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ENCOURAGING WORDS FROM FAITHFUL WORKERS

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—I take much pleasure in writing you this morning, because of the joyful influence of the truth upon my heart. It was my happy privilege to be present at the Convention at Chicago—and to return full of its uplifting influence. The Lord was certainly with us there, and I think I can safely say that any doubts that may have remained in my mind as to the truth and Scripturalness of “this way” were fully removed, and I came home with a peace of mind and courage to go into the church prayer-meeting and tell those who have not heard of this fuller truth what I had seen and heard and felt.

May God bless you, dear Brother, and spare you long to think and act and speak for him, and in defence of his gospel. Brother Dixon and myself went to Milwaukee yesterday to attend Pilgrim Hay’s meeting, and returned well pleased with that also. Quite a large company gathered to hear him. He will be with us this evening. I will enclose you one of the invitation cards we had printed.

I have wished many times that I had the third chapter of DAWN, VOL. I., in tract form, for general distribution among Christian people. It seems to me it would act as an excellent opening wedge for the entire series—such a faithful and logical defense of God’s inspired Word.

Yours in love of the Master,
H. D. White,—Wisconsin.

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DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—Some time ago Brother Woodworth witnessed my method of handing out the Volunteer TOWERS and was so well pleased with it that he made me promise to write to you about it. I don’t consider it anything out of the ordinary, but for the sake of my promise I will give it to you.

With a bow and a smile I say, “Sample—WATCH TOWER”; or “Free sample WATCH TOWER.” If any questions are asked, I say, “An unsectarian religious magazine.” My reasons for this method are, I seek to interest them thus, or rather to arouse their curiosity in knowing what the paper is; rather giving them the impression that I am seeking subscribers. In this way they will read with an unprejudiced mind—it does not arouse their antagonism by giving them the impression that you have something to refute the arguments they have just been listening to. If any know of the WATCH TOWER and do not care for it, they can refuse to take it, and thus one is saved for some one else. I think I am justified in giving the impression that I am seeking subscribers; if anyone becomes interested, he will become a subscriber, and it is for such that we specially labor. With much love, I am,

Yours in the best of bonds,
JOS. L. HOAGLAND,—Pennsylvania.

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DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—Possibly you may remember that when I was in Milwaukee some months ago I sent you a newspaper clipping regarding a colored man in Wilmington who had turned from black to white, through the loss of the pigment under his skin. I now enclose a clipping from the New York World of Sept. 9th, regarding a similar case at Parkersburg, W. Va. Do you not think these may possibly be granted as illustrations of how the Lord purposes to remove race and color distinctions during the “age of the ages”?

I also enclose a clipping from same paper, same date, regarding the intended gathering in of 2,000,000 more into Methodism’s “great big flock.” [The two items mentioned appear in the “View”—EDITOR.] I thank you with all my heart for your kind, encouraging letter of Sept. 13. In humility and love,

Your brother and servant,
CLAYTON J. WOODWORTH,—New York.

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DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—The TOWER for Aug. 15 is at hand and read, and I cannot resist writing to you on the subject, but by no means for the purpose of getting an answer as I well know the value of your time. When first, in the great joy of having received the truth, I hastened to tell my dear brothers and sisters in Holland, I met with terrible rebuffs. My very dear youngest sister sent me a tract, in which a parson, Cjeharsi—hireling (whose the sheep are not) warned his flock (pen) against the “soul-damning doctrines of MILLENNIAL DAWN.” “It added,” said he, “and lopped off Scripture,” and to prove that he never did such a thing he went on to say that “the wages of sin is death and eternal torment.”

Ever since ’94 I have quietly but persistently spoken of my Lord as I know him now. Lately my sister’s notice has been drawn to the fact that I was concerned about her “soul’s condition,” and I pointed out to her how she, knowing that I had imbibed “soul-damning doctrines,” had never taken a step to prevent my going into the tortures of hell fire, while she would give her time to, and get concerned about the welfare of some man in prison, who had merely transgressed the “traditions of men.” My letter was largely prompted by one from a second sister, who has youth, beauty, wealth, talent and society in her favor, but who gives all to nurse the sick. She has worked her way to be directress of the Reformed hospital in Amsterdam, our native city. Hers is a life of actual service, and, tho still in orthodoxy, she confessed that she was touched by the evident love and interest I manifested in Christ’s teaching, and that I had the “gift to analyze thought.” Oh, how glad I will be if I may have stepped out so far past myself to show them my only Head and Master! Souls full of love and consecration, but yet of the heart “slow to understand.” Just think of lives like those clearly seeing, so that they too may receive the “gift to analyze (order) thought.”

