Data publicării
01.07.1909
Volumul
30
Numărul
13
Turnul de veghe
The Good Tidings Spreading in Africa
Revistele originale Turnul de veghe în limba engleză
../literature/watchtower/1909/13/1909-13-1.html
 
 
JUN! 
15, 
1909 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(190-195) 
them 
it 
has 
an 
odor 
of 
death, 
of 
self-sacrifice, 
which 
is 
con­ 
trary 
to 
all 
of 
their 
hopes, 
aims 
and 
desires. 
Some 
of 
the 
opponents 
of 
the 
truth 
today 
are 
hardening 
their 
own 
hearts 
by 
their 
attitude, 
just 
as 
did 
Pharaoh 
thirty-five 
hundred 
years 
ago, 
and 
just 
as 
did 
the 
chief 
priests, 
scribes 
and 
Phar­ 
isees 
eighteen 
centuries 
ago. 
We 
are 
sorry 
for 
them, 
but 
what 
can 
we 
do? 
HE 
DEPARTED 
FROM 
THEM 
When 
ilie 
opposition 
in 
the 
synagogue 
became 
unkind 
and 
bitter, 
malevolent, 
the 
Apostle 
departed, 
not 
from 
the 
city, 
which 
had 
not 
persecuted 
him, 
but 
from 
the 
synagogue, 
WhICh 
was 
opposing 
his 
teaching. 
Here 
we 
have 
our 
suggestion 
also 
as 
to 
our 
own 
course. 
First 
we 
should 
be 
faithful 
to 
God; 
secondly, 
when 
our 
message 
is 
rejected, 
we 
should 
not 
stay 
to 
bore 
people 
with 
it, 
but 
go 
to 
those 
who 
have 
an 
"ear 
to 
hear." 
We 
should 
"preach 
the 
Gospel 
to 
the 
meek." 
Tyrannus 
had 
a 
school 
near 
the 
synagogue 
which, 
under 
the 
Lord's 
providence, 
by 
rental 
or 
in 
some 
other 
manner, 
beeame 
available 
as 
a 
preaching 
place 
for 
the 
proclamation 
of 
the 
Word, 
and 
St. 
Paul 
used 
the 
opportunity 
faithfully 
for 
about 
two 
years. 
The 
result 
was 
that 
from 
Ephesus 
"the 
gateway 
of 
Asia 
Minor," 
or, 
as 
it 
is 
sometimes 
called, 
"The 
eye 
of 
Asia," 
the 
Word 
of 
the 
Lord 
was 
carried 
to 
various 
cities 
by 
the 
traveling 
public, 
including 
Jews 
and 
proselytes. 
We 
remember 
that 
some 
two 
years 
before 
this 
St. 
Paul 
had 
endeavored 
to 
go 
into 
Asia 
Minor; 
but, 
"the 
Spirit 
suf· 
fered 
him 
not," 
is 
the 
explanation 
of 
his 
not 
going. 
The 
time 
for 
the 
message 
to 
reach 
Asia 
Minor 
had 
not 
yet 
arrived. 
How 
evidently 
God 
knows 
the 
conditions; 
not 
only 
the 
con­ 
ditions 
most 
favorable 
for 
the 
character 
development 
of 
his 
faithful 
Apostle, 
but 
also 
the 
times 
and 
seasons 
most 
suitable 
or 
his 
own 
work 
in 
every 
place, 
including 
the 
arrangements 
of 
matters 
so 
as 
to 
draw 
out 
,the 
various 
epistles 
which 
for 
centuries 
have 
proven 
so 
great 
value 
to 
the 
Household 
of 
Faith! 
MIRACLES 
BY 
THE 
HANDS 
OF 
ST. 
PAUL 
When 
we 
think 
of 
the 
gifts 
of 
the 
Spirit 
conferred 
upon 
this 
great 
Apostle, 
the 
gifts 
of 
tongues, 
healing, 
etc., 
we 
appreciate 
these 
evidences 
that 
he 
was 
a 
servant 
of 
God, 
yet 
these 
do 
not 
arouse 
our 
highest 
esteem. 
Accepting 
them 
as 
of 
the 
Lord 
we 
nevertheless 
appreciate 
still 
more 
highly 
as 
from 
the 
same 
source 
his 
gift 
of 
interpretation 
of 
the 
divine 
plan 
of 
the 
ages, 
his 
elucidation 
of 
the 
philosophy 
of 
the 
same, 
his 
exposition 
of 
the 
types 
and 
the 
prophecies, 
his 
admonitions 
and 
exhortations 
along 
the 
lines 
of 
character­ 
building. 
