Between the period of 2004 - 2006 a certain "US Pilgrim" served local classes in America with the topic: "Incidental Features." In a recent convention held in Tulsa, OK, this same "US Pilgrim" made the comment that this talk would make a return to his discourse repertoire. This brother has misinterpreted Brother Russell's cultural and technical use of that term, and has convinced himself that many essential features
of GOD's plan like "Faith Justification" and "The Great Sacrifice for
Sin." are in today's meaning of the word "Incidental."Reason, Scripture, and Fact
Scripture - The Writings:
This "US Pilgrim" attempts to backs his claims that this information is found in the writings. Attached is an example from R4555. Also see R4137 and R4656
R4137: "...Our Lord's mission was primarily to make the great sacrifice for sin, which was the redemption price, and to secure ultimately the release of mankind from the sentence of original sin. As an incidental feature connected with the world's salvation through his sacrifice, he preached the good tidings and called for followers to walk in his steps and to be joint-sacrificers with him, and thus ultimately to be joint-heirs with him in the work of distributing the blessings and favor of God,
secured through his death..."
R4555: "... Nevertheless the divine plan does not end with the deliverance of "the Church of the firstborn whose names are written in heaven" and who shall share with Christ in "his resurrection"--the first, or chief resurrection. The appropriation of the merit of Christ first to the Church is merely an incidental feature of the Divine Plan. Soon the Church shall have shared by the privilege now granted to believers of becoming dead with Christ to the earthly interests and alive as New Creatures by the first resurrection..."
R4656: "...Their hope will be the same as that of the remainder of the world, viz., a hope of actual justification during the Millennial Age --Restitution. In other words, this matter of faith-justification is merely an incidental feature connected with the consecration to death--for the selection of this special class which is now being called. To impute justification to any except these would be greatly to their disadvantage."
Modern definitions belonging to the word "Incidental" are: (chance, accidental, untended, unintentional, unplanned). Additional definitions that should be considered from the late 1800's, early 1900's include "Natural Occurring Event", "Followed By" etc.
1 comment:
" Additional definitions that should be considered from the late 1800's, early 1900's include "Natural Occurring Event", "Followed By" etc."
Fortunately for me I read plenty of period literature before reading the works of the Pastor and understood the meaning of the word incidental in the way you pointed out. So I would say that the brother in question is a bit off base with his reasoning. I think he would benefit from a period dictionary, there are some online for free.
That is an important thing to keep in mind when reading the volumes. Language changes over time and that includes the meaning of some words. with the rapid pace of the increase of knowledge in a general sense in our time those changes also take place rapidly so that those changes are significant even over a period of just a hundred years. So one may consider obtaining a dictionary from the period, or a really comprehensive dictionary w2hich will preserve the archaic meanings for one's benefit.
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