ENCOURAGING WORDS FROM FAITHFUL WORKERS.
The "Heavenly Manna" fills a long-time want with me, and I thoroughly enjoy it every day, 7 a.m. To-day's thought of humility, and yesterday's of time's being an important element in all of God's work, are exceedingly helpful. I thank you sincerely for your part, your large part in the book, and pray I shall daily profit by the beautiful gift and the faithful use of it.
The Dispatch of Monday, the 30th Jan., came yesterday and was greatly enjoyed. I sent the sermons after reading to a friend. The storm prevented work last week, and the cold also. But I have experienced much joy in the colporteur service.
Your Sister in the Lord,
ALICE L. DARLINGTON.
It is with greatest pleasure I write these lines and thank the Lord that there is a man who will preach the truth. I cannot tell how much good you have done me. I sent for the WATCH TOWER last spring and it would do you good to have seen me "eat it." I was starving for the Truth, and the TOWER literature is the "key" that unlocks the Bible, so I can say "Blessed Book!"
I took right hold and went to work, and can say that this is the most prosperous year of my life, although the wet season destroyed all the crops and left me poorer than ever in this world's goods.
I have a son-in-law who preached for the M.E. Church, and I labored with him, and got him to come to hear one of the Pilgrims when he was in this vicinity. The result is that he resigned the pastorate and has gone to work with his hands to support his family, and preaches seven (true gospel) sermons a week, anywhere and everywhere he can get a chance. His mother heard that he had quit preaching for the denomination and she came to see him. He labored with her with the result that she accepted the Truth, and so the work goes on. Praise the Lord!
Dear Brother, I write this letter that you may feel encouraged to go on with the noble work.
Your Brother in Christ,
WM. BONE, Michigan.
It is with pleasure that I write to thank you for the "Daily Manna," received this week. I have already been blessed and strengthened by it.
How blessed and favored are we above all other people in that we are permitted to sit at the King's table in the days of His presence and feast upon the rich food so abundantly provided and served so wisely and carefully under his guidance and direction.
I rejoice more and more that I received an invitation to this feast; that it is my privilege to live in this harvest time when such wonderful light is due to God's faithful and humble children.
I am wondering often why he so highly honored me as to open my eyes that I might see the riches of his grace and become a partaker of his favor. Surely he does choose the weak and base things of this world, things not highly esteemed of men, to be his servants—"No flesh shall glory in his presence."
I am glad to say that my health is so far improved that I am able to begin work again. I have already done a little and trust I shall be able to canvass these two towns during the coming six or seven weeks and be ready to return to my work with Sr. Mason in Connecticut as soon as the cold weather is over.
I trust it may be the Lord's will for me to continue in the harvest work some time longer. I can only do a little, [page 63] but esteem that a great privilege, and try to do it in a manner acceptable to Him. It is a source of strength and comfort to me, and I believe to all the colporteurs to know that we have your prayers, and you certainly are remembered day by day by us all. May God continue to use you to his glory.
Yours with Christian love,
F. L. MONER.
With the last ray of light of this fast fading day, will end also the last dying spark of a once substantial bridge—the last—the last bridge has been burned, fully consumed. In other words, I have severed my connection as an electrician with one of the largest street railway companies in the world. It was something like parting with a dear old friend, as I have been with them for fifteen years.
The reason for this action will be more clearly understood when I state that it was done for the purpose of giving my time wholly to the DAWN Colporteur service, although the position was quite remunerative (my last month's salary being $200 fair average); still the Lord offered me a better position, in fact "a hundred fold" better—Mark 10:29-30.
To be sure, my friends do not understand it, and think I am very foolish, which is quite true, viewed from their standpoint. But in harmony with our motto for the year I have asked wisdom in this matter from him who giveth liberally and upbraideth not, and I feel that I have acted on the wisdom from above. We have been called to sacrifice, and sacrifice we must, if we hope to win the crown. I sometimes think the Lord's people put too much value on money and not enough on service. I am endeavoring to correct my estimates accordingly. We can search the Scriptures through, and in no place can we find any intimation even of being told to pray for money or any other temporal thing, but on the other hand, we are told how great is the [R3514 : page 63] harvest, and few the laborers. "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest to send more reapers into the field." Matt. 9:37-38; John 4:35. And so in harmony with these verses I thankfully and humbly accept the Lord's invitation and say, Lord here am I, send me, send me.
