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Epiphany Truth Examiner

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

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THE EPIPHANY MESSENGER
CHAPTER X

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

GENERAL REMARKS ON OTHER PERTINENT TYPES. PROPER VIEW OF PAST EVIL DEEDS. EXHORTATIONS FOR THE FUTURE. GLORIOUS OUTLOOK. 

IT HAD BEEN the intention to devote this chapter to a study of J.'s work as the small antitype of the good Solomon, who in the large good antitype represents the Millennial Christ, Head and Body. In our study of certain passages in Ezra and Nehemiah it was pointed out that Solomon's servants, there referred to, represent J.'s special helpers in Britain and America. These are Biblical proofs that J. is the small antitype of Solomon, whose peaceful reign, characterized by constructive works, great knowledge and riches, types the constructive features, ample knowledge and grace and service characteristic of J.'s forty years of Epiphany work. It might here be added that it had also been the intention of devoting a chapter—Chapter XI—to a study of J. as the smallest antitype of Joshua, whose conquest, division and subsequent peaceful rule in Canaan type J.'s successful Truth battles, his setting under God the various Truth peoples in their Epiphany spheres of service and his subsequent peaceful exercise of executive and teaching acts among them. But two reasons prompted a change of mind on the subject: (1) there are too many things in the antitypes of both of these characters not yet fulfilled, which would necessarily make a study of them, not only incomplete, but unclear, since the events, unlike the unfulfilled features of the Ezra, Mordecai, Job and Joseph types, are of a character whose fulfillments must largely take place before they can be clearly seen, and (2) the study of their fulfilled parts would add perhaps 150 pages to an already somewhat too large book. 

This second reason also is responsible for our omitting the discussion of very many other types and prophecies of J. as their small or smallest antitype or fulfillment, as

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the case may be; for in the three miniature Gospel Ages, every type or prophecy that had its antitype or fulfilment in the 49 star-members, which, of course, include the twelve Apostles and Bro. Russell, have these three small antitypes or fulfillments in J. This will help us to see how very wide is the significance of the statement in Esth. 10:2, 3, to the effect that there are Epiphany applications of the uses that Jesus made of His main servants in the Church while she has been in the flesh, even as are typed in the Bible histories and forecast in the Bible prophecies descriptions of the events of the Church in the flesh during Jesus' glorified ministry toward her. This fact also shows that in the three Miniatures there is a threefold fulfilment of the book of Revelation on small scales, in which J. fulfils the pertinent prophecies fulfilled by the seven stars during the large Gospel Age. But these things, or at least some of them, must be left for future study. It was this thought of the many types and prophecies about J.'s work as about to be set before the brethren that he had in mind when, referring to Levitical sneers at him as "seeing himself in the Scriptures," he remarked that shortly the Lord would put them to shame for such sneers. They should remember that Jesus, St. Paul and Bro. Russell saw themselves in the Scriptures. And certainly, in the Epiphany, before whose end everything in the Bible will be seen, at least in one of its applications, it should be expected that it will be seen, since God has indicated in the Bible everything, even to the minutest detail, that He would do in the outworking of His plan (Amos 3:7), that not only all prominent servants of God, but His less prominent servants, and the more and less prominent opponents of His plan, will also be seen in the Bible. The multiplicity of such references, therefore, will make us, instead of deferring our concluding thoughts for consideration in a Chapter XII, or a later one, briefly discuss them in this chapter. 

First among these concluding thoughts we desire to inquire of the Truth groups as to the welfare of the Little

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Flock among them. Since the divisions set in among the Lord's people in 1917 the Little Flock have not been in a group alone by themselves. They have been scattered among all groups—some of them in the Epiphany movement, some of them in the Society, some of them in the B.S.C., some of them in the Dawn, etc., etc. In all of them they have mourned the supposed Second Death of J. Now we desire to ask how they are faring. Are they being loved, respected and dealt with as of the Little Flock? Are they being given activities to perform compatibly with their being priests? How are their activities in resisting the errors of teaching and practice, so widespread among the Truth people, being treated? Are they being assisted, encouraged and comforted amid these, or are they being therefore despised, resisted and persecuted? Are they being built up in grace, knowledge and service? In a word, how are Little Flock members in the various groups faring and being treated? Please let us know on these two matters; for, first of all, our concern is for these beloved brethren, dear to our heart. 

