Publication date
11/15/13
Volume
34
Number
22
The WatchTower
Because We Love the Brethren
/../literature/watchtower/1913/22/1913-22-1.html
 
 
 
 
 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y. 
The 
weaknesses 
of 
others 
will 
no 
longer 
cause 
liS 
unrest. 
The 
rest 
of 
the 
glorifie,] 
eondition 
of 
the 
church 
will 
be 
per­ 
feet. 
But 
before 
we 
can 
enter 
into 
that 
rest, 
we 
must 
here 
show 
our 
,Yorthiness 
IJy 
fighting 
the 
good 
fight 
of 
faith 
and 
by 
laying 
hold 
on 
eternal 
life, 
upon 
the 
conditions 
which 
are 
offered 
us, 
,Yalking 
faithfully 
in 
the 
Master's 
footsteps. 
SOME 
INTERESTING 
LETTERS 
SUCCESSFUL 
SCANDINAVIAN 
MEETINGS 
DEAR 
RHOTIIEI\ 
RUSSELL:- 
wish 
to 
send 
you 
an 
expression 
of 
our 
appreciation 
of 
the 
helpful 
visit 
of 
Brothers 
.J. 
F. 
Rutherford 
and 
A. 
N. 
Pierson, 
as 
your 
representRtives, 
granted 
us 
recently. 
will 
also 
usc 
this 
opportnnity 
to 
thank 
you 
most 
heartily 
for 
your 
kiJHlness 
to 
me 
in 
Lon,lon, 
'luring 
your 
own 
physical 
weak­ 
ness. 
rln,l 
for 
your 
reeent 
letter. 
P(']'hrlps 
it 
will 
inter,'st 
you 
to 
have 
report 
from 
me 
con­ 
{'erning 
the 
m(,pting 
for 
which 
you 
put 
the 
responsibility 
in 
my 
{,rlre. 
Prom 
August 
1:1 
to 
September 
3, 
Brother 
Rutherford 
held 
eighteen 
sp]enrlid 
meetings 
in 
Norwegian, 
Finnish 
and 
Swedish 
eities, 
with 
totRI 
nttendanee 
of 
2ii,800 
arlults 
and 
other 
thou­ 
sanrls 
turnerl 
away 
for 
lack 
of 
room. 
He 
also 
gave 
twenty-four 
encouraging 
talks 
to 
the 
truth 
friends 
in 
these 
places, 
and 
in 
connection 
we 
had 
good 
con­ 
vention 
in 
lIelsingfors, 
Finland, 
visited 
by 
about 
250 
friends, 
RJH] 
another 
convention 
in 
Stockholm, 
attended 
by 
about 
400 
friends. 
As 
one 
proof 
of 
the 
interest 
in 
Brother 
Rutherford's 
pub­ 
lie 
lectures 
}H're, 
not 
fewer 
than 
1,818 
volumes 
of 
STUDIES 
IN 
'rIlE 
SCRIPTl:JmS 
,yere 
sold 
in 
Sweden 
and 
Norway-672 
of 
these 
being 
soM 
at 
single 
Sunday 
morning 
meeting 
in 
Stock­ 
holm, 
at 
which 
the 
attendance 
was 
3,300, 
with 
700 
turned 
away 
for 
In{'k 
of 
room, 
first 
receiving 
free 
literature. 
Besides 
this, 
we 
J'('eeived 
thousands 
of 
addresses 
requesting 
further 
information 
re 
subjects 
discussed. 
At 
the 
Orebro 
meeting 
alone, 
attende'l 
by 
2,200 
arlults. 
with 
many 
outside 
who 
could 
not 
ga 
in 
entrance 
to 
the 
hall, 
586 
address-cards 
were 
received. 
Notwithstanding 
the 
fact 
that 
in 
every 
dty 
we 
had 
rented 
the 
largest 
halls 
obtainable, 
no 
one 
of 
them 
was 
large 
enough 
to 
hold 
the 
crowds. 
For 
the 
advertisement 
of 
Brother 
Rutherford's 
meetings 
in 
Sweden 
and 
Norway 
we 
distributed 
217,500 
copies 
of 
BIBLE 
STUDENTS 
MO~THLY. 
Many 
papers 
published 
very 
good 
re­ 
ports 
of 
his 
lectures, 
reaching 
other 
thonsRnds 
of 
Swedish 
people. 
