Reconciliation

What is Man?

IT IS conceded that the mind is a part of the creature man; that by the exercise of the mind man searches out facts, weighs them, and reaches a conclusion upon the question under consideration. Man reasons from effect to cause in his endeavor to ascertain why certain things are so. Many times a man has propounded the question, What is man? Many have earnestly and diligently examined the evidence submitted upon the question. Men of sound mind require the production of the best evidence obtainable in their endeavor to arrive at a just conclusion upon an important question at issue. The highest type of evidence, and that which proceeds from a trustworthy source, is demanded upon the question at issue, What is man?

A man advances a theory that the moon is made of green cheese. He appears before an intelligent audience and asks that audience to listen to his evidence and argument in support of his theory. The intelligent men and women of the audience look at each other with a smile and say: 'That poor man is probably earnest and sincere in his belief that the moon is made of green cheese, but it is apparent to every reasonable person and from the evidence within the reach of all that the moon is not made of green cheese.

We will therefore not make ourselves foolish by listening to this man. He is a fool, but why should we permit him to make fools of us?'

Another man appears before an intelligent audience. He has the reputation of being a wise man. He looks wise and is wise in his own conceits and speaks with profound gravity. He is a theological professor, a clergyman of renown, and is called a scientist and savant. He requests that audience to hear him present his argument in support of a new theory concerning the origin of man. He briefly outlines his theory as follows: 'That man is a product of the force of evolution; that millions of years ago particles or atoms formed themselves into protoplasm; that by the operation of the forces of nature life began to manifest itself in the lowest form; that after millions of years more this evolution process developed a monkey; that the process continued until there resulted an animal which we call man.' He then offers to produce the proof and argument in support of his evolution theory. The intelligent audience hears him state briefly his theory and then says: 'That man probably is sincere in his belief, and by his method of reasoning he may be able to convince himself that man is the product of evolution; but he could not possibly have any competent evidence in support of his astounding theory. If he so desires he may believe that his ancestors were monkeys, but we will not permit him to make monkeys of us. We will not stultify ourselves nor dignify his foolishness by listening to him. We believe the Bible, and his theory is diametrically opposed to the Bible.'

Why should any one who believes God and believes that the Bible is his Word of Truth waste time listening to or entering into a discussion of a theory of evolution of man? To enter into a discussion as to whether or not the moon made itself from green cheese or is green cheese is foolishness. To engage in an argument as to whether man was created by Jehovah or made himself by evolution or evolved from protoplasm is worse than foolishness. It is an insult to Jehovah God. Would any Christian stultify himself by entering into a discussion as to whether or not every good and perfect thing proceeded from Satan the Devil or from Jehovah God? No one can be a Christian unless he believes that Jehovah is God and that Jesus Christ is God's beloved Son, the Savior of mankind. The very life of a Christian is faith in God and his Word, the Bible. Why then should a Christian enter into an argument of a proposition the very statement of which makes God a liar? The Word of God is plain as to the origin of man. It is in no wise ambiguous. The Word of God is the end of all controversy.

The writer believes that Jehovah is the only true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and believes that his Word is the truth; he believes that Jesus Christ is God's great Executive Officer in the creation of all things, and that he is the Redeemer of man: he therefore refuses to consider so-called evidence that is offered in support of the theory that man is a creature of evolution.

The theory of evolution of man proceeds from the Devil, regardless of who holds or advocates that theory. The Devil is that wicked one who betrayed the

sacred trust committed to him, rebelled against his Maker, seduced the angels of heaven and brought degradation upon the human race. To seriously enter into a discussion of the question as to whether God made the first man or whether man is the result of the process of evolution would be giving countenance to the Devil and would therefore be displeasing to Jehovah God. Some who are consecrated to the Lord have thought it wise to join issue with the advocates of evolution and seriously discuss the origin of man. They have thought it well to enter into the evidence relating to the lower animals and compare this with other evidence offered by evolutionists and then discuss seriously which is correct, the so-called scientific evidence or the Bible. In this they have erred, according to the Scriptures.

