Publication date
3/1/09
Volume
30
Number
5
The WatchTower
The Opening at Brooklyn
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1909/5/1909-5-1.html
 
 
(63-68) 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA. 
(8) 
If 
both 
the 
seeds 
are 
brought 
forth 
under 
the 
Sarah 
Covenant 
then 
how 
about 
Gal. 
3: 
16, 
where 
it 
speaks 
of 
THE 
seed 
which 
is 
Christ? 
The 
Christ 
is 
the 
Seed, 
but 
the 
"promise" 
is 
"Sure 
to 
both."-Rom. 
4: 
16. 
(8) 
Are 
those 
now 
called 
to 
membership 
in 
The 
Christ 
justified 
by 
the 
sacrifice 
of 
the 
man 
Christ 
Jesus? 
Most 
assuredly, 
"By 
faith 
in 
his 
blood." 
Faith 
in 
the 
Npw 
Covenant 
justifies 
nobody. 
Those 
blessed 
under 
the 
New 
Covenant 
will 
be 
justIfied 
by 
works.-Rev. 
20: 
13. 
VOL. 
XXX 
ALLEG 
HENY, 
P 
A., 
MARCH 
1, 
1909 
THE 
OPENING 
AT 
BROOKLYN 
No.5 
The 
friends 
at 
places 
where 
one-day 
conventions 
are 
held 
are 
pleased 
if 
they 
be 
reported 
in 
the 
WATCH 
TOWER, 
and 
we 
would 
be 
pleased 
to 
report 
them 
were 
it 
not 
that 
there 
is 
always 
such 
a 
sameness 
unavoidably 
connected 
with 
them. 
Almost 
without 
exception 
it 
could 
be 
said 
that 
the 
dear 
friends 
put 
forth 
strenuous 
efforts 
to 
bring 
the 
public 
service 
to 
the 
atten­ 
tion 
of 
the 
people, 
and 
that 
they 
succeed 
admirably, 
and 
that 
large 
and 
intelligent 
audiences 
are 
secured, 
and 
in 
many 
cases 
larere 
numbers 
are 
unable 
to 
gain 
admittance. 
This 
sameness 
of 
the 
reports 
and 
our 
limited 
space 
alone 
hinder 
these 
reports. 
Nevertheless, 
if 
assured 
by 
many 
that 
they 
are 
appreciated 
and 
desired, 
we 
would 
take 
up 
the 
matter 
afresh. 
The 
opening 
of 
the 
Brooklyn 
Tabemacle 
on 
January 
31st 
and 
the 
subsequent 
work 
in 
that 
city, 
we 
are 
assured, 
would 
be 
of 
deep 
interest 
to 
the 
friends 
in 
general, 
and 
hence 
the 
present 
report. 
The 
opening 
day, 
appointed 
a 
month 
in 
advance, 
found 
us 
none 
too 
well 
prepared. 
Our 
stationary 
chairs 
had 
not 
yet 
been 
placed 
and 
many 
of 
the 
finishing 
touches 
were 
lacking. 
How- 
ever, 
we 
had 
a 
very 
enjoyable 
day. 
. 
The 
auditorium 
is 
on 
the 
second 
floor 
and 
has 
a 
seatmg 
capacity 
of 
over 
800, 
but 
is 
~onveniently 
arranged 
s~ 
that 
the 
curtains 
can 
he 
drawn. 
shuttmg 
off 
more 
than 
one-third 
of 
the 
seats. 
The 
Tabernacle 
is 
well 
lighted 
from 
the 
roof, 
and 
the 
side-walls 
are 
embellished 
with 
some 
of 
the 
gracious 
promises 
of 
our 
Father's 
Word 
in 
artistic 
workmanship 
and 
soft 
colors. 
The 
prevalent 
color 
of 
the 
walls, 
floor, 
etc., 
is 
olive 
green. 
~he 
conditions 
altogether 
are 
very 
restful. 
and 
those 
who 
arr~ve 
before 
the 
meetings 
eommenee 
will 
find 
excellent 
food 
for 
qUiet 
meditation. 
