VOL. XXI. JULY 1, 1900. No. 13.
"Love as Brethren;" Be Sympathetic;
Be Courteous................................195
Philadelphia Convention Echoes....................198
A Useful Stone versus a Stumbling
Stone.......................................198
Peter a Useful Stone in God's House...........199
The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.............200
Binding and Loosing in Heaven and
Earth.......................................201
Cast not Pearls Before Swine..................201
Peter a Stumbling Stone.......................202
A Vision of Coming Glory..........................203
Least and Greatest in the Kingdom.................205
Battling for the Truth............................207
Bible Reading Indispensible.......................208
The Colporteur Harvest Service, etc...............194
SUBSCRIPTIONS AND BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
—ADDRESS TO—
WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY,
"BIBLE HOUSE," 610, 612, 614 ARCH ST., ALLEGHENY, PA., U.S.A.
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE, $1.00 A YEAR IN ADVANCE.
MONEY MAY BE SENT BY EXPRESS, N.Y. DRAFT, MONEY ORDER, OR REGISTERED.
FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES BY FOREIGN MONEY ORDERS, ONLY.
SPECIAL
TERMS TO THE LORD'S POOR, AS FOLLOWS:—
Those of the interested who, by reason of old age, or other infirmity or adversity, are unable to pay for the TOWER will be supplied FREE, if they send a Postal Card each December, stating their case and requesting the paper. We are not only willing, but anxious, that all such be on our list continually.
BRITISH BRANCH NO. 131 GIPSY LANE, FOREST GATE,
LONDON EAST, ENGLAND.
"THE SERVANT OF THE LORD MUST NOT STRIVE, BUT
BE GENTLE UNTO ALL."
We commend this text and its context to the careful consideration of all—especially do the "Volunteers" need to remember it in connection with the service they are seeking to render to the Lord's true sheep still in Babylon. All thus engaged are "ministers" and "teachers" and hence amenable to the same instructions as Timothy.
Some have exposed themselves to rebuke and criticism justly, by intruding into church property uninvited. It is usually best to keep off the pavement fronting a church where there is any reason to think the service would give offence;—and to apologize if asked to move off it. If possible it is desirable to keep at such a distance from the building as to avoid seeming to want to serve its attendants more than other passers-by.
Especially make sure that your heart is so full of the love of the Lord and his brethren that it will shine out in your face;—then it will not be necessary to urge your gift, but merely to say—Accept a free paper! Lay stress upon the word free, because some refuse thinking that either a price or donation will be expected in return.
THE COLPORTEUR HARVEST SERVICE.
The wide circulation of the Volunteer Tower should open the minds of people for further reading matter: and then nothing will fill the place of MILLENNIAL DAWN as the text book for Bible study. We shall be glad to hear from such as desire to enter the Colporteur work—such as have the heart for it, and some natural ability, and freedom from family responsibilities.
r2654 "LOVE AS BRETHREN; BE SYMPATHETIC; BE COURTEOUS."r2656 PHILADELPHIA CONVENTION ECHOES.
r2656 A USEFUL STONE VERSUS A STUMBLING STONE.
r2659 A VISION OF COMING GLORY.
r2660 LEAST AND GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM.
r2661 BATTLING FOR THE TRUTH.
r2662 BIBLE READING INDISPENSABLE.
VOL. XXI. JULY 15, 1900. No. 14.
Views From the Watch Tower........................211
Is the China Trouble Prophetically
Significant?................................211
The Shepherds Disappointed and
Chagrined...................................212
The Ministry of Comfort...........................214
"Forgive Us our Debts as We Forgive
Our Debtors"................................216
The Parable of the Two Debtors................218
"Who did Sin, this Man or his
Parents?"...................................219
Orientalism, Mormonism,
Theosophy...................................220
Is All Sickness of the Devil?.................220
Christian Science Misbeliefs......................222
Out of Darkness Into Light........................224
SUBSCRIPTIONS AND BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
—ADDRESS TO—
WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY,
"BIBLE HOUSE," 610, 612, 614 ARCH ST., ALLEGHENY, PA., U.S.A.
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE, $1.00 A YEAR IN ADVANCE.
MONEY MAY BE SENT BY EXPRESS, N.Y. DRAFT, MONEY ORDER, OR REGISTERED.
FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES BY FOREIGN MONEY ORDERS, ONLY.
SPECIAL
TERMS TO THE LORD'S POOR, AS FOLLOWS:—
Those of the interested who, by reason of old age, or other infirmity or adversity, are unable to pay for the TOWER will be supplied FREE, if they send a Postal Card each December, stating their case and requesting the paper. We are not only willing, but anxious, that all such be on our list continually.
BRITISH BRANCH NO. 131 GIPSY LANE, FOREST GATE,
LONDON EAST, ENGLAND.
PROGRESS OF THE CAUSE IN GREAT BRITAIN.
