PERTINENT QUESTIONS TAKEN FROM THE PRESENT TRUTH, NO. 26. PERTINENT QUESTIONS TAKEN FROM THE PRESENT TRUTH, NO. 105. PERTINENT QUESTIONS TAKEN FROM MISCELLANEOUS NOS. OF THE PRESENT TRUTH. 

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FROM various brethren we have received many questions on the Youthful Worthies. We are glad to note the interest of the Lord's people in this as well as in other Biblical subjects. Such an interest is timely, since at this time the Lord has been pleased to arrange for the development of the Youthful Worthies as a class as well as of the Great Company as a class. The Epiphany is certainly an important epoch in the Lord's Plan, among other reasons, because during this time He delivers the Church from the earth, and develops two classes of the Millennial Levites, the Great Company—the Millennial Merarites—and the Youthful Worthies—the Millennial Gershonites. It is because the Epiphany is so important a feature of God's Plan that He so frequently refers to it in the Scriptures. Many of the histories of the Bible are now becoming clear as types of Epiphany antitypes. Some of these have already been presented to the Church, others doubtless will also in due time be made clear to the Lord's people. We have concluded to answer in print the more important questions on the Youthful Worthies which have from time to time come to hand, and take pleasure in doing so in this chapter. 

(1) Question: Are the Youthful Worthies of the Household of Faith? 

Answer: We use the expression, the Household of Faith, from a variety of standpoints: [1] In the Old Testament times all believers in the promises were of

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the Household of Faith (Heb. 11:1-39). [2] All Gospel-Age believers in Jesus are of the Household of Faith, when we have the Gospel-Age Household of Faith in mind (Rom. 4:11, 12; Z '13, 358, par. 4). This was typed by all children—the afterborn as well as the firstborn—in each family in Israel partaking of the Paschal Lamb in Egypt (Ex. 12:3-17, 21-28). [3] All new creatures, as a finished work, in the end of the Gospel Age, especially during the Epiphany, are the Household of Faith (Heb. 9:24; 10:14; 1 John 2:2; Mal. 3:2, 3; 1 Cor. 3:11-15; Z '13, 358, par. 5). Aaron and his house on the Atonement day typed this Household of Faith (Lev. 16:6, 11). [4] The Little Flock, the Ancient Worthies, the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies will be the Millennial Household of Faith (2 Tim. 2:20). The Priests and Levites dwelling about the Tabernacle type this Household of Faith (Num. 1; 3:4). The Youthful Worthies, of course, are not of the New Creature Household of Faith, because they are not new creatures. But from the standpoint of having "the faith of Abraham" (Gal. 3:7, 9) they are, of course, like him, of the Household of Faith. They are among the believers referred to under [2]. They are, however, somewhat different from the tentatively justified who do not now consecrate. The latter during the Epiphany cease altogether to be of the Household of Faith, having used the grace of God in vain; while the former, consecrating and proving faithful, retain their Tentative Justification, and are thus of the Gospel-Age Household of Faith who persist into and during the Epiphany. The reason why they are of the Household of Faith is that they are a faith class; for all that are of the faith of Abraham are of the Household of Faith. 

(2) Question: If they are of the Household of Faith, what is their position with regard to the blood of the antitypical Bullock? 

Answer: We understand that the blood of the 

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antitypical Bullock is actually imputed on behalf of that Household of Faith only which consists of new creatures, those referred to under No. [3] of the preceding question. "He hath now appeared in the presence of God [in the antitypical Most Holy, with the antitypical Bullock's blood] for us" (Heb. 9:24); hence for the firstborn only. "By one offering [imputation of His merit] He hath perfected [justified reckonedly] forever them that are sanctified" [the consecrated who become new creatures] (Heb. 10:14). These are the antitypes of those for whom Aaron made atonement with the bullock's blood. The Youthful Worthies are not among these; for their justification is not vitalized. While because of their faith God tentatively treats them as though the merit of the antitypical Bullock had been imputed on their behalf, actually there has been no such imputation made for them; actually they are not yet released from the Adamic sentence; and actually, with the Ancient Worthies and the Restitution class in general, they must wait for the application of the Lord's merit on their behalf in connection with the blood of the Lord's antitypical Goat; for they are counted in among the Ancient Worthies, of whom it is written, "That they without us [apart from the application of the Lord's merit in the blood of the Lord's antitypical Goat, and The Christ bringing them back from the tomb] should not be made perfect" (Heb. 11:39). 

(3) Question: Do the Youthful Worthies need and actually have an Advocate? 

Answer: We believe not. The Advocate's office is to square His clients with Divine Justice. This Jesus does now only for the "us" class, the Church of the Firstborn (1 John 2:1); for He is the Righteous One who is actually the Propitiation now for the sins of the "us" class only (1 John 2:2). The Youthful Worthies, not being of the Gospel-Age firstborn, though they will be of the Millennial-Age firstborn, do 

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not actually have an Advocate; nor is their standing before God of such a kind as needs the Advocate to keep them square with Divine Justice. In fact, their standing is not at all before the bar of Divine Justice, which holds them under the Adamic sentence, and which will not release them from it until God's Justice is satisfied at such a release on their behalf through the Millennial application of the Lord's merit for them. On account of the similarity of their faith to that of the Ancient Worthies they have the same kind of a justification as the former (Rom. 4:1-10), a justification in which not Christ's merit and their faith, but their faith alone is reckoned for righteousness. This gives them a standing, not before the bar of justice, but before the gate of mercy and grace, which assist them while they are being tried in faith and obedience, not for everlasting life, but for princeship and human perfection, as was the case with the Ancient Worthies. The fact that the Ancient Worthies actually had and needed no Advocate, while on trial of faith and obedience for Millennial princeship and human perfection, proves that the Youthful Worthies do not actually have and need an Advocate while on trial of faith and obedience for Millennial princeship and human perfection. But from the above we are not to infer that they do not have and need the mercy and love of God. These are exercised toward them by Him through Christ, who in their Tentative Justification tentatively imputes His merit for and to them and thus acts as their tentative Advocate; for as the Angel of the Lord encamped about the Ancient Worthies, who reverenced God, to deliver them, so He encamps about the Youthful Worthies, who reverence God, to deliver them. They are privileged to trust God with implicit faith in respect to the three oath-bound promises (Gen. 22:17, 18), as these apply to them in their earthly respects. 

(4) Question: May members of this class participate

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in the Memorial Supper, as was their custom before realizing that they belonged to this class? 

Answer: The primary participants in the Lord's Supper are the Little Flock. By their participation therein they are privileged to symbolize three things: (1) the death of our Lord Jesus (1 Cor. 11:26); (2) their faith, appropriating justification through His death (Matt. 26:28); and (3) their sharing with Him in the privilege of the sacrificial death for the world (1 Cor. 10:16, 17). The Little Flock will be privileged to do these three things as long as it is in the flesh. The Great Company, as such, will cease in the Memorial Supper to symbolize death with Christ, when they recognize that they are no longer dying with Him; but they will not for that reason cease partaking of the Memorial Supper for the other two purposes above mentioned. So it seems to us the case stands with the Youthful Worthies. They are not privileged in the Lord's Supper to symbolize death with Christ; for they are not dying as a part of The Christ. But they may partake of the Lord's Supper to symbolize His death as the Lamb of God, and to symbolize their faith, tentatively appropriating justification through His death. We have two reasons for believing that it is appropriate for the Youthful Worthies to partake of the Lord's Supper for the first two purposes above set forth. (1) Not only the firstborns, but all Israelites by Divine command and approval (Ex. 12:25-27; Josh. 5:10; 2 Chro. 35:1-19) partook of the annual Passover, the type of the Lord's Supper. This types that all ultimate believers—the Youthful Worthies, as well as all new creatures—may celebrate the Lord's Supper. (2) The Apostles partook of the first Lord's Supper while consecrated but in a tentatively justified condition. At that time their condition was very much the same as that of the Youthful Worthies, though they had a prospect of 

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membership in the Body of Christ denied the Youthful Worthies. 

(5) Question: Are the Youthful Worthies consecrated unto death? 

Answer: We understand that their consecration is unto death; for there can be no consecration unto life until the Highway of Holiness is opened. This we can see from the facts and the necessities of the case. The Ancient Worthies consecrated unto death (Heb. 11:2-39). The Little Flock consecrated unto death (Rom. 6:1-11). Those who are now of the Great Company also consecrated unto death as candidates for the Little Flock. The Youthful Worthies, so far as their consecration and their covenant promises are concerned, are like the Ancient Worthies. Hence their consecration is unto death. And this has also been their understanding of the transaction at the time they made their consecration. Not only the facts of the case prove that all who consecrated before the Highway of Holiness is opened consecrate unto death, but also the necessities of the case require it; for as long as Satan is in control, so long it will be impossible to carry out one's consecration fully without dying daily, for the conditions of the present evil world are conducive to sin and inconducive to righteousness; and whoever would amid these conditions be faithful to the Lord must be so at the expense of his human rights, i.e., he must consecrate unto death. 

(6) Question: Should those who now consecrate be invited to symbolize their consecration by water baptism? 

Answer: We believe that they should be invited to symbolize their consecration by water immersion; but they are not thereby to symbolize death with Christ, as the Church has done; for they do not die with Christ. For a long while we could not confidently answer this question either affirmatively or negatively; but later we came to see our way clear to answer it affirmatively.

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Our reasoning is somewhat like that which favors Youthful Worthies' partaking of the Lord's Supper. We repeat the thought above given, that they are not by water baptism to symbolize death with Christ, even as in the Memorial Supper they are not to symbolize death with Christ. One may therefore ask, On what ground do we vindicate their water immersion? We answer: On the ground that their types practiced its type—circumcision (Gen. 17:12, 13, 23, 27). Circumcision was before the Law the sign, symbol, of the Abrahamic covenant relationship (Gen. 17:10, 11, 13, 14). Not only were Isaac and Ishmael circumcised, but also Abraham's entire male household, whether born in his service or bought as strangers. Isaac types Spiritual Israel, and Ishmael Fleshly Israel (Gal. 4:22-31). That part of Abraham's household which was born in his house seems to type others who are benefited with antitypical Abraham through the Abrahamic Covenant, i.e., the Ancient Worthies, the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies; while those of his household who were bought with money as strangers seem to type the Restitution class. Thus the types of the Youthful Worthies underwent physical circumcision, the type of water baptism. Hence the antitypes of these in the Gospel Age should undergo the antitype of circumcision—water baptism. The circumcision of heart that Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael and Abraham's household underwent types the circumcision of heart that their antitypes undergo; while the circumcision of the flesh that certain of these underwent symbolizes for the Gospel Age the water baptism that their antitypes undergo. Therefore we accept our Pastor's thought when he said that after Spirit-begetting would cease consecrators should still symbolize their consecration by water immersion. 

(7) Question: The Ancient Worthies had their faith imputed to them for righteousness, and were regarded by God as friends, and as such had access to

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Him. Is this the standing of the Youthful Worthies, or do they come through the Way—Jesus? 

Answer: All of the tentatively justified have their faith imputed to them for righteousness. This would, therefore, include the Youthful Worthies as well as the Ancient Worthies. Just like the Ancient Worthies, the Youthful Worthies are not sons of God; for neither Christ's merit has actually been imputed, nor has the Spirit-begettal been given to either class. Just like the Ancient Worthies they are friends of Jehovah God, and have access to God; but not to Him as their Father, even as was the case with the Ancient Worthies. They are not to pray to Him as actually their Father, but as Jehovah, their God. They are not introduced to the Father by the Advocate, though Jesus as God's Vicegerent acts providentially toward them, as He did in His pre-human condition toward the Ancient Worthies. Therefore they do not by Him have access through the one Spirit to the Father as the Church does (Eph. 2:18). 

(8) Question: Do the Youthful Worthies have the Holy Spirit? 

