Publication date
7/15/06
Volume
27
Number
14
The WatchTower
"Truth is Stranger Than Fiction"
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1906/14/1906-14-1.html
 
 
 
(2°7-21 
I) 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA. 
holy 
Spirit 
is 
the 
spirit 
of 
meekness, 
gentleness, 
patience, 
long-'suffering, 
brotherly 
kindness, 
love, 
we 
may 
well 
ask 
ourselves 
how 
else 
could 
the 
Lord 
work 
out 
for 
us 
these 
elements 
of 
character 
which 
we 
desire 
did 
he 
not 
permit 
to 
come 
upon 
us 
the 
trials 
and 
difficulties 
of 
life 
necessary 
to 
their 
development. 
We 
know 
not 
the 
author 
of 
the 
following, 
but 
consider 
it 
worthy 
of 
reproducticn 
as 
an 
illustration 
of 
earthly 
kind­ 
ness 
and 
a 
reminder 
of 
the 
gracious 
me,Ssage 
from 
Je­ 
hovah:- 
"LIKE 
AS 
A 
FATHER 
PITIETH 
ms 
CHILDREN, 
SO 
THE 
LORD 
PITIETH 
THEM 
THAT 
REVERENCE 
mM."-PSA. 
103:13 
The 
life 
of 
a 
beautiful 
girl 
was 
nearing 
its 
close. 
The 
busy 
father, 
active 
in 
legal 
and 
political 
life, 
made 
short 
visits 
to 
his 
office 
to 
perform 
the 
most 
necessary 
duties, 
and 
hurrieJ 
home 
again 
day 
by 
day 
to 
be 
near 
her 
in 
her 
last 
days. 
He 
spent 
every 
po,Ssible 
moment 
in 
granting 
her 
every 
wish, 
and 
It 
was 
a 
comfort 
to 
him 
that 
his 
daughter 
was 
finding 
in 
her 
religion 
a 
source 
of 
strength 
that 
robbed 
approaching 
Jeath 
of 
its 
terror. 
He 
was 
an 
upright 
man, 
but 
one 
f10m 
whose 
busy 
life 
religion 
had 
been 
cl'owJed 
out. 
One 
day 
as 
he 
sat 
by 
the 
bedside, 
his 
daughter 
asked 
him 
to 
read 
to 
her. 
He 
found 
a 
magazine, 
and 
read 
,Some 
bright 
bits 
of 
poetry 
and 
fiction. 
It 
pleased 
her, 
but 
she 
wanted 
something 
else. 
I 
I 
Father," 
she 
askeJ, 
I 
I 
will 
you 
get 
my 
Bible 
and 
read 
from 
thaU" 
I 
I 
Certainly, 
my 
dear," 
he 
answered, 
and 
was 
rather 
glad 
than 
otherwise. 
He 
was 
a 
strong 
man 
with 
a 
clear 
voice 
and 
a 
good 
degree 
of 
self-control. 
He 
had 
mastered 
his 
own 
feelings 
in 
these 
days 
of 
patient 
anJ 
affectionate 
milli.stration, 
that 
he 
might 
bring 
to 
the 
sick-room 
every 
element 
of 
cheer 
that 
was 
possible. 
And 
now 
he 
began, 
calmly 
and 
quietly, 
to 
read 
the 
Sermon 
on 
the 
Mount. 
He 
knew 
where 
to 
find 
it, 
and 
he 
knew 
that 
it 
was 
good, 
and 
he 
read 
it 
with 
a 
growing 
appreciation 
of 
its 
beauty 
and 
sublimity. 
But 
the 
daughter 
grew 
more 
and 
more 
restless. 
"Don't 
you 
like 
it''' 
he 
asked. 
I 
I 
0, 
father," 
she 
exclaimed, 
I 
I 
it 
isn't 
that 
I 
want, 
about 
our 
righteousness 
exceeding 
that 
of 
the 
Scribes 
and 
Phari­ 
sees! 
Can't 
you 
find 
the 
place 
where 
it 
says, 
I 
Like 
as 
a 
father 
pitieth 
his 
children, 
so 
the 
Lord 
pitieth 
them 
that 
fear 
him" 
" 
His 
voice 
trembled 
a 
little, 
but 
he 
said, 
"I 
will 
find 
it," 
and 
he 
turned 
to 
the 
concordance 
in 
the 
back 
of 
the 
Bible. 
But 
when 
he 
found 
the 
place 
and 
began 
to 
read, 
I 
I 
Like 
as 
a 
father," 
he 
could 
bear 
no 
more. 