Some who claim to be Christians and to preach the Word of God openly champion the theory of the evolution of man. By so doing such have become the instruments of Satan the Devil. They are being used by Satan to turn the minds of the people away from Jehovah. These dupes of Satan have pushed their evolution theory to the fore in the colleges and universities and even into the public schools. By thus doing they have largely succeeded in destroying the faith of the rising generation in God and his Word. This is another wily move of the Devil to turn the minds of the people away from the great Creator. Satan is that great wicked one who blinds the minds of men lest the truth should shine into their hearts. For a Christian to indulge in a serious discussion of the truth or falsity of such a theory means to give countenance and consideration to the Devil and his

wicked course. A man who has consecrated himself to God and learns of the precious truths disclosed in his Word, and who then turns to evolution and advocates it as an explanation of man's origin, thereby becomes the child of Satan. To encourage such an one in a debate as to whether or not man is a creature of evolution is to commit sin. The prophet of God, who spoke as the representative of Christians, stated: "I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me." — Ps. 39:1.

The duty of the Christian is to teach the truth and not even listen to lies against Jehovah, much less to engage in a discussion as to whether or not they are true. God has appointed and anointed the Christian to proclaim the good news of his plan of redemption to those who are teachable and will hear. He has commissioned such to bind up the broken-hearted and comfort all that mourn and who desire to be comforted. (Isa. 61:1, 2) It would therefore be impossible for the Christian to fulfil that commission unless he believes that God created man perfect and that sorrow, sickness, and death resulted from sin; that God in his loving-kindness has provided redemption for man by the death and resurrection of his beloved Son; and that in God's due time he will restore the obedient ones of mankind to the state of perfection enjoyed by the man whom God created. The Christian is called upon to be a faithful and true witness for God and not to aid, either directly or indirectly, in the promulgation of that which is a repudiation of Jehovah. The theory of the evolution of man not only is evil but is unworthy to have a place in the mind of the child of God even for a moment and should be

repulsed by all who are loyal to God. The proper course of a Christian in matters pertaining to such evil philosophy as evolution is plainly pointed out by the apostle: "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." — Col. 2:8.

Upon this same point the Christian is instructed: "Receive as a friend a man whose faith is weak, but not for the purpose of deciding mere matters of opinion." (Rom. 14:1, Weymouth) Another translator renders this text thus: "Now receive to yourselves the weak in the faith; not, however, for doubtful reasonings." (Rom. 14:1, Diaglott) To the same effect the prophet of God wrote the words that apply to the Christian at this time: "For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes; and I have walked in thy truth. I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked." — Ps. 26:3-5.

No one can enter into a discussion with an evolutionist concerning the origin of man without violating this scripture. Such disputer against the Word of God is a vain person. He is an evil doer; particularly if he has once been enlightened or professes to be a preacher of God's Word and then advocates evolution, he is wicked. Then the psalmist adds: "I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, 0 Lord: that I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works."  — Ps. 26: 6, 7.

To the same effect the prophet wrote: "I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love." (Ps. 119:113) And then the same prophet states that which is proper for the meditation and consideration of the Christian: "I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways." — Ps. 119:15.

But it will be asked, Do not most of the clergymen endorse the evolution theory as to man? Are not these clergymen learned men, and for this reason is not the theory they advocate entitled to full consideration? To their shame they do endorse and advocate evolution. If they are learned they are learned in vain philosophy and not in the Word of God. If they were once learned in the Word of God and have since adopted the theory of evolution that of itself is proof that they have become wicked within the meaning of the Scriptures and are therefore instruments of the Devil and the enemies of God. Because of their supposed learning and high reputation amongst men as having wisdom the clergymen have done more than any other class of men to destroy faith in the Bible as the Word of God.

From Eden till now Satan's policy has been to turn the people away from Jehovah. To accomplish his purposes he has resorted to all kinds of vain philosophy and foolish reasoning. In this he has induced men to believe themselves wise. They are ambitious to appear wise before their fellow creatures. God could have prevented Satan from thus influencing men or he could have destroyed him and his false theory. The fact that he has not done so is proof that it is not God's due time to do so. He does state that in due time all the wicked he will destroy. The fact

that God has not prevented the promulgation of this wicked doctrine is a sufficient reason why it is not now the duty of a Christian to enter into the discussion thereof with men about its truth or falsity with the hope or expectation of destroying that wicked doctrine.

Evolution of man is one of the evils the Devil has taught to men; and God has not prevented it, in order that men might have an opportunity to learn by experience the effects of evil. Now is the day for the Christian to declare the message of God's kingdom and to tell the people that in his own due time God will clear the earth of all evil theories and practices. Let no Christian now waste his time and effort by being drawn into a controversy with some of the Devil's agents as to whether or not God is a liar. A Christian is now to sound forth the message of truth to the praise of Jehovah's name. Let the Christian be content with telling the people that the evolution theory concerning man is one of the Devil's lies and to show it as destructive to faith in God and in his Word. The Christian must let it be known that he stands firmly upon the Word of God and that he refuses to enter into a controversy or discussion with any one who denies Jehovah and denies his Word of truth. Before such he is to keep his mouth with a bridle or remain silent.