By 
these 
miracles 
through 
the 
pen 
of 
the 
Apostle, 
God 
has 
given 
us 
rich 
blessing-far 
more 
than 
natural 
sight 
and 
physical 
healing. 
Our 
faith 
has 
been 
made 
stronger, 
as 
well 
as 
our 
hope 
and 
our 
love 
for 
God 
and 
for 
the 
brethren. 
There 
were 
evil 
spirits 
then, 
as 
there 
are 
today, 
the 
dif- 
ference 
being 
that 
today 
such 
obsessed 
ones 
are 
styled 
insane 
and 
treated 
accordingly, 
whereas 
probably 
one-half 
of 
the 
inmates 
of 
the 
insane 
asylums 
are 
really 
obsessed 
of 
the 
evil 
spirits, 
whose 
brains 
are 
not 
physically 
dIsordered. 
As 
St. 
Paul, 
amongst 
other 
miracles, 
cast 
out 
evil 
spirits 
in 
the 
name 
of 
the 
Lord, 
some 
of 
his 
opponents 
claimed 
that 
he 
did 
so 
merely 
by 
hypnotic 
influence, 
and 
that 
others 
could 
do 
the 
same 
if 
they 
would. 
Carrying 
out 
the 
thought 
they 
attempted 
to 
exorcise 
an 
evil 
spirit, 
with 
disastrous 
results. 
They 
com­ 
manded 
the 
spirit 
to 
come 
out 
of 
the 
man 
in 
the 
name 
of 
.Jesus, 
whom 
Paul 
preached. 
But 
"the 
evil 
spirit 
answered 
and 
said, 
Jesus 
I 
know, 
and 
Paul 
I 
know; 
but 
who 
are 
ye 
T 
And 
the 
man 
in 
whom 
the 
evil 
spirit 
was 
leaped 
upon 
them, 
and 
overcame 
them, 
and 
prevailed 
against 
them, 
so 
that 
they 
fled 
out 
of 
that 
house 
naked 
and 
wounded." 
As 
these 
op­ 
ponents 
were 
prominent 
men 
the 
matter 
became 
generally 
kllown 
both 
to 
Jews 
and 
Greeks 
at 
Ephesus 
and 
the 
result 
was 
a 
spirit 
of 
reverence, 
and 
the 
name 
of 
the 
Lord 
Jesus 
was 
magnified. 
BOOKS 
OF 
MAGIC, 
WITCH-CRAFT 
AND 
HYPNOTISM 
We 
read 
that 
"many 
that 
believed 
came 
and 
confessed 
and 
showed 
their 
deeds." 
They 
exposed 
the 
fact 
that 
many 
of 
their 
deeds 
were 
by 
occult 
or 
hidden 
power 
and 
injurious. 
They 
brought 
their 
books 
and 
burned 
them 
openly. 
They 
did 
not 
sell 
them 
to 
others 
and 
thus 
permit 
the 
eVIl 
influence 
to 
spread, 
but 
did 
their 
share 
towards 
its 
destruction. 
So 
should 
it 
be 
still. 
Those 
who 
turn 
to 
the 
Lord 
from 
darkness 
and 
sin 
should 
publicly 
confess 
the 
transformation 
of 
thl'ir 
hearts 
and 
lives 
and 
should 
destroy 
everything 
calculated 
to 
exercise 
an 
evil 
influence, 
either 
upon 
themselves 
or 
upon 
others. 
It 
js 
the 
thorough-going 
convert-converted 
from 
center 
to 
cir­ 
cumferenc~who 
has 
taken 
a 
radical 
stand 
for 
righteousness, 
as 
he 
previously 
took 
it 
for 
sin, 
that 
the 
Lord 
permits 
to 
honor 
him; 
and 
sometimes 
at 
the 
sacrifice 
of 
earthly 
inter­ 
ests. 
The 
testimony 
is, 
"So 
(thus) 
mightily 
grew 
the 
Word 
of 
God 
and 
prevailed." 
The 
Apostle's 
diversified 
experiences 
as 
a 
servant 
of 
the 
Lord 
are 
remarkable. 
At 
the 
beginning 
of 
his 
ministry 
he 
was 
beset 
and 
persecuted 
in 
nearly 
every 
CIty 
while 
subsequently, 
as 
we 
have 
seen, 
he 
was 
comparativcly 
without 
persecution 
for 
nearly 
four 
years. 
Who 
hath 
known 
the 
mind 
of 
the 
Lord? 
Faith 
assurE'S 
us 
that 
all 
of 
the 
steps 
of 
the 
Apostle 
were 
Divinely, 
wisely 
ordered. 