I 
I 
0, 
my 
child," 
he 
cried, 
I 
I 
if 
God 
cares 
for 
you 
as 
I 
do-" 
He 
bent 
over 
the 
bed 
and 
wept. 
"It 
is 
the 
verse 
we 
both 
need," 
she 
said 
softly, 
after 
a 
few 
minutes. 
And 
he 
knelt 
beside 
the 
bed, 
and 
said: 
I 
I 
Yes, 
my 
dear-that 
i.s 
the 
verse 
we 
both 
need." 
PILGRIM 
VISITS 
OF 
BRO. 
B. 
H. 
BARTON 
.N 
o~tingham.l-. 
Eng., 
July 
28, 
29; 
Atherstone, 
Eng., 
July 
30; 
Bummgham, 
~ng., 
July 
31; 
Oxford, 
Eng., 
Aug. 
1, 
2; 
Read­ 
ing, 
Eng 
.. 
Aug. 
3; 
Bristol. 
Eng., 
Aug. 
4-6; 
Tewkesbury, 
Eng., 
Aug. 
7; 
Cardiff, 
Eng., 
Aug. 
8; 
Bournemouth, 
Eng., 
Aug.!); 
London, 
Eng., 
Aug. 
11, 
12; 
Brighton, 
Eng., 
Aug. 
13; 
Seven­ 
oaks, 
Eng., 
Aug. 
14, 
15; 
Ilford, 
Eng., 
Aug. 
16; 
Southend, 
Eng., 
Aug. 
17; 
Forest 
Gate, 
Eng., 
Aug. 
18, 
19. 
VOL. 
XXVII 
ALLEGHENY, 
P 
A., 
JULY 
15, 
1906 
No. 
14 
May 
10, 
1906. 
My 
Beloved 
Brother 
Russell: 
My 
heart 
aches 
for 
you 
as 
I 
read 
your 
letter 
of 
May 
8th 
and 
note 
that 
you 
still 
love 
and 
cherish 
the 
memory 
of 
the 
one 
you 
have 
lost, 
in 
spite 
of 
all 
the 
suffering 
which 
her 
blind­ 
ness 
has 
brought 
upon 
you. 
May 
God 
bless 
and 
help 
you, 
deap 
brother. 
It 
ought 
to 
be 
a 
comfort 
to 
you 
at 
a 
time 
like 
this 
to 
know 
that 
there 
are 
probably 
not 
less 
than 
10,000 
of 
the 
Lord's 
saints 
who 
daily 
make 
mention 
of 
you 
in 
their 
prayers 
at 
the 
throne 
of 
grace. 
I 
have 
not 
failed 
to 
do 
this 
daily 
for 
the 
last 
11 
years, 
and 
how 
much 
more 
just 
now 
when 
you 
ure 
passing 
through 
such 
deep 
waters. 
I 
doubt 
if 
in 
the 
entire 
history 
of 
Christ's 
church 
there 
has 
ever 
been 
anyone 
person 
who 
has 
continually 
had 
so 
many 
saints 
to 
remember 
Mm 
daily 
in 
prayer 
as 
yourself. 
In 
humility 
of 
heart, 
and 
realizing 
keenly 
my 
own 
little­ 
ness 
and 
unworthiness, 
I 
now 
suggest 
to 
you 
what 
it 
seems 
to 
me 
to 
be 
the 
Lord's 
will 
that 
you 
ought 
to 
do 
regarding 
this 
matter, 
and 
will 
first 
point 
to 
the 
Word 
of 
God 
to 
sustain 
the 
opinion 
I 
shall 
express. 
God 
rebuked 
Miriam, 
that 
there 
might 
be 
no 
question 
in 
the 
mind 
of 
fleshly 
Israel 
regarding 
the 
one 
at 
fault; 
God 
reprovetl 
Job's 
friends 
that 
they 
and 
others 
might 
know 
whom 
Goll 
approved; 
our 
Father 
has 
explained 
particularly 
the 
circum- 
"TRUTH 
IS 
STRANGER 
THAN 
FICTION" 
A 
CONFIDENTIAL 
EXPLANATION 
BY 
THE 
EDITOR 
OF 
HIS 
PECULIAR 
TRIALS-THE 
WIDE 
SPREADING 
OF 
UNTRUTH 
MAKES 
NECESSARY 
THIS 
STATEMENT 
OF 
THE 
TRU'fH 
It 
is 
requested 
that 
this 
issue 
be 
not 
loaned 
or 
otherwise 
publicly 
circulated. 
