Newly Discovered Golden Nugget of Truth or Fool's Gold?

Why 127 years after the Youthful Worthies came into existence as individuals and 54 years after their call ended are we seeking to change a "Purified" Truth?

While it is easier to go with the flow and keep the peace ("Truth is first pure, then peaceable."), it is better to stand up for the Truth and do the right thing. But it will cost you.

It may cost you your position as a Pilgrim, an Evangelist or other service in which you may be involved. Is your position of service more important than being true to yourself and God? What do you do when a prominent pilgrim from the Midwest asks, "Whom do we Serve? You better say the _ _ _ _ ." Do you give into the peer pressure? Do you accept it because he said it? Do the scriptures say: "As for me and my house we serve a man?" Did you make your consecration to an organization, a man or Jehovah God?

For defending the Truth, you may be called a sifter and get dirty looks from Brethren you have known for years. Just remember, they are still your Brethren! Only God has the ability to read man's heart. Never apologize for asking questions or proving a truth. It's a privilege and also a responsibility that shouldn't be taken lightly.

1952 PT. Page 4--While the Parousia and Epiphany Messengers were not infallible, and therefore made some minor mistakes, the Lord during the Parousia and Epiphany has been and is sitting as a refiner and purifier of silver, "gradually purifying the Truth from error during the Parousia and Epiphany until no error remains therein—the mother gradually undergoing purification as the 40 Or 80 days progressed" (E Vol. 4, pp. 105, 106). He has been causing His light to shine more and more and will continue to do so unto the perfect day (Prov. 4: 18)...

What does this mean? Since 1954, the Truth, dates and information on the Youthful Worthies was purified (i.e., free from contamination or made pure). Made pure for the development of the Youthful Worthies.

Since 2004, the Executive Trustee has been making changes to this purified and pure Truth concerning the Youthful Worthies. We all might want to take notice.

PT. 1931 Page 9--Pride and ambition as a rule are the causes of people imbibing error and spreading it. They get a thoughtlet. Not realizing that Satan injected it into their minds, they turn it about and look at it from many sides, patting themselves on their backs as inventors of deep and wonderful thoughts. The more they think of it, the more the thoughtlet grows in their estimation. Soon they think: "This is too good to keep to ourselves, for that would make no one wonder at the depth of thought in us...

Many have been associated with the Parousia and Epiphany Truth for years. There is a Sr. in MI that has thousands of tapes and recordings of prominent Brothers who have spoken from the 1950s up to 2004. You won't find one who states that the Youthful Worthies had their beginning in 1878.

You will hear over and over again 1881 as individuals and 1914 as a class by Pilgrims, Auxiliary Pilgrims and Evangelists.

The Writings say that the Youthful Worthies were individuals in 1881 and a class in 1914 as the purified truth. It was Bro. Russell's thought. It was confirmed by Bro. Johnson and later by Bro. Jolly. It is a purified truth since 1954 and must be respected.

Will You Stand For The Truth and Be Counted?

Ecclesiaism - Do we really understand what this means?

The Local Class: Is it mistress in her own midst?

Some Pilgrims and Auxiliary Pilgrims especially in the Midwest have complained that a local Ecclesia rejected their service. Do these Pilgrims have a right to complain or are they in gross violation of the arrangements and should right their course? 

PT 1979 Page 47 Par 3

When did the Door to the High Calling Close? 1878? 1881? 1914?

Do the terms "General Call Ceasing" and the "Door to the High Calling Closing" mean the same thing?

Note: for the Pilgrim and Evangelist who don't know the difference between closing and shutting of the door! If the material from the truth writings below doesn't help you understand, may we suggest August 1952 Herald "IS THE DOOR OF ENTRANCE INTO THE HIGH CALLING CLOSED?"

The end of the high calling is not the closing of the door. Par. vol. 3, p. 205. . . . An open "door" symbolizes an opportunity of entrance to certain conditions and privileges; a shut door represents the termination of such privilege or opportunity. The privilege, invitation or opportunity of the Gospel age, granting, under restrictive conditions, to believers in Christ, entrance into joint-heirship with him in the heavenly Kingdom and to the divine nature, is the "door" by which we "have access into this grace [favor] wherein we stand"; namely, into the hope of sharing the glory of God (Rom. 5: 2). Par vol. 3, p. 206. . . . Though the general "call" to this favor ceased in 1881, the "door" is yet open. Par. vol. 3, p. 212. . . . But though the general "call" has ceased, the "door" is not yet shut. The end of the "call" and the shutting of the "door" are distinct and separate. The "door" stands open for some to enter the race… after the general "call" has ceased.  Par vol. 3 p. 219.

