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Resignation/ Disfellowshipping Letters January 1, 2011 These are letters that I wrote 30 years ago when I decided to resign my membership and association with Jehovah's Witnesses. There are two sets of letters in this file. The first set of letters are the exchange I had with the local congregation and the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses (their ruling council at their headquarters) over whether I had voluntarily resigned or had been expelled ("disfellowshipped"). At the time (1980), there was no announced policy how to treat people who voluntarily resigned ("disassociated") from the religion. Even though I had voluntarily disassociated from Jehovah's Witnesses I was not shunned as are those who are disfellowshipped. Initially, the local congregation announced I had voluntarily disassociated but a couple of months later they announced to the congregation that I had been disfellowshipped. In a subsequent discussion with one of the congregation elders I was told they were ordered to disfellowship me in a letter they had received from headquarters. After that announcement I was totally shunned. I protested their action and eventually wrote to the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses in New York demanding they withdraw this expulsion action. This dispute over whether I had 'quit' or been 'fired' received some local news coverage. Eventually, in early June of 1981 the local congregation reversed the disfellowshipping (presumably after being notified to do so by headquarters) and announced to the local congregation that their action had been unnecessary. However, just a few months later, the September 15, 1981 Watchtower changed the policy towards those who had voluntarily disassociated. From then on, anyone who resigned membership in the religion would be shunned just as someone who was disfellowshipped. So, after this change in policy I was shunned again but at least it was clear I had left the religion of my own volition. The first set of letters contain: 1) My voluntary disassociation letter dated August 5, 1980 2) The letter of disfellowshipping I received dated January 2, 1981 3) My initial protest to the local congregation dated January 15, 1981 4) My letter to the Governing Body demanding a withdrawal of their disfellowshipping me dated February 28, 1981 5) News coverage from the Tucson Citizen mentioning my case (last column of article) 6) I did receive a notice of the reversal from the local congregation in early J une of 1981 but I no longer have a copy of that letter 7) The change in policy regarding those who disassociate themselves from J ehovah's Witnesses as first published in the September 15, 1981 Watchtower Appended to this collection is the letter I sent out dated September 25, 1980 to dozens of Jehovah's Witness friends to explain why I had resigned from the Witnesses. It begins with a verbatim copy of my resignation letter and then discusses doctrinal concerns I had with the J ehovah's Witness' teachings about Jesus Christ. Dave Brown firstname.lastname@example.com David T. Brown 5017 N. 25 Ave. Apt C Phoenix AZ 85015 August 5, 1980 Body of Elders, Encanto Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses Phoenix, Arizona Gentlemen: Following the procedure outlined on pages 61 and 62 of the book "Pay Attention Jbo Yours elves and to All the Flock " I am hereby providing written notice of my desire to voluntarily disassociate myself from the Encanto Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses and also from any association with the Watchtover Bible and Tract Society. I have arrived at this decision after much prayer, Bible reading, and intensive personal study. I can no longer believe that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is God's visible earthly organization. I have no animosity towards anyone of Jehovah's Witnesses. In my 15 years of association with the Witnesses I have known many wonderful people. Many have been true friends and very kind and helpful, even in a material way. I would say all of them were sincere. They have not been perfect, but neither have I been perfect. They are still in my thoughts and prayers. I know this hurts Doris very much. Even though it hurts me to be the cause of her pain I feel I must proceed with this voluntary disassociation, oince my wife desires to remain a Witness I ask the congregation not to forget her. I know you will do what you can to help her, but I wanted you to know that I will not oppose such aid. I request when announcement is made to the congregation of my action that it is made clear that this is a voluntary action on my own part. You are free to show this letter to anyone you wish as an explanation why I have taken this action. Sincerely, Dear Mr. Brown: ■■ 5235 N. Nineteenth Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85015 January 2, 1981 ■ Mr. David Brown 5017 N. 23rd Avenue, Apt. #3 Phoenix, AZ 85015 tr . i5£ t™ 5? nsiderat i°n, the committee of the Encanto Congregation of itZtJ ltn T eS £ ° Und U necessa ^ ^ disfellowship you from ?he congregation. It was so announced to the congregation on November 28, ■ Respectfully submitted, ■ -. wS :, $jk ^%fc : J y^J^^// ■ Jy^ . ■ . . David T. Brown 5017 N. 25 Ave. Apt. 5 Phoenix AZ 85015 January 15, 1981 Body of Elders, En can to Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses c/o Mr. Roy L. Horton 5235 N. 19 Avenue Phoenix AZ 85015 Gentlemen: Today I received a letter from you telling ne that you have disfellow- shiped me from the congregation and that announcement of this was made to the congregation on November 28, 1980. Such action on your part comes as a great surprise to me. I have talked to one of the judicial committee on the telephone since you announced the disfellowshiping, but you did not choose to inform me until today. Since you prefer to communicate about this natter by the mail I have decided not* to telephone you regarding it, but to reply by mail myself. On August 6, 1980 I personally delivered to Mr. Roy L. Horton, at his home address, written notice dated the day before of my desire to voluntarily disassociate myself from the Encanto Congregation, This action on my part was based on the procedure outlined on .pages 61 and 62 of the book " Fay Attentio n to yourselves and to All the Flock " which says: "If a baptised person insists that he wants to be no part 01 the congregation and he wants his name removed from all our records, we can comply with his request. If he takes such an adamant position, it would be well to encourage him to put his request in writing* and it can be held in ths congregation files. In a case like this the Society should be notified and a brief announcement should he made to the congregation. The person will be viewed as 'disassociated' and he would have to apply for reinstatement in the regular way in order to become a member of the congregation again." Mr. Horton told me that my resignation letter would be acceptable to the congregation. (A copy of that letter is enclosed with this letter). Mr. Horton and I talked for several minutes at that time regarding my action and one question I put to him was whether the congre- gation would go ahead and try to disfeilowship mo an'- way. He gave me several assurances that would never happen because by my resigning in the way I was I was removing myself from the congregation. In fact, he reminded me of the Society's instructions quoted above which state that I would need to apply for reinstatement if I desired to become a part of the congregation again. Mr. Horton did say he wanted to discuss my action with the elders of the Encanto Congregation before making announcement to the congregation. This he did and announcement of my voluntary disassocia- tion was made to the Encanto Congregation on August 15, 1960 by one of the elders, Mr. Joseph Biehl, I had supplied a copy of my resignation letter to the Solano Congregation and they announced my voluntary disassociation on August 20, 1980, and this was announced by one of their elders, Mr, Herman Kurrlc. In view of the fact I had already removed myself from any association with the Encanto Congregation or from Jehovah's Witnesses in August of 1980 it surprises me that you now say that you 'found it necessary to disfeilowship me from the congregation. 1 How can you' disfeilowship someone who is no longer a part of the congregation? If, according to the Society's instructions quoted above, I would already need to apply for reinstatement to "bocr:r:e a' member of the congregation again ," how can you disfeilowship me as though I still waa a member of the congre- gation? Page 2 It i£j true that I mailed letters to several of my Witness friends explaining why I decided to resign. But I did this nearly two months after I had resigned. Regardless of how you feel about my present religious beliefs don't you agree I have the right to inform my friends of my decision to voluntarily disassociate myself and the. reasons why I felt I should? There was no attempt in any of those letters to cover over the fact I had resigned. The first page in every letter contained a verbatim copy of my resignation letter so all of my friends were fully informed that I was no longer a Witness. It is also true I wrote a letter to the Watchtower Society telling them I felt they have been dishonest in some of their scholarship, but this letter was dated September 26, 1980 (long after my resignation), and I plainly told them I had already voluntarily disassociated myself from the congregation. There are several unanswered questions regarding your disfellowshiping action. For e xactly what grounds did you decide it was "necessary" to disfeliowship [expel) me from the congregation? Exactly how was the announcement read to the congregation? Did it simply say you were disfellowshiping me? Or did it state you were disfellowshiping me for "conduct unbecoming a Christian?" Or did it state it was for "apostasy?" Or was it for "promoting sects and divisions?" Or something else? Were there, either at that time or at some other time, any further remarks about me either directly or by innuendo? In what other congrerations of Jehovah's Witnesses was your disfellowshiping action read? Why was I never informed that you were disregarding the fact I had already resigned and that you were proceeding to try me by the judicial committee? I do appreciate that you finally did inform me of what you have done, but why did you wait so long to do so? You nay feel these questions are minor or silly, but I feel ycu owe me some explanations and answers to those questions. In a group of people of which I was no member you brought Up Ely name in a bad light and stated you were "expelling" me from membership for sone wrongdoing. If someone is treated like that shouldn't they* be informed as to whv and how it was done? I would appreciate it greatly if you would by either letter ur in person explain your action and answer the questions I. am asking in this letter. In view of the fact I have not been a member of your congregation or of your religion since August of 1 980 I ask you to reconsider your disfellowshiping action. Tour action does not take into account the procedure outlined in the book "Pay Attention to Yourselves and to All .the" Flock" on rages 61 and 62, iou are allowed to use my name in this "v ay if you make announce- ment to the congregation: 'The decision made to disfeliowship Mr. David T, Brown, announced on November 28, 1980 was in error. Mr. Brown had already voluntarily disassociated himself from the congregation previous to that tine and therefore not a member of the congregation subject to disfellowshiping. Mr. Brown left the congregation of his own volition.' Tou may not use my name or refer to me (either directly or by innuendo) in any other way in your meetings without my permission. I also ask that if you do reconsider your disfellowshiping action you notify all the Other congregations that also read your disfellowshiping notification and ask them to announce the reversal. May I hear from you by February 15, 1981 if you will withdraw your disfellowshiping decision? Thank you, JQiuAJ W . TJVtruA — - Mr. Frederick W, Franz 124 Columbia Heights Brooklyn, New York 11201 David T. Brown 5017 N. 23 