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EXTRACTS FROM INTERESTING LETTERS

Among the interesting letters in the TOWER this month, we insert a few of the many received while abroad and since our return to America, expressing the interest of the scattered household of faith in the object and results of our journey. And as time will not permit a personal answer to the many kind congratulations on our safe return and expressions of interest in, and prayer for, the prosperity of our mission, we take this opportunity to thank you all and to assure you of our appreciation of your love and fellowship of spirit.

During all the journey the interests of the great work were our constant theme and study, and we believe much to our profiting, while the expressions of interest in our personal welfare proved to us the deep appreciation among the saints of the truths which it has been our privilege to proclaim and the firmness of that bond of love which makes us all one in Christ Jesus and in the glorious hope set before us in the Gospel.

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London.

DEAR BRO. and SISTER RUSSELL:—When I first heard of your presence in Europe from our Brother Carey, it almost took my breath away with surprise and joy, although we are told nothing is so likely to happen as the unexpected.

I hastened at once to write to the Poste Restante, Berlin, hoping to intercept you before your return to London, to offer our house in my husband’s and my own name, as a resting place while in this great town. Then on the 17th inst. I received a visit from Brother Babbitt, who gave me your letter, which graciously entrusts me with the arrangements of meetings, etc. May the Lord endow me with all needful wisdom for this and every other work, as also I ask Him to bless you both and your travels, feeding you for both your own and our benefit. To-day I have received the ZION’S WATCH TOWER for July, explaining the motive of your journey, which I sincerely trust may be realized. Brother Babbitt [whose acquaintance we made on our eastward ocean voyage] took away three copies of Vol. I. I felt so overflowing with the news of your approach, that I fear I gave him too strong a dose of my heart about the truth. The result is in the Master’s hands.

Now let me once more request you both in the name of my husband and self to make this house your home for the four days you are in London. Indeed, I have taken it for granted that you will, and by general consultation with brothers and sisters have therefore decided it best to hold the meetings in a hall close by here. I need not assure you that we will esteem it a great privilege and delight to minister in any way to your comfort as a small token of gratitude for all the spiritual benefits derived through you. I am told that the poorest brother or sister among us will gladly make holiday and come a distance to greet you, and the fresh air of this neighborhood will make a change for them, and they can have a walk and refreshment between the discourses.

I often think it will be too wonderful should the Lord select me as a member of his body; for it seems as if every one of you were more worthy than myself, yet I do unfalteringly uphold my Father and His beloved Son in my heart of hearts as the supreme objects of my love and reverence. May they keep me faithful to the end and remedy all that is lacking in me. The bare thought of living with them makes me entirely confused with tears of joy and humility at such immense condescension and kindness.

We are all longing to see you, and I for one keep conjuring up to my fancy your dear faces.

Hoping this may reach you safely and wishing you every blessing, with Christian love, Your sincere sister and servant to the Master, Jesus Christ, ELIZABETH HORNE.

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London.

DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER:—

You will be at home by this time, and I do trust that you are all the better, both in mind and body, for your visit to this country, and I pray God to spare your life for many years to come and to make you both a great blessing to many of our fellows, in guiding them into the truth. So far God is using your writings to open the blind eyes of very many people. These two last Sundays have given me proof of it in that so many are asking for the books. The other day I could have sold over twenty, but had only two with me. Sister Horne and myself are being used mightily in the parks. The people are taking a great interest in our teaching, not opposing us as at first. A week ago last Sunday Sister Horne spoke for three hours with good effect. You will be glad to know that we now have Sister Swartz to help us in the work. She took part last Sunday with us in the park.

Oh! how precious to think that we are counted worthy to be co-workers with him and his dear son, Jesus Christ, and may our light so shine

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among our fellow men that they with us may say, Deliverance is come, and may all who are loyal and true to our living Head be ambitious in doing all we can to let people recognize and accept the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father.