It was in the days of Enos, who was only one generation removed from Adam, that the Devil organized men into bodies or societies calling themselves by the name of the Lord. (Gen. 4:26, margin) That was the beginning of hypocrisy, because these men called themselves by the name of the Lord in derision of the

great Jehovah. Satan has seen to it that hypocrisy has grown amongst mankind. Doubtless there never was a time when there was so much hypocrisy in the world as at the present day. By far the majority of the clergymen posing as the representatives of Jehovah call themselves preachers of the Word of God, and represent themselves as the only teachers of true religion, and at the same time openly advocate the doctrine of the Devil. The clergyman who stands in his pulpit and represents himself to the people as the servant of God and of Jesus Christ and at the same time advocates the theory of evolution as related to man, is openly teaching Satan's lie and practising that falsehood. Such men have itching ears and a desire to have it said of and concerning them that they are great and wise. Their selfishness, pride and ambition have led them into Satan's trap.

Be it noted that the theory that man is a creature of evolution is a modern theory and advanced by modern clergymen who even call themselves by the name "modernists". Foreknowing that this blight would fall upon Christians God caused his inspired witness to write to Christians thus: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." — 2 Tim. 4:3-5.

Nor was there any doubt left as to what is the proper course of the true Christian in this time and what is his proper attitude toward such instruments of evil.

It is plainly written concerning them: "From such turn away." A Christian who obeys this command can not indulge in discussion of the theory of evolution concerning man. Bearing upon the same point the inspired apostle further wrote: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." — 2 Tim. 3:1-5.

These modern savants are drunken with the desire for the approval of men and for power amongst men. Their pride and ambition have caused them to go blind. If they ever had any vision of God's plan they have lost it. They now put forward their own wisdom in opposition to the wisdom of God. Among themselves they say: 'God did not make man but man made himself. We are wiser than the ignorant men who wrote the Bible. We now express our wisdom. Neither man nor God can call in question our wisdom.' The foolishness of these self-conceited wise men has turned millions of minds away from the true God.

Could not God have prevented such evil influence of the Devil and have restrained these men from teaching such falsehoods? To be sure he could; but he has permitted the evil in this, that he has not prevented it, that the human race may learn the proper lessons and in due time learn to appreciate him. God foreknew and foretold the very course these modernists

or evolutionists would take, and therefore he caused his prophet to write these words, which apply at the present time: "Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed. And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He hath no understanding?" — Isa. 29: 9-16.

In this prophecy the Lord has foretold that the wisdom of these modernists is of but short duration. The time has come for the name of the Lord Jehovah

to be exalted in the earth. These professed Christians, who in fact are hypocrites, have no vision or understanding of the divine plan. They give honor to the Lord with their lips but their hearts are far removed from him. By their false teachings they cause men to fear in a morbid manner what shall occur and therefore to rush into their organizations. The people, however, are starving for want of true food. Therefore says the Lord, "I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people." The wisdom of these wise men shall perish and their understanding shall be hid. Jehovah therefore is, through his beloved Son Christ Jesus, beginning a wonderful work. He is spreading amongst the people a knowledge of his goodness and his gracious provision for men.

One means of carrying on this wonderful work is this, that the Lord God has brought the radio into operation. Foolish men, wise in their own conceit, do not hesitate to say that the radio is the result of the sagacity and ingenuity of men. That statement is not true. More than thirty centuries ago God foretold the time would come when he would send forth the message as the lightning and that nothing would obstruct it. Those on the earth whom God is making his witnesses to do his wonderful work are not amongst the earthly wise, rich or great, but they are meek and teachable and appreciate the great privilege of doing something in the name of Jehovah. The spreading of the truth is not the result of man's efforts, but the Lord God himself is doing it through his constituted agencies. He is thereby serving notice upon the people in advance of his purpose to establish his great kingdom and completely destroy the Devil's organiza-

tion. This is the day which the Lord hath made, and his people are now rejoicing that the truth is being made known. Since it is the privilege and duty of these to make known the truth, then they would be displeasing to the Lord, violating his Word and thereby committing great wrong to indulge in a comparison of the truth with a detailed statement of the theories of evolution.

