."