\Ve 
earnestly 
desire 
that 
you 
senii 
him 
to 
Sweden 
again, 
as 
soon 
and 
for 
as 
long 
time 
as 
possible. 
Vole 
promise 
you 
that 
we 
will 
have 
the 
largest 
halls 
all 
over 
the 
land, 
crowded 
every 
night 
to 
hear 
him. 
Meanwhile 
we 
are 
striving 
to 
do 
the 
best 
we 
can, 
by 
the 
Lord's 
grace, 
to 
carryon 
the 
good 
work 
in 
which 
we 
have 
received 
so 
many 
blessings 
and 
which 
every 
day 
becomes 
more 
dear 
to 
our 
hearts. 
The 
colporteur 
work 
and 
all 
other 
branches 
make 
good 
progress 
continually. 
During 
about 
five 
weeks 
before 
us 
we 
have 
arranged 
for 
twenty 
mass-meetings 
in 
the 
largest 
cities 
and 
towns 
of 
Northern 
Sweden, 
which 
Brother 
Rutherford 
could 
not 
visit. 
In 
these 
shall 
be 
the 
speaker, 
D. 
V. 
We 
pray 
that 
the 
Master 
of 
the 
harvest 
may 
guide 
us 
and 
give 
wisdom 
and 
strength 
to 
do 
all 
in 
harmony 
with 
his 
will 
and 
to 
the 
glory 
of 
his 
name. 
We 
shall 
highly 
appre 
ciate 
the 
privilege 
of 
being 
continuaJly 
ine1nded 
in 
yom 
pray­ 
ers 
to 
this 
end; 
we 
never 
forget 
you 
in 
our 
petitions 
hefore 
the 
throne 
of 
grace. 
With 
most 
sincere 
Christian 
love 
an<1 
greeting 
to 
you, 
om 
beloye<1 
Pastor 
an<1 
brother, 
in 
whieh 
all 
the 
deRr 
hdpers 
at 
this 
office 
join, 
remain, 
as 
ever, 
Your 
humble 
co-laborer 
in 
the 
Loril's 
harvest, 
AUG. 
LUNDBORG. 
BROOKIJYN, 
N. 
Y., 
NOVEMBER 
15, 
1913 
"BECAUSE 
WE 
LOVE 
THE 
BRETHREN" 
No. 
22 
"We 
know 
that 
we 
have 
passed 
from 
death 
unto 
We 
arc 
glad 
to 
testify 
that 
both 
from 
personal 
contact 
and 
through 
cOfl'espon,lenee 
we 
have 
every 
reason 
to 
believe 
that 
the 
Bible 
Stu(lents, 
who 
constitute 
the 
large 
majority 
of 
onr 
reailers, 
hnve 
been 
growing 
in 
grace 
lately-during 
the 
past 
few 
years. 
Contrasting 
the 
present 
with 
three, 
six 
or 
ten 
years 
ago, 
we 
notice 
great 
inerease 
in 
spirituality­ 
the 
Spirit 
of 
the 
Lord-the 
holy 
Spirit 
of 
love. 
Not 
only 
is 
this 
manifested 
in 
activities 
in 
the 
service 
of 
th" 
truth, 
'bnt 
l~,o 
in 
hroader 
sympathies 
one 
for 
another 
anr] 
fO!' 
all 
(;hristians-and, 
ind"ed, 
for 
the 
entire 
groRning 
I'!'eation. 
This 
is 
just 
'dwt 
it 
should 
be 
eyery 
year; 
every 
week, 
in,]C"d, 
,honl,] 
mnrk 
progress 
in 
Christ-likeness, 
as 
wn 
renH'llllH'1' 
that, 
"Tf 
auy 
man 
have 
not 
the 
Spirit 
of 
(~lll'ist, 
he 
is 
none 
of 
his," 
and 
therefore 
will 
h:lve 
no 
part 
in 
tlw 
king',lolll-what(wer 
inferior 
blessing 
he 
may 
obtain 
lIIHI"r 
stripes 
:Illd 
diseiplines 
neeessary 
to 
the 
de"elopment 
of 
iJe 
proper 
character. 
\Ve 
]'('Illem 
bel' 
further 
the 
Apostle's 
statement 
that 
the 
divine 
predestination 
respeeting 
tlw 
ehurch 
is 
that 
we 
must 
e:wh 
in,liYidually 
in 
ehamcter 
beeome 
copies 
of 
onr 
Lord. 
(Homans 
8: 
:.?~).) 
