Believing that a further study of Dawn, Vols. I. and II., would be very profitable to you all, we have not pushed Vol. III. as rapidly as we might. You need not expect it until late in the Summer.
But we have something else which we trust will be a pleasant surprise for you all—a volume of poems and hymns, which, we believe you will all agree, well represent our glorious hopes and grateful sentiments. Some of these are from the pens and hearts of God's children long since dead, and some from the living. Some of them are altered in some points of theology to bring them into closer union with God's Word, and some are as we found them. The harmony of heart sentiment between the Lord's consecrated ones now, and in the past, is made very noticeable by this collection from the writings of many.
We cannot hope that we have found all the gems, or only gems, but we assure you that we are well pleased with what we have here collected. We know of no collection which will compare with this one. We can speak the more positively our opinion, because we praise not our own efforts to serve the Lord and the truth, nor our own writings, but those of God's saints of the past, as well as of the present time—though among the latter you will be pleased to know are some from the pen of our beloved helpmate, Sister Russell.
Just such a book is greatly needed, by us all. It is not sufficient that we delve into God's great plan, study the ages and their work and the times and seasons for the accomplishment of all his gracious promises; but while doing this we need to digest it, and to meditate upon the goodness of God, recounting his mercies and blessings past, present and future, and to praise him in our hearts and also with our voices. We believe that this volume of poems and hymns will assist you to thus cultivate the spirit of devotion. May God richly bless it to this desirable end.
We believe, therefore, that as a spiritual feast and blessing, it will be equally as profitable to us all as the volumes of the Millennial Dawn series. There are indeed many collections of poems and hymns which contain features of truth, but how often we have all found that theological errors marred the pleasure and profit, as dead flies in precious ointment. (Eccl. 10:1.) Here we trust you will find naught to mar your pleasurable communion, but much to stimulate the fragrant [R1212 : page 1] odor of worship and praise as it arises from your own hearts, a grateful incense to God, acceptable through Christ Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer.
The book will contain poems representing the beginning, the progress and the culmination of Christian growth and experience. These are followed by 333 hymns, of worship and praise, covering not the experiences and hopes of sinners coming to God for pardon, but the experiences, hopes and thanksgivings of those who have found the Lord precious to their souls. It will be a book of over 450 pages, clear types, neatly bound in cloth. We want you all to possess and use and enjoy with us this additional means of grace and helping hand toward Christian development and perfection. And knowing that most of you are poor in this world's goods, the price is accordingly put at the very lowest notch—50 cents per copy, postage prepaid by us, or 40 cents per copy if sent by express at your charges. And all readers of the TOWER for the past year on the Poor List, crippled, aged, or for any other reason unable to pay the above price, or any price, yet appreciative of the subject and anxious for this helping hand, can have a copy free—a gift of Jesus' love.
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."