Secondly, we desire that all of the Lord's people draw near to us in heart and mind. You will find us the same loving, zealous, humble and self-denying brother whom you knew and loved in Bro. Russell's day. If at times we have had to exercise severity with those of your leaders who, in their selfishness to gain a following, perverted the Lord's Truth and arrangements, please remember that this severity flowed from loyalty to the Lord, the Truth and the brethren, and was intended to protect the Lord's people from the exploitation that we knew was being exercised against their interests in the interests of misleaders of God's children. And wherein we were too severe or not sufficiently wise in our efforts to defend the Lord's Truth and people, the very unusual circumstances, the to us known evil intentions of the misleaders, the partisanship of the misled ones and our fleshly imperfections combined to work on these faults in us; and we are sure that the robe of Christ's righteousness

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covers these weaknesses in us. But in it all we sought the welfare of all the Lord's people according to our best judgment and power. Hence as a lover of God's people, one and all, we heartily desire that all of you draw near in heart and mind to us, assuring you of a warm and reciprocal response. And this we offer, despite the fact that the bulk of God's people, deceived, we are sure, by designing misleaders, surrendered us into special tribulations amid Epiphany conditions. Surely, if we, the wronged one, can and do stand ready to forgive, all the others, deceived and exploited as they were into cooperating to inflict the wrong, should welcome the opportunity of being undeceived, unexploited and forgiven for a full reconciliation. Therefore, please draw near in mind and heart to us. 

Thirdly, do not grieve nor accuse yourselves overmuch for the wrongs of the past. Please remember this, first of all, that the Father stands more than ready to forgive them; the Elder Brother stands more than ready to impute of His merits for their forgiveness; and we are more than willing to forgive them; for we are persuaded that the bulk of the Lord's people were not wilful therein, but were deceived in this matter. Moreover, God has overruled it all for good; for He has manipulated this whole situation for the good of His people of the Little Flock, Great Company and Youthful Worthies. Some of His people, the crown-losers, are in danger of losing their lives; and God has raised us up for their deliverance, having put us into a position in which, by the Lord's Word and Spirit, the Lord's providences, through our ministry, will work deliverance for them. Again, there remains much work in the Epiphany to be done for the Lord's cause; and the Lord, through all of His people cooperating in its doing, will obtain the saving of their official lives; for the Lord has so arranged matters as to such work that the pertinent teachings, arrangements and apportionment of that work have been put into our charge exclusively, under the Lord Jesus' headship; hence the involved official powers to share in 

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that work cannot be had apart from our supervision. And it was to prepare us for the proper exercise of these office powers for the saving of the Great Company's lives and for the saving of the official lives of all God's people, that the Lord arranged for us to undergo the untoward experiences of the last 25 years. Hence despite whatever part the Lord's deceived children had in bringing us into the Epiphany tribulations, yet after all God was the primary cause of it; without His gracious will it never could have occurred; for He has, as it were, arranged for us by these experiences to get the training to fit us, for and under our Lord Jesus, to be a life preserver of His people; hence He has put us in charge of Jesus' household, made us the executive of His Epiphany work and the expounder of His Epiphany Truth—in the interests of His people. Hence grieve not nor accuse yourselves over much. 

