Publication date
10/15/15
Volume
36
Number
20
The WatchTower
Views From The Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1915/20/1915-20-1.html
 
 
OCTOBER 
I, 
1915 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(303-307) 
ENJOYING 
THE 
SPIRITUAL 
FOOD 
DEAR 
BROTHER 
RUSSELL:- 
I 
am 
reading 
about 
ten 
pages 
in 
the 
STUDIES 
IN 
THE 
SCRIP­ 
TURF;S 
daily. 
Several 
times 
I 
have 
tried 
this 
plan, 
but 
did 
not 
continue. 
This 
time 
I 
am 
keeping 
to 
my 
lesson 
as 
outlined 
in 
the 
Berean 
Questions. 
I 
have 
rcad 
the 
volumcs 
several 
times, 
but 
by 
this 
mcthod 
I 
am 
surprised 
at 
the 
results. 
Every 
day 
I 
have 
a 
definite 
study 
befor.e 
me, 
and 
have 
more 
desire 
for 
the 
spiritual 
food 
than 
for 
the 
natural. 
I 
find 
it 
the 
best 
way 
to 
cultivate 
love 
in 
thonght, 
word 
and 
decd. 
Daily 
I 
ask 
the 
Father 
to 
help 
me, 
and 
rlaily 
I 
rendcr 
my 
account. 
I 
come 
far 
short, 
but 
can 
see 
progress. 
Praise 
his 
name! 
I 
am 
speeding 
along 
in 
the 
race, 
trusting 
in 
every 
promise 
and 
"looking 
unto 
Jesus, 
the 
Author 
and 
Finisher 
of 
our 
faith." 
I 
am 
content, 
and 
am 
watching 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
for 
the 
"light 
that 
shineth 
more 
and 
more 
unto 
the 
perfect 
day." 
How 
it 
rejoices 
my 
heart 
to 
know 
that 
the 
time 
is 
near 
when 
the 
faithful 
will 
partake 
of 
the 
best 
wine 
and 
earth's 
festivities 
be­ 
gin! 
Much 
Christian 
love 
to 
yourself 
and 
all 
the 
family, 
in 
which 
my 
husband 
joins. 
Your 
sister 
in 
Christ, 
MRS. 
W. 
W. 
GOODWIN.-Rhode 
Island. 
EDITOR'S 
REPLY 
TO 
ABOVE 
I 
rejoice 
with 
you, 
dear 
Sister, 
in 
the 
blessing 
you 
are 
now 
having 
from 
systpmatic 
study 
of 
the 
Bible 
through 
the 
daily 
reading 
of 
the 
volumes, 
STUDIES 
IN 
TIlE 
SCRIPTURES, 
and 
the 
8cripture 
references 
which 
they 
bring 
to 
your 
attention. 
With 
the 
multitndinous 
affairs 
of 
life 
pressing 
us, 
we 
need 
to 
order 
our 
Ii 
ves 
inteJligently 
in 
the 
interest 
of 
our 
new 
natures. 
Otlwrwisc, 
the 
cares 
of 
this 
life 
and 
the 
deceitful 
lure 
of 
earthly 
riches 
wonlr! 
hinder 
us 
from 
obtaining 
our 
spiritual 
food, 
rest, 
refreshment 
and 
strcngth-thus 
incapacitating 
us 
for 
our 
spir­ 
itual 
hlessings 
and 
development, 
and 
leaving 
us 
unfit 
for 
a 
share 
in 
the 
kingdom. 
I 
think 
the 
plan 
you 
have 
adopted 
of 
taking 
the 
Berean 
questions 
and 
the 
portion 
which 
they 
represent 
as 
your 
daily 
lesson 
is 
a 
good 
one. 
As 
you 
know, 
some 
five 
years 
ago 
many 
of 
THF. 
\VATCH 
Towlill 
readcrs 
began 
systematically 
to 
read 
twelve 
pages 
or 
more 
every 
day. 
Such 
as 
have 
been 
following 
this 
course 
report 
splendid 
success, 
and 
show 
it 
in 
their 
spirit­ 
ual 
developmmt. 
However, 
I 
think 
that 
your 
plan 
of 
using 
the 
questions 
and 
taking 
a 
special 
lesson 
for 
each 
day 
is 
still 
better. 
Oftcn 
the 
Ipsson. 
howpver, 
woul(l 
run 
over 
only 
one 
page 
or 
two; 
and 
in 
such 
event 
you, 
of 
course, 
can 
readily 
take 
in 
several 
lessons 
for 
one 
day. 
