Standing is defined in the American Heritage Dictionary as the status with respect to rank, reputation, or position in society or a profession. In PT July-August 1961, Bro. Jolly applies this definition in the same fashion to the opening of two NEW classes.The purpose of this blog is to draw us closer as Bible students and to encourage us to carefully examine what is said in word and print. Do the things we speak and write with regards to the truth harmonize with His Holy word?--"The Truth never fears cross examination."
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
A new standing or an old standing?
Standing is defined in the American Heritage Dictionary as the status with respect to rank, reputation, or position in society or a profession. In PT July-August 1961, Bro. Jolly applies this definition in the same fashion to the opening of two NEW classes.Saturday, November 29, 2008
Changes vs. Additions to Truth
The First Sentence
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.
A, Then B, Then C
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.”
Notice how 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?
The Error Introduced
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 E 4, The Epiphany's Elect, pp. 372-376; PT No. 519).”
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.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Developed as classes at the same time.
If the Great Company was not a class before the Epiphany (a truth not yet changed by the current Executive Trustee), how could the Youthful Worthies be a class before then? The above reference aligns their development as classes during the same time period.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
As Respects The Youthful Worthies
Not only were both the Youthful Worthies and the Great Company developed AS CLASSES in the Epiphany, but the call for the Youthful Worthies began then too.
Friday, November 14, 2008
What was the special Parousia and Epiphany work?
Luke 12:37: Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.Saturday, November 8, 2008
The Transitional Period
Question Book, Page 500 (1943): "First of all, we must remember that there are three time sets of antitypical Levites: (1) the Gospel Age Levites, i.e., the tentatively justified Levites: (2) The Epiphany Levites, i.e., the vitalizedly justified Levites, i.e., the Great Company and the tentatively justified Levites, i.e., the Youthful Worthies; and (3) the Millennial and post-Millennial Age Levites, i.e., the Ancient Worthies, the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies."
In E. Vol. 4, p. 322 Bro. Johnson states that “During the Transitional Period [the Epiphany] those Levites, the tentatively justified, who will not consecrate lose their tentative justification, i.e., cease to be tentative Levites and are put out of the Court.”
Monday, October 27, 2008
Antitypical Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah: In Time of Producing Their Children
PT 1973, P. 44: "(1) antitypical Sarah was active from Jordan until The Christ left the world; (2) antitypical Rachel, the same period for The Christ, and for the Great Company as individuals, from shortly after Pentecost onward, and as a class from Nov. 25, 1916—Jan. 14, 1917 onward until the Great Company leaves the world; (3) antitypical Hannah, the same periods for The Christ and the Great Company respectively and for the Youthful Worthies as individuals from Oct 1881 onward to Sept. 16, 1914, and as a class from Sept. 16, 1914 onward until they leave the world finally."Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Conditions Among Truth Brethren
Please note the order of events as listed in the Fifty-Ninth Annual Report as to when the Youthful Worthies are developed as a class.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Promised Epiphany Truth
If there were Youthful Worthy individuals between 1878-81 or a Youthful Worthy class from 1881-1914 (as stated by the current Executive Trustee), why would the above reference not mention either of them?
Sunday, October 19, 2008
What is the correct date for the beginning of the Youthful Worthy Call?
PT 1951, p. 135, col., 1"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."
"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),..."
"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..."
Friday, October 10, 2008
Non-Essential Clauses?
This blog has helped to clarify the obvious meaning of the Ruth picture in E4 (see previous entries). Yet, some still attempt to prop up the Executive Trustee’s “present view” by the misapplication of portions of the antitype of Esther, specifically page 284 of E10: “After leaving the nominal church as Youthful Worthies, from 1878 onward, and coming into the Truth, these were as a class taken by Bro. Russell as a symbolic daughter.”Clearly, we can see that there were only Youthful Worthy individuals from 1881 onward and a Youthful Worthy class from 1914 onward. Additional proof is shown also in E10 on pages iii, 209, 210, 250, 285, 658-659. See also the previous blog entry on Esther.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Who is the present day leader of God's People?