But some may say, Do not Christians with propriety discuss the questions of inherent immortality and eternal torment, and are not these devilish doctrines? Would it not be just as unreasonable to discuss them as it is the theory of evolution? The answer is, No; for the reason that the men who advocate these doctrines claim that they are supported by the Bible and therefore concede the Bible as authority. To enter into a discussion of these questions is to determine whether or not the Bible does support them. The Christian tries to prove that the Bible does not support these devilish doctrines. But the modernists who advocate evolution as a theory of the origin of man deny the Bible as authority and base their conclusion upon the wisdom of man. Therefore the very statement of their proposition is an insult to Jehovah and it becomes the duty of the Christian to refuse to consider the man-made evidence offered by so-called scientists.

The Truth

The truth is the means to bring men into harmony with the great Creator, Jehovah God. It was the beloved Son of God who spoke with authority concern-

ing God's Word, saying: "Thy Word is truth." (John 17:17) The Word of God written by holy men of old was written under the direction of Jehovah and is good for the instruction of men who want to be led in the right way. (2 Pet. 1: 21; 2 Tim. 3:16; Job 32: 8) Only foolish men ignore the Bible in searching for a philosophy of the origin of man. It is wholly unreasonable to expect to find a satisfactory answer to the question, What is man? unless man goes outside of his own environment and seeks to know from the Word of the great Creator. The Prophet David was much wiser than the savants of modern times. He was wise because he devoted himself to know and to do the will of God. He was a man after God's own heart because he was always faithful to God. He made some grave mistakes because of his inherited weakness, but his heart was always true to the Lord, as the needle, when disturbed, again returns to the pole. The spirit of the Lord God moved upon his mind and he spoke the truth accordingly. (2 Sam. 23:2) That wise servant of God under inspiration wrote: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever."  — Ps. 111: 10.

Wise men seek knowledge of the Word of God and then faithfully strive to conform themselves to that Word. The man who pursues such a course receives the favor of God. The proud and self-conceited God pushes away from him. (1 Pet. 5:5) The fool is estopped from his wicked comparison. By his lips he may claim to be the representative of God and at the same time by the doctrines he advocates he denies the

very existence of Jehovah. Concerning this God's prophet wrote: "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." (Ps. 14:1) The heart is here used as a symbol of man's motive directing his course of action.

The modernist or evolutionist with assumed self-wisdom says in substance: 'I am a doctor of divinity. Mark my wisdom. I know that man is a result of the evolution process and that he continues to evolve upward.' What is really the motive of such a man? It is to attract attention to his own wisdom. He is extremely selfish and by his haughtiness and arrogance he says: 'There is no Creator of heaven and earth or of man. The things that we see came by blind force and man is a creature of evolution.' The fool is proud of himself and revels in his own greatness and delights to hear his praises sung by others. These so-called wise savants or modernists find pleasure in bestowing flattery upon each other. They stick out their chest, and talk with great gravity and address each other as "Doctor", or with some other title, and frequently speak of each other's greatness and wisdom. Thus the enemy Satan uses them to blind each other and to bring reproach upon the name of the great and loving God. They have created for themselves a reputation amongst men for their wisdom and greatness; and by their influence they turn the minds of the people away from God, the true Benefactor and Friend of mankind.

It is marvelous how our God foreknew and foretold in his Word these things. Now the true student of prophecy can read the words of Jehovah written long ago and understand the course taken by these modern self-conceited savants. Within the church denomina-

tions are some dear souls who are sad at heart because of the arrogance and self-conceit of the clergy, These cry unto the Lord asking the Lord for relief. Thus the prophet of God represents them as praying: "Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips, and with a double heart, do they speak." To their cry the response is: "The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things." The arrogance of these self-conceited wise men who call themselves "doctors of divinity" was foretold by the prophet thus: "Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?" — Ps. 12:1-4.

In this hour of great hypocrisy in the ecclesiastical systems those who turn to the Word of God find encouragement. Those who cry to the Lord, as the prophet here represents, hear the response from God's Word thus: "For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. The words of the Lord are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, 0 Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever." — Ps. 12: 5-7.

The most arrogant of all men are the clergymen of the present time. Hypocritically they call themselves by the name of the Lord; they ignore his Word and mislead the people by giving utterance to their own so-called wisdom. These are the ones who deny the Word of God and teach the doctrine of the evolution of man, contrary to his Word. They are a part of

this world, or the Devil's organization, because they are allied with the rulers who rule over the people. But the Lord declares that their haughtiness and arrogance shall not long endure. "And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible." (Isa. 13:11) "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." — Prov. 16:18.