Ave. Apt. J Fhoenix, Arizona 8^015 February 28 f 1981 Dear Mr. Franz, The May 15> 1980 Watchtower (page 30) relates the almost unbelievable response one man received when he wrote to his local Catholic Church to have his name removed from its records: "Under no conditions can we remove your name from any Baptismal or other Sacramental records. As you know the Catholic Church is the one true Church founded by Jesus (Matt 16) and to so remove your name would be a sin against the Holy Spirit," Surely, such an attitude by that Catholic Church is hypocritical and preposterous. Due to recent developments I feel compelled to ask if a similar attitude is to be encouraged among Jehovah's Witnesses? I do not believe you think so. Early last August I decided I did not want to remain one of Jehovah's Witnesses so I wrote a letter to the local congregation (Phoenix, Arizona, Encanto Congregation) and voluntarily dis- associated myself, following the procedure outlined on pages 61 and 62 of " Pay Attention to Yourselves and to A ll t he Floc k." The elders of that congregation accepted my action as valid and for nearly 4 months it was an accepted fact that I had resigned from the congre- gation and was no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses, Last month I found out that the elders of that congregation decided it was "necessary" to disfellowship me from the congregation in late November, DESPITE THE FACT I WAS NO LONGER A MEMBER OF THE CONGREGATION. Still later I was informed the disfellowshiping was for "apostasy," On February 8, 1981 I met with 2 elders from the Encanto Congre- gation who told me they had 'made a mistake' in accepting my resignation letter and that they should have disfellowshiped me at that time instead of allowing me to resign. They also indicated they were told to disfellowship me by someone there at Brooklyn Bethel, I know such a mistake could not have been made by you or anyone on Page 2 the Governing Body. Therefore I am writing to you so that this situation can he corrected. Surely It is quite unethical for the Encanto Congregation to represent me as a member of that congregation and then subject my reputation and character to the stigma that goes with disfellowshiping, when it was a settled matter that I was no longer a Witness. The way the Encanto Congregation handled their disfellowshiping procedure is also reprehensible. I was never notified in advance of a committee meeting to disfellowship me. Neither was I invited to attend. I was not informed of their action until the middle of January, a month and a half afterwards. Respectfully I ask you to instruct the Encanto Congregation to retract theix disfellowshiping action and to notify me in writing of their retraction. The truth of the matter is that I was not expelled from the congregation, I resigned and left of my own volition. I would really appreciate it if you would straighten out this situation. I am enclosing all pertinent correspondence with this letter. I realize you have many responsibilities to care for, but I am trusting there won't be too much delay on this matter. Thank you, %AJ~u\ W. 7&lcr\ /QttV David T. Brown Copies to members of the Governing Body individually and to the Encanto Congregation. T T *S. kj KJM.M.\J TT fc »/J in Social Security benefits NEW YORK (AP) — Most of the 115 million American works re who pay Social Security taxes have little laith that -they will ever get benefits in return Irom the financially trou- bled system," an Associated PreswJBC News poll says. Itepite^tMoejnarJtablL lackof faith, the public gen- erally doesn't like Ronald Reagan's plan to save the system from bankruptcy. .. In particular, those who are familiar with Reagan's plan oppose by a 1-1 margin the suggestion that benefits for all future retirees be cut by an average of 10 per- cent, _ JDie.lack ol suppori_lar_ the Reagan plan does not mean the public knows how to solve Social Security's problems, but putting limits on benefits arid using gen- eral tax revenues 10 fund the system do get some support as possible solu- tions. Americans- ha-ve-a stun- ning lack of confidence in the soundness of the .Social Security system, which bow collects taxes fnJm US mil- lion workers and their em- ployers and (hen pays bene- fit a to 36 mi I lion-people.— About three-quarters of - the-public • — 74-pereeBfr said they have little or no confidence that the Social Security system will have [he money to pay them re tirement benefits. Only 22 percent of those questioned said they have complete " confidence or a great deal of "confidence that the sys- Bridge , ijl.JIA Classified JF Comics 7B EgJtorialH.'..^..'. HA Financial i 1M4D Dr :Mendasnnn ...., UA Your Stars.. tern will have the .funds available. Four percent of the 1,599 adults interviewed nationwide by telephone Monday and Tuesday were not sure. ■ As one might expect. __ Americans -wltrrtrie- iongesr to go before retit-- ent are. jhe least ..cunfL- dent in the system and those close to retirement are the most confident. But Reagan's ideas to save the system rrom its fi- nancial problems have little backing. During the last decade, there have been warnings Movie Tiroes 14C Public Records IE Puzzle package IF TV-Radio ISC Weather ;. ID -SC that the Social Security sys- tem faces a variety of fv nancial problems due to high inflation, high unem- ployment and low produc- ' tivity, and because there are fewer workers now to ~pay-"for the benefits- of-a -rapidly increasing group of -*etireesr "■■ Recent efforts to cure the financial ills have fallen short, leaving the system facing a cash crunch in the next two years and much larger problems about 30 to 40 years in the-futurer To.stan-with, <5 percent of the public said they had not even. heard or read about the proposals. "Of those who had, fed' ings were mixed. Nineteen percent favored the propos- . als and 30 percept opposed them. Seven percent fa- vored sorffe of the proposals and opposed others. Nine _ Continued, Page 4A. nice one Let's give a cheer For month of May; Wish it were here FeFever^Q\& best since j WASHINGTON (AP) — Gasolini April, holding the nation's overall in cent — an &miyal_r&te_of_!Ll .pert. — Haven Lee It's goihgtowarm up a bit for the weekend, which should make that holiday trip to the mountains or lakes just about perfect. — In Tucson, the thermom- - eter should approach 80 de- grees tomorrow and tem- peratures are expected to be normal through the Me- morial Day weekends Thai means the low 90s. . The mercury reached .82 yesterday and dropped to S3 -thJ^-moming, which -is eight degrees below n ormal for'lhls tirrVe of year. The low tonight should be about "58. - — iti-rje-SHJiny^tirilt^ tie or'iso wind expected. Hotspot in the na tion yej terday was Presidio, Texas, which hit 97, while Ely, Nev . , Jiad -tBe-only- "freezing "terrlperature — 31 , performance since last July, the govt Inflation is averaging about 8.4 four percentage points under the 12.4 year. - The April figure,, which JoHows March, is the best since the 0.1 perct Overall food {iriceSi which mar rise substantially this year, remali gaining only slightly in the previous; today's consumer pnee index' relea ment. Prices for food purchases at grr cent, but prices for restaurant rnea were slitrhtly higher. Gasoline prices declined-1,4 pe 13:4 percent in the first three mow said; Arid economists say that a ciii lion, surplus makes It unlikely that ergy-cost increases in the next few r T ra nspo Eta t io n cost s i n . a en e r. April, with the gj soJlne- price . drop* percent rise in new cat-pnces'wiiH grams, h&.report said the. unadjusted to 266:8 in April, which means that t $10 in 1967 would have cost G&68 la< omplete I _^-Hage ZD._ ine lirjof "Department also'sali -after (axes and after adjusting (or i cent In April (or an average piarrj — dependents, '- - ' Local Jehovah's Witnesses irit with schism^ By LEE SUSP*R- — ■ Cln»n Su* Wi«k T(IrX*rang , ^no r ^Mr^u^Rfrar3afn'i ^pa.perfloated~dowTrtil^e~^sIstst-Do^tettl as _ Mary Hing pulled the note from the envelope. "You are & fool," it reaftiiSrwistrEHad never known you. Don't ever try to contact me again." =^ Th fr s crap s -w e r e onc - 9 a copy of M s-r K i ng' s l e tt e r of resignation fromJI^saji's.. Valencia .Congregation of Jehovahis. WftneSses "artrrthe'Watchtower Bible and Tract Socletyr note was from a friend of Mrs. Wlng's/aTsc laWwvafrs yVit^_ ; ">tresg Th er e w ere also TJtctures" of Ms. filing's" twosonsln the . % envelope, pdctuneasenl back-by her friend: " Now Mrs "Kiing has fewer friends. When she tried (o re- .sign, (he congregation responded like (fie boss who tells his employee, you can't quit?-, you 're 'fired. She- was dlsfellov/- shlpped, the JW term for excommunication. Disleilowshlpplug is done to keep th eorgan lzaUon " clean. "- Those booted out are usually shunned arid regarded as spiritual pariahs, guilty of some Immoral act or of violating" baste dofc- trine. - = r*V v ■ _ '• -* - .-~ r - st," r Sdrti e tci,.- ied , and others Just said they just "wanted to tjuletly join-whatsome ex-Wlfriesses stoppedacUve-paaidpatJoh, but almost ill feel the organization ■ -say if W.mO yi' ho haveleft-HHe- fo m il jton ^nember^cganiiatioa; — luis-gone^wron^n- dootrin a .orm e t hedsrSevera^afe-ftripg the — ■ or Decome inactive since 1970, Instead, Mrs. Kling said, sheivas". society, and.spTinterTJlble study groups are forming j^but most— =^ - . caught -up In what has been called r'"witch hunt" of those ■ are frustrated by the-Wltness practice ol. avoiding all non-JW - - whose loyalty to the Watchtowe? Society 1b suspect, a purge contact, particularly with those who have left the foldr - . . Former Witnesses say there may be even more who ques- - t i on th e c qcl c ty'o r esettin g, but to do s o rxibl i cly -means-thejrijxr- -would-be ettludedrBTfn forfettthe et^Hiallife tfiat: JwTBelieve " !^edgttepQEL only .they can achieve. that reportedly has tumbled members Of the J Ws' 1'9-member Governing Body and-people-lrrtocal congregations throughout thewotiC ... •: Wttch 1 hunt or not^ an Informal network of disaffected Wit- nesses has formed, from theapexot the society's International headquarters' in Brookiyn, N V., tfl Tucaoo and gallons. ■ ^ . | ""»' .' ■ .^'- ■ -v f- -r -j "lbe-dlsputea-do -not-center-qa-one-1 mu V although - ™ i former JWs contest society beliefs that-only 144,000 — the bodjv called the "faithful and discreet slave" to Jehovah — wiir reach ■ heaven (alt the soots are taken); 'the unquestioning allegiance to (he Governing BoSy, and (he failure ol, the JW prediction that" the world woulnend I n 1975. '- -. JW spokesmen from congregation elders to the Governing Body say they dorft-^uideretaBdrwhy outsiaera are interested In what they see as-conffdentlal-lntemal affairs, and dismiss Continued on Page IA -4 a—a- Local-Jehovah's Witnesses hit wit h schism 1 f From Page 3 V complaints Irom people ttejwall a lew .' ;ed. embiffered indrnduaisr"" . — the congregation's six elders dated March 13, stating that theyshad heard reports that Mrs. Kling "expressed ideas contrary to those of They point to steady increases in the total number of'pubtrsJMs" — the active mem- ■ ■ -h ere w ho-partic-ipatg-in doo r ta doo r praachm work — as evidence of a healthy i _ which according to the "1381 Yearbook of Je- hovah's Witnesses" numbers 2,272.278 world- wide, including 565.309 in the Unit ed States. . Obse rvers ^cknowledgE_ihis_gmauh,_biil_ claim thelricrease is due (o new baptisms which offset the number of people leaving or becoming inactive the organization , -Pockets ol dissension abounoVan Jehova h's Witne sse s " " and " I nv lte d - H d isfer lowshipped person to come to yo ur home-t or biuJjr." Mrs; Kling also was accused of believing ihat JW counsel for youpg people was overly ■Ar-ot disagreeing with the JW-intenpi but it's m.r supposed to be connected with the / Watchtower Society," Mrs. Kling said. "** '■^n why «» I hojnfl rticfallfmrehippml I hat? Are they taking the words of those u-hnfilrhilrfmn nupr.jfiiniO" -t == — - Richaiid Puummer, principal of the school, _ at 3301 E. Patricia St., told a Citizen 1 reporter that New. World was indep endent, bu t fjfjjfg iff thFphbne when askefral^^rsntlingTwho are quiet. Alfred Nussrailah, the Watchtower circuit overseer for about 20 English-speaking conp