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(271-275)
ZION}S
WATCH
TOWER
ALLEl:HENY.
PA
only
my
church
but
loved
ones
also
and
flee
into
the
wilder
ness
for
the
truth's
sake.
I
am
anxious
to
withdraw
from
the
church,
and
would
also
like
some
tracts
suitable
for
Methodist
people.
Your
sister
in
Christ,
SARAH
E.
CASE,-IlZinois.
My
DEAR
BROTHER
PASTOR
RUSSELL:-
I
am
writing
to
you
to
express
my
deeply-felt
gratitude
to
God
and
to
you
his
servant,
that
through
reading
your
books
and
studying
the
Word
of
God
in
connection
with
what
you
have
written
I
have
been
brought
into
the
clearer
sunshine
of
his
blessed
revelation,
and
rejoice
to
see
it
from
what
I
firmly
believe
is
God's
standpoint.
God
has
indeed
been
good
to
me
in
guiding
me
into
the
present
truth.
I
was
very
much
preju
diced
at
first,
as
I
had
wrong
notions
concerning
your
teach
ing.
The
idea
of
the
millennium
starting
from
the
year
1874
was
a
stumbling
block
to
me
until
it
was
explained,
and
I
tore
up
the
tracts
which
had
been
handed
to
me
and
refused
to
read
them.
I
had
never
heard
of
MILLENNlAL
DAWN
until
about
nine
months
ago,
when
my
attention
was
called
to
the
WATCH
TOWER
by
a
dear
saint,
a
patient
slowly
dying
of
cancer,
and
my
first
idea
about
it
was
a
glorification
of
so
called
Christendom,
because
it
placed
the
dawn
of
the
millen
nium
at
the
present
time.
Thinking
it
could
easily
be
re
futed
by
the
Word
of
God,
and
with
a
desire
to
help
others
to
ward
off
error,
I
promised
to
read
one
of
the
tracts,
"The
Hope
of
Immortality."
I
was
simply
amazed
with
the
reason
ableness,
the
wisdom,
of
it.
It
never
occurred
to
me
before
that
the
all-wise
God
would
certainly
not
have
committed
the
silly
blunder
of
making
man
an
imperishable
being,
an
"immortal
soul,"
knowing
beforehand
how
he
would
fall.
I
read
through
the
tract,
praying
to
God
to
guard
me
against
being
influenced
by
error.
When
I
finished
it
I
tore
off
on
my
bicycle
at
once
to
get
"The
Plan
of
the
Ages"
and
"What
Say
the
Scriptures
About
Hell?"
I
was
so
impatient
that
I
did
not
like
waiting
a
moment
and
eagerly
devoured
the
books
when
I
got
them.
I
have
now
read
carefully
and
thoughtfully
all
the
DAWN
volumes
several
times,
and
each
time
I
learn
more.
Soon
after
beginning
to
read
them
we
had
a
month's
mission
in
Liverpool
held
by
Messrs.
Torrey
and
Alexander.
Dr.
Torrey
was
very
much
opposed
to
the
DAWNS
and
warned
the
people
against
them.
He
advised
the
people
to
"take
the
tracts;
by
all
means
take
them,
and
take
them
home
and
burn
them."
This
seemed
to
me
like
the
R.
C.
priests
who
say,
"By
all
means
take
the
Bible
given
to
you
and
then
burn
it."
His
sermon
on
"Hell"
was
simply
awful
for
its
bitterness
and
nightmare
misery,
and
he
defined
eternal
punishment
as
"every
second
suffering
infinite
agonies
throughout
unending
billions
of
yea,rs."
One
poor
woman
who
knew
I
was
reading
the
DAWNS
said
to
me
after
one
of
the
meetings,
"Oh,
Dr.
Hughes,
do
burn
those
books!"
and
I
was
told
that
I
would
be
done
for
if
I
read
"those
awful
books!"
So
you
see
that
it
has
been
in
the
teeth
of
prejudice
all
along,
and
if
it
had
not
been
that
God
had
given
me
"Truth
hunger"
I
should
have
neglected
this
glorious
opportunity
and
lost
the
great
blessing.
At
a
misBion
Sunday
School
in
connection
with
the
l'reB
byterian
church
I
joined
some
years
ago
I
have
a
Bible
class
for
working
men
on
Sunday
afternoon
for
the
last
four
months,
r
have
been
giving
them
MILLENNIAL
DAWN
teaching,
and
one
or
two
of
the
young
men
have
spoken
about
bringing
the
mat
ter
of
my
teaching
before
the
minister.
Some
of
them
liGten
very
attentively
and
seem
to
be
greatly
blessed.
Believe
me
to
be,
dear
brother,
yours
very
lovingly
in
our
gloriouB
and
risen
Savior.
E.