The origin of man is a secret revealed only by the Word of God. No man could know the truth thereof except from the revelation of God as given in his Word. It would be utterly impossible for a man or men thousands of years removed from the beginning of the race to tell how it began unless some record is given by the great Creator. God, the great Creator, is pleased to make known his secret to those who love and serve him. The secret of the Lord is with them.  — Ps. 25:14.

David loved and served Jehovah God, and the spirit of the Lord God was upon him and he wrote: "0 Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies; that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger." (Ps. 8:1, 2) The words of David, in the second phrase especially, are prophetic. The Lord foreknew that the modernist wise savant or evolutionist clergy would arise and that these would be the instruments of the wicked one and therefore enemies. Consequently he caused David to write that out of the mouth of babes should come strength; thereby meaning that the

strength of God's Word would be proclaimed, not by the great and mighty and the self-constituted wise but by those who possess the teachable, humble disposition of a babe. And even so we find that these are the ones who are declaring the message of God's goodness to the people and therefore they are having a part in this wonderful work.

In the night watches David gazed into the heavenly canopy above and there beheld some of the marvels of God's creation. How wonderful, grand and sublime they are! Every reverential mind delights to behold them at nightfall. Each planet in its assigned orbit moves noiselessly on and the very obedience thereof to God's law proclaims the praises of the everlasting Creator. As David beheld these wonders of creation he was moved with adoration and praise. Then he turned his eyes upon himself or men about him and said: "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers; the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands: thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. 0 Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!" — Ps. 8: 3-9.

How different the words of the inspired prophet from those of the modern clergyman! It is manifest that the latter are the instruments of Satan, whether or not they know it, because in their arrogance they

blaspheme the name of God, turning the people away from him, and serve Satan's purpose. As a public rebuke to the evolutionists the prophet of God wrote: "Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves: we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture." — Ps. 100: 3.

When the people study the Word of God for themselves and find the simplicity and beauty thereof they can see what great hypocrites are the clergymen. But these clergymen have kept the people in ignorance of the Bible. They refuse to teach the people themselves what the Bible says; they turn the mind of the people away from the Bible and warn them to read nothing concerning the Bible that does not come from the pen of one of these pious hypocrites. The Lord has let them go to the limit, and now he is doing his marvelous work in the earth by teaching the people in his own good and loving way.

We need only to look at a man to see how marvelously he is made. The framework or skeleton is made of an exact number of bones which perform their function. There is not a superfluous one in the organism. These are held together by the sinews and muscles which move the bones at will in exact harmony. Covering the muscle and the flesh is a soft, delicate, silky substance we call skin, which gives beauty to the body. Of all intricate electrical systems man has devised, none can begin to compare with the wonderful nervous system of the human organism. With precision and regularity the blood courses through the arteries and the veins, giving life to the creature. In the head is a brain, wherein is the seat of the will and mind. By the mind facts are considered and weighed and a de-

cision reached, and then the will directs the action. To the sober-thinking man it is apparent that nothing short of the Infinite One could have formed man. Speaking of the marvelous knowledge displayed in the creation of man the prophet of God exclaimed: "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works: and that my soul knoweth right well." — Ps. 139:6,14.

These inspired words of God's prophet, written long before the wise savants came into existence, should put them to shame. When the people know the truth these so-called wise men will be in shame and disgrace and in contempt. As man begins to obtain knowledge of the great Jehovah God and his marvelous creation, and of his goodness and loving-kindness toward man, he desires to draw nigh unto God and to learn more about him. For his encouragement then the Lord caused to be written in his Word: "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." (Jas. 4:8) Let the pretending Christian then cleanse his hands from dabbling in evolution. Let him purify his heart and cease to be double-minded. A man who claims to be a Christian and yet holds to the theory of evolution in any manner whatsoever is a double-minded man. Let him learn the truth of the Lord God and follow that.

The writer has no hope or anticipation of arousing the modern clergymen out of their drunkenness and stupor to turn them to God; but for the benefit of the people in the common walks of life who love the things that are good and who desire to know God these things

are written. Let all such with befitting humility and meekness come and seek knowledge at the Word of God and there learn how man was made and what are God's gracious provisions for man's future welfare and happiness.

How Made

The earth may be properly said to be the mother of man, because from the elements of the earth the first man was made. Jehovah God created him and gave him life, and therefore God is the Father or Lifegiver of the first man. Communing with his beloved Son, God said: "Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."  — Gen. 1:26, 27.

