Publication date
4/15/15
Volume
36
Number
8
The WatchTower
The Sum of All Graces
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1915/8/1915-8-1.html
 
 
 
(111-115) 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y. 
HUNGRY 
FOB 
GOD'S 
LOVB 
My 
DEAR 
PASTOR 
RUSSELL:- 
Your 
sermQns 
in 
the 
newspapers 
are 
such 
a 
comfort, 
and 
I 
am 
proud 
to 
know 
that 
there 
is 
a 
man 
of 
God 
who 
is 
brave 
enough 
to 
tell 
the 
truth 
as 
he 
sees 
it. 
We 
go 
to 
church, 
but 
where 
is 
the 
comfort 
to 
be 
found 
there? 
Money! 
money! 
money! 
The 
poor 
man 
is 
made 
to 
feel 
his 
position 
in 
life 
so 
keen~y 
that 
!t 
is 
far 
better 
for 
him 
to 
stay 
at 
home 
and 
go 
out 
In 
the 
fields 
or 
on 
the 
water 
and 
praise 
God 
there, 
for 
God 
wants 
the 
heart 
and 
a 
good, 
pure 
life. 
We 
are 
hungry 
for 
God 
and 
for 
Christ's 
love--pure, 
sweet 
love. 
We 
go 
to 
church, 
but 
we 
are 
made 
to 
feel 
that 
we 
poor 
creatures 
need 
to 
know 
more 
of 
God's 
love! 
It 
is 
there 
for 
us, 
only 
our 
eyes 
are 
not 
yet 
opened. 
We 
have 
attended 
the 
same 
church 
for 
twenty 
years-Presbyterian, 
and 
a 
little 
Over 
two 
years 
ago 
I 
had 
an 
awful, 
awful 
sorrow 
(I 
had 
but 
the 
two 
sons), 
when 
my 
older 
son 
was 
taken 
m. 
Everything 
was 
done 
that 
could 
be 
done 
for 
him, 
but 
God 
called 
him 
home. 
His 
was 
one 
of 
the 
most 
beautiful 
characters. 
\Vhen 
he 
was 
ill 
and 
suffering, 
there 
was 
never 
a 
murmur. 
He 
was 
on 
the 
Produce 
Exchange, 
and 
his 
employer 
wrote 
him 
a 
most 
beautiful 
letter, 
stating 
that 
they 
had 
stood 
side 
by 
side 
for 
thirteen 
years 
and 
he 
had 
never 
seen 
a 
frown. 
After 
the 
funeral, 
and 
our 
bills 
were 
beincr 
settled, 
we 
were 
horrified 
when 
the 
undertaker 
said 
to 
my 
husband 
that 
the 
minister 
expected 
his 
pay-from 
five 
to 
ten 
dollars. 
What 
a 
dreadful 
thing 
to 
think 
that 
the 
last 
prayer 
over 
the 
remains 
of 
my 
precious 
boy 
had 
to 
be 
paid 
for! 
We 
have 
the 
receipt. 
What 
would 
our 
blessed 
Savior 
say 
to 
that! 
Qh, 
keep 
telling 
us 
of 
God's 
love! 
It 
will 
help 
us 
to 
bear 
the 
cross 
as 
we 
go 
through 
life. 
If 
it 
were 
only 
known 
in 
the 
pure, 
simple 
way, 
how 
many 
dear, 
discouraged 
souls 
it 
would 
help! 
It 
is 
not 
to 
be 
found 
in 
the 
churches 
of 
today. 
Very 
sincerely, 
MRS. 
E. 
H. 
LOMAS. 
BCHOBS 
SBNTIMENTS 
OF 
MAlITY 
PRISONERS 
DEAR 
SIR:- 
As 
one 
of 
more 
than 
fourteen-hundred 
prisoners 
confined 
in 
Clinton 
Prison 
at 
Dannemora, 
N. 
Y., 
I 
wish 
to 
thank 
you 
and 
all 
concerned 
in 
the 
production 
of 
the 
PHOTO-DRAMA 
of 
CREATION. 
It 
has 
been 
a 
great 
privilege 
to 
view 
the 
pictures, 
and 
I 
have 
derived 
lasting 
benefit 
during 
these 
past 
four 
days. 
I 
but 
echo 
the 
sentiments 
of 
every 
prisoner 
within 
these 
walls 
when 
I 
say 
that 
ihis 
exhibition 
has 
given 
us 
a 
better 
knowledge 
of 
crea.tion, 
of 
God 
and 
of 
Christ 
than 
we 
could 
possibly 
get, 
unaided, 
from 
any 
other 
source. 