The 
arlvantage 
of 
the 
question 
hooks 
is 
that 
thpy 
promote 
study. 
One 
of 
the 
most 
important 
things 
for 
people 
in 
pvery 
walk 
of 
life 
is 
to 
learn 
to 
think. 
\Ve 
have 
all 
done 
very 
little 
of 
this 
in 
respect 
to 
religion 
in 
the 
past. 
One 
of 
the 
mistakes 
which 
some 
of 
the 
Brethren 
make 
in 
leading 
Berean 
study 
classes 
is 
that 
they 
talk 
too 
much. 
The 
successful 
Bible 
class 
leader 
is 
the 
one 
who 
does 
comparatively 
little 
talking, 
except 
in 
an 
emergency, 
but 
who 
stimulates 
thought 
in 
the 
class 
through 
the 
questions 
and 
through 
the 
interrogative 
form 
of 
suggesting 
answers 
when 
necessary 
rather 
than 
giving 
the 
answers 
directly. 
Bible 
classes 
are 
specially 
profitable 
be­ 
cause 
of 
the 
thinking 
on 
Bible 
topics 
which 
they 
arouse. 
You 
do 
not 
mention 
it, 
dear 
Sister, 
but 
doubtless 
yourself 
and 
husband 
are 
getting 
great 
blessings 
from 
the 
use 
of 
the 
MANNA 
book 
every 
morning. 
It 
surely 
has 
brought 
a 
great 
deal 
of 
blessing 
to 
many. 
The 
text 
and 
comment 
are 
quite 
brief, 
requiring 
only 
a 
few 
minutes; 
then, 
where 
there 
is 
a 
considerable 
number 
at 
the 
table, 
a 
further 
discussion 
of 
the 
text 
is 
often 
very 
illuminating. 
Thus 
the 
day 
is 
well 
started 
with 
helpful 
thoughts. 
I 
am 
glad 
to 
know 
that 
the 
Morning' 
Resolve 
and 
the 
eve­ 
ning 
self-examination 
at 
the 
throne 
of 
grace 
are 
also 
comfort­ 
ing, 
strengthening 
to 
you. 
You 
do 
not 
mention 
the 
vow. 
I 
remember 
that 
you 
and 
your 
husband 
informed 
me 
long 
ago 
that 
you 
had 
taken 
it. 
Nothing 
that 
we 
ever 
harl, 
I 
think, 
has 
accomplished 
more 
of 
blessing 
for 
the 
readers 
of 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER. 
We 
have 
heard 
from 
about 
fifteen 
thousand 
that 
have 
taken 
the 
vow, 
but 
we 
doubt 
not 
that 
the 
number 
is 
much 
larger 
than 
this, 
as 
continually 
dear 
friends 
remark 
to 
us 
that 
they 
took 
the 
vow 
years 
ago. 
but 
did 
not 
think 
to 
men­ 
tion 
the 
fact 
in 
writing 
to 
us. 
\Ve 
are 
always 
glad 
to 
know 
of 
your 
welfare, 
and 
believe 
the 
vow 
is 
a 
RpeC'iaI 
feature 
of 
hlessing 
the 
Lord 
has 
ordainf'rl 
for 
our 
day. 
Besides 
this, 
it 
constitutes 
the 
most 
wonderful 
prayer-circle 
that 
was 
ever 
known 
in 
the 
world-fiftcen 
thousand 
or 
more 
pledged 
to 
eaeh 
other 
and 
to 
the 
Lord 
that 
they 
will 
rpmember 
eaph 
other 
and 
the 
harvest 
work 
('very 
day 
in 
prayer. 
FROM 
BATTLE-TORN 
RUSSIA 
DF.AR 
BROTHER 
I:" 
CHRIST:- 
This 
is 
to 
inform 
you 
that 
I 
fell 
into 
Russian 
captivity, 
and 
after 
a 
long 
journey 
was 
brought 
here 
to 
Jelabuga, 
Russia. 
I 
('ould 
not 
bring 
any 
religious 
tracts 
with 
me, 
and 
now 
I 
feel 
their 
lack 
very 
much. 
Therefore 
I 
earnestly 
request 
you 
to 
send 
me 
your 
complete 
works 
in 
the 
German 
language 
free 
of 
ehr 
rge. 
Of 
cour~e, 
I 
will 
thankfully 
reimburse 
you 
for 
their 
ex­ 
pense 
when 
we, 
with 
God's 
help, 
return. 
