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LETTER
ported
my
father's
side.
In
this
column
I
hall
a
bout
one
hun·
dred
and
t\lenty-five
texts.
This
somewhat
disturbed
me.
(e)
The
third
column
eOlltained
texts
which
di,]
not
ex
adly
falor
my
belief,
but
which,
while
they
seemed
to
favor
my
father's
side,
I
did
not
feel
like
eOll('eding
to
him
until
I
1w<1
further
examined
them.
I
then
went
over
these
texts
and
found
that
those
in
eolumn
two
all
remained
in
that
column:
and
the
texts
in
column
three
also
went
into
column
two.
With
this
new
fund
of
Bible
knowledge,
I
went
over
column
one,
and
found
that
over
one
half
of
my
texts
had
to
go
in
to
column
two
also,
leaving
me
only
about
twelve
or
fifteon
Seriptures,
nearly
all
of
whieh
were
in
figurative
]anguago.
I
then
saw
clearly
that
the
doe
trines
I
had
been
taught
from
the
creeds
are
wrong;
and
I
at
onee
aecepted
the
truth.
In
the
last
twenty-six
yoars,
through
the
Lord's
grace,
I
have
neyer
had
oeeasion
to
douht
the
truth
on
these
matters.
While
I
was
reading
the
Scriptures,
my
father
frequently
tried
to
persuade
me
to
read
THE
W
A'l'CH
'rOWER
publieations;
hut
I
felt
that
I
,vas
seeking
in
the
right
place
for
truth,
and
that
if
I
were
to
read
something
of
whieh
I
was
already
f"ar
ful,
I
might
he
taking
my
case
out
of
the
Lord
's
hand~,
and
thus
go
into
darkness.
He
grieve<1
considerah]y
that
I
woul,l
not
talk
with
him
or
read
anything
he
offered
to
me.
I
did
not
tell
him
that
I
was
studying
the
matter
all
the
time.
He
was
greatly
surprised
when
six
months
later,
I
showed
him
the
results
of
my
study.
I
now
see
how
much
labor
ana
time
I
might
have
saved
had
I
gone
prayerfully
at
onee
to
THE
D1VINE
PLAN
m'
THE
AGES.
That
hook
today
seems
more
won,lerful
and
satisfying
an<1
Scriptural
than
when
I
first
read
it.
It
has
proven
itt;"lf
lIlore
impregnable
to
assaults
from
all
parti"s
than
Gibraltar.
r
praise
the
Lord
for
the
whole
s"ries
of
S'rl'DIES
lN
'I'H"
~cRIP'rmn:s,
and
have
never
heard
any
Bible
expositions
worthy
of
eOll1parison
with
tlwlIl.
With
much
Christian
Jove,
YOlll'
]J!'otb"r
in
Christ,
A.
T.
TIl'I'CHII':.
INTERESTING
TRUTH
A
BAPTIST
AND
PRESENT
Dear
Brothn
Hussell;-
Thinking
that
lily
l'xI"l'ieu"e
ill
comillg
into
the
truth
might
1)('
of
interest
to
you,
1
alll
seudillg
to
you
the
followiug:
In]
SHG
my
father
sa
II'
you
I'
acl
\'('rtisement
in
the
Christian
II
rruld,
that
Volume
I,
.M1LLI·;]'\NIAL
DAWN,
was
in
preparation.
As
won
as
he
saw
the
annollllcellleut
that
it
was
ready,
he
sent
his
$1
aud
got
its
teac:hings,
aeec;pting
it
as
rapidly
as
he
saw
that
it
harmonized
the
Scriptures.
At
that
time
I
had
joined
the
Baptist
church.
After
mak
ing
sure
that
the
book
contained
nothing
but
the
truth,
my
father
endeayored
to
giye
the
sallie
truth
to
me.
He
spoke
to
me
ahout
the
unsniptura]ness
of
the
doctrine
of
eternal
torment,
tho
immediate
going
to
heaven
or
hell
at
death
and
the
I}oetriuo
of
the
natural
immortality
of
man.
I
was
fearful
of
dodriul's
which
worl'
so
different
from
my
Baptist
belief;
hut
as
he
quoted
Scripturos,
I
did
not
fl'o]
that
I
should
opposo
them.
It
seomed
to
me
that
there
wero
other
Seriptures
which
taught
the
opposite;
am}
I
felt
suro
that
he
must
be
mistaken,
though
I
did
not
say
so.
I
quiot]y
dotl'rmined
to
read
the
Bih]e
through,
noting
all
the
pa:isages
I
could
which
hore
on
these
suhjects,
so
that
I
wou]d
he
sure
of
what
the
teaching
of
the
whole
Scripturo
is.