               Since Sept. 16, 1914, when the door to the High Calling closed, the Christ (Head and Body) has started to proclaim a new message… since Sept. 20, 1914, a joint work was begun by the Christ beyond and this side of the vail, i.e., the World’s High Priest began the work toward Azazel’s Goat. This, combined with the work toward the Youthful Worthies, is the giving of the message of seasonal Truth in the Epiphany. P.T. 1950, p. 63.

 

Only one call during the Gospel age and its Harvest

Eph. 4: 4

 

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

Question ─ Are the Great Company and Youthful Worthies classes of the Gospel Age Harvest? How is it that Bro. Russell never had any part in developing either of these classes?

Answer ─ We are not to understand that during the Gospel Age God has been calling two classes to salvation; for the record is: "Ye are called in the one hope of your calling" (Eph. 4: 4);" E-4, p 89. . .

But, as our Pastor’s work was not that of gathering the Great Company and Youthful Worthies as such, the truths that he gave on these subjects were not full enough for the work of gathering these as such. E-5, p.39. . . . 

The Epiphany Truth consists of such truths as are needed by the Little Flock to equip her for her Epiphany work, as are needed to furnish the superstructure of Truth required to develop the Great Company and Youthful Worthies, E-5, p. 502. . . . 

Let us all humbly and diligently study God's Word and hold to and follow only such teachers as have not lost the Parousia and Epiphany Truth and hold only to such teachings as are proven to be Scriptural, reasonable and factual (1 Thes. 5: 21). PT 1977, p. 93, par. 54.

The Great Company as individuals, from shortly after Pentecost onward, and as a class from Nov. 25, 1916 ─ Jan. 14, 1917," E-13, p. 20.

The Lord’s work that has since been going on has been building the Epiphany Tabernacle, which had its beginning in the call of the Youthful Worthies from 1914 onward, E-11, p. 493.

Truth agrees with Truth and does not contradict it. E-5 Page 37

Question ─ What were the latest thoughts of Bro. Johnson's on the beginning of the Youthful Worthies as individuals and as a class? What should be The Present Truth position on these later thoughts be?   

 

Answer ─ P.T. 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.

PT 1949- page 156, col. 1

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, . . . Grandly is this class coming to the front; and its members give evidence of acceptableness to the Lord as Youthful Worthies.

E-5 Page 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 Truth 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, unless they are manifestly not so harmonious with the Scriptures, Reason and Facts as earlier ones. In all cases of unfulfilled types and prophecies we hold to his thought as the one along whose lines we look for their fulfillments. And as he in many cases rejected a former interpretation of a type or prophecy after its fulfillment proved that he misunderstood it, e.g., the deliverance of the Church, the restoration of Israel, the [complete] destruction of organized evil in the world and the establishment of the earthly phase of God's kingdom at certain times; so only after a type or prophecy is fulfilled differently from his understanding of it, would we attempt to set aside his interpretation in favor of what the fulfillment of the type or prophecy proves to be its proper interpretation. Thus it will be seen that we honor him as God's appointed channel for the Parousia Truth [and for giving the foundations of the Epiphany Truth]; but like him do not believe him to have been infallible, and therefore make only changes as in principle he made; i.e., such as clear fulfillments force us to make. All sober and non-partisan brethren and friends of his will agree to the propriety of this course. It was his own method under such circumstances, and we follow it.

Bro. Johnson E-Volume 5 Page 43

"The Present Truth Will endeavor to subject all its teachings to the Word, on the basis of the Parousia Truth, in harmony with the seven axioms of Biblical interpretation. Every Scriptural passage or doctrine must be interpreted harmoniously, (1) with itself, (2) with all Scriptures, (3) with all Scriptural Doctrines, (4) With God's Character, (5) with the Ransom and Sin-offerings, (6) with Facts and (7) with the purposes of the Bible, and will reject everything contrary to any of these axioms."  

Did Bro. Russell show Scripturally two types of consecration?

Partial Consecration and Full Consecration:

PT. 1977, Page 90 par. 29;

By causing others through the Word to become tentatively justified, these servants have figuratively fathered such into partial consecrations, consecrations to righteousness (comp. F 124, 125). These consecrations are not to be confused with full consecrations, which in the Gospel-Age proper made full consecrators into Spirit-begotten new creatures and which since 1881 additionally have made many others Spirit-enlightened, non-Spirit-begotten fully consecrated ones.

Par. Volume 6 Page 124, 125

In the Levitical types two consecrations are distinctly shown: (1) the general consecration of all Levites; (2) a special consecration of the few Levites who were sacrificers or priest. The first represents the general consecration to holy living and obedience to God which all believers make, and which by God's grace, through Christ, accomplishes for them, tentatively, "justification of life" and peace with God. This is what all true believers understand and experience in this age. But the Apostle explains, "the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heard" (1 Tim 1: 5); that is to say, God foresees that our compliance with our first consecration, our compliance with the terms of our justification during the present age will in its end, lead us up to the second consecration as priests for sacrifice.