Oh, how dearly I hope I may have sufficient light in me that it may shine clearly enough for others to see! I fully appreciate what you say about sudden deaths. The fact that we have an understanding of the plan of the ages is not a guarantee that the mind of Christ is in us. If, in one sense, it is a sign of exceeding love and benefaction, it brings with it no less a responsibility. Not all those who understand these truths are destined for one office and one purpose. I do not care for the reward, I do not ask for one; all I ask and all I care for is to render efficient service to at least some sin-laden, faltering one for His Name’s sake. The 15th Psalm has been my choice one from childhood; and from it I learned, amid the luxurious surroundings of a banker’s home, to ask why I had received so much when others had so little, others whom I loved and honored, and who were more worthy than I. Good as my father was, both as man and Christian, I saw that he did not earn his wealth, and that the world was but little

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better for his being in it. I made up my mind (I can easily remember) at the age of 12, that I would right the wrong if I could, and to-day I am still laboring towards that end. I feel that I swore then—and whether to my hurt or not I do not know—and I have not changed since. I do know that, according to the psalm, I have been blessed far beyond my deserts, for “Mine eyes have seen thy salvation;” yea, I behold Canaan’s glittering shores. It is therefore quite immaterial to me, reverently speaking, what occurs. The Kingdom cometh not by observation, that they should say, lo here, or lo there, and I would pluck my right eye (that wherein I thought I saw aright) rather than lose the Kingdom.

With prayers, brother, that the spirit of meekness, love and humility may be increasingly yours, that so you may prove faithful to the last, I am

Yours in the service of the truth,
DANIEL F. BOISSEVAIN,—Canada.

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DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—I have not written to you for a long time, but it is not because I have forgotten you, nor because you are long absent from my thoughts. I am still rejoicing in the light of truth, and, I trust, still pressing along the narrow way, altho, I fear, in but a halting fashion. If it were not for the positive information in God’s Word that not many noble are being called, but rather the base things, to be joint-heirs with Christ, and that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ, I (in common with many others, I presume) should be inclined to despair when I consider what little progress I have made in seven years’ time, since I was first led out of sectarian darkness.

The principal article in the last TOWER was especially good: you hit the nail when you said that many Christians had seen nothing more in the Golden Rule than the negative injunction to refrain from injuring another; for I had not noticed anything more in it, until you called our attention to it at the Philadelphia Convention.

The manifestation of a good spirit still characterizes all the meetings in Philadelphia, and the light of truth is spreading most decidedly among others in this city and vicinity. Sr. Walker and the children join in love and best wishes for your physical and spiritual welfare.

Yours in Christ,
SMITH WALKER,—Pennsylvania.

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DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—I take the first opportunity to personally thank you for your attendance at the Saratoga Convention. I realize that to be present cost you some sacrifice and inconvenience, perhaps, but if you could have heard the expressions of satisfaction at its close, and the expressions of regret that it was so soon over, I know that you would have felt well repaid. But, dear Brother Russell, your reward is in the hands of him who is the “rewarder of all those that diligently seek him,” and our thanks are feeble indeed when compared with the satisfaction which he gives in this life, and the hope which he sets before us to be given us in the life to come. All the brethren expressed themselves in these words, “‘A feast of fat things’ if ever there was such a feast,” and I found it in my own heart to echo the same words. I was very sorry to miss the sessions during the day on Tuesday, but it could not be avoided. However, it seemed that my cup of satisfaction was full.

It seems, as one brother expressed it, that every Convention is a little better than the preceding one, and that this must be true is indicated by the fact that we are in the end of the days, and the end draws on apace. How good our Master is to so freely disclose to us things which are intended for our consolation and hope and purification.

As we comprehend more and more of the plan of the ages and of the love of God, which he manifested in his Son, we exclaim, “Who is a God like unto thee; great and marvelous are thy works!” And as we come to comprehend also that the plan and the love, both, include even us, we feel constrained to adore such a God, and to spend our lives in his service. Remember me, as I remember all saints, before the throne of grace.

Yours in his service,
R. H. BARBER,—New York.

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—Just a word to tell you that all our plans are turned over,—no doubt with the Lord’s permission. I cannot go to Giengen: just today I received a letter from Sister Finkh, in which she informs me that the fact of renting a dwelling for me has aroused such an excitement and hostility amongst church people there that the people who rented me the rooms are so afraid as to annul it. Two ministers came three or four times to the woman, and finally told her that she would bring a curse upon herself, if she would take me in her house; they would write to the church authorities, and went to the police, etc. Sr. Finkh was attacked in the street by a woman, who cried aloud after her ugly words, and the ministers themselves used such expressions in speaking of me as would be punished here, if spoken publicly. Sr. Finkh and the other three seem to be most earnest, and will follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, even unto death. There is already such hatred as to kill the Lord’s true people, if they were permitted at all.

I do not know, at this moment where to go, but trust the Lord will show me soon, as I wish with all my heart to follow his leading only. Pray for me, dear brother, and for the dear sisters at Giengen.

Yours in our glorious hope,
M. E. GIESEKE,—Germany.

[It is remarkable what an antagonism the truth awakens among the preachers and church officials of Babylon. We hear much of Christian union and liberality and fraternization of Catholics and Protestants, but such things apply to and among those who preach “bad tidings,” and is not considered applicable to us who proclaim the “good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.” Strange, is it not? And yet how it reminds us of the bitterness of the hatred of the church officials of Jewry at the first advent. As our Lord declared, they “hated the light,” and the greater the light the more was their hatred, until they attempted to extinguish the Light by killing him. The hatred above described indicates the spirit of murder (1 John 3:15): will it ever lead to literal murder?—How soon?—EDITOR.]

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— October 1, 1900 —