Publication date
12/15/15
Volume
36
Number
24
The WatchTower
W.T.B. & T. Society Annual Report
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1915/24/1915-24-1.html
 
 
 
DItCItWBU 
1, 
1915 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(367-371) 
not 
seem 
like 
a 
complaint. 
but 
instead, 
a 
service 
in 
behaIf 
of 
the 
cause 
we 
all 
love 
so 
well. 
With 
wal'mest 
love 
in 
the 
Lord, 
Yours 
in 
His 
service, 
- 
- 
- 
. 
TIME 
ENOUGH 
FOB 
PBOTEST 
DEAR 
BROTHER 
RUSSELL:- 
In 
reading 
and 
rereading 
the 
first 
article 
of 
Sept. 
1st 
TOWER; 
Le. 
"Christian 
Duty 
and 
the 
War," 
we 
have 
been 
greatly 
helped 
and 
encouraged. 
We 
especially 
wish 
to 
speak 
of 
the 
last 
part 
of 
the 
article 
and 
the 
advice 
given 
therein. 
We 
gladly 
accept 
and 
appreciate 
this 
advice. 
You 
seem 
to 
have 
said 
just 
what 
was 
in 
our 
hearts 
and 
minds. 
Weare 
desirous, 
however, 
of 
asking 
a 
further 
question. 
Would 
you 
think 
it 
proper 
and 
wi3e 
to 
place 
before 
the 
gov­ 
ernment 
at 
this 
time, 
before 
they 
become 
involved 
in 
the 
war. 
our 
determination 
in 
Mse 
they 
do? 
"Be 
it 
known 
unto 
thee, 
o 
King, 
we 
will 
not 
serve 
thy 
(War) 
gods." 
Would 
not 
a 
perfectly 
frank 
and 
honest 
posi 
tion 
on 
our 
part 
require 
such 
action? 
As 
for 
instance, 
the 
sending 
of 
a 
resolution 
to 
this 
effect 
signed 
by 
all 
who 
wished, 
to 
President 
Wilson 
and 
the 
public 
press. 
Grel?tly 
thanking 
you 
for 
your 
continued 
labors 
of 
love 
and 
praying 
the 
Master's 
richest 
blessing 
upon 
you 
and 
the 
glorious 
work 
you 
are 
doing, 
we 
remain, 
Yours 
faithfully 
in 
the 
Anointed, 
- 
- 
- 
. 
We 
advise 
that 
no 
protest 
be 
made 
until 
there 
is 
some 
demand; 
and 
then 
only 
a 
quiet, 
modest 
declaration 
of 
our 
consciences 
on 
the 
subject. 
EDITOR. 
"LIFT 
t1P 
YOn 
HEADS 
AND 
REJOICE'" 
Question.-<Should 
the 
Lord's 
people 
be 
grieved, 
or 
should 
they 
rejoice, 
over 
this 
present 
great 
international 
war! 
Answer.-Our 
M,aster 
said, 
"When 
ye 
see 
these 
things 
be­ 
gin 
to 
oome 
to 
pass, 
then 
lift 
up 
your 
heads 
and 
rejoice!" 
We 
cannot 
think 
that 
the 
Lord 
meant 
that 
we 
should 
rejoice 
in 
tne 
sufferings 
of 
those 
engaged 
in 
this 
war. 
nor 
in 
the 
suffer­ 
ings 
of 
the 
wives 
and 
children, 
the 
bereaved 
ones, 
nor 
in 
the 
loss 
of 
those 
whose 
homes 
are 
destroyed, 
nor 
in 
the 
sorrows 
of 
millions 
here 
who 
are 
without 
homes 
in 
consequence 
of 
the 
war. 
We 
cannot 
think 
that 
he 
meant 
this! 
He 
says 
that 
we 
are 
to 
sympathize 
with 
those 
who 
are 
in 
trouble, 
to 
rejoice 
with 
those 
who 
rejoice 
and 
to 
weep 
with 
those 
wfio 
weep. 
The 
reason 
why 
we 
rejoice 
is 
that 
we 
know 
what 
the 
outcome 
of 
this 
trouble 
upon 
the 
nations 
will 
be, 
as 
foreshown 
in 
the 
Scriptures. 