Rev. 17:14 "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful." Sunday, September 14, 2008
Complete Assurance of Spirit-Begettal
BS, August 1952, Page 68--"But how can one who has not experienced Spirit-begettal tell the difference between it and the witness of the Spirit which is granted in the case of the prospective Youthful Worthies? The latter is in many respects very similar to the former (see Christ-Spirit-Covenants, Chap. X). It may help us to appreciate the matter better if we bear in mind that ever since 1881 there has been no assurance of Spirit-begettal (F 156; see The Epiphany's Elect, pp. 419, 437)."
If there were fully-consecrated Youthful Worthies between 1878-1881, based on the "present view" of the Executive Trustee, then the above quote is incorrect. Everyone before 1881 had that assurance of Spirit-begettal, so there were no Youthful Worthies before that time (there were tentatively justified ones on their journey to full consecration).
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
What roll do the Youthful Worthies have in this attestatorial service?
(42) The Great Company, as already shown, are typed in the maid child and its mother in Lev. 12; additionally, the mother's bringing her offering at the end of the 80 days in attestation of her purification having been accomplished, types the Great Company engaging in a special public work, toward Jews and Gentiles, for Epiphany Camp purposes, from the Fall of 1954 onward, in attestation of their purification having been accomplished, whereas the Youthful Worthies are not so pictured, though they are special assistants of the cleansed Great Company in this work, and may, following the directions of the Great Company, accomplish most of it, including especially its last phases, after the Great Company shall have left the earth. It is "the Great Company's attestatorial service" (P '54, pp. 54-59; '56, pp. 90-94). In E Vol. 4, p. 31 Bro. Johnson indicates from certain Scriptures that the Great Company "will have an exceedingly fruitful ministry when they as Jesus' agents gather the people into the camp condition of the Epiphany (Num. 8: 9)," and that this will be done by "the Great Company's message."
(43) Similarly, the Great Company has, according to Cant. 5: 8—6: l, been given the privilege of proclaiming the message to Fleshly Israel that in due time will result in their conversion. Bro. Johnson states that the Great Company's "preaching to Israel is described in vs. 10-16; and Israel's conversion in 6: 1. . . . In converting Israel through preaching the Word to them, the Great Company will be bringing a meat offering to the Lord in righteousness" (E Vol. 5, p. 421). Note that Bro. Johnson does not include the Youthful Worthies here, for Cant. 5: 8—6: 1 shows that this is the Great Company's work; however, the Youthful Worthies are the chief assistants of the cleansed Great Company in this work.
(44) Furthermore, the Great Company doing their clean work toward the public are typed by Miriam in her journeying with the people (Num. 12: 15), whereas the Youthful Worthies are not thus typed. Bro. Johnson writes, "Miriam's joining the people in journeying types the Great Company, especially in its leaders, doing the clean work that will be theirs after their cleansing—building the Epiphany Camp, first, from among the nominal-church believers after the nominal church is destroyed and, second, from among Fleshly Israel after they look upon Him whom they pierced and mourn for it (Zech. 12: 10). . . . Hence in the antitype Miriam will be in the antitypical journey, among other things engaging in her work of gathering Gentile and Jewish believers into the Epiphany Camp" (E Vol. 9, p. 156; P '54, p. 59). Thus this work is "their mission" (E Vol. 11, p. 713, line 6), though the Youthful Worthies as their special assistants may accomplish most of it, especially in its last phases, after the Great Company shall have left the earth.