re Rati ons '" lne Tucson , a rea, /said he iJiiL not know" ot any other'disfellowships and could -not comments the Kline case because he did not know itsnspeeificsrBui "fiFdfd sayTthara- congregation usually permits a person two to three misdeeds before taking Judicial action. son Citizen has received copies of letters, news reports and legal files Irom loosely coordin- ated U.S. and Canadian groups disenchanted with the organization. One of the focal points of such groups is Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, where the Kling's brother-in-law, James Penton, has filed a $130,000 defamation suit against the or- ganization. Penton. a University of Lethbridge history professor and religion scholar, said he was disfellowshipped last year alter tie critic- ised the Watchtower Society lor strictness and suggested that il consider other forms of evan- gelism rather than the lO-hour-p^ r-week door- tc-door preaching required of JWs to remain in good standing "It was. not a doctrinal difference I just advocated more fre«Jom and more love." -P en t o n ■sai d~"fint-rtnrt*l s se e n ua JesfiT i ffr to order (by the society) " Penton, author of a book on the JWs' his- tory in Canada, said he wrote an eight-page - le tt er t o t he-Brooklyn hendtrua rters^rotesting- ihe removal ot his son from full-time preKti-I ing services. According to Penton, his #on wa"s- six-tenths of an .hour short of the required fireaching time because ol college studies and ami l y r espo nsibilitie s, and l he letter urged, the apocalypse and of -speaking out against preaching work. The letter asked the Kings to an end a dis fellowship hearing the next we ek. The Mings' said they sent the ir letter of resignation by registered mail before the hear- " ' ing, but Mrs. Kling was disfellowshipped for "apostasy/' Or turning away from God. l ami-; Kling -aid that he and his wife had been considering resignation for three years — "You just don't walk away from something that's been your whole life" — but. that, con, gregation charges weren't valid. The disfellowshipped person who visited the couple's Drexel Heights home was a teen- ager thrown oul of the congregation for smok- ing, Mrs, -Kling said, and the only time she - publicly referred to the "greai crowd" was when a group ol eighth-graders she taught. aL the New World Educational Center private school asked her about it. "All 1 did was point oula verse of the Bible and-tokl-thena-to-d£Cffle for-themselves. The wofEed pan time as a voTuTffeer'ieacher atthe " school. ■ - T Valencia Congregation _elders would.rjqt comment on Mrs, "Kling's disfellowshippmg, , but elder-Roy E.-Limow said, '^We begged and . pleaded with Mary to stop these things." Lin- tow^pd, elder Darrell G^Kupelian likened the Kling matter to a family dispute. "Would you -want-me-lo^oome^ftio^yauphome-and-pryHntp - personal life?" Lintow asked. The couple sees Mrs. Kling's only real of- fense as disloyalty to the Watchtower Society. "They are probably trying to Keeii people in subjection," Kling said, Ids hands clasped around his Bible. "If this is the case, they are doing a great job." The Klings are not, plan, rung any^aciion against the congregation, he ' said. "If people will believe an organization in- stead of me, after knowing me all my life, then it doesn't matter, A lawsuit caa't .bringmy name back.", : . " '-■ ' "The WhOle'tWng IS verTcarefuIly scrillin- i eoey-tte - anid. "There must - bo eyewitn esses^- accusing someone, and Jhey have to be credi- ble and truthful, Each congregation Is individ- ually-r-esponsible-for handling its own cases." _-■!■ In Phoe nix thin gs aren't so placMi_Lfitlej3___' obtained by the Citizen show mat David T. Brown received\notice of his disfellowship- i merit on Jan. 2, even though he had resigned \ -from Phocnix-s-Encani'o congregation on Aug. _.S, 1980. He said he never was told of any Judi- cial action against him, nbr was he ever con— ( fronted with any charges —both ol which JSVr^J l say they arejcripturally bound™ do. r _."' "I sent copies of my. resignation letter to C' . friends at the Brooklyn headquarters," he ! said. '^Ij.vanW to explain to them why I wa s " leaving and vfjiat. I had found inrtfoBlble." i . Thin 'Wos apparently enough for the Watch- i tower Society to single hi" ^at, he said. i school-is run mostly. by Jehovah's Witnesses, "1 think they are trying to make ah exam? pie of people who left the .fold , . jne_congrega- tion accepted my resignation; and then (En- ^-ss-,,., =- 1K — it™™ "'"ca.hto elder) Rdv Horton told me the The other 20 JW congregations in TflBEon-^- L [ V ga ^ir^iEuTl the society to have more" sympathy. Ttje only reply was a two-paragraph directive to just his thinking." he said. The controversy continued r^and Penton and two other, elders — congregational leaders — at Lethbridge's Lakeview confrregstion re- signed, he said. About 60 others left Lake- view's three congregations, but only he was disfellowshipped, he said "The&doij't Mve the guts to dis fellowship^ _evejyone who_lefI^ -Pinion said._im_wiiuld..L make them look like what they are: a ru- ne longer~aT-cepts the _ JW's .belief that only l«;tW0 will reach heaven. John* Poole, one of the Uskeview elders who resigned In support of-*Penton, has helped begin a Bible study group called the Intema- _ tional Christian ■ Bible Students Associati on (ICBSA), a name similar to that oi the early JW organization, Penton said about 35 people . ■i attend . the" groupls *9ekfy bible 41 udies-in.the^- ■> Lethbridge area,-artd .the-fGBSA began-pub-r^J lishlngjts own Hterature last-week. — Penton said that since news of his suit i ap ^ gai h-hghssf t t-i-i tul l atli. s 6»d ' |) ti fl n < L trtty daily from JWs all over the world £3^gs-e4-^csett^id^ey^OTrtiirlow if brother-Waw Penton's lawsuit Influenced ■^-the-Valencia congregation i n diafello wshjp Mrs, Kling, but they think her treatment was....' . wrong. "■According to the Bible, they (the cong're- -*"T0ngdDv■ James eaTiont'muit con front us_ wljh our ^wrdng ing' three times, and theyTid not,""^ Klingsaid. ^-^ B i e t Oh i g g rec^wdarTeTter from threeoT , take action against me," Horto.ii declined to comment. 1- Brown has sent letters ol protest to the con- gregation and the Governing Body but I us lurf — — no response, he said. His personal life has suf- fered. ■" ■, ■ L. "My wife. is still a Witn'es"s7'TjesaltJ:^e. 2 are elbse, but we avoid the topic of religion^ I" have had some dealings with Witnesses at— — work, but almost all of my old friendships $re '. gone, and I have been subject to some unkind . tfeatmpnl ^ - .— T - . . try not to be bitter. I have to admit that I treated people like that and that I believed ail lft[lg? a L ~ ^-^^ —.. "l.. r ■■ ' "'—■■ ■■!-■■ There was something of a JW jsciiisin In Phoenix In 1978. Chuck EvenBoh", "a former elder at the city's Pleasant Valley congrega- tion,' said he resigned and ttpt v about 30 others.. - - did likewise, but no one' was disfellowshipped. "We begged the.body of elde r s to pick u p th e ir ' ■ . Bibles and discuss pur reasons for leaying wlttf. iSt^^eBsoh^aUl^TiwifrefwetP — ! — ■ *Evenfiini*aid'4ie-iirid--the-otheps-ho!d-fiiHi r formal weekly Bible study, jahd some -have - juined fundamentalist churches. Their dispute, witi the JWs was primarily over the Witness beli ef that C hri sLs-deatb' AP htatrphQUi $m$S.1$tgt rmmei^otllsprrtof-^hovalt's WibffiswrrettpSl; Some 400 people were ■ converted jt the W9 ititemalJonaLcjim'e -^jrVsie* W)rtrCf(J's5Bea Stadium, whtchattracted.S^WIJWs. "1 would ask questions, and no one would r answer theni. Wheii I resigned, 1 told them I : ; wotild-sue th e m If th ey-di sf el luwshippett itie," te^eaiitr- * ; Vv ~ ; *" ' L -. ■ ' ■: i i T?7~*Zizr''. -— ^-tot-otj^estiavt'teeh told about me, and '■; . ' .^lt'j created a lot of problems. For a long time—" rny.ffllks.and mv wife's pare nts wouldn t even t alk t o us," he jiaitl ' . ' . : — ^ — i - ._■. — — ~ __Eaensoithdsts-6rweekiy-Satufday fellgibjts - " ' adlQ-prjgram_oiLKXE<i, .feut' he' said he" oesn't use i t to r each Witnesses,^ He said he ' has met secretly with some - Phoe n ix e l dtrs . » and set up a recorded phone message for Wit- nesses, hut h e thinks preac hin g zo.the;n " "mq're Tharmlhan good, =" ■ ■ -■-'■ , - "That's the worst thing anyone can do. Wit- nesses have a persecution complex. If anyone ^raitatkrihemf ihey're-stire tiiey'te jfgiii; ■" only way these people will eve f leave th ganization or cause It to change Is to accept Christ as their personal savior " ^ »t X22L, 7*W3fV_ Hi t ±t= r-«L: son on any spiritual or social level reflects loyalty to God's standards and obedience to his command at 1 Corinthians 5:11, 13. This is consistent with Jesus' advice that such a person he considered in the same way as "a man of the nations" was viewed by the Jews of that time. For some time after the apostles died, those professing Christianity evidently followed the Biblical procedure.* But how many churches to- day comply with God's clear directions in this regard? THOSE WHO DISASSOCIATE THEMSELVES 13 A Christian might grow spiritually weak, perhaps because of not studying God's Word regularly, having personal problems or experiencing persecution. (1 Cor. 11:30; Rom. 14:1) Such a one might cease to attend Christian meetings. What is to be done? Recall that the apos- tles abandoned Jesus on the night of his arrest. Yet Christ had urged Peter, "When once you have returned, strengthen your brothers [who also abandoned Jesus]." (Luke 22:32) Hence, out of love Christian elders and others might visit and help the one who has grown weak and inactive. (1 Thess. 5:14; Rom. 15:1; Heb. 12:12, 13) It is another matter, though, when a person repudiates his being a Christian and disassociates himself. 14 One who has been a true Christian * Ecclesiastical historian Joseph Bingham writes con- cerning the early centuries: "The discipline of the church consisted in a power to deprive men of all the benefits and privileges of baptism, by turning them out of the society and communion of the church, . . . and every one shunned and avoided them in common con- versation, partly to establish the church's censures and proceedings against them, and partly to make them ashamed, and partly to secure themselves from the danger of contagion." ". . . no one was to receive excommunicated persons Into their houses, nor eat at the same table with them; they were not to converse with them familiarly, whilst living; nor perform the funeral obsequies for them, when dead, , . . These directions were drawn up upon the model of those rules of the apostles, which forbade Christians to give any countenance to notorious offenders. "—The Antiquities of the Christian. Church, pp. 880, 891. might renounce the way of the truth, stat- ing that he no longer considers himself to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses or wants to be known as one. When this rare event occurs, the person is renouncing his stand- ing as a Christian, deliberately disassociat- ing himself from the congregation. The apostle John wrote: "They went out from us, but they were not of our sort; for if they had been of our sort, they would have remained with us." — 1 John 2:19. 15 Or, a person might renounce his place in the Christian congregation by his ac- tions, such as by becoming part of an organization whose objective is contrary to the Bible, and, hence, is under judg- ment by Jehovah God. {Compare Revela- tion 19:17-21; Isaiah 2:4.) So if one who was a Christian chose to join those who are disapproved of God, it would be fitting for the congregation to acknowledge by a brief announcement that he had dis- associated himself and is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses. 16 Persons who make themselves "not of our sort" by deliberately rejecting the faith and beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses should appropriately be viewed and treated as are those who have been disfellowshiped for wrongdoing, COOPERATING WITH THE CONGREGATION 17 Though Christians enjoy spiritual fel- lowship when they discuss or study the Bible with their brothers or interested persons, they would not want to have such fellowship with an expelled sinner (or one who has renounced the faith and beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses, disassociating himself). The expelled person has been 'rejected,' being "self -condemned" because of "sinning," and those in the congregation both accept God's judgment and uphold it. 13. What should be done in the case of a person who becomes weak and Inactive? 