Youthful Worthies - See Deeper Features of God's Word

1 Cor. 2: 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.   

E4, p. 462, (64).   

(64) Question: Does the fact that some since 1914 have seen the hidden mystery prove that there have since 1914 been Spirit-begettings?   Answer: No; for the fact that ever since 1881 the Youthful Worthies have seen the hidden mystery, though not Spirit-begotten, proves that since 1914 the Spirit-begettal is not indispensable to seeing the hidden mystery nor other spiritual things. St. Paul's statement (1 Cor. 2: 14) that only the Spirit-begotten can see spiritual things is not a statement that applies to all times, but only until the general call would cease, i.e., until 1881; for not only do Youthful Worthies since 1881 see spiritual things, and not only some justified ones since 1881 see spiritual things, but in the Millennium not only the Ancient Worthies without Spirit-begettal but also the restitution class will See them since they will understand everything in the Bible. Hence St. Paul's statement in 1 Cor. 2: 14 does not apply to all times, but is limited in time; and that time limit is 1881;. . .   

E4, p. 469   . . . . Thus the Ancient Worthies were privileged to understand all the Truth due in their days; so, too, will the restitution class understand all of the Bible as it becomes due for them. 

What St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 2: 14 does not contradict this; for between Pentecost and 1881, to which time alone his words are limited, all the consecrated were New Creatures; hence during that time the term New Creature and the term consecrated applied to the same persons and were interchangeable. That St. Paul did not mean 1 Cor. 2: 14 to apply to all times is evident from the fact that the Bible teaches (Rev. 20: 12; Is. 29: 18, 24) that everything in the Bible will sometime be understood by the restitution class, who, of course, will not be New Creatures.

 

The Time of Reaping - Changed by the Society

Question ─ Should we or anyone set aside the writings of "Pastor Russell" to mislead others like the Society did in republishing "Pastor Russell's Sermons" in 1917?

See E5, page 173 Par. (56)

(56) Statements in "Pastor Russell’s Sermons" (pp. 287, par. 1, and 289, par. 3) are cited by not a few as a proof that our dear Pastor taught that the reaping began in 1878 and ended in 1918. We reply that in the book of sermons printed late in 1917 by the Society these dates will be found on the pages cited above; but not in the sermon as our dear Pastor published it. The sermon in question was first published in 1908, and correctly gave the dates 1874 and 1914 as the beginning and end of the Harvest. Our Pastor never changed those dates in that sermon. They were changed after his death, seemingly to palm off as his certain time features that he never taught, thereby misleading many, even as was done by the interpolated verse, 1 John 5: 7. The one responsible for this change has much to answer for. Such a course cannot but arouse distrust that other misleading changes have been made, or may yet be made, in his writings. In the Lord’s name we serve these Levites notice to refrain from further presumption and fraud in tampering with the priestly writings of "that Servant." They are not qualified for the work of correcting them, and do it at their peril (Lev. 10: 1, 2)!

The Progressive Tabernacle

Please Read Entire Article:

Truth September-October 1972

Present Truth No. 5 Whole Number

Question ─ Does The Progressive Tabernacle teach there were Youthful Worthies as individuals from 1881 and they were a class from 1914?

(1) EVER since the Truth on the Tabernacle was given to Bro. Russell in 1879 (see, e.g., E Vol. 5, pp. 116, 117) and was set forth before God's people by him, particularly in Tabernacle Shadows, it has been a special source of blessing to many, in helping them through the Tabernacle types and antitypes to understand better many features of God's great plan of salvation for the Church and for the world. As shown in Tabernacle Shadows, the typical setting of the Tabernacle and the Camp in the wilderness very fitly represents matters pertaining to God's Gospel-Age people. But that is not all! What some Bible Students have failed to recognize is that, as Bro. Russell showed, the typical setting of the Tabernacle and the Camp is progressive (Prov. 4: 18). In addition to the Gospel-Age setting, there is a transitional, or Epiphany, setting, a Millennial setting and a post-Millennial setting. As Bro. Russell showed, in the closing of the Gospel Age there is an adjustment of matters pertaining to the antitypical Holy, Court and Camp; and at that time the Gospel-Age setting merges into the Epiphany setting. Likewise, the Epiphany setting merges into the Millennial setting, and in due time the Millennial setting will merge into the post-Millennial setting. . .