Answer: In the sense of a new will, a holy disposition, the Youthful Worthies have the Holy Spirit; but they do not have the Holy Spirit of begettal. The Scriptures speak of the two general outpourings of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28, 29). In both cases the Holy Spirit is given; but it is not given as a begettal in both cases. The spirit of begettal to sonship (John 1:12, 13; Rom. 8:14-16) is now given to the Gospel Church alone, and will not be given to the world. The world will receive the Holy Spirit in its second outpouring, as Adam and Eve had it before their fall, and as Jesus had it as a human being before Jordan. It is in the latter sense that the Youthful Worthies are now receiving the Holy Spirit. In due time, during the Little Season at the end of the Millennium, we opine, they 

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will receive the Spirit-begettal as the beginning of their change of nature. 

(9) On what should Youthful Worthies set their affections? 

Answer: On the same things as the Ancient Worthies set their affections. They are to exercise faith, hope, love and obedience toward God and our Lord Jesus in harmony with certain earthly features of the Oath-bound Covenant (Gen. 22:17, 18). They are to love and serve the Church, even as Abed-nego, one of the types of the Youthful Worthies, signifies servant of the messenger. They are also to love, subordinately to their love for the Church, the Great Company, and the Ancient Worthies, and in a lesser degree, the world of mankind. They should love, trust and study the Word, especially those of its promises which pertain to them. They are not to love this world nor the things of this world; nor should they love sin, error and self. They are zealously to love and pray for the coming Kingdom, earnestly to seek princeship in that symbolic City (Heb. 11:13-16), ardently to desire perfect humanity for themselves, and warmly to long to co-operate in the Millennial work of destroying all evil and introducing all good. They may also hope to have a change of nature, and to see and be with God, Christ, the Little Flock, the Great Company and the Angels after the Millennium. They have indeed glorious things on which they may set their affections. The Youthful Worthies are not to set their affections on the promises that pertain to the Church and the Great Company. 

(10) Question: To what extent should we expect a class not begotten of the Spirit to understand the Plan of God, the Sin-offerings, the Mystery, the Covenants, etc., also the Epiphany message? Is not a clear insight into these things an evidence of Spirit-begettal? 

Answer: We are to expect the Youthful Worthies now appreciatively to understand everything in the 

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Bible as due, except those of its features that pertain to the development and operation of the Spirit which is begotten in the Church, and the things that pertain to spirit beings. Accordingly, they may and in many cases do understand the Plan of God, the Sin-offerings, certain features of the Mystery and the Covenants and practically everything in the Epiphany message. The general features of God's Plan even honest worldlings who are not consecrated can understand, as all of us have witnessed; and all of these will understand them when the books of the Bible are opened, made plain, before the great White Throne (Rev. 20:12; Is. 29:18, 24). The reason why the Youthful Worthies may understand everything in the Bible as due, except the development and operation of the Spirit which is begotten in the Church, and spirit beings, is that "the secret of the Lord is with them that reverence Him." Their honesty, humility, meekness, hunger and holiness of heart are such as please the Lord; and He is therefore pleased to tell them His secrets as due, in so far as they can grasp them, which, of course, excludes things purely spiritual. If they could appreciatively understand the development and operation of the Spirit which is begotten in the Church, and spirit beings, this would be a proof of their Spirit-begettal. Their not appreciatively understanding these is a proof that they are not Spirit-begotten. 

(11) Question: What part should Youthful Worthies take in the meetings? 

Answer: If there is a class consisting entirely of Youthful Worthies, according to talent, spirit of consecration and providential situation they may take part in every form of meeting and service therein, such as leading study and other meetings, answering and asking questions, offering prayer, giving testimony, offering motions, voting in business meetings, holding office, etc. In other words, with a proper understanding of their place in the Lord's Plan they can do similar

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things in meetings held exclusively for themselves, as the Little Flock members do in their meetings. In their prayers, however, they are to remember to address God as Jehovah their God, not as Father, except in a reckoned sense. In the meetings of the Little Flock (and we are to recognize all as of the Little Flock who consecrated before Oct., 1914, and who came into the Truth by Passover, 1916, unless they are manifested revolutionists or their partisan supporters, Baal worshipers and kissers) the situation of the Youthful Worthies is somewhat different. Not being Spirit-begotten they should neither vote nor hold office in such an ecclesia, nor should they lead meetings, nor should they offer prayer, because the Little Flock's prayers should be offered to God as Father without limitations. In the study meetings they may be asked questions by the leader and give their answers, as well as ask questions for their information, just like the others. The New Creatures should encourage them to take such parts in their study meetings. If the leaders ask for a hymn, the Youthful Worthies also may suggest one, just like the others. In testimony meetings they may also take part in testimony and in praise, but we think it would not be well for them to lead in prayer in such meetings of Christ's Body, for the reason that the prayers of such meetings are to be addressed to God as Father without qualifications, as addressed to the Throne of Grace, to which the Youthful Worthies do not have access. While they may not make motions, vote, or hold office in such an ecclesia, it would be proper for them to be present at business meetings and to offer good suggestions along the line of secular business matters coming before the Church. They should be encouraged to attend all meetings of the Church, and should be made to feel at home among the Priests. Not being members of the ecclesia they can neither be brought to trial before the ecclesia nor bring charges against anybody before the ecclesia.

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Hence the advice of Matt. 18:15-18 in its third step cannot be used as between them and Priests, though between one another that advice should be followed in the first and second steps; and if they have a class of their own, the third step can be taken by them. Of course a Priest would be privileged to advise them in cases of discipline, as well as in other matters. 

(12) Question: Should Youthful Worthies meet with the Priests, or should they separate from the Priests, and hold meetings of their own? 

Answer: We believe that it will be greatly to the advantage of the Youthful Worthies both in the present and in the future Age to meet now with the Priests. Thereby they will be kept from many an error of doctrine and wrong of practice, from which they will probably not be kept, if they meet with the Levites or by themselves alone. Moreover, they will thereby be kept from many a useless and harmful service. If they meet with the Epiphany-enlightened Priests, they will learn many a truth of doctrine and practice that they would hardly learn otherwise. So, too, they will get many an opportunity of service that otherwise would not fall to their lot. The example of the Priests will also prove more helpful to them in Christian living than that of the Levites or of one another; and that example, of course, can best be observed by contact with the Priests, such as attendance at the same meetings will give them. The greater maturity of the Priests in grace and knowledge will be made more useful to the Youthful Worthies by their fellowshipping with the Priests as younger brethren of these Priests. So, too, they will have a better chance of being in truth "Abed-nego," servant of the messenger, by meeting with the Priests. These are some present advantages for the Youthful Worthies to be gained from meeting with the Priests. Then, we opine that those Youthful Worthies who in this life will have had close contact with the Priests will have memories of

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the Priests that will in the next Age prove very helpful to them in the way of encouraging, uplifting and developing them for their everlasting portion. Again, this will make the overcomers among them the higher class of Millennial Gershonites, Shimites. 

(13) Question: May the Youthful Worthies assist in Gideon's Second Battle? 

Answer: We believe that as antitypical Abed-nego, servant of the messenger, they may have this privilege. From the account of the men of Ephraim, who type the Youthful Worthies, coming to Gideon beyond Jordan, (Judges 7:25—8:3) and especially from his answer to them, we infer that he had not yet engaged in battle with Zebah and Zalmunna; nor does the account anywhere tell us that only the three hundred engaged in the Second Battle; and from the fact that Gideon sought assistance from the Men of Succoth and Penuel, we are warranted in inferring that he would have welcomed assistance from the men of Ephraim. Hence there is nothing in the account to forbid the Youthful Worthies' participation in antitypical Gideon's Second Battle; and as they have in some cases assisted the Priests in their dealing with the Truth Levites, we think that they may also help them in dealing with the Nominal Church Levites, and thus show themselves indeed to be the antitypical Abed-nego. 

(14) Question: Will the Youthful Worthies be used to make known to the resurrected Ancient Worthies the development of the Plan of God since they fell asleep, and the nature of the New Era into which they will have entered? 

Answer: We think it reasonable to suppose that they might in their contact with the Ancient Worthies give them some information on the subjects suggested in the question. However, it should not be supposed that they will be the special teachers of the Ancient Worthies in these respects; for the Ancient Worthies 

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are, by direct revelations from The Christ ("Your old men shall dream dreams," Joel 2:28), to get their main information on subjects on which they will need instruction. Details on such questions belong to the next Age, when doubtless we will be able to answer them more in detail than now. 

(15) Question: What should the Youthful Worthies do to obtain "a good report"? 

Answer: Practically the same things that the Ancient Worthies did and that the Little Flock now does: continue to be dead to sin, error, self and the world, and to be alive to God. The latter they may do by meditating on God's Word, by watchfulness, by prayer, by spreading God's Word, by developing a character in harmony with God's Word and by enduring evil in harmony therewith. In a word, by being faithful to their consecration vows they will obtain a good report through faith and obedience. 

(16) Question: Will the Youthful Worthies continue in the flesh from this Dispensation into the next, without necessarily passing into the grave? 

Answer: We know of no direct Scripture bearing on this point; therefore can reason on it from analogy only. Like the Ancient Worthies they consecrate to be faithful unto death; as also like the former's consecration theirs has not been accepted as a part of the Sin-offering. It would be reasonable to suppose that like the Ancient Worthies they would have to prove their consecration vows to be genuine unto the limit, which would mean death, or what to them would be its equivalent. However, in view of their living very near the time of the Kingdom, it is possible that some of them will not die. If some of them do not die, but live on, we believe they will have had to demonstrate a faithfulness that will have been tested up to what to them would seem certain death, even if the Lord by an unusual providence should stay the hand of death before its full work would have been wrought 

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on them, as persons who would be willing to let it finish its work on them rather than prove untrue to their consecration vows. In other words, they must have the spirit that would be faithful unto death, even if they should not in every individual case enter death, otherwise they would not pass their trial successfully. Perhaps in the future we may be able to be more positive than now on this subject; for as the light advances we may obtain more light on this matter. 

(17) Question: Is it correct to say that since Spirit begetting for the High Calling has ceased, the Youthful Worthies can obtain Tentative Justification by consecration only? 

Answer: Since Tentative Justification throughout the Gospel Age has been obtained at the time one has exercised faith in Jesus after exercising repentance toward God; and since we know of no Scripture that teaches a departure from this procedure in the case of any one, we would be safe in holding to the Scripturally expressed thought relative to the process by which all, including the Youthful Worthies, receive Tentative Justification, i.e., the acceptance of Jesus as their Savior after exercising repentance toward God. However, the fact that they consecrate puts a seal on their Tentative Justification and as they prove faithful prevents their losing it as do those who fail to consecrate (Rom. 4:11). 

(18) Question: Is it correct to say that some who consecrated after 1881 and before 1914 were put into the Youthful Worthies class, because there were no vacancies at the time in the Little Flock, and that subsequently some of them were received by Spirit-begettal into the High Calling to fill vacancies there, while others remained among and are now of the Youthful Worthies class? 

Answer: Yes; this is our understanding of the subject, even as our dear Pastor elaborated it in B 235, in C 205-225, and in F 156, 157. The Parallel 

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Dispensations and the Parable of the Penny (Vol. V, Chapter I) require this thought. Apparently the Lord made between 1881 and 1914 a reserved list of those consecrators for whom there were no crowns available at the time of their consecration; and when a vacancy occurred, He selected the most available one on the reserved list for that vacancy. Doubtless the Lord considered at least three things in deciding the availability of the candidates: (1) their spirit of faithfulness, (2) their talents for that particular place in the Body for which there was a crown vacant, and (3) their providential situation. We may safely assume that the consecrator who was best qualified in these three respects was chosen by the Lord for the vacancy. Of course, after the last crown was assigned there could be no more vacancies; and hence all on the reserved list as well as all future consecrators had no other Kingdom class position open for their entry than that reserved for the Youthful Worthies. 

(19) Question: Should we now encourage believers to consecrate, with Youthful Worthies' prospects as their hope? 