The 
floor 
below 
this. 
the 
street 
floor. 
is 
being 
fitted 
up 
for 
our 
office 
purposes, 
and 
the 
basement 
floor 
for 
our 
stock 
and 
shipping 
dcpaetments. 
The 
total 
numb('r 
of 
the 
friends 
of 
the 
immediate 
vicinity, 
New 
York, 
Brooklyn, 
.Jersey 
City, 
Newark. 
etc., 
in 
attendance. 
numbercd 
about 
200; 
probably 
another 
}OO 
or 
more 
came 
from 
l'1urrounding 
townR. 
and 
27 
from 
as 
f~r 
away 
as 
"!i0ston; 
All 
seemed 
well 
pleased 
with 
the 
move 
whl~h 
the 
Lor~ 
s 
provIdence 
seemed 
to 
direct, 
and 
pleased, 
also, 
With 
the 
bUlldmg 
chosen 
and 
the 
repairs 
made. 
The 
clcven 
o'clock 
praise 
and 
testimony 
service 
wa~ 
par:t 
ic 
­ 
ipated 
in 
by 
about 
350, 
and 
was 
very 
enjoyable; 
the 
testImomals 
to 
the 
Lord's 
grace, 
and 
goodness, 
and 
care 
caused 
our 
hearts 
to 
overflow 
with 
gratitude. 
The 
afternoon 
meeting 
had 
been 
ad­ 
vertised 
to 
the 
public, 
and 
the 
attendance 
was 
very 
good. 
Cll.o~" 
attention 
was 
O'iven 
and 
we 
have 
hoped 
that 
some 
interest 
was 
aroused. 
In 
the 
evening 
we 
had 
a 
question 
meeting, 
and 
the 
eharacter 
of 
the 
questions 
indicated 
intelligence 
and 
studious­ 
ness 
on 
the 
part 
of 
the 
dear 
friends. 
The 
following 
Sunday 
very 
ne~~ly 
tIle 
same 
programme 
,!a8 
('arried 
out. 
but 
with 
less 
advertIsmg. 
The 
aft('rnoon 
meetmg 
was 
not 
so 
large. 
The 
friends 
of 
the 
New 
Y<?rk 
City 
congreg!-­ 
tion, 
those 
of 
Brooklyn 
and 
those 
of 
Jersey 
City. 
all 
voted 
th~Ir 
unanimous 
d('sire 
to 
be 
parts 
of 
the 
Ec('legia 
whose 
home 
wIll 
he 
at 
the 
"Brooklyn 
Tabernacle." 
and 
unanimously 
elected 
Brother 
C. 
T. 
RURRPll 
Pastor 
of 
the 
game. 
The 
following 
Sunday. 
February 
14th, 
Brother 
Brenneisen 
I'1poke 
in 
the 
afternoon. 
and 
in 
the 
evening 
conducted 
a 
Berean 
Bible 
study. 
The 
attendance 
wag 
all 
that 
couM 
be 
expected. 
A 
special 
arranl!ement 
was 
made 
to 
meet 
the 
public 
on 
Feb­ 
ruarv 
21st. 
The 
Brooklvn 
Academy 
of 
l\hlRic 
wall 
secured 
for 
the 
aft('rnoon. 
and 
the 
frlpndg 
of 
Greater 
New 
York 
and 
vicinity 
certainly 
did 
manifest 
great 
zeal 
in 
the 
Ldvertising- 
of 
the 
meet· 
ing. 
The 
dear 
friends 
got 
out 
1fiO.000 
copies 
of 
the 
first 
num­ 
ber 
of 
the 
new 
paper. 
"People'g 
Pulpit," 
on 
the 
back 
of 
whieh 
waR 
an 
advertisement 
of 
the 
Aeademy 
meeting. 
Window 
cards 
were 
used 
al'lo. 
and 
posterg. 
so 
that 
the 
meeting 
became 
widely 
advertised. 
The 
result 
was 
better 
than 
anv 
of 
llR 
had 
dared 
to 
anticipate. 