Surely 
such 
clear 
statem('nts 
of 
the 
divine 
(('ill 
and 
of 
tlw 
terms 
npon 
whieh 
we 
may 
make 
onr 
calling 
an,] 
elt-dion 
sun' 
shoul,l 
be 
stimulating. 
NeY('rtlw!,'ss, 
notwithstnlH]ing 
all 
the 
progress 
noted, 
many 
of 
the 
little 
dasses 
are 
experit']H'ing 
fridion, 
which 
causes 
Illore 
or 
less 
,'on"ern 
all(] 
unhappiness. 
As 
the 
truth 
makes 
us 
free 
and 
op('ns 
the 
eyes 
of 
0111' 
uIHlershmding, 
it 
enables 
us 
to 
s('e 
our 
own 
III 
j)('l'f('d 
ions 
and 
the 
inl1H'rfeetions 
of 
tit(' 
hl'dhl't'll 
an<1 
oi' 
tiJe 
wor],l 
III 
01'(' 
('!early 
than 
eVN. 
Unless 
tllPre 
be 
a, 
large 
amount 
of 
love, 
this 
,,,ill 
mean 
<1isposition 
to 
fin,] 
fault, 
to 
critieize. 
\Ve 
m:1Y 
safely 
give 
ourselves 
considera],lc 
liberty 
along 
these 
lines 
in 
dealing 
with 
our 
own 
character. 
\Ve 
may 
find 
fault 
"'ith 
o\ll'sehes 
an(] 
criti(~ize 
ours(']v"s 
often 
to 
advantage. 
Yd 
e"en 
this 
shoul,l 
not 
])(' 
ealTied 
so 
far 
that 
we 
forget 
the 
Lonl's 
gracious 
promise 
that 
He 
will 
judge 
us 
according 
to 
our 
IlPart 
intr'lltions 
awl 
not 
aceortling 
to 
our 
imperfect 
attainments. 
\V" 
ar(', 
perhaps, 
better 
able 
to 
Rppreciate 
our 
own 
shorteomings, 
all(l 
how 
they 
were 
unintentional; 
but 
when 
the 
short 
com 
ings 
are 
those 
of 
others, 
it 
tests 
our 
love, 
patience, 
broth('rly-kindness, 
meekness, 
gentleness, 
etc. 
Yet 
such 
testings 
life, 
because 
we 
love 
the 
brethren. 
"-1 
John 
:14. 
are 
very 
profitable. 
We 
pray 
that 
the 
Lord 
will 
Rs~ist 
us 
in 
growing 
in 
the 
graces 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit. 
Let 
us 
remem­ 
ber 
that 
the 
only 
way 
to 
assist 
us 
would 
he 
by 
giving 
us 
testings 
along 
these 
very 
lines. 
Our 
strength 
of 
character, 
our 
development 
in 
these 
graces, 
will 
be 
in 
proportion 
as 
we 
receive 
these 
testings 
in 
the 
proper 
spirit. 
PROOF 
OF 
RELATIONSIDP 
AS 
NEW 
CREATURES 
Our 
text 
seems 
to 
imply 
that 
the 
love 
of 
the 
bretllren 
is 
one 
of 
the 
most 
beautiful 
experiences 
of 
tIl(' 
Christian. 
'Whoever 
fili,ls 
that 
he 
has 
full 
love 
for 
all 
the 
hrdhren, 
full 
sympathy 
for 
them, 
therein 
has 
sppcially 
strong 
Script· 
ural 
proof 
that 
he 
himself 
is 
new 
creatnre-thRt 
he 
has 
passed 
from 
<1eath 
unto 
life. 
And 
whoever 
has 
allY 
other 
sentiment 
than 
love 
to 
any 
of 
the 
brethren 
snl'P]y 
lacks 
proof, 
or 
demonstration, 
along 
this 
line 
of 
his 
relationship 
to 
God 
as 
new 
creature. 
If 
we 
keep 
this 
always 
in 
mind, 
how 
valuahle 
an 
assist­ 
ance 
it 
will 
be 
to 
us! 
Do 
we 
not 
frequently 
desiro 
to 
re­ 
assun~ 
ourselves 
of 
the 
Lord's 
favor 
and 
of 
our 
continued 
relationship 
to 
him 
as 
new 
creatures, 
passed 
from 
death 
unto 
life 
If 
we 
do, 
here 
is 
the 
text, 
the 
application 
of 
whieh, 
if 
we 
are 
in 
the 
right 
condition, 
should 
bring 
peace 
and 
joy. 
