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LETTERS FROM DISTANT COLABORERS

Massachusetts

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—It is with pleasure that I write a few lines to you. I should have written before, had not sickness prevented. I am glad to say that I have nearly recovered from it, and hope to be in the colporteur work again very soon, and my purpose is to stay in the work just as long as I can do so and keep out of debt. Not having any family duties to keep me from doing so, I see that it is my duty as well as my privilege to be thus engaged; for I realize that it is a very important part of the harvest work. How much the truth and knowledge derived from reading the DAWNS have done for me, the dear Lord and myself only know. My prayer is that I may ever be faithful to the truth. I will write to you again when I am ready to start into the work.

With greetings of the season I remain, your brother in the dear Lord,

THOMAS BRIDGFORD.

Kansas

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—I take this opportunity to drop you a line, to inform you that I feel somewhat better; my lungs are not nearly so sore as they were, so I hope soon to be able to be out again in the work. I feel that I should go to Oklahoma, as I ministered to some of our Lord’s dear children there before I came fully out into the light of present truth; and I believe I shall be the means in our Lord’s hands to seal some of them with the present truth. I have had two letters from there the past week, also one from __________ in Kansas; they are rejoicing in the truth as revealed in the DAWNS. Let me quote from one of these:

“I have read my WATCH TOWER and MILLENNIAL DAWN, VOL. I., and commenced on VOL. II. I am just surprised to see the grand truths so plain, and wonder that I never saw them before. There has been a large book opened, and a flood of light has poured in upon this benighted and prejudiced mind, till I can only say, it’s wonderful; and that does not express it so that others can understand it. I wish I had the power to tell it to every person so that they could understand it.”

Brother Russell, in regard to the WATCH TOWER for 1899, I do not want to miss an issue, as it always has just that food which I need most. I pray that our Lord’s choicest blessings may rest on you and all your colaborers in the WATCH TOWER office, and I would kindly ask you to remember me in your daily prayer (as I always do you, night and morning), that I may have wisdom and humility enough to show forth his death and resurrection.

Your brother in Christ,

FRED. H. ANTHONY.

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Canada

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—I have just to-night received the Christmas number of the TOWER, and have scanned it through hurriedly, intending to study it tomorrow. In renewing my TOWER subscription, I wish to write to you more particularly.

You know well my sentiments towards yourself, but on this anniversary of the Savior’s birth, a grand and happy time, I think it is fitting for me to express them once again. For years and years I hungered for truth, and longed to know and understand the Bible, and nobody gave to me the spiritual food. I searched

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the Bible for myself, and the more contradictory it grew: and the preachers never tried to explain it to me.

At length God answered my prayers and gave me the understanding of the glorious Gospel, and for his great goodness in sending me the truth I cannot love and serve him as I would; I can only ask him to accept such services as I have and to count them perfect through the Savior’s blood.

It was through you that this glad tidings came, and I know how you must have loved me, for the Lord to have used you: “He that desireth the office of a bishop desireth a good thing;” and I know that you desired it in the real Scriptural way; that is to say, you said in your heart, “The Lord’s people are hungry and thirsty. Lord, I wish to ‘serve’ them.” And truly, you have done so. In all my intercourse I have never known you otherwise than as you sign yourself,—a brother and a servant: and therefore I send my heartfelt thanks.

My feet had well nigh slipped, after I had received the truth, for I was growing cold and losing my first love, and again your loving words helped me and put new life into me, and just lately you have honored me by giving me an opportunity to share with you the work of feeding the Lord’s sheep. It is a grand and glorious privilege, and most heartily do I thank God and the Lord for giving me this opportunity.

With regard to the “Good Hopes” I thoroughly endorse your words; no need is there to urge those to give who know this truth, for it is so satisfying that we long to tell it to others and, if we have money, to use it in the spreading of the “Good News.” God willing, I purpose devoting to this the interest accruing to me this coming year from the money loaned to the Tract Society, and I have every reason to hope I shall be able to do so.

Your brother in the Lord,

W. HOPE HAY.

[The above is from the dear Brother whose donation of $10,000 to the Tract Fund was noted in our issue of Dec. 15, ’96. He has since then deposited with us as a loan, at low interest, money which he is not certain if he can spare. He is going out now as one of the “Pilgrims.” May the Lord bless and “water” him while he thus serves the “flock!”—EDITOR.]

Scotland

DEAR BROTHER:—We wish you a very bright, happy and prosperous new year. Enclosed find order for four pounds, three shillings. We think possibly your own comforts are not sufficiently attended to, and we think you should take two pounds of enclosed for your own special wants. It is a small thing for us, the recipients of so many spiritual blessings by God’s goodness through you, to repay you with carnal things. The Lord himself will abundantly reward you. May you never fail or be discouraged, till all the will of the Lord has been fully wrought out in you, and by you. We know a little of the difficulties of the fight of faith, and of enduring hardness as good soldiers of Christ; therefore we send our hearty greetings, and deepest love and sympathy.

The TOWERS continually come, laden with blessing. We have by means of them, and especially in our busy work in worldly affairs, a rich spiritual feast every time. The last one, Dec. 1, was particularly interesting and blessed. Some of the readers here say that the facts recorded are merely to bring out the points of the truth, and that we must not think of it as an actual reality. We contended, saying, all the facts of the case—the train journey, the Presbyterian minister, the conversation, his conversion, his resolve to preach the fuller Gospel—were all an actual reality, tho written up in proper form, for a TOWER article. Could you kindly let us know which is the case, and if possible who is “B.”

We are still trusting that the Lord will open up our way that we may yet get free to distribute the glorious truth ere the dark night closes in. We have started (a month ago) a “Dawn Circle Bible Class.”

I am yours in our blessed Lord,

C. N. HOUSTON.

REPLY: DEAR BROTHER:—I am always glad to hear from you. I congratulate you that the past year brought you so many opportunities for serving the truth—by holding meetings, by writing articles in defense of the truth for the public press, by the using of your various little vacations from business in colporteuring the DAWN and circulating tracts: and I thank God on your behalf that you have the will to thus serve both the Chief Shepherd and his sheep.

I am glad to know that the things pertaining to our Lord’s cause are so first in your heart, and your business so secondary, that you are seeking release from the latter in such a way as will permit more and more of your time and energy to go to the former. I am sure that our Lord is pleased with your efforts to do what your hand has found to do; and I feel sure he will continue to open the door of opportunity before you in proportion as he sees you humble and faithful. I trust that the present year may be a very blessed one to you and to all of the Lord’s faithful.

I thank you most heartily for the proffered (L.2) two pounds sterling for personal use: but as my wants are at present well supplied, I am sure you will take no offence at my declining it as a personal matter and joining with you in making it a part of the heavenly treasure by covering it into the Tract Society’s funds. Your other contributions to this fund are greatly appreciated also, dear brother. Your orders have had attention.

Respecting the discussion of The Bible vs. Evolution in our Dec. 1, ’98, issue: It is an ideal sketch, intended as a hint to brethren and sisters respecting good opportunities and methods for preaching the truth to others when on a journey. Nevertheless, about nineteen-twentieths of that dialogue (almost word for word) actually occurred on our homeward journey returning from the Council Bluffs Convention. “Betha” represents the Editor. All articles in the WATCH TOWER are editorials, unless otherwise indicated.

Very truly your brother and servant in the Lord,

—THE EDITOR.

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— January 15, 1899 —