The following excerpt appeared in that first issue.

ZWT EXCERPT

IN RE "THE LAST TRUMP"

BRO. H. B. RICE, editor and publisher of The Last Trump, has been obliged by circumstances beyond his control to suspend its publication. Knowing that such a course was probable, we two months ago proposed to Bro. Rice that we would supply THE WATCH TOWER to his subscribers, instead of The Trump, up to the close of their subscriptions, and we invited him to speak to his old subscribers, and others of the body of Christ, through ZION'S WATCH TOWER.

He has accepted both propositions, sent the list of subscribers, and in an open letter to them says, "I will endeavor to contribute something to THE WATCH TOWER every month," &c.

As we are much crowded, we have published this letter as a supplement, and sent it to the subscribers of The Last Trump only.

END EXCERPT

In the "Supplement" to that July 1879 ZWT issue, the following excerpted paragraph referred briefly to Rice and his "The Last Trump".

EXCERPT

But judge of my surprise and sorrow when upon attempting to show it to Bro. P. a few days after, I found that in my March No. a notice of Bro. Rice's paper "The Last Trump;" occupied its place-- How was it in yours? We could not understand it, it seemed like double dealing --too much management for a Herald of the Millennial Morning. Alas!, I said to myself; is this the fruit of the new views of the atonement?

END EXCERPT

I have not been able to locate "any" ZWT article with Rice's signature, and he continued to be listed as a "regular contributor" through the April 1880 ZWT issue.
Starting wth the May 1880 issue, Rice's name was replaced by that of another writer. Evidently, CTR placed the following notice in
the June 1880 ZWT issue as an explanation. It provides "some" additional biographical material on H. B. Rice.

EXCERPT

BROTHER H. B. RICE writes that he, from temporary loss of business and sickness in his family, has been kept quite occupied of late, but has not lost his interest in the WATCH TOWER. He says: "I believe that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. It was certainly not laying aside immortality. It was shedding his blood --pouring out his soul (or life) unto death." He says he finds time to preach the glad tidings, and recently delivered a series of eleven lectures in Stockton, Cal. He has again obtained a situation in San Francisco, and has removed there.

END EXCERPT

Who was H. B. Rice, and how did CTR develop such a relationship with Rice, such that prior to even publishing the first issue of ZWT, CTR asked him to become a regular contributor to the pending ZWT, and to basicly turn over the mailing list to the defunct "The Last Trump" Magazine? Why did Rice never submit any material to ZWT? What happened to him after June 1880?

I'm curious who were the 3 "unnamed" persons?
Sunderlin? Adamson? ???

EXCERPT

Preaching.

HERALD OF THE MORNING
January 1879.

WEST OAKLAND, Cal

Dear Bro.-Some one, I know not who, has sent me several copies of your paper, which I have read with interest; indeed for years I have been deeply interested in every thing pertaining to the second advent.

Your views are new to me, and I never like to take up with new teaching without careful investigation. Have been preaching among the Disciples for six or seven years. I do not want to be led away by fanciful interpretations; nor do I want to miss any lightwhich God has made possible for me to receive. I notice you apply John 16, "guide us into all truth," to the gospel church; do you mean directly by the Spirit imparting NEW revelations to christians of the present day, or that through the Scriptures we may be led into all truth?

If the latter, I am with you, otherwise not.

Yours in hope of the kingdom,

H. B. Rice"

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HERALD OF THE MORNING
March 1879

THE LAST TRUMP

The first number of a new paper just started at Oakland, Cal. has reached us; I must say, I am morethan pleased with its general appearance and manner of presenting truth. Its editor and publisher, H.B. RICE, has been a Disciple preacher; but seeing the great "plan of the ages", the harvest, time arguments, etc. he feels called to proclaim these blessed truths, with pen, as well as mouth. His paper is a 16 page monthly; fully one third larger than the HERALD; and has a clean readable look. His style is crisp. pointed and telling; and judging by what we have seen, we believe his efforts are calculated to do much good; and therefore ask all who can afford it, to help in circulating his paper. Price $2 pr. year. And judging by his first number, I know of no $2, monthly, for which I would so willingly invest that amount. Want of space alone prevents us from giving extracts. Address, H.B. Rice, Box 1610, OAKLAND, CAL.

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In the April 1879 HERALD is an announcement that the price per year of THE LAST TRUMP had been reduced from $2.00 to $1.00.

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HERALD OF THE MORNING
June 1879

"We are sorry to say that "The Last Trump", started by brother Rice, of Cal. is discontinued from lack of means. Bro. Rice informs me that he had the promise of help from several parties, but business failures, and other causes not known to me, have placed him where there is no choice left; he must labor with his hands, to earn a bare support for his family. The subsciption money paid for a year, leaves our brother in debt sevety-five cents in the dollar; we have offered to send the HERALD for eighteen months, to each of his subscribers for the nine months due on his paper; and will send them word to that effect, as soon as we receive his list of names. Those of his subscribers who take the HERALD, will please notice! Send me a card, stating the sum due to you on his paper, and I will credit you with the amount. Bro. Rice says, that if you require the money returned, he will do so, as soon as he can. But please not do that; if you demand the money, send your bill to me, and as fast as I can spare the means, without crippling the HERALD, you shall have it.

H. B. Rice was likely sent the Herald of the Morning by one of the Advent
Christian evangelists in California at the time. These were D. D. Reed and
his wife, Dr. and Mrs. O. R. Fassett, and Henry F. Carpenter, a physician
turned evangelist. There was a lone Advent Christian Church in Vallejo. My
best guess, and only a guess, is that H. F. Carpenter is the one who sent
the Herald to Rice. Personal circumstances kept Rice from contributing to
Zion's Watch Tower, though he did preach a series of eleven sermons in Stockton.
His resignation letter to the Disciples Church is in their archive.

William Mann and Benjamin Keith were long active as "Second Adventists" or
Advent Christians. Kieth is the one who pointed out the translation of the
word parousia as presence in Wilson's Diaglott. The idea of "invisible presence"
was not knew to them. Joseph A. Seiss had advocated it (as they taught it
until 1881) in his book Last Times. At the time of the failure (1873-1874),
R. C. Shimeal published his book Second Coming of Christ (1874) in which
he reiterated his invisible presence views. Shimeal was an occasional contributor
to Seiss' magazine Prophetic Times. The coincident publication of Shimeal's
book apparently reinvigorated the long discussion over the nature of the
presence that has its roots in a 18th century expository pamphlet.

Keith was part of the moving force behind the Herald, and along with Barbour
and Russell one of three to investigate new assertions made by Barbour as
to the meaning of 1878. Paton was absent due to an injury.