EXTRACTS FROM INTERESTING LETTERS.
DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—Sister Page and myself have much sweet joy in our study, which seems to grow more and more precious to her. I am sure our Lord will enable her to grow more and more in favor and knowledge. I can hardly express how precious it is to me to be thus joined by my wife in pursuing that "holiness without which no man shall see God."
Now, dear Brother, do not think it necessary to write me, because I insist on writing you. Save your time and energies for the glorious work you are permitted to do. You know I love to hear from you, but I will be satisfied by "Tower" talk, until we commune in the kingdom, if so be I am accounted worthy to join you there. Even in this I thank God I can leave the result in His hands, daily trusting Him for strength to fulfil my consecration. Much love to Sister Russell, and all the saints. Yours in Christ,
P.S.—I enclose copy of letter to Bellamy, author of "Looking Backward," that may interest you.
MR. EDWARD BELLAMY,—DEAR SIR:—
Having given your "Looking Backward" a careful reading, and believing with you that a "Golden Age" is coming, when men will act from the principle of love which Paul applies in his exhortation, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others" (Phil. 2:4), instead of from the principle of avarice which finds its expression in the maxim, "Every man for himself and the Devil take the hindmost," I am led to send you a copy of the work entitled, "The Plan of the Ages," which elaborates the same idea from a Bible standpoint, and which I commend to your earnest consideration. If you will pardon a humble reader's boldness, I will say that it appears to me that "Looking Backward" is most defective in that it leaves Christ and His Ransom entirely out of consideration.
Adam had the entire race in his loins when he sinned, and so the entire race died because of his sin. God made Christ a sinless and perfect man by transmitting an untainted life principle. Thus Christ was able to, and did, keep God's perfect law of love (1 Cor., 13 chap.), and by thus remaining a perfect human being was not subject to death. So Jesus says, "No man taketh my life from me. I have power (authority) to lay it down, and I have power to take it again."—John 10:18.
Otherwise his death would have been contrary to God's will, and thus a suicide and a sin. But in laying down his life, "the just for the unjust," he simply assumed Adam's penalty, or debt, and paid it, giving his life a ransom—corresponding price—for the life of the world (Matt. 20:28 and 1 Tim. 2:6), and had become heir (through his resurrection from the dead by God) to all that Adam was originally heir to and lost: which was perfect life, under perfect conditions and surrounded by a perfect family. And in "due time" he will lead forth, through a resurrection, the entire human race (John 5:28-29 and Acts 24:15), give them a full knowledge of the truth and full ability to live up to it. Only those who wilfully sin will be cut off (Heb. 10:26.) Thus will be fulfilled Paul's prophecy, "As in Adam all die, even so, in Christ shall all be made alive." (1 Cor. 15:22.) Witness also Paul's statement, "As by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." (Heb. 5:18). "In due time," God's kingdom, founded on equity and justice, must fill the entire earth (Jer. 23:5; Psa. 72:2; Isa. 32:1,18), and then men will not only live eighty-five years in happiness, but will never die, so long as they obey God's law of love and life which they will fully know and keep (Isa. 11:9 and Hab. 2:14). But the foundation of this Kingdom is Jesus Christ and His Ransom (1 Cor. 3:11), and it cannot be built on human development or education merely. The brighter men's minds become while their hearts remain evil, the more perfectly they will put into execution the evil principle of avarice before quoted. All classes of society are now forming into organizations of different kinds to enforce this hideous teaching, their main lines being seen in Capital and Labor agitation and trouble. As I view it, it is an "irrepressible conflict," and will not down, until the various forces have spent themselves. Then, when men give up the contest, God will exalt Himself and fully set up his government (Psa. 46:9-10; Isa. 2:11), and all men will flow into it.—Isa. 2:2.
Thus briefly have I set forth the central thought of "The Plan of the Ages," hoping that my effort will interest you and cause you to give the book careful consideration, Bible in hand. The great importance of the subject under consideration is, I am sure, ample apology for this lengthy communication from a stranger.