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Watchman Answers
This is a service department where questions pertaining to
the Bible and its interpretation are answered for WATCH-
MAN readers. Anyone is free to address questions to the
Editor, who puts himself under obligation to answer here
only those that will be of general interest to our readers.
Others may be answered by letter. Inquirers must give
name and address, but these will not be printed.
Impurity in the Bible
Many people have said to me that parts of the Bible are unfit to read, such as
Isaiah 306: 12.
This verse quotes what may be called indecent expressions. The trans-
lators of the King James version translated them according to the standards
of decency of their times. No doubt we could make them sound a little less
raw to suit our ideas of decency now. As to the expressions of such things
for public reading, standards change. The conventions of good taste decree
an expression indecent in one generation and quite acceptable in the next.
This language was in the original Hebrew text, and if the Bible is to be
translated at all, it is to be translated fully and accurately. As to why such
expressions were used anciently, it seems that people were more plain
spoken then than now. There can be no question but that such things
must be referred to times without number in private, and over half the
world today sees no indecency in giving them public expression.
The real question is why God allowed this to get into His record. Note
that in this instance they were spoken by evil men, enemies of God and
Israel. No descriptive record could show better what sort of men they were.
But even if they had been used by God's servants, they would have been
no more pleasing to Him. Keep in mind that the Bible is a faithful record
of both the good and evil men did. Always, however, in the Bible evil is
plainly evil, stamped with divine disapproval. There is no deceptive mixture
of good and evil. Adam and Eve fell because they knew good and evil.
(Genesis 3:22.) The great danger lay in their minds being so clouded by
disobedience that they could not distinguish between good and evil. It is
the deception that is in popular reading today that is leading youth and age
astray. Every life must come in contact with impure language and acts.
How much better to read the Bible, where evil is so branded and denounced,
than to read the covert impurities of today that pose as pure literature.
The safest way to deal with evil is to drag it into the open, and show it up
for what it really is. Perhaps very young minds should be shielded from
such passages, but surely they should be brought into contact with them
before they meet the same thing from their companions on the street.
Evil Spirits from God
1 Samuel 16: 14-16. Would God send an evil spirit to trouble anyone?
This scripture is to be explained in the same way as the statement that
God hardened Pharoah’s heart. (Exodus 11:10.) Pharoah hardened his
own heart so much before this (Exodus 8: 15) that everything ‘God sent,
though intended to soften, only hardened it the more, because of the
attitude of Pharoah himself. God does not tempt any man with evil
(James 1:13.) God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, and sometimes He
works in a mysterious way to accomplish His ends, yet He is always good
and just and loving. Saul had rebelled against God, and cast Him out of
his life. It was inevitable that an evil spirit should take God's place in
his heart, for there are only two classes of spirits, good and evil. Then how
could it be said that God sent it? God sent it in the sense that He allowed
it. He controls all things, even evil influences, that they may not go too far.
Read Job's experience in Job 1 and 2. He is the ‘Father of spirits.”
(Hebrews 12: 9.) He tolerates evil spirits for a time, that His great purpose
may be carried out, but He does not instigate their evil works. Impose a
weight on a weak man and it will weaken him more. Impose the same
weight on a strong man, and its bearing will strengthen him. The dif-
ference is in the men — or their attitude — not in the
weight or the imposer of it. So God’s tests may be to us
evil or good, as we take them. God and His works and
workers are ‘‘to the one . . . the savor of death unto
death; and to the other the savor of life unto life.” And
Paul adds, “Who is sufficient for these things?” They
are somewhat hard to understand; but the Christian
who thinks God’s thoughts after Him can understand.
PAGE THIRTY
fathers. And the Lord commanded us
to do all these statutes, to fear the
Lord our God, for our good always,
that He might preserve us alive, as it
is at this day. And it shall be our
righteousness, if we observe to do all
these commandments before the Lord
our God, as He hath commanded us.”
Deuteronomy 6: 20-25.
This plan is stated with added force
in the words of the Psalmist: “He
established a testimony in Jacob, and
appointed a law in Israel, which He
commanded our fathers, that they should
make them known to their children:
that the generation to come might know
them, even the children which should
be born; who should arise and declare
them to their children: that they might
set their hope in God, and not forget
the works of God, but keep His com-
mandments.”’ Psalm 78: 5-7.
In this way alone can we restore our
heritage; in this way alone can we reclaim
our youth; and in this way alone can
we preserve those ideals and those aspira-
tions which make effort worth while and
life worth living. In this way alone can
we perpetuate the ideals that have made
this the greatest nation of the ages;
in this way alone prepare ourselves
and our youth to enjoy the pleasures
of eternity.
The Question Mark
(Continued from page 9)
that it will have nothing to do with any
conflicts between other states or with
international congresses concerning them
except as it may be called upon by both
parties to act as mediator. The territory
of the Citta del Vaticano is therefore
declared neutral and inviolate. The
Holy See declares this treaty satisfactory
and adds that the Roman Question is
definitely and irrevocably settled. The
Holy See recognizes the Kingdom of
Italy under the dynasty of the House of
Savoy with Rome as the capital. On
her part, Italy recognizes the State of
the Citta del Vaticano under the sover-
eignty of the Pope. The law of May 13,
1871 and all decrees or laws contrary to
this treaty are abrogated.
The concordat has forty-five articles.
The legal standing of the religious con-
gregations and the free administration
of church property is recognized. Eccle-
siastical marriages are to be constdered
valid and registered by the civil author-
ities. Religious instruction is to be
given in both primary and secondary
schools. Catholic organizations are to be
free to develop their activities out-
side of any political party. The concordat
provides also that any further difficulties
that may arise between the Holy See
and the Italian government shall be
settled in a friendly manner.
The financial understanding provides
that in view of the events of 1870 the
Italian government shall pay to the Holy
See a sum of 750 million lira in cash and a
THE WATCHMAN MAGAZINE