My wife and daughter join with me in Christian love and best wishes to you both. Believe me ever yours in Christ Jesus and his work,

SAMUEL BATHER.

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Liverpool.

DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER RUSSELL:—Your letter of the 11th inst. to hand from Queenstown, from which we were pleased to learn that you were on your way to Palestine. Had I known a month earlier I should have been strongly tempted to join you.

We shall be pleased to entertain you while in Liverpool, and if you can arrange to prolong your stay another week with us we would be glad. As to the all-day meeting on the 15th Sept., if agreeable to you we will undertake all the arrangements and write the friends we know in Liverpool and neighborhood, also Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield. Our Mission Hall attached to our house, which seats 200 people, will be convenient, and we think large enough, as you know that those who take an interest in the King and coming Kingdom are but a little flock. We shall be glad to carry out any other suggestions you may offer in order to make the meetings a success.

I have just read through Vol. III. of DAWN with deep interest and pleasure, and thank you very much for the most beautiful unfolding of truth which it contains and which the Holy Spirit has revealed through you. I have for many years taken an interest in the Pyramid. I have read something of what has been written on the subject by Prof. Piazzi Smyth and others.

Wishing you and Sister Russell a pleasant and profitable journey with a safe home-coming, with our united Christian love, ever yours in the Lord, CHARLES W. ELAM.

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New York.

MR. C. T. RUSSELL—On board incoming steamer, City of New York, Quarantine Station, New York Bay.

DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER RUSSELL—Greeting. I intend to meet you at the steamer pier on your arrival in New York. We shall expect you to come directly to our home and stay with us while you are in the city. We have arranged to give a reception in your honor on the afternoon and evening of Wednesday, the 23rd. Invitations have been sent to all the TOWER subscribers within one hundred and fifty miles of New York, and we have invited, in addition, a number of our personal friends. A number of letters received indicates that many will be present.

Trusting that we shall see you soon, we remain, yours very truly,

MR. & MRS. C. B. FAIRCHILD.

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Canada.

DEAR BRO. RUSSELL:—We are so pleased that you are safely back. We are all well and rejoicing in the truth. We know how you will be pressed with work now, and will not be disappointed if you leave us or any communication to us until others, weaker in faith, have been attended to. Hoping you will be continually prospered in your grand “gospeling” work, we remain, Yours in Him,

BROTHERS WEBB & UTLEY.

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Minnesota.

DEAR BRO. RUSSELL:—Yours of 30th ult. received and read with much pleasure. It seems good to know you are among us again, and I thank our kind Heavenly Father for his mercies to you and us, in returning you to your post of service. May your fruitfulness in all things abound more and more. In all this, I include your esteemed and beloved help-meet, Sister Russell. Your thoughtfulness in all your pressing cares to write me is especially gratifying, but do not again do so until every dragging thing is brought up. My heart is all in the service, and I pray that the great Husbandman may continue to prune me, that my fruitfulness may increase. Sister Page grows in favor and knowledge, and her mother, who is with us and convalescing, is listening attentively and seemingly with increasing interest to our new things, becoming thereby more firmly established in her trust in the ransom, which she accepts.

I enclose an order for DAWNS and Tracts on a separate sheet, also a check for the amount. Hurriedly, in Christian love, W. E. PAGE.

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N. Carolina.

DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER RUSSELL:—No doubt you are in receipt of many letters of congratulation from the brethren on your safe arrival from your long and tedious, but, it is to be hoped, pleasant and instructive journey, throughout which you have been followed with sincere prayers for divine protection and for your safe return to the scenes of your labors amongst us, and that your lives may be spared to expound the mysteries of inspired revelation. I never can express the gratitude I feel that ever MILLENNIAL DAWN came under my

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notice. It has unfolded and made plain to my misinformed mind (for the first time) the glorious contents of that Book of books, the author of which is God.

I have read Vols. I. and II. through seven times, Vol. III. four times, and I am about to start again. “O the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.”