Answer: We should now encourage believers to consecrate, because consecration is always in order. We should, however, not now encourage any one to consecrate in hope of the High Calling. Nor should we now encourage people to consecrate offering them as the incentive a reward for so doing, because consecration never should be made in order to get a reward. It should be made out of faith in the Lord's Word, out of grateful love for past mercies and out of appreciative love for God's good Character. When St. Paul (Rom. 12:1) exhorted the justified believers to consecrate, he did not tell them to do it in view of a future reward, but out of gratitude and appreciation for the past mercies of God. So should we now encourage believers to consecrate. A consecration that is made for a reward is not a Divinely pleasing consecration; but one that is 

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made out of faith and love is a Divinely pleasing one. Let us therefore emphasize the goodness of God to believers, and not a reward as the incentive for them to consecrate. Of course, we may tell them that the Lord has princeship and human perfection in store for the faithful consecrators; but we are not to encourage them to enter into business dealings with God. We are to encourage them to enter into consecration dealings with God. Yes, we should zealously encourage believers now to consecrate to God in this true spirit. 

(20) Question: In a Tower it was stated that the Jews will be the Millennial Gershonites; while in The Present Truth it has been repeatedly stated that the Youthful Worthies would be the Millennial Gershonites. Which view is Scriptural? 

Answer: We believe for many reasons that The Present Truth gives the Biblical view on this subject: (1) As antitypical Levites the Millennial Gershonites will not have an everlasting inheritance in the earth, but will be made spiritual with the antitypical Kohathites, the Ancient Worthies, at the end of the Millennium; while God says that after Abraham will have had the land for the Millennium, His seed after him, the Jews, will get it forever (Gen. 17:7; Acts 7:5). Hence the Jews cannot be the Millennial Gershonites, since the latter will not have their eternal inheritance in the earth. (2) In Joel 2:28 the Jews, the "sons," are represented as prophesying, which also the Gentiles, the "daughters," do—a work, therefore, that is not a peculiarly Levitical work; while the Youthful Worthies, the "young men," we are told, will "see visions," i.e., will be given a Kingdom privilege similar to that of the Ancient Worthies, the "old men" who will "dream dreams." These are Levitical honors for the Kingdom time. Hence the Jews, the "sons," will not be Millennial Gershonites. (3) The unbelieving Jews have not obtained a good report through faith (Rom. 11:30-32), and of course could not be entrusted 

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with the responsibilities of princeship in the Kingdom, for which characters fixed in faith and righteousness are necessary. Other proofs for the correctness of the view of The Present Truth and the incorrectness of the present Tower view on this subject could be given; but we believe that the three just given are sufficient. 

(21) Question: Do Youthful Worthies consecrate to life or to death? 

Answer: Youthful Worthies consecrate to death, not to life. The consecration to life is appropriate to the Millennial conditions, not to the Gospel Age conditions; for it is the consecration that leads one into the highway of holiness. This highway of holiness awaits the Kingdom's establishment in its earthly phase for its operation. It cannot operate before the Christ appears with the second sin-offering in God's presence for atonement purposes. The Gospel-Age conditions require a faith that trusts where it cannot trace, that walks apart from sight and that trusts the Lord, though He slays the believer. As long as sin is on the ascendancy, and Satan is operating as the god of this world, so long will it be necessary, if one is loyal to the Lord, to sacrifice one's rights unto death in his opposition to sin and in his service of righteousness. The evil conditions that must be opposed in such a course wear out and take away life. Hence to be faithful in consecration now requires the presentation of one's all to God in service amid conditions that lead to the death of him who thus presents his all. Not only do the conditions of the present deal out death to the faithful, but each of them is invited to make a covenant of service—deadness to self and the world and aliveness to God. There is not the slightest intimation in the Scriptures that those who consecrate too late to have a crown assigned them; but before the highway of holiness is opened, make a different kind of a consecration from those whose consecration was accepted by the begettal of the Spirit.

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Their becoming, like the Ancient Worthies, a part of the seed developed by the Oath-bound Covenant in one of its earthly features, proves that they previously entered into a covenant to give up their present blessings and privileges out of devotion to God. It is one thing for one to consecrate unto death. It is another thing for that consecration to be accepted by Jehovah through the begettal of the Spirit—a thing which the Youthful Worthies do not now experience, though at the end of the Millennium this privilege will be theirs. We therefore conclude from the nature of the act of their consecration, the nature of the conditions amid which they must carry out their consecration, the absence of the highway of holiness, their relation to the Oath-bound Covenant, the present dispensation in which we live and the Millennial privileges of the Youthful Worthies, that they now consecrate unto death. It seems reasonable from the above considerations to conclude that all of them will die. While we concede the possibility of some of them not dying, it seems much more reasonable to conclude that all of them will die before they experience with the Ancient Worthies the better resurrection; for it seems reasonable that they by death itself deliver the proof of their complete fulfillment of their consecration. If any of them should not die, we would have to assume that at their perfecting there will set in a sudden change in their physical, mental, moral and religious faculties that, apart from an anesthetic or its equivalent, would be most painful to undergo. We never heard our Pastor express an opinion on this phase of our subject, though we were once told by a brother that he understood our Pastor to say that they would not all have to die. Our Pastor has never, to our knowledge, expressed this thought in writing. We know of no express Scripture that directly states that some of them will not die; and in view of the above lines of Scriptural principles, which our Pastor applied 

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to the Youthful Worthies, we rather think that the above indicated brother, who is the only one we have ever heard so speak of our Pastor, misunderstood him on the subject. It is undoubtedly Scripturally taught that they consecrate unto death, and the burden of proof that they would not carry out to completion such a consecration must rest upon those who say that all of them will not die; and this proof is wholly wanting, since not a scintilla of such proof has, to our knowledge, ever been offered from Scripture, reason or facts; and the fact that many Youthful Worthies have already died is good presumptive evidence of it, in addition to the above-mentioned Scriptural principles that seem to imply that the Youthful Worthies will all die before they experience the better resurrection with the Ancient Worthies. 

(22) Question: What will become of a Youthful Worthy who proves unfaithful? 

Answer: He will lose his Youthful Worthiship and fall back into the world for restitution purposes. That such unfaithful ones do not go into the second death is evident from the fact that they are not now on trial for life, though they, like the Ancient Worthies in this life, are now on trial for faith and righteousness in order to their qualification for princeship during the Millennium (Heb. 11:1-40). The time of trial for life on the human plane for all the Worthies is the Millennium (Heb. 11:39, 40), when the New Covenant, which is the only covenant offering human life everlastingly to the obedient, will give such life to the obedient. Consequently, as a tentative Ancient Worthy who proved untrue when on trial of faith and righteousness fell back among the ordinary Israelites, who are to be Millennially tried for life; so will it also be with an unfaithful Youthful Worthy. 

(23) Question: Is there any Scripture to prove that the Worthies will be resurrected sexless, like the angels?

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Answer: Luke 20:35-37 is a passage to the point; for it proves that all who experience resurrection—restanding, perfection—will, like the angels, be sinless and sexless: "They that shall be accounted worthy [the overcomers] to obtain that Age [inherit the life and rulership that that Age gives to the overcomers. Some—those faithful in this life—obtain that Age in its beginning: the Little Flock and Great Company on spiritual planes and the Ancient and Youthful Worthies on the human plane, they later getting these on a spiritual plane or on spiritual planes; others will obtain that Age—the blessings it offers—at its end: the restitution class] and the resurrection of the dead [worthiness thus is also required to obtain the resurrection, which consequently is more than the mere awakening from the dead; it is a restanding, a perfecting], neither marry nor are given in marriage; for they are like the angels [who, as sexless beings, neither marry nor are given in marriage. Hence resurrection makes all its participants sexless]. And they are sons of God [sinless in their ultimate development], being children of the resurrection [Resurrection, accordingly, is a perfecting process which, completed, leaves its subjects sinless and sexless]." Therefore, in the beginning of the Millennium the Worthies will be sexless according to this passage. 

(24) Question: Is it right to say that the Youthful Worthies have the wedding garment tentatively, seeing that they are not of the Bride? 

Answer: In the parable of the wedding supper, the wedding garment was not given to the bride, but to the guests invited to the marriage supper. Jesus' relation to the Church as His Bride is not the thing pictured forth in this parable. And we must not confuse that picture with the one in this parable; for part of the guests in this parable are the prospective bride in the other picture. The same kind of confusion is frequently made with the parable of the ten virgins, 

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the wise of whom are not the bride of that parable, though they are the same persons as in another picture are set forth as the Bride of Christ. In these two parables the Lord is not giving us parables on the Bride of Christ, but is illustrating certain other features of the prospective Kingdom class by wedding guests, and by virgins, who are not the pertinent parabolic brides. Keeping these thoughts in mind, we will be delivered from the confusion in which the one who asks this question seems to be involved. In this parable the wedding garment represents Christ's righteousness—justification (1 Cor. 1:30). From this standpoint we can answer the above question as follows: The Youthful Worthies, being tentatively justified, have Christ's righteousness tentatively, but not vitalizedly, imputed to them. Hence they may be spoken of Scripturally as having the wedding garment tentatively. But we are not to think of them as being referred to in this parable; for this parable refers to those called before the general call ceased. The inspection of the guests began in 1874, when the King came in, and in 1878, in the no-ransom sifting, the King found the guest—the no-ransomers, led by Mr. Barbour, who, after coming into the outer chamber and waiting to go in to the feasting room, insulted their Host by casting off the wedding garment that He had provided for their proper appearance at the feast. Historically this parable was fulfilled before there were any Youthful Worthies. Hence they are not included in the picture. However, by accommodation, we may speak of them as having the wedding garment on tentatively, without bringing them into the parable, since that garment signifies what they tentatively have—Christ's righteousness. This wedding garment, so tentatively held, the Youthful Worthies are to embroider, i.e., they are to develop in Christ's tentatively held righteousness a concordant 

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character, good disposition, thoughts, motives, words and acts and thus become overcomers. 

(25) Question: Can we apply to Youthful Worthies the spirit of certain New Testament exhortations like, "be ye transformed," "set your affections on the things above, and not on the earth," "let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp," etc., etc.? 

Answer: Such passages, of course, do not apply to the Youthful Worthies, who are Levites; for they apply to the priests: some of them to their new creatures and some of them to their humanity. But, while these passages do not apply to the Youthful Worthies, they indirectly may be used in their spirit to their profit. Thus, while they cannot as new creatures be transformed, they as human beings may be changed from more or less corrupt human characters to beautiful and holy human characters—which is a character transformation, but not a nature transformation. Again, while they cannot unconditionally be exhorted to set their affections upon the things above, they can and should be exhorted to set their affections on the truths and character of those features of the Oath-bound Covenant that are theirs—upon the hope of obtaining a perfect human character and body, on the hope of overcoming now their personal enemies—sin, error, present selfishness and worldliness, on the hope of later on helping mankind to overcome sin, error and the effects of the curse, and on the hope of obtaining princeship, whereby they, as a part of the subordinate seed, may bless the nations, kindreds and families of the earth (Gen. 22:16-18). While they cannot properly be exhorted to go forth unto Christ, bearing His reproach, which is a privilege of the priesthood exclusively, still, since they as Levites are privileged to suffer for righteousness like the Ancient Worthies, it is very proper that they be exhorted to undergo such sufferings. Thus they are privileged to do certain things that are akin to certain

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things that the priests do; and therefore they may appropriately be encouraged to do such things. The spirit, therefore, though not the letter, of many exhortations for the priesthood, apply to them. 

(26) Question: Should Youthful Worthies join in singing hymns and saying "Amen" to prayers addressed to God as Father? 

Answer: With certain mental reservations made by them, we believe that they may do these things. If they, in connection with such hymns and prayers, remember that they are not yet actually, though tentatively or reckonedly, sons of God, but some day will be such actually, and if the things prayed for, in spirit, though not in letter, are for them, they may do so with propriety. Jesus spoke of God as the Father of His disciples before they actually became God's children. This was in view of what they would become. He even, in the Lord's prayer, taught them to address God as Father long before He actually became their Father, though all along He was tentatively reckoned so, and was prospectively so in view of what they were to be (Rom. 4:17). Let us remember that some day the Youthful Worthies will actually be God's sons, as they are tentatively now reckoned as being such. While this does not give them the privilege of access to the Throne of Grace, yet in a manner similar to the Ancient Worthies, and the as yet not Spirit-begotten disciples they may, with the above-mentioned mental reservations, join in such hymns and prayers. 