I
folt
sure
that
if
I
prayed
to
the
Lord
for
guidance
that
I
might
know
the
truth,
he
would
not
let
me
go
astray.
I
realized
that
there
was
no
use
in
quoting
a
text
hne
and
th''l'e.
'When
I
spoke
to
my
father,
I
would
giYe
him
quotatious
from
every
portion
of
the
Bible,
and
thus
show
him
that
tho
gener~Jl
teachings
of
the
Bible
were
opposed
to
his
now]y
found
ideas.
Heading
dming
my
spare
tillie,
it
took
me
six
months
to
read
the
Bihle,
lllarking
down
the
texts
I
noticed.
At
the
end
I
had
sOllie
72»
Scri
ptures
ciied:
(a)
TIll'
first
"OlUIl1Il
eontailH'd
t('xts
whieh
seemed
very
,·Iearly
to
t,,;u·h
the
ol,!
(]odrine
of
eternal
tOrJIl"lIt.
j]l<'
illl
III"diat"
1','
W:1r<
I
aftrr
d"ath,
and
the
imHlortality
of
tlw
SOli!.
This
c'oll"dion
('ontailll'd
about
twenty-five
texts.
(h)
'I'hc'
sec'oIlI]
eO]I1IIl
Il
"oIltain"d
texts
whieh
dearly
sup-
PREPARED
HEARTS
FRANCES
DARDEN
Pr"paro
onr
hearts
to
know
thee,
Lord,
And
seck
for
wisdom
in
thy
Word,
So,
as
our
(}ays,
our
strength
may
be,
To
spread
thy
truth,
0
'er
land
and
sea.
O'er
all
tIl('
earth
this
light
must
shine,
Restoring
faith
to
all
mankind.
Run
swiftly,
oh!
ye
angel"
feet,"
Upon
the
mOllntains;
tidings
sweet
Send
forth!
Proclaim
the
Word.
So
men
shall
know
th"ir
reigning
LonI.
Earnest
watch,
on
Zion's
waU,
Lift
high
his
hanner
over
all;
Loud
sound
the
Seventh
Trumpet
call!
Let
truth
prevail,
and
error
fall!
VOh
XXXV
DROOKTNN,
N.
Y.,
AUGUST
1,
1914
No.
15
THE
WAY,
THE
TRUTH,
THE
LIFE
"I
f
.F
eont
inne
in
my
Word,
then
arr
ye
my
disciplrs
indeed;
and
ye
shall
know
the
truth,
and
the
truth
shall
makr
you
free.'
'-John
8
:31,
32.
At
his
first
Advent
our
1,01'<1
cnm"
to
the
.lewish
nation,
whirh
was
n
honse
of
servnnts
in
covennnt
relationship
with
Go<1.
To
thesr
wns
to
hr
grnntr<1
the
first
privilege
of
he
"oming
sons
of
God,
and
thl'ir
h]essing
would
he
in
proportion
as
thry
Wf'fr
faithful
to
thr
light
that
wou]<1
come
to
thrm.
Before
tlwy
cou],}
herorne
sons
of
Gorl,
however,
it
was
neces
s:lr.\·
that
.Tesus
shou],}
he
their
Redeemer,
should
make
reron
('iJi.1tion
for
iniquity.
and
thus
open
up
the
way.
This
he
had
l'OTlle
to
do.
hilt
lie
had
not
done
it
as
yet.
Wboever
would
('orne
to
UJ1(Jr>rsbnr}
thp
,}iYine
purposes
and
arrangements,
and
ad
in
harmony
with
them,
should
he
II1flde
free,
should
he
liherated
froll1
tIle
('ondemnation
resting
upon
them
a!'l
.lews.
froll1
the
results
of
the
weaknesses
of
their
flesh,
and
would
he
hrought
inl0
full
nccord
with
God,
We
enn
sec
that
this
great
privilege
[I]so
meant
something
more
than
nll
this.
It
meflnt
something
still
higher-even
joint
heirship
with
Messiflh.
But
al]
these
things
were
a
hidden
mystPfy
as
yet.
They
wrre
known
up
to
that
time
only
by
our
Lor<1
himse]f;
they
were
mflde
r]rar
to
him
hecause
he
had
hern
hpgottrn
of
the
holy
Spirit.
Thpl'C
were
many
things
hflrd
to
he
unl}erstood.
.Tesm;
spoke
in
parah]es.
in
dark
sayings,
for
the
very
purpose
of
making
the
way
of
life
then
opened
up
a
"narrow
wav."
Ano
so
,YO
read
in
the
Scriptures
thnt
some
sa
id
of
the
Mastel'
's
words:
"TlJis
is
a
hard
saying!