The method of man's creation is simply and beautifully stated in the Scriptures: "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Gen. 2:7) These words of the inspired Word of God should be the end of all controversy as to man's origin. No one, therefore, who believes Jehovah and that the Bible is his Word will for one moment seriously consider the wicked and God-dishonoring doctrine of the evolution of man. It is easy to be seen, therefore, that for a Christian to enter into a discussion with an advocate of evolution of man

is casting a foul stain upon the holy name of Jehovah and therefore giving countenance and fellowship to the wicked one in violation of the Scriptures. — Ps. 39:1.

And now mark the goodness of the great Creator. Intending to create man he first made Eden and in the eastern part thereof planted a garden of perfection and unsurpassed beauty. It contained numerous fruits and flowers and its atmosphere was scented with sweet perfume. The birds of gorgeous plumage and sweet song were there. The beasts of the field and the fowl of the air dwelt there together in perfect peace. There was no hot sun to blight the garden in summer, nor driving frozen sleet to mar it in winter. Its very name testifies that it was a paradise. It was a fit place for a perfect intelligent creature, who should be its caretaker and its lord, and who should love and adore the great Creator. Then God directed his beloved Logos, his active agent, to take the elements of the earth and form the organism. The beautiful body, perfectly and wonderfully wrought, reposed silently and without life upon the ground. Then God breathed into the nostrils of that organism the breath of lives. The breath inflated the lungs and caused the blood to leap through the arteries. The body was animated and there was a moving, breathing, sentient being which the Lord called a soul, which stood upon its feet and went about. That was the first man. That was the direct creation of Jehovah God. That man was perfect because all the works of Jehovah are perfect. — Deut. 32:4.

Then God made for man a woman to be his helpmate and his companion. To this perfect pair he gave the power and authority to produce and bring forth

children with the intent and purpose of filling the earth with a happy race of people. The life of the human race proceeded from this first perfect pair which God made. Adam, the prince, with Eve, his princess, graced the garden of the Lord. Sixty centuries ago that marvelous work was done. Had not sin entered into Eden to mar its beauty and destroy man's life, what would we behold today? Thousands of millions of perfect human beings on the earth, all strong, vigorous, beautiful and happy, all praising Jehovah God, dwelling together in peace and being a comfort and joy to one another. Instead the very opposite is seen.

It was ambitious Lucifer who destroyed the beauty of that paradise home. Since then his names have been and are, Satan, Serpent, Dragon and Devil. In Eden he became a liar and murderer, and he has practised and instigated crime ever since. He it is that blinded man to the truth concerning God and his loving-kindness. God has suffered him to take his own evil course until his due time to restrain him. That happy day is beginning and soon Satan will be completely restrained, and then all the people shall know the truth and be free.

Satan's first lie, and that which caused the downfall of man, was, 'There is no death.' This was a means to induce the practice of evil, advising man that he would continue to live for ever because immortal. Today the clergy, who claim to represent God and teach the people that every man has an immortal soul, are continuing to tell and to practise Satan's first lie, 'There is no death.' It is apparent to any one that evolution and inherent immortality are inconsistent

doctrines. Notwithstanding the clergy teach both, either one of which discredits Jehovah in the mind of the student. Who would be specially interested in causing the people to believe this false doctrine? Satan the Devil, of course; because if man had never been created perfect and had not fallen, there would be nothing to reconcile. If man had an immortal soul or were inherently immortal, there could be no such thing as reconciliation. If man were immortal and indestructible, the wicked would not care to be reconciled but would continue wicked for ever, and the good would not need to be reconciled. Both doctrines so confuse the minds of honest people that they can not understand that Jehovah has a plan of reconciliation.

The great pivotal doctrine of the divine plan is the death and resurrection of Jesus, whereby the redemptive price is provided. Both the doctrine of evolution and that of eternal torture are exactly opposed to the doctrine of redemption. If the student can always keep in mind that the Devil's chief purpose is to keep man alienated from God, then it is easy to understand why these false doctrines are promulgated. It may be laid down as a certain and absolutely safe rule that if a teaching or doctrine is inconsistent with the Bible, and particularly the redemption of man through Christ Jesus, that doctrine is false.

Another false doctrine that has grown out of 'inherent immortality' is that of eternal torture of the wicked. Of course life must be perpetual in order for torment to be perpetual; hence the two doctrines of the immortality of the soul and eternal torture must stand or fall together. Both being false, they must

fall. The Word of God is truth, and in due time must prevail.

