10

1

10

download/literature/watchtower/1914-15.pdf

/../literature/watchtower/1914/15/1914-15-1.html

INTERESTING LETTER A BAPTIST AND PRESENT TRUTH Dear Brother Russell:— Thinking that my experience in coming into the truth might be of interest to you, 1 am seuiding to you the following: In 1886 my father saw your advertisement in the Christian Herald, that Volume 1, MinLENNIAL 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 Seriptures. 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 Seriptures, I did not feel that I should oppose them. It seemed to me that there were other Seriptures which taught the opposite; and I felt sure that he must be mistaken, though I did not say so. T 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 | 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 colleetion contained about twenty-five texts. (bh) The second column contained texts which elearly sup ported my father’s side. In this column I had about one hun. dved and twenty-five texts. This somewhat disturbed me. (¢) The third column contained texts which did not exactly favor my behlef, 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 Seriptures, nearly all of whieh 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 Seriptures, my father frequently tried to persuade me to read THE WarcH 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 Tue Divine PLAN OF THE Aqrs. 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. [ praise the Lord for the whole series of SruDIES IN THE ScrieTurEs, and have never heard any Bible expositions worthy of comparison with them. With much Christian love, Your brother iu Christ, A. T, Rivenir. PREPARED HEARTS FRANCES DARDEN Prepare our hearts to know thee, Lord, And seek for wisdom in thy Word, So, as our days, our strength may be, To spread thy truth, o’er land and sea. O’er all the earth this light must shine, Restoring faith to all mankind. Run swiftly, oh! ye angel ‘‘feet,’’ Vou. XXXV BROOKLYN, N. Y., AUGUST 1, 1914 THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE Upon the mountains; tidings swect Send forth! Proclaim the Word, So men shall know their reigning Lord. Earnest wateh, on Zion’s wall, Lift high his banner over all; Loud sound the Seventh Trumpet call! Let truth prevail, and error fall! ‘‘Tf ye continue in my Word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make yon free.’’—John 8:31, 382. At his first Advent our Tord came to the Jewish nation, which was a house of servants in covenant relationship with God. To these was to he granted the first privilege of becoming sons of God, and their blessing would be in proportion as they were faithful to the light that would come to them. Before they could hecome sons of God, however, it was necessary that Jesus should he their Redeemer, should make reconciliation for iniquity, and thus open up the way. This he had come to do, but he had not done it as yet. Whoever would come to understand the divine purposes and arrangements, and act in harmony with them, should be made free, should be liberated from the condemnation resting upon them as Jews, from the results of the weaknesses of their flesh, and would be brought into full accord with God. We can see that this great privilege also meant something more than all this. Tt meant somcthing still higher—even jointheirship with Messiah. But all these things were a hidden mystery as yet. They were known up to that time only by our Lord himself; they were made clear to him because he had heen begotten of the holy Spirit. There were many things hard to be understood. Jesus spoke in parables, in dark sayings, for the very purpose of making the way of life then opened up a ‘‘narrow way.’? And so we read in the Seriptures that some said of the Master’s words: ‘‘This is a hard saying! Who ean hear it??? Who conld believe it? The particularly hard saying referred to was that his ‘‘flesh was meat indeed, and his hlood was drink indeed,’’ and that hy eating and drinking of these they might gain eternal life. And so we read that after this many forsook him and aban (223-206) doned the thought of being his disciples, so hlinded were they to their own interests. Instead of following on patiently, they said, This is all foolishness! We do not understand it! Jesus was anticipating this condition of things when he spoke these words to them. He would put them on their guard. It was as though he would say, You have declared that ‘‘never man spake like this man!’’ Already you have heard words very different from the words of the serihes and Pharisees. Now continue; hold on for a little while. If you will do this, you will grasp the situation in due time. Exercise faith—exercise patience. You have begun to have interest in these things, and as you fully become my disciples yeu will he granted a knowledge of the truth. And this truth will make you free; it will give you all the blessings and privileges that come to the children of God. Greatly blessed were the few who took heed to the Master’s counsel! BLESSINGS BEGUN AT PENTECOST These words of Jesus were not addressed especially to the twelve apostles, but to the Jews in general who were sympathetically drawn. Nicodemus may have heen one of these; he was inclined to stumble over the spiritual things; he conld not. see how one could be horn again. The holy Spirit was not yet given, we read, ‘‘because Jesus was not yet glorified.’’ St. Paul tells us that ‘‘the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ’’— 1 Corinthians 2:14. But some saw enough in Jesus to attract them to him. These, in honesty of heart, said, Surely his words are true, [5506]