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WHEELING AND LOUISVILLE CONVENTIONS

THE interest in Wheeling seemed to warrant us in giving it a second One-Day Convention sooner than usual—on March 18. The topic for the public service was “Resurrection of Damnation.” The forenoon discourse was given in Odd Fellows’ Hall and was well attended by the interested, though not publicly announced. That discourse was published in the secular journals which many of you receive. The afternoon discourse was for the public. The services were held in Court Theater, the largest auditorium in the city; the attendance was large, and the attention and interest manifested were very gratifying indeed. The number present was estimated at 1400. At this meeting announcement was made for two chart talks on the following Sunday in a smaller auditorium. Brother A. E. Williamson filled the appointments and had excellent hearings at both sessions. Our thought is that it requires several discourses to mature the interest first aroused, and that of the thousands who hear with some degree of interest only a small number are to be expected to have the deep interest which could only be looked for in the fully consecrated of the Lord’s people. The dear friends at Wheeling did nobly and feel very much encouraged.

Louisville, Ky., had its first One-Day Convention on March 25. The locally interested were ably seconded in their efforts to make the Convention a success by dear friends residing in nearby communities. Their mutual efforts under the Lord’s blessing and providential guidance resulted in a great arousing of the people of that vicinity.

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At the morning session, which was not advertised, quite a goodly gathering appeared. Some excellent testimonies were given for about an hour preceding a morning discourse by Brother Russell, which has already been reported in the secular journals, seen by many of you. The afternoon meeting in McCauley’s Theater was jammed to its fullest capacity, about a hundred being seated on the rear of the stage and considerable numbers standing. The police ordered the doors locked that no more should be admitted, claiming that no more could be admitted with safety. Those in a position to estimate reckoned that there were 2000 present, and that an equally large number were unable to gain admittance; to the latter, however, were distributed more than 1100 copies of the WATCH TOWER treating on the subject of hell from the Bible standpoint. The audience gave closest attention for nearly two hours, and our hope is that some of them were there started on a more rational view of the divine Word, and inspired to more loving and more reverent conceptions of the divine character.

We are not to expect that a large proportion in such audiences would be saints, permitted of the Lord to see and understand clearly all the riches of his grace, but we do have reason for believing that there were some of this class, and that they received help and impetus in a good way, and that others were helped nearer to the Lord and further from sin. We were introduced to one brother, now deeply consecrated, and a very fine man, a doctor, and were informed that only a short time ago he was practically an infidel as well as a drunkard, and that he was reclaimed through the reading of MILLENNIAL DAWN, and has been helpful in the

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bringing of many in that vicinity to the knowledge of God and of his Word. Items of this kind are very encouraging, but at all events we know that the Lord’s blessing is always with his own Word, and that it will accomplish the purpose for which he sent it, and will not return unto him void. We know that this Gospel age will gather out the full number of the elect, and prepare them for the glory, honor, immortality and the great work of the Millennial age. Praise and honor and glory to him that sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb!

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— April 15, 1906 —