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ENCOURAGING WORDS FROM FAITHFUL WORKERS

DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER RUSSELL:—

We desire to convey to you how deep an impression is made on our spiritual being by the Chicago Convention. I want to speak particularly of Brother Rogers also, and his wisdom and patience in the canvassing school. I thank the dear Lord for Brother Rogers. I also found how much some have grown in the last year. Like myself, they have been advanced, and received strength for a more vigorous and patient warfare, as well as spiritual growth. I think a very general expression of benefit received will come to your ears. For myself, I am not only stimulated, but subdued, under the mighty hand of God, seen not

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alone in the mighty events of this, Jehovah’s Day, and in the force and clearness in which the truth in purity can now be seen (as well as “how great is that darkness” now opposing truth), but also in the force and powerfulness of the “weak things” of this world, that God is using to confound the mighty.

Among others, Brother Nordlung asked me to tell you how much the Convention benefited him, and also that he expects to “lose something” when the Swedish Dawn is ready.

With love to God, and to you as his messengers,

MR. & MRS. J. B. ADAMSON.

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BELOVED BROTHER & SISTER RUSSELL:—

Having returned from our Convention, I feel it a duty I owe both to my Master and to you, to tell you of the great benefits vouchsafed to me, a very weak servant, while in attendance. Had there been time for each to have related his or her experience, all I could say is that “God’s grace is sufficient for me,” and that “The life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God.” I feel like writing a long letter from a heart overflowing with joy and gratitude, but I realize more now than ever that your time is exceedingly precious. Yours in much love, A. M. RUSSELL.

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DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—It is with a very grateful heart that I write these few lines, to express my appreciation of being so privileged as to attend the meeting at Chicago, and there to meet so many whose sole desire is to serve their Lord and Master in all things and at all times. I was very much blest to hear so many kind and loving words of exhortation and counsel. May the Lord continue to bless and give an abundance of his Spirit to all those who truly love the truth, that they may each be able to speak as an oracle of God.

I have done very well in the colporteur work since the meeting. I sold and delivered ninety-nine DAWNS in four days. One day I took orders for fifty-four. I hope my success will continue.

May the Lord bless his co-laborers, Yours in the Redeemer, WM. McALPINE.

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DEAR BRETHREN:—I enclose you an order for DAWNS, which I would like hurried forward. I have finished the canvass of four small towns having a combined population of about 1800, and have taken orders for eighty-eight books. I found only three or four who were interested to any extent in truth, but many who were strongly bound in Babylon by the fetters of man’s wisdom(?). “Gross darkness [certainly] covers the people.” I must say that I felt rather lonely traveling so far, meeting so many, and finding so little concern expressed about God’s plan and Church. Assist me with your prayers, that I may properly and fearlessly present the truth, and not become weary in well doing, knowing that I shall reap, if I faint not.

With Christian love and prayers to and for you all I remain,

Yours in the harvest work, N. F. SEARS.

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DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—I enclose Express Order for $3.50, as a free-will offering to the Lord, which I wish the Tower Bible and Tract Society to use in any way most advantageous to God’s service. As I have benefited myself so much from the reading of the DAWNS and TOWER, I wish to help to carry the same message of God’s wondrous love and favor to others. I was trying to walk a middle path between Christ and the world, but the reading of DAWN brought to my view the uselessness of such an effort, and gave me a determination to make my sacrifice complete. Hoping you may be spared and strengthened to carry on the work through the harvest,

Your brother in Christ, WM. VASSIE.

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DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—I have just returned from a three weeks’ trip, and found last TOWER waiting for me—into which I plunged and found so good. I had thought it very strange, regarding the religious parliament to be held in Chicago, that Christians should be dragged into listening to the claims of Judaism, even when Christ spoke against its teachers and then finished the law, to say nothing about listening to the claims of heathens. Surely we should be thankful for a solid rock on which our feet may stand.

We have just heard from some friends in Iowa. The lady gave DAWN to her sister who is delighted with it.

With much love to you all I remain, in Him, F. B. UTLEY.

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DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—I write to let you know that I am still in the race, and that the last three TOWERS have given my soul much joy. “Baptism and its Import”

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has settled a great difficulty with me and several others, and the many rich truths in the double number of July are a perfect feast to my soul. They give me strength and courage to press on for the Master’s cause.

I know several men who say that the reading of MILLENNIAL DAWN has not only given them knowledge, but that it has made better men of them.

In regard to the Chicago Convention: It grieves me to think that I cannot be there; but I will be in your midst in spirit. My heart and my prayers are with you.

Your Brother, ANDREW J. FREEMAN.

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DEAR FRIENDS:—Please change TOWER to present address. I miss it, and would not do without it. I shall never drop this welcome visitor; rather would I do my work on one meal a day. It is food to the truth-hungry soul, I need it to sustain my spiritual being, just as I need food to sustain me physically. I hope all subscribers read and digest its precious truths as I do. How it opens up the Word of God and throws light where darkness reigned before! We cannot all uncover these hidden truths, but we can see and accept them when the due time comes for them to be known and pointed out by the Lord’s servants.

I close with every kind wish to all in the TOWER office and all the readers of this priceless seed sower. I hand you a letter from my friend May, to whom I had the pleasure of introducing these precious truths.