It 
has 
made 
a 
deep 
impression 
upon 
all 
of 
us. 
It 
has 
lifted 
our 
thoughts 
to 
a 
higher, 
better 
life 
and 
has 
given 
us 
a 
far 
better 
understand­ 
ing 
of 
things 
of 
which 
we 
have 
heretofore 
been 
ignorant. 
It 
would 
have 
pleased 
you 
to, 
have 
witnessed 
the 
manner 
in 
which 
the 
pictures 
were 
received 
by 
the 
hundreds 
of 
men 
who 
are 
considered 
hardened 
criminals. 
When 
the 
motion 
picture 
of 
Jesus' 
awakening 
of 
Jairus' 
daughter 
and 
the 
healing 
of 
the 
lame 
and 
blind 
was 
on 
the 
screen 
the 
prisoners 
voluntarily 
joined 
softly 
in 
the 
hymn 
of 
the 
phonograph 
singer. 
This 
was 
most 
impressive; 
and 
the 
man 
must 
indeed 
be 
hardened 
whose 
heart 
would 
not 
be 
moved. 
Again 
thanking 
you, 
please 
accept 
greetings 
and 
best 
wishes 
for 
a 
continuance 
of 
your 
health. 
Sincerely 
yours, 
WILLIAM 
F. 
GILLESPIE. 
VOL. 
XXXVI 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
APRIL 
15, 
1915 
No.8 
THE 
SUM 
OF 
ALL 
GRACES 
[With 
the 
exception 
of 
paragraphs 
below, 
this 
article 
was 
a 
reprint 
of 
that 
published 
in 
issue 
of 
Aug. 
15, 
1897, 
which 
please 
see.] 
"And 
now 
abideth 
faith, 
hope, 
love, 
these 
three; 
but 
the 
greatest 
of 
these 
is 
love."-l 
Corinthians 
13: 
13. 
The 
Apostle 
Paul 
has 
just 
been 
referring 
to 
the 
various 
well-built 
am 
If 
or, 
How 
fine-looking 
or 
well-educated 
or 
well- 
miracu}o,us 
gifts 
of 
the 
Spirit 
then 
granted 
to 
all 
begotten 
of 
connected 
am 
I 
according 
to 
the 
flesh' 
or, 
How 
many 
or 
how 
t~e 
S~llnt 
to 
the 
~ew 
nature. 
Anyone 
lacking 
some 
such 
spe- 
fine 
sermons 
have 
I 
preached' 
or 
even, 
How 
man! 
have 
I 
Clal 
gift 
at 
that 
time 
would 
thus 
manifest 
to 
all 
believers 
that 
brought 
to 
a 
knowledge 
of 
the 
Truth' 
But 
the 
Vital 
ques­ 
he 
had 
not 
become 
a 
member 
of 
the 
church 
of 
Christ. 
These 
tion 
is, 
How 
much 
of 
the 
quality 
of 
love 
have 
I 
developed' 
~upert.I3:tural 
gifts 
also 
serve~ 
to 
assist 
the 
primitive 
church 
How 
great 
is 
the 
likeness 
of 
my 
character 
to 
that 
of 
ChristY 
lTI 
spmtua~ 
growth. 
They 
did 
n.ot 
have 
the 
Bible 
in 
those 
LOVB 
IS 
THE 
PRINCIPAL 
TmNG 
days, 
and 
If 
they 
had 
possessed 
It, 
but 
very 
few 
could 
have 
read 
it; 
hence, 
they 
needed 
special 
assistance 
which 
the 
church 
Why 
is 
this 
quality 
of 
love 
made 
so 
prominent 
in 
the 
Word 
afterward 
did 
not 
need, 
and 
which 
later 
was 
taken 
away. 
of 
God' 
We 
answer, 
Because 
it 
is 
the 
first 
thing, 
the 
most 
In 
this 
letter 
to 
the 
church 
at 
Corinth 
the 
Apostle 
after 
important 
thing, 
the 
principal 
thing. 
It 
is 
the 
fulfilling 
of 
discussing 
these 
various 
gifts, 
says 
"And 
yet 
I 
show 
ur:to 
you 
God's 
law; 
and, 
indeed, 
the 
sacrificial 
love 
enjoined 
upon 
a 
more 
excellent 
way." 