Owing to family afflictions, I feel grieved at not being in a position to strike out, sickle in hand, into the harvest field. Yet I am endeavoring within my limited sphere to do a little work. Since my return from England I have sold a few volumes of DAWN, and have published several letters in our local paper on the great subjects therein contained.

It is now between two and three years since I first introduced DAWN to this little town, and, I am thankful to say, not without some visible fruit. Here, as elsewhere, the opposition comes chiefly from interested “Babylon;” but it is a great consolation to know that her deleterious power has forever passed away, and that she has fallen to rise no more, a prophetic fact of which she seems to be in sublimed ignorance.

My own affectionate congratulations for the safe return of our dear Brother and Sister to their home. R. MARSTON.

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New York.

DEAR BRO. AND SR. RUSSELL:—We are glad to welcome you again, giving thanks, also, that the things for which you went abroad prospered, the Lord giving you to rejoice in the work assigned to your stewardship.

We have remembered you in your journey, and rejoice in the hope of the near reunion of all saints to be forever with the Lord. We know that when the “topstone” is fitted to its place the glory of the Lord will fill his temple and the nations shall walk in the light of it. O! how very near that day is, and what a grand contrast it will be to the darkness and tempestuous gloom of the storm now threatening, and that will surely overwhelm the earth. Accept our heart’s welcome, with a hand greeting, which we extend to clasp your own, over the mountains and rivers between. Your fellow-servants in the cross and hope of glory,

DR, & MRS. A. BOWEN.

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New York.

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—I am one of the little company which met you and Mrs. Russell, upon your return from Europe, at Brother and Sister Fairchild’s residence in New York. I have thought many times of the pleasant and profitable time we experienced upon that occasion, and I wish personally to thank you for the very helpful words of cheer and encouragement given at that time. They have been to me, at least, “meat in due season.” The other brethren who were present from this city also enjoyed the meeting very much.

It has been my purpose, if the Lord wills it so, to be present at the Anniversary Meeting in Allegheny next April, and now my desire to be there is stronger than ever. I remain yours, in faith and fellowship, J. A. MITCHELL.

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Brooklyn, N.Y.

DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER IN CHRIST:—I have placed the evening I met you both on record as one of the happiest events in my life. While you were speaking to us of love my mind was carried back to a period, I think about eight years ago, while I was home in England, when a much-worn copy of “Food for Thinking Christians” came into my possession. I read and re-read that book and gave it a special place upon my bookshelf next the Bible. It has since been my companion in all my travels. While reading it my heart went out towards the writer with a warm love because I found that he not only loved his Creator and Redeemer but his fellow-brethren also. Love naturally begets love, so last night, while you were speaking, the text came vividly before my mind, “Whom, not having seen, ye love.” I have been loving you all these years for the testimony in that pamphlet.

Little did I think when I first read your little pamphlet that I should ever have the privilege and great pleasure of personally meeting you; and indeed it was not until I came down here from Montreal, Canada, about eighteen months ago, that I learned from a fellow-workman that you had written other works, and where they could be obtained.

What a blessed thing is personal communion! How it strengthens and binds together the hearts of those who are kindred spirits! And now, dear Brother and Sister in the Lord, may the Lord of glory bless you with his fondest, sweetest love. Yours in Christ, E. HARRIS.

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Ohio.

MR. C. T. RUSSELL—DEAR FRIEND:—Please find inclosed Post-office money order for four dollars and fifty cents. Will you be kind enough to send me three sets, of three volumes each, of the MILLENNIAL DAWN. I have enjoyed each of your books, but the last overwhelmingly. Your description of the Great Pyramid was a revelation to me. How gracious our Father was to confirm his written Word in this wonderful manner. I hope you will pray for me that the few remaining years of my life may be spent acceptably to him, being made white with the blood of the Lamb, our Savior. Yours in the truth, MRS. E. M. SNOWDEN.

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— November, 1891 —