Yours in the Lord’s service,

J. A. BOHNET.

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MR. J. A. BOHNET.—My dear Sir:—I have not only read but studied the DAWN, which you recommended me to secure, and I want you to consider yourself thanked a thousand times for the priceless favor. It is the most wonderful explanation of the old Book that I have found in all of forty years reading and study of its teaching. I assume some acquaintance with Addison, Sherlock, Locke, Scott, and others of less note; besides I have owned every commentary on the Bible that I have ever heard of as having been published in the English language during the last twenty-five years, and nothing that I have ever read seems even to point in the direction of the straight and narrow path opened up and made plain by those three volumes. In its pages I find there is a perfect and complete system, to understand which one must read from Genesis to Revelation.

But I will not write what you well know. Last but not least: They are full of comfort.

Faithfully, J. J. MAY.

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BROTHER C. T. RUSSELL:—Your answer in a recent TOWER about voting, etc., seems right; and yet if not right now for Christians to take part in politics, I do not see that it could ever have been; but if the best part of mankind had always kept out, it seems to me we would have had a much worse government than we have. [You will find few saints’ names amongst those of politicians. We make a distinction, you see, between good people and consecrated saints.—Editor.]

You say a good deal about the “fully consecrated.” I often wonder just what you mean by that expression. Of course I have read something of your meaning here and there in your writings, but I would like right well to see a connected, full statement of it. Before I knew anything at all of the DAWN teachings, I had given myself to our Maker and to our Redeemer in every way of which I could think; and I have never taken anything back, so far as I know, nor do I have any thought of so doing. My determination is, and long had been, to cling to him, come what may, in the strength that he gives. Is this “consecration”?—

In His name, O. B. M’CURDY.

[Yes, dear Brother, you have the correct idea. Our wills, then all our powers and influence, given to God, is entire consecration. Your query relative to reckoned and actual holiness was, I trust, answered in the August 15th TOWER—”Christ in You the Hope of Glory.”—Editor.]

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DEAR BRETHREN:—Although I can do but little, I am so grateful that Christ has chosen me to be a co-worker with him in his “harvest work,” and I often think what great opportunities the colporteurs have for spreading the truth. I am constantly looking for a chance to speak for the truth, but it is only occasionally that I find one who will listen; and when I do, the Spirit enables me to pour out the truth in great measures. How clearly I see that he will use us, if we are but willing. That seems to be the trouble with most people that profess him: they are not willing to

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be used except in their own way. How sorry I am that no one told me before that it was necessary to give up the human will to be able to see the deep things of God. I had been praying for sixteen years for a love of God’s Word, but could not get interested in the study, until I grasped the plan of the ages in the DAWN, and for the last year it has been my greatest delight to search the Word.

The food is very sweet, though the effect of standing for it is bitter; but I count it all joy to be able and chosen to suffer for the truth’s sake; for “I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.” My mind is kept constantly on the future and the crown, and I try not to be puffed up because of the knowledge of the Word that I have, because I see that God will not use us if we are so. Oh, the joy and peace of being in Christ! People think I am very queer because I do not enjoy the things of this world, but I look upon them with pity, because I have that which satisfies.

I receive great spiritual good from the TOWERS, and great strength from the letters of others that have come into the marvelous light. I believe that the letters that I have read in the back numbers have been used of God to strengthen many of his little flock, and I write to tell you of the effect they have upon me.

Believe me, dear ones in the faith,

Your Brother, M. T. LEWIS.

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DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—I have it in my mind now to make a vigorous campaign next fall, beginning about October 1st, so you may count me in the colporteur work again about that time.

I put the TOWER literature into the hands of a Baptist brother a short time since, and he has put me to shame. “Why,” said he, “did you not tell me about this a year ago? You saw me then.” I replied, “I did give you some of the tracts a year ago.” “Yes, but you did not talk about the subjects enough to get me interested.” This brother is not able, physically, to enter the colporteur service. If he were, he would gladly do so. Truly the harvest is ripe. Yours in hope of the Kingdom, M. M. PHILLIPS.

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DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—There has been such prejudice in the western part of this city, that some who have purchased DAWNS of me, after finding that others object to them, have spoken openly against them in church, and advised all not to purchase them. And then, too, I have been told that the ministers have preached against it. I think, however, that it is a case of “little fire and much smoke.”

One young man, who had given me an order, told me his friend took them and threw them into the street. I waited a few days, and then called on that one, and learned from him that he had not thrown them away, but had felt called upon to speak against them in meeting, and had done so. I spent three profitable hours with him and wife, and parted friends. He promised to ask God to show him if he should read them carefully. He wished me God’s blessing, and asked me to call as often as possible.

I called on another: a young man who opposed the truth. When he tried to show me where it was “way off,” behold, it had vanished, and a second reading showed him he had read too hastily. So, though I am making at present but few sales, I think I will succeed in overcoming the prejudice of many. Yours in the Lord, J. O. MURPHY.

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DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER RUSSELL:—

I am using the improved method in canvassing, learned at the Convention, and am greatly pleased with it. This is a very dull place, but I took sixteen orders Friday, and fifteen yesterday. The introduction on entering is a great help. I never knew, till I used it, that introducing myself as “Miss Way—a representative of the Tower Bible & Tract Society,” would do so much to gain me an attentive hearing.

How we thank the Lord for the meeting in Chicago, and the joy of meeting yourselves and so many of the dear brothers and sisters in Christ, enabling us to realize more fully the joy set before us and that happy everlasting meeting beyond the vail! We learned many lessons, too, that I trust will bear fruit all through our lives. We feel encouraged to press on, more desire to be proficient in our work and more submissive to him who moulds us according to his will. Pray for us—as we do for you all—that we may be kept from every seducing error, and may overcome through the blood of the Lamb.

Yours in the Redeemer,

FRANCES A. WAY.

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— September 1&15, 1893 —