EXCERPT

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:--I have derived great comfort from the December number of "Watch Tower." What a substantial meal of "strong meat." I have read it nearly all twice over; some of it three and four times. I derived especial comfort from the article entitled, "The Blessed dying." I have always dreaded dying, but if its conclusions are correct (and it at once impressed me so), I think I want to die--anything to be with Christ. The "Creative Week," by W. I. Mann, I thought was especially strong in its conclusions and deductions; shall read it again and study it.

Now, dear brother, perhaps it would be as well to introduce myself. I am a preaching member of the Minnesota Conference of Christian Adventists. I have long been leaning toward the age-to-come views, much as one would grope in the dark--seeing much truth in it; but with the light I had, could not make all points harmonize. It remained for your September number of "Watch Tower" to supply the missing link. I am thankful to God for it. I received it (humanly speaking) by the merest accident, but I believe it was sent of God. Now, dear brother, I would like a few copies of "Food for Thinking Christians." I will treat and place each one as though it were pure gold. I want to send one to my brother, a minister, and to others. I am anxious to do all I can. Am very poor, but if God blesses will contribute to your Tract fund. Yours in hope. __________.

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CTR published this "Letter From Readers" in the August 1883 issue of Zion's Watch Tower. This elderly gentleman credits George Storrs' (Six) sermons for correcting his beliefs regarding the soul and Jesus' identity.

ZWT AUGUST 1883 EXCERPT

Delhi, N.Y.

DEAR BROTHER:--The time is come when a remittance is due. I enclose $15. Last year I took ten papers in the hope of interesting and doing good to some. I find some actually refuse them; others refused to be interested; and as I do not believe in forcing men, nor think it proper to cast pearls in an unseemly place, this year you may send me five copies. It would give me pleasure to increase rather than decrease the number, but when Jesus says, "Let them alone," I obey. Please send me a Variorum Bible, and, if you can, send me two more of "Food for Thinking Christians," and two more "Tabernacle Teachings," as a reserve for opportunity to do good. I know that the others I got have done good. What remains of the remittance place where you think best. I think the claim of the Swedes is good.

Perhaps you would like to know who I am or what I am. I am over seventy years of age; what the world would call a poor man, a shoemaker, or rather a shoemender. But I bless God for his goodness to me. I was brought up a Presbyterian; came to this country forty-four years ago. From conviction I became a Baptist; afterwards in 1845 or '46 George Storr's sermons were the means of a great theological revolution with me. The hand of fellowship was withdrawn from me, because I believed I had no immortality now, but rejoiced I had it as a PRIZE BEFORE ME, and also because I believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. The Bible then seemed to me like a new book, and I bless God it has been brighter and brighter all along.

As proof texts for the restitution of the human race, although I have no remembrance of seeing them alluded to, I would quote Ps. 90:3. "Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men," I used to look upon the word return, as to return to dust, but I was forcibly impressed by noticing that word marked by a capital R as being an emphatic word--and the reason assigned in the following verse, "For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night." God is not limited by years nor ages for the accomplishment for his gracious purposes.

Again, Jeremiah 12:15-17: "And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again every man to his heritage, and every man to his land. And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of, my people to swear by my name the Lord liveth; (as they taught my people to swear by Baal); then shall they be built up in the midst of my people. But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the Lord." By carefully reading the preceding part of the chapter, I came to the conclusion these promises are yet in the future. "Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men."

EXCERPT

New York.

MY DEAR BROTHER:--You are so overburdened with letters that I scarcely know whether I ought to write you at all. I have been a regular minister for more than thirty years. Ever since I heard Bro. Wm. Miller (I was quite young then) I have been deeply interested in the blessed idea, "Our dear Lord will soon come again." Some years ago, before you commenced the publication of the WATCH TOWER, I was among those who were looking and hoping. And now I want to say my heart is in deep and happy sympathy with the doctrines so ably advocated in the paper you publish. Though when I came to this place but very few here knew or cared anything about these things. I may say the most spiritual-minded of my people have come to hold the "like precious truth," and I freely teach and preach our glorious belief.

The bundle of the October issue you sent me has been distributed to those who seem hungry for the truth. I could easily dispose of more than twice as many more to good advantage. May God most abundantly bless and reward you! For the past few years I have had a great many more calls than I could possibly fill, and often get letters of inquiry to which I can best reply by sending some of your papers or tracts.

Yours in the Master's service,

__________.

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This Letter from a former Adventist of over 30 years appeared in the January 1885 ZWT:

AIONION--EVERLASTING.

New Jersey, Jan. 6th, 1885.

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:--May I take the liberty to express my surprise on reading some of your remarks in answering questions relating to "Sheep and Goats?"

Answering the question does the word everlasting in verse 46 (Matt. 25.) indicate that the punishment will last forever? You say "It certainly does," and add, "When some one told you that the Greek word aionion here rendered everlasting, had no such meaning, but ALWAYS meant a limited period of time, they misinformed you, and merely applied a definition common to a sect called "Adventists," but nevertheless an error." And further on you say:-- "If Adventists and Universalists claim that aionion here always means a limited period, they should, to be consistent, hope only for a life of limited duration for the righteous, since the same Greek word is used in reference to both.