The 
houRe 
waR 
crowded, 
seating 
2200; 
approxi­ 
mately 
400 
stood, 
and 
it 
is 
estimated 
that 
more 
than 
2500 
peo­ 
ple 
were 
tnrned 
away, 
unable 
to 
gain 
admission. 
To 
thig 
over­ 
flow, 
however. 
the 
ughers 
distributed 
a 
special 
nnmber 
of 
the 
WATCH 
Towrn 
so 
that 
we 
may 
hope 
that 
even 
they 
reeeived 
gome 
blessing. 
The 
large 
audience 
gave 
close 
attention 
for 
nearly 
two 
hours. 
and 
took 
the 
literature 
at 
the 
door 
with 
con­ 
siderable 
manjfeRtation 
of 
interest. 
How 
many 
grains 
of 
"wheat" 
were 
there 
and 
how 
many 
of 
these 
were 
favorable 
to 
influence, 
the 
Lord 
only 
knows, 
but 
we 
were 
pleased 
at 
the 
favorable 
hearing 
and 
the 
interest 
manifested 
upon 
the 
faces 
of 
the 
audience, 
which 
was 
a 
very 
intelligent 
one. 
At 
the 
close 
of 
the 
session, 
Brother 
Rutherford 
was 
an­ 
nounced 
to 
speak 
at 
"Brooklyn 
Tabernacle" 
on 
the 
following 
Sunday 
afternoon 
on 
the 
"Divine 
Plan 
of 
the 
Ages" 
from 
a 
Law­ 
yer's 
standpoint. 
A 
large 
house 
of 
earnest 
hearers 
greeted 
him. 
Incidentally, 
we 
might 
mention 
another 
one-day 
convention 
recently 
held 
in 
Cleveland, 
a 
public 
service 
which 
was 
very 
re­ 
markable, 
in 
respect 
to 
the 
congregation 
and 
the 
interest 
shown. 
The 
Cleveland 
friends, 
very 
full 
of 
zeal, 
engaged 
their 
largest 
anditorium, 
"The 
Hippodrome," 
which 
is 
one 
of 
the 
largest 
in 
the 
country, 
with 
a 
seatinO' 
capacity 
of 
4600. 
How 
thoroughly 
and 
wisely 
the 
dear 
friends 
exercised 
themselves 
in 
the 
adver­ 
tising 
of 
that 
meeting 
may 
be 
judged 
from 
the 
fact 
that 
the 
house 
was 
full 
and 
many 
were 
standing, 
while 
about 
600 
were 
turned 
away 
by 
order 
of 
the 
Public 
Safety 
Department. 
These 
large 
attendances 
must 
not 
mIslead 
any 
of 
us 
into 
supposing 
that 
the 
truth 
is 
becoming 
popular. 
Our 
readers 
well 
know 
that 
such 
is 
not 
our 
expectation, 
although 
we 
are 
expecting 
that 
the 
next 
two 
years 
egpecially 
will 
see 
wonderful 
things 
accomplished 
in 
the 
spread 
of 
the 
truth. 
Of 
course, 
the 
majority 
attending 
these 
meetings 
come 
from 
curiosity, 
but 
when 
we 
remember 
that 
we 
not 
only 
do 
lIot 
have 
the 
assistance 
of 
our 
Christian 
friends 
of 
the 
various 
denominations, 
but 
in 
many 
instances 
have 
their 
open, 
and 
especially 
their 
secret, 
opposition, 
the 
lesson 
is 
that 
religious 
people 
are 
doing 
more 
thinking 
for 
themselves 
than 
ever 
before, 
and 
it 
is 
in 
this 
class 
that 
we 
may 
hope 
to 
flnd 
a 
considerable 
amount 
of 
"wheat," 
some 
for 
the 
"little 
flock" 
and 
more 
for 
the 
"great 
company." 
