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INTERESTING LETTERS

Kansas

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—It seems to me there should be a million of the booklet on Spiritism circulated this year. The error of Spiritism is increasing in a wonderfully rapid manner, and the regions here about seem pervaded with it. The “angel of light” phase seems to be wonderfully successful. How blessed the thought that the Lord will take care of his own. “I pray for them which thou hast given me out of the world.” What joy to know that the Father hears the prayer of his dear Son. What a privilege to know that we may “abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

I enclose you a little booklet which I think should be titled “The Methodist Tenth,” instead of “God’s Tenth.” I sometimes think if the Lord wanted to get money as badly as the preachers do he would get it. I hope it is not wicked to think such thoughts. Certainly my ideal of the Most High is very different from that. When the great work is completed, we will all see that He has done it all, and to Him belongs all the glory. Blessed be his holy name!

Yours for the truth,

W. H. HOUGHTELIN.

Missouri

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—I have to report a splendid meeting at __________; a regular camp meeting, where my audiences varied all the way from 50 to 200 people, many of whom were deeply interested in the truth, as never before. Three Universalists threw away their arms of rebellion, came forward, two of them for the 1st volume of DAWN, and the third one subscribed for the TOWER, overjoyed at the wonderful plan of redemption when brought forward from a true and reasonable standpoint. Many others were deeply affected by such a grand harmony of the Word of God. Certainly it was a feast of fat things.

With Christian greetings to yourself and Sister Russell and all the dear brethren and sisters,

Yours in the bonds of love and service,

Z. A. RANSOM.

Ohio

DEAR FRIENDS:—Please find enclosed M.O. for $1.00 to pay for my TOWER of ’98. “To pay for” are not the words, however, to express my sentiments, as there is not money enough in the world “to pay for” the grand things it has been my great privilege to have, through the TOWER. May it please the Lord to continue the TOWER a true Herald of Christ’s Presence and a firm defender of the Ransom, so as to keep it a true helper to us at all times.

Yours very truly,

J. G. KUEHN.

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Illinois

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—The TOWER arrived this morning, announcing the death of your father. I was deeply touched by your article, and you have my earnest sympathy in your loss. What you said of his burdens and disabilities made me think of some verses in the poem, “Mortally Wounded,”—

“I lay me down to sleep, with little thought or care
Whether the waking find me here—or there;
A bowing, burdened head, only too glad to rest,
Unquestioning, upon a loving breast;
Not eager, bold nor strong—all that is past,
Willing not to do, at last, at last!
My long day’s work is done, and this is all my part;
I give a patient God my patient heart.”

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What a great blessing this dear old father must have been to you! In his own quiet way, loyal to the truth and to you. I can understand well how his noble efforts to “hold up your hands” must have comforted

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and strengthened you through dark times when Satan assaulted the work. His was indeed—

A ROYAL SERVICE

“Among the Master’s callings of high honor,
One oftentimes we miss,
Because our hearts in their impatient yearning
Fail to perceive its bliss;
Fail to perceive the grandeur of its service,
The deep, sweet joy it brings,
And deem some other easier, or nobler,
With richer harvestings.

“And so we may not choose, but Christ appoints us
The work of sitting still,
And saith, My child, in quietness and patience
This service now fulfil.
We learn that we are given this sweet service,
Because the Master sees
That thus his delegates must oft be fitted
For higher embassies.
Until at last we hear his dear voice saying,
Child, I have need of thee
To fill this vacant place of trust and honor,
To do this work for me.

“And then, as fellow-workers with the Master,
We shall arise and go
Forth to the harvest fields of earth, it may be,
The reaper’s joy to know;
Or to some perfect, wondrous service yonder,
Within some Holy Place,
Where, veilless, in its full transfigured glory,
His servants see his face.”

