Publication date
12/15/12
Volume
33
Number
24
The WatchTower
1912--Annual Report--1912
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1912/24/1912-24-1.html
 
 
 
(379-384) 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y. 
of 
religion, 
and 
the 
prevalence 
of 
form 
and 
ceremony, 
includ­ 
ing 
many 
kinds 
of 
entertainments 
to 
raise 
money. 
I 
grew 
di!'lsatisfied; 
and 
though 
still 
loyal 
to 
the 
creed, 
I 
only 
at­ 
tended 
the 
services 
intermittently. 
Last 
August 
while 
homeward 
bound 
on 
the 
ear 
I 
sat 
be­ 
side 
a 
lady 
who 
quietly 
handed 
me 
a 
folded 
PFlOPLES 
PULPIT 
asking 
me 
tha,t 
I 
read 
it 
ami 
pass 
it 
on 
to 
others. 
Simply 
because 
her 
quiet 
manner 
attrac;ted 
me 
I 
said 
"Yes." 
I 
did 
not 
think 
of 
the 
paper 
for 
several 
days 
and 
then 
felt 
too 
busy 
to 
take 
the 
time. 
This 
occurred 
several 
times 
until 
finally 
I 
reme<mbered 
my 
promise 
to 
the 
woman 
an?- 
read 
the 
article 
""-here 
are 
the 
Dead" 
aloud 
to 
my 
compamon. 
Finding 
the 
8TUDIF:S 
IN 
TIlF: 
SCRIPTURES 
advertised 
there­ 
in 
she 
purchased 
them 
for 
mc 
as 
a 
present. 
From 
the 
heginning 
onr 
hmrts 
and 
minds 
accepted 
all 
from 
cover 
to 
cover, 
because 
the 
Bible 
was 
clearly 
proving 
them. 
Oh, 
the 
years 
of 
heart 
hunger; 
and 
never 
to 
have 
heard 
of 
the 
STUDIES 
nor 
the 
truth! 
J 
__ 
ater 
in 
the 
Spring 
we 
heard 
you 
in 
Boston 
and 
Malden. 
I 
now 
have 
all 
the 
STUDIES, 
BEREAN 
NOTES, 
\VATCR 
Tow­ 
ER, 
etc. 
Truly 
much 
has 
come 
to 
us 
in 
one 
year-the 
satisfy­ 
ing 
of 
the 
longing 
of 
a 
lifetime. 
May 
the 
dear 
Father 
abund­ 
antly 
bless 
"the 
taithful 
steward;" 
and 
the 
dear 
unknown 
sister 
in 
the 
truth 
who 
first 
gave 
me 
the 
PULPIT. 
In 
her 
long­ 
ing 
to 
help 
one 
she 
helped 
two; 
and 
I 
anxiously 
give 
out 
PULPITS 
to 
others, 
as 
she 
asked, 
"pass 
it 
on." 
This 
at 
present 
seems 
all 
I 
can 
do. 
I 
gladly 
and 
prayfully 
take 
the 
vow 
trusting 
to 
the 
Fath­ 
er's 
sustaining 
gra.ce 
to 
kepp 
it. 
Nf:LLIF: 
.J. 
~TF:NTWORTR. 
V 
OIJ. 
XXX 
TII 
RlWOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
DECEMBER 
15, 
1912 
No. 
24 
J9J2-ANNUAL 
REPORT-1912 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BIBLE 
AND 
TRACT 
SOCIETY 
DECEMBER 
1ST, 
1911-DECEMBER 
1ST, 
1912 
Our 
fiscal 
year 
hegins 
and 
ends 
December 
1. 
The 
year 
has 
lished 
in 
a 
special 
issue 
of 
this 
journal. 
'Ve 
have 
received 
been 
one 
of 
the 
most 
interesting 
and 
successful 
in 
our 
Society's 
complimentary 
testimonies 
respecting 
the 
truthfulness 
of 
the 
experience. 