We 
rejoice 
not 
in 
the 
sorrows, 
the 
difficulties, 
not 
,in 
the 
war, 
and 
what 
is 
to 
follow 
in 
its 
wake, 
but 
in 
the 
fact 
that 
all 
these 
things 
prefigure 
tJhe 
end 
of 
the 
reign 
of 
~in 
and 
Death 
and 
the 
inauguration 
of 
Messiah's 
glorious 
empire! 
\·OL. 
XXXVI 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
DECEMBER 
15, 
1915 
No. 
24 
WATCH 
TOWER, 
BIBLE 
AND 
TRACT 
SOCIETY 
ANNUAL 
REPORT 
FOR 
FISCAL 
YE,AR-1915 
Although 
the 
year 
1915 
falls 
considerably 
short 
of 
previous 
years 
in 
respect 
to 
the 
Society's 
ae.tivities 
in 
the 
promulga­ 
tion 
of 
truth; 
nevertheless, 
this 
is 
one 
of 
the 
best 
reports 
the 
Society 
has 
ever 
been 
privileged 
to 
render. 
It 
so 
impresses 
us 
because 
many 
of 
the 
dear 
friends 
who 
have 
been 
active 
sup­ 
porters 
of 
the 
work 
in 
the 
past 
have 
been 
so 
generous, 
so 
fervent, 
so 
zealous, 
that 
they 
left 
themselves 
with 
merely 
enough 
of 
this 
world's 
goods 
to 
properly 
maintain 
themselves 
and 
those 
for 
whom 
they 
had 
responsibility. 
Our 
expectations 
that 
the 
Lord's 
consecrated 
people 
might 
be 
taken 
beyond 
the 
veil 
by 
October, 
1914, 
had 
muth 
to 
do 
with 
these 
previous 
activities; 
leading 
the 
friends 
to 
spend 
and 
be 
spent 
in 
the 
most 
marvelous 
way 
in 
the 
interest 
of 
the 
King 
and 
the 
breth­ 
hen, 
heirs 
of 
the 
kingdom. 
True, 
for 
two 
years 
preceding 
the 
date 
mentioned, 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
pointed 
out 
that 
the 
grand 
climax 
of 
our 
hopes 
seemed 
not 
likely 
to 
be 
fulfilled 
at 
that 
time. 
Nevertheless, 
the 
fervent 
zeal 
of 
the 
brethren 
led 
many 
of 
them 
to 
serve 
to 
their 
limit. 
And 
during 
the 
year 
preceding, 
the 
PHOTO­ 
DRAMA 
OF 
CREATION 
so 
greatly 
appealed 
to 
the 
brethren 
as 
a 
providential 
arrangement 
of 
the 
Lord 
for 
the 
scattering 
of 
the 
truth 
that 
it 
quite 
made 
up 
for 
any 
loss 
of 
expectancy 
in 
re­ 
gard 
to 
the 
time. 
We 
therefore 
consider 
it 
very 
remarkable 
that 
in 
the 
face 
of 
these 
circumstances 
the 
work 
has 
gone 
on, 
practically 
uninterrupted-some 
features 
of 
it 
even 
increasing, 
notwithstanding 
the 
financial 
depression 
of 
the 
earlier 
half 
of 
the 
fiscal 
year. 
First 
of 
all, 
we 
note 
the 
beautiful 
spirit 
manifested 
by 
the 
Lord's 
people 
in 
every 
part 
of 
the 
harvest 
field. 
A 
deep 
work 
of 
grace 
in 
the 
hearts 
and 
minds 
of 
the 
brethren 
is 
everywhere 
manifest. 
Their 
possession 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
in 
increasing 
measure 
is 
manifested, 
as 
the 
Apostle 
declared 
it 
should 
be, 
in 
the 
fruits 
of 
the 
Spirit; 
i. 
e., 
meekness, 
gentleness, 
patience, 
long-suffering, 
brotherly 
kindness, 
love. 
We 
know 
of 
these 
prevailing 
conditions, 
not 
merely 
through 
the 
dear 
brethren 
who 
represent 
the 
pilgrim 
work 
and 
by 
whom 
reports 
are 
con­ 
tinually 
sent 
in 
in 
respect 
to 
every 
class 
visited; 
but 
we 
have 
information 
of 
the 
same 
thing 
from 
every 
part 
of 
the 
world, 
through 
the 
Correspondence 
Department. 
As 
an 
illustration 
of 
how 
the 
work 
goes 
gradually 
on, 
we 
note 
the 
fact 
that 
in 
the 
New 
York 
City 
congregation 
the 
num­ 
ber 
immersed 
during 
the 
year-208--exceeded 
those 
of 
the 
preceding 
years. 