Luc~s
HUGHEs,-England.
VOL.
XXV
ALLEGHENY,
PA.,
SEPTEMBER
15,
1904
VIEWS
FROM
THE
WATCH
TOWER
No.
IS
ARGUING
FOR
DENOMINATIONAL
UNION
At
a
meeting
hplll
in
Vvashington
City
not
long
Bince,
to
fa
vor
thp
union
of
Methodist
ProteBtants,
Congregationalists
and
United
Brethren,
one
of
the
Bpeakers
said:-
"Lutherans
are
divided
into
16
different
bodies,
Baptists
into
13,
Presbyterians
into
20
and
MethodistB
into
17.
Who
is
wise
enough
to
show
us
how
and
to
what
extent
the
Kingdom
of
God
is
being
profited
by
all
these
divisions!
Does
Presby
terianism
have
20
and
Methodism
17
different
messages
to
the
world?
How
ridiculouB
the
thought
of
having
16
varieties
of
Lutherans
and
16
Baptists
in
the
same
town
or
miBsion
field.
The
fact
is
we
are
over-organized.
Our
machinery
is
too
pon
derous
and
complex.
It
requireB
so
much
energy
and
money
to
keep
it
going
that
we
have
but
little
to
UBe
beyond
the
machin
pry
itself.
Just
think
of
the
missionary
and
church
extcllBion
organizations,
of
the
publishing
plants,
colleges,
theological
<;eminariC's
and
the
great
number
and
variety
of
other
benevo
lent
institutions
which
are
fairly
piled
upon
each
other!
Ko
wonder
there
is
friction
and
great
waste.
Nor
need
we
be
sur
prised
that
level-headed
laymen
are
getting
tired
of
seeing
their
monpy
wasted
and
are
beginning
to
Beek
a
remedy.
"Away
with
the
deluBion
that
the
God
of
all
wisdom
and
grape
has
planned
for
the
continued
existence
of
these
eccles
ia~tipal
divisions
and
sub-diviBions,
with
100
more
that
might
be
named,
whose
presence
cannot
be
explained
on
any
rational
grollnds
or
in
harmony
with
the
spirit
of
the
gospel.
"Mere
federation
will
not
accomplish
what
we
want.
We
must
go
further.
The
call
of
God
at
this
hour
to
husband
our
resourcps
and
to
unify
our
forces,
to
the
end
that
we
may
con
quer
and
win,
is
loud
and
clear.
"How
humiliating
the
thought
that
very
much
of
the
money
raisP(1
in
this
country
ostensibly
to
save
the
heathen
is
spent
in
keeping
up
ecclesiastipnl
distinctions
and
consequently
the
most
shnmeful
rivalries.
Why
should
a
town
of
only
a
few
hundred
people
be
burdened
with
a
half
dozen
churches,
when
two
at
most
would
answer
every
purpose?
Yet
we
have
scores
and
hun·
dredB
of
such
over-churched
towns.
Christian
work,
so-called,
degenerateB
into
a
mere
scramble
for
existence.
"In
concentration
we
will
find
a
solution
of
many
of
the
prohlems
which
C'onfront
and
annoy
us;
and
this
centralization
is
impossible
where
a
multiplicity
of
similar
organizations
exist.
It
is
a
sin
to
waste
Goa's
money
in
duplicating
agencies,
and
yet
this
iB
being
done
all
the
time."
*
•
•
It
RPems
rpmarkable
that
some
of
the
most
earneBt
and
in
tellil!ent
Christian
people
in
all
denominations
are
so
misled
by
the
present
pry
of
denominational
union.
The
majority
QPpm
to
be
entirely
blind
to
the
real
bsnes:
they
are
all
carried
off
their
feet
mentally
with
enthusiasm
for
a
united
church.
They
fail
to
see
that
such
a
union
must
be
disadvantageous
along
the
lineB
proposed,
namely,
the
ignoring
of
doctrine,
the
ignoring
of
con
science,
the
ignoring
of
truth.
In
the
union
of
Christendom
which
prevailed
for
over
a
thousand
years
before
the
Reforma
tion,
the
basis
of
union
was
false
doctrine
supported
by
tyranny
and
force,
persecution
and
flre.
The
Reformation
movement
was
a
breaking
up
of
those
evil
influences,
and
practically
every
denomination
into
which
Christendom
split
represented
fur
ther
endeavor
to
get
to
the
truths
taught
in
the
Lord's
Word.
The
union
or
federation
of
all
denominations
now
proposed
iB
to
be
one
in
which
not
only
false
doctrineB
will
be
conBiderably
ignored,
but
also
the
true
doctrines
of
the
Lord's
Word.
Among
those
to
be
retained
as
fundamental
will
be
Bome
of
the
gross
errors
that
dominated
Papacy
during
the
dark
ages,
and
much
of
the
Reformation
blessing
will
be
entirely
lost.