Fourth, let each of you in all zeal and alacrity assure the Little Flock that we are not a Second Deather, as they have been deceived by the envious, power-grasping and lording misleaders and deceivers of God's people into believing, but that our New Creature is alive and energetic, and has all along been loyal to God, the Truth and the brethren. Tell them that we have charged you to tell the Little Flock brethren in your groups that the Lord has made us His teacher and executive in Epiphany conditions and matters, and that we most earnestly and lovingly desire that they draw near to us with their hearts and minds in Epiphany conditions and matters, assuring them that we will arrange for them the most fruitful spheres of service, and that not only for them, but for the Great Company now in the Truth and those to be won later, as well as for the Youthful Worthies, the loyal justified and the loyal Jews, we will as the Lord's dispenser of Epiphany truths, arrangements and spheres of service minister these things, not only to the Little Flock, but also to the rest of the Lord's people, during the remaining Epiphany time, when in its fivefold forms of service none of these things can be gotten apart from our 

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ministry; for spiritual poverty in grace, knowledge and service must set in for unresponsive ones. 

Fifth, you now see, both the non-Epiphany-affiliated groups and the Epiphany-affiliated group, that the same brother that you once knew and recognized, that you later rejected, and that you now recognize as the Lord's appointed dispenser, under the Lord Jesus, of the Epiphany Truth, arrangements and spheres of service, is the one expressly telling you these things; and as you recognize them, after careful and prayerful study, to be true, be sure that you declare to the Little Flock the official powers, prerogatives and privileges that we have as to Epiphany conditions and matters, and all else that you have Scripturally seen in this book, and that, proving these things to them as Truth, you assist them with all speed to come into harmony with the Epiphany. 

Sixth, there are certain large-scale works to be done, as called for in the Epiphany. In addition to those implied in the preceding points, which apply to the Lord's Truth people, there will be a large work: (1) whereby our non-Truth Great Company and Youthful Worthy Brethren, and new ones not yet consecrated, are to be won for the Truth, some of whom will be won before Babylon is destroyed and others of them afterward. This will occur mainly in connection with a public work (Rev. 19:5-8) of witnessing to the Kingdom and to the completion of the Church for the saving of their lives unto the completion of the Epiphany Court, (2) whereby the Epiphany Camp, which will consist of the loyal justified and the converted loyal Jews, by the Kingdom witness will be constructed, and (3) whereby the public by the Kingdom witness will be better prepared to enter into the Millennial Camp. For these works the methods and literature introduced by our Pastor will be mainly used. Whereas the public work by the various groups has been unfruitful, it will become very fruitful. 

Seventh, and not the least, the work on personal carrying out of consecration in self- and world-denial, watchfulness 

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and prayer, study, spread and practice of the Truth and faithful endurance of the incidental experiences, remains to be completed in each one. 

To all of these matters we invite the brethren's most earnest and prayerful attention and responsiveness; for the issues at stake are practical, important and incalculable. Brethren, let us give all diligence to these matters, which, if done, will make the future of each one of us as bright as the promises of God that apply to each one of us. Well will we do, if we lay aside all prejudices, all preconceived opinions and all personal preferences, wholly emptying ourselves of self and the world and wholly filling ourselves with the Word, Spirit and work of our God. How glorious is the prospect before us in the rest of the Epiphany, in the Kingdom and in the Ages of Glory after the Kingdom! Let each one of us arise to the height of his privileges! Then the Lord's favor will go with us. 

God moves in a mysterious way, 

His wonders to perform; 

He plants his footsteps in the sea, 

And rides upon the storm. 

Deep in unfathomable mines 

Of never-failing skill, 

He treasures up his bright designs, 

And works his sovereign will. 

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; 

The clouds ye so much dread 

Are big with mercy and shall break 

In blessings on your head. 

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, 

But trust him for his grace; 

Behind a frowning providence 

He hides a smiling face. 

His purposes will ripen fast, 

Unfolding every hour; 

The bud may have a bitter taste, 

But sweet will be the flower. 

Blind unbelief is sure to err, 

And scan his work in vain; 

God is his own interpreter, 

And he will make it plain. 

THE END.