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SOME INTERESTING LETTERS

COLPORTEURING HELPED BY DRAMA

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Master, the Chief Reaper. We are glad that the privilege is still ours of sharing in the Colporteur service, and we have thought to write you a few lines concerning the work here in C__________, as it is our first experience in canvassing where the PHOTO-DRAMA OF CREATION has been shown.

We are pleased to note what a wonderful impression for good the pictures have left in this city, and we feel assured that this witness to the world is also being used to gather in many who give evidence of being jewels of the Lord’s own choosing. We know of quite a number of earnest Bible students who are now associated with the Class here as a result of the Photo-Drama work.

All classes of Christians are being aroused through the pictures. We have sold the STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES to some Catholic people when they learned that the books are from the Bible Society which shows the PHOTO-DRAMA OF CREATION.

It seems truly wonderful when we consider what is being accomplished now, in these closing days of the Harvest! The Truth is permeating every nook and corner, accomplishing the great work for which it is sent, being a “savor of life unto life” to one class and “a savor of death unto death” to another.

We are reminded of the words of the Revelator, “Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints!” As we go from door to door, meeting with various experiences, we can say with the Apostle Paul, “Thanks be unto God, who causeth us always to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place.”

Pray for us that by the Lord’s grace we may be living epistles, as we seek to work out our salvation from day to day, and to spread the light to the best of our ability. That the Lord may continue to bless you, dear Brother, and cause His face to shine upon you, even unto the end of the earthly journey, and then crown you with life more abundant, is our earnest prayer. Warmest Christian love to you and the Bethel family, in which my companions join.

Your sister in the Lord, EMMA L. BRICKER.

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A BAPTIST AND PRESENT TRUTH

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—

Thinking that my experience in coming into the Truth might be of interest to you, I am sending to you the following:

In 1886 my father saw your advertisement in the Christian Herald, that Volume I, MILLENNIAL DAWN, was in preparation. As soon as he saw the announcement that it was ready, he sent his $1 and got its teachings, accepting it as rapidly as he saw that it harmonized the Scriptures.

At that time I had joined the Baptist church. After making sure that the book contained nothing but the Truth, my father endeavored to give the same Truth to me. He spoke to me about the unscripturalness of the doctrine of Eternal Torment, the immediate going to Heaven or Hell at death and the doctrine of the natural immortality of man. I was fearful of doctrines which were so different from my Baptist belief; but as he quoted Scriptures, I did not feel that I should oppose them. It seemed to me that there were other Scriptures which taught the opposite; and I felt sure that he must be mistaken, though I did not say so. I quietly determined to read the Bible through, noting all the passages I could which bore on these subjects, so that I would be sure of what the teaching of the whole Scripture is. I felt sure that if I prayed to the Lord for guidance that I might know the Truth, He would not let me go astray. I realized that there was no use in quoting a text here and there. When I spoke to my father, I would give him quotations from every portion of the Bible, and thus show him that the general teachings of the Bible were opposed to his newly found ideas.

Reading during my spare time, it took me six months to read the Bible, marking down the texts I noticed. At the end I had some 725 Scriptures cited:

(a) The first column contained texts which seemed very clearly to teach the old doctrine of Eternal Torment, the immediate reward after death, and the immortality of the soul. This collection contained about twenty-five texts.

(b) The second column contained texts which clearly supported my father’s side. In this column I had about one hundred and twenty-five texts. This somewhat disturbed me.

(c) The third column contained texts which did not exactly favor my belief, but which, while they seemed to favor my father’s side, I did not feel like conceding to him until I had further examined them.

I then went over these texts and found that those in column two all remained in that column; and the texts in column three also went into column two. With this new fund of Bible knowledge, I went over column one, and found that over one half of my texts had to go into column two also, leaving me only about twelve or fifteen Scriptures, nearly all of which were in figurative language. I then saw clearly that the doctrines I had been taught from the creeds are wrong; and I at once accepted the Truth. In the last twenty-six years, through the Lord’s grace, I have never had occasion to doubt the truth on these matters.

While I was reading the Scriptures, my father frequently tried to persuade me to read THE WATCH TOWER publications; but I felt that I was seeking in the right place for Truth, and that if I were to read something of which I was already fearful, I might be taking my case out of the Lord’s hands, and thus go into darkness. He grieved considerably that I would not talk with him or read anything he offered to me. I did not tell him that I was studying the matter all the time. He was greatly surprised when six months later, I showed him the results of my study.

I now see how much labor and time I might have saved had I gone prayerfully at once to THE DIVINE PLAN OF THE AGES. That book today seems more wonderful and satisfying and Scriptural than when I first read it. It has proven itself more impregnable to assaults from all parties than Gibraltar. I praise the Lord for the whole series of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, and have never heard any Bible expositions worthy of comparison with them. With much Christian love,

Your Brother in Christ, A. I. RITCHIE.

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THE WONDERFUL SONG

DEAR PASTOR RUSSELL:—

For a long time I have had it in my heart to write and thank you for the part your work has played in bringing me to the Throne of Heavenly Grace. It is because we love those whom the blessed Lord uses as His chosen ones to carry the Message of Love to us, that I desire that you share the song in my heart all along the way. What a wonderful song it is! It carries us beyond the trivial cares of this evil world and seats us in Heavenly places with our Lord Jesus.

Dear Pastor, it is impossible for me to tell you just how thankful I am for the Light which the STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES have shed on the blessed pages of the inspired Word of God; but if through these lines you can catch some of the joy I feel, it will cause you to say, “Praise the Lord!”

I wish to say also that I have taken the Vow. I realize that we who are striving to enter in with Jesus now, to be members of His Body, the Lamb’s Bride, cannot show to Him or to others that we are in too deep earnest about the matter.

I must also take this opportunity to say a word about our class here. How we see the spirit of love developing in the members! We see the great transforming work of the Holy Spirit going on, and especially of late—the Love of God showing in the faces. This cannot be hid any more than a rose can hide its own beauty when it opens to the sun. “We love Him because He first loved us.” We meet Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday evenings and Sunday afternoons. The Truth grows dearer every day.

We ask an interest in your prayers, that we may stand true to our Lord unto death. We remember you in our prayers. May God bless you!

Yours in the Redeemer, WM. BOUTILIER.—MONTREAL.

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— July 15, 1914 —