(27) Question: Should Youthful Worthies join in singing hymns expressive of the unique experiences and relations of the Church? 

Answer: Assuredly they should not join in the singing of such hymns as expressive of their own experiences and relations, yet if the spirit of such hymns is similar to that which underlies their own experiences and relations, though the letter is not, they may sing them, keeping their own experiences and relations 

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in mind. From another standpoint they may also do this—as a memento and as a celebration of the Church's unique experiences and relations. This is frequently done in other quarters with perfect propriety, e.g., the patriotic song, The Star Spangled Banner, gives some experiences connected with a bombardment of an American fort during America's second war with Britain. Patriotic Americans now sing that stirring song as a memento and celebration of the experiences there described, as well as an expression of patriotism. These two standpoints would abundantly warrant the Youthful Worthies in participation in such hymns as above mentioned. 

(28) Question: Would it be in order to ask Youthful Worthies to offer a thanksgiving prayer to Jehovah at the close of a service held under priestly auspices? 

Answer: In a service under the auspices of the Great Company, or of the Youthful Worthies, or of both, it would be in order for a Youthful Worthy to lead in prayer, especially if the service were entirely under Youthful Worthy auspices; but this is not appropriate, if it is a priestly service. In fact we believe it inappropriate for a Youthful Worthy to lead any prayer in which priests participate, be that prayer in church or in private; for Youthful Worthies do not have access to the Throne of Grace and should humbly defer to a priest who has such access. A priest's prayers prevail more than those of a Youthful Worthy, hence, also, the priest should, for the good of all concerned, be the one chosen to approach the Lord for all concerned. 

(29) Question: Will any of the Youthful Worthies be carried over into the Kingdom without seeing death? 

Answer: For the reasons given under a former question, we incline to the thought that all Youthful Worthies must die before they become princes in the earth—must carry out their consecration to the full limit as originally made.

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(30) Question: Can a Youthful Worthy be overtaken with the fear of the second death? 

Answer: While during the present dispensation the Youthful Worthies are not on trial for life, and therefore cannot now go into the second death, yet they can under the influence of ignorance or doubt be by Satan manipulated into believing that they are going into the second death; and thus they can fear that they are in danger of it. Such a fear is exercised at a fictitious danger, yet we have known cases where it was a most distressing fear, despite its groundlessness. In the next Age while on trial for life, both during the development part as well as the final testing part (the Little Season) of that Age, it would be quite possible for a Youthful Worthy to fear that he might go into the second death. Certainly if our Lord had such a fear in Gethsemane (Heb. 5:7), the Youthful Worthies could have it as a real danger in the next Age, particularly during its Little Season. Whether any of them will actually so fear we cannot positively say, not knowing any Scripture that bears on this point. 

(31) Question: Should a priest ask a Youthful Worthy to pray for him? 

Answer: A priest should normally ask priests to pray for him; for their prayers are the only ones that come to the Throne of Grace. But we see nothing wrong in a priest, especially under unique circumstances, like the isolation from other priests, or when in great trial or trouble, asking in a general way for the prayers of Youthful Worthies. Especially if a priest's ministry had special reference to the Youthful Worthies would it be appropriate for him to ask their prayers for that service. 

(32) Question: How can Youthful Worthies strengthen their hope and courage and appreciation of the Lord's Truth? 

Answer: There are many ways whereby these qualities

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can be strengthened in them. The main ways for them to strengthen their hope is to keep the earthly features of the Oath-bound Covenant applicable to them on their hearts and minds and to subject themselves to the influence of these. These, so kept on the heart and mind and yielded to, will strengthen more and more their hope of attaining characters fit for perfect human bodies and of attaining such bodies; so, too, will this strengthen their hope to overcome their enemies—sin, errors, selfishness and worldliness, as well as to strengthen their hope of helping the world in the next Age to overcome their enemies—sin, error and the curse. Finally, these earthly features of the Oath-bound Covenant will strengthen their hope of blessing the human family in the next Age. Keeping in mind and heart the example of Jesus, the Ancient Worthies, the Church and the Great Company, in strengthening their hope and submitting themselves to the influence of their example, will likewise strengthen their hope. Exercise of the hope that they have hitherto developed will likewise strengthen it. Similar principles applied to their courage will strengthen their courage. Especially will the increase of faith, hope, love and obedience tend to strengthen their courage. Of course, the exercise of courage will do this, as also the consideration that the interests of Jehovah, their King, the reputation of their Captain, the Lord Jesus, the great issues at stake in their warfare, the desirability of conquering their enemies and the certainty of victory to the faithful will help their courage to become strong. Their appreciation of the Lord's Truth will become enhanced by a consideration of its loveableness, perfection, beauty, harmony, effectiveness, practicability and durability. 

(33) Question: Must the Youthful Worthies be developed as such for fitness for Millennial princeship before the Millennium, or will they get some of their 

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pertinent development after the earthly phase of the Kingdom is established? 

Answer: They will get part of their development for princeship before and part of their development after installation into their office as princes. The following will clarify this: As the Millennial operations progress, they will require higher developed characters in the Ancient and Youthful Worthies, to administer them; for these operations will become ever more intricate in their developing the restitution class; hence ever increasingly higher developed characters will be required successfully and helpfully to apply these operations to the uplift of the restitution class. In both the Ancient and Youthful Worthies characters crystallized in faith and righteousness will be required for fitness to enter into Millennial princeship. Without such a degree of character development one cannot be an Ancient or a Youthful Worthy. But such a stage of character development will not be sufficient to stand final trial for life. An all round character development will be required for such a trial; and this will be the Millennial character development of the Ancient and Youthful Worthies, who will be made thus perfect during the Millennium (Heb. 11:39, 40). It will be in connection with their service as Princes and Levites that they will be thus perfected. Such services will, therefore, require the development of such characters. Hence, while their loyalty to faith and righteousness, developed this side of the Millennium, will fit them in character for entrance into, and the exercise of their initial princeship duties and privileges, in the very same proportion as the duties and privileges of their princeship increase in their exacting demands on character, they will require increased development of character to meet these demands, until these demands will require perfection of character to fulfill them. Thus we see that increasingly developed characters will be required in the

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Ancient and Youthful Worthies to fit them for their increasingly responsible duties and privileges, as the Millennium advances the race toward perfection under the care of the Worthies. In other words, neither class of the Worthies develops perfect characters in this life. This in their human characters is reserved for the Millennium. 

(34) Question: What will be wrought in the Ancient and Youthful Worthies to prepare them for spirit nature? 

Answer: Some things in this life, some things in the Millennium and some things in the Little Season at the Millennium's end, are wrought in them to fit them for spirit nature. In this life it is necessary in the Oath-bound Covenant for them to prove faithful, as the earthly seed of Abraham, in their trial of faith and righteousness in order to princeship; for only the Millennial princes will be eligible to Spirit-begettal and birth in the next Age. In the Millennium it will be necessary for them to develop in human character so that they may stand the Millennial tests, and perfect human characters as perfect human beings so as to stand as such the human tests in the Little Season and to qualify for the Spirit-begettal at the beginning of the Little Season and thus to stand trial for life as New Creatures during the Little Season. During this period, as our Lord did from Jordan to Calvary, they will have to stand a double trial for life, one as human beings under the New Covenant tests, and the other as New Creatures under certain ministerial Covenant tests. The reason for the former test is that there will be no mediatorial merit any longer available for their humanity during the Little Season; hence, like the restitution class, they will as human beings have to stand a perfect trial before the bar of absolute justice, without mercy. The reason for the second trial is that they will have first to develop and then become crystallized in spiritual characters to fit them 

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for Spirit-birth at the end of the Little Season. Thus we see that onward from the time in this life when they consecrated to the Lord to the end of the Little Season their experiences will inure to their preparation for spirit existence. 

(35) Question: Is it possible for the Youthful Worthies to become overcomers? 

Answer: Yes, by Divine grace and faithfulness to their covenant of consecration. That the faithful of them will overcome makes it evident that they can overcome. If they could not overcome, God never would have invited them to attempt it; for He is too practical to attempt impossibilities. His oath to the faithful among them, that they will overcome, proves that they can overcome. The fact that already some of them have overcome proves its possibility for them. If the Ancient Worthies could and did overcome under the power of similar promises, we may safely conclude that they also may and can overcome. If the Little Flock and the Great Company can overcome under harder conditions, the Youthful Worthies can now overcome under easier conditions. They have the faith and loyalty necessary to overcome; hence they can do so. Everything, therefore, connected with their trial necessary for overcoming—God's Word, Spirit and providences—is given them by the Lord to the end that they may overcome, and a faithful use of these will make it possible for them to overcome. Everything, therefore, connected with their trial proves that they may and can overcome. Hence we are safe in concluding that they can overcome. This ought to encourage every one of them faithfully to fulfill his consecration vows in the full assurance that he can overcome by Divine grace, if he will only faithfully keep his consecration covenant. 

(36) Question: How far do the promises that apply to the Church apply to the Youthful Worthies in their journey to antitypical Canaan?

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Answer: The promises that apply to the Church do not apply to the Youthful Worthies at all. The summary of the promises applicable to the Church are found in Gen. 22:17, 18 and are spiritual; while those of that passage now applicable to the Youthful Worthies are human. She is promised a Divine disposition and body—"thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven." The Youthful Worthies are promised human dispositions and bodies—"thy seed shall be as the sands by the sea." The second set of promises to these two classes likewise differ. The pledge to the seed on overcoming enemies means for the Church that she will overcome sin, error, selfishness and worldliness; while this promise means for the Youthful Worthies that they will overcome sin, error and such a measure of selfishness and worldliness as is implied in standing trial of faith, but not of perfect love. The promise, "in thy seed shall all nations be blessed," means for the Church that, as the Body of the World's High Priest, she would bless the world with opportunities of atonement; while for the Youthful Worthies the promise means that, as subordinate Levites, they would help the race by teaching how to gain blessings in the atonement opportunities. For the Church, as the Body of the World's Mediator, this promise means that she will give the world the opportunity of covenant relations with God; while the Youthful Worthies will, as assistants, do subordinate teaching work to help the world to and in such covenant relations. For the Church, as Kings, this passage means that she will rule for the suppression of evil and the introduction of good conditions; while it means for the Youthful Worthies the privilege, as noblemen, subordinately to help carry out various applications of this suppressive and constructive work. For the Church, as Mother, this passage means that she will co-operate in the work of giving the restitution class, including the Ancient and Youthful Worthies, 

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human bodies and dispositions, which she will develop unto perfection; while for the Youthful Worthies, as the second-born son, it means that they will be given the privilege to help develop the restitution class toward perfect bodies and dispositions. For the Church, as the Body of the World's judge, it means that they will teach, test, stripe and sentence the world; while to the Youthful Worthies, as assistants, it means that they can go no further than subordinately to teach the world while the latter is on trial for life. For the Church, as the Body of the World's Physician, this passage proves that the Church will cure the physical, mental, moral and religious ills of mankind; while to the Youthful Worthies it means that, as subordinate nurses, they may assist in this healing process. And, for the Church as the Body of the Prophet, this passage means that she will supervisingly teach all things to the world of mankind; while to the Youthful Worthies it means that, as subordinate teachers, they will teach the lower branches of the Truth to the world. These particulars prove that none of the promises applicable to the Church, as summarized in the Oath-bound Covenant, apply to the Youthful Worthies. 

(37) Question: How may we best serve the Youthful Worthies associated with the Great Company groups? 