At 
the 
~ami" 
time 
I 
would 
request 
you 
to 
send 
me 
some 
Hungarian 
literature 
and 
inchHie 
with 
the 
others. 
Please 
write 
me 
a 
ff'w 
linf's 
of 
('om 
fort. 
awl 
also 
sonlf'tliing 
regarding 
conditions 
existing 
in 
tIl(' 
Unitpd 
f'tatf's. 
With 
lov­ 
ing 
greetings, 
Your 
brother 
in 
the 
Lord, 
FALUV(.;OI 
D(.;uF:s. 
VOL. 
XXXVI 
nHOOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
OCTOBER 
]5, 
1915 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
THE 
MILLENNIUM 
OF 
PEACE 
A 
PROMINENT 
NEW 
YORK 
BANKER'S 
OPINION 
No. 
20 
"The 
cost 
of 
the 
war 
is 
now 
around 
$50,000,000 
per 
day, 
and 
the 
amount 
spent 
thus 
far 
for 
a 
year 
of 
war 
is 
estimated 
to 
have 
been 
about 
$15,iiOO,OOO,000. 
The 
wealth 
of 
the 
United 
Htates 
has 
been 
f'ornputed 
to 
he 
something 
in 
the 
neighborhood 
of 
$18!J.OOO,OOO,OOO. 
The 
first 
year 
of 
war 
has 
east 
about 
one 
twelfth 
of 
this 
vast 
amount. 
At 
tbis 
rate. 
of 
destruction 
a 
sum 
equal 
to 
the 
total 
wealth 
of 
the 
United 
States 
would 
be 
wiped 
out 
in 
twelve 
years. 
"But 
to 
this 
money 
east 
of 
a 
year's 
war 
must 
be 
added 
the 
value 
of 
manufacturing 
and 
other 
huildings 
in 
villages, 
towns 
and 
cities, 
all 
or 
a 
large 
part 
of 
which 
have 
been 
destro:ved, 
of 
crops 
rlevasta 
tefl, 
of 
goods 
and 
household 
proper­ 
ties 
ruined, 
and 
of 
vast 
further 
losses 
sustained 
in 
the 
com­ 
munities, 
which 
are 
being 
fire-and-sbot-swept 
in 
the 
path 
of 
the 
contenfling 
armies. 
N 
otbing 
is 
included 
here 
of 
tbe 
indus­ 
trial 
value 
of 
human 
lives 
which 
have 
been 
destroyed 
hy 
the 
millions. 
Not 
taking 
into 
account 
the 
agony 
and 
grief 
which 
engulfs 
all 
Europe. 
the 
contemplation 
of 
the 
economie 
waste 
of 
war 
is 
appa.lIing. 
And 
it 
is 
no 
wonder 
that 
the 
minus 
of 
many 
millions 
tllTn 
to 
the 
problem 
of 
how 
peace 
can 
be 
hrought 
ahout. 
It 
is 
a 
faet, 
however, 
that 
these 
problems 
occupy 
the 
thoughts 
of 
people 
in 
thi>! 
and 
other 
neutral 
coun­ 
tries 
more 
than 
thev 
flo 
those 
of 
the 
bellig-erent 
nations. 
The 
National 
City 
Bank, 
in 
its 
Augmt 
cire'ular, 
says 
that 
the 
appalling 
destrudive 
results 
of 
the 
year 
of 
war 
signify 
prac­ 
tir'ally 
nothing 
as 
to 
when 
the 
conflict 
will 
enrl; 
that 
there 
are 
no 
sigm; 
that 
either 
side 
is 
running 
out 
of 
men 
or 
money 
or 
that 
the 
people 
of 
any 
of 
the 
warring 
countries 
are 
weaken­ 
ing 
in 
resolution 
or 
confidence. 
"For 
many 
people 
on 
this 
side 
it 
is 
impossible 
to 
under­ 
stand 
this, 
but 
when 
it 
is 
thoroughly 
appreciated 
that 
a 
patched-up-peace 
would 
mean 
merely 
a. 
deferring 
of 
further 
fighting 
until 
recuperation 
could 
he 
dreded 
and 
that 
then 
the 
whole 
bloody 
ponfliet 
woulfl 
have 
to 
he 
fought 
out 
over 
again 
to 
an 
evpn 
bitterer 
end, 
the 
determination 
of 
the 
bel­ 
ligerents 
will 
bC' 
better 
understood. 