In 
this 
connection. 
we 
believe 
that 
it 
will 
be 
of 
interest 
to 
nearly 
all 
of 
our 
readerR 
that 
we 
mention 
some 
of 
the 
Lord's 
providences 
in 
connection 
with 
the 
locating 
of 
the 
Bible 
HouRe 
family 
in 
Brooklyn. 
The 
Tabernacle 
has 
no 
living 
apartments 
connected 
with 
it, 
and 
when 
we 
sought 
to 
rent 
a 
suitable 
build­ 
ing 
for 
the 
housing 
of 
our 
family 
of 
more 
than 
thirty, 
we 
found 
that 
we 
had 
a 
difficult 
problem. 
We 
almost 
needed 
a 
hotel. 
While 
the 
Tabernacle 
is 
not 
in 
an 
aristocratic 
neighborhood. 
the 
residence 
district 
near 
it 
is 
of 
a 
good 
class 
with 
fine, 
large 
t'esidences. 
Some 
of 
these 
are 
for 
sale, 
but 
none 
for 
rent. 
We 
thought 
of 
going 
a 
little 
distance 
and 
finding 
cheaper 
quarters, 
and 
then 
reftected 
that 
the 
car· 
fare 
to 
and 
from 
the 
office 
twice 
daily 
would 
amount 
to 
$1800 
a 
year, 
and 
besideR 
we 
would 
have 
inconvenience 
and 
loss 
of 
time. 
At 
an 
opportune 
time 
some 
friends 
of 
the 
truth 
proposed 
that 
we 
purchase 
such 
property 
as 
would 
suit 
our 
convenience, 
put 
it 
into 
repair, 
and 
that 
they 
would 
furnigh 
the 
money-we 
to 
hold 
the 
title 
and 
they 
to 
take 
a 
mortgage 
for 
the 
amount 
expended, 
on 
which 
they'asked 
but 
five 
per 
cent. 
interest, 
and 
intimated 
that 
some 
of 
the 
interest 
might 
find 
its 
way 
into 
the 
Tract 
Fund 
from 
time 
to 
time. 
This 
proposal 
seemed 
provi­ 
dential 
and 
was 
gladly 
accepted 
as 
the 
cheapest 
and 
best 
thing 
possible. 
We 
antiripate 
that 
the 
interest 
will 
not 
amount 
to 
more 
than 
two-thirds 
of 
the 
car-fare 
estimate, 
possibly 
less. 
Thus 
prepared, 
we 
made 
a 
frec;h 
examination 
of 
the 
district 
with 
a 
view 
to 
purchase, 
and 
finally 
made 
bids 
upon 
three 
prop­ 
erties 
rmitable 
to 
our 
uses 
with 
some 
alterations. 
We 
are 
gure 
that 
we 
will 
surprise 
you 
when 
we 
state 
that 
the 
one 
of 
the 
three 
which 
came 
to 
UR 
at 
a 
bar~in 
price 
is 
what 
is 
known 
aR 
"The 
Old 
Henry 
Ward 
Beecher 
Home." 
It 
certainly 
seemc; 
very 
remarkable 
that 
we 
should 
get 
the 
old 
Beecher 
Bethel 
and 
then 
by 
accident 
get 
his 
former 
residence. 
Considerable 
repairs 
are 
necessary. 
and 
are 
being 
made. 
but 
when 
completed 
our 
large 
family 
could 
Ilcar('ely 
be 
better 
fixed 
for 
the 
few 
remnining 
yt'ars 
of 
activity 
which 
we 
expect. 
The- 
new 
home 
we 
!'hall 
ra 
11 
"Bethel," 
and 
the 
new 
offire 
and 
auditorium, 
"The 
Brooklyn 
Tabernacle"; 
these 
names 
will 
supplant 
the 
term 
''Bible 
House." 
Some 
day 
we 
may 
have 
It 
convention 
in 
Brooklyn, 
when 
we 
shall 
have 
an 
opportunity 
of 
!n'eeting 
mAny 
of 
our 
dear 
readers 
at 
one 
or 
both 
of 
tlleRe 
new 
locations. 
