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Chosen no: R-2482 a, from: 1899 Year. |
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Interesting Letters.
DEAR BROTHER IN THE LORD:--It is with pleasure
that I report an increased sign of interest in the truth by some more of the
Lord's people. Since the loss of our dear brother Nicholson (who will doubtless
be profitable for the truth wherever he may settle in the States) we have
unmistakably entered a new era in our Christian history. At the point of his
leaving and for a few weeks later the lowest ebb of the tide was reached; but
at the darkest hour of future prospect, a revival of interest set in which has
increased steadily. Our work is altogether in the interest of the
"household of faith"--seeking to be used of the Chief Reaper in
supplying the present truth. The interest is marked in the saints who, realizing
the great need of separation from what tends to compromise with Christendom and
having a desire to be of the sanctuary class, follow the Lord outside the camp.
Our Dawn Circle (every Tuesday evening) is
exceptionally successful compared with the past year, and the work on Sunday is
at last bearing fruit. All the helpers are in our midst, and all who speak the
truth are known to be sound in the faith. Thus we are able to avoid the
inevitable consequences of the warning of Scripture, "Sow not the field with
mingled seed." As far as lies in our power the truth (unadulterated) is
proclaimed.
Some years ago I wrote you upon the seeming
discrepancy of the 400 and 430 years of the Israelites' sojourning and
afflictions, and since have come across what is a very helpful solution of the
matter, and a further indication of the reliableness of the Bible dates.
GENESIS
15:13-18.
This distinction between affliction and the
bondage of the Israelites (the former including the latter, but not confined to
it) throws light upon the difficulty which is often experienced respecting the
period of 400 years here mentioned. The actual bondage in Egypt was of
comparatively short duration (one-half of 430 years); but the affliction of the
seed of Abraham commenced in his son, Isaac. The interval between Isaac's birth
and the Exodus was 405 years; and if we place the predicted affliction of the
seed to commence in Isaac's 5th year, when he would begin to feel the effects
of Ishmael's mockery, we then have the afflictions enduring 400 years, and
including in the last period of it the bondage. What is said (Exod.
12:40) about the sojourning of the people 430 years before the Exodus
presents no difficulty in the way of this solution, but rather confirms it;
because it is evident from Gal. 3:17, that
this period of 430 years is to be reckoned from the giving of the promise to
Abraham, which was first done 25 years before the birth of Isaac. This
corresponds exactly, and was the whole period of sojourn, including the other
two periods, which are more actually characterized as, first, the period of
affliction, and finally, the period of actual slavery.
I remain, Yours in the Kingdom hope,
JAMES HAY,--England.
[page 143]
DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:--Inclosed is a draft for
__________dollars which I wish to deposit in the Tract Fund for its use as a
loan. It is the earnings of the past two years above my daily necessities. I
gathered it with the thought of giving the interest for the Tract Fund, and
later the principal. I do not need it; and, judging from the past, I will not
need it. The Lord has always provided ways and means to enable me to earn all
things needful in the past, and since he has permitted me to come into the
wonderful light and knowledge of the present truth, I can trust him much more
fully, for I understand his ways better. I did think of donating it entirely,
but as I am not quite clear in regard to the difference between tempting and
trusting, I will wait until I have more knowledge; meanwhile the Society can
use it as its own. It is but little to help others into the knowledge of our
dear Lord's plans, but it is all he has given me, and the only way I can find
now to serve, outside of sending out tracts.
Some of the people of the world seem to like to
hear the truth, and so long as they do, is it not best to tell them of God's
wonderful provision for all that will obey him? I have wondered what was best
to do when they do not work on what they hear, and yet come where they will
hear more. They do not seem to be worse since they learned that God does not
intend to roast them forever. Eagerly we look forward to the time when the
blind eyes and deaf ears shall be opened.
It is such a wonderful joy to know the Lord's
ways. I thought when I first read the DAWNS that I was full of joy (and so I
was: all I could hold), but that was three years ago, and I have learned so
much since of heart culture and head knowledge that my heart is singing all the
time. When in the M.E.
Church, I never was at
rest; everything seemed mixed and hazy. I was never sure of anything, except a
desire to know the Lord. No one could tell me why it was necessary for Christ
to die, or how to present my body a living sacrifice, or how to keep the first
commandment. Now an understanding of God's character enables me to keep the first
commandment; now my eyes are opened, and the way seems easy. It is so easy that
I am fearful that I may lack in some way and be blind to it, for I see so many
warnings in the Word; yet while the Word teaches that the heart is very
deceitful, I know that I love the Lord and his ways above all things. Yours in
our dear Redeemer's name,
MARY SHAFFER,--Pennsylvania.
DEAR BROTHER:--I am waiting here for the
afternoon train to D__________. Five meetings have been held here, in the opera
house, all of which were unusually well attended. Brother Fairbrother
advertised the meetings most thoroughly, having notices in the papers for two
weeks, beside having sent 75 or 80 invitation cards to persons who purchased
DAWNS from Brother Kent. The results were very satisfactory--from the
standpoint of numbers at least. The two largest meetings were those of Sunday
afternoon and evening. I judge that about 100 persons attended the former and
between 200 and 300 the latter. The Baptist minister attended the Saturday
evening meeting (when we presented the Plan of the Ages) and was so pleased
that he closed his church Sunday evening, so that himself and congregation
could go to the opera house to hear a discourse on "How God can be just
and the justifier of him which believeth on Jesus."
The people took tracts quite freely, and a
goodly number ordered sample TOWERS.