There 
is 
only 
one 
result 
which 
can 
now 
be 
accepted 
as 
an 
outcome 
of 
this 
world 
war, 
and 
that 
is 
a 
Tf'sult 
which 
will 
mean 
disarmamcnt 
.of 
the 
nations 
anrl 
a 
peace 
of 
a 
thousand 
years. 
With 
every 
eountry 
stripped 
of 
its 
fighting- 
organiwtions, 
and 
safety 
in 
the 
kf'ep­ 
ing 
of 
an 
international 
police 
force, 
the 
vast 
sums 
wrung 
by 
taxation 
from 
the 
various 
people 
for 
keeping 
up 
prodigious 
armies 
and 
navies 
would 
he 
turned 
to 
the 
arts 
of 
peace 
a.nd 
commerce 
and 
relieved 
from 
the 
terrible 
burden 
and 
anxiety 
whidl 
has 
increasingly 
oppressed 
Europe 
for 
years, 
the 
coun­ 
tries 
of 
the 
world 
would 
devote 
themselvcs 
individually 
to 
the 
winning 
of 
prosperity 
and 
happine>!s. 
"The 
national 
debts 
of 
the 
warring 
countries 
have 
nearly 
doubled 
since 
the 
war 
hegan, 
and 
carrying 
these 
will 
entail 
added 
taxation 
in 
the 
years 
to 
eome. 
If 
a 
peace 
were 
now 
concluded 
which 
flid 
not 
make 
later 
conflict 
impossible, 
this 
R,r](lerl 
taxation 
for 
paying 
interest 
on 
an 
enormously 
increasod 
National 
debt 
bcsidC's 
the 
immcnse 
sums 
for 
whieh 
the 
coun­ 
trips 
\YOllld 
be 
taxed 
to 
e"tablish 
nC'w 
anrl 
larger 
military 
organi7,:ltions, 
wou]rl 
mnke 
the 
life 
of 
individuals 
unhearahle. 
Repudiation 
of 
National 
deht>! 
might, 
and 
woul(l, 
be 
very 
likely 
to 
follow. 
"The 
war 
must 
be 
fought 
to 
a. 
eonclusion 
which 
will 
posi- 
[5783] 
Ocroser 1, 1915 ENJOYING THE SPIRITUAL FOOD Dear BROTHER RUSSELL :— I am reading about ten pages in the Stupies IN THE ScrIrTURES daily. Several times I have tried this plan, but did not continue, This time I am keeping to my lesson as outlined in the Berean Questions. I have read the volumes several times, but by this method I am surprised at the results. Every day I have a definite study before me, and have more desire for the spiritual food than for the natural. I find it the best way to cultivate love in thought, word and deed. Daily I ask the Father to help me, and daily I render my account. I come far short, but can see progress. Praise his name! I am speeding along in the race, trusting in every promise and “looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.” I am content, and am watching THe Watcu Tower for the ‘light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” How it rejoices my heart to know that the time is near when the faithful will partake of the best wine and earth’s festivities begin! Much Christian love to yourself and all the family, in which my husband joins. Your sister in Christ, Mrs. W. W. Goopwin.—Rhode Island. EDITOR’S REPLY TO ABOVE I rejoice with you, dear Sister, in the blessing you are now having from systematic study of the Bible through the daily reading of the volumes, STUDIES IN THE ScrreTuREs, and the Scripture references which they bring to your attention. With the multitudinous affairs of life pressing us, we need to order our lives intelligently in the interest of our new natures. Otherwise, the cares of this life and the deceitful lure of earthly riches would hinder us from obtaining our spiritual food, rest, refreshment and strength—thus incapacitating us for our spiritual blessings and development, and leaving us unfit for a share in the kingdom, I think the plan you have adopted of taking the Berean questions and the portion which they represent as your daily lesson is a good one. As you know, some five years ago many of THe Warcu Towrr readers began systematically to read twelve pages or more every day. Such as have been following this course report splendid success, and show it in their spiritual development. However, I think that your plan of using the questions and taking a special lesson for each day is still better. Often the lesson, however, would run over only one page or two; and in such event you, of course, can readily take in several lessons for one day. The advantage of the question books is that they promote study. One of the most important things for people in every walk of life is to learn to think. We have all done very little THE WATCH TOWER (303-307) of this in respect to religion in the past. One of the mistakes which some of the Brethren make in leading Berean study classes is that they talk too much. The successful Bible class leader is the one who does comparatively little talking, except in an emergency, but who stimulates thought in the class through the questions and through the interrogative form of suggesting answers when necessary rather than giving the answers directly. Bible classes are specially profitable because of the thinking on Bible topics which they arouse. You do not mention it, dear Sister, but doubtless yourself and husband are getting great blessings from the use of the Manna book every morning. It surely has brought a great deal of blessing to many. The text and comment are quite brief, requiring only a few minutes; then, where there is a considerable number at the table, a further discussion of the text is often very illuminating. Thus the day is well started with helpful thoughts, I am glad to know that the Morning Resolve and the evening self-examination at the throne of grace are also comforting, strengthening to you. You do not mention the vow. I remember