We 
solicit 
your 
prayers 
on 
behalf 
of 
thE' 
work 
And 
the 
workers 
at 
these 
new 
estabtiRh· 
mE'nts, 
that 
with 
humility 
of 
heart 
and 
word 
and 
ronduc.t, 
our 
enlarged 
opportunities 
for 
service 
may 
result 
in 
the 
glory 
of 
God 
and 
in 
the 
blessing 
of 
otherR 
and 
onr 
own 
spiritual 
devel­ 
opment 
in 
the 
fruits 
and 
g-races 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit. 
[4342] 
(63-68) THE (8) If both the seeds are brought forth under the Sarah Covenant then how about Gal. 3:16, where it speaks of THE seed which is Christ? WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, Pa. (8) Are those now called to membership in The Christ justified by the sacrifice of the man Christ Jesus? . Most assuredly, “By faith in his blood.” Faith in the The Christ is the Seed, but the “promise” is “sure to New Covenant justifies nobody. Those blessed under the both.”——-Rom. 4:16. New Covenant will be justified by works—Rev. 20:13. VoL, XXX ALLEGHENY, PA., MARCH 1, 1909 No. 5 THE OPENING AT BROOKLYN The friends at places where one-day conventions are held are pleased if they be reported in the WaTcH Tower, and we would be pleased to report them were it not that there is always such a sameness unavoidably connected with them. Almost without exception it could be said that the dear friends put forth strenuous efforts to bring the public service to the attention of the people, and that they succeed admirably, and that large and intelligent audiences are secured, and in many cases large numbers are unable to gain admittance. This sameness of the reports and our limited space alone hinder these reports. Nevertheless, if assured by many that they are appreciated and desired, we would take up the matter afresh. The opening of the Brooklyn Tabernacle on January 31st and the subsequent work in that city, we are assured, would be of deep interest to the friends in general, and hence the present report, Pithe opening day, appointed a month in advance, found us none too well prepared, Our stationary chairs had not yet been placed and many of the finishing touches were lacking. However, we had a very enjoyable day. The auditorium is on the second floor and has a seating capacity of over 800, but is conveniently arranged so that the curtains can be drawn, shutting off more than one-third of the seats. The Tabernacle is well lighted from the roof, and the side-walls are embellished with some of the gracious promises of our Father’s Word in artistic workmanship and soft colors. The prevalent color of the walls, floor, etc., is olive green. The conditions altogether are very restful, and those who arrive before the meetings commence will find excellent food for quiet meditation. The floor below this, the street floor. is being fitted up for our office purposes, and the basement floor for our stock and shipping departments, oa The total number of the friends of the immediate vicinity, New York, Brooklyn, Jersey City, Newark, etc., in attendance, numbered about 200; probably another 100 or more came from surrounding towns. and 27 from as far away as Boston. All seemed well pleased with the move which the Lord’s providence seemed to direct, and pleased, also, with the building chosen and the repairs made. The eleven o’clock praise and testimony service was participated in by about 350, and was very enjoyable; the testimonials to the Lord’s grace, and goodness, and care caused our hearts to overflow with gratitude. The afternoon meeting had been advertised to the public, and the attendance was very good. Clouse attention was given and we have hoped that some interest was aroused. In the evening we had a question meeting, and the character of the questions indicated intelligence and studiousness on the part of the dear friends. The following Sunday very nearly the same programme was carried out, but with less advertising. The afternoon meeting was not so large. The friends of the New York City congregation, those of Brooklyn and those of Jersey City, all voted their unanimous desire to be parts of the Ecclesia whose home will he at the “Brooklyn Tabernacle,” and unanimously elected Brother C. T. Russell Pastor of the same. The following Sunday. February 14th, Brother Brenneisen spoke in the afternoon, and in the evening conducted a Berean Bible study. The attendance was all that could be expected. A special arrangement was made to meet the public on February 21st. The Brooklyn Academy of Music was secured for the afternoon, and the friends of Greater New York and vicinity certainly did manifest great zeal in the :.dvertising of the meeting. The dear friends got out 150,000 copies of the first number of the new paper, “Pcople’s Pulpit,” on the back of which was an advertisement of the Academy meeting. Window cards were used also, and posters, so that the meeting became widely advertised. The result was better than any of ns had dared to anticipate. The house was crowded, seating 2200; approximately 400 stood, and it is estimated