And 
if 
,ve 
arc 
in 
the 
wrong 
condition, 
it 
should 
bring 
alarm 
for 
our 
personal 
safety 
as 
new 
creatures. 
One 
of 
the 
points 
of 
friction 
in 
llIany 
of 
the 
classes 
is 
the 
relationship 
between 
the 
dass 
an<1 
its 
servants. 
So 
far 
as 
,ve 
ean 
judge, 
the 
fault 
is 
sometimes 
with 
the 
one 
and 
sometimes 
with 
the 
other. 
We 
are 
frequently 
asked 
in 
respeet 
to 
the 
duties 
of 
the 
elders, 
the 
responsibility 
of 
the 
classes, 
etc. 
In 
general, 
we 
prefer 
to 
refer 
all 
such 
inquiries 
to 
our 
very 
full 
discussion 
of 
the 
subject 
in 
the 
sixth 
volume 
of 
STUDIES 
IN 
THE 
SCRIPTUHES. 
'Ve 
know 
not 
how 
to 
improve 
on 
the 
suggestions 
there 
made. 
We 
believe 
that 
if 
what 
we 
have 
written 
wero 
thoroughly 
studied, 
the 
recommendations 
there 
gil'en 
would 
be 
found 
ample 
for 
every 
case. 
On 
doctrinal 
matters 
we 
prefer 
not 
to 
write 
personal 
letters; 
for 
in 
few 
cases 
we 
have 
found 
that 
the 
persons 
receiving 
the 
letters 
haw 
either 
misunderstood 
them, 
or 
only 
partially 
communicated 
their 
contents 
to 
others 
,Yhen 
discussing 
the 
matter. 
Again, 
some 
have 
said, 
"Brother 
Russell 
wrote 
thus 
and 
so 
in 
STUDIES 
IN 
THE 
SCRIPTURES, 
but 
we 
have 
later 
[5346] 
(335-339) The weaknesses of others will no longer cause us unrest. The rest of the glorified condition of the church will be perfect. But before we can enter into that rest, we must here THE WATCH TOWER Brooktyn, N. Y. show our worthiness hy fighting the good fight of faith and by laying hold on eternal life, upon the conditions which are offered us, walking faithfully in the Master’s footsteps. SOME INTERESTING LETTERS SUCCESSFUL SCANDINAVIAN MEETINGS DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL :— I wish to send you an expression of our appreciation of the helpful visit of Brothers J. F. Rutherford and A. N. Pierson, as your representatives, granted us recently. I will also use this opportunity to thank you most heartily for your kindness to me in London, during your own physical weakness, and for your recent letter. Perhaps it will interest you to have a report from me concerning the meeting for which you put the responsibility in my eare. From August 13 to September 3, Brother Rutherford held eighteen splendid meetings in Norwegian, Finnish and Swedish cities, with a total attendance of 25,800 adults and other thousands turned away for lack of room. He also gave twenty-four encouraging talks to the truth friends in these places, and in connection we had a good convention in Helsingfors, Finland, visited by about 250 friends, and another convention in Stockholm, attended by about 400 friends. As one proof of the interest in Brother Rutherford’s publie lectures here, not fewer than 1,818 volumes of STUDIES IN THE Scriprcres were sold in Sweden and Norway—672 of these being sold at a single Sunday morning meeting in Stockholm, at which the attendance was 3,300, with 700 turned away for lack of room, first receiving free literature. Besides this, we reecived thousands of addresses requesting further information re subjects discussed. At the Orebro meeting alone, attended by 2,200 adults, with many outside who could Notwithstanding the fact that in every city we had rented the largest halls obtainable, no one of them was large enough to hold the crowds. For the advertisement of Brother Rutherford’s meetings in Sweden and Norway we distributed 217,500 copies of BIBLE STUDENTS MonTHLY. Many papers published very good reports of his lectures, reaching other thousands of Swedish people. We earnestly desire that you send him to Sweden again, as soon and for as long a time as possible. We promise you that we will have the largest halls all over the land, erowded every night to hear him. Meanwhile we are striving to do the best we can, by the Lord’s grace, to carry on the good work in which we have received so many blessings and which every day becomes more dear to our hearts. The colporteur work and all other branches make good progress continually. During about five wecks before us we have arranged for twenty mass-meetings in the largest cities and towns of Northern Sweden, which Brother Rutherford could not visit. In these I shall be the speaker, D. V. We pray that the Master of the harvest may guide us and give wisdom and strength to do all in harmony with his will and to the glory of his name. We shall highly appre ciate the privilege of being continually included in your prayers to this end; we never forget you in our petitions before the throne of grace. With most sincere Christian love and grecting to you, our beloved Pastor and brother, in which all the dear helpers at this office join, I remain, as ever, Your humble co-laborer in the Lord’s harvest, not gain entrance to the hall, 586 address-cards were received. Aug. LUNpDBORG. Vou. XXXIV BROOKLYN, N. Y.,. NOVEMBER 15, 1913 “BECAUSE WE LOVE THE BRETHREN” ‘(We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.’’