GREAT COMPANY GIVEN STEWARDSHIP OF TRUTH
(45) The Great Company receives certain special prerogatives as antitypical Japheth. Bro. Johnson states (P '44, p. 29, col. 1, bottom): "The Parousia and Epiphany Messengers further have taught that God would greatly increase the Great Company in numbers, work and influence (enlarge Japheth, Gen. 9: 27), give them the public mouthpieceship that the Little Flock formerly had, give them the latter's Truth (dwell in the tents of Shem)." But the Youthful Worthies are not mentioned here at all, either in the public mouthpieceship or in the stewardship of the Truth. Since the Little Flock have all been taken from the earth the oracles of God have been committed into the care of the Great Company (comp. Rom. 3: 2). Therefore, while the storehouse of knowledge was during the Parousia placed into the charge of Bro. Russell, that "faithful and wise servant" (Matt. 24: 45-47; Luke 12: 42-44), and during the Epiphany into the charge of Bro. Johnson, the one who had the wisdom of Solomon antitypically (E Vol. 10, p. 667; P '53, pp. 13, 14; '54, p. 41), since the rapture of the last star-member and last Little Flock member from the earth (E Vol. 10, pp. 142, 610, 665) the storehouse of knowledge would logically be entrusted to the care of the next highest class of God's consecrated people, i.e., the Great Company.
(46) The Great Company (in the Good Levite group) as antitypical Benjamin receive the antitypical 300 pieces of silver, "the fullness of Truth for Great Company and Youthful Worthy matters" (Gen. 45: 22; E Vol. 10, p. 651; comp. P '56, pp. 29, 66, par. 2), whereas, as already shown, the Youthful Worthies are not included in antitypical Benjamin. Hence the Youthful Worthies should know where to look for "the fullness of Truth"—they will obtain it from the antitypical Benjamin class only, and not from any alleged "little Jesus" or other would-be leader of the Great Company and Youthful Worthies that may arise from their own midst. Since the fullness of Truth is given to the Great Company, antitypical Benjamin, for Great Company matters and also for Youthful Worthy matters, there is no room for a Youthful Worthy to truthfully claim either that he has the Truth Divinely given into his charge to dispense to the Great Company, or (while the Great Company is still in the flesh) that he has the Truth Divinely given into his charge to dispense to, the Youthful Worthies.
(47) Additionally, the Great Company (in the Good Levite group) as antitypical Benjamin receive the antitypical five changes of raiment, the "five sets of authorizations, with their pertinent qualities" (Gen. 45: 22; E Vol. 10, p. 651). These five sets of authorizations the Great Company receive seem clearly to represent their spheres of authority in service, i.e., toward (1) the Great Company, (2) the Youthful Worthies, (3) the Consecrated Epiphany Campers, (4) "the loyal tentatively justified" for the Epiphany Camp particularly, and (5) the "loyal Jews for the Epiphany Camp" (E Vol. 10, p. 649; P '59, pp. 37-41). Thus the Great Company are given the sphere of authority in service over the Youthful Worthies, and not vice versa.
ANTITYPICAL HIRAM: BROTHER JOLLY IS THE PRESENT DAY LEADER OF GOD'S PEOPLE
(66) The same thing is shown by the fact that the Epiphany Messenger pointed out the one typed by Baanah as in the Epiphany application being typed also by Hiram the king, who was "ever a lover of David" (who types Bro. Russell) and assisted in building him a house (1 Kg. 5: 1-3; 2 Chro. 2: 3; P '53, pp. 23, col. 2, par. 1, 91, 92), and additionally was Solomon's (in the antitype, Bro. Johnson's) special helper in building the temple, as well as in other enterprises (1 Kg. 5—10; 2 Chro. 2—9). . . . The executive office function is shown more particularly in the office functions of Hiram the king, though the teaching feature is not excluded, for king Hiram sent to king Solomon "six score talents of gold"—Divinely approved matters pertaining to the Little Flock, and to the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies (1 Kg. 9: 14; P '54, p. 22, col. 2, top).