POST-1914 CONSECRATORS NOT IN THE HOLY
(10) Additionally, the steps in the course from sin to their places in the Kingdom taken by the Youthful Worthies and by many Gospel-Age unconsecrated tentatively justified ones are typed, up to and including step (d), in the same way as the Little Flock's journey was typed, as we have already noted in par. (6). These tentatively justified ones progress no further, whereas the Youthful Worthies do go on to consecration; but for them there is quite a change as respects step (e). Although they have in consecration given up their own wills unto death and have accepted God's will as their own, just as all the prospective Little Flock members throughout the Age did when they came to step (e), the Youthful Worthies' consecration could not be pictured at the First Veil, the Door of entrance into the Holy, as was the consecration of all prospective Little Flock members. This Veil did not picture the death of the Youthful Worthies' human wills, for they cannot be prospective Priests, though their consecration unto death is genuine, like that of those who were called to be of the Priesthood (Heb. 5: 4). As already mentioned, Bro. Johnson proved clearly from the Scriptures that the door of entrance into the High Calling, into the antitypical Holy, closed finally and forever in the Fall of 1914, so that no more could be admitted (comp. Ezek. 44: 1, 2; E Vol. 5, p. 160). Though throughout the Gospel Age, under the High Calling, ALL consecrations unto death had been typed at the First Veil, in the Fall of 1914 a decided change set in, as the Tabernacle picture progressed to the building of the Epiphany Court as distinct from the Holy; and we must recognize this change if we would walk in the advancing light. NEVER AGAIN after the Fall of 1914 would a consecration be pictured at the First Veil! Nevertheless, consecrations would continue to be made, both in the remaining part of the Gospel Age and also in the Millennial Age (F 156; T 94; Z 5965, top), for "consecration is always in order" (Z 1113, par. 6; 5134, pars. 4, 5; E Vol. 4, p. 420, par. 2)

(11) A decided change came about in other respects also. After the adjustment of matters in the Holy set in, in the Fall of 1914, no one could consecrate and have his standing as a fully consecrated believer pictured in the Holy, even though throughout the Gospel Age, until the High Calling's general call ceased in 1881, that was the place where every one of the fully consecrated believers had his standing pictured (T 22, par. 3). Thus something new began to exist which had not existed before the Fall of 1914 while the door of entrance into the High Calling was open, viz., a situation in which ALL who became fully consecrated believers had their standing pictured IN THE COURT, and not IN THE HOLY. Furthermore, in the Epiphany setting the Great Company's and the prospective Youthful Worthies' enlightenment by the Truth is not shown by seeing the light of the Golden Candlestick (E Vol. 4, pp. 128-130); nor is their strengthening in every good word and work shown in feeding at the antitypical Table of Shewbread (E Vol. 4, pp. 467-469); nor is their ministerial service pictured by sacrificing at the antitypical Golden Altar (P '52, pp. 44, 45). The furniture of the Holy was not brought out into the Court for the benefit of the Levites in the type, nor is it in the antitype! The Youthful Worthies' privileges in the above three respects are not typed in connection with the furniture of the Holy, as were those of the Priesthood, nor are the Great Company's pertinent privileges typed in that way any longer, for these

(25) Thus (a) all who consecrated during the time that the High Calling was open, prior to the Fall of 1914, and had crowns assigned to them, had their standing as fully consecrated believers pictured in the Holy; (b) those who consecrated from 1881 to 1914 for whom no crowns were available, and all who consecrated from the Fall of 1914 to the Fall of 1954, together with the Great Company members who from about 1917 onward were put out of the Holy, have their standing as fully consecrated believers pictured in the Court; and (c) those consecrating since the time of adjustment of matters in the Court in the Fall of 1954 have their standing as fully consecrated believers pictured in the Camp (as will all the restitution class after the Highway of Holiness is opened up). Accordingly, we see that in different periods of time, fully consecrated believers have their standing pictured in three different ways—(a) in the Holy, (b) in the Court and (c) in the Camp, depending on dispensational changes. Likewise, those who before the Fall of 1954, the first lapping beginning of the Basileia period, became truly repentant and believing, accepting Jesus as their Savior, had their tentatively justified standing pictured in the Court, the place for the Levites; since 1954, however, and the adjustment of matters in the Court, truly repentant and believing ones who were such before the Fall of 1954 but did not consecrate before that adjustment occurred, have their tentatively justified standing pictured in the Camp; in the place for the Israelites. Hence as in different periods of time, fully consecrated believers have their standing pictured in more than one way, depending on dispensational changes, so it is also with these tentatively justified ones—they have their standing pictured in more than one way: (a1) prior to the Fall of 1954 they have their standing pictured in the Court, whereas (b1) thereafter they have their standing pictured in the Camp. Thus whether or not one is (1) tentatively justified sympathetic association in this service is that of the Epiphany-enlightened antitypical Levites and Consecrated Epiphany Campers.

Welcome

The purpose of this blog content is to draw us closer as Bible Students and to encourage us to carefully examine what is said in word and print. Please set aside personalities and individual faults. At the end of the day, the God who we serve, His truth remains. Do the things we speak and write with regards to the truth harmonize with His Holy word?

"The Truth Never Fears Cross Examination."

We invite all Parousia, Epiphany and Bible Students to feel free to join in and "Rightly Divide the Word of Truth."