The Lord's blessing attends the British Branch. Four colporteurs are at work there with good success. Brother Henninges writes of their work thus,—"The results of their labors for the last two months show that any one of average intelligence and activity can, with the Lord's blessing, sustain himself in the work. Give a clarion call from the WATCH TOWER for more laborers for this great field, advising would-be laborers to write to the British Branch for terms, territory, etc."
Respecting the "Volunteer" service Bro. H. says,—"The Volunteer work is progressing well; particularly in this city (London), where we have so far put out 14,000 copies. The work is going on in four sections of the city. Yesterday was the first day on "double turn" (A.M. and P.M.) and the total number of copies of the Volunteer TOWER distributed was 4000. At this rate we shall soon be obliged to call on you for funds for another 100,000 edition."
Our Society has just rented a very desirable meeting place where Sunday meetings will be regularly held. It is a public hall opposite the Great Eastern Ry. station, and near Wansted Park station of Midland Ry. The entrance is No. 79 Woodgrange Road, Forest Gate, London E. All who trust in the precious blood of Christ will be cordially welcomed. Seats free. No collections.
We have had many additions to this service lately, but still there is room for consecrated laborers. The harvest is great, the laborers few, comparatively, and the time is short—"the eleventh hour." Write us for particulars if you have the desire and the opportunity to thus "preach the Word."
CHICAGO CONVENTION, SEPT. 1,2,3.
ONE RAILWAY FARE FOR ROUND TRIP,—PARTICULARS NEXT ISSUE.
r2662 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER.r2664 THE MINISTRY OF COMFORT.
r2665 "FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS."
r2667 "WHO DID SIN, THIS MAN OR HIS PARENTS?"
"OUT OF DARKNESS INTO HIS MARVELOUS LIGHT."
DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—I find DAWN VOL. V. a grand spiritual feast. I have read it and studied it and sent it away to a friend, and oh, how many good things we get from the TOWER office! I had thought, years ago, that we had all we needed to help us on to God, but it keeps coming, more and better. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, for his goodness and his wonderful works to the children of men." And bless his holy name that he ever stooped to the low estate of his handmaid, to give insignificant me the privilege of reading the MILLENNIAL DAWN publications and learning the plan of the ages and of his will concerning us! "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints." And you, dear Brother Russell, the Lord has made you a dispenser of his present truth. May his grace continue with you as it ever has done!
How many times I have had a vague idea of something and could not form it into words or thoughts intelligently, and the next WATCH TOWER would explain that very thing so nicely, that, even tho unlearned, I could understand it. Last fall I was thinking, Well, I believe Brother Russell is inspired, and his writings are equal to the Bible; but the next paper we got said that all matter, whether oral or printed, from any quarter, should be considered quite secondary to the Bible. Oh Lord, help us to resist the devil successfully and pity our helplessness!
You remark that we should not judge too harshly those who make us trouble, because Peter, even after denying the Lord, became one of his most ardent followers. What courage and patience this thought gives us. Such words are as Solomon says, "Like apples of gold in pictures of silver." Bless the Lord! Oh, my dear brother, how much comfort I get from your counsel.
The Scripture Index for the WATCH TOWER, prepared by the dear sisters, has done me a world of good. Lord bless them, indeed. Surely if prayers will bring blessings we shall all live in a rainshower of blessings night and day, for we are all praying for each other.
I get great encouragement from some of the letters you print in your papers, especially Sister Sencerbeaux's, for I too had been feeling much discouraged on the account of my failings and blunders. Oh, the richness of the spiritual food we get from God through the TOWER! Can the Marriage Supper be much better? Yours in the love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
MRS. H. K. TOWNSEND,—Wisconsin.
DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—About one year ago your book, called THE PLAN OF THE AGES, fell into my hands. It came like the day-star arising in my soul, flooding my mind with new thoughts and conceptions as to the great plan of redeeming this old, lost world. Since 1897 I have been out evangelizing, preaching "Christ and Him crucified," to men throughout the States, but my "advanced" views soon gave dissatisfaction among the orthodox preachers, especially among the set to whom I belonged, the Methodist Episcopal Church Society. It was then that I began to read in earnest every thing I could find along the line of prophetic truth. I have read and re-read with great pleasure and profit the first five volumes of MILLENNIAL DAWN, and am only awaiting now further issue of Volume VI. I can not express to you my indebtedness to you for the light I have received from the perusal of the WATCH TOWER publications.
May God continue to bless you with light, that you may be the means in his hands of leading many more pilgrims into the glorious light of the liberty of the gospel of Christ. Since seeing the fulness of God's truth, I have withdrawn from the M.E. Church and ministry. Pray for me that I may continue "to walk in the light as he is in the light."
Yours in the Light, R. K. RICHARDSON,—Alabama.
[To the Lord be all the praise for the light now "in due time" shining upon his Word and revealing to us his gracious character. I am glad to hope that withdrawal from human institutions and their service means a fuller appreciation and closer membership in "the Church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven" and a more zealous and more wise participation in its ministry of the truth.—EDITOR.]