(67) . . . . Antitypical Hiram the artisan is "a master workman in matters pertaining to the Divine (skilful to work in gold, 2 Chro. 2: 14), the Truth (silver), justification (brass), strong connectives (iron), new creatures (stone), corruptible human nature (timber), royalty (purple), faithfulness (blue), the righteousness of the saints (fine linen) and the Ransom and Sin-offerings (crimson), also skilful in developing the various fruits and graces of the Spirit (also to [en] grave any manner of [en] graving) and to plan and execute any project that might be assigned him (to find out every device which shall be put to him)" (P '53, p. 25, par. 1). For further details, see P '53, pp. 23-25, 54-56, 91, 92; '54, pp. 24, 42-44; '55, p. 84; '56, pp. 80-84; '58, pp. 31, 32. Both offices—Hiram the king and Hiram the artisan—were (in their Epiphany application) clearly set forth by the Epiphany Messenger as belonging only to the present leader of the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies.
Surely Brother Jolly has given us all the Truth up until the Times of Restitution. Psa. 112: 6
Present-Day Leadership of God's People
Who is the present day Spiritual Leader of the Lord's people? Can someone self-proclaim and self-appoint to leadership? What new Truth's are being given? Has the fullness of Truth been given on the GC and YW? Has the fullness of Truth been given on the building of the Epiphany Camp? Are there seventy proofs in PT whole #48 that prove Bro. Jolly as the Spiritual Leader? What are the present day duties and responsibilities of the (good) Youthful Worthies and Consecrated Epiphany Campers? Excerpts from PT July-August 1960 page 50 answer any questions:
(1) The Great Company are Spirit-begotten (Rev. 19: 1-9; 7: 13-15; E Vol. 4, pp. 115-117), whereas the Youthful Worthies "do not have the Holy Spirit of begettal" and, therefore, "do not have a sympathetic appreciation of the operation of the Spirit of begettal in the heart" (E Vol. 4, pp. 412, 440).
(2) The Great Company are typed by some of those born in the land, i.e., they are Spirit-begotten ones, whereas the Youthful Worthies, a lower class, are typed by the "strangers in the land," dwelling in it, but not born in it (Num. 9: 14; E Vol. 8, p. 619).
(3) The Great Company, in those members who are "the good crown-losers," are typed by Naomi, one born in the land, an Israelite, whereas the Youthful Worthies are typed by Ruth, a "stranger in the land" who was born a Moabite (E Vol. 4, p. 374).
(4) The Great Company, particularly the Good Levites in their cleansed condition, are "able to feed on what they once had [the antitypical shewbread] while in the Holy" (E Vol. 4, p. 128, bottom), while they shared in the anointing. But the Youthful Worthies never were in the Holy, hence cannot feed on such things, nor did they ever share in the anointing. Bro. Johnson states, . . . (E Vol. 4, pp. 129, 468).
(5) The Great Company have had their justification vitalized by the actual imputation of Christ's merit, and are now on trial for life, whereas the Youthful Worthies' justification is tentative, and they do not have the actual imputation of Christ's merit (E Vol. 4, pp. 344, 345), nor are they now on trial for life.
(6) The Great Company's vitalizedly-justified standing is pictured in the Inner Court of Solomon's Temple, which was closest to the Holy and Most Holy, whereas the Youthful Worthies' lower, tentatively-justified standing is pictured in the Great or Outer ("utter") Court, which was farther away from the Holy and Most Holy (1 Kg. 6: 36; 7: 12; P '53, p. 53, par. 6; comp. Ezek. 10: 5; 42: 1-3; 44: 19).
(7) The former's standing in the Inner Court is higher than that of those in the Outer Court, because, additionally, the Inner Court was "the higher court" (Jer. 36: 10), i.e., its elevation was above that of the Outer Court.
(40) The Great Company are the main part of antitypical Elisha, who since 1917 is the successor of antitypical Elijah, the Little Flock, as God's mouthpiece to Nominal Spiritual Israel and the world, whereas the Youthful Worthies are the subordinate part (E Vol. 3, pp. 7, 185-187). Because this public mouthpieceship was given chiefly to the Great Company, the Epiphany Messenger in referring to the matter frequently did not even mention the Youthful Worthies' part.
