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ENCOURAGING WORDS FROM FAITHFUL WORKERS

DEAR BROTHERS IN CHRIST:—

I thank God for the glorious privilege of thus addressing you and all the brethren. I have just finished making out my report of four days’ work as a colporteur—from the standpoint of results as to the number of volumes sold, which was 82 cloth-bound and 12 leather-bound, making an average of a little better than 23 volumes per day. And this report completed I feel that I ought to report something for which I find no blank but which to me has been the most important, namely, my spiritual blessing. I have been blessed as never before, and it is impossible for me to try to tell the brethren to what extent the blessing has been; it has only been limited by my ability to receive it. I am naturally demonstrative, and when I first saw the Truth I had to tell every one about it that would listen, and that interfered with my business, but now my business is to talk of the Truth and the more I talk of it (with discretion) the more business I do—in fact, I am being supplied with daily bread for the flesh and the spirit at one and the same time, where heretofore one or the other suffered. I find selling the DAWNS just like anything

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else as far as the selling goes. One has to use tact and adapt himself to the customer, and use the arguments or rather suggestions best adapted to the prospective buyer as shown to one by what he can observe of the person he approaches. I desire to express my thankfulness to God for such an opening as that as “Colporteur” for one who has been disqualified for his position in the world through the Truth, for it is truly a work where a double blessing goes with every sale. May this branch of the work as well as all God’s work be prospered, and may those ministering to the household of faith be enabled to go forward in the strength of the Lord. The class at M__________, led by Brother Raymond, is prospering in the only true and real prosperity. We have three meetings a week now, and can hardly contain ourselves between times. We have about eighteen members, whereas a year ago, or before Brother Raymond located here, there were possibly two. Truly God is good to us. May the Lord prosper this harvest work and may all the brethren everywhere be united in Christ our Redeemer, Pattern and Head.

As ever, your brother and servant in him,

W. J. TOOKE,—Indiana.

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DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:

I wish for the benefit of the readers of the TOWER to tell a bit of my experience right here. Mother was a Calvinistic Baptist, believing in eternal torment, or as they call it, “hell.” I was converted in youth, and firmly believed the same. But God opened my eyes on that question some twenty years ago, under the preaching of The Crisis (Adventist), which I believed was the “faith once delivered to the saints.” In December, 1901, mother came from Canada to B__________ to visit me, and she mourned and cried over the death of her youngest son, who was drowned unconverted, at the age of seventeen years. Her doctrine taught her that he was in eternal torment. I told her he was in his grave and would remain there till Jesus came—but even then there was the Second Death, or “hell,” as she termed it. Bro. Haynes, Colporteur, God bless him, came to my home with the DAWNS. I told him, No; and meant it. Mother interfered and told him she wanted the books, and he left the first five volumes. Mother commenced to read the first volume and before she got through with it she was walking the house rejoicing and cried, “Praise God, Sammie is not in hell,” meaning eternal torment. I commenced to read and investigate. I found the Truth—”the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” and with mother I rejoiced and praised my heavenly Father that he had showed us his plan and his great love for the world. And likewise I thanked him for his great love in sending us such a beloved brother as you, our beloved Brother Russell, who gives us meat in due season. May God spare you a few years yet in the harvest work.

I am rejoicing in the Truth, firm and established in the harvest work.

Yours sincerely in Jesus Christ,

MRS. JAMES FORSYTH,—California.

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DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—

We have been delayed from our work on account of sickness, until yesterday, and then, although both of us were under the doctor’s care, we went to work. Wife put in about seven hours and I about two. Result: twenty-six volumes for her and fifteen for myself. Praise God! We were so thankful, so happy, when we came home that we could scarcely go to sleep. We are starting out again this morning. We thank you for your kind words of encouragement. We expect to finish this place this week. My orders were all from colored people. I am to preach for them second Sunday in May. Will make full report later both to you and Colporteur department.

J. B. MCGEE,—Colporteur.

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DEAR BRETHREN:

The work goes on gloriously. But the trials and testings are severe, and increasingly so