Your father’s humility and child-like faith in our blessed Lord were beautiful: and you could not have paid a higher tribute to him than this brief, loving article in the TOWER. While your present separation from him is sad, yet we sorrow not as those who have no hope, and we have probably only a few more years in the flesh. Then we, too, shall enter that better, more blessed life, and understand fully what now we know only in part. With much Christian love to you and to Sister Russell, I am

Yours in our dear Redeemer,

HATTIE O. HENDERSON.

[The EDITOR desires to express deep appreciation of all the many loving and sympathetic letters received from every quarter;—Love’s testimonies and benedictions. What better evidences have we of the Lord’s spirit than “brotherly love” and sympathy? Verily, “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with him.” Please, dear Brethren and Sisters, accept this as an acknowledgement of all your kind and highly esteemed expressions of sympathy; and excuse me from a personal reply by letter, for we are extremely busy with the “harvest” work—as you will be glad to know.—EDITOR.]

New Zealand

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—I cannot tell you how deeply thankful I feel for being enabled to come to a knowledge of present truth as set forth in MILLENNIAL DAWN and ZION’S WATCH TOWER. It has strengthened and deepened my love for God and my desire to be of some use in the work of the present “harvest.” There is a good field here for work, and I earnestly desire to engage in it. I do firmly believe that the Lord is calling me to it.

I have fully counted the cost, and I am prepared to devote my time, my talents, my all, in the Lord’s work, and I wish to colporteur and devote the most of my time to spreading the truth. I have no one depending on me, so that I am entirely free to devote myself to the work. I enclose five dollars for renewal of TOWER and tracts, also some 1st volumes of DAWN.

Yours in the Lord,

ANDREW ANDERSON.

Denmark

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—MILLENNIAL DAWN,

VOL. IV. and your welcome letter of the 12th inst. came safely to hand. Many thanks! I am reading the book with much interest and profit. It opens up many truths to me, so important for God’s people to know; it is “meat in due season” for me. Oh, how I wish those books could have a wide circulation among the people, and enable many to see this wonderful light!

On the 17th of October there happened an event here that should not be left entirely unnoticed. The Salvation Army was then officially legitimized in Denmark. General Booth was then visiting here and opened up several new homes for destitute. And at one of his meetings he had some very big(?) people on the platform. Judge of Supreme Court F. Larsen, privy Counselor of State Goos, Lieutenant-General Bahnson, Secretary of State Tierry, Chief of Police Madsen, and several others, solemnly pronounced the Salvation Army legitimized as a useful institution for the present order of society, and promised it their best support.

But, for all that was said there, we know that it is not the promotion of Christianity these men are expecting by the efforts of the Salvation Army. It is not for the sake of Christianity, but for their own sakes, for the sake of Capitalism, that they have now legalized the “Army.” And because the “Army” supports Capitalism, the great men bless its doings and step forth on the platform to thank the “Army” for all the good it has accomplished.

Please give my Christian love and regards to the office helpers and receive a large share to yourself and Sister Russell, from

Your loving brother in Christ,

J. S. WINTER.

Bermuda

MY DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—I am writing to thank you for the generous supply of tracts you sent me and to tell you I arrived here after a very smooth and pleasant voyage. The people are very much scattered over the island, and in no place is there any very dense population, and as horse, steam or electric cars are entirely unknown here it entails considerable walking to make a thorough canvass of the entire colony; but (D.V.) I hope after about a week to start in and distribute the tracts and at the same time solicit orders for DAWNS, and as this is a virgin field, I trust my labor will not be in vain.

I hope, dear Brother, that you will remember me at the throne of grace that He may use me in this solemn harvest time in making me His humble instrument in this colony for separating the wheat from the tares, and that whatsoever I may do, it may be entirely for His honor and glory who has called us to be fellow-heirs with Jesus. “Emptied, that so he might fill me, as forth to his service I go; Broken, that so unhindered his love through me might flow.”

Yours in the love of Jesus,

WALTER YARDLEY.

[This dear brother has already had 100 copies of VOL. I., and about all sold now.—EDITOR.]

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— January 15, 1898 —