We 
have 
similar 
reports 
from 
all 
over 
the 
world, 
witnessing 
to 
an 
increasing 
number, 
coming 
under 
the 
influence 
of 
the 
truth, 
and 
"presenting 
their 
bodies, 
living 
sac­ 
rifices," 
in 
consecration 
to 
the 
Lord 
and 
his 
service. 
THE 
COLPORTEUR 
WORK 
The 
financial 
strain 
of 
the 
early 
part 
of 
the 
year 
discour­ 
aged 
many 
of 
the 
colporteurs, 
and 
led 
them 
to 
leave 
the 
har· 
vest 
work 
temporarily 
and 
enter 
business 
pursuits-it 
being 
impossible 
for 
them, 
for 
a 
time, 
to 
meet 
their 
expenses. 
Now, 
however, 
the 
great 
improvement 
in 
business 
everywhere, 
re­ 
sulting 
from 
the 
manufacture 
of 
munitions 
of 
war 
for 
Europe, 
is 
encouraging 
many 
of 
these 
brethren 
to 
return 
to 
the 
harvest 
work. 
There 
surely 
never 
was 
a 
more 
encouraging 
time 
for 
engaging 
in 
this 
blessed 
service. 
Not 
only 
are 
the 
STUDIES 
IN 
THE 
SCRIPTURES 
supplemented 
by 
the 
CREATION 
SCENARIO; 
but 
additionally 
and 
especially, 
the 
minds 
of 
the 
people 
are 
open 
as 
never 
before, 
to 
know 
something 
about 
the 
meaning 
of 
the 
war, 
and 
to 
consider 
the 
relationship 
of 
God 
and 
the 
divine 
plan 
to 
the 
terrible 
war 
now 
in 
progress. 
We 
have 
the 
thing 
they 
need, 
the 
thing 
they 
crave; 
and 
no 
one 
else 
has 
it. 
We 
are 
hoping 
that 
many 
of 
the 
dear 
friends 
who 
became 
temporarily 
discouraged 
will 
per­ 
ceive 
the 
hand 
of 
the 
Lord 
beckoning 
forward 
for 
a 
further 
gleaning 
in 
the 
harvest 
field 
before 
"the 
night 
cometh 
when 
no 
man 
can 
work." 
The 
circumstances 
mentioned 
will 
account 
for 
the 
decrease 
in 
the 
output 
of 
the 
STUDIES 
IN 
THE 
SCRIP­ 
TURES, 
as 
shown 
in 
this 
report. 
THE 
PILGBIM 
WORK 
While 
various 
circumstances 
and 
conditions 
have 
seemed 
to 
make 
it 
advisable 
that 
some 
of 
the 
pilgrim 
brethren 
be 
dropped 
from 
the 
active 
service, 
others 
have 
been 
brought 
into 
the 
work, 
and 
still 
others 
are 
expected 
to 
enter 
it 
in 
the 
near 
future. 
The 
results 
of 
the 
year, 
as 
shown 
in 
the 
tabulation, 
certainly 
compare 
very 
favorably 
with 
the 
year 
1914. 
We 
consider 
this 
one 
of 
the 
most 
important 
branches 
of 
the 
serv­ 
ice, 
and 
continue 
to 
commend 
to 
the 
love 
and 
special 
considera­ 
tion 
of 
all 
the 
Lord's 
people 
the 
pilgrims 
whom 
the 
Society 
sends 
forth. 
A 
special 
blessing 
seems 
to 
be 
going 
with 
this 
feature 
of 
the 
work 
at 
the 
present 
time. 
The 
public 
have 
an 
ear 
to 
hear, 
and 
the 
Lord 
seems 
to 
he 
giving 
his 
faithful 
on\'s 
more 
and 
more 
of 
wisdom 
and 
grace 
in 
the 
presentation 
of 
the 
message. 
The 
results 
are 
gratifying. 
CREATION 
PHOTO-DRAMA 
This 
branch 
of 
the 
work, 
having 
been 
pushed 
for 
a 
year, 
most 
persistently 
at 
great 
expense, 
yielded 
such 
bountiful 
re­ 
sults 
that 
we 
were 
loth 
to 
see 
the 
great 
activity 
in 
this 
direc­ 
tion 
curtailed. 