God's inspired prophet wrote concerning man: "Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels." This, being true, disproves the doctrine of evolution and the doctrine of inherent immortality. If man were inherently immortal, and the angels are higher than man, then it would follow that angels are immortal. The Scriptures show that the angels are not immortal. Many of the angels in the day of Noah fell from the way of purity and became very wicked. (Gen. 6:2-4; 1 Pet. 3:19, 20) God imprisoned many of such angels. (Jude 6; 2 Pet. 2:4) God declared that in his own due time "all the wicked will he destroy". (Ps. 145:20) The chief amongst these wicked ones is the Devil, that angel of great light and power. The fact that these wicked angels will be destroyed is conclusive proof that they are not immortal. The Devil, the chief amongst them, it is expressly stated in the Scriptures God will destroy. (Heb. 2:14; Ezek. 28:19) The fact that man is lower than the angels is another proof that man is not immortal.

If man were a creature of evolution, then the angels must also be creatures of evolution, because the Scriptures compare the creation of the two and state that man is on the lower plane. Besides the Scriptures say that God made the angels and also made man, and the fact that God made them is proof that neither the angels nor men were evolved.

Human experience proves that man walks about, breathes, and performs his usual functions. If an accident befalls him his breath is taken away completely, the body no longer functions, and the man is

dead. This experience, well known to be common to all men, is exactly in harmony with the Word of God. The Scriptures declare that God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of lives, and a living soul resulted. Take away the breath of life and the blood ceases to circulate, action of the heart stops, and the man is dead. It was God's holy power that made man and gave him the breath of life. The power of God exercised takes away the breath of life and therefore death ensues. Upon this point note the scripture: "The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." (Job 33:4) "Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust."  — Ps. 104:29.

That no part of man remains alive after breath goes out of the body is positively proven by the Scriptures. "His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish." — Ps. 146:4.

The breath is invisible and powerful, even as the wind is invisible and powerful. It is the breath of life which God gave to man that moves into action his blood. Without the circulation of the blood there would be no life. This is true because the life is in the blood. (Lev. 17:14) Take away the blood of man and death results. That of itself proves that man is not immortal.

Man is a soul. The terms man, being, creature and soul mean the same thing. (Gen. 2:7) If immortal, of course the soul could not die, because immortality means that which is not subject to death. On this point there is no room for doubt, because the Scriptures in plain phrase say: " The soul that sinneth, it

shall die." (Ezek. 18:4) "What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave?" — Ps. 89:48.

Immortality resides alone in Jehovah. He is everlasting and from everlasting. Jehovah could give to whomsoever he wills the quality of immortality. His Word proves that it is his will to give immortality only to those who have undergone a severe trial and proven their loyalty and faithfulness to him even unto death. When Jesus was on earth he said: "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself." (John 5:26) This proves that at that time Jesus did not possess immortality. Life within himself, or inherent life, means immortality; and Jesus declared that it was God's purpose to give him inherent life or life within himself. The Scriptures openly declare that God "only hath immortality". (1 Tim. 6:16) Because of Jesus' faithfulness under the most severe test, even to an ignominious death, God raised him up out of death and rewarded him by granting to him the great prize of immortality. Over him death can never again have any power. (Phil. 2:9-11; 1 Cor. 15:53; Rev. 1:18) These scriptures prove that Jesus did not possess immortality prior to his resurrection to the divine nature. Jesus the Logos was the beginning of God's creation. No one was higher. If God did not give his first creature, his great Son the Logos, immortality in the first instance it would be unreasonable that he would make man an immortal creature.

These emphatic Scriptural statements put to silence the evolution theory of man's creation. They also conclusively disprove the claim of the clergy that man is

part human and part divine. The truth in God's Word is always harmonious. It states that God made the earth for man and made man for the earth and made man out of the elements of the earth. Being a creature of Jehovah, the first man was perfect and was given a dominion and made the prince of the earth.

There are two statements concerning the creation of man made in the Genesis account. The first is a general statement of the fact that God created man in his own image and likeness. The second is the more specific statement as to the manner or method of creation. Both statements are simple and are exactly in harmony with each other. God made man a creature of the earth and for the earth exclusively and with no promise or prospect of heaven. His nature was that adapted exclusively to the earth. He was made of flesh, blood and bones; and the Scripture states that flesh, blood and bone are not to be in heaven, or the invisible part of God's realm. — Luke 24:39; 1 Cor. 15:50.