Answer: The Youthful Worthies associated with the Epiphany movement are the most fortunate of the Youthful Worthies; for they assist in a marked manner the priests, and hence their work will not need to be burned up, as must be the case with most of the work that the Youthful Worthies do in subordination to the various Great Company leaders. Some of these we can best help by tactful exposures of the revolutionisms of such leaders. Others, more partisan to such leaders, will have to be opposed in a manner similar to that in which we oppose the revolutionism 

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of the Great Company, that as a result they may suffer experiences somewhat similar to those that the Great Company suffers at the fit man's and Azazel's hands; for any consecrated person who is willful must receive stripes for correction, though these stripes will not in the case of the Youthful Worthies be actually fit man and Azazel experiences. Some—the most stubborn—of them we can best serve by letting them alone, without brotherly help and favor, until they give up their stubbornness, when by tactful instruction we will be privileged to lead them into the right way. Our example of avoiding all forms of revolutionism and of faithfully conforming to the Lord's words and arrangements, will also prove, in the long run at least, a helpful method on our part for them. 

(38) Question: Will those of the Youthful Worthies who consecrated between Oct., 1881, and Oct., 1914, in this life learn of a certainty that they were not Spirit-begotten and thus recognize themselves as Youthful Worthies? 

Answer: We incline to the opinion that those of them who will live after the cleansing of the Great Company will learn this before leaving the World. Perhaps this will be revealed to them through the difference between their experiences and those of the Great Company. Perhaps it may be through their trials and character attainments, the Great Company attaining perfect love in this life and the Youthful Worthies not. Perhaps it will be through the difference between their knowledge, privileges in service and sufferings, and those of the Great Company. Or perhaps there will yet be given the priesthood an understanding of the different courses through which both of these classes passed between 1881 and 1914. As yet our knowledge on this point is too meager to give a definite and clear-cut answer to this question as to the way the difference will be made known, though we are satisfied that the manifestation will be

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brought out in each case. In due time the light will doubtless shine more brightly on this subject than now, and when this occurs, we will have this light, if we continue walking in the light. Nor do we think it wise for us to speculate on this subject. On the contrary, we believe all will do well, to accept every one who consecrated before Sept. 16, 1914, as a priest, until such a time as the Lord will give us an unmistakable indication as to which of these failed to receive the Spirit-begettal and who must accordingly be among the Youthful Worthies. Faith can firmly trust Him, come what may, in this as well as in all other matters of our faith, hope, love and obedience; and therein will it be blessed and honored by the Lord with fuller information when it is due. 

(39) Question: May the Youthful Worthies address God as Father in their prayers? 

Answer: God is not actually the Father of the Youthful Worthies, who, not being begotten of the Spirit, are really not His children. They are actually now servants and friends of God. Their tentative justification, however, makes them tentatively reckoned as sons of God, just as the disciples before Pentecost were tentatively reckoned as sons of God. Just as the disciples were prospectively sons of God by virtue of their coming Spirit-begettal; so are the Youthful Worthies also prospectively sons of God in view of their coming Spirit-begettal. It will be recalled that in view of their tentatively reckoned standing as sons of God and of their prospective begettal of the Spirit, the disciples were frequently spoken of as having God as their Father (Matt. 5:17, 45, 48; 6:1, 4, 8, 9, 15, 18; 7:11; John 16:27, 28; etc). Since the Youthful Worthies have a similar standing of tentatively reckoned and prospective sonship with God, they may similarly think of themselves as sons of God, even as the disciples did before Pentecost, 

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but not as actual sons of God. For actual sonship they must wait until after the Millennium in the Little Season, when they will be begotten of the Spirit. It would therefore not be amiss for the Youthful Worthies to pray to God as Father from the reckoned standpoint and also from the prospective standpoint; but it would be amiss for them so to pray without keeping these two standpoints in mind. What we formerly said on the Youthful Worthies not addressing God as Father in prayer must be understood as applying to the actual standpoint only; but it must not be understood as applying to all standpoints; for from the two standpoints above indicated—the tentatively reckoned and the prospective standpoints—they may pray to God as Father and thus, among other things, may use the Lord's Prayer. They are, however, from the fact that they qualifiedly address God, not to lead the priesthood in prayer; because they do not have access to the Throne of Grace; while the priests do have such access. It is for this reason that we suggest that Youthful Worthies do not be asked to lead in prayer in a meeting of priests. 

(40) Question: If one came into the Truth before April 18, 1916 (before the sealing of the Elect in the forehead was complete), but is not absolutely certain whether he consecrated before Sept. 16, 1914 (when the last begettal of the Spirit occurred), should he regard himself as a priest and thus take priestly part in the meetings, etc., or should he refrain from cherishing the priestly hope, but hope rather along the line of Youthful Worthiship? 

Answer: We are not altogether certain that we can give this question a positive answer. While we know that the majority of those who consecrated between 1881 and 1914 were not begotten of the Spirit, yet our advice has been that others should consider and treat all such consecrators as New Creatures in our ecclesias, for the reasons that we so treated all such

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in this way between 1881 and 1914, and cannot prove them unbegotten of the Spirit. This principle is the one that by others should, it seems to us, be applied to such brethren as are included in our question. But how such brethren should regard themselves is a different and difficult question. And this difficulty is not easily solved by the seven things that to the New Creatures constitute the witness of the Spirit—knowledge of the deep things, heavenly desires, opportunities of service, growth in Christlikeness, chastisement for faults, persecution for righteousness and tests of character; for the Youthful Worthies have all of these. Ever since 1881 the deep things, which before that time could be seen by New Creatures only, have been seen by the Youthful Worthies, even as in the Millennium the Ancient Worthies and the Restitution class will see the deep things—in fact everything in the Bible. We can think of but one feature of the witness of the Spirit that the Youthful Worthies do not have—a sympathetic appreciation of the operation of the Spirit of begettal in the heart, though they have a sympathetic appreciation of the operation of the Holy Spirit in the sanctified natural human heart, even as Adam and Eve had it before sinning, as Jesus had it before His begettal of the Spirit, and as the Ancient Worthies and the Restitution class will have it in the next Age. The Youthful Worthies, in view of their prospective begettal, desire heavenly things. The great similarity, therefore, between the witness of the Spirit to the New Creatures and to the Youthful Worthies makes brethren other than the ones concerned unable to decide in such a case as the one presented in our question. Such other brethren must leave the pertinent individuals to decide for themselves as to their standing. It would be a handicap for such individuals not to hope for the high calling, if they are begotten; but if they are not begotten it would be unsafe for them to act as priests. It is,

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therefore, not an easy matter for such brethren to decide this question. We counsel such earnestly to pray to the Lord for enlightenment as to whether they have a sympathetic appreciation of the operation of the Spirit of begettal in their hearts. They should also request the prayers of undoubted priests. This enlightenment will, we believe, be given in due time to such individuals, and will enable them to see aright in this matter; but in the meantime let the others treat them as New Creatures. Later the Lord will doubtless give all of us certainty as to just who the individual Youthful Worthies are; but we opine that this is a matter that we will not understand before several years have passed. Truly all the light does not come at one time. 

(41) Question: In case there is but one priest, and especially if that priest is a sister, in a class, all the rest—say a half-dozen or more—being Youthful Worthies, how should the class be organized? 

Answer: If the one priest is a brother and is apt to teach, we would suggest that he be elected an elder. If the sister is apt to preside, we suggest that she be elected as a chairwoman. In either case we suggest that the class be considered a Youthful Worthy class. But if in such a class there be Youthful Worthies who have the eldership qualifications, we suggest that they be elected elders to serve at other meetings than the ones at which the priestly elder leads, or the priestly chairwoman presides; and that at all these meetings the priestly elder or chairwoman be considered not a member of the class, but as a guest whose priestly office is recognized by the class as above indicated. But when the Youthful Worthy elders lead, the priest should consider himself or herself as a visitor and let the Youthful Worthies have full charge of the meetings. This seems to be the spirit of a sound mind on the subject; for it gives the Youthful Worthies a proper scope for developing their qualities

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of heart and mind, and yet puts them into a proper attitude toward the priest in their midst. If there be two priests in a place, and more than two Youthful Worthies, we advise that if one or both priests have elderly qualities the class be considered a priestly class with one or both priests elected as elders (by one another) and that the Youthful Worthies be regarded as associates of the class but not as voters or office holders. 

(42) Question: If no priest is available for the office of pianist or organist, should a capable Youthful Worthy be elected to such an office in the Church? 

Answer: We believe he or she should not be elected to such an office, for that would make him a deacon, or her a deaconess in the Church. We believe it would be in order in such a case for the Church by vote to ask such a Youthful Worthy to play for the Church for an indefinite period without electing him or her to an office in the Church. As typed by Abed-nego [servant of the messenger, i.e., servant of the Church as God's messenger] it would be proper for the Youthful Worthies to give the Church any service which it needs and asks, and of which they are capable, compatibly with the Divine order in Church government. 

(43) Question: Does not the reward of being of the Youthful Worthies class require the character and heart attitude found only in those who come over on the side of the Priests in the present sifting? Does not association with the Levitical divisions indicate such a measure of bondage and mis-directed faith as makes them unsuitable associates of the Ancient Worthies? 

Answer: Before the Youthful Worthies will be worthy of association with the Ancient Worthies they will have to obtain a good report for faith and obedience, and to the extent that their cleaving to the Levitical divisions implies sympathy with Levitical ways, to that extent they will have to cleanse themselves

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if they would be the Millennial associates of the Ancient Worthies. And this the ultimately faithful among them will do. However, it seems to us that their temporarily being entrapped with the Great Company would no more ultimately make them unworthy of being Millennial Levites than the same temporary entrapment of the Great Company would make them ultimately unworthy of being Millennial Levites. In both cases we expect to see a cleansing setting in to make them worthy. But, as we have previously pointed out, those of the Youthful Worthies who associate with the Priests have a chance for a better victory now, and for a better reward hereafter than do those who now associate with the Levites. 

(44) Question: How can we know who is a Youthful Worthy? 

Answer: First we will answer with reference to those brethren who have consecrated since the Fall of 1914. Knowing from many reasons that Spirit-begetting ceased by the Fall of 1914, we readily can know of all who have consecrated since that time that they could not be Spirit-begotten; and that, therefore, their hopes lie in the direction of Youthful Worthiship. With respect to those of them who consecrated since the general Call ceased in 1881 (F 156, 157), we cannot now be sure, though each individual by the various witnesses of the Spirit may be able to learn his position. It would not, however, at all surprise us, if there should arise a Youthful Worthies' movement, separating them from others. If this should prove true, it would doubtless then become clear as to the Youthful Worthiship of all of the unbegotten consecrated. 

(45) Question: What is typed by "the poor" and "the stranger" doing the gleaning? How was the field left for them to glean by the reapers? 

Answer: In the type (Lev. 19:9, 10) the owners of the field were told to leave the gleaning for the poor 

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and the stranger. We understand the owners of the field to represent our Lord (Matt. 20:1-8). The command not to glean would seem to represent Jehovah's charge to our Lord ["Thou"], to leave something of the Harvest ungathered by the faithful—the reapers ["ye"]—for others to glean. We understand "the poor" to represent the Great Company, who have become poor in the sense of their having lost the riches implied in the possession of the High Calling. "The stranger" seems to represent the Youthful Worthies, who are strangers to the High Calling. The command to leave the gleanings for the poor and the stranger types Jehovah's charge to the Lord Jesus, as we see, e.g., in the Gideon Type, to prepare the faithful Little Flock members for the first battle of antitypical Gideon, for the first smiting of Jordan, for the executing of the judgment written, and for the confessing of the sins over Azazel's Goat, and to set them to work in these activities, thus leaving the balance of the Little Flock as gleanings for others, i.e., the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies, to win from 1914 to 1916. During that period the Little Flock did not occupy itself in its work with ministering the truths that brought people into the Truth. The declaration of such truths as led people into the Truth was then left for the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies, to make which was the gleaning work. The faithful occupied themselves with the presentation of such stern truths as exposed and rebuked the sins of Christendom, as announced the destruction of Satan's Empire, and as pronounced judgment on the kings, princes, nations and peoples. Thus while the Little Flock was so engaged the other two classes completed the gleaning—won for the Truth those of the Little Flock that had not been gathered into the Truth before the last one was Spirit-begotten in Sept. 1914. This will account for the fact that antitypical Elisha— 

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the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies—did not smite Jordan the first time, though sympathetic with antitypical Elijah's doing it. They were busy with other features of the work, the non-smiting features of the work—they were gleaning, and finished it during 1916. There was also gleaning done from 1881 onward to 1914. 