Nevertheless, 
it 
was 
the 
only 
wise 
and 
possible 
thing 
under 
the 
circumstances-the 
financial 
stringency. 
For 
a 
time, 
all 
but 
three 
of 
the 
DRAMAS 
in 
the 
United 
States 
were 
discontinued; 
and 
these 
were 
not 
run 
as 
continually 
as 
before. 
Various 
endeavors 
were 
made 
to 
put 
the 
DRAMA 
on 
a 
financial 
footing 
to 
yield 
its 
own 
expenses. 
It 
was 
found, 
however, 
that 
in 
order 
to 
make 
it 
attractive 
to 
the 
theater 
people, 
the 
DRAMA 
was 
so 
shortened 
that 
the 
main 
object 
was 
largely 
frustrated. 
The 
Society, 
on 
the 
contrary, 
had 
the 
special 
interest 
in 
the 
slides 
and 
records, 
because 
by 
these 
the 
great 
Gospel 
message 
was 
delivered-the 
moving 
pictures 
merely 
being 
introduced 
to 
draw 
the 
audience 
and 
to 
hold 
their 
attention. 
All 
such 
exhibi­ 
tions 
of 
the 
DRAMA 
have 
been 
discontinued. 
Hereafter 
it 
is 
to 
be 
shown 
only 
in 
its 
full 
four 
parts, 
without 
any 
curtailment. 
And 
the 
Lord's 
blessing 
seems 
to 
be 
returning 
to 
the 
DRAMA 
on 
the 
free 
basis. 
We 
have 
now, 
practically, 
all 
of 
our 
DRAMA 
sets 
in 
opera­ 
tion, 
though 
not 
showing 
usually, 
except 
Sundays, 
in 
the 
the­ 
aters. 
And 
the 
friends 
can 
usually 
obtain 
the 
theaters 
at 
a 
very 
low 
price. 
In 
cities 
where 
ordinary 
Photo-Drama 
entertain- 
[5813] 
DecempBer 1, 1915 not seem like a complaint, but instead, a service in behalf of the cause we all love so well. With warmest love in the Lord. Yours in His service, . TIME ENOUGH FOR PROTEST Deas BRoTHER RUSSELL:— In reading and rereading the first article of Sept. Ist Tower; ie. “Christian Duty and the War,” we have been greatly helped and encouraged. We especially wish to speak of the last part of the article and the advice given therein. We gladly accept and appreciate this advice. You seem to have said just what was in our hearts and minds. We are desirous, however, of asking a further question. Would you think it proper and wise to place before the government at this time, before they become involved in the war, our determination in ease they do? “Be it known unto thee, O King, we will not serve thy (War) gods.” Would not a perfectly frank and honest position on our part require such action? As for instance, the sending of a resolution to this effect. signed by all who wished, to President Wilson and the public press. Greetly thanking you for your continued labors of love and praying the Master’s richest blessing upon you and the glorious work you are doing, we remain, Yours faithfully in the Anointed, Vou. XXXVI THE WATCH TOWER BROOKLYN, N. Y., DECEMBER 15, 1915 (367-371) We advise that no protest be made until there is some demand; and then only a quiet, modest declaration of our consciences on the subject. EDITOR. “LIFT UP YOUR HEADS AND REJOICE!’’ Question—Should the Lord’s people be grieved, or should they rejoice, over this present great international war? Answer.—Our Master said, “When ye see these things begin to come to pass, then lift up your heads and rejoice!” We cannot think that the Lord meant that we should rejoice in tne sufferings of those engaged in this war, nor in the sufferings of the wives and children, the bereaved ones, nor in the loss of those whose homes are destroyed, nor in the sorrows of millions here who are without homes in consequence of the war, We cannot think that he meant this! He says that we are to sympathize with those who are in trouble, to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those wlio weep. The reason why we rejoice is that we know what the outcome of this trouble upon the nations will be, as foreshown in the Scriptures. We rejoice not in the sorrows, the difficulties, not in the war, and what is to follow in its wake, but in the fact that all these things prefigure the end of the reign of Sin and Death and the inauguration of Messiah’s glorious empire! No. 24 WATCH TOWER, BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR—1915 Although the year 1915 falls considerably short of previous years in respect to the Society’s activities in the promulgation of truth; nevertheless, this is one of the best reports the Society has ever been privileged to render. It so impresses us because many of the dear friends who have been active supporters of the work in the past have been so generous, 80 fervent, so zealous, that they left themselves with merely enough of this world’s goods to properly maintain themselves and those for whom they had responsibility. Our expectations that the Lord’s consecrated people might be taken beyond the veil by October, 1914, had muth to do with these previous activities; leading the friends to spend and be spent in the most marvelous way in the interest of the King and the brethhen, heirs of the kingdom. True, for two years preceding the date mentioned, THE WarcH Tower pointed out that the grand climax of our hopes seemed not likely to be fulfilled at that time. Nevertheless, the fervent zeal of the brethren led many of them to serve to their limit. And during the year preceding, the PHoToDRAMA OF CREATION