Every 
day 
has 
seemed 
to 
add 
momentum 
to 
the 
Report 
and 
the 
kindly 
spirit 
with 
which 
those 
truths, 
not 
alto­ 
work. 
ThoRe 
who 
have 
been 
enjoying 
the 
light 
of 
present 
truth 
gether 
flattering. 
were 
presented. 
SonJP 
of 
these 
have 
come 
for 
years 
seem 
generally 
to 
be 
ripening 
in 
Christian 
character 
from 
foreign 
lands. 
and 
in 
loving 
zeal 
for 
the 
Lord, 
the 
truth 
and 
the 
brethren. 
As 
a 
reRult 
of 
that 
investigation 
it 
was 
decided 
that 
condi- 
Nothing 
pleases 
us 
more 
than 
this. 
. 
. 
tions 
in 
heathendom 
warranted 
the 
expenditure 
of 
some 
of 
the 
The 
next 
mORt 
interesting 
thing 
is 
the 
ma;mfest 
awakemng 
No(·iety'R 
fundR 
in 
proclaiming 
tlH' 
Gosppl 
of 
the 
Kingdom 
then'. 
of 
thinking 
Christian 
people 
of 
all 
denominat~ons. 
Many 
dear 
Accordingly, 
free 
literature 
was 
printed 
in 
six 
of 
the 
principal 
people 
of 
God 
have 
lived 
in 
a 
Rort 
of 
religIOUS 
lethargy 
for 
languages 
of 
India, 
the 
two 
principal 
languages 
of 
China, 
in 
years. 
SometimeR 
they 
dreampd 
of 
converting 
the 
world, 
only 
the 
Japanese 
and 
in 
the 
Korean. 
This 
literature 
waR 
designed 
to 
be 
rudely 
awakened 
to 
a 
freRh 
realization 
that 
if. 
th~ 
heath~n 
principally 
for 
those 
professing 
Christ. 
But 
reports 
indicate 
were 
brought 
to 
the 
same 
civilization 
that 
prevallR 
m 
Chns- 
that 
many 
non-Christians 
have 
manifested 
eagerness 
for 
the 
tendom, 
God's 
will 
would 
be 
as 
far 
as 
ever 
from 
being 
done 
on 
study 
of 
these 
things. 
earth 
as 
in 
heaven. 
Others 
have 
had 
nigh~mares 
of 
~orror 
as 
The 
Bible 
story 
of 
the 
election 
of 
the 
church 
to 
be 
joint­ 
their 
minds 
would 
be 
recalled 
to 
the 
teachmgs 
of 
then 
creeds 
heirs 
with 
Jesus 
in 
the 
Messianic 
kingdom 
waR 
new 
and 
pal­ 
-as 
they 
would 
remember 
the 
old 
theory 
that 
all 
except 
the 
atable 
to 
many 
of 
the 
Christian 
natives 
and 
others; 
and 
the 
saintly 
elect 
few 
will 
spend 
an 
eternity 
in 
torture. 
. 
Bible 
assurance 
presented 
to 
them, 
that 
their 
friends 
and 
fore- 
The 
awakening 
ones 
very 
generally 
wander 
off 
into 
"HIgher 
fathers 
who 
have 
died 
in 
heathenish 
darkness 
were 
not 
in 
pur­ 
Criticism" 
unhelief, 
Evolution 
theories, 
and 
general 
doubt 
re- 
gatory 
nor 
a 
hell 
of 
eternal 
torture, 
but 
in 
the 
Bible 
hell, 
the 
specting 
everything. 
Others 
wander 
into 
Christian 
Science, 
grave, 
was 
a 
relief 
to 
many. 
God's 
character, 
cleared 
of 
the 
and 
Reek 
to 
convince 
themRelves 
that 
aches 
and 
pains 
are 
purely 
awful 
stain 
upon 
it 
by 
our 
creeds, 
shone 
more 
brightly 
before 
imagination, 
etc., 
etc. 