14. How might a person disassociate himself? THE WATCKTOWER — SEPTEMBER 15, 1961 15, 16. (a) How else might a person become disassoci- ated? (b) How should Christians view and deal with disassociated persons? 17, 18. What is involved in our cooperating with the congregation as to disfellowshiping? 23 David T. Brown 5017 N. 23 Ave. Apt 3 Phoenix AZ 85015 August 5, 1980 Body of Elders, Encanto Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses Phoenix, Arizona Gentlemen: Following the procedure outlined on pages 61 and 62 of the book " Pay Attention to Yourselves and to All the Flock " I am hereby providing written notice of my desire to voluntarily disassociate myself from the Encanto Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses and also from any association with the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. I have arrived at this decision after much prayer, Bible reading, and intensive personal study. I can no longer believe that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is God's visible earthly organization. I have no animosity towards anyone of Jehovah's Witnesses. In my 15 years of association with the Witnesses I have known many wonderful people. Many have been true friends and very kind and helpful, even in a material way. I would say all of them were sincere. They have not been perfect, but neither have I been perfect. They are still in my thoughts and prayers. I know this hurts Doris very much. Even though it hurts to be the cause of her pain I feel I must proceed with this voluntary disassociation. Since my wife desires to remain a Witness I ask the congregation not to forget her. I know you will do what you can to help her, but I wanted you to know that I will not oppose such aid. I request when announcement is made to the congregation of my action that it is made clear that this is a voluntary action on my part. You are free to show this letter to anyone you wish as an explanation why I have taken this action. Sincerely, David T. Brown September 25, 1980 Dear Friends: I am enclosing some scriptures and some thoughts that helped me to see that I did not have "the Truth." (John 14:6) These have helped me to come to Him. (John 6:68, 69) He invites you to come to Him, too. (Matthew 11:28-30) Page 1 Hebrews 7:3 This is speaking of how Melchizedek is a type of the Son of God: "In being fatherless, motherless, without genealogy, having neither a beginning of day_s_ nor an end of life , but having been made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually." In what way is the Son of God without beginning of days or end of life? John 1:1 "In the beginning the Word was ..." Is this saying that the Word existed before creation? That, in the beginning, place it where you may, the Word already existed? Compare the New English Bible rendering of John 1:1-4: "When all things began, the Word already was. The Word dwelt with God, and what God was, the Word was. The Word, then, was with God at the beginning, and through him all things came to be; no single thing was created without him. All that came to be was alive with his life, and that life was the light of Colossians 1:15 '.- Can the expression "firstborn of all creation" have another explanation than meaning that Jesus was God's first creation? Again the New English Bible (Colossians 1:15-20): "He is the image of the invisible God; his is the primacy over all created things. In him everything in heaven and on earth was created, not only things visible but also the invisible orders of thrones, sovereignties, authorities, and powers: the whole universe has been created through him and for him. And he existed before everything , and all things are held together in him. He is, moreover, the head of the body , the church. He is its origin, the first to return from the dead, to be in all things alone supreme . For in him the complete being of God, by God's own choice, came to dwell. Through him God chose to reconcile the whole universe to himself, making peace through the shedding of his blood upon the cross — to reconcile all things, whether on earth or in h*aven, through him alone." Compare Genesis 41:51,52 with Jeremiah 31:9; Psalm 89:27. On Colossians 1:19, compare with Colossians 2:9 in the Emphatic Diaglott, Byington, and other recent versions. Also see Emphatic Diaglott (page 889) under "Firstborn." At Colossians 1:15 "Firstborn" is a statement of position, not priority in time. Page 2 Revelation 3:14 Similarly, can the expression "the beginning of the creation by God" ("the beginning of the creation of the God" - Kingdom Interlinear) have the meaning given in the New International Version?: "These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation." (Compare Revelation 1:5). New Testament Greek lexicons give "origin" as another meaning for beginning. Proverbs 8:22-31 Can we be positive this applies to Christ? (Read Proverbs chapters 1-9. Wisdom and foolishness are contrasted.) Does Proverbs 8:3,4 apply to Christ? If we can say Proverbs 8:22 applies to Christ — many versions translate it Jehovah "possessed" me, etc. After all, when has Jehovah been without wisdom? See Green's Interlinear Old Testament, NIV, NASB. Hebrews 1:10-12 This passage quotes Psalm 102:25-27 (LXX) and applies it to Christ: "And: 'You at the beginning, Lord, laid the foundations of the earth itself, and the heavens are the works of your hands. -. They themselves will perish, but. you yourself are to remain continually; and just like an outer garment they will all grow old, and you will wrap them up just as a cloak, as on outer garment; and they will be changed, but you are the same, and your years will never run out.'" In Psalm. 102 this statement is definitely speaking about Jehovah. Does this identify Jesus as Jehovah? Other examples: 1 Peter 2:3 says: "... provided you have tasted that the Lord is kind." This is shown to be speaking about Jesus in the next verse (1 Peter 2:4): "Coming to him as to a living atone, rejected, it is true, by men, but chosen, precious with God." 1 Peter 2:3 is a reference to Psalm 34:8 (LXX): "Taste and see that Jehovah ia good ..." [Comparison of the interlinear with the Greek Septuagint (LXX) shows the phrases to be identical . ] Is Peter calling Jesus "Jehovah" in this place? The Kingdom Interlinear Translation COLOSSIAXS 1:16—21 £**.u« tcG 6tou tq£ doparou, JT-pt:TCTo*o^ image of the. God Ihe invisible, _£-3itn>m 6ti tv <3'JTi because in_ Mm ■of all creation, it v £.*. created the alt iibings) in the heavens ^lil TTfc >fjtL "to: ^DOrd KOI kcu Tnc. fnc, TO and upon the earth, the (tbiogiV -Tiiible and 896 tbe image of tbe 1n- tisible God, the first- born of all creation; 16 because br means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the TO the (things) KUPIOTnTEC, tiTE dopenn, e'te 6-:-=i<cn crnr. ■ things Tisihls and the invisible. ■Rhetiier thrones or I things invisible, no e'te E^ouoriar | matter whether they opxa lordships oi eov«iTune«ts «r authorities; j are thrones or lord- tct Tidvrn 6t* ai/rou tron sir, adrov ships or governments tbe all (things) through him and into Sasorctr II pea? atWoq eemv Htm been created; and be is tt&viw *tri id ntwra is all Itbingsl ami the all {Uiuibs] in icmv TTpO before CCi/TO) him ouvEOTrjKEV, 18 kqi en/roc. it has stood together. and be KapaUi tou erugcrTOE;, -"jc frticATio-fac/ head citfae body, of the ecctesia; o<; ecrnv i\ dpxr), Trptjrdroicoc; ex who is the beginning. firstborn out cf or authorities. All [other] tilings have been created through htm and lor him. IT Also, be is before f] | all {other] things and the ! by means of him all TrfKjrreuwv, holding tbe tint place-, [other] things were made to exist IS and he is the head of the bod?, the congrega- tion. He is the begin- ning, the first-born from the dead, that he might become the IB SBUi JE £S 19 because •ram VEKpuv, iva VEvrrrai ev the dead tones] , in order that might become in Tfckriii olho-; all (things ! he W -oti eh cnjrti gC6V m r| ge » irov to t^"*"* ■*■ because in him' he thought well all tbe I things TrXrfpuna ninoiKTitrap 20 rai 6t* auroO j [Qod] saw good for fullness to dwell down and through him j all fullness to dwell in diroiccmiAAa|at "id Trdyra ef[j auidu, j hire, 20 and through to reconcile the alt jtbinesl Into trim, him to reconcile g^airi itpnycTrorrioac S>n toG atyoroq tou to himself all [other] having made peace throu^i tbe blood of the! things by making trtaupoo airrou. Si* caVrou thr. Ip*-»" through the atake .of htm, ttrough him whether I blood [he shed] Oil Td *& ttk ^ ette xd miS£?S£JSSK£ the (things upon the -earth or the (thlngsl in ■ tnawer whether trie? ™; otipawTs. 1" "»J^ upon tbe heavens: t*» earth or the { thinirs in ths heavens. TtpUTOTOMOC OV gTajAwTi — 1. lit. Mt 1: 25 v J.; Li 2: 7; Hb lis 2S.— 2. fie, of Christ Tto 8; 29; Col J: 15. IS: Hb 1 : 6; Rv 1: 6; 2: 8 T.I.— Of men Kb 12: 23.* AS ^JaoS-i^.R^Z dic tionary of New Testament iforrls. W. E. Tine*. Thomas Helson Publishers. Pages 454 , 435. FIRST-BEGOTTEN, FIRSTBORN FROTOTOKQS (irpurroroKos), firstborn (from protos, first, and tikto, to beget), is used of Christ as born of the Virgin Mary . Luke 2:7; further . in His relationship to the Father, expressing His priority to. and pr e- - eminence over, creation, not in the sense of being the first to be bom. It is used occasionally of superiority of position in the O.T. ; see Ex. 4 : 22 ; Deut. 21 : 16, 17, the prohibition being against the evil of assigning the privileged position of the firstborn to one born subsequently to the first child. The five passages in the N.T. relating to Christ may be set forth chrono- logically thus : (a) J3oL 1 : II. where His eternal relationship with the Father is in view, and the clause means both that He was the Firstborn, before all creation and that He Himself p roduced creation (the genitive case being objective, as ver. 16 makes clear ) ; (6) Coi. 1 : 18 and Rev. I '■ 5> m reference to His resurrection ; (c) Rom. 3 : 29, His position in relation- arar> to the Chcrds ; ffl Heb-. 1 ; &, R.V., H» Seeead AeWeirt (the &*. ^when He again bringeth in," puts "again" in the right place, the contrast to His First Advent, at His Birth, being implied) ; cp. Psa. &q : 37- The word is used in the plural, in Heb. 11 : 28, of the firstborn sons in to* families of the Egyptians, and in 12 : 23, of the members of the Church. ! Note ; With (a) cp. John 1 : 30, " He was before me," lit., ' He was v-, t iprUos) of me, 1 i.e., ' in regard to rae,' txpressbj all that is involved in His pre-existence and priority. Hev. ?;14 (Ki ngd om Inter 1 ine ax Trans 1 a 1 1 o n ) ; S horter L e x i con of the Greek K e y. Testa ment . P, Wilbur Gingrich: University of Chicago Press. 1957, 1965. Page 190. EKcX- dyi't><t> ■1 TaSc And to the angel oi the in X^odjcea FIBST. 1. TVliji 1; Sthtt lO-tn. In (la* mm. ind Clulw xt» •e^rJ AJaa. \*a tt of tre«4lHK7 : so Pict "^!J* hhsiftU Eli. pint dc ehitf or iicneri. / Vtr.t, V [FIHiT-BOaN n 'Tre*TH»aoTTT* d% \ wen, ci«unn" mMj bu "ckiti &J ' tta wluHt crtitloa." Col L I J. r FIHST-rBUITS Hm I1t« rtn. nraJuu at tlM land nf lir«f. «vn. arfoaQrtd tbe L4r>J"s turawenr. *n<l- » MUft **rs iie?s.t C& UlSL EllM. TUiljL Xi. '*•}- t.'hrlft Li ciltoil tho Hr*i-' r 'nU «f 'hfcTl iLar (tfnt. ] r=>r. ir. I" 1 : irA ih* tiouly of S^otMJUU. It* fr*t-*r*itd. -J kehtia i roc. nt 11. of ecrlasia write The-but (lhin£E} ta (ayiDC the 'Ap^v, 6 (jdDTuc 6 ttioto;; kcm * dJitjOivot;, Aeim, the win^e^ the faithiul and the ttae, KTIOEU!; TOO &o0, cre^tiun of the Ood, J\ Apm Tnc, the t»Finivirig oi the 14 "And to the angel of the con* gregauorr to, La-o-di- ce'a write: These arf the thines that the Amen says, the falih- ful anc true witness, tfie beei-ani'-ie- nf tVu° creation by God, The Emphatic Maglott . Ben- jamin Wilson; Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. 