(379~384) of religion, and the prevalence of form and ceremony, including many kinds of entertainments to raise money. IJ grew dissatisfied; and though still loyal to the creed, I only attended the services intermittently. Last August while homeward bound on the car I sat beside a lady who quietly handed me a folded PHopLES PULPIT asking me that I read it and pass it on to others. Simply because her quiet manner attracted me I said “Yes.” I did not think of the paper for several days and then felt too busy to take the time. ‘This occurred several times until finally I remembered my promise to the woman and read the article “Where are the Dead” aloud to my companion, Finding the Srupigs In THE Scriprures advertised therein she purchased them for me as a present. From the beginning our hearts and minds accepted all THE WATCH TOWER Brookiyn, N. Y. from cover to cover, because the Bible was clearly proving them. Oh, the years of heart hunger; and never to have heard of the Srupies nor the truth! Later in the Spring we heard you in Boston and Malden. I now have all the Srupigs, BEREAN NoTEes, WaTCH ‘lowER, etc. Truly much has come to us in one year—the satisfying of the longing of a lifetime. May the dear Father abundantly bless “the taithful steward;” and the dear unknown sister in the truth who first gave me the PuLprr. In her longing to help one she helped two; and I anxiously give out PuLrits to others, as she asked, “pass it on.” This at present seems all I can do. I gladly and prayfully take the vow trusting to the Father’s sustaining grace to keep it. Newuir J. WENTWORTH. Vou. XXXII BROOKLYN, N. Y., DECEMBER 15, 1912 No. 24 1912—ANNUAL REPORT—1912 WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY DECEMBER 18ST, 1911—DECEMBER lIsT, 1912 Our fiscal year begins and ends December 1. The year has been one of the most interesting and successful in our Society’s experience. Every day has seemed to add momentum to the work. Those who have been enjoying the light of present truth for years seem generally to be ripening in Christian character and in loving zeal for the Lord, the truth and the brethren. Nothing pleases us more than this. The next most interesting thing is the manifest awakening of thinking Christian people of all denominations. Many dear people of God have lived in a sort of religious lethargy for years. Sometimes they dreamed of converting the world, only to be rudely awakened to a fresh realization that if the heathen were brought to the same civilization that prevails in Christendom, God’s will would be as far as ever from being done on earth as in heaven. Others have had nightmares of horror as their minds would be recalled to the teachings of their creeds —as they would remember the old theory that all except the saintly elect few will spend an eternity in torture. The awakening ones very generally wander off into “Higher Criticism” unbelief, Evolution theories, and general doubt respecting everything. Others wander into Christian Science, and seek to convince themselves that aches and pains are purely imagination, etc., etc. Still others wander into New Thought, etc., only to find, in these, dangerous quicksands. Under the Lord’s providence many or all these classes during the past year have been brought in contact with the Bible’s own teaching, which we all have so long lost under the debris of human theory and tradition. It has been a real pleasure to note, as the weeks went by, the increased attendance at the meetings and the increased number of meetings being held and the development of faithful brethren everywhere as heralds of the “good things.” It has been a great satisfaction to read some of the warmly encouraging letters that have heen received from hungry souls. Some tell of the sweetness of the truth at its very first hearing. Others tell of how increasingly precious the Word of God grows, as their study of it continues in the light of the divine plan of the ages. Surely Tur Watcu Tower is the favored place for a review of the entire harvest field! The Lord has greatly blessed the brethren who have engaged in Class Extension work, especially in Great Britain and America, There is room in this Department for the talents of every consecrated child of God. The harvest is great. The laborers are few. All who are praying to the Lord to send forth more laborers are surely zealously watching for opportunities to take a hand in the work themselves. And all this energy is showing fruitage. There is nothing like it in the whole world. No money inducements! Everything is done from the love of the Lord and his truth, and from a great desire to “show forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.” The blessing is twofold. Not only are many thus brought into the light and caused to rejoice in the fullness of our Savior and his great salvation, but the laborers all receive spiritual refreshment, in proportion as they seek to lay down their lives and talents in the harvest work. THE TRUTH IN FOREIGN FIELDS Our readers are aware that our Society has been doing something in South Africa and South India during the past three years, Evidently the Lord’s blessing in some degree on the work in foreign lands led up to the sending of an I. B.S. A. Committee to see the conditions of the heathen and to report. The report was given in the early part of the year, and pub lished in a special issue of this journal. We have received complimentary testimonies respecting the truthfulness of the Report and the kindly spirit with which those truths, not altogether flattering, were presented. Some of these have come from foreign lands. As a result of that investigation it was decided that conditions in heathendom warranted the expenditure of some of the Society’s funds in proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom there. Accordingly, free literature was printed in six of the principal languages of India, the two principal languages of China, in the Japanese and in the Korean. This literature was designed principally for those professing Christ. But reports indicate that many non-Christians have manifested eagerness for the study of these things. The Bible story of the election of the church to be jointheirs with Jesus in the Messianic kingdom was new and palatable to many of the Christian natives and others; and the Bible assurance presented to them, that their friends and forefathers who have died in heathenish darkness were not in purgatory nor a hell of eternal torture, but in the Bible hell, the grave, was a relief to many. God’s character. cleared of the awful stain upon it by our creeds, shone more brightly before the minds of many. We may be sure that the effect on honest hearts everywhere is the same; namely, that “the Love of God constraineth us.” THE WORK IN SOUTH INDIA In South India, where the London Missionary Society has had a start for over a hundred years, where it has established colleges, etc., the field seemed ripe for the Gospel of the kingdom which we sent to them. As the people heard and read of the good time coming, it cheered them. According to the reports, the missionaries endeavor to keep the people from hearing, even threatening to excommunicate those who attend our meetings, and, going further than this, threatening to excommunicate whole families if even one member attends our meetings. And further, they are reported to have declared that they would not allow any marrying between any of their faithful and any who might come to hear and have a relish for the “good tidings of great joy which shall be for all people.” But in spite of all the threats and endeavors and influence and rice, the hungry hearts came to our meetings and got some crumbs of comfort, benefiting in the present life and preparing them, we trust, for the life to come. The latest reports from South India are that the missionaries of that vicinity, unable to stem the popularity of our Bible meetings, have been obliged to start similar Bible instruction respecting the kingdom. Well, whether it be from strife or from some other motives, we are glad that Messiah’s kingdom is being heralded to whoever will be “Israelites indeed” of far-off India. If the missionaries would all preach the Gospel of the kingdom, if they would all tell the people the Bible truth respecting “the wages of sin” and “the gift of God,” the coming of Messiah, the rolling away of the curse and the pouring out of God’s blessing, and announce that this grand consummation of the divine plan is near at hand, how glad we would be! If now our efforts have stirred them up to give the people the real Bible message, we are glad. Undoubtedly there are sincere missionaries, but such sincere ones are hampered and hindered by the limitations placed upon them respecting the creeds burdens which are becoming galling to all “whom the Son makes free.” But with the missionary, as with the home pastor of civilized lands, every [5144]
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