The surprise is that you should say such things of the "Adventists." I have known them, and was among them, one of them for more than thirty years. They have always admitted that the same Greek word used with reference to both the righteous and the wicked in this place, must have the same force in each case, as to duration; that the "everlasting" punishment of the one class will be just as long as the "eternal" life of the other. And they have always claimed it not a question of duration, but of the nature of the punishment, and it has been very common among them to explain Matt. 25:46, by quoting Paul's language in 2 Thess. 1:9, making the everlasting punishment in the one text the exact equivalent of the everlasting destruction in the other, absolutely without limit. And they have constantly emphasized the utter hopelessness of the punishment by explaining that the Greek word is kolasin, which means, literally, to cut off, or lop off, as when a limb, or the branches of trees are cut or lopped off; this being everlasting, could not possibly admit of the idea of limitation.

I am perfectly sure, dear brother, that you would not knowingly misrepresent any one's views.

Yours in Jesus,

Our glorious Lord and Living Head,

R. WAKEFIELD.

P.S. I would add, that the Adventists, in speaking of the "everlasting fire," v. 41, claimed that, even if forced to allow that the fire was everlasting, the same word, aionion, being used, still, the office of fire being not to preserve, but to destroy, it would prove beyond a possible question, that the wicked being cast into the fire, they must inevitably perish. And further, as it was well understood that aionion has, sometimes, a limited signification, it was suggested that the fire having done its work of destruction might then (supposing it to be literal) be permitted to go out, in perfect harmony with the sense of the passage.

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We are thankful to our Brother for the above correction. We probably had in mind when writing the paragraph referred to, a class of people who might be termed-- "Universalist- Adventists." The Brother is right, we would not willingly misrepresent any. The definition given above is entirely satisfactory to us.

It occurs to us that our views on the meaning of the word aionios were not fully apprehended by some. We were controverting the view- -that this word always means a limited period. We have never claimed that it always means never ending but rather a space or epoch of time upon which no limit has been placed. Thus in the Old Testament the corresponding word olam is used with reference to laws and regulations then in force "This shall be a statute unto you [olam] forever" i.e. it has no limitation it would last until for some cause God its mandator should replace it with another.

Apply this same definition (continuous --unlimited) to the word aionios in Matt. 25:46, and it would read the righteous into continuous life, but the wicked into continuous [i.e. uninterrupted] punishment, [elsewhere shown to be the second death.] Whatever is claimed for the word aionios toward the one class must be admitted toward the other.

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Wisconsin.

DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER RUSSELL:--I have read with mingled feelings of sorrow and joy your noble defense. Glad that you were so able to acquit yourselves of all blame, and sorry that you should be so sorely tried. Surely the devil has come down unto us having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time. I was also much pleased with the review of the history of the TOWER, back to the time of the Herald of the Morning; for I was a reader of it. From the days of Wm. Miller I have been deeply interested in the subjects of which the DAWNS and TOWER treat, with a steadily increasing interest; and I am thoroughly convinced that they teach the truth. I have received much comfort and instruction from them, for I have invariably compared them with the Scriptures and have not found them wanting. I heard Mr. Miller lecture in 1842, and read his book, but could not receive his conclusions, for the reason that our Savior said that the Gospel of the Kingdom should be preached in all the world --to all nations-- before the end could come; and I felt sure that was not then done; but he taught much truth. For you I have often prayed, that God would keep you from error. I send enclosed the balance on Good Hopes for this year. May send more before the year is out.

H. Shoemaker. ----------

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Pennsylvania.

DEAR BRO. RUSSELL:--The Extra Z.W.T. reached me safely. After a careful reading of the whole book, I would say that I can find no fault in you at all. Dear Brother, we all, I hope, know you too well to believe such false reports. I have been with you in this precious faith while you were with the Herald of the Morning, and ever since the first issue of the TOWER; and I know I could not be convinced now to turn against you, or even to sympathize with those who have turned against you. My prayer is, that the dear Lord may give you strength and courage to overcome all evil, and keep you faithful.

Yours in Christian love,

Tennessee.

TOWER PUBLISHING CO.:--I received the three volumes of "Dawn" and several numbers of the Tower. They are indeed a helping hand to one who has been struggling to get into the light but dimly seen, standing outside of the Babel of confused tongues for nearly twenty-five years, and waiting for the Lord's coming since 1844. I now stand on the verge of three score years and ten, and pray, "Thy Kingdom come;" and with the ardent desire of the souls under the altar I inquire, How long, O Master, how long?

How almost overwhelming is such a flood of light as the Lord is now giving through you and others of his chosen messengers! How inexpressible and exultant the joy of such light! I have often remarked that wherever there is an earnest, persistent seeker of the truth, it will finally come to such an one; and that if there should be no other way, a special messenger would be sent.

I am thankful for the opportunity now offered to do some little service for the Master, by circulating your publications wherever I find a hearing ear or a waiting soul. Our Lord said, "Ye are my witnesses;" and I fear that I have not been a faithful witness, although I taught many of these truths privately for some years. Standing outside of all human organizations, and in a very dark corner of the earth, and knowing nothing of the TOWER movement (or work), I felt alone and fearful. But my moral courage is now greatly strengthened by the knowledge of the fact that there are so many and such strong laborers in the field. May the Lord ever guide us, and teach us when and what to speak, and when to be silent.