1942 edition, -oage 889. Compare Hev. 1:5 (K.I.T.): 5 not dro; Szni and froTT. . , j from Jesus Christ, "Incrou XpicTOo, c iiapivc JT'^7°S' '■ "The Faithful Wit- Jesus Christ, lb* J the V?imess the TaUbful, >- ne J ~; " ' " — . a, : -ness." "T he first-bam 6 ttf«to TOI ^ T cw ^.fftpar w T^J iren, the dead. " and " The Ruler of the j tings of the earth." the first bom clthr dead ioaes) JQikt. ci the i^gs of toe eaith. OLplfV :. f)5, tf| — 1. betrinnina . origin Mt 19:4;24: 8; Mk Is 1; 13: 8; Lk 1:2; J 1: 1; 15: 27; Ac 11: 15. apyi\v Ticiv^dviiv begin Hb 2: 3. o-roixtto Tfi? d- efementary pnit- ctples 5: 12, o Tfj5 6. toO X. Xoyos ctt-nw-iitory Christian teaching 6: 1. d. xfis inrotrniaMiJS original conviction 3: 14. A. t5v on/uflcov first of the eigits J 2: 11. ttiv ctpyrV = oAtias of aK 8: 25. Fig Col 1 : 18. First cause Rv 3: 14 . Concrete = comer Ac 10: 11. — g. ruler, authority Lk 12: 11 20: 20; Tit 3: L Of angels and demons Ro 8: 38: 1 Cor 15: 24 Co] 2: JO. 15. — 3. Rah. domain sphere of influence J d 6 . ifXTiTO?. o0, i> either leader, ruler, prince or originator, founder; the former is more likely for Ac 5 31 ; for 3: 15 either is pass. The latter is more likelv for Hb 2 10; 12; 2.* £pXiTf>(xXivoc, ou, A head waiter, butler; in the context of J 2; 8f prob. toa&tmasUr, master o/ the feast.* ipX 4 ^ — 1« *"t- rvie. ' w - r? en - ^k 10: 42; Ro 15: 12. — 2. mid. begin Mt 4: 17; Lk 15: 14; 24: 27; Ac 8: 35; 10: 37. At times &. is pleonastic and adds little to the meaning of the sentence , e.g. Cm f^p^crro o "Ittff. Troitiv = simply toltat Jesus did rather than what Jesits began to do Ac Is 1. Cf. Mi 26: 37; Lk 7: 15, 24 , 38. apx^^i ovroc,, i ruler, lord, frince fit 20: 25; Ac 4: 26; Bvl:i- Of authorities, officials gener., both Jewish Mt 9: 16; Lk 8: 41; 14: 1; 18: IS; J 3: 1 ; Ae 3: 17 and Gentile Ac 16: 19. Of evil spirits Mt S: 34; 12: 24; Lk 11: 15; J 12: 33; 14: 30; Eph 2: 2. The 6px°vres of 1 Cor 2: 6. 8 Sho rter Lexicon of the Greek New Testament. P. Wilbur Gingrich. University of Chicago Press. 1957, 19^5. Page 29. "♦And uatc- the aogtl of the church oi the Laodicean* write: The* things jaith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the be gj tump of the creation of God; ■* I know thy worts, lhat thou art neither cold oor hot: 1 would tbou. wert cold or hot. IS So then because rhou art Rev. 5:14 (w.i.v.) t* "To the angel of the church: in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faith- ful and true witness, th* rater oi God's crea- tion. 1*1 know jour deeds, that if on are neither cold nor hot I wish you were either one or the other! in So, because you are lukewarm — The Interlinear Hebrew-fire e k -Jft igl i s h Bible. Vol 3. Jay Green. Associated Publishers and Authors. 1978. PRO VERBS 9:21 1546 Justice; (31) m thai 111 may causa those who lov» Ma to Inherit riches; and I will nil op rhalr ireaturlas. 122] Jehovah wagaaaaj Ma In the beginning of Hii way. belore Hi* works from then. [291 I was sat up from everlasting; from trie b aginn inq, borors th* earth ever was . [24 1 Whan there wnre no depths, I w»» ipun out; wharf there wan no ■wring* heavy (wirhl water. {261 Before th* mountain* war* tattled: ha- lo re tha hill*. I w m spur out: [36] before Ho had mad a tha earth and tha ffaldi, or lha highnst part of lha dust of tha world. (27) Whan H* prepared (ha tmaveni, I was there; whan He sal a circle on tha f sea of * i tmm Beat whe n H e an the clcntdi above: whan Ka mads thu strong fountain! of the deep; [391 whan Ha gave to tha see its limit, that the waters shouldn't trans- uros! His command* whan He dacrw-d tha foundation* of tha earth; [30] then I *•! al His side, lika a master workmen; and 1 was (His) dalights daily, rejoicing *( ovary time bafora Him; 131 1 rejoicing in the world, Hii earth; and My delights Iwerel with the eon* of 21 i" t -l *■>■ - \ i i l *•' , -i i \ i ■ II . T will I (heir end ^wealth my cam* to ,)u|trea up fill ,rtc r Bhousn tovnrt inharft to H obiso : iko r^stitt crp isn rrute-i -sp rfvr w r *\ n Tr jf , =K' a : - j ■ -r|n. * n From from hi* bafora His the in possessed Jeho- B*jBeaaaaa1 it " n worki . ,way of traginninn ma »ah whan no I .depth! When .travailed no wart tha aneianf from tha ftom waa I .earth of times ,becjtnnlng flip sat th* barfotw war* tha Bafora .vratari haairy springs .hlllt .tank mountains with 26 , San nhBjj ttfii mam p« ,m kS-n» : *rbhn tha .world tha lha and of dud of head lha and the had Ha not While r flnld« earth made I .travailed 11 i^xa iDiin yvh? sri ijsna "3K o^ B%»J tJ^ns Hii in lha tha on a His In I there the His In flrmim -dee*> of fee* circle Inscribing ;twasl heaven* preparing 29 T[5n i of? vsiuz lornn mr? Ttt?^ S?sp Of^rrtf hts for Hii in lha th* making in from th* .limit aaa the jetting ,-deap of springs srruni) .above clouds 30 6sk rrnw :p« tsio ipna vtrray vh d'di t * /» : pi | ■-- it - ; j a- : - 1~ j • - ■. (etl .side His I end was the faund- ;e3rth"s aqions His in pass should not that ifacreeing .mouth His over waters thr : rjrbaa nc^ r^rpvo Bt; i or d'sttM st^ik) pan -tlma at befora Him rejoicing (by) day jday I His! delights I and work- a was .man 31 :QTt5 ^a-nx %, swyp) tshj* Sana npn^D .man the Iwera) of sons with mv and Oatlghti His earth the in world rfljoicing And reiJw *^***«'a** - ^ofihc *ia J f le aa aa a (KKXTpjias ypa^e» m Tafia Ae/n o dv?". i ftofrrus- i These thui** U}1 1ft* *tnrn. lh« 'BrLutu - ■riOTO? "roi (WrfAwtr, if *Pxh rr }*' <"'«'«» , * T ■huWM *^at irw iix «■*■] =f :!>• eraaae ai rev Aroar 15 oSa' ooo ri. ipya, an ofCwl: linn rfihc* um wra. Ihat Rev. 3*14 with interlinear translation by Greek scholar Alfred Marshall, from The Z ond e rvan Parallel Mew Testament in Greek and English . Zondervan Bible Publishers. Page 3 The prophecy of Isaiah 40:3-5: "Listen! Someone is calling out in the wilderness: 'Clear up the way_ of Jehovah, you people 1 Make the highway for~Su7~God through the desert plain straight. Let eveT?~valle7~be~TaIiid up, and every mountain and hill he made low. And the knobby ground must become level land, and the rugged ground a valley plain. And the glory of Jehovah will certainly be revealed, and all flesh must see it together, for the very mouth of Jehovah has spoken it. 1 " Matthew 3:1-3, Mark 1:1-4, Luke 3:2-6, and John 1:23 apply this to John the Baptist s preparatory work before the ministry of Jesus . Is John the Baptist calling Jesus Jehovah? Isaiah 8:13-15: " Jehovah of armies . . . And he must become as a sacred place; but as a stone to strike against and as a rock over which to stumble to both houses of Israel, as a trap and as a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And manq among them will be certain to stumble and to fall and be broken, and to be snared and caught." 1 Peter 2:8: "and 'a stone of stumbling and a rock-mass of offense. 1 These are stumbling because they are disobedient to the word. To this very end they were also appointed." (Compare also Luke 20:18) If Jesus is Jehovah, would that not be a stone of stumbling for the Jews? Isaiah 8:12b, 13: "The object of their fear you men must not fear, nor must you tremble at it. Jehovah of armies - he is the one whom you should treat as holy ..." 1 Peter 3:14b, 15: "However, the object of their fear do not you fear, neither become agitated. But sanctify the Christ as Lord in your hearts . . ." Joel 2:32 and Romans 10:9-15: "And everyone who calls on Jehovah's name will come off safe; for on Mount Sion and in Jerusalem there will be~escape,~ai~ Jehovah has said, and among the survivors whom Jehovah calls." (Byington) "Because if by your mouth you acknowledge Jesus to be Lord and in your heart you believe that God raised him fronTthe dead, you will be saved . For it i* with a heart believinq is done leading to righteousness, and it is with a mouth acknowledgement is made leading to salvation. For the text Page 4 says "Anyone who believes in him will not be put to shame'; for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same one is Lord of all , rich toward all who call on him ; for 'everyone who shall call on the name of the Lord ("the name of Jehovah" - NWT) shall be saved."' Compare Acts 2: 21,33 ,36, 38. For the identity of the "him" in verse 11 see Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:6. Who is being referred to in Romans 10:13-15? Hebrews 1:6 "But when he again brings his First-born into the inhabited earth, he says: 'And let all Goe^' s angels worship him.'" This is quoted from Psalm 97:7 and Deuteronomy 32:43 (in the Septuagint and also in the Dead Sea scroll of Deuteronomy) and the "him" referred to is Jehovah God. Yet Hebrews applies it to Jesus Christ. Does this identify Jesus as God, worthy of worship as the Father is worthy of worship? Does this identify Jesus with Jehovah? Also, does the fact that all of the angels are commanded to worship him make Jesus not an angel, but superior to them? (compare Hebrews 1:4) The Father is Greater Can the scriptures that speak of the subordinating of the Son to the Father (like John 14:28; 1 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Corinthians 15:27,28, etc.) be explained by Jesus' voluntar y emptying of himself to take the form of a humble slave — as stated in Philippians 2:5-11?: "Have in you, each of you, this same mind as in Christ Jesus, who, when he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as a prize, but emptied himself , taking slave form , coming into the likeness of humanity; and, being found as it were a man in guise, he humbled himself to become obedient down to death, the death of a cross; for which very reason God raised him supremely high and granted him the name above every name , that at the name of Jesus every knee of what is in heaven and what is on earth and what is underground should bend and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord , to the glory of God the Father ." (Byington) Compare Isaiah 45:22,23. Jesus is LORD! "For this reason I make it known to you that nobody speaking in the Spirit of God says 'Jesus is accursed,' and nobody can say 'Jesus is Lord' except in Holy Spirit." 1 Corinthians 12:3 (Byington) Page 5 Why does acknowledging Jesus to be Lord require the operation of God's Spirit? Do the implications of the statement "Jesus is Lord" stagger the human mind to require the help of the Holy Spirit? John 20:28 "In answer Thomas said to him: 'My^ Lord and my God I" Was it proper for Thomas to make this statement? Is it proper for Christians today to make the same statement? Romans 8 ; 9 "But you are not in flesh but in spirit, if God ' s Spirit does reside in you; but if anybody does not have Christ's Spirit , that man is not his." (Byington) What do the parallel expressions "God's Spirit" and "Christ's Spirit" indicate as to the relationship of the Father and the Son? Compare Acts 16:6,7: "And they went through Phrygian-Galatian country, being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in the province of Asia, and came up to Mysia and tried to take a course into Bithynia but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them; and they went past Mysia and down to Troas." (Byington) John 5:17,18 "But he answered them: 'My_ Father has kept working until now, and I keep working.' On this account, indeed, the Jews began seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath but he was also calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God." Is the apostle John saying that Jesus claimed equality with God? In verses 22 and 23 of the same chapter Jesus says: "For the Father judges no one at all, but he has committed all the judging to the Son, in order that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father . He that does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him." The New English Bible on these same 2 verses reads: "And again, the Father does not judge anyone, but has given full jurisdiction to the Son; it is his will that all should pay the same honor to the Son as to the Father . To deny honor to the Son is to deny it to the father who sent him." Can a created being receive the same honor as the Creator? Page 6 Isaiah 9; 6 "For there has been a child born to us, there has been a son given to us; and the princely rule will come to be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God , Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." In the next chapter (Isaiah 10:20,21) it says: "And it will certainly occur in that day that those remaining over of Israel and those who have escaped of the house of Jacob will never again support themselves upon the one striking them, and they will certainly support themselves upon Jehovah , the Holy One of Israel, in trueness. A mere remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the Mighty God." Who is this Mighty God? Luke 10; 22 "All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and who the Son is no one knows but the Father ; and who the Father is, no one knows but the Son, and he" to whom the Son is willing to reveal him." Can the Son only be comprehended by the Father? Why? John 16:13-15 "However, when that one arrives, the spirit of the truth. . . That one will glorify me, because he will receive from what is mine and will declare it to you. All the things that the Father has are mine . That is why I said he receives from what is mine and declares it to you." [Compare John 17:10.] What does Jesus mean that 'all things that the Father has are mine'? What does this show about their relationship? John 14:14 "If you ask me anything in my name I will do it." (Byington) "If ever anything you should ask me in the name of me this I shall do." (Kingdom Interlinear). "If you ask an thing in my name, I will do it." (New World Translation) Why does the New World Translation leave out the word "me"? Is it proper to petition or ask Christ concerning things we desire? Page 7 Comparing Scripture with Scripture Is John 12:40,41 a reference to Isaiah 6:3-5,10? Is Ephesians 4:7-10 a quotation and reference to Psalm 68:15-18? Who is referred to in Psalm 68 and in Ephesians? Is there parallelism in these titles and functions?: Jeremiah 11:20; 17:10; 20:12. Compare Revelation 2:23. 