The
union
of
the
true
church
is
amply
provided
for
in
the
Scriptures
without
any
outside
patent
fasteningB,
bolts,
rivets,
cords,
etc.
The
Scriptural
proposition
is
that
the
Lord'B
peo
ple,
instead
of
being
united
to
him
by
sects
and
parties
called
"branches,"
should
be
united
to
him
individually-aB
individ
ual
brancheB.
As
he
declares
in
his
Word,
"I
am
the
true
vine,
ye
[individually]
are
the
branches."
As
the
Reformation
led
to
the
splitting
off
from
Papacy
and
its
errors
various
large
com
posite
branches
or
denominations,
so
we
need
still
further
refor
mation
that
will
split
every
sect
up
into
individual
units,
so
that
each
individual
Christian
will
have
his
own
individual
faith
and
his
own
personal
relationship
to
the
Lord
as
a
''branch.''
Union
of
denominations,
instead
of
favoring
thiB
proper
condition
which
the
Lord
designed
for
his
people,
will
be
in
opposition
to
it.
But
the
true
people
of
God
will
gradu
ally
be
guided
of
him
and
separated
from
the
Babylonian
bun
dles,
leaving
therein
only
the
tares.
Thus
the
separation
of
this
harvest
time
is
progressing.
The
tare
element
in
the
nominal
church
seeB
matters
only
from
the
worldly
natural
Btandpoint
and
hence,
influenced
by
pride,
etc.,
favors
size
and
bulk
rather
than
truth.
The
Lord
iB
taking
advantage
of
their
worldly
spirit
and
favoring
their
organization,
that
the
gulf
between
the
tareB
and
wheat
may
daily,
monthly,
yearly
become
more
marked.
Meantime
through
the
Truth
and
its
various
mouthpieces
and
ministers
the
Lord
is
calling
the
attention
of
the
true
saints
to
the
bright
shining
of
his
glorious
plan,
now
visible
as
never
before;
and
aB
they
perceive
it
and
compare
it
with
their
surroundings
in
Babylon,
it
hppomes
to
them
thf'
voi!'p
of
God
saying
to
thpm,
"Come
out
[3426]
(271-275) only my church but loved ones also and flee into the wilderness for the truth’s sake. I am anxious to withdraw from the church, and would also like some tracts suitable for Methodist people. Your sister in Christ, Sagan E. Case,—Illinois. My Dear BrorHer Pastor RUSSELL: — I am writing to you to express my deeply-felt gratitude to God and to you his servant, that through reading your books and studying the Word of God in connection with what you have written I have been brought into the clearer sunshine of his blessed revelation, and rejoice to see it from what I firmly believe is God’s standpoint. God has indeed been good to me in guiding me into the present truth. I was very much prejudiced at first, as I had wrong notions concerning your teaching. The idea of the millennium starting from the year 1874 was a stumbling block to me until it was explained, and I tore up the tracts which had been handed to me and refused to read them. I had never heard of MILLENNIAL Dawn until about nine months ago, when my attention was called to the Watcu Tower by a dear saint, a patient slowly dying of cancer, and my first idea about it was a glorification of socalled Christendom, because it placed the dawn of the millennium at the present time. Thinking it could easily be refuted by the Word of God, and with a desire to help others to ward off error, I promised to read one of the tracts, “The Hope of Immortality.” I was simply amazed with the reasonableness, the wisdom, of it. It never occurred to me before that the all-wise God would certainly not have committed the silly blunder of making man an imperishable being, an “immortal soul,” knowing beforehand how he would fall. I read through the tract, praying to God to guard me against being influenced by error. When I finished it I tore off on VoL. XXV ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, PA., SEPTEMBER 15, 1904 ALLEGHENY, Pa my bicycle at once to get “The Plan of the Ages” and “What Say the Scriptures About Hell?” I was so impatient that I did not like waiting a moment and eagerly devoured the books when I got them. I have now read carefully and thoughtfully all the Dawn volumes several times, and each time I learn more. Soon after beginning to read them we had a month’s mission in Liverpool held by Messrs. Torrey and Alexander. Dr. Torrey was very much opposed to the Dawns and warned the people against them. He advised the people to “take the tracts; by all means take them, and take them home and burn them.” This seemed to me like the R. C. priests who say, “By all means take the Bible given to you and then burn it.” His sermon on “Hell” was simply awful for its bitterness and nightmare misery, and he defined eternal punishment as “every second suffering infinite agonies throughout unending billions of years.” One poor woman who knew I was reading the Dawns said to me after one of the meetings, “Oh, Dr. Hughes, do burn those books!” and I was told that I would be done for if I read “those awful books!” So you see that it has been in the teeth of prejudice all along, and if it had not been that God had given me ‘Truth hunger” I should have neglected this glorious opportunity and lost the great blessing. At a mission Sunday School in connection with the Presbyterian church I joined some years ago I have a Bible class for working men on Sunday afternoon for the last four months, I have been giving them MittennraL Dawn teaching, and one or two of the young men have spoken about bringing the matter of my teaching before the minister. Some of them listen very attentively and seem to be greatly blessed. Believe me to be, dear brother, yours very lovingly in our glorious and risen Savior. E. Lucas Huenes,—England. No. 18 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER ARGUING FOR DENOMINATIONAL UNION At a imecting held in Washington City not long since, to favor the union of Methodist Protestants, Congregationalists and United Brethren, one of the speakers said:— “Lutherans are divided into 16 different bodies, Baptists into 13, Presbyterians into 20 and Methodists into 17. Who is wise enough to show us how and to what extent the Kingdom of God is being profited by all these divisions? Does Presbyterianism have 20 and Methodism 17 different messages to the world? How ridiculous the thought of having 16 varieties of Lutherans and 16 Baptists in the same town or mission field. The fact is we are over-organized, Our machinery is too ponderous and complex. It requires so much energy and money to keep it going that we have but little to use beyond the machinery itself. Just think of the missionary and church extension organizations, of the publishing plants, colleges, theological seminarics and the great number and variety of other benevolent institutions which are fairly piled upon each other! No wonder there is friction and great waste. Nor need we be surprised that level-headed laymen are getting tired of seeing their money wasted and are beginning to seek a remedy. “Away with the delusion that the God of all wisdom and grace has planned for the continued existence of these ecclesjastical divisions and gub-divisions, with 100 more that might be named, whose presence cannot be explained on any rational grounds or in harmony with the spirit of the gospel. “Mere federation will not accomplish what we want. We must go further. The call of God at this hour to husband our resources and to unify our forces, to the end that we may conquer and win, is loud and clear. “How humiliating the thought that very much of the money raised in this country ostensibly to save the heathen is spent in keeping up ecclesiastical distinctions and consequently the most shameful rivalries, Why should a town of only a few hundred people be burdened with a half dozen churches, when two at most would answer every purpose? Yet we have scores and hundreds of such over-churched towns. Christian work, so-called, degenerates into a mere scramble for existence. “In concentration we will find a solution of many of the problems which confront and annoy us; and this centralization is impossible where a multiplicity of similar organizations exist. It is a sin to waste God’s money in duplicating agencies, and yet this is being done all the time.” * * * It seems remarkable that some of the most earnest and intelligent Christian people in all denominations are so misled by the present erv of denominational union. The majority seem to be entircly blind to the real issues: they are all carried off their feet mentally with enthusiasm for a united church. They fail to see that such a union must be disadvantageous along the lines proposed, namely, the ignoring of doctrine, the ignoring of conscience, the ignoring of truth. In the union of Christendom which prevailed for over a thousand years before the Reformation, the basis of union was false doctrine supported by tyranny and force, persecution and fire. The Reformation movement was a breaking up of those evil influences, and practically every denomination inte which Christendom split represented further endeavor to get to the truths taught in the Lord’s Word. The union or federation of all denominations now proposed is to be one in which not only false doctrines will be considerably ignored, but also the true doctrines of the Lord’s Word. Among those to be retained as fundamental will be some of the gross errors that dominated Papacy during the dark ages, and much of the Reformation blessing will be entirely lost. The union of the true church is amply provided for in the Scriptures without any outside patent fastenings, bolts, riveta, cords, etc. The Scriptural proposition is that the Lord’s people, instead of being united to him by sects and parties called “branches,” should be united to him individually—as individual branches. As he declares in his Word, “I am the true vine, ye [individually] are the branches.” As the Reformation led to the splitting off from Papacy and its errors various large composite branches or denominations, so we need still further reformation that will split every sect up into individual units, so that each individual Christian will have his own individual faith and his own personal relationship to the Lord as a “branch.” Union of denominations, instead of favoring this proper condition which the Lord designed for his people, will be in opposition to it. But the true people of God will gradually be guided of him and separated from the Babylonian bundies, leaving therein only the tares. Thus the separation of this harvest time is progressing. The tare element in the nominal church sees matters only from the worldly natural standpoint and hence, influenced by pride, ete., favors size and bulk rather than truth. The Lord is taking advantage of their worldly spirit and favoring their organization, that the gulf between the tares and wheat may daily, monthly, yearly become more marked. Meantime through the Truth and its various mouthpieces and ministers the Lord is calling the attention of the true saints to the bright shining of his glorious plan, now visible as never before; and as they perceive it and compare it with their surroundings in Babylon, it hecomes to them the voice of God saving to them, “Come out [3426]
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