so greatly appealed to the brethren as a providential arrangement of the Lord for the scattering of the truth that it quite made up for any loss of expectancy in regard to the time. We therefore consider it very remarkable that in the face of these circumstances the work has gone on, practically uninterrupted—some features of it even increasing, notwithstanding the financial depression of the earlier half of the fiscal year. First of all, we note the beautiful spirit manifested by the Lord’s people in every part of the harvest field. A deep work of grace in the hearts and minds of the brethren is everywhere manifest. Their possession of the holy Spirit in increasing measure is manifested, as the Apostle declared it should be, in the fruits of the Spirit; i. e., meekness, gentleness, patience, long-suffering, brotherly kindness, love. We know of these prevailing conditions, not merely through the dear brethren who represent the pilgrim work and by whom reports are continually sent in in respect to every class visited; but we have information of the same thing from every part of the world, through the Correspondence Department. As an illustration of how the work goes gradually on, we note the fact that in the New York City congregation the number immersed during the year-—208—exceeded those of the preceding years. We have similar reports from all over the world, witnessing to an increasing number, coming under the influence of the truth, and “presenting their bodies, living sacrifices,” in consecration to the Lord and his service. THE COLPORTEUR WORK The financial strain of the early part of the year discouraged many of the colporteurs, and led them to leave the harvest work temporarily and enter business pursuits—it being impossible for them, for a time, to meet their expenses. Now, however, the great improvement in business everywhere, resulting from the manufacture of munitions of war for Europe, is encouraging many of these brethren to return to the harvest work. There surely never was a more encouraging time for engaging in this blessed service. Not only are the STuDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES supplemented by the Creation Scenario; but additionally and especially, the minds of the people are open as never before, to know something about the meaning of the war, and to consider the relationship of God and the divine plan to the terrible war now in progress. We have the thing they need, the thing they erave; and no one else has it. We are hoping that many of the dear friends who became temporarily discouraged will perceive the hand of the Lord beckoning forward for a further gleaning in the harvest field before “the night cometh when no man can work.” The circumstances mentioned will account for the decrease in the output of the STupIEs IN THE ScripTURES, as shown in this report. THE PILGRIM WORK While various circumstances and conditions have seemed to make it advisable that some of the pilgrim brethren be dropped from the active service, others have been brought into the work, and still others are expected to enter it in the near future. The results of the year, as shown in the tabulation, certainly compare very favorably with the year 1914. We consider this one of the most important branches of the service, and continue to commend to the love and special consideration of all the Lord’s people the pilgrims whom the Society sends forth. A special blessing seems to be going with this feature of the work at the present time. The public have an ear to hear, and the Lord seems to be giving his faithful ones more and more of wisdom and grace in the presentation of the message. The results are gratifying. CREATION PHOTO-DRAMA This branch of the work, having been pushed for a year, most persistently at great expense, yielded such bountiful results that we were loth to see the great activity in this direction curtailed. Nevertheless, it was the only wise and possible thing under the circumstances—the financial stringency. For a time, all but three of the DraMas in the United States were discontinued; and these were not run as continually as before. Various endeavors were made to put the DraMa on a financial footing to yield its own expenses. It was found, however, that in order to make it attractive to the theater people, the DrRaMa was so shortened that the main object was largely frustrated. The Society, on the contrary, had the special interest in the slides and records, because by these the great Gospel message was delivered—the moving pictures merely being introduced to draw the audience and to hold their attention. All such exhibitions of the Drama have been discontinued. Hereafter it is to be shown only in its full four parts, without any curtailment. And the Lord’s blessing seems to be returning to the Drama on the free basis. We have now, practically, all of our DraMa sets in operation, though not showing usually, except Sundays, in the theaters, And the friends can usually obtain the theaters at a very low price. In cities where ordinary Photo-Drama entertain [5813]

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