that more than 2500 people were turned away, unable to gain admission. To this overflow, however, the ushers distributed a special number of the WatcH Towrr so that we may hope that even they received some blessing. The large audience gave close attention for nearly two hours, and took the literature at the door with considerable manifestation of interest. How many grains of “wheat”? were there and how many of these were favorable to influence, the Lord only knows, but we were pleased at the favorable hearing and the interest manifested upon the faces of the audience, which was a very intelligent one. At the close of the session, Brother Rutherford was announced to speak at “Brooklyn Tabernacle” on the following Sunday afternoon on the “Divine Plan of the Ages” from a Lawyer’s standpoint. A large house of earnest hearers greeted him. Incidentally, we might mention another one-day convention recently held in Cleveland, a public service which was very remarkable, in respect to the congregation and the interest shown. The Cleveland friends, very full of zeal, engaged their largest auditorium, “The Hippodrome,” which is one of the largest in the country, with a seating capacity of 4600. How thoroughly and wisely the dear friends exercised themselves in the advertising of that meeting may be judged from the fact that the house was full and many were standing, while about 600 were turned away by order of the Public Safety Department. These large attendances must not mislead any of us into supposing that the truth is becoming popular. Our readers well know that such is not our expectation, although we are expecting that the next two years especially will see wonderful things accomplished in the spread of the truth. Of course, the majority attending these meetings come from curiosity, but when we remember that we not only do not have the assistance of our Christian friends of the various denominations, but in many instances have their open, and especially their secret, opposition, the lesson is that religious people are doing more thinking for themselves than ever before, and it is in this class that we may hope to find a considerable amount of “wheat,” some for the “little flock” and more for the “great. company.” In this connection, we believe that it will be of interest to nearly all of our readers that we mention some of the Lord’s providences in connection with the locating of the Bible House family in Brooklyn. The Tabernacle has no living apartments connected with it, and when we sought to rent a suitable building for the housing of our family of more than thirty, we found that we had a difficult problem. We almost needed a hotel. While the Tabernacle is not in an aristocratic neighborhood, the residence district near it is of a good class with fine, large tesidences. Some of these are for sale, but none for rent. We thought of going a little distance and finding cheaper quarters, and then reflected that the car-fare to and from the office twice daily would amount to $1800 a year, and besides we would have inconvenience and loss of time. At an opportune time some friends of the truth proposed that we purchase such property as would suit our convenience, put it into repair, and that they would furnish the money—we to hold the title and they to take a mortgage for the amount expended, on which they asked but five per cent. interest, and intimated that some of the interest might find its way into the Tract Fund from time to time. This proposal seemed providential and was gladly accepted as the cheapest and best thing possible. We anticipate that the interest will not amount to more than two-thirds of the car-fare estimate, possibly less. Thus prepared, we made a fresh examination of the district with a view to purchase, and finally made bids upon three properties suitable to our uses with some alterations. We are sure that we will surprise you when we state that the one of the three which came to us at a bargain price is what is known as “The Old Henry Ward Beecher Home.” It certainly seems very remarkable that we should get the old Beecher Bethel and then by accident get his former residence. Considerable repairs are necessary, and are being made, but when completed our large family could scarcely be better fixed for the few remaining years of activity which we expect. The new home we shall call “Bethel,” and the new office and auditorium, “The Brooklyn Tabernacle”; these names will supplant the term “Bible House.” Some day we may have a convention in Brooklyn, when we shall have an opportunity of greeting many of our dear readers at one or both of these new locations. We solicit your pravers on behalf of the work and the workers at these new establishments, that with humility of heart and word and conduct, our enlarged opportunities for service may result in the glory of God and in the blessing of others and our own spiritual development in the fruite and graces of the holy Spirit. [4342]

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