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ABOUT TRACTS

We receive many suggestions about tracts. Many readers wish that they had something that in few words would state clearly the truth on all subjects. We attempt no such brief statement of so large a subject, knowing it would be unwise. Because with the many errors and prejudices filling the hearts and minds of God’s children, such condensed food would be too strong. So long as prejudice remains the truth seems ungainly and unreasonable, and only a gradual meeting of the objections and a gradual showing of the beauty and reasonableness of the truth, can bring conviction and overthrow the power of prejudices favoring papal errors received in early training and supported by popular sentiment.

For this reason we purposely avoid all such condensed statements, knowing from experience that they never convert any from error to the truth. They would appear strong and incontrovertible and convincing to you, because your eyes are opened, but to others whose eyes are closed they would merely seem to be another creed—your opinion added to the general confusion already existing.

We believe, and to us experience proves, that the plan we do pursue is the best; namely to treat God’s Plan of the Ages comprehensively and connectedly, as for instance in DAWN VOL. I., and to use something brief and pointed like the “Arp Tracts,” which implies much but does not attempt to present the proofs, to call attention to and introduce DAWN to such as have an ear to hear.

Those whose interest is not awakened by reading this little tract, are too fast asleep to do anything with at present—the political, financial and ecclesiastical thunderings of the “day of wrath” and the crashing and falling of Great Babylon will awaken them and liberate them by and by,—then they will be interested.

Those whose interest is sufficiently awakened and who are honest enough to concede the inconsistency of their own and other so-called “orthodox” views, will get DAWN and read it and be blessed and comforted, and truly turned from the darkness of error to God’s light of truth. The dishonest, who like the Pharisees of old, say that they see, when in their hearts they know that they are “blind, and cannot see afar off” and can neither understand nor apologize for the character and plan of God which they profess to believe and call great and grand,—these are not now worthy of the truth which is only for the truth-hungry. By and by they will get honest enough to receive the truth or else be cut off in the second death as those who make and love a lie.—Rev. 21:27; 22:15.

In this matter of tracts, as well as in all things, our zeal should be according to knowledge, and we should as our Lord said, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Wise in our doing of good, as the serpent is crafty for evil.

For similar reasons we prefer to use special numbers of the TOWER, and thus introduce the reader to several phases of truth, rather than publish special articles as tracts as some occasionally suggest.

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— June, 1888 —