2 Thessalonians 1:9. Compare Isaiah 2 i 21 (Septuagint) . Ps. 23:1; Isa, 40:1-11. Compare Jn 10(1-14; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pe. 2:25; 5:4 Isaiah 40:3,9,10,11. Compare John 1:23; Revelation 3:11; 22:12,20. Isaiah 45:22,23. Compare Rom. 14:9-12; 2 Cor. 5:10; Philippians 2:10. Isaiah 43:3. Compare Acts 3:14. Revelation 4:9-11. Compare Revelation 5:6-14. CONCLUDING 9UESTIONS 1] Is there any clear, direct statement in the Bible that says Jehovah created Jesus? 2] Why are the New Testament writers #0 free in applying pasasages about Jehovah in the Old Testament to Christ? Can we do so today? 3] Is there any clear, direct statement in the Bible that pointedly says Jesus is not Jehovah ? If the teaching that Jesus is not Jehovah is true, would we not expect such a statement or some sort of explanation for the N.T. writers application of the divine name to Jesus. 4] Is there any clear, direct statement in the Bible that pointedly says Jesus is not God? (If you are using the New World Translation for your reply — be sure to compare it with versions like Byington, New International Version, New American Standard, etc.) 5] Are there places in the Bible wher$ Christ is called Jehovah? 6] Are there places in the Bible wher$ Christ is called God? 'J IS THE HOLY SPIRIT A PERSON OR A FORCE? The scriptures tell us the Holy Spirit: I. Has Will: (1 Corinthians 12:11) "wills" "Forbids" and "Permits" - Acts 16:6, 7 "Appoints" leaders - Acts 20:28 II. Has Mind: (Romans 8:27? "minds" "Knows" - 1 Corinthians 2:11 "Thinks" - Acts 15:28 III. Has Feelings: (Isaiah 03:10) "feel hurt" "Outraged" - Hebrews 10:29 "Saddened" - Ephesians 4:30 "Love" - Romans 15:30 (cf. Romans 12:1) IV. Has Ability To Hear: (John 16:13) "hears" V. Has Speech: (1 Timothy 4:1) "says explicitly" "Spirit of Jehovah spoke" - 2 Samuel 23:2 "Thus says the Holy Spirit" - Acts 21:11 "The Holy Spirit aptly spoke" - Acts 28:25 "What the Spirit say* to the congregations" - Revelation 2:7, U , 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22 VI. Has Self-Consciousness i (calls Himself "I") "The Spirit said... I,.." - Acts 10:19, 20 "The Holy Spirit said... I..." - Acts 13:2 VII. Personally Directs The Preaching Work: "I have called them.* 1 - Acts 13:2 "Sent out by the Holy Spirit." - Acts 13:4 "The Spirit told me to go..." - Acts 11:12 "The Spirit said. . .Approach.. ." - Acts 8:29 "...you are not the pnes speaking, but the Holy Spirit U." - Mark 13:11 VIII. Treated As A Person: (or "mistreated") "Lied to" - Acts 5:3 "Tempted" - Acts 5:9 "Blasphemed" - Matthew 12:31 "Spoken against" - Matthew 12:32 IX. Functions As A Person: (could a force be ..,) "Another Helper" - John 14:16 [Jesus Christ, our personal Helper, (1 John 2:1) promised to send Another (allon - "of the same kind") personal Helper to take his place on earth while he went to the Father.] One Who "Pleads" for us - Romans 8:26, 27 [Our Helper on earth (the Spirit) pleads for us - exactly as Our Helper in heaven (the Christ) pleads for us (Romans 8:34) cf. Hebrews 7:25.] "God's Spirit Living in us" - Romans 8:9, 11 [The Spirit who " lives in us" (James 4:5 - cf, Epheslans 3:17) makes us "the Temple of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:19) and also "the Temple of God" (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17).] "The Holy Spirit [who] will teach you" - Luke 12:12, 1 Corinthians 2:13, 1 John 2:27 "That Person* [who] reminds you" - John 14:26 "That Person* exposing the world" - John 16:8 "That Person* testifying about Me [Christ], and you [twelve persons] also testify" - John 15:26, 27 also Acts 5:32 X. Named "Jehovah": (2 Corinthians 3:17) *ekeinos - "that he" or "that male person" Early Christian writers taught the Holy Spirit is a Person. There is a statement or two by Justin Martyr and Hippo lytus that might seem to indicate otherwise, but a thorough reading of their writings reveals they viewed the Holy Spirit as a Person. The teaching that the Holy Spirit is not a Person is of comparative recent origin. Even Arius of the fourth century A.D., who was one of the first to deny the Deity of Christ, did not deny the personality of the Holy Spirit. 'The noblest of the Son's creations' was his viewpoint of the Spirit. It is true that in the pagan Greek language the word "spirit" is neuter in gender. However, God saw fit to use this universal language of the day to communicate His thoughts. W.E. Vine in his An Expository Dictionary of Hew T estament Words expresses some thoughts on this and also on the reason why the Greek words for "Holy Spirit" sometimes lack the definite article ("the"): "Sometimes the absence (of the definite article) is to be accounted for by the fact that Pi>euma (like Theos ) is substantially a proper name . . . The personality of the Spirit is emphasized at the expense of strict grammatical procedure in John 14:26; 15:26; 16:8,13,14, where the emphatic pronoun ekeinos , "He," is used of Him in the masculine, whereas the noun pneuma is neuter in Greek, while the corresponding word in Aramaic, the language in which our Lord probably spoke, is feminine (rucha, cf. Heb, ruach)" (pages 1076, 1077). IS GOD A TRINITY? The word "Trinity" does not appear in the Bible. Neither do words such as: "Bible," "Chronology," "Disfellowshipping," "Neutrality," "Organization," or "Theocracy." All of these terms have grown up to designate concepts taught (or thought to be taught) within the pages of "The Bible." Does the "Bible" associate the Father, Son, and Spirit in such a way as to indicate they form a "Trinity"? Early Christians who were taught directly by Jesus Christ were , . . chosen: by God, the Father through sanctif ication of the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ - 1 Peter 1:2 baptized; in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit - Matthew 28:19 filled: Stabilized: Anointed: Sealed: Given: with the Spirit singing praises to God in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ - Ephesians 5:18-20 in Christ by God of the Spirit - 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22 varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit varieties of ministries, but the same Lord varieties of functions, but the same God - 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 Praying: through Christ in the Spirit to the Father - Ephesians 2:18 Evidently, the early Christians who were taught directly by Jesus Christ spoke often of these three in connection with each other — even though they did not use the term "Trinity." ."Praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, awaiting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ." - Jude 20 "Through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit exert yourselves with me in prayers to God." - Romans 15:30 "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all! Amen I" - 2 Corinthians 13:14 The doctrine of the Trinity dofs not teach that there are 3 Gods in one God. Neither does it teach that Jesus is the Father, nor that the Holy Spirit is the Son, nor that the Holy Spirit is the Father, etc, The doctrine of the Trinity teaches there are 3 distinct Persons in one God. Admittedly this cannot be fully comprehended . But it is possible. (Luke 18:27) Humans cannot comprehend spiritual things fully — especially some matters about God. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are separate Persons. Matthew 28:19 tells uf they share a common "name." One name they share is the nam* "Jehovah." The Father is called Jehovah, the Son is called Jehovah, the Holy Spirit is called Jehovah. But Jehovah is One . The 3 are one God. (Compare Deuteronomy 6:4 with Genesis 2:24 where the same Hebrew word is used for "one.") The Son is subject to the Father in accomplishing the redemption of mankind and in His serving as mediator between the Father and mankind. It is possible for 2 persons to still be equal even though one willingly subjects himself at times to the other (Compare Philippians 2:1-4 with Philippians 2:5-11, Byington) . A correct understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity explains how all 3 — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit can each have Divine nanes, titles and attributes applied to them yet there still be only one God. Again, this is hard for humans to fully understand — yet our worship of God should not be based on human reasoning, but on the divine revelation — the Bible , 985 TtpocituMT<j<rruaav au-rtji wdv-rtc; dry-fEXai let do ob*Lsance toward him all angel* eeou. of God, HEBRBW3 1: T__u J <cd vrpoc. And toward he u saying Tbe (one I UEV [toCx! dry-jT>. Indeed / the angels crurrou of him rraico* touc; Ory-yEAouq 4 the "p'l ttvEufiotrar, xai fou? MtToupycxic spirit], and /the public workers acuToo trupo? (fiXoyor » /rpeVc, at Toy u\av of hint olfire ikme; fbward but the Son 3p6vo(f crou A pedc ti^ tqv ai'uva The uuoae of you the /Gad into the ace tou aiuvoc,, koti i^ of the age. and the Trjq etftjirfTox; tUiT of Use ltrai£h.mess sua of the tcingdofti of him. You loved 5iKjcnocr0vr\if Kai iuiaisaac dvoji'aw" 5 a righteousness and you fated lawlessness ; through tcx}to sxptcrev ere A 8eo<;, o Be6c rrou, this anointed you Die Cod, the God of you, iAcnov eryoAALoiaec/c, Trapa touc, iievoxotJC oil of exull att osV beside the partners oou - 10 Kai flu J kot' apxaq, of you; and \Tfou J according to beginnings, Lord, UTe^arJK you founded, and works of the XjEipcjv crcu bands of you are orrroAoCvron, will destroy themselves. oupctvoi* 11 co/Toi heavens; they you ~"--^^ but Siaugvcic;' you are remaining through. 1 pernor TiaAaiQ8r|(jowT<ri, outer garment will be made a let. ixrel nspiBoAaiov iAf^Eie; Kori and navTEC all 12 woti trcpipoAaiov eAt^Eir; cr/to vc, as if thing thrown about you will wrap up them. d*; Suariow koI CfAAcxyncrovTOJ* ov as outer garment and they will be altered; you 54 6 aCroc, A, Kai toe £t«i aou ouk but the rerf 'one! are, and the years of yon not IxAciijtoucrtv. will lute out. 13 trpo^ j'lva Si tcjv cry-ytXcw Toward which one but or the angels e.Tpn*£v ttote Kd&ou At St£itjw has be said sometime Sit you out of right [parts J let all God's angels worship him." 7 Also, with refer- ence to tbe angels ha And he make* his ang^r*~£Eiri ts, and hi* public serfarHa^s. name of flie." 8 Bui with reference to the Son: "CSod Is your throne forever, and [the J scepter of your iingdem Is the scep- ter of uprightness. 9 You loved righteous- ness, and j-ou tutted lawlessness. That Is why God, your God, anointed you with [the] oil of exultation more than your part- ners." 10 And: 'You at [the] begir-njng, O Lord, laid iha foun- dations of the earth itself, and the hear' BIBS aWf L 'BPj 9B9WF at tout bands. 