—1 John 3:14. We are glad to testify that both from personal contact and through correspondence we have every reason to believe that the Bible Students, who constitute the large majority of our readers, have been growing in grace lately—during the past few years. Contrasting the present with three, six or ten years ago, we notice a great increase in spirituality— the Spirit of the Lord—the holy Spirit of love. Not only is this manifested in activities in the serviee of the truth, but also in broader sympathies one for another and for all Christians—and, indeed, for the entire groaning vreation. This is just what it should be every year; every week, indeed, should mark progress in’ Christ-likeness, as we remember that, ‘‘Tf any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his,’’? aud therefore will have no part in. the kinedam—whatever inferior Dlessing he may obtain under stripes and disciplines necessary to the development of the proper character. We remember further the Apostle’s statement that the divine predestination respeeting the church is that we must each individually in character become eopies of our Lord. (Romans 8:29.) Surely such elear statements of the divine will and of the terms upon whieh we may make our calling and election sure should be stimulating. Nevertheless, notwithstanding all the progress noted, many of the little classes are experiencing friction, which causes more or Jess concern and unhappiness. As the truth makes us free and opeus the eyes of our understanding, it enables us to see our own imperfections and the imperfections of the brethren and of the world more elearly than ever. Unless there be a large amount of love, this will mean a disposition to find fault, to criticize. We may safely give ourselves considerable liberty along these lines in dealing with our own eharaeter. We may find fault with ourselves and criticize ourselves often to advantage. Yet even this should not be carricd so far that we forget the Lord’s gracious promise that He will judge us according to our heart intentions and not according to our imperfect attainments. We are, perhaps, better able to appreciate our own shortcomings, aud how they were unintentional; but when the shortcomings are those of others, it tests our love, patience, brotherly-kindness, meekness, gentleness, etc. Yet such testings are very profitable. We pray that the Lord will assist us in growing in the graces of the holy Spirit. Let us remember that the only way to assist us would he by giving us testings along these very lines. Our strength of character, our development in these graees, will be in proportion as we reecive these testings in the proper spirit. PROOF OF RELATIONSHIP AS NEW CREATURES Our text seems to imply that the love of the brethren is one of the most beautiful expericnees of the Christian. Whoever fitids that he has full love for all the brethren, full sympathy for them, therein has a specially strong Seriptural proof that he himself is a new creature—that he has passed from death unto life. And whoever has any other sentiment than love to any of the brethren surely lacks proof, or demonstration, along this line of his relationship to God as a new creature. If we keep this always in mind, how valuable an assistance it will be to us! Do we not frequently desiro to reassure ourselves of the Lord’s favor and of our continued relationship to him as new creatures, passed from death unto life? If we do, here is the text, the application of which, if we are in the right condition, should bring peace and joy. And if we are in the wrong condition, it should bring alarm for our personal safety as new creatures. One of the points of friction in many of the classes is the relationship between the class and its servants. So far as we can judge, the fault is sometimes with the one and sometimes with the other. We are frequently asked in respect to the duties of the elders, the responsibility of the classes, ete. In general, we prefer to refer all such inquiries to our very full discussion of the subject in the sixth volume of STUDIES IN THE ScRIPTURES. We know not how to improve on the suggestions there made. We believe that if what we have written were thoroughly studied, the recommendations there given would be found ample for every case. On doctrinal matters we prefer not to write personal letters; for in a few cases we have found that the persons receiving the letters have either misunderstood them, or only partially communicated their contents to others when discussing the matter. Again, some have said, ‘‘Brother Russell wrote thus and so in STUDIES IN THE ScRIPTURES, but we have a later [5346]

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