(46) Question: Will the Ancient and Youthful Worthies die at the end of the Millennial Age as a step necessary for their change of nature? 

Answer: We believe they will, because so far as we know no person can change from a lower to a higher nature without death. In our Lord's becoming a human being he did not die. And from this fact we see that it is possible to change from a higher to a lower nature without death. But there is no record of a change described in the Scriptures from a lower to a higher nature apart from the death of the lower. This seems necessary from the nature of the case; for to appreciate the things of a lower nature one need not become a partaker of that lower nature, e.g., the angels can appreciate human things without becoming human beings; but a lower nature cannot appreciate the things of a higher nature. Hence there is the necessity of a change of affections from human to spiritual things (Col. 3:1-3), before a change to a higher nature can take place. This implies deadness to self and the world and a Spirit-begetting. Certainly his natural body must be set aside, if a human being is to receive a spirit body. These things involve death. Hence we see that both the Little Flock and the Great Company die, not only because they agreed so to do, but because it is the thing that must be done to gain the higher nature (John 3:3-8; 1 Cor. 15:50, 52-54). In a Tower article our Pastor made the statement that we can see how the Ancient Worthies can be changed without death. The reverse was his

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thought. In some unaccountable way the word "not" fell out of the sentence. The fact of the matter is this, that he held that they would die; and it is also a fact that we cannot see how they can be changed without death. And this latter thought he intended to express. Why the correction was never made we do not know. The matter was evidently overlooked. At the time we thought of writing to him on the omission, but did not. 

(47) Question: Would it be proper for the Youthful Worthies to offer the Lord's prayer just as it is given, i.e., to address Jehovah as "Our Father"? 

Answer: We believe that it would be proper for the Youthful Worthies to offer all seven petitions of the Lord's prayer just as they stand; and think it would not be proper for them to alter the introduction, because God is now reckonedly their Father. Their relation to Jehovah is that of reckoned sons, and that of actual friends like the Ancient Worthies (Jas. 2:23). Hence they may address Jehovah as Father, and as God. 

(48) Question: Are the Youthful Worthies to point out the errors and wrongs of Azazel's antitypical Goat? 

Answer: Certainly they are not to resist the revolutionism of the Great Company—leading the Goat to the Gate of the Court—in the same sense in which the Priesthood do this, for such is exclusively antitypical Aaron's work. Therefore they are not to be pronounced opposers of Azazel's antitypical Goat, as are the Priests. However, as friends of God and of His Truth and Righteousness, they are to disapprove of all violations of Truth and Righteousness; but in the exercise of this disapproval they are to remember that the Great Company, in God's esteem, is a higher class than they. This thought should greatly moderate their expression of disapproval of the errors and wrongs of the Great Company. Hence whatever disapproval of the Great Company's acts they manifest

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is to be rather unobtrusively done. Their words and manner should be very mild. With the Priests the matter is quite different. They are a class superior to the Great Company, who continually seek to revolutionize against what God has given the Priesthood to do. Hence the Priests very properly may be very severe with the Levites—as severe as the latter's acts and the circumstances of the case demand. We believe that it would be very wise for the Youthful Worthies to take particular note of the answer given to this question. 

(49) Question: What form of words might the baptizer use in performing the symbol for Youthful Worthies? 

Answer: The form of words to be used, it seems to us, should express exactly the nature of the act that is to be symbolized. Since the Youthful Worthies are not baptized into Christ's death, the words which express symbolization into His death should not, in our judgment, be used for them. Hence we advise that the italicized words of the sentence: "I baptize thee into Christ," should not be used in symbolizing a Youthful Worthy's consecration. We further think that, so far as the difference in the thing symbolized permits, the same form of words as were used for symbolizing baptism into Christ be used. Accordingly we believe that the following would be a good form of words for the baptizer to utter as he immerses a Youthful Worthy: "Brother (or, Sister) A., in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I baptize thee." We believe that some such form of words will commend itself to the Holy Spirit in the Church everywhere. 

(50) Question: As the Adamic death is cancelled from the Youthful Worthies at consecration, and as they cannot die with Christ, why do they die? 

Answer: This question is based on a misunderstanding 

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of the kind of justification the Youthful Worthies enjoy. Whoever now heartily exercises "repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus" attains tentative justification, and that before he consecrates himself to the Lord, and when he becomes a Gospel-Age Levite by entering the Gate of the Court. This would, therefore, be the experience of one who later by consecration becomes a Youthful Worthy, as it was formerly the experience of those who later consecrated and became Priests. Hence one who will become of the Youthful Worthies class is tentatively justified before he consecrates. His tentative justification, however, does not imply an actual cancellation of the Adamic sentence; for Christ's merit is not actually imputed on his behalf in tentative justification. It only implies that the Lord while not actually canceling his Adamic sentence, treats him for the time being as though it were cancelled, and as though Christ's merit had been imputed on his behalf. Hence he is only reckonedly and temporarily, not actually and eternally, freed from the Adamic sentence. Nor is his consecration followed by an actual cancellation of that sentence, which occurred on behalf of those only who were about to receive the begettal of the Spirit; rather after his consecration his tentative justification persists, and is sealed or confirmed to him, as was the case with Abraham (Rom. 4:11). Hence like the Ancient Worthies, the Youthful Worthies are actually under the Adamic sentence; but like them they are also treated by God as though they were not under that sentence; and if faithful unto death, they die in God's favor despite the Adamic sentence resting upon them (Heb. 11:39). The fact then that the Adamic sentence rests upon them necessitates their death; but their death is as pleasing to God as was that of the Ancient Worthies (Heb. 11:4-6, 13, 16). And this is because their tentative justification by faith persists, as did that of the Ancient Worthies. While their

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death is not a sacrificial death in the sense of the death of the Christ class, they actually are faithful unto death like their worthy predecessors, the Ancient Worthies; and for this, like the Ancient Worthies, they will receive with the actual cancellation of their sins under the New Covenant, immediate possession of perfect humanity on awakening from the dead, and also the glorious honor and service of Millennial princeship and Leviteship. Let them rejoice and praise God for such a blessed hope! And we rejoice with them at such a glorious prospect. 

(51) Question: How may the Youthful Worthies assist in the work of rebuking antitypical Herod and Herodias? 

Answer: We believe that it is pleasing to the Lord for the Youthful Worthies to assist the Priests who lead the Catholic section of Azazel's Goat to the Gate, as they assisted them while they led the Truth and Protestant sections of that Goat to the Gate. The best way that they can do this, in addition to taking part in antitypical Gideon's Second Battle, is, through volunteering John's Rebuke and Elijah's Letter and canvassing for the Double Herald in harmony with the suggestions for that work as given through our former statements on the subject. We desire to say for the encouragement of the dear Youthful Worthies that some of their number have been among the most successful sharpshooters with the Double Heralds. In fact the two who have circulated the largest number of Double Heralds in Philadelphia are Youthful Worthies. One of the Chicago Youthful Worthies is among the most successful canvassers for that paper. We trust that this consideration will encourage all of the Youthful Worthies to go on with this work, and that it will stir up the Priests to greater zeal therein. May the Lord bless all the dear participants in this work! 

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(52) Question: Is the Youthful Worthies' justification a matter that occurs once for all, or is it a thing that is repeated? 

Answer: Their justification consists of the forgiveness of their sins and of the imputation of their faith to them as righteousness. It is an act of God, not of theirs; for "it is God who justifieth." While there was a time in which they were not in a justified condition, before their faith was ever counted to them as righteousness; yet after they enter that state they continue to remain therein. This however does not mean that they no more need to have forgiveness of sins and the imputation of their faith as righteousness; for doubtless they sin daily, and therefore they daily need the forgiveness of sins; and daily need their faith to be reckoned to them as righteousness, and it is God's daily forgiving them, as they in faith ask it, and God's daily imputing their faith to them for righteousness that keep them in the tentatively justified condition. We would therefore answer the question that it is given to them once—we would not say necessarily once for all; for they could lose it and later regain it—and is continually with them by God's daily continuing it to them. 

(53) Question: What is typed by the two and one-half tribes being given their inheritance East of the Jordan (Num. 32:1-42; Josh. 1:12-15)? 

Answer: It seems to us to represent two complete classes and half of another class. The two complete classes we think are the Little Flock and the Great Company, and the third class we believe consists of the Ancient and Youthful Worthies, the half tribe representing the Youthful Worthies, the Ancient Worthies being left out of the picture entirely for the following reason: The setting of the type of necessity excludes the Ancient Worthies from the picture; for Israel approaching the land of Canaan types the Church, Real and Nominal, approaching the Millennial 

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Kingdom, which fact shows that the Ancient Worthies are excluded from the picture. But since they and the Youthful Worthies are the two halves of the class that will obtain the better resurrection and princeship throughout the earth, and since the Youthful Worthies are a part of the Church in the wide sense of that term, they very fittingly would be typed by the half tribe of Manasseh whose inheritance was East of the Jordan; but for the reason given above, we are not to conclude that the other half of Manasseh typed the Ancient Worthies. The other half tribe of Manasseh and the other nine tribes of Israel, standing for ten tribes, type the entire restitution class, ten being the number of perfection or completion for natures lower than the Divine. That the two and one-half tribes had great numbers of cattle as they approached Jordan (Num. 32:1), types the fact that the Little Flock, the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies would be feeders of many with the Truth as they have been approaching the peoples at the end of the Age, preparatory to entering the new Age. The inheritance of the two and one-half tribes East of the Jordan seems to type the Millennial and post-Millennial inheritance of the Little Flock, the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies—another proof that the Youthful and with them the Ancient Worthies will ultimately attain spirit existence. 

(54) Question: How do the Youthful Worthies stand in respect to the merit of Christ? 

Answer: The justification of the Youthful Worthies is tentative. In tentative justification there has been no actual imputation of the merit of Christ, because it was the imputation of the merit of Christ that vitalized justification, but in tentative justification God for the time being, in order to enable a justified one to proceed to consecration, looks upon him as though the merit of Jesus had been imputed on his behalf, in order to make him acceptable to God for dealing with 

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him for the purpose of bringing him to consecration. It is for this reason that we call this justification tentative justification. It has been given not as a complete work, but simply in order to give the pertinent person the opportunity of obtaining from the Lord such experiences in His providences and helps from His Word as might lead him on toward consecration. If he yields to the helps of the Lord's providences and to the teachings of the Lord's Word, He will consecrate himself, and thus his justification, while the Little Flock was not yet complete, would have been vitalized through Christ's imputing His merit on his behalf and through God's actually forgiving his sins and imputing to him the righteousness of Christ, if God were about to beget him of the Spirit. No longer is anyone's justification being vitalized, because, the full number of Elect having been obtained, no more begettals of the Spirit set in, and thus there is no more need of vitalizing justification. Accordingly, the Youthful Worthies before their consecration are treated from the standpoint of tentative justification alone; and when they consecrate, they realize the purpose of their tentative justification without the actual imputation of the merit of Christ and consequently without the begettal of the Spirit. Thus we would say that their justification is not a vitalized one, but is a tentative one merely, the merit of Christ not being actually imputed on their behalf. 

(55) Question: Must the prayers of Youthful Worthies be brought through Jesus, or do they have the same relation in fellowship with God as the Ancient Worthies had? 