Still 
others 
wander 
into 
New 
Thought, 
the 
minds 
of 
many. 
We 
may 
be 
sure 
that 
the 
effect 
on 
honest 
etc., 
only 
to 
find, 
in 
theRe, 
dangerous 
quicksands. 
Under 
the 
hearts 
everywhere 
is 
the 
same; 
namely, 
that 
"the 
Love 
of 
God 
Lord's 
providence 
many 
or 
all 
these 
classes 
during 
the 
past 
constraineth 
us." 
year 
haw 
bpen 
brought 
in 
contact 
with 
the 
Bible's 
own 
teach- 
THE 
WORK 
IN 
SOUTH 
INDIA 
ing, 
which 
we 
a~l 
.have 
so 
long 
10Rt 
under 
the 
debris 
of 
human 
In 
South 
India, 
where 
the 
London 
Missionary 
Society 
has 
theory 
and 
tradItIOn. 
had 
a 
start 
for 
over 
a 
hundred 
yearR, 
where 
it 
has 
established 
I~ 
has 
heen 
a 
real 
pleaRure 
to 
note,. 
as 
the 
weeks 
.went 
by, 
collf'ges, 
etc 
.. 
the 
field 
!'eemed 
ripe 
for 
the 
GORpel 
of 
the 
king­ 
the 
IncreaRed 
a.ttenrlaJ.!ce 
at 
the 
meetIngs 
and 
the 
Incr.eased 
dam 
which 
we 
Rent 
to 
them. 
As 
the 
people 
heard 
and 
read 
number 
of 
meetIngs 
beIng 
held 
and 
the 
1,evelopm~nt 
o,~ 
faIthful 
of 
the 
good 
time 
coming, 
it 
cheered 
them. 
According 
to 
the 
brethren 
evpryw~ere 
a.s 
heralds 
of 
the 
good 
thmgs. 
It 
has 
reports, 
the 
missionaries 
endeavor 
to 
keep 
the 
people 
from 
be~n 
a 
great 
satIsfactIon 
to 
rf'a~ 
some 
of 
the 
warmly 
encour- 
hearing, 
even 
threatening 
to 
f'xcommunicate 
thoRe 
who 
attend 
agIng 
letters 
that 
have 
heen 
recelve~ 
from 
hungry 
s~uls. 
Some 
our 
meetings, 
and, 
going 
further 
than 
this, 
threatening 
to 
ex­ 
tell 
of 
the 
Rweetness 
of 
the 
truth 
at 
Its 
very 
first 
hearIng. 
Others 
communicate 
whole 
families 
if 
even 
one 
member 
attends 
our 
tpll. 
of 
how 
in:rf'asin~ly 
p~eciouR 
.the 
Word 
o~ 
?od 
growR, 
as 
meetings. 
And 
further, 
they 
are 
reported 
to 
have 
declared 
theIr 
study 
of 
It 
con~Inues 
In 
the 
l~ght 
of 
the 
dIVIne 
plan 
of 
the 
that 
they 
would 
not 
allow 
any 
marrying 
between 
any 
of 
their 
a~es. 
Surply 
~llF: 
'" 
ATCll 
TOWER 
Is 
the 
favored 
place 
for 
a 
re- 
faithful 
and 
any 
who 
might 
come 
to 
hear 
and 
have 
a 
relish 
for 
VIew 
of 
the 
entne 
harvest 
field! 
the 
"good 
tidings 
of 
great 
joy 
which 
shall 
be 
for 
all 
people." 
. 
The 
Lord 
has 
~Tl'atly 
blesspd 
tl~e 
bret?ren 
who 
hav.e 
e.ngaged 
But 
in 
spite 
of 
all 
the 
threats 
and 
endeavors 
and 
influence 
and 
In 
CI.ass 
Extl'ns~on 
wor~. 
eRpeclally 
In 
Great 
BntaIn 
and 
rice, 
the 
hungry 
heartR 
came 
to 
our 
mpetings 
and 
got 
so.me 
Amenca. 