Perhaps 
he 
needed 
the 
rougher 
experiences 
at 
the 
beginning 
of 
his 
ministry 
to 
polish 
him. 
to 
prepare 
him 
for 
his 
further 
servICC, 
the 
writing 
of 
his 
epIstles, 
etc. 
Doubtless 
we 
shall 
understand 
his 
experiences 
better, 
and 
our 
own 
experiences 
beUer, 
when, 
by 
and 
by, 
beyond 
the 
veil, 
we 
shall 
see 
as 
we 
are 
seen 
and 
know 
as 
we 
are 
known. 
Until 
then 
the 
Lord 
requires 
that 
we 
exercise 
faith 
and 
con­ 
fidence 
in 
him, 
nothing 
doubting. 
VOL. 
XXX 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
JULY 
1, 
1909 
No. 
13 
THE 
GOOD 
TIDINGS 
SPREADING 
IN 
AFRICA 
BROTHER 
BOOTH 
REPORTS 
FAVORABLY 
the 
hearing 
of 
matters 
of 
public 
interest. 
The 
itinerant 
brother 
Respecting 
the 
work 
in 
and 
around 
Pretoria 
it 
is 
very 
en- 
reading 
English 
translates 
the 
paragraphs 
in 
simple 
style 
into 
couraging 
in 
many 
respects. 
While 
as 
yet 
not 
many 
of 
the 
the 
vernacular 
of 
the 
people. 
Questions 
are 
entertained, 
etc. 
English 
people 
are 
taking 
hold 
of 
the 
Harvest 
truths, 
the 
recep- 
The 
native 
brethren 
are 
spnding 
in 
subscriptions 
for 
"THE 
tion 
of 
them 
by 
the 
native 
Christians 
is 
very 
gratifying. 
On 
WATCH 
TowFa~" 
for 
points 
in 
Nyassaland 
to 
the 
numbcr 
of 
76. 
my 
first 
Sunday 
here 
I 
entered 
one 
of 
the 
large 
native 
com- 
King 
Lenanika 
and 
thc 
Prince 
Letitia, 
his 
son, 
and 
their 
Prime 
pounds 
and 
began 
singing 
in 
several 
of 
the 
native 
languages 
Minister, 
from 
600 
miles 
north 
of 
the 
Pretoria 
Falls, 
have 
sent 
successively. 
The 
dwellers 
responded 
as 
by 
an 
electric 
shock 
highly 
educated 
Christian 
representatives 
for 
the 
whole 
six 
and 
gave 
close 
and 
joyful 
attention 
as 
they 
grasped 
some 
of 
volumes. 
They 
wish 
this 
message 
to 
be 
fully 
studied 
and 
pro­ 
the 
simpler 
features 
of 
the 
message. 
claimed 
through 
their 
country, 
and 
throughout 
that 
of 
their 
At 
this 
writing 
several 
of 
the 
natives 
who 
work 
at 
the 
mines 
friends, 
the 
great 
Baguln 
chief" 
of 
Dasululand. 
and 
other 
places 
are 
so 
situated 
and 
so 
interested 
that 
they 
are 
Nor 
are 
the 
Europeans 
being 
neglecte<l 
in 
this 
vicinity. 
going 
out 
from 
Saturday 
p. 
m. 
to 
Monday 
a. 
m. 
delivering 
tracts 
Brother 
Brink 
and 
self 
are 
giving 
a 
series 
of 
lectures, 
gradually 
and 
teaching 
in 
the 
various 
compounds 
for 
thirty 
miles 
around 
covering 
the 
message, 
in 
English 
and 
Dutch. 
Two 
sisters 
at 
Johannesburg 
and 
Pretoria 
of 
the 
harvest-time 
and 
restitution 
Krugersdorp, 
twelve 
miles 
out 
of 
Johannesburg, 
are 
working 
up 
truths 
to 
the 
250,000 
natives 
and 
Indians 
and 
some 
20,000 
Chi- 
an 
interest 
and 
circulating 
"Dawn-Studies." 
These, 
like 
Brother 
nese 
cooped 
in 
from 
noon 
Saturday 
till 
over 
Sunday. 
They 
are 
Sargent, 
of 
Johannesburg, 
came 
out 
boldly 
in 
a 
street 
meeting 
overjoyed 
at 
having 
the 
same 
message 
brought 
here 
which 
they 
in 
Cape 
Town. 
have 
heard 
was 
being 
proclaimed 
up 
in 
their 
home 
country, 
BROTHER 
BRINK 
WRITES 
ALSO 
Nyassaland, 
by 
Brother 
Elliott 
Kamwana. 