that you and your husband informed me long ago that you had taken it. Nothing that we ever had, I think, has accomplished more of blessing for the readers of THE WATCH Towrr. We have heard from about fifteen thousand that have taken the vow, but we doubt not that the number is much larger than this, as continually dear friends remark to us that they took the vow years ago. but did not think to mention the fact in writing to us. We are always glad to know of your welfare, and believe the vow ia a special feature of blessing the Lord has ordained for our day. Besides this, it constitutes the most wonderful prayer-cirele that was ever known in the world—fiftcen thousand or more pledged to each other and to the Lord that they will remember each other and the harvest work every day in prayer. FROM BATTLE-TORN BUSSIA Drak BROTITER IN CHRIST :— This is to inform you that J fell into Russian captivity, and after a long journey was brought here to Jelabuga, Russia. I could not bring any religious tracts with me, and now I feel their lack very much. Therefore I earnestly request you to send me your complete works in the German language free of cherge. Of course, I will thankfully reimburse you for their expense when we, with God’s help, return. At the same time I would request you to send me some Hungarian literature and inclnde with the others. Please write me a few lines of comfort. and also something regarding conditions existing in the United States. With loving greetings, Your brother in the Lord, FaLuviétct Déues. Vou. XXXVI “BROOKLYN, N. Y., OCTOBER 15, 1915 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER No. 20 THE MILLENNIUM OF PEACE A PROMINENT NEW YORK BANKER’S OPINION “The cost of the war is now around $50,000,000 per day, and the amount spent thus far for a year of war is estimated to have been about $15,500,000,000. The wealth of the United States has been computed to be something in the neighborhood of $189,000,000,000. The first year of war has cost about one twelfth of this vast amount. At this rate of destruction a sum equal to the total wealth of the United States would be wiped out in twelve years. “But to this money cost of a year’s war must be added the value of manufacturing and other buildings in villages, towns and cities, all or a large part of which have been destroyed, of crops devastated, of goods and household properties ruined, and of vast further losses sustained in the communities, which are being fire-and-shot-swept in the path of the contending armies. Nothing is included here of the industrial value of human lives which have been destroyed by the millions, Not taking into account the agony and grief which engulfs all Europe, the contemplation of the economic waste of war is appalling, And it is no wonder that the minds of many millions turn to the problem of how peace can be brought about. It is a fact, however, that these problems occupy the thoughts of people in this and other neutral countries more than they do those of the belligerent nations. ‘The National City Bank, in its August circular, savs that the appalling destructive results of the year of war signify practically nothing as to when the conflict will end; that there are no signs that either side is running out of men or money or that the people of any of the warring countries are weakening in resolution or confidence. “For many people on this side it is impossible to understand this, but when it is thoroughly appreciated that a patched-up-peace would mean merely a deferring of further fighting until recuperation could be effected and that then the whole bloody conflict would have to be fought out over again to an even bitterer end, the determination of the belligerents will be better understood. There is only one result which can now be accepted as an outcome of this world war, and that is a result which will mean disarmament of the nations and a peace of a thousand years, With every country stripped of its fighting organizations, and safety in the keeping of an international police force, the vast sums wrung by taxation from the various people for keeping up prodigious armies and navies would be turned to the arts of peace and commerce and relieved from the terrible burden and anxiety which has increasingly oppressed Europe for years, the countries of the world would devote themselves individually to the winning of prosperity and happiness. “The national debts of the warring countries have nearly doubled since the war began, and carrying these will entail added taxation in the years to come. If a peace were now concluded which did not make later conflict impossible, this added taxation for paying interest on an enormously increased National debt besides the immense sums for which the countries would be taxed to establish new and larger military organizations, would make the life of individuals unhearahle. Repudiation of National debts might, and would, be very likely to follow. “The war must be fought to a conclusion which will posi [5783]

This website uses cookies to improve the website and your experience. By continuing to browse this website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. If you require further information or do not wish to accept cookies when using this website, please visit our Privacy Policy    Terms of Use    .