Thl'rf' 
IR 
r?om 
In 
thlR 
Department 
fo~ 
the 
talents 
of 
crumbs 
of 
comfort, 
benefiting 
in 
the 
present 
life 
and 
preparIng 
every 
conRecratl'd 
chIld 
of 
God. 
The. 
harveRt 
Is 
great. 
The 
them, 
we 
trust, 
for 
the 
life 
to 
come. 
laborers 
are 
ff'w. 
All 
who 
arp 
prayIng 
to 
the, 
Lord 
to 
send 
The 
latest 
reports 
from 
South 
India 
are 
that 
the 
mission­ 
for~h. 
more 
lahorers 
are. 
Rurely 
zealouRly 
watchIng 
for 
oppo~- 
aries 
of 
that 
vicinity, 
unahle 
to 
stem 
the 
popularity 
of 
our 
tumtIes. 
to 
take. 
a 
han~ 
In 
th<, 
work 
~hemRPI.ves 
.. 
An~ 
a~l 
thIS 
Bible 
meetings, 
have 
bl'en 
obliged 
to 
start 
similar 
Bible 
instruc­ 
l'nf'rgy 
IS 
shOWIng 
fnlltag~. 
There 
IR 
nothIng 
lIk.e 
It. 
III 
the 
tion 
respecting 
the 
kingdom. 
'Veil. 
whether 
it 
be 
from 
strife 
whole 
world. 
No 
mane.\' 
Induce.mentR! 
EverythIng 
IS 
done 
or 
from 
some 
other 
motives, 
we 
are 
glad 
that 
Messiah's 
king­ 
from 
the 
love 
of 
the 
Lord 
and 
hlR 
truth, 
and 
from 
a 
great 
de- 
dam 
is 
being 
heralded 
to 
whoever 
will 
be 
"Israelites 
indeed" 
of 
sire 
to 
"show 
forth 
the 
praises 
of 
him 
who 
hath 
called 
us 
out 
far-off 
India. 
of 
darkneRs 
into 
hiR 
marvelouR 
light." 
T~e 
bleRsin~ 
is 
two- 
If 
the 
missionaries 
would 
all 
preach 
the 
Gospel 
of 
the 
king­ 
fold. 
Not 
o~l~ 
are 
many 
thus 
brought 
In~O 
the 
h~ht 
and 
dam, 
if 
they 
would 
all 
tell 
the 
people 
the 
Bible 
truth 
respecting 
cauRe~ 
to 
rP.lOlce 
In 
the 
fullnesR 
of 
.our 
S~':lOr 
and 
hIS 
great 
"the 
wages 
of 
sin" 
and 
"the 
gift 
of 
God," 
the 
coming 
of 
Mes­ 
~alvatlOn, 
.but 
the 
laborers 
all 
receIve 
spI~lt~al 
refreshment, 
siah, 
the 
rolling 
away 
of 
the 
curse 
and 
the 
pouring 
out 
of 
God's 
~n 
proportIon 
as 
they 
seek 
to 
lay 
down 
theIr 
hves 
and 
talents 
blessing, 
and 
announce 
that 
this 
grand 
consummation 
of 
the 
In 
the 
harvest 
work. 
divine 
plan 
is 
near 
at 
hand. 
how 
glad 
we 
would 
be! 
If 
now 
THE 
TRUTH 
IN 
FOREIGN 
FIELDS 
our 
efforts 
have 
stirred 
them 
up 
to 
give 
the 
people 
the 
real 
Our 
readers 
are 
aware 
that 
our 
Society 
has 
been 
doing 
Bible 
message, 
we 
are 
glad. 
something 
in 
South 
Africa 
and 
South 
~ndia 
during 
the 
past 
Undoubtedly 
there 
are 
si~pere 
missionari~s,. 
bu~ 
such 
sin­ 
three 
years. 