Then 
he' 
proceeds 
to 
point 
out 
the 
God's 
saints 
of 
this 
age 
goes 
even 
beyond 
the 
requirements 
sUI!e~-excellence 
of 
the 
fruit 
of 
love. 
Whoever 
has 
the 
holy 
of 
the 
perfect 
.law.. 
But 
why 
is 
l.ove 
put 
first' 
It 
is 
not. 
be­ 
~plnt 
mus~ 
have 
a 
measure 
at 
least 
of 
this 
fruitage, 
whether 
cl;l-use 
God 
arbltranly 
so 
placed 
It,. 
not 
because 
he 
exercised 
It 
be 
the 
httle 
flower 
that 
contains 
the 
fruit-bud 
or 
whether 
hiS 
power 
of 
nat 
and 
declared 
that 
It 
should 
be 
first. 
No. 
It 
it 
be 
the 
partly 
developed 
fruit, 
the 
fully 
developed 
fruit 
or 
is 
because 
no 
other 
quality 
of 
character 
is 
so 
lovely, 
so 
beau­ 
the 
ripened 
fruit. 
God 
onr 
Father, 
who 
looks 
upon 
the 
heart 
tiful, 
so 
productive 
of 
happiness 
and 
joy, 
so 
great 
a 
blessing 
knows 
how 
his 
holy 
Spirit 
in 
the 
heart 
is 
seekinO' 
to 
controi 
to 
all 
upon 
whom 
it 
operates. 
It 
is 
the 
very 
essence 
of 
God's 
the 
flesh, 
to 
guide 
the 
mind 
and 
all 
the 
words 
~nd 
actions. 
character. 
"GOD 
IS 
LOVE 
I" 
This 
quality 
particularly 
rep- 
W 
~ 
are 
not 
a~le 
to 
judge 
one 
another's 
h('arts. 
The 
Apostle 
resents 
his 
personality. 
Whil.e 
<::00. 
is 
all-just 
and 
ll;ll-power- 
said 
that 
he 
did 
not 
feel 
able 
properly 
to 
judge 
even 
himself 
ful, 
we 
do 
not 
say 
that 
God 
IS 
Justice 
or 
that 
God 
IS 
power, 
but 
left 
judgment 
to 
the 
Lord. 
He 
knew 
that 
his 
heart 
wa~ 
but 
that 
God 
is 
love. 
He 
uses 
his 
great 
power 
only 
as 
love 
loyal 
and 
that 
he 
was 
endeavorinO' 
to 
be 
all 
that 
the 
Lord 
dictates 
and 
approves. 
He 
uses 
his 
justice 
only 
in 
fullest 
h~r- 
would 
have 
him 
be. 
Thongh 
he 
w:S 
conscious 
of 
his 
inability 
mony 
with 
his 
glorious 
attribute 
of 
Love, 
Love 
is 
the 
mam- 
always 
to 
"do 
the 
things 
that 
he 
would," 
he 
knew 
that 
the 
spring 
of 
all 
his 
doings. 
Master 
would 
accept 
his 
loyalty 
of 
heart; 
so 
he 
would 
do 
his 
Whoever, 
therefore, 
would 
be 
God-like 
must 
be 
loving, 
best 
and 
leave 
the 
remainder 
with 
God. 
must 
have 
love 
as 
the 
dominating 
quality 
of 
his 
character 
and 
Our 
faith 
and 
our 
hope 
in 
the 
Lord 
lead 
us 
to 
earnest 
en- 
his 
life. 
Love 
and 
righteousness 
are 
inseparable. 
Love 
is 
deavor 
to 
develop 
the 
fruitage 
of 
love 
in 
all 
its 
varied 
and 
to 
continue 
to 
all 
eternity; 
and 
only 
those 
who 
become 
the 
beautiful 
phases. 
Gentleness 
is 
a 
part 
of 
love; 
meekness 
is 
a 
active 
embodiment 
of 
this 
gracious 
quality 
of 
character 
w.ill 
part 
?f 
love; 
so 
also 
are 
humility 
and 
brotherly-kindness. 
The 
live 
eternally. 
Hence 
we 
see 
the 
paramount 
importance 
of 
Its 
question 
at 
issue 
with 
each 
child 
of 
God 
is 
not, 
How 
tall 
and 
development 
in 
every 
life. 