"LET 
NOT 
YOUR 
GOOD 
BE 
EVIL 
SPOKEN 
OF" 
in 
contact 
with 
the 
slanderous 
reports 
who 
may, 
just 
as 
well 
as 
Dear 
Friends 
:-As 
your 
letters 
indicate, 
you 
have 
rightly 
not, 
remain 
in 
ignorance 
of 
the 
whole 
matter. 
It 
has 
been 
judged 
that 
I 
have 
recently 
passed 
through 
the 
most 
trying 
my 
effort 
to 
hide 
my 
troubles; 
but 
now 
this 
much 
seems 
due 
experience 
of 
my 
checkered 
career 
as 
a 
servant 
of 
the 
Lord. 
to 
my 
friends. 
For 
these 
reasons 
it 
has 
seemed 
to 
be 
the 
And 
I 
may 
add 
that 
one 
of 
the 
chief 
features 
of 
my 
present 
Lord's 
guidance 
that 
a 
rehearsal 
of 
matters 
should 
appear 
in 
distress 
arises 
from 
my 
conviction 
that 
my 
tribulations 
are 
by 
this 
form 
intended 
only 
for 
friends, 
for 
private 
use 
amongst 
no 
means 
('onfinrd 
to 
myself, 
but 
pain 
and 
amict 
all 
the 
dear 
those 
whose 
minds 
have 
been 
so 
poisoned 
as 
to 
nccd 
these 
I 
I 
household 
of 
faith" 
walking 
in 
the 
narrow 
way 
and 
in 
the 
details 
as 
an 
antidote. 
Moreover, 
instead 
of 
giving 
full 
de- 
light 
of 
I 
I 
present 
truth." 
I 
am 
grieved, 
indeed, 
that 
those 
tails 
I 
am 
herein 
confining 
myself 
to 
those 
features 
of 
this 
for 
whom 
I 
have 
pleasure 
in 
laying 
down 
my 
life 
daily 
should 
trouble 
seemingly 
necessary 
to 
a 
reasonable 
comprehension 
of 
be 
caused 
any 
measure 
of 
pain, 
hardship 
or 
other 
bitter 
ex- 
the 
facts. 
Be 
assured 
that 
every 
word 
has 
been 
carefully 
and 
perience 
on 
my 
account. 
And 
yet 
I 
know 
that 
fiery 
trials 
prayerfully 
weighed, 
to 
the 
intent 
that 
so 
far 
as 
possible 
not 
must 
necessarily 
come 
to 
us 
all, 
to 
prove 
us, 
to 
test 
us, 
to 
refine 
a 
word 
shall 
be 
uttered 
in 
criticism 
of 
my 
wife 
that 
does 
not 
us, 
to 
make 
us 
ready 
for 
the 
glorious 
things 
to 
which 
we 
have 
appear 
to 
me 
to 
be 
absolutely 
necessary 
to 
even 
a 
brief 
out- 
been 
called 
of 
the 
Lord. 
line 
of 
the 
difficulty. 
Further, 
I 
have 
endeavored 
to 
use 
only 
I 
may 
further 
add 
that 
one 
of 
the 
chief 
consolations 
of 
kindly 
and 
moderate 
language. 
my 
time 
of 
sorrow 
has 
bren 
your 
letters 
assuring 
me 
of 
your 
THE 
NECESSITY 
FOR 
TmS 
ISSUE 
sympnthy, 
confidence 
and 
love. 
I 
was 
pleasantly 
astonished 
to 
It 
was 
the 
receipt 
of 
the 
following 
(two) 
letters 
that 
de- 
find 
that 
mnny 
of 
these 
letters 
were 
written 
by 
friendS 
who 
cided 
the 
Editor 
that 
it 
is 
his 
duty 
to 
the 
cause 
of 
the 
Lord 
only 
recently 
came 
into 
the 
knowledge 
of 
the 
harvest 
message. 
to 
make 
the 
statements 
of 
this 
Special 
Issue: 
I 
felt 
confident 
from 
the 
first 
that 
the 
well-established 
ones, 
who 
had 
learned 
from 
pnst 
experiences 
to 
endure 
hardness 
as 
good 
soldiers, 
would 
falter 
not 
in 
the 
presence 
of 
this 
attack, 
but 
I 
did 
greatly 
fenr 
for 
the 
new 
recruits 
among 
the 
soldiers 
of 
the 
Cross, 
those 
who 
knew 
nothing 
of 
my 
past 
trials 
and 
difficulties 
from 
fnlse 
brethren 
and 
who 
had 
less 
opportunity 
for 
personal 
acquaintance. 