Evidently 
the 
Lord's 
blessmg 
in 
some 
degree 
on 
cere 
ones 
are 
hampered 
and 
hIndered 
by 
the 
hmltatIons 
placed 
the 
work 
in 
foreign 
lands 
led 
up 
to 
the 
sending 
of 
an 
1. 
B. 
S. 
A. 
upon 
them 
respecting 
the 
creeds--burdens 
which 
are 
becom­ 
Committee 
to 
see 
the 
conditions 
of 
the 
heathen 
and 
to 
report. 
ing 
galling 
to 
all 
"whom 
the 
Son 
makes 
free." 
But 
with 
the 
The 
report 
was 
given 
in 
the 
early 
part 
of 
the 
year, 
and 
pub- 
missionary, 
as 
with 
the 
home 
pastor 
of 
civilized 
lands, 
every 
[5144] 
(379~384) of religion, and the prevalence of form and ceremony, including many kinds of entertainments to raise money. IJ grew dissatisfied; and though still loyal to the creed, I only attended the services intermittently. Last August while homeward bound on the car I sat beside a lady who quietly handed me a folded PHopLES PULPIT asking me that I read it and pass it on to others. Simply because her quiet manner attracted me I said “Yes.” I did not think of the paper for several days and then felt too busy to take the time. ‘This occurred several times until finally I remembered my promise to the woman and read the article “Where are the Dead” aloud to my companion, Finding the Srupigs In THE Scriprures advertised therein she purchased them for me as a present. From the beginning our hearts and minds accepted all THE WATCH TOWER Brookiyn, N. Y. from cover to cover, because the Bible was clearly proving them. Oh, the years of heart hunger; and never to have heard of the Srupies nor the truth! Later in the Spring we heard you in Boston and Malden. I now have all the Srupigs, BEREAN NoTEes, WaTCH ‘lowER, etc. Truly much has come to us in one year—the satisfying of the longing of a lifetime. May the dear Father abundantly bless “the taithful steward;” and the dear unknown sister in the truth who first gave me the PuLprr. In her longing to help one she helped two; and I anxiously give out PuLrits to others, as she asked, “pass it on.” This at present seems all I can do. I gladly and prayfully take the vow trusting to the Father’s sustaining grace to keep it. Newuir J. WENTWORTH. Vou. XXXII BROOKLYN, N. Y., DECEMBER 15, 1912 No. 24 1912—ANNUAL REPORT—1912 WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY DECEMBER 18ST, 1911—DECEMBER lIsT, 1912 Our fiscal year begins and ends December 1. The year has been one of the most interesting and successful in our Society’s experience. Every day has seemed to add momentum to the work. Those who have been enjoying the light of present truth for years seem generally to be ripening in Christian character and in loving zeal for the Lord, the truth and the brethren. Nothing pleases us more than this. The next most interesting thing is the manifest awakening of thinking Christian people of all denominations. Many dear people of God have lived in a sort of religious lethargy for years. Sometimes they dreamed of converting the world, only to be rudely awakened to a fresh realization that if the heathen were brought to the same civilization that prevails in Christendom, God’s will would be as far as ever from being done on earth as in heaven. Others have had nightmares of horror as their minds would be recalled to the teachings of their creeds —as they would remember the old theory that all except the saintly elect few will spend an eternity in torture. The awakening ones very generally wander off into “Higher Criticism” unbelief, Evolution theories, and general doubt respecting everything. Others wander into Christian Science, and seek to convince themselves that aches and pains are purely imagination, etc., etc. Still others wander into New Thought, etc., only to find, in these, dangerous quicksands. Under the Lord’s providence many or all these classes during the past year have been brought in contact with the Bible’s own teaching, which we all have so long lost under the debris of human theory and tradition. It has been a real pleasure to note, as the weeks went by, the increased attendance at the meetings and the increased number of meetings being held and the development of faithful brethren everywhere as heralds of the “good things.” It has been a great satisfaction to read some of the warmly encouraging letters that have heen received from hungry souls. Some tell of the sweetness of the truth at its very first hearing. Others tell of how increasingly precious the Word of God grows, as their study of it continues in the light of the divine plan of the ages. Surely Tur Watcu Tower is the favored place for a review of the entire harvest field! The Lord has greatly blessed the brethren who have engaged in Class Extension work, especially in Great Britain and America, There is room in this Department for the talents