Friday, September 5, 2008
More Truth "As Such"
Once again, those struggling with the meaning of "as such" can get clarification from the above quote. Here, "such" is used to represent "the Great Company" and"the Youthful Worthies" so as to not reuse the same words a second time in the same sentence. It offers better grammar and simplifies the sentence. Clearly, both the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies are gathered as the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies in the Epiphany. The sentence loses its meaning if one of these classes is now gathered "as such" in the Parousia.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
What five things, especially, constituted a call to the Youthful Worthies?
Answer to Bro. Johnson's study question from PT 1922, P.76 given in PT 1921, P. 54--"First let us see whom the men of Ephraim type. It will help us to understand this, if we keep in mind that the first battle of Gideon types the same thing as the first smiting of Jordan, the World's High Priest confessing the sins over Azazel's Goat, and the saints executing the judgement written. (Ps. 149:5-9) These works were completely and properly engaged in by the Very Elect only. Hence to have been called to the antitypical warfare in time to take part in them implies that one was called to the High Calling; 'for this honor have all His saints'; and to have been called to the antitypical warfare, but not in time to have taken part in it implies that one was not called to the High Calling, but to something else. The men of Ephraim, therefore, type certain ones called to take part in the warfare against antitypical Midian after the full number of the Very Elect has been won, and had been given that to do which was an exclusive privilege of the Very Elect. i.e., unto a completion and in the Lord's spirit to smite Jordan the first time, to execute the judgement written, to confess the sins over Azazel's Goat, and to engage in Antitypical Gideon's first battle. Whom then do they type? We answer: Very evidently the Youthful Worthies. How did Antitypical Gideon call them? We answer: (1) by continuing the invitation to consecrate after the fall of 1914; (2) by emphasizing after the Fall of 1914, e.g., in Z'15, 269, pars. 6, 7, the fact that there would be a class, who, called too late for the High Calling, would be privileged to share in reward and honor with the Ancient Worthies, i.e., that there would be a Youthful Worthy class; (3) by arousing them to battle against error; (4) by the teaching during 1916 that the Lord's people would smite Jordan twice; and (5) by encouraging repeatedly during 1916 the Lord's people along the lines of the privilege of smiting Jordan. These five things as well as others were a call to the Youthful Worthies to take part in the warfare against antitypical Midian, to take the waters of antitypical Jordan. As in the type the men of Ephraim were to take the Jordan waters as far as Beth-barah (house of the passage), so in the antitype the Youthful Worthies, who, as we have seen, being a part of Elisha (P'20, pars. 1, 2), were to smite the peoples, Jordan, on subjects on which the smiting had been especially done by the Lord's house (beth) who had had a passage (barah) across Jordan, i.e., they were to smite especially what the members of the Elijah class, those who had crossed Jordan, had previously smitten. In other words, they were to smite Jordan the second time."Had the Youthful Worthies been a separate and distinct class in 1881, the above type and antitype would not work or make sense.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Our Seventeenth Annual Report (1935)
Here, in this 1935 PT Annual Report, Epiphany conditions are briefly mentioned. The word "incidentally" means that the calling of the Youthful Worthies AS A CLASS is a point of fact of a subordinate nature to Epiphany events 1 and 2. Had they become a class in the Gospel Age Harvest (1881), they would not be secondary to these other events in the Epiphany.
Our Fifteenth Annual Report (1933)
More clear and accurate truth from Bro. Johnson in this early PT Annual Report. Here, in reference to events post Pastor Russell's time, he mentions both the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies in similar fashion. If one became a class in the Epiphany , then the other must as well.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
One plus one plus one equals what?
"Question (1935)—How can we harmonize the fact that the fulness of the Gentiles came in probationarily passover 1878 and the fact that the general call ceased Oct., 1881?