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(332-339) but in great mercy the Lord purposes to pass them through a ‘‘great tribulation’’ and to accept as ‘‘conquerors’’ those who will stand the tests of that time of trouble loyally. But their sufferings will not be on their own account. They will suffer for the sins of others—the accumulated sins of this age against light and knowledge will be required of those who in this day of the ‘‘bright shining’’ of the light of truth have still held back from the voluntary sacrifice to which they devoted themselves in consecration. However, eventually this great company, passing their tests, proving themselves loyal to the Lord, at last will receive a great blessing, even though it will not be so grandly glorious as that which the Lord will give to the little flock, who willingly, gladly, lay down their lives in harmony with the privileges and instructions of the Word. They will be invited to participate in the marriage festival of the Lamb.—Rev. 19:9. Some have written us lately the assurance that they know that the great company will be blessed on the earthly plane. We reply that it is true that a great multitude will be blessed LETTERS ACKNOWLEDGING [Qurery:—What if health or weather hindered leaving the door open, and one were alone in a room with one of the opposite sex? Or what if it were in an office or room not under the control of the one who took the Vow? ANSWER :—Both of these and every other contingency are fully met by the word, ‘‘so far as reasonably possible,’’ and it is your own judgment that decides. It would not be reasonably possible for anyone to regulate an office or room that is only partly or not at all under his control.] Dear Brother Russell :— I write to tell you that I have taken the Vow. I was infiuenced to come to the point by reading a paragraph of an article in the Tower entitled, ‘‘David Attaining Kingship.’’ The paragraph was this: It is difficult to estimate the power of the human will. Apparently God has placed all the interests of the present hfe under the control of our wills, and, indeed, much of the success in respect to the future life is similarly under the control of our wills. Apparently the will, rightly exercised against sin, is invulnerable. I humbly pray that God may ‘‘ work in me both to will and to do of his good pleasure. ’’ Sincerely yours in Christian fellowship, F. I. PARMENTER. Dear Brother in the Lord:— I don’t want to wait another hour to register my vow to the Lord. I am very sorry I waited this long. I am so glad it is not too late. I have hesitated because I was afraid I could not keep the vow, and know it is worse to break than to pledge myself at all. Since praying and thinking it dver I know that I can, with the help of our dear Master, live up to the vow. I surely need it as much or more than any one else. My life previous to consecration was most sinful, and I regret that I cannot tell you that I have made no great mistakes since. My sacrifice is such a small, miserable thing; but I do want to bind it firmly to the altar. Remember me in your prayers, dear Brother, and give my love to all the dear ones at the Bible House. Yours in Christ, ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, Pa, during the Millennium under the restitution blessings and privileges—‘‘all the families of the earth.’’ But the Great Company of Revelation 7:9-15 is specially identified with the church and separate from the world. They will come up to their station through ‘‘great tribulation,’’ while the world will be led upward along the grand highway of holiness, on which there shall be no lion or ravenous beast, and in a time when nothing shall hurt nor destroy in all that holy kingdom. If there were no references to the great company in the Bible we should be inclined to look for one, or else know with sorrow that many shall go into the second death. Surely of all that consecrate fully and are begotten of the holy Spirit to new nature only a ‘‘little flock’’ make their election sure by compliance with the terms. The remainder, unfit for the glories to which they were called, must, it would seem, either die the second death or have their new natures developed in fiery trials and great tribulations ‘‘for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.’’ “VOW” BLESSINGS Dear Brother Russell :— We wish to add our names to those of the dear friends who have made the vow unto our heavenly Father, and are very thankful for the privilege. As God’s children we are willing to do anything that will help us along the narrow way and bring us nearer to our heavenly Father, and this we know the vow is doing. We cannot have too much of a good thing if we use it properly. We think we should have taken the vow even if we had no need of it at this time, for we do not know what we shall need in the ‘‘evil day,’’ except keeping close to the Lord. And so, dear brother, we ask that you remember us in your prayers that by his strength we may keep the vow we have made. With much Christian love and best wishes, we remain, Your brothers in Christ, W. T, Baxer, A. SMITH. Dear Brother Russell:— Beloved Brother in the Lord. It has taken considerable time, and a severe conflict with the old self, to reach the point of sending in my name as a signer and endorser of the vow in all its particulars. I must confess that I was somewhat opposed to the matter at the first. However, I prayed very earnestly for guidance and wisdom to decide the matter aright. Have just now finished a re-reading of it, and am wondering how I found any objection, for my heart and head both endorse in the fullest possible manner its every detail. Sister Kendall and I now feel convinced that our heavenly Father in his loving kindness has sent this vow as a special safeguard to his children in this time of special need, and I have been prompt to send my name as soon as the matter was made plain to my mind. It will surely prove a source of great blessing to all the pure in heart. Doubtless it will sift out some who are not. ’Tis always so. Therefore, with greatly increased thankfulness to our loving heavenly Father for this further evidence of his care over us, and with renewed assurance, dear Brother, of our perfect confidence in your own Christian deportment and integrity, we gladly and solemnly and reverently register this vow before ‘‘Our Father, which art in heaven,’’ praying that he will enable us to keep it inviolate. With much Christian love, Mr. AND Mrs. 8. C. KENDALL. Vout. XXIX ALLEGHENY, PA., NOVEMBER 15, 1908 No. 22 THE NOVA SCOTIA CONVENTION The journey from Allegheny to Halifax and back was approximately 3,000 miles—a long distance to go to a convention where only comparatively a small number could be expected. However, the Nova Scotia friends were anxious for a convention, as were also some of those at Boston born in Nova Scotia. This helps to account for the fact that 75 of the Boston friends attended. From various parts of Nova Scotia about 125 more completed the total of 200 in attendance. Everything considered this was an excellent turnout. We had a very enjoyable time and parted company, longing for the time when ‘‘those of like precious faith’’ will be forever with the Lord and with each other. The convention had been in session two days by the time of our arriva) and continued two days more. The chairman was Brother Marchant, and discourses were given by Brothers Streeter, Bridges, Barker, Brenneisen, MacMillan and Russell on various features of the Divine Plan. Seventeen symbolized their consecration by water immersion, and when it came to the closing service—the Lovz Frast—the blessings seemed to overfiow out of all our hearts. The experience was both a solemn and happifying one, well caleulated to remind us all of the perfect union with our Lord, in which we hope to join in the General Assembly of the Church of the First-Borns. The largest attendance at the convention was, of course, on the occasion of the discourse to the public, on ‘‘The Overthrow of Satan’s Empire.’’ The audience was variously estimated above 2,000, but we accepted the most conservative estimate of 1,200, and felt very glad that that number of [4274]