It 
appears 
to 
be 
my 
duty 
toward 
the 
truth 
to 
give 
as 
briefly 
as 
possible 
an 
outline 
of 
the 
facts 
of 
the 
case 
leading 
up 
to 
the 
present 
denouement. 
Gladly 
would 
I 
have 
kept 
silence 
before 
the 
church 
as 
I 
have 
opened 
not 
my 
mouth 
to 
the 
world; 
but 
I 
find 
my 
personal 
nffairs 
so 
closely 
linked 
with 
the" 
harvest 
work," 
that 
it 
brcomes 
duty 
to 
let 
all 
the 
members 
of 
the 
body 
of 
Christ 
wit~ 
whom 
I 
am 
so 
closely 
riveted 
know 
something 
of 
the 
facts, 
for 
their 
relief 
and 
comfort 
and 
strengthening;­ 
"that 
the 
ministry 
[of 
the 
good 
tidings 
of 
great 
joy] 
be 
not 
blamed. 
" 
This 
seems 
to 
be 
in 
accord 
with 
the 
Apostle's 
in­ 
junction, 
" 
Let 
not 
your 
good 
be 
evil 
spoken 
of": 
Let 
the 
search-light 
of 
truth 
disclose 
the 
fact 
that 
the 
Lord's 
people 
seek 
in 
everything 
to 
practise 
what 
they 
teach 
I 
In 
a 
very 
special 
sense 
WATCH 
TOWER 
subscribers 
look 
to 
its 
Editor 
as 
their 
Pastor; 
hence 
the 
propriety 
of 
making 
known 
to 
them 
everything 
necessary 
to 
their 
peace. 
There 
are 
some 
irregular 
readers 
who 
may 
not 
have 
come 
[3808] 
(207-211) holy Spirit is the spirit of meekness, gentleness, patience, long-suffering, brotherly kindness, love, we may well ask ourselves how else could the Lord work out for us these elements of character which we desire did he not permit to come upon us the trials and difficulties of life necessary to their development. We know not the author of the following, but consider it worthy of reproducticn as an illustration of earthly kindness and a reminder of the gracious message from Jehovah:— ‘‘LIKE AS A FATHER PITIETH HIS CHILDREN, SO THE LORD PITIETH THEM THAT REVERENCE HIM.’’—PSA. 103:13 The life of a beautiful girl was nearing its close. The busy father, active in legal and political life, made short visits to his office to perform the most necessary duties, and hurried home again day by day to be near her in her last days. He spent every possible moment in granting her every wish, and it was a comfort to him that his daughter was finding in her religion a source of strength that robbed approaching death of its terror. He was an upright man, but one fiom whose busy life religion had been crowded out. One day as he sat by the bedside, his daughter asked him to read to her. He found a magazine, and read some bright bits of poetry and fiction. It pleased her, but she wanted something else. ‘‘Pather,’’ she asked, ‘‘will you get my Bible and read from that?’’ ‘Certainly, my dear,’’ he answered, and was rather glad than otherwise. He was a strong man with a clear voice and a good degree of self-control. He had mastered his own feelings in these days of patient and affectionate ministration, that ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, Pa. he might bring to the sick-room every element of cheer that was possible. And now he began, calmly and quietly, to read the Sermon on the Mount. He knew where to find it, and he knew that it was good, and he read it with a growing appreciation of its beauty and sublimity. But the daughter grew more and more restless. ‘*Don’t you like it?’’ he asked. ‘*O, father,’’ she exclaimed, ‘‘it isn’t that I want, about our righteousness exceeding that of the Seribes and Pharisees! Can’t you find the place where it says, ‘Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him?’ ’’ His voice trembled a little, but he said, ‘‘I will find it,’’ and he turned to the concordance in the back of the Bible. But when he found the place and began to read, ‘‘Like as a father,’’ he could bear no more. “*O, my child,’’ he cried, ‘‘if God cares for you as I do—’?’ He bent over the bed and wept. ‘It is the verse we both need,’’ she said softly, after a few minutes. And he knelt beside the bed, and said: ‘Yes, my dear—that is the verse we both need.’’ PILGRIM VISITS OF BRO. B. H. BARTON Nottingham, Eng., July 28, 29; Atherstone, Eng., July 30; Birmingham, Eng., July 31; Oxford, Eng., Aug. 1, 2; Reading, Eng.. Aug. 3; Bristol. Eng., Aug. 4-6; Tewkesbury, Eng., Aug. 7; Cardiff, Eng., Aug. 8; Bournemouth, Eng., Aug. 9; London, Eng., Aug. 11, 12; Brighton, Eng., Aug. 13; Sevenoaks, Eng., Aug. 14, 15; Ilford, Eng., Aug. 16; Southend, Eng., Aug. 17; Forest Gate, Eng., Aug. 18, 19. Vou. XXVIT ALLEGHENY, PA., JULY 15, 1906 No. 14 “TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION” A CONFIDENTIAL EXPLANATION BY THE EDITOR OF HIS PECULIAR TRIALS—THE WIDE SPREADING OF UNTRUTH MAKES NECESSARY THIS STATEMENT OF THE TRUTH It is requested that this issue be not loaned or otherwise publicly circulated. “LET NOT YOUR GOOD BE EVIL SPOKEN OF’’ Dear Friends:—As your letters indicate, you have rightly judged that I have recently passed through the most trying experience of my checkered career as a servant of the Lord. And I may add that one of the chief features of my present distress arises from my conviction that my tribulations are by no means confined to myself, but pain and afflict all the dear ‘‘household of faith’’ walking in the narrow way and in the light of ‘‘present truth.’’ I am grieved, indeed, that those for whom I have pleasure in laying down my life daily should be caused any measure of pain, hardship or other bitter experience on my account. And yet I know that fiery trials must necessarily come to us all, to prove us, to test us, to refine us, to make us ready for the glorious things to which we have been called of the Lord. I may further add that one of the chief consolations of my time of sorrow has been your letters assuring me of your sympathy, confidence and love. I was pleasantly astonished to find that many of these letters were written by friends who only recently came into the knowledge of the harvest message. I felt confident from the first that the well-established ones, who had learned from past experiences to endure hardness as good soldiers, would falter not in the presence of this attack, but I did greatly fear for the new recruits among the soldiers of the Cross, those who knew nothing of my past trials and difficulties from false brethren and who had less opportunity for personal acquaintance. It appears to be my duty toward the truth to give as briefly as possible an outline of the facts of the case leading up to the present denouement. Gladly would I have kept silence before the church as I have opened not my mouth to the world; but I find my personal affairs so closely linked with the ‘‘harvest work,’’ that it becomes duty to let all the members of the body of Christ with whom I am so closely riveted know something of the facts, for their relief and comfort and strengthening; — ‘‘that the ministry [of the good tidings of great joy] be not blamed.’’ This seems to be in accord with the Apostle’s injunction, ‘‘Let not your good be evil spoken of’’: Let the search-light of truth disclose the fact that the Lord’s people seek in everything to practise what they teach! In a very special sense WarcH Tower subscribers look to its Editor as their Pastor; hence the propriety of making known to them everything necessary to their peace. There are some irregular readers who may not have come in contact with the slanderous reports who may, just as well as not, remain in ignorance of the whole matter. It has been my effort to hide my troubles; but now this much seems due to my friends. For these reasons it has seemed to be the Lord’s guidance that a rehearsal of matters should appear in this form intended only for friends, for private use amongst those whose minds have been so poisoned as to need these details as an antidote. Moreover, instead of giving full details I am herein confining myself to those features of this trouble seemingly necessary to a reasonable comprehension of the facts. Be assured that every word has been carefully and prayerfully weighed, to the intent that so far as possible not a word shall be uttered in criticism of my wife that does not appear to me to be absolutely necessary to even a brief outline of the difficulty. Further, I have endeavored to use only kindly and moderate language. THE NECESSITY FOR THIS ISSUE It was the receipt of the following (two) letters that decided the Editor that it is his duty to the cause of the Lord to make the statements of this Special Issue: May 10, 1906. My Beloved Brother Russell: My heart aches for you as I read your letter of May 8th and note that you still love and cherish the memory of the one you have lost, in spite of all the suffering which her blindness has brought upon you. May God bless and help you, dear brother. It ought to be a comfort to you at a time like this to know that there are probably not less than 10,000 of the Lord’s saints who daily make mention of you in their prayers at the throne of grace. I have not failed to do this daily for the last 11 years, and how much more just now when you are passing through such deep waters. I doubt if in the entire history of Christ’s church there has ever been any one person who has continually had so many saints to remember him daily in prayer as yourself. In humility of heart, and realizing keenly my own littleness and unworthiness, I now suggest to you what it seems to me to be the Lord’s will that you ought to do regarding this matter, and will first point to the Word of God to sustain the opinion I shall express. God rebuked Miriam, that there might be no question in the mind of fleshly Israel regarding the one at fault; God reproved Job’s friends that they and others might know whom God approved; our Father has explained particularly the eircum [3808]

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