My 
DEAR 
BROTHER 
RUSSELL:- 
One 
who 
has 
been 
here 
only 
three 
months 
tells 
that 
he 
saw 
May 
God 
blcss 
you 
and 
keep 
you 
and 
spare 
you. 
I 
am 
over- 
Elliott 
baptize 
300 
in 
one 
day; 
another 
gives 
advice 
that 
in 
one 
whelmed 
by 
the 
most 
glorious 
Gospel, 
the 
love 
and 
majesty 
of 
place 
there 
are 
700 
adherents. 
And 
I 
am 
further 
informed 
that 
God, 
the 
l<~ather, 
that 
is 
being 
revealed 
from 
God's 
grand 
Book 
there 
are 
towards 
3,000 
in 
that 
country 
in 
about 
thirty 
separate 
in 
these 
latter 
days 
of 
this 
Gospel 
Age 
through 
your 
instru­ 
places 
who 
have 
accepted 
the 
divine 
plan 
as 
preferable 
to 
Presby- 
mentality. 
terianism 
and 
the 
church 
of 
England. 
Brother 
Elliott 
himself 
"Glory 
be 
to 
God 
in 
thc 
Highest, 
on 
carth, 
peaee, 
good 
will 
reports 
that 
there 
are 
about 
9,000 
who 
are 
interested 
somewhat, 
to 
men." 
This 
was 
the 
tlleme 
of 
one 
of 
my 
trial 
sermons 
be­ 
though 
not 
all 
of 
them 
to 
the 
extent 
named 
above. 
fore 
I 
came 
out 
as 
minister 
of 
the 
Divine 
Word 
in 
1897. 
But 
The 
method 
chiefly 
employed 
is 
singularly 
applicable 
to 
the 
only 
now, 
since 
I 
read 
your 
"Studies 
in 
the 
Scriptures," 
the 
six 
conditions 
of 
the 
native 
towns. 
Every 
village 
has 
a 
Bwalo 
for 
volumes 
(Millennial 
Dawn 
edition), 
and 
since 
yesterday 
"The 
[4421] 
June 15, 1909 them it has an odor of death, of self-sacrifice, which is contrary to all of their hopes, aims and desires. Some of the opponents of the truth today are hardening their own hearts by their attitude, just as did Pharaoh thirty-five hundred years ago, and just as did the chief priests, scribes and Pharisees eighteen centuries ago. We are sorry for them, but what can we do? HE DEPARTED FROM THEM When tlie opposition in the synagogue became unkind and bitter, malevolent, the Apostle departed, not from the city, which had not persecuted him, but from the synagogue, which was opposing his teaching. Here we have our suggestion also as to our own course. First we should be faithful to God; secondly, when our message is rejected, we should not stay to bore people with it, but go to those who have an “ear to hear.” We should “preach the Gospel to the meek.” Tyrannus had a school near the synagogue which, under the Lord’s providence, by rental or in some other manner, became available as a preaching place for the proclamation of the Word, and St. Paul used the opportunity faithfully for about two years. The result was that from Ephesus “the gateway of Asia Minor,” or, as it is sometimes called, “The eye of Asia,” the Word of the Lord was carried to various cities by the traveling public, including Jews and proselytes. We remember that some two years before this St. Paul had endeavored to go into Asia Minor; but, ‘the Spirit suffered him not,” is the explanation of his not going. The time for the message to reach Asia Minor had not yet arrived. How evidently God knows the conditions; not only the conditions most favorable for the character development of his faithful Apostle, but also the times and seasons most suitable or his own work in every place, including the arrangements of matters so as to draw out the various epistles which for coraries have proven so great value to the Household of aith! MIRACLES BY THE HANDS OF ST, PAUL When we think of the gifts of the Spirit conferred upon this great Apostle, the gifts of tongues, healing, etc., we appreciate these evidences that he was a servant of God, yet these do not arouse our highest esteem. Accepting them as of the Lord we nevertheless appreciate still more highly as from the same source his gift of interpretation of the divine plan of the ages, his elucidation of the philosophy of the same, his exposition of the types and the prophecies, his admonitions and exhortations along the lines of characterbuilding. By these miracles through the pen of the Apostle, God has given us rich blessing—far more than natural sight and physical healing. Our faith has been made stronger, as well as our hope and our love for God and for the brethren. There were evil spirits then, as there are today, the dif THE WATCH TOWER (190-195) ference being that today such obsessed ones are styled insane and treated accordingly, whereas probably one-half of the inmates of the insane asylums are really obsessed of the evil spirits, whose brains are not physically disordered. As St. Paul, amongst other miracles, cast out evil spirits in the name of the Lord, some of his opponents claimed that he did so merely by hypnotic influence, and that others could do the same if they would. Carrying out the thought they attempted to exorcise an evil spirit, with disastrous results. They commanded the spirit to come out of the man in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preached. But “the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped upon them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” As these opponents were prominent men the matter became generally known both to Jews and Greeks at Ephesus and the result was @ spirit of reverence, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. BOOKS OF MAGIC, WITCH-CRAFT AND HYPNOTISM We read