11 They themselves will per- ish, but you yourself are to remain coritin- ually; and Just J Ike outer garment all grow old, 12 and yohXEjJl^ wrap them up just cloak, u an outer ~ garment ; and they will be charged, but you are ihe same, and your jears will never run ouL" 13 Hut wit& refer- ence to which one of the angels has he ever sold: "Sit at my Of DM cm 9£ Touq ex9poy<; tigbi Q * ndl tu>m X place your enemlej Arc «lcu .^led my <if thLce lit lilted *badow ; 3iit thou, tannorial u lhoi ujitu likely I might put Uw enemies jytroc*. *Oti o-irodov wati op™* *V*r*"' .""_ " .. : ftent xXavSfiai t*ifn*ar, a.™ ^fxxrtrfrov t^* opytjs aa» $ifiov cow, Sri «rapcs Ktirippaiit ("• t , At foipat ^» f*T*l <"«* fKAi^jo-a*-, ^"T «*J ™X 7ot, «:< 7 «-v xat y,vcdV. Si &«rr« ^"^ ♦AAMOI: 759 i-r,* Stow, OTt <aifw TOU otitTCiptijo-aji avrij*, oti ij*€l xaipo^. "Oti cLOomjo-oy oi SouAo* orou tous XtSovS awnjs, xat tov ^olt at-rij? owTttpijtrowrt. Kat d»oj3i7C J t}<roifTru ni (Cw; to o«j^ui o-ou Ktpu, (tat irciiT<s <H ^ScuyiAtis ttjk Sofa* cou, 1 6 *Ort oucoSojUMjo-c* Kupiov T^if Sti-K, Ptai ofpoSJercroi cif rg S^fn avTOu. "EiripXaf/tr lirl ttjv rrpoafv^jf TiLr TturtivCif, kcu ouk IfovSwiW* Tijr Sriprar avrHtr. Tpmpqrm. avnj tl? f 1 9 ytythf hepav, kcu Aom 3 Kroto'/tCKOS aiif«rn riV Kt'punr. On fiinxxiar i( v6-ov$ ayiav avroSj Kt'puK i$ oipavoS t'wt ttjk V *—i$kal/t, tov dxoEq-ai tou <rrcyayftov t€iv TrnrtSij/teVunr, tov; uiout nif rttfamroj/ickiuf, rou AvayytTXat tv jujc to orofia~'K*i(iioy, ko! tfjv aiffo-tv aurou bt \tpauo-a\w ; tv ™ cnfayD^vat AaoSSiByroauTO, «at fiaiTtXtZs TOV oovA.tttif nil KvpitJ. "A— tKpt&rj qlti3 eV oSu foxwos avroiJ^T^i(5\tyorT/Ta tuw rjLtpwv pov avdyyuXov ^tot* ^ Qi-ayorjnjs r*( ivtyZto uou, cy yeveot ytveiii' ri «nj q-ou. Kar apX* 1 ' CT« K i 'ate t^ejutXtiocrag, Kai ejtrya tujk ^tipHv trov titriv ot oipavoi. Avroi aTroXoCkrat, crJ Si 8ta r teVOS' hox — avrtv £i$ pia.Ti.ov — iXaauB-^srovTat, not oxrei TtpijioKaiov i\i£fis atrcfts, tai iAAayr/trorrai. 5u Si o cruras <T, nal ra ?nj crow oyn t^Att- Cwcrv Oi f'oi riuK SovAuir trou KaTao-snvttKrOLitrd urat ro j-rrepfia avTii" fits rov atuvot KaTrvoWft}0"£T<it. |202 103) Ti davio. EtAoyet $ ifmvi} pov rav Kvptoc, icai irdi-ra sa cvros jliou *U n ojoiia ro ayiof atrov. EtAoyfl tj T^f>[1 r 1 *^ T01 ' Kt-ptov, 3 <il utj liiriAaf^dvot; rroxra? ras attEcctg airor /Toy cutAarEt- oi-ro — ao-m? rais tivo^ttaii o-ot\ roi* uapwov —aaa% ras voo-ots -I tou, ro y AvTpot ; jU* V01 ' ** <P@°pa* tt/v fuijv /con, T6K ore- 3 c^uoffra ere cV tA«i xal otKTippoZ;, rbv ifxirhrXSiVTa. tv aya- f'ti rijr ixt&vpiay arav cWxao' wftjkrf rat t^t aiTOV ^ «im/t 6 notiif^XSjpaorrt'as 6 Kvpcog, real npipM. {Train. ro« aotxou- ' ■'Owj, 'Eyi(^t£rf*rB*^oSoi.s atroS nJ /Vltuvcnj, rotr rto« S fo-paijA -a f3t,\.ijfiQTQ avrotrr*«<0^ipf«iiy kcu tAtrJ^toy o Kv- 3 ptos, fitHtpo^fpioe Kai 7roAtjtA(Ov. Xrtn-eft TeA« OrTyicrftjo-fTBt, 10 'i'.'ii ttj ray -lsiLifa p-rjviu. Oi koto. ni« n^iafTTtns yp£nr tirot- ^ey ffwr, oi'Si rara tAs at ouias ijjwiaiy dyTa!^tStlMetl(■ lj^tiy. 1 1 Ort, Kara to iij/tn tov ovpayou dirci trp yr/?, &tp*T<u*W« II '_ K'p,o ? T ^ t\ (f) ^ aurou t 1 — t tou? <^o^?ouatKOW aurdy. Kaffoo-or I -"Ojowriy diraroAai dxo SuOTttuK, f r td*cpt.l'Cy a.<j> rj/ttuv Tag f'** -i^i'ag ijfimv. Ka6£is oLKTetptt a-arrjjp vtotff. tixTtiprjo-f '"• Kt^toe roi-^ tpoj3ovftti airg airoy. *Ort auros tyya* to TrAderpi ■* At PpiuToc, i<r ei ^dpTo? at 'julpai. avrov, iLo"tt ity f?os tou r- 1 "j , '" < '^ "t-Ttug f^an^TJtrtt. 'On TTveupo; StijA&v «v avni, ™ ' J l X *--a.p£*i, not otic t~tyviio-(Tat irt Toy roiroy avrov. To *** (Aros toD Kupi'ou djro toD auivog xat ct«»s tou atwfog &W Fuljb CI. It— CII. 17. slialt arise, and baTe mercy upon 9 ion : for it i* tuna to hare mercy upon her, for the set time » come. u For thy serraiita ten taken pleasure La her stones, and they jhafl pity her dust a 3o the ant ions shall Fear thy came, O Lord, and all bugs thy °«5or the Lord shall build up Sioa, f* aod shall appear in his glory. "He hw had regard to the prayer of the lowly, and hu not despised their pe'iti"™- UJL «' j r* written for another generation ; and the people that si i all be created shall praise the Lord. ■ For he has looked oat from the height of his sanctuary; the Lord looted upon the earth from heaven; ^to hear the groining- of the fettered ones, to loosen the sons of the slain; "to proclaim the name of the Lord in Sion. and his praise in Jerusalem; °-irheii the people are gathered together, and the tings, to serre the Lord. 3 He answered him in. the way of fiis strer gth : tell tae the fewness of my days, -* Take me not away in the midst of my days,: thy years artt through all generations. a ln the ' beginning thou, O Lord, dtdst Say the foundation of the earth; and rne heavens are the worts of riiine lianas. ■*Ihey shaU perish, but thou remainest: and ihey nit shall wii old as a garmeut ; and as a vesture shalt thou fold tbem. and they shall be changed. s But thou art ilie same, and thy years shall not tail. 3 The Sim st ?Vr sawsa aia, sbeM i«*il seevrttr, and their seed shall » prosper for ever. A Psalm of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul ; and all t\ai it within me, btett his holy name. x Bless the Lord. O my soul, and forget not all his TFTaises : ' who forgives all thy traaigressioos, who heals ail thy diseases; 'who redeenfs t by life from corruption \ who crown s thee with mercy and cons passion ; * who satisfies thy desire with good things: ta that thy youth shall be renewed Lute that of the end* . ■The Lord executes mercy and judgment for all that are injured. 'He made known his ways to Hoses, bis will to the children of IsraeL 'The Lord is rampassionate and ritixul. long-suffering, and full of merer. He will not be alivays angry: neither will he be wrath ful for ever- "He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor recompensed us according: to oar iniquities. " For as the heaven is high above the earth, the Lord has ta increased hit mercy to- ward I hem that fear him. u Ajfarasthe east is trotn the west. *o/ur has he removed our transgression* from us. u A»,a latiier pities hit children, the Lord pities them thut fear him. '* For he knows our trame : reo.err ber that we are dust. :t At for man, his Jays are as g"ss;. as a flower of the Beld. so shall he tiounsh. '■* For the wind passes orer it. and it shall not be ; and it stall know its place no more. • But the mercj of tbe Lord is from gene- ration to generation upon them that feu jS Or, then jbiU b*. iHeb.LU.lJ. * Or. planl. t*. 1 * JJ««d irilbt Pbalms XXXIL 6— SXXni. 14. mercy and judgment i the earth is foil of the mercy of the Lord. ( By the word of the Lord the heaven* were established iM alt the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 'Who gathers the waters of the efsu in a hottii'; -who lays up the deeps in treasuries *Let all the earth fear the Lord; and let all that dwell in the world he moved because of him. * For he spoke, and the j were made: he commanded, and they were created. ■ The Lord frustrates the counsel* of the nations; he brings U nought also the reasonings of the people andbriiig* bo nought the counsels of prince » Bat the counsel of the Lord endures f ever, the thoughts of his heart from gene tion to generation. u Blessed is the nat whose God is the Lord; the -people wl he has chosen for his own inheritance. B Lord looks out of heaven ; he behold the sons of men. " He looks from hi 1 pared habitation on all the dwellers c earth; u who fashioned their hearts who understands all their works. ■ is not saved by reason of a great hoF a giant shall not be delivered by tt ness of his strength. '' A. horse is safety; neither anall be be deliver' "Behold, the eyes of the Lo them that fear him. those that 1 mercy ; ls to deliver their souls f and bo keep them alive in fam ■out waits on the Lord ; for he : and defender. 3 For our heart in him. and we haTe ho; name. ™ Let thy mercy, O according as we have hoped 1 2 " 'A i0S7 fAAMOI, 717 PSALK •*fes *cW •US r a eu k TCrf ^6 ir§. **ss& 63, Xf*KrtA t *££°r o <*^fi «n, **<; *1(t £*>o It £ c s>< i> ?Te *fe* a *ecfJ ^ ttc **^i/j ££ *te*£ ^°^ **• fo^* ,"'abt i^a, jf Psalm of David, when countenance before Abf let him go, and he depar I will bless the Lord F ■raise shall be continui My soul shall r boast hi let the meet hear, and ye the Lord with me, name together. * I sought the Lore hearkened to me, and > my* sojouminga. * XI be enlightened : and your ony means be ashamed. ' This poor man cried, and the Lord hearkened to him, and delivered him out of all his afflictions. ^5 :: ^htcb "^'■ggZ -■ ^'fe' ^« otmt^^onee "so r^ ■Qouj. * a ** be te _ HT ft* ks 1 *>/Z/, Oh OtJ bo] «>0(V ^er, "5 fe*ai*sS^*<s k «n » f "°ej faces'shautot gy ^worw-ftp*, «<" to nrpdo-unra. 4p&" oi ftvj KtLTtxi&xovH ' This poor man o TTdiyov ittacpagt, teal o Kijpios etoT?Kano-€v auro .M»0>f V™ &H c °0 ^Boiiji «lr e ", be^. ° « ■--« i 'IJ/wnj-eXfiaTf irpoj oviot w *Otf y^iwts ajuj to •oj, fO-hUw 1 i^n" ' OEtos 6 6 tttw^os iKiKpa££, koi o »v.upi0! etOTJJCono-fi' airrot, Km « Trcuriln' ™v Wttyreiuv oitov to-ciXTti' airo'v. Ila^ie/ipaAst ayyeAo? ' ' The Bngel of the Lord will encamp round Kvpiov kdkAui Ttnv ^opo^TiCTteH' avroCj not pmerat avTois. ■bout them that fear him. and will deliver Tcvaavfo ko.1 t&ere on vprwros 5 Kvouk. uoKopio? nvf/p os 8 them. 'Taste and see that the Lord is , v .,. , ■ , , , >fc » rr ' tl I 3. , ","™ <) good: S Fail about them that fear him. and will deliver them. 'Taste and see that the Lord is , "=.-,: good ; blessed is the man who hopes in him. #*■*&» « ™™- *op^%« "* Kvptov ™*r« m aytot atTOi . 'Fear the Lord, all ye his saints: for there J Tl 0UK to-rtv wT^n?^ tois ^to^ovpJvOK af-roV. nXowioi W thev that seek the Lord diligently shall not iXaTriD&^TOvrat x-avros dyoPou- ctaifraXfia. wait any good thing. Pause, f «E'i • - 11 "Come.ye children, hear me: I will teach Aevrt -kkvo., axoi-o-oTt jjioit, 4>ofiov Kupiov 6ioa£ M •■'r'™ 5 - '' you the fear of the Lord, f f W* 1 * 1 msn "! Tis etrrti' avfatrsros o WXw &*m-, dvawiv nuepas iScTi' aya&ds,- 1 - there that desires life, loving to see good *'V ; "r~_ "> f » v' 7 - ^ ' r T. ,, '- "£ la days!* B Keep thy tongue from enl, and Hauo-ov Trjy yvaKrcrcw eruu otto kokuv, jhu X*^ 1 ? <to *' , -. J. thy lips from rpeatiiig guile, Jl Turn away AoAmrai ooAoi . TBmdtwer dxo KSKQW, «oi ■jrotnoxi*' oyaftji" 1 from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pur- aue it. AoAijo ^f/ngo-or tlpmnT*-, Si Off' ov atmji'. «T iserbmpi ■ inamdastlT.* FiJe. ncillitiin. 7 pr. tepnucd. 4 ZU. meiglibcrarlooa*. t 1 Pa* lthli - JL Kvpiov rrri Bixoiovi, icai iSra auroit cis icijo-iv Upoo-dflrov Si K^piOU tTt JTOIOWTM xaifi, tou «|oAo- t « 775 to p^jAoorwi'OV avrtlv. *Eu€Kp(ifav oi SiKaiot, gjWjj tunjKOviJcv tttt&V, «al (K ttoo-u-i' Turn fiAi'iifui' ippwraro afnous. *Eyytv Kt'ptos rots truirreTpifi^ei otf jipE/ai', *ai tot's -rairaroii tw vrvri^ciTt o-tio-ft. IIoAAal X&keii tuf SiiMuiuv, xal at TatrHv airutv pucrcrai ourouv ' " 4>vAao-o"£t iraWa to. oo"rii airiiji', ev *s *8HW ou trpifi-facTai. Qayaros afiapTtoAun/ irovypot, Km ot fxifrow- s to Stxatov irA-n^>i(X^trovo-i. Avrp(iff<Tai Ku'ptos uVi^a? jusjtiw aurov, ical ou p.^ TrAi)^p.eAi)o-oi«rt B-avTej ol <A-i^oit£9 i' xarrav. Tui Aaui'S. * Aurdurov, KwpK, Toiit euWoivras pr, TroAyiiproi' toi^ iroXe- Iduwrrac p«. *E-[Aaj3ou oVAou xal Bvptov, tcai avaorrfii. (U Borfitiai' jtM. *EK)(tov f>op.$aia.y, teal avyKkiiaov c^tvaiTios ■<-tw icaTaSifcHtoWufV fie- tijroc tj V^X3 r 101 '' o-uinjpia cent iyut ttfii. Altr)(yvfffirjcray koI oTpa?r*rjjo-ai> oi ^ijTOti*T*s n)i' t^t'X'J 1 ' ^ ^b ...jT.nn')ii7ii 44a v4k 'I t g ^ rn • naTii j ry mnrTr""'"" c^- Aoyitop^'Oi /iO! a-avd. Tfviji5ijT(oo-ai' wr« jfous jcara -jrpou"tu- jro; o*tpou, kou oyytXo? Kvpi'ou eKoAipiDi 1 atTOrs. rtvijeijTtJ A ABw auTuii' o-jtOTW nat oAiV0i]/i.a, kqi tT-)^y«Aos Kvpton KaTa- Su>kw oiuTouV. *Ori oaipcaf cKpixf/dv fioi otad^opac wtt-ytooj ovrifli' J furnjy &v( iBurov ttji' T T^» r fiov. llXtffni) auroT^ irnyls ^p on yiTOOxowi, Ktu, y) ftjpa ijv «k- pvtyav, cruAAnjScTiu ai-TOlrt, itai cv rg ira^tSi jrecroiSTOi ey avrjj . I *H St t^VC) ^ olr ayaAAuwrcrax <7rl t£ Ktroi'iii, Ttp^oHJo-frat In I tu cromjpuj auro?. IlnVra to. oot£ pou epoSo"i, Knpie tit OfiOiA; crot; puojuiei'os Trrxmxoi' «k X* 4 ? 01 OT€p<taTfpw&vroi t Kai ■wtux ov K<1 * *"^JT°- ojto raw Siayre-a^QiTCflr anror. 