THE 
WHITE 
RAIMENT 
OF 
THE 
KINGDOM 
"He 
that 
overcometh, 
the 
same 
shall 
be 
clothed 
in 
white 
raiment" 
and 
I 
will 
not 
blot 
his 
name 
o-ut 
of 
the 
Book 
of 
Life, 
but 
I 
will 
confess 
his 
name 
before 
my 
Father, 
and 
before 
his 
angels."-Revelation 
3: 
5. 
o 
In 
this 
text, 
as 
throughout 
the 
Bible, 
the 
thought 
is 
main- 
and 
testings, 
and 
continuing 
to 
be 
overcome 
by 
them, 
w~uld 
tamed 
that 
the 
elect 
class. 
who 
will 
rccei\'e 
the 
highest 
glory, 
prove 
that 
he 
is 
not 
sufficiently 
loyal; 
for 
the 
Lord 
has 
promised 
honor 
and 
blessing 
from 
the 
Lord, 
must 
demonstrate 
their 
loy- 
that 
his 
grace 
shall 
be 
sufficient 
in 
every 
time 
of 
need.-2 
Cor­ 
alty 
by 
overcoming. 
It 
is 
not 
sufficient 
that 
there 
shall 
be 
inthians 
12: 
9. 
an 
overcoming 
of 
the 
will 
at 
the 
beginning 
of 
the 
Christian 
Although 
the 
Lord's 
grace 
is 
sufficient, 
this 
would 
not 
mean 
career, 
but 
subsequently 
there 
must 
be 
trials 
and 
testings 
en- 
that 
we 
might 
not 
sometimes 
fall 
into 
temptation. 
We 
might 
dured, 
and 
these 
must 
be 
met 
in 
an 
overcoming 
manner. 
The 
fall 
into 
temptation 
inadvertently, 
without 
the 
consent 
of 
our 
consecration 
having 
been 
made, 
and 
the 
trials 
and 
testings 
wills, 
and 
"be 
overtaken 
in 
a 
fault." 
But 
the 
Lord's 
grace 
is 
having 
begun, 
the 
individual 
yielding 
under 
those 
temptations 
sufficient 
to 
bring 
us 
out 
of 
the 
temptations 
as 
overcomers, 
en- 
[5668] 
(111-115) HUNGRY FOR GOD’S LOVE My Dear Pastor RUSSELL:— Your sermons in the newspapers are such a comfort, and I am proud to know that there is a man of God who is brave enough to tell the truth as he sees it. We go to church, but where is the comfort to be found there? Money! money! money! The poor man is made to feel his position in life so keenly that it is far better for him to stay at home and go out in the fields or on the water and praise God there, for God wants the heart and a good, pure life. We are hungry for God and for Christ’s love—pure, sweet love. We go to church, but we are made to feel that we poor creatures need to know more of God’s love! It is there for us, only our eyes are not yet opened. We have attended the same church for twenty years—Presbyterian, and a, little over two years ago I had an awful, awful sorrow (I had but the two sons), when my older son was taken iil. Everything was done that could be done for him, but God called him home. His was one of the most beautiful characters. When he was ill and suffering, there was never a murmur, He was on the Produce Exchange, and his employer wrote him a most beautiful letter, stating that they had stood side by side for thirteen years and he had never seen a frown. After the funeral, and our bills were being settled, we were horrified when the undertaker said to my husband that the Minister expected his pay—from five to ten dollars, What a dreadful thing to think that the last prayer over the remains of my precious boy had to be paid for! We have the receipt. What would our blessed Savior say to that! Oh, keep telling us of God’s love! It will help us to bear the cross THE WATCH TOWER Brooxtyn, N. Y. as we go through life. If it were only known in the pure, simple way, how many dear, discouraged souls it would help! It is not to be found in the churches of today. Very sincerely, Mags. E, H. Lomas. ECHOES SENTIMENTS OF MANY PRISONERS Dear Siz :— As one of more than fourteen-hundred prisonerga confined in Clinton Prison at Dannemora, N. Y., I wish to thank you and all concerned in the production of the PHoTO-DraMa of CREATION, It has been a great privilege to view the pictures, and I have derived lasting benefit during these past four days. I but echo the sentiments of every prisoner within these walls when I say that this exhibition has given us a better knowledge of creation, of God and of Christ than we could possibly get, unaided, from any other source. It hag made a deep impression upon all of us. It has lifted our thoughts to a higher, better life and has given us a far better understanding of things of which we have heretofore been ignorant. It would have pleased you to, have witnessed the manner in which the pictures were received by the hundreds of men who are considered hardened criminals, : When the motion picture of Jesus’ awakening of Jairus’ daughter and the healing of the lame and blind was on the screen the prisoners voluntarily joined softly in the hymn of the phonograph singer. This was most impressive; and the man must indeed be hardened whose heart would not be moved. Again thanking you, please accept greetings and best wishes for a continuance of your health. Sincerely yours, Wiirram F. GILvesrpie. Vou. XXXVI BROOKLYN, N. Y., APRIL 15, 1915 No. 8 THE SUM OF ALL GRACES [With the exception of paragraphs below, this article was a reprint of that published in issue of Aug. 15, 1897, which please see.] “And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."