Answer: In spirit both classes have prayed in the same way, as far as Jesus is concerned, with the following difference: The Ancient Worthies prayed to God in anticipation of the Messiah's intercession. They believed that God heard them in view of His promises connected with the Seed; and this faith implied that

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they looked upon themselves as acceptable through the work that the Messiah would accomplish, though they did not understand the details and philosophy of that work, as we do. In other words, they approached God by faith in the Messiah who would come as the Savior, and through such a faith, had fellowship with God. The Youthful Worthies approach God in the same manner as far as the time difference will permit. The time difference however makes Jesus' coming one that has already occurred; and consequently their faith in the promises implies, through the added knowledge that the Ancient Worthies could not have, that they believe in God's accepting them in virtue of the death of the Messiah who did come as their Savior. Thus in principle their stand before the Lord is exactly the same as that of the Ancient Worthies, though on account of the difference in the time relationship of the two classes to Christ's sacrifice, the faith of the one looked forward to, and that of the other looks backward at Christ as Savior. On this account, the added knowledge that the Youthful Worthies have makes them pray definitely to God to forgive their sins for the merit of Jesus and to give them other needed blessings through His merit; while the Ancient Worthies could not offer their petitions with such definiteness, not having, as said above, the necessary knowledge thereto. The spirit of their petitions is exactly the same. As the Ancient Worthies came to Jehovah as their Covenant God, so do the Youthful Worthies. The Ancient Worthies did not approach God as Father; nor do actually the Youthful Worthies. The Ancient Worthies did not have their justification vitalized; neither do the Youthful Worthies. The Ancient Worthies were friends of God's; so are the Youthful Worthies. The Ancient Worthies were consecrated to death; so are the Youthful Worthies. The Ancient Worthies had to be faithful unto death to become princes throughout the earth; so far as we at present can see,

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so must the Youthful Worthies be faithful unto death to become princes throughout the earth. Both are pleasing to God through faith in the promise associated with Jesus, the Savior. The advantages that the Youthful Worthies have over the Ancient Worthies are those of increased knowledge and increased privileges of service. These bring it about that their faith is not so severely tested as was that of the Ancient Worthies; and this is probably the reason why the Ancient Worthies will occupy a superior place in the Kingdom to that of the Youthful Worthies. These similar relations to the Lord result in the Youthful Worthies presenting their petitions to God in a way very similar to that in which the Ancient Worthies presented theirs—through the merit of the Savior, obscurely seen by the latter, clearly seen by the former. 

(56) Question: Will the Ancient Worthies have a more honorable place after the Millennial Age than the Youthful Worthies, and will they both be higher in rank than the Great Company? 

Answer: It is our outstanding that the Ancient Worthies will have a higher position forever than the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies. This we prove from the Levitical and Tabernacle pictures. The priests in front of the Tabernacle represent Christ and the Church as the chief class of God's plan during and after the Millennium. The Kohathites to the south of the Tabernacle represent the Ancient Worthies Millennially and post-Millennially, as the chief class of the antitypical Levites. The Merarites to the north of the Tabernacle represent The Great Company as the second highest class of the antitypical Levites, Millennially, and post-Millennially; while the Gershonites to the west of the Tabernacle represent the Youthful Worthies, Millennially and post-Millennially, as the lowest order of the antitypical Levites. Accordingly, we would answer the question that both the Ancient Worthies and the Great Company will forever

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occupy a more honorable position, and perhaps a higher nature than the Youthful Worthies. The description of the two classes—the Ancient and Youthful Worthies—in Rev. 20:9 corroborates this thought, because here at the end of the Millennium, the Ancient Worthies are spoken of as "The Beloved City" in their capacity of being the special representative of Christ and the Church, while the Youthful Worthies are called the "Camp of the Saints" in their capacity of warring on behalf of Truth and righteousness, as the representative of Christ and the Church. A city is superior to a camp, because it represents a higher form of living, and thus seems to indicate likewise the superiority of the Ancient Worthies to the Youthful Worthies—a superiority which according to the Levitical picture will last forever. In general, the fact of their Millennial superiority to the Youthful Worthies would imply their post-Millennial superiority to these, because being faithful in the higher position, they will get a still higher reward than the Youthful Worthies faithful in the lower position, on the principle that "To him that hath shall be given that he may have more" illustrated by our Lord in the servants who had the five and the two talents. 

(57) Question: Should the Youthful Worthies form separate classes? 

Answer: While there would be no injustice in their forming separate classes, we believe that it would be unwise so to do. We recall that in the Elisha picture, Elisha is used to represent both the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies as Society adherents, and no separation is indicated in this picture. When we look at the Gospel Church throughout the entire Age, we see that no separate congregations were formed for the priests, the Levites and the antitypical camp people respectively. This makes us believe that it would be decidedly wiser for the Youthful Worthies not to form separate classes as such. On the contrary, 

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those of them that can be associated with priests as a class are thereby greatly advantaged, in that they are kept from many errors and wrong practices, and in that they are given the Truth and correct practices. The work that they therefore will do in connection with the priests will not need to be burned up, as much of the work that the Youthful Worthies do with the Levites will be burned up. Those of them outside of the Epiphany Truth, not recognizing that the division of the Great Company as such is taking place, would of course feel obligated to remain with that Great Company group with which they are associated; and we would therefore think it unwise for them to form separate classes for themselves. Thus we see from a variety of standpoints it would be better for them not to form separate classes. 

(58) Question: Do the Youthful Worthies have the wedding garment? 

Answer: We understand that they do not have the wedding garment; for the wedding garment consists of the actually imputed merit of our Lord. This merit was imputed on behalf of those who after consecration were about to become New Creatures, and since the Youthful Worthies will not become New Creatures until the end of the Millennial Age, they cannot have the wedding garment. The wedding garment is necessary for one to participate in the special blessings connected with the marriage and the marriage supper of the Lamb. Youthful Worthies will not participate in either of these two things. We can therefore see that they do not have the wedding garment. If they were to have the wedding garment now, they would be on trial for life now, and consequently, could not have the Millennial opportunity. We therefore see that the wedding garment is not for the Youthful Worthies. 

(59) Question: If, at the Millennium's end, the Ancient and Youthful Worthies will die, will theirs not be the second death? 

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Answer: It is true that at the end of the Little Season the Ancient and Youthful Worthies will die. It is also true that it will be a second time for them to have died, but their death will not be the second death, because the second death is used in the Bible in a technical sense, as in striking contrast with the first, or Adamic, death. The first, or Adamic death, will be terminated when the Messiah awakens the sleepers from the tomb and lifts them up by restitution processes unto perfection. The first, or the Adamic death condition, will end, therefore, at a certain time, but what the Scriptures speak of as the second death never will end. No one who has entered into what the Scriptures speak of as the second death will ever return to life. They will be dead—extinct—forever. We think the questioner's difficulty will be overcome, if he remembers that the expression, "the second death," is used in a technical sense with respect to the condition into which the incorrigibly wicked, after final trial and opportunity, are cast. It does not necessarily mean to die a second time—for example, Judas as of the Gospel-Age second death class, has not died a second time; the same remark applies to all of the Gospel-Age second death class, and doubtless some of those who will live through the Time of Trouble and through the Millennium, will, at its end—in the Little Season—be found unworthy of everlasting life and though dying the first time, they will go into the second death. So, too, is this true of the impenitent fallen angels. Therefore, we cannot speak of one's necessarily dying the second death who dies a second time, and this exception holds in the case of the Ancient and Youthful Worthies when they die at the end of the Millennium. 

(60) Question: Will the Youthful Worthies, at the end of the Millennium, be fitted by the Spirit-begettal for the spirit condition? 

Answer: Our Lord in John 3:3-8 assures us that

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to enter the heavenly condition one must be begotten of the Spirit. It is true that He makes this remark with respect to the Gospel-Age Church, but the same principle must apply to every nature-changed spirit being. If the Ancient and Youthful Worthies are to become spirit beings, they must first be begotten to the spirit nature, and thereafter be developed in character for fitness to live as spirit beings. Accordingly, the principle of what Jesus states in John 3:3-8 is applicable to every being that is transferred from the human to a spiritual plane. This we note to be the case with respect to the Great Company, though, of course, as individuals they were never begotten to that class, but to the Bride class. We therefore look for both the Ancient and Youthful Worthies to be begotten of the Spirit; and this, in all likelihood, will occur during the Little Season, and most probably very early in its beginning. 

(61) Question: Is it required of Youthful Worthies that they sacrifice all worldly pleasures? 

Answer: Those who consecrate while sin is in the ascendency in the world cannot carry out their consecration apart from renouncing selfishness and worldliness, because Satan sets against a consecrated course the allurements of sin, selfishness, worldliness and error; and one cannot proceed faithfully in consecration without denying himself of these, therefore of selfishness and worldliness. Whenever the satisfaction of a selfish or worldly propensity is not opposed to faithful sacrifice, it is proper to satisfy such a propensity. For example, we properly satisfy our desire for food, drink, rest, etc., every day and these are human, selfish and worldly propensities. We may make use of any of these propensities, if we employ them to help us serve Truth and righteousness. Thus we may eat appetizing foods, that thereby we may gain strength to use in the Lord's service. We may rest when we are weary, in order thereby to recuperate

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our strength the better to serve the Lord; and we may take legitimate forms of recreation and diversion when such are helpful to fit us better for the Lord's service. This use of our selfish and worldly propensities we call their servant use in the interests of righteousness and holiness; but if the indulgence of any of our human propensities implies abstinence from sacrifice in the Lord's service, when the opportunity of service is present, that indulgence may not be permitted without one's being unfaithful. These principles will help us to answer the question in the spirit of wisdom. We would therefore thus sum up: we may use any legitimate, worldly pleasure, if it will help us better to serve the Lord. We may not use any of these, if they hinder our service of the Lord. In solving the question in each individual case, the purpose of the heart in connection with the indulgence must be kept in mind. If it is merely a selfish and worldly purpose, apart from better qualifying us for the Lord's service, the indulgence is to be abstained from. Let us remember the Apostle Paul tells us to use the world, but not to abuse it; and let us not take the monastic view of sacrifice. Jesus is our example in sacrifice; and he participated in the festivities of the Jewish wedding at Cana, where worldly pleasure ran to the very climax; and we are sure that Jesus' course there was not one that chilled and squelched the pleasure of the participants. We should also remember that sometimes our duties toward our earthly relatives require us to give them some of our companionship while they are indulging in worldly pleasures. While they may demand more along this line than our consecration may permit us to give, yet they have certain rights to our companionship in their worldly pleasures which we should cheerfully concede, using in such concessions the spirit of a sound mind that will harmonize the calls of justice and sacrifice. The principle contained in this answer

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applies to all the consecrated alike—the Little Flock, the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies. 

(62) Question: Is it right for a Youthful Worthy to distribute Truth Literature against her husband's wishes? 

Answer: Under some circumstances the unconsecrated husband's desires in this matter are to be acceded to. Under other circumstances they are not to be acceded to. If, for example, it would lead to the unconsecrated husband's loss of his position, the consecrated wife, whether of the Little Flock, Great Company or Youthful Worthies, should abstain from the distribution, because of interfering with the husband's rights and duties. So in all cases where such a course would lead to an injustice to the unconsecrated partner or to the consecrated partner, the consecrated should abstain from distribution of the Truth Literature; but where it is a matter of mere prejudice and opposition to the Truth on the part of the unconsecrated husband, and results in no injustice to him, any member of the consecrated class is privileged to distribute such literature; for be it noted that when we consecrated, we consecrated our rights, and not others' rights; hence we may not sacrifice in a way that would do an injustice to others. While we may sacrifice when no injustice is done to others, we cannot allow their enmity to the Truth to be the deciding factor as to whether we should serve the Truth. Let the consecrated, whether wives or husbands, see to it that they do their full duty by their spouses faithfully and generously before they sacrifice; and after having done this, they may conscientiously sacrifice, despite the opposition of the spouse. A wife has certain rights which she may sacrifice, and over which the husband has no control; and if she has done her part toward him and then has extra time, strength, means, influence, etc., for the Lord's service, she should faithfully use these, despite the opposition of a Truth-inimical

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husband; but tact and discretion should characterize her sacrificing so as not to stir up needless opposition. For the sake of peace it would be frequently wise to perform the sacrifice entirely unknown to the opposing partner. There would be no wrong in such a course, because his rights are not being taken away in the premises. We believe this question can be solved on the principle enunciated by our Lord, "Render unto Caesar, the things that are Caesar's, and unto God, the things that are God's." Caesar cannot force us to abstain from rendering unto God the things that belong to God, and God will not ask us to take away from Caesar the things that belong to Caesar. Briefly, then, we would say, after having fulfilled our duties toward our earthly spouses, we are privileged by the Lord to sacrifice things to Him that duty does not require us to use for our spouses, etc. If such a course on the part of a consecrated one will lead to trouble, let the consecrated one bear this as a part of her suffering with, or for Christ; with Christ, if the consecrated one is a member of the Little Flock; for Christ, if she is of the Great Company or the Youthful Worthies. 