'AvnoraiTtt uaprupti SBtxot, a. ouk hftvuxiKov, cirrjpwTiDv pt. AvraTTtSSBocdv ^toi ironjpo. d»Ti HaXSn/, kci aTEKCtav tjj t^X?' l turn. "Eyijc) Sc cv T6J auroi 1 ? srapevoxAsii' pot, tVtouoptjj' uo.kkoi- «u crintraw 4* njoreia tlfV t^VXV f 10 "" Kal 4 " n 'r >o 0" £1 -'X^ r 10 " *tl trdATTOl' pou aTrotrrpao^TjorfTat. "fls irAijo-ioi^ ii? dSfX<^oi i t Tjtp.eVipoi' ovrun evrjptarouv, in -TrcvSviy itai CTKVOptinrafysiv ootids tran-etvoijpiji'. Kat hot* Ifim! eixjipdv&ijaaY, *at oxinjx l ^7 cralr > Ovryx&ijaav i.ir' cpi n-axTTtyts ksm ovk eyvtai'- oleo-x'C^e l tJo-a^• *cai 1 oil *tar<vuyijO"QV. 'lix-tipcurdv pc, e^cpuKTTjpuraj' fit ^.vkttj- p«rpoK, IJSpufa*' cir" *li« TOi 1 ; oSdrra? anTuiv. Kupt« ttot< ttro'i^-Tf ; *Eiro»raTiioT?fcroi' ttjv tyvxqv fusv O5ro tiijs KaKOupy/aj atbw, arro Aeofrwv T^c >iOi-oy*Mj p-ou, "EfopoXo- y^o-opLQi' o-ot Kai o 1 tKKAifO-i'a iroXA^, iv XntZ fiapti alritTai ere. Mij oriT^o.ptiTjo-d'i' poi ot i)($patvBVTfS pot fiaTuiios, ai ptcroviT*; pt 5a>p£iv, koI Siarcivvrcs 6^!>c9aAp.ots. *Ort */toi jxty tipi)ifi«a. •AaAouv, «al tjr" QpYQ SoAoips SicXoytJovTO. Kai enrXdnTav 16 11 s . B Th* righteai pra yer : aca:n»t memori cried, a "and d (ions are of a low! i ir of the t Lord v their h broken, thevth* -The J servant: him sba Jud^c me, ik' ine. - '1 arise fo and etc cute me * Let tl and cou sname. wind, a them, * and an ' For w their d the v ha s Let upon tl take th same m the Lot »A11 n like to- hand of the poi spoil hi » Tii of thinj evil for >^But sackclo' ii;r : an boiom. as if it 1 humh of conn me, am against eeatiert ednie, I tuously i"0 I Deliver only-be give tbl gat ion : thee. 1 withou hale ill' eyes. ; hut imi & Qt. (he broktE La heart. t The Or. a repeated, bj a BcbriUoi. )I [113 i - " a , , jy the tiTOU, ov raoiroy ev u, Go Kai c*ir* dpvjuoi ErtWAt^^H j PETEB 3: U-" 1 i i !r. lu *}" .» Ai mi At ikir. i at j ney /taj be i tfasj oms. a tid MlliJ . *]-.:ct eveT toward ft *S HAS ^ «ss^S^ SS **-. «sg! uope ' *-™«* ***§». ..J&ftftf *M' « * .lywni ** [one I sllghtingl? Tin c" 11 ' teV^SSf <=* °^ r '"' - yap 11 P°t t * *us« *° Xpi<TTt> Christ « "°»*ai the *"» lwi3bM a ^ u ^ » tftt. s kcwoiiolou^V tow »*■ to <t>t suasratS onoCTTpofTiv. conduct. cnra> the W™ ooa ' 'ur upu* i^u'^iiw^w*" ^ ir ^, r , w. r r ~ B tjstt ^oj3° s ' «rra* yap otto t!js xeptrouKai oKar&j, tis/Joo-KTjua -po/JaVotf, teal waraffiinj/ia jSods. Kai £*K-f Ktpios xpos r", Aaj3r cr*aim£ TOp-ov Kaivou jxeya- iov, Kai ypa&av <ts ivroc ypatftSk dvcfyxifl-oif, toij o^aus xpova- u.jti' TroiTJffM tTKvXtnv TLapctm. yap m m fxdprvpai pot ^roiijfrov -icrroi-i diH^pilrrovs, rbv Ovptay «at Zax a P" 1 *' **3» Bapa^t'ou. Kai -poo^A^ov Trp&s riji' irpocjnjrtv, «ai cv yacrrpi tXafit, km IrtKW vlov koI tt-Trt Kvpnos ftm, KaXctrov to opojiia aiTov, Ta^eas frKvAewnoc, ofeufr Trpo vo^ohtov* Aioti toiit| yi^ivai to srtuSibv itaXfik Ttarlpa. 7} fajripa, \rjtfrerai Sivnuiv Aa^ioo-jtoiJ, Kdl Ta tritvAxi Sa^apcta; eva*Ti pucrtAouj Kat -jrpocre'&TO Kijpitre XaXdjcnu >i.ot ere its to /mj Ba&Utr&a* tov Aaov ToDTOf to" f Siup toJ- SiA<ua/t to 77op«;d/if- me fcrnvij, aAAa j9ovXeo-fiat. I^ch' toc 'Pacrtrtt' xai top utoif "PofteAi'ou BatrtXta l<^* vpwv, Smrovro iSau Kvptos dydyci e^ t/ias to "6iup tov urOTa^ioUj to ur^upof koc to iroXi 1 , toI' paai- \ia Ts&v AffWpiaar, Kat r^p Sofae avrotr- xai ara^cr<Tat cn-i ^■O'sav p-Lr,.j yy x iftSsy, Kai TCtpiTranj^ei l~l Trav Tfi)(as vftuSf, koX ocieA.*! dxo rijs loi'SaicL? aitJptujrov, &j Swijcrcrai k^oA^i 1 a/.at, i^ ivvarov <rvvTt\ft?iio'Qa.l n m «al ccrrat tf ■x-apififio\if Qt-roC tutrrt 7rAT/pi»C7ai to srAaros t?}« ^tupas crou, ft*& fjp-wr 6 0<Js. rvwTe fSny Kai -ijTTacrSe, curatcovaare «MS «V)(aTOu rfjs y^? - ^r^^inr J f J.J^ ! ?i w 7V fpiA*t. ' j y.'j -y n, -,>**. : "-4~j- Te<T^(. Kai ^v u,* 1 fiovXeia-ijaOe ftov\i{P, ouia-KtSiitrtt Ki'pios' K-Ji ■Vjyoy ov taif ,\aA^erFjre, ou fii) ipfitiirtj iv iplv, on p.t&' t;.ji-Iit u Qeo?. Ourtu Aeyfi Kvpiof, Tg lajft-pa ^etpt J-tt&ivcri rj —aptia rij? o-SoD toC AaoS toJtou, <\<70it<?, jtuJ-OTf n-iztucri, '7*fAi]p6v Trap yap o iav f-tirg a Aao? otios, trifAnpuf «OT4- tov S« d toSar aurou ov fi.ij cpo^3ijS^r* oiSe /11) rapa^ft'jTe. KrptoK i l 7'jyj a«ytgoraTf . ku! auTus «TTai crau ^0^05. Kdi> tir otrw tT&t^^ ^9, tcrrai croi eis Jyuxcr^a, ital ot-jj lis Ai'fou trpoaKop.- I'".?t cn.xavTi1crf.c78e, aiSi in Trerpos —Ttup.a.yc ol it micoi la- »-'--.■" &• Tro,y«St, wai ei? KcnActTjUori ey*raS)jfi«i'oi lv \fpoi:<Ta\^jx. At.;ratTo (iiiui anjccwo'ii' iv airots ~oAAo'l. sal s-ftroLiTai tcax ,r i.-.rpip(]crotTat, koi eyyioLcrt, khi aXtLxrovrat. uv&pta—ot lv •*f<lM\(ifi. Tort ttavtpoi Itrovrat. 01 o-^payi^ojacKjt toc vo/tov ''". pij fltlStiV. Kai Ipil, p.tva> Ttjv Qeov tov a^wrrpe^-avTa to —po&tinrov I ".-?',v u— o tov otwou l/rsiiji, nal Tr(7TO(&ai5 tuojiai t!7 awri. K'A! €yi> Kai ra — aiSta u uot eSwK«v o 0e&5" (fal eaTtti OTjptia "'u TEjja-a <v ™ o'kcci Io"paijA irapa. Kiptou fraficaiiB, oj kot- k<i ev thu op«i Skuv. r /V » .lllj. 111 (■'', 'eiviiic.' f * ■ Or. far Uad iaA Far * ihora. Kat c' t j» ciij-iutrt Trpos fytas, ^irriJiaTe tolj £yyao"Tpl/»i'5oi-s, ""a: T'jti a.Tro tiji yijs t^oji'oriTa?, Toij KfloAoyoitTa?, u\ Ik rif5 be certainly pli>uihed: there shall no tear coma timber: tor there shall ba from among the barren .r..-:l:i,i and tboroj tliat whereon cattle shall feed and oien shall tread. And the Lord aid to me, Take to thyself fl vohtnse of a great new ? book, and write in it ivitU a m.vn's pea concerning the making a rapid ^plunder Of *poilj ; for it ia near at limuL ; And make me iritnesaes of EiitUfid men, Urias. asd Zachariaj the son of BaracMai 3 And 1 went in to the pro- phetess ; and she conceired, and bore a »on. And the Lord said to me, Call hii name, Spod quickly, plunder speedily. *Fot be- fore the child 5 bill know Aon? to call Au father or bis mother, one shall take the Sower of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria efare the king of the Assyrians *And the Lord spoke to me jet again, settling \ 'Because this people chooses not the water of Siloam that goes softly, but wills to have _ It a aim, and the son ot Ro- meliaa to be ting over you; ^therefore, be- hold, the Lord brings up upon you tha water of the river, strong and abundant, even the kin; of the Assyrians, and his glory: and he sball come up over every valley of jours, and shall walk over every wall of y ours : i andheshalitake away from Juda ece ry man who shall be able to lift up his head, and tiery o.ie able to accomplish anything ; and bis casp shall ILLL t be breadth, of thy land, r Go-:l with us. 'Ivuoif, ye & entiles, and be conquered; hearken ye , e ren to t lie extremity of the earth 1 be cor.ouered. after re hove strength- ened yourselves ; for even if ye should again ibeaajtlMM rywiirf*'*^ y-» aboil ■gaJa ba conquered. "And Tvliitsoever counsel yo shall take, the Lord shall bring it to nought : aud whatsoever word ye shall spt-ak, it shall not stand among yon : for God is with us. "Thus saitb. the Lord, "VTith a strong hand they ' revolt from the course of the way of this people, sayi:ig, ^ Let them not oay, It it hard, for whatsoever this people says, ia> bard: but fear not ve tlteir four, neither be dismayed. ^danetUy ye the Lord himself; and < he shall be tliy'fear. "And if thou siialt trust in him, he shall be to thee for a ,=iinctnary ; and ye shall not come against him aa against *s stumbling-itone, ni-ither as against the fuiiingj of a rock: but the houses of Jacob are in a snare, and the dwellers in Jerusalem in a pit. * l'bercforo many anion? rhem -\ial[ be wrak, and fall, and he crush ed : an-1 they shall draw nigh, and meu shall be taken securely. ""Then shall those who seal themselves that they may * not learn the law be made manifest. 17 And one stall say, I will wait for God, who has turned away ids face from the house of Jacob, ar.d I will trust in him. b m He- hold [ and the ehdilren which God has given me: and the;.- shall be fur signs and wonders' in the L-^ase uf Iirarl from the Lord of ho-t?. who dwells in mount Sion. ll, And if tuey should say to you, JScek £ tho.^e who have in them a divinim; spirit, aud them that speak out uf the earth, tbem J J'cjt. pwer, ar, ;nchmvn.t- 7 Hti. Imoiiouri. i '>. .j..-.wj. A Aitx. — ' msl.' jj deb. S.UL r Or. 1 cr: :.-::',■;■ ■-■'■' C Or, let Lijn te. tf p. .-ii. :■ ii. ^U {&»t**nt) f* ^ftX^> *? " M *> < s "te&b*


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Mandy Moore on Her New Orleans Bachelorette Party
I've loved Mandy Moore since the song "Candy," but since "This is Us" made her a household name...I'm wondering how she came through New Orleans last month and I had no idea??? Mandy was on Ellen and of course they discussed Mandy spending time in our city for what turned out to be her bachelorette...
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Magic of Christmas Events
2018 Holiday Events Guide Celebration in the Oaks 11/23 - 1/1 City Park A month-long holiday show featuring millions of twinkling lights throughout the Botanical Garden and Amusement Park. Walk through the Botanical Garden, Storyland, a children's theme park, and Carousel Gardens,an amusement ride...
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Camila Cabello films video at Muriel's Restaurant in the French Quarter
When Camila Cabello was in town for the Taylor Swift show, she kept herself busy when she wasn't in the Dome. She was shooting a video to a new song by the artist Bazzi that feattures Camila called "Beautiful." Camila and Bazzi are seen in Muriel's restaurant, which is rumored to be haunted, and at...
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Whole Foods Delivery Through Amazon Prime Now Has Come to New Orleans
Want fresh fruit ASAP, but don't want to get off the couch? No problem!! Starting now in the New Orleans area... Amazon Prime members in New Orleans can order Whole Foods online and have it delivered to your front door the same day. SWEET!! Grocery delivery will be available from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m...
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Warnings for Pet Owners in Record Heat from LA-SPCA
Important warning for pet owners as we are expecting record heats this weekend! The US National Weather Service New Orleans Louisiana has issued a heat advisory for our area which means all pets, including outdoor cats, must be brought inside for the duration of the advisory! If you see a pet left...
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Anthony Boudain's Favorite Restaurants in New Orleans
I consider myself very lucky now to have made the time to see Anthony Bourdain do a speaking engagement at the Mahalia Jackson Theater a few years ago. I hardly ever buy tickets to things like that, but I bought his. He was funny and interesting...all the things you want him to be. At that show, he...
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Glass Recycling Drop-Off Location Now Open in New Orleans
Great news! The city has re-opened drop-off recycling for glass products.
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Big Tricentennial Weekend Events
This is the biggest weekend for New Orleans 300 birthday party!!!! Here are the biggest events we thought you'd want to know about... 04/19/2018 - 04/25/2018 Tricentennial NOLA Navy Week Navy ships from the U.S. and around the globe will be in New Orleans for a week long festival, including free...
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Mardi Gras 2018 Parade Schedule
Mardi Gras on Magic 101.9 is brought to you by Sprint - Sprint.com/unlimited Route Krewe Time Saturday, January 27, 2018 Marigny/Quarter Krewe du Vieux 7pm* (update) Marigny/Quarter krewedelusion 7:30pm Slidell Bilge (boat parade) now 1/28 Slidell Poseidon 6pm Sunday, January 28, 2018 Metairie...
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Recent Podcast Audio
Bad Moms 12: How many Halloween costumes do kids need these days?
Bad Moms Podcast
Bad Moms 11: Incredibles and Leopard Caskets
Bad Moms Podcast
Bad Moms 10: Kids Birthday Parties and Mom Underwear
Bad Moms Podcast
Bad Moms 9: Love/Hate School and Family Photo Fails
Bad Moms Podcast
Bad Moms 8: Lady parts and boozy play dates
Bad Moms Podcast
Bad Moms 7: Kids with Sharpies + Toys R Us sale starts
Bad Moms Podcast
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