I therefore await your pleasure in the assignment of territory, and by the Lord's grace am pleased to subscribe myself, A fellow servant in the Redeemer,
I am just in receipt of "Heavenly Manna." It will serve to stir up the mind by way of remembrance day by day, bringing to our attention precious words of doctrine, reproof, instruction, admonition, warning, comfort, consolation and encouragement from the divine storehouse provided by our Heavenly Father, which I trust He will bless to our good, and development into the Christ character.
I pray that our Heavenly Father will continue to use you in the dispensing of "meat in due season" to the household of faith, and that he will continue to grant you abundant supplies of grace and strength to overcome all the trials and temptations and persecutions incident to so prominent an office in the Body of Christ.
With much love and best wishes for the New Year to you, Dear Brother, I am
Yours in fellowship and service,
A. E. BURGESS, Michigan.
I received the "Heavenly Manna" book last evening. I am sure it will be the source of many blessings to me throughout the year.
This morning we took the January 20th text and read your words of comment, and as we realized that we were considering the same subject that you all at the "Bible House" were discussing, we enjoyed it the more, and were stirred to better thought: to a greater endeavor to get every point fully before our minds. I trust that as the year goes on we may become better able to get the full benefit of the subjects.
All the family join with me in sending you our Christian love and best wishes that the present year may be filled with rich blessings for yourself and all the brethren there.
Your Brother in the blessed Hope,
W. S. MCNAUGHT, Iowa.
I received the copy of "Heavenly Manna," for which I now wish to express my sincere thanks and appreciation.
The contents are so helpful, daily reminding us of our privileges and duties as servants of our King. Even the few days I have had the book, it has been of great help to me, and it certainly will grow more dear to me as the days slip by—if the Lord permits me to use it for yet awhile.
It will seem so good to join in the same Breakfast Table topic as the Bible House family. May the Father bless us as we do so, and help us to keep more and more in mind the Heavenly things.
May the dear Lord bless you richly throughout the New Year, is the earnest prayer of your sister in Christ.
"Heavenly Manna" is just received. I have read the daily readings up to date, and find it most practical and helpful. It is so beneficial to have part of our spiritual food apportioned in this way, for it gives us opportunity to digest it and act upon it.
It certainly was supervised by our Heavenly Master. Year by year he adds just the helps, to best assist the prospective bride in "making herself ready" for the glorious and much-longed-for "marriage."
How we love everything that searches the deepest crevices of the heart, and roots out whatever would not be pleasing to Him, "who has called us to glory and virtue."
We render heartfelt thanks to dear Sr. Siebert, the compiler, and yourself, the giver, and above all, our dear Heavenly Father "who planned it all." With earnest Christian love and best wishes,
Yours in His precious service,
M. M. SPRINGER.
[R3514 : page 63] Dear Brethren of the WATCH TOWER:—
I want to tell you the story of one little tract. A few weeks ago I heard that an old friend, that I had not heard from for years until this fall, was in the hospital in Kansas City for treatment. I wrote to him immediately, sending him Tract No. 7. He received it just as he was starting to the doctor's office, so handed the tract to a man in the same ward, lying there with an amputated leg and swearing. When my friend returned he found the swearing man with tears streaming down his face. He said that was the best little book he ever saw, and wanted to keep it to hunt the references. He said he was done swearing.
Now, the friend is here visiting us. We found him to be a consecrated Christian, but in utter darkness as respects Present Truth. To-day he was with us in our little meeting and was much surprised to learn of our Lord's presence, but he seemed to have a hearing ear, so we rejoice and point him to the helps our Lord has provided; for our tongues are so clumsy. I do hope our Lord will some day loose my tongue, so I can tell the blessed "old, old story" more smoothly.
Yours in love of our Lord,
MRS. S. B. STRATE,—Illinois.
The friends here in the South are delighted to know that there is to be a general convention in Chattanooga sometime in 1905. They and other TOWER readers, at other appointments, will be glad to co-operate with the Chattanooga brethren, to the extent of their ability and opportunity, in making arrangements, etc.
The amount of good the conventions accomplish is simply incalculable. Since the St. Louis Convention I have met persons who came out fully for the Truth there. I don't know of anything that stimulates the "brethren" to holy living and the study of the "Word" more than the general and local conventions.