(63) Question: Do the Youthful Worthies in this Age have to develop perfect love? 

Answer: If the question were put as follows, Are the Youthful Worthies now on trial for life, i.e., are they being tried along the lines of perfect love, on which trial for life must be, we would have to answer, No; for their trial is like that of the Ancient Worthies, who evidently were not on such a trial, as is proven, e.g., by the cases of Samson and David who were among the approved Ancient Worthies (Heb. 11:32, 39), but who died wishing evil on enemies of theirs. But the Youthful Worthies must now develop disinterested love in some measure, though not necessarily unto perfection; for to carry out a consecration unto death, which is not a demand of justice, duty love, but 

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is a matter of privilege, disinterested love, it is inevitable, if one is faithful, that he develop a measure of disinterested love, though not necessarily unto perfection, i.e., crystallization. In the case of the Little Flock and the Great Company, their trial being for life, they must develop disinterested love unto crystallization, otherwise they could not get life. The Youthful Worthies, not now being on trial for life, are not required to develop disinterested love unto crystallization. We would not even say that they must develop perfect untested love, i.e., gain the mark, though some of them do it, which will bring them a higher reward in the Millennium than those of them who do not develop it. Apparently God does not now permit to come upon them such trials as would be necessary to develop disinterested love unto perfection, crystallization. But He does have come upon them such trials as will test their faith and devotion to righteousness sufficiently to qualify them for Millennial princeship, as well as such as will measurably test their disinterested love. 

(64) Question: Does the fact that some since 1914 have seen the hidden mystery prove that there have since 1914 been Spirit-begettings? 

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

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Bible. Hence St. Paul's statement in 1 Cor. 2:14 does not apply to all times, but is limited in time; and that time limit is 1881; for since that time both Youthful Worthies and some faith-justified ones have seen spiritual things. This answers an objection that Brother Karlen makes to our understanding of the door of entrance into the high calling closing in 1914. His claim that the date 1943 is the date for the close of the high calling is fallacious, because it makes the floor length of the Grand Gallery 29 inches longer than it is, through making it not a straight line, but a line with a step in it at the south end. If his reasoning were right, we would have to lengthen the Grand Gallery still more by adding to it that much of the height of the small step somewhat over 200 inches south of the north wall of the Grand Gallery as is the difference in the distance between its bottom and top from the break-off about 25 inches south of the Grand Gallery's north wall. This fact proves the fallaciousness of his using the front and top of the step in the south end of the Grand Gallery in measuring the length of the floor line. Furthermore, the length of the Grand Gallery floor line, real and projected, not its floor, is not only by these two facts proven to be the thing that gives the length of the Grand Gallery; but by the nature of the case this is proven; for in measuring the exact length of a room or building we must measure in a straight line and not along irregular surfaces. So good a mathematician as Brother Karlen should have known better than to offer such a measure as the length of the Grand Gallery, for, representing the high calling, its length in Pyramid inches should give us the high calling's duration and the years in which it began and ended. Moreover, Brother Karlen knows that in later years Brother Russell gave up the method of measuring along the front and top of the south step of the Grand Gallery as the way of finding out the length of the high calling, as he also knows 

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that the Edgar Brothers before 1914 gave the Grand Gallery's straight floor line actual and projected as giving the length of the high calling, and as indicating about October, 1914, as its end. He himself projects that floor line from the break-off to the top of the lower step in the Grand Gallery and not along the line therefrom to the bottom of the small step and along its front. Why then does he not in consistency do the same at the south end of the Grand Gallery? His inconsistency here is a disproof of his method of measuring the face and the top of that step in arriving at the date of the high calling's end. Moreover, his date is wrong because the Pyramid can be properly used only in indicating Biblically given dates, whereas there is no Bible indication for the date 1943 for the closing of the door to entrance into the high calling or for any other special event, so far as our present knowledge goes. While on the subject of the lower step referred to above, we might suggest the symbolism of the line from the break-off to the bottom of that step. It will be remembered that we pointed out in Vol. III, Chapter VII, on The Pyramid's Witness On Elijah And Elisha and on Antitypical Elijah's Reappearance, that the floor line of the Grand Gallery projected to the latter's projected south wall brings us to September 16, 1914, as the date of the last begettal, i.e., the date of the close of the door to the high calling, and that the deviating line from the bottom of the step to where its top meets the Grand Gallery's south wall represents the wrong course of antitypical Elisha from September 24, 1846, to June 27, 1917, when he first came into the open separate and distinct from antitypical Elijah. Something similar is the case in the symbolism from the break-off to the top and bottom of the lower step. The proper floor line projected without a floor from the break-off to the top of that lower step, just like the true floor line actual or projected elsewhere between the Grand Gallery

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north and south walls, represents the Little Flock's course in Truth and righteousness, here in opposition to power-grasping crown-lost leaders, while the deviating line from the break-off to the bottom of the step represents the course of the crown-lost leaders in error and unrighteousness culminating in Cyprian's teaching and practicing the error of apostolic succession of the bishops. The Pyramid inches involved in both lines give us the exact dates of the three involved events. We hope some day to give details thereon, giving here only enough to show the erroneousness of Brother Karlen's course of leaving the real floor line actual or projected and of measuring the uneven lines—the face and top of the involved step—when seeking to fix the end of entering into the high calling. 

(65) Question: Is there any evil result arising from teaching that the high calling is still open for new aspirants? 

Answer: Error always brings bad results; and in this case it brings especially bad ones. It results in symbolic incest and in the birth of symbolic bastards, who as such will suffer great loss and disappointments. They are guilty of great arrogance, the consecrated (formerly Youthful Worthies) among them, in insisting on foisting themselves upon the Lord as members of His espoused without the Lord inviting them thereto (Heb. 5:4; John 6:44), and the unconsecrated (former tentatively justified ones) among them, in insisting that they are invited thereto without the Lord inviting them. The former lose their Youthful Worthiship and become antitypical Moabites, and the latter lose their tentative justification and become antitypical Ammonites in their capacity of claiming those privileges for themselves; and in their capacity of uniting with drunken Great Company members (antitypical Lot) in producing others by such errors, they become, the former, antitypical 

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Lot's elder daughter, the latter, antitypical Lot's younger daughter. As our Pastor taught, Lot represents that section of the Great Company who left the nominal church just before its destruction set in, i.e., just before the World War, involving their separate countries, began to destroy the nominal church. His wife turned into a pillar of salt represents crown-losers who before making a full escape turn back in affection to the things left behind, and who as a result go into the second death. His elder daughter and younger daughter represent the Youthful Worthies and the faith-justified ones respectively who made their escape at that time. In the scene in the mountain Lot represents those of the Great Company in the Truth who allow themselves to be deceived (drunken) by the false doctrines (wine) given them by certain Youthful Worthies (their false doctrine [wine] being that they are in the high calling) and certain justified ones (their false doctrine [wine] being that the high calling is still open for them after it in fact is closed). Hence his two daughters represent certain ones of the two classes just mentioned. Lot's being unaware of the incest types the ignorance of the involved Great Company members of the nature of their act. The antitypical incest consists in antitypical Lot and his two class daughters defiling one another by a wrong connection into bringing forth symbolic bastards, the former allegedly in the Little Flock and the latter allegedly invited to Little Flockship. Actually the offspring of such symbolic incest are symbolic bastards—antitypical Moabites and Ammonites. See the entire story as it is recorded in Gen. 19. Symbolic bastards, among whom antitypical Moabites and Ammonites are counted, will not come into the Lord's congregation until after the tenth generation—until after the Millennium, i.e., during the Little Season. In other words they will be restitutionists (Deut. 23:2, 3; D 575, 576). This means that 

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antitypical Lot loads great guilt upon himself by his part in symbolic incest, for which he will suffer stripes; and his symbolic daughters lose their standing as Youthful Worthies and faith-justified ones, falling back into the world, while the antitypical Moabites and Ammonites are and remain of the world. Thus we see that the results of teaching that the high calling is yet open to new aspirants are serious indeed. We warn especially Youthful Worthies against the disastrous results of their accepting and practicing this error. It will cause them to lose their standing as Youthful Worthies and put them back again into the world. 

(66) Question: If the Youthful Worthies do not eat of the shewbread, how do they understand the deep things? 

Answer: The fact that is stated in this question, that the Youthful Worthies understand the deep things, has led C. Kaspryzkowski, who has become a sifter of our brethren in Poland, to teach that the Youthful Worthies, while standing in the antitypical Court, put an antitypical arm and hand into the antitypical Holy and take from its table the shewbread thereon and bring it into the Court and there eat it! For such a thought to be true it would mean that their symbolic arm and hand, i.e., their intellects and that part of their affections through which faith works, are Spirit-begotten; for the Holy represents the Spirit-begotten condition. This would make the Youthful Worthies partly New Creatures, which, of course, is an absurdity, and which, of course, involves other absurdities needless to point out. The propounder of such a thought is, of course, on his way into outer darkness, where his character and acts prove he belongs. Apart from his heart condition, which makes him amenable to such folly, his head is shown to be confused; for he seems not to understand what the antitypical shewbread is, nor what eating it means. 

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Not all Bible Truth, nor even all spiritual Truth is meant by the shewbread. The shewbread, which could be eaten only by the priests (David's eating it was an exception to the rule, partly because of his semi-priestly character as the Lord's anointed, and partly because as such he typed our Pastor, who though therein typed as the Lord's anointed executive, was from another standpoint a priest), typifies something that only the antitypical priests could appropriate to themselves, and this is everything involved in the Sarah Covenant promises. Hence the Sarah Covenant promises—those that God gives to the Christ class alone—are the antitypical shewbread. Again, not only does the propounder of the question not understand what is typed by the shewbread, but he also does not understand what is typed by eating it. Eating the antitypical shewbread does not mean to understand the deep things; it means to appropriate to oneself, to make one's own, the promises of the Sarah Covenant. And since these are made alone to the antitypical priests, the Christ class, none but the Christ class can really claim them, really take them to himself as God's promises to him. Hence neither the Youthful Worthies, nor any others of the non-priestly classes, can eat the antitypical shewbread. The Sarah Covenant, which in its narrow sense consists of the promises to the Divine class, is not the part of the Oath-bound Covenant belonging to the Youthful Worthies. It is the earthly features of the Oath-bound Covenant—such as belonged to the Ancient Worthies—that are given to the Youthful Worthies; and these parts of the Oath-bound Covenant are not represented by the shewbread; nor does the acceptance of these for themselves by the Youthful Worthies antitype the eating of the shewbread; for none but priests were allowed to eat of it. That the Youthful Worthies understand the deep things, is, as we have already indicated, due to the fact that they are consecrated; and

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

(67) Question: Under which covenant are the Youthful Worthies being developed? 

Answer: Under certain earthly features of the Oath-bound Covenant, just as the Ancient Worthies were. These features are the following three promises in their earthly aspects (Gen. 22:16-18): (1) Thy seed shall be as the sand of the seashore [which in contrast with the stars of heaven suggests perfect earthly human beings]; (2) thy seed shall possess the gates of his enemies [overcome Satan, sin, error and death]; and (3) in thy seed shall all the nations be blessed [as princes throughout the earth in association with the Ancient Worthies as the earthly phase of God's Kingdom they will bless the world with Millennial opportunities of restitution]. We rejoice with them that they are so highly favored. 

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