Just as we expected, some were greatly helped by the record of the Harvest Siftings in the May TOWER, and others, who hate the doctrine of the ransom, and who hate us and speak evil against us falsely for its sake—not openly and honorably, however, but with feigned words to hide the poison of insinuation and misrepresentation—were correspondingly aroused. Their acrimonious charge is that the editor of the TOWER is boastful, seeking self-exaltation and praise among men, and to herald his name and make it great and honorable.
I reply that if seeking popularity and praises of men, I never would have championed the growingly unpopular doctrines of the cross. I knew, and long ago pointed out, the truth of Paul's words, that the cross is to the Jew a stumbling block and to the Greeks (worldly-wise) foolishness; and that this would be specially and increasingly so in this harvest time, when this question of the ransom is to be the great test question for all. A reference to your old TOWERS, for the past ten years, will corroborate this statement. Thank God, I was not one of those who deserted the cross for the sake of popularity. To me it is increasingly "the power of God and the wisdom of God."—1 Cor. 1:23,24.
And so far as the statements of the May TOWER referred to the Editor, such references were made only for the sake of God's cause—in the interest of his truth and of his people, and as an offset to certain false statements and insinuations publicly uttered, which were deceiving some. And of what the writer has been privileged to do in the Master's name and for his cause, only so much was stated as seemed needful for the Lord's glory, and its every sentence was carefully weighed and considered, and is true.
In making the statement we followed the example of the Apostle Paul, who, because of similar misrepresentations and opposition from brethren who had similarly deserted the cross, made a similar statement, and even went beyond and boasted a little.—2 Cor. 11:1,10,16.
But wait a moment—Upon what evidences are these defamatory charges based? Have we spoken well of Millennial Dawn? We have never said for it what we would have said had the author been some one else. Have we published commendations written by others? We did so for the sake of others, to attract attention to the truth; and even then the most personally complimentary items have been stricken out of many of your letters before publication, as many of the writers could testify.
Again, consider a few facts. The two pamphlets, Food for Thinking Christians and The Tabernacle and Its Teachings, of which hundreds of thousands of copies were published—Did they have the name Russell stamped upon the back in gold letters or printed upon the side and title page in large display capitals? No, they contained no hint as to the author's name. And when certain enemies then criticized, they said they supposed the author was ashamed to be known. Hence, in bringing out Millennial Dawn, in order to give no occasion for the enemy the author's name was given. But where and how? Not where it would strike the eye of all, but where it would escape the notice of one-half who have the book—at the close of the Preface, which only about one person in ten ever reads. If I had sought honor of men would not this book, of which over 150,000 copies are already in the hands of the people, have been my chance to gratify such an ambition? If [R1236 : page 7] the charge were true, would I have let such wonderful opportunities pass unused? Others, in books of small circulation, avail themselves to the utmost of such opportunities and think nothing of it. Even the WATCH TOWER has the editor's name in very small letters, while many other journals make the names of their editors quite prominent.
How about tracts—what are the facts? The fact is that the very persons who malign us have their names in large capital letters upon every little two-page tract they issue, while our tracts, of which about twelve million pages have been issued during the past two years, and which are going all over the civilized and uncivilized world, bear no hint of the writer's name. What a chance this would have been for these false brethren to have blown their trumpets, and with what bad taste comes the charge of self-adulation from such sources. What spirit prompts such mean insinuations in opposition to the facts, all may judge. By their fruits ye shall know them. They have forced this statement of facts, which no doubt they will consider further boasting. The Lord be the judge.
THE BIBLE TRIUMPHANT.—Voltaire's house is now used by the Geneva Bible Society as a repository. The old premises of the British and Foreign Bible Society in Earl street, Blackfriars, stood where, in 1378, the Council forbade Wycliffe circulating portions of the Holy Scriptures, and where he uttered the words, "The truth shall prevail." The Religious Tract Society's premises are where Bibles were publicly burned.