—1 Corinthians 13:13. The Apostle Paul has just been referring to the various miraculous gifts of the Spirit then granted to all begotten of the Spirit to the new nature. Any one lacking some such special gift at that time would thus manifest to all believers that he had not become a member of the church of Christ. These supernatural gifts also served to assist the primitive church in spiritual growth. They did not have the Bible in those days, and if they had possessed it, but very few could have read it; hence, they needed special assistance which the church afterward did not need, and which later was taken away. In this letter to the church at Corinth, the Apostle, after discussing these various gifts, says, “And yet I show unto you a more excellent way.” Then he proceeds to point out the super-excellence of the fruit of love. Whoever has the holy Spirit must have a measure at least of this fruitage, whether it be the little flower that contains the fruit-bud or whether it be the partly developed fruit, the fully developed fruit or the ripened fruit. God our Father, who looks upon the heart, knows how his holy Spirit in the heart is seeking to control the flesh, to guide the mind and all the words and actions. We are not able to judge one another’s hearts. The Apostle said that he did not feel able properly to judge even himself, but left judgment to the Lord. He knew that his heart was loyal and that he was endeavoring to be all that the Lord would have him be. Though he was conscious of his inability always to “do the things that he would,” he knew that the Master would accept his loyalty of heart; so he would do his best and leave the remainder with God. Our faith and our hope in the Lord lead us to earnest endeavor to develop the fruitage of love in all its varied and beautiful phases. Gentleness is a part of love; meekness is a part of love; so also are humility and brotherly-kindness. The question at issue with each child of God is not, How tall and well-built am I? or, How fine-looking or well-educated or wellconnected am I according to the flesh? or, How many or how fine sermons have I preached? or even, How many have I brought to a knowledge of the Truth? But the vital question is, How much of the quality of love have I developed? How great is the likeness of my character to that of Christ? LOVE IS THE PRINCIPAL THING Why is this quality of love made so prominent in the Word of God? We answer, Because it is the first thing, the most important thing, the principal thing. It is the fulfilling of God’s law; and, indeed, the sacrificial love enjoined upon God’s saints of this age goes even beyond the requirements of the perfect law. But why is love put first? It is not because God arbitrarily so placed it, not because he exercised his power of fiat and declared that it should be first. No. It is because no other quality of character is so lovely, so beautiful, so productive of happiness and joy, so great a blessing to all upon whom it operates. It is the very essence of God’s character. “GOD IS LOVE!” This quality particularly represents his personality. While God is all-just and all-powerful, we do not say that God is justice or that God is power, but that God is love. He uses his great power only as love dictates and approves. He uses his justice only in fullest harmony with his glorious attribute of Love, Love is the mainspring of all his doings. ; ; Whoever, therefore, would be God-like must be loving, must have love as the dominating quality of his character and his life. Love and righteousness are inseparable. Love is to continue to all eternity; and only those who become the active embodiment of this gracious quality of character will live eternally. Hence we see the paramount importance of its development in every life. THE WHITE RAIMENT OF THE KINGDOM “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment ; and I will not blot his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.’’—Revelation 3:5. In this text, as throughout the Bible, the thought is maintained that the elect class. who will receive the highest glory, honor and blessing from the Lord, must demonstrate their loyalty by overcoming. It is not sufficient that there shall be an overcoming of the will at the beginning of the Christian career, but subsequently there must be trials and testings endured, and these must be met in an overcoming manner. The consecration having been made, and the trials and testings having begun, the individual yielding under those temptations and testings, and continuing to be overcome by them, would prove that he is not sufficiently loyal; for the Lord has promised that his grace shall be sufficient in every time of need.—2 Corinthians 12:9. . . Although the Lord’s grace is sufficient, this would not mean that we might not sometimes fall into temptation. We might fall into temptation inadvertently, without the consent of our wills, and “be overtaken in a fault.” But the Lord’s grace is sufficient to bring us out of the temptations as overcomers, en [5668]

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