that “many that believed came and confessed and showed their deeds.” They exposed the fact that many of their deeds were by occult or hidden power and injurious, They brought their books and burned them openly. They did not sell them to others and thus permit the evil influence to spread, but did their share towards its destruction. So should it be still, Those who turn to the Lord from darkness and sin should publicly confess the transformation of their hearts and lives and should destroy everything calculated to exercise an evil influence, either upon themselves or upon others, It is the thorough-going convert—converted from center to circumference—who has taken a radical stand for righteousness, as he previously took it for sin, that the Lord permits to honor him; and sometimes at the sacrifice of earthly interests. The testimony is, “So (thus) mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed.” The Apostle’s diversified experiences as a servant of the Lord are remarkable. At the beginning of his ministry he was beset and persecuted in nearly every city while subsequently, as we have seen, he was comparatively without persecution for nearly four years. Who hath known the mind of the Lord? Faith assures us that all of the steps of the Apostle were Divinely, wisely ordered. Perhaps he necded the rougher experiences at the beginning of his ministry to polish him, to prepare him for his further service, the writing of his epistles, etc. Doubtless we shall understand his experiences better, and our own experiences better, when, by and by, beyond the veil, we shall see as we are seen and know as we are known. Until then the Lord requires that we exercise faith and confidence in him, nothing doubting. Vou. XXX BROOKLYN, N. Y., JULY 1, 1909 No. 13 THE GOOD TIDINGS SPREADING IN AFRICA BROTHER BOOTH REPORTS FAVORABLY Respecting the work in and around Pretoria it is very encouraging in many respects. While as yet not many of the English people are taking hold of the Harvest truths, the reception of them by the native Christians is very gratifying. On my first Sunday here I entered one of the large native compounds and began singing in several of the native languages successively. The dwellers responded as by an electric shock and gave close and joyful attention as they grasped some of the simpler features of the message. At this writing several of the natives who work at the mines and other places are so situated and so interested that they are going out from Saturday p. m. to Monday a. m. delivering tracts and teaching in the various compounds for thirty miles around Johannesburg and Pretoria of the harvest-time and restitution truths to the 250,000 natives and Indians and some 20,000 Chinese cooped in from noon Saturday till over Sunday. They are overjoyed at having the same message brought here which they have heard was being proclaimed up in their home country, Nyassaland, by Brother Elliott Kamwana. One who has been here only three months tells that he saw Elliott baptize 300 in one day; another gives advice that in one place there are 700 adherents. And I am further informed that there are towards 3,000 in that country in about thirty separate places who have accepted the divine plan as preferable to Preshyterianism and the church of England. Brother Elliott himself reports that there are about 9,000 who are interested somewhat, though not all of them to the extent named above. The method chiefly employed is singularly applicable to the conditions of the native towns. Every village has a Bwalo for the hearing of matters of public interest. The itinerant brother reading English translates the paragraphs in simple style into the vernacular of the people. Questions are entertained, etc. The native brethren are sending in subscriptions for “THE WatcH Tower” for points in Nyassaland to the number of 76. King Lenanika and the Prince Letitia, his son, and their Prime Minister, from 600 miles north of the Pretoria Falls, have sent highly educated Christian representatives for the whole six volumes, They wish this message to be fully studied and proclaimed through their country, and throughout that of their friends, the great Basulu chiefs of Basululand. Nor are the Europeans being neglected in this vicinity. Brother Brink and self are giving a series of lectures, gradually covering the message, in English and Dutch. Two sisters at Krugersdorp, twelve miles out of Johannesburg, are working up an interest and circulating “Dawn-Studies.” These, like Brother Sargent, of Johannesburg, came out boldly in a street meeting in Cape Town. BROTHER BRINK WRITES ALSO My Dear Brorurr RUSSELL :— May God bless you and keep you and spare you. I am overwhelmed by the most glorious Gospel, the love and majesty of God, the Father, that is being revealed from God’s grand Book in these latter days of this Gospel Age through your instrumentality. “Glory be to God in the Highest, on earth, peace, good will to men.” This was the theme of one of my trial sermons before I came out as minister of the Divine Word in 1897. But only now, since I read your “Studies in the Scriptures,” the six volumes (Millennial Dawn edition), and since yesterday “The [4421]

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