'Vho
rnn
henr
it?"
'Vho
COll]l}
helieve
it?
TI1f'
parti"u]a
r]y
hnNI
saying
referred
to
wns
that
his"
flesh
wns
ment
in(}eed,
and
his
blood
was
orink
indreo,"
ann
thnt
hy
entinv,
anI}
orinking
of
these
they
might
gain
eternal
life.
And
so
we
read
that
after
this
many
forsook
him
and
ahan-
'}oned
the
thought
of
being
his
disciples.
!'IO
hlinoe<1
wrre
they
to
their
o'vn
interests.
Instead
of
following
on
patiently,
they
said,
This
is
all
foolishness!
We
do
not
understand
it!
Jesus
was
anticipating
this
conoition
of
things
when
he
spoke
these
words
to
them.
He
woulo
put
them
on
their
guard.
It
was
as
though
he
would
say,
You
have
der]arer}
that
"never
man
spake
like
this
man!"
Already
you
hnye
hearo
words
very
different
from
the
words
of
the
srrihes
ann
Pharisees,
Now
continue;
hold
on
for
a
little
while.
If
you
will
do
this,
you
will
grasp
the
situation
in
due
time.
Exercise
faith-exerrise
patience.
You
have
begun
to
Imve
inter0st
in
these
things,
and
as
you
fully
heeome
my
disciples
you
will
he
granted
a
knowl
e,Ige
of
the
truth.
And
this
truth
will
mflke
vou
free;
it
will
gi~'e
you
all
the
blessings
ano
privileges
that
~ome
to
the
chil
dren
of
Goo.
Great]y
blessed
,yere
the
few
who
took
heed
to
the
Master's
counse]!
BLESSINGS
BEGUN
AT
PENTECOST
TIlese
words
of
.Tesus
were
not
addressed
especially
to
the
twp]Ye
npostles,
hut
to
the
Jews
in
grnera
I
who
were
sympa
thetically
drawn.
Nirodemus
may
haw'
heen
one
of
these;
he
was
inc]'ined
to
stumhle
over
the
spiritna]
things;
he
could
not
sre
how
one
eou]d
be
born
again.
The
holy
Spirit
was
not
yet
riven,
we
reao,
"herause
Jesus
was
not
yrt
g]orifird."
St.
Pnul
tells
us
that"
the
natmal
man
receiveth
not
the
things
of
the
Spirit
of
God,
for
they
are
foolishness
unto
him;
nrither
rnn
he
know
thrm,
I)('rause
they
are
spiritnally
discerned."
1
Corinthians
2:
14.
But
some
saw
enough
in
Jesus
to
nthad
them
to
him.
These,
in
honesty
of
heart,
said,
Surely
his
words
are
true,
(223-
206
)
[5506]
INTERESTING LETTER A BAPTIST AND PRESENT TRUTH Dear Brother Russell:— Thinking that my experience in coming into the truth might be of interest to you, 1 am seuiding to you the following: In 1886 my father saw your advertisement in the Christian Herald, that Volume 1, MinLENNIAL Dawn, was in preparation. As soon as he saw the announcement that it was ready, he sent his $1 and got its teachings, accepting it as rapidly as he saw that it harmonized the Seriptures. At that time I had joined the Baptist church. After making sure that the book contained nothing but the truth, my father endeavored to give the same truth to me. He spoke to me about the unscripturalness of the doctrine of eternal torment, the immediate going to heaven or hell at death and the doctrine of the natural immortality of man. I was fearful of doctrines which were so different from my Baptist belief; but as he quoted Seriptures, I did not feel that I should oppose them. It seemed to me that there were other Seriptures which taught the opposite; and I felt sure that he must be mistaken, though I did not say so. T quietly determined to read the Bible through, noting all the passages I could which bore on these subjects, so that I would be sure of what the teaching of the whole Scripture is. I felt sure that if I prayed to the Lord for guidance that I might know the truth, he would not let me go astray. I realized that there was no use in quoting a text here and there. When I spoke to my father, I would give him quotations from every portion of the Bible, and thus show him that the general teachings of the Bible were opposed to his newly found ideas. Reading during my spare time, it took me six months to read the Bible, marking down the texts I noticed. At the end | had some 725 Scriptures cited: (a) The first column contained texts which seemed very clearly to teach the old doctrine of eternal torment. the immediate reward after death, and the immortality of the soul. This colleetion contained about twenty-five texts. (bh) The second column contained texts which elearly sup ported my father’s side. In this column I had about one hun. dved and twenty-five texts. This somewhat disturbed me. (¢) The third column contained texts which did not exactly favor my behlef, but which, while they seemed to favor my father’s side, I did not feel like conceding to him until I had further examined them. I then went over these texts and found that those in column two all remained in that column; and the texts in column three also went into column two. With this new fund of Bible knowledge, I went over column one, and found that over one half of my texts had to go into column two also, leaving me only about twelve or fifteen Seriptures, nearly all of whieh were in figurative language. I then saw clearly that the doctrines I had been taught from the creeds are wrong; and I at once accepted the truth. In the last twenty-six years, through the Lord’s grace, I have never had occasion to doubt the truth on these matters. While I was reading the Seriptures, my father frequently