Man being made in the image and likeness of his Creator, and being perfect, necessarily his attributes or essential qualities of being were justice, wisdom, love and power. He was made an intelligent creature. He knew that to violate God's law was wrong. The man in Eden was therefore responsible to God. The deliberate violation of God's expressed will would necessarily call for punishment. To man God had declared his will when he said: 'In the day that you sin you shall surely die.' That declaration put man upon trial. The prince of Eden might do anything that would bring him pleasure, but he must not show

his disregard for the expressed will of Jehovah. Both the prince and his princess were on trial and they were fully advised in advance what would be the penalty for wrong-doing. Regardless of how much suffering it gave Jehovah to inflict the punishment of death upon this perfect pair, he must do so because his word was at stake. When the infraction of the law was admitted the infliction of the death penalty was the only thing that could be done. God pronounced that penalty immediately but deferred the complete enforcement thereof for many years. During the time of the pronouncement of the penalty and its complete enforcement the offspring of the first pair came into existence.

Satan and his agencies on the earth would make man believe that God sentenced Adam to a lake of fire where he and his offspring must be consciously tormented for ever. God could not have entered such a judgment against man nor inflicted upon man such cruel torture. To have done so would mean that God changed the penalty of his law after the commission of the crime, which would have been unjust. God can not be unjust, because justice is the foundation 6f his throne. (Ps. 89:14) No good could possibly have resulted from endless conscious torment. Besides, only a fiend could inflict such cruel punishment. God is love, which is the very opposite of fiend. Satan would have men believe that God is a great monster, and his purpose in such misrepresentation is to turn the minds of men away from God and cause them to abhor him. Furthermore, if the punishment inflicted upon man was and is eternal torment, then man's reconciliation to God would be absolutely impossible.

If man should ever be brought back into full harmony with God, that of itself would completely disprove the eternal torment theory. It seems strange that sensible men could have any difficulty in seeing this point.

Another false theory held out by many professed Christians is that all of the offspring of Adam were involved in the original judgment God entered against Adam and were sentenced to the same punishment that was inflicted upon Adam. Reasoning upon this basis, the conclusion was reached that all must go to eternal torment unless there was some divine intervention in their behalf. But the judgment of God against Adam was not entered against his children. At the time of the judgment against Adam children had not been born and therefore could have had no knowledge of the judgment. It would be inconsistent with Jehovah and his justice to enter a judgment against any one without his knowledge. Why then have the children of Adam died and why do they continue to die? It is written: "Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come." (Rom. 5:14) Moses marked the time of the giving of the law of God to the Israelites. The transgression of that law meant death to those who were bound by the law. But before that men died even though they had not committed a deliberate sin as did Adam. Why then, if they were not directly involved in the judgment, should the children of Adam die?

The death of Adam's children was the natural result of Adam's wrong-doing. The perfect man Adam did not beget children. It was after he was under-

going the sentence of death that he begot his children. Adam was then imperfect and could not beget a perfect offspring. The result was that all his children were born imperfect. God can not approve an imperfect thing. For this reason the children, being born imperfect, were sinners and under condemnation or disapproval because of sin. They were sinners, not from choice as was Adam, but because they could not avoid it. They were born sinners because their parents were imperfect. — Ps. 51: 5.

To be sure there are degrees of sin amongst men. There are some who are very greatly depraved and who are a burden to themselves and to their fellow men. There are others who by nature are far above the average in honesty and in purity of thought and action. They are called noble and good amongst their fellows; but both the greatly depraved man and the one last described are sinners in the sight of God and were born such. Every babe is a sinner by inheritance, as it is stated by the inspired writer of the scripture. (Rom. 5:12) Every sinner or imperfect creature is estranged from God because God can not approve sin, which is manifest in all imperfect creatures, because sin is a transgression of his law. (Hab. 1:13; 1 John 3:4) No creature could live for ever unless that creature had the approval of God, because all right to life proceeds from Jehovah. All the human race being born imperfect because of Adam's sin, it follows that all the human race must perish unless some provision be made to reconcile the race to Jehovah.

The reconciliation of man to God would mean that man must be made right with God and brought into full harmony and peace with the great Creator. Such

would mean the justification of man. No man could make provision for justification or reconciliation. No man could by his own efforts make himself right with God. There must be a competent author of reconciliation and provision must be made for the reconciliation of man to God and the terms and provision of reconciliation must be entirely consistent with Jehovah.