With much love, Yours in Christ, FRANK DRAPER.
MY DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:--I thank God that he
offered me the opportunity of reading MILLENNIAL DAWN. Never in all my life of
Scripture reading have [page 144] I found so much
comfort and peace. Thanks to his holy and righteous name, I do not see as I
used to see, since I have been led into the glorious light! I love God better;
I love my fellow man better. No more fears are haunting my mind of a life of
eternal misery in the future. To acknowledge that I have lived a long time in
total darkness, is but mildly expressing my extreme blindness pertaining to
God's plan. Now the mystery is solved. I have often wondered, and asked the
question, What will become of those millions of souls who have died in innocent
ignorance of the plan of salvation? and received the answer, My brother, they
must live forever and ever in a flame of fire, which God has prepared for all
who do not become Christians before they depart out of this life. Oh! to think
that I ever charged such atrocities to One who has created and cared for me,
pains my heart sorely. But glorious light fell athwart my gloomy pathway, and I
read in beautiful lines--
"Good
will to men; blest echoes that thrill
His first-fruits with rapture grand--
Shall be to all, when, on Zion's
hill,
The Bridegroom and bride shall stand."
W. M. P. DEVINE,--Ind. Ter.
[R2482 :
page 144]
DEAR MR. RUSSELL:--The undersigned, ex-captain of
the Salvation Army, has recently, on account of the light God has sent him
through your work, M. DAWN, left said organization.
I have read VOLS. I. and II. twice, and have
just received VOL. III. God has, through furnishing me with this volume,
plainly shown his will in regard to me; I recognize his voice. Glory be to his
name! Even before I received the truth I was fully consecrated to the Lord's
service, and am determined, by God's gracious help, to spread further the great
light he in his wonderful graciousness has counted me worthy to receive. Should
be very grateful to you for some advice on how to act in the matter. Could no
doubt get a situation in some worldly business, but, as I have said, being
consecrated to the Lord's service, and believing that God has work for me to
do, I much prefer to turn my talents into the service of our King.
I am twenty-five years of age, have no worldly
possessions, can only speak or read Swedish. If you so desire, I shall be very
glad to go into the colporteur work here in Sweden; but if you think I could do
more good in any other country, I have no objection to go anywhere you may
suggest.
Yours, devoted and grateful,
AUGUST LUNDBORG,--Sweden.
DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:--Please find draft for One
Thousand Dollars, a thank-offering to the Lord for his many blessings given to
me. Please use it in the harvest work, and, if you think best, I would be
pleased to have you use it to assist in defraying the expense of the
"Volunteer" service, mentioned in the April 15th TOWER.
Please do not publish my name in the TOWER in
connection with this. I am thankful that I can help a little in this way.
Your brother in Christ, __________, Wisconsin.
[The zeal of the Lord's dear people as
"Volunteers" in the various departments of the King's service is very
encouraging. Altho we have appropriated the name "Volunteers"
specially to the public tract distribution now in progress, it is a fact that
all who serve this harvest message in any capacity are really volunteers. The important financial part of the work is all volunteered--never begged,
never urged, but always, as in the above case, done freely "as unto the
Lord." The "Colporteur" service is similarly done by volunteers:
and all these efforts are owned and blessed by the great Chief Reaper, we are
sure.
The friends will be glad to know that the call
for "Volunteers" for Sunday work amongst church-goers --circulating
gratuitously the pamphlet, The Bible vs. Evolution--met with
prompt and cordial responses from every direction. We send portions of each
order in its turn and not all at once: and yet many orders are waiting for the
pamphlets from the binderies. We have already sent out over 100,000 copies and
are pushing the matter along as fast as possible: meantime fresh
"Volunteers" are constantly reporting and the proposed half-million
booklets may not be near enough; but if Providence so indicate, we are ready to
issue more. The topic is apparently a very timely one, as many are in danger of
"stumbling" on the subject of Evolution.--EDITOR.]
DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:--You will be pleased to
have a brief account of our first two Sundays' experience in distributing the Bible
verses Evolution pamphlet. Last Sunday we served six churches, and to-day
we served five. Six of the brethren and four of the sisters in the truth are in
the "volunteer" ranks at present. We have still over two hundred
churches to be served. The average distribution to a congregation thus far has
been about 125 of the pamphlets; as we are now working chiefly on the outskirts
of the city among the smaller churches.
The common people receive them gladly and often
with hearty thanks. One lady this evening was so favorably impressed by a hasty
scanning of its pages that she walked back and tendered twenty-five cents to
the sister who handed it to her, but the money was politely declined.
Another, a gentleman, stepped to the light to
examine [R2483 : page 144] what it was that
had been handed to him. In a moment he returned and said, "This is just
what I have been seeking and did not know where to send for it; I am so glad to
have it. Had I known you were outside to hand out these, I should have taken
your supply inside and passed them out to our people." Others declared
that we are certainly accomplishing a good work and wished us Godspeed. At one
church, where we served this morning, the minister's sermon was on
"Evolution," and he preached against that theory; our pamphlets at
the door capped the climax.
I trust our effort will show for itself in the
inquiries you will receive from here and requests for further reading matter
along these lines.
We exercise great care in handing out the
pamphlets so as not to pass them to any except such as we deem worthy of
receiving them. We much appreciate our privilege of cooperation in spreading
the Gospel to others. The Lord bless you and all the dear ones engaged in the
harvest work!
Your brother "Volunteer,"
J. A. BOHNET, Washington, D.C.
W.T. R-2482a : page 143 - 1899r