tried to persuade me to read THE WarcH Tower publications; but I felt that I was seeking in the right place for truth, and that if I were to read something of which I was already fearful, I might be taking my case out of the Lord’s hands, and thus go into darkness. He grieved considerably that I would not talk with him or read anything he offered to me. I did not tell him that I was studying the matter all the time. He was greatly surprised when six months later, I showed him the results of my study. I now see how much labor and time I might have saved had I gone prayerfully at once to Tue Divine PLAN OF THE Aqrs. That book today seems more wonderful and satisfying and Scriptural than when I first read it. It has proven itself more impregnable to assaults from all parties than Gibraltar. [ praise the Lord for the whole series of SruDIES IN THE ScrieTurEs, and have never heard any Bible expositions worthy of comparison with them. With much Christian love, Your brother iu Christ, A. T, Rivenir. PREPARED HEARTS FRANCES DARDEN Prepare our hearts to know thee, Lord, And seek for wisdom in thy Word, So, as our days, our strength may be, To spread thy truth, o’er land and sea. O’er all the earth this light must shine, Restoring faith to all mankind. Run swiftly, oh! ye angel ‘‘feet,’’ Vou. XXXV BROOKLYN, N. Y., AUGUST 1, 1914 THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE Upon the mountains; tidings swect Send forth! Proclaim the Word, So men shall know their reigning Lord. Earnest wateh, on Zion’s wall, Lift high his banner over all; Loud sound the Seventh Trumpet call! Let truth prevail, and error fall! ‘‘Tf ye continue in my Word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make yon free.’’—John 8:31, 382. At his first Advent our Tord came to the Jewish nation, which was a house of servants in covenant relationship with God. To these was to he granted the first privilege of becoming sons of God, and their blessing would be in proportion as they were faithful to the light that would come to them. Before they could hecome sons of God, however, it was necessary that Jesus should he their Redeemer, should make reconciliation for iniquity, and thus open up the way. This he had come to do, but he had not done it as yet. Whoever would come to understand the divine purposes and arrangements, and act in harmony with them, should be made free, should be liberated from the condemnation resting upon them as Jews, from the results of the weaknesses of their flesh, and would be brought into full accord with God. We can see that this great privilege also meant something more than all this. Tt meant somcthing still higher—even jointheirship with Messiah. But all these things were a hidden mystery as yet. They were known up to that time only by our Lord himself; they were made clear to him because he had heen begotten of the holy Spirit. There were many things hard to be understood. Jesus spoke in parables, in dark sayings, for the very purpose of making the way of life then opened up a ‘‘narrow way.’? And so we read in the Seriptures that some said of the Master’s words: ‘‘This is a hard saying! Who ean hear it??? Who conld believe it? The particularly hard saying referred to was that his ‘‘flesh was meat indeed, and his hlood was drink indeed,’’ and that hy eating and drinking of these they might gain eternal life. And so we read that after this many forsook him and aban (223-206) doned the thought of being his disciples, so hlinded were they to their own interests. Instead of following on patiently, they said, This is all foolishness! We do not understand it! Jesus was anticipating this condition of things when he spoke these words to them. He would put them on their guard. It was as though he would say, You have declared that ‘‘never man spake like this man!’’ Already you have heard words very different from the words of the serihes and Pharisees. Now continue; hold on for a little while. If you will do this, you will grasp the situation in due time. Exercise faith—exercise patience. You have begun to have interest in these things, and as you fully become my disciples yeu will he granted a knowledge of the truth. And this truth will make you free; it will give you all the blessings and privileges that come to the children of God. Greatly blessed were the few who took heed to the Master’s counsel! BLESSINGS BEGUN AT PENTECOST These words of Jesus were not addressed especially to the twelve apostles, but to the Jews in general who were sympathetically drawn. Nicodemus may have heen one of these; he was inclined to stumble over the spiritual things; he conld not. see how one could be horn again. The holy Spirit was not yet given, we read, ‘‘because Jesus was not yet glorified.’’ St. Paul tells us that ‘‘the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ’’— 1 Corinthians 2:14. But some saw enough in Jesus to attract them to him. These, in honesty of heart, said, Surely his words are true, [5506]
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