of every consecrated child of God. The harvest is great. The laborers are few. All who are praying to the Lord to send forth more laborers are surely zealously watching for opportunities to take a hand in the work themselves. And all this energy is showing fruitage. There is nothing like it in the whole world. No money inducements! Everything is done from the love of the Lord and his truth, and from a great desire to “show forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.” The blessing is twofold. Not only are many thus brought into the light and caused to rejoice in the fullness of our Savior and his great salvation, but the laborers all receive spiritual refreshment, in proportion as they seek to lay down their lives and talents in the harvest work. THE TRUTH IN FOREIGN FIELDS Our readers are aware that our Society has been doing something in South Africa and South India during the past three years, Evidently the Lord’s blessing in some degree on the work in foreign lands led up to the sending of an I. B.S. A. Committee to see the conditions of the heathen and to report. The report was given in the early part of the year, and pub lished in a special issue of this journal. We have received complimentary testimonies respecting the truthfulness of the Report and the kindly spirit with which those truths, not altogether flattering, were presented. Some of these have come from foreign lands. As a result of that investigation it was decided that conditions in heathendom warranted the expenditure of some of the Society’s funds in proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom there. Accordingly, free literature was printed in six of the principal languages of India, the two principal languages of China, in the Japanese and in the Korean. This literature was designed principally for those professing Christ. But reports indicate that many non-Christians have manifested eagerness for the study of these things. The Bible story of the election of the church to be jointheirs with Jesus in the Messianic kingdom was new and palatable to many of the Christian natives and others; and the Bible assurance presented to them, that their friends and forefathers who have died in heathenish darkness were not in purgatory nor a hell of eternal torture, but in the Bible hell, the grave, was a relief to many. God’s character. cleared of the awful stain upon it by our creeds, shone more brightly before the minds of many. We may be sure that the effect on honest hearts everywhere is the same; namely, that “the Love of God constraineth us.” THE WORK IN SOUTH INDIA In South India, where the London Missionary Society has had a start for over a hundred years, where it has established colleges, etc., the field seemed ripe for the Gospel of the kingdom which we sent to them. As the people heard and read of the good time coming, it cheered them. According to the reports, the missionaries endeavor to keep the people from hearing, even threatening to excommunicate those who attend our meetings, and, going further than this, threatening to excommunicate whole families if even one member attends our meetings. And further, they are reported to have declared that they would not allow any marrying between any of their faithful and any who might come to hear and have a relish for the “good tidings of great joy which shall be for all people.” But in spite of all the threats and endeavors and influence and rice, the hungry hearts came to our meetings and got some crumbs of comfort, benefiting in the present life and preparing them, we trust, for the life to come. The latest reports from South India are that the missionaries of that vicinity, unable to stem the popularity of our Bible meetings, have been obliged to start similar Bible instruction respecting the kingdom. Well, whether it be from strife or from some other motives, we are glad that Messiah’s kingdom is being heralded to whoever will be “Israelites indeed” of far-off India. If the missionaries would all preach the Gospel of the kingdom, if they would all tell the people the Bible truth respecting “the wages of sin” and “the gift of God,” the coming of Messiah, the rolling away of the curse and the pouring out of God’s blessing, and announce that this grand consummation of the divine plan is near at hand, how glad we would be! If now our efforts have stirred them up to give the people the real Bible message, we are glad. Undoubtedly there are sincere missionaries, but such sincere ones are hampered and hindered by the limitations placed upon them respecting the creeds burdens which are becoming galling to all “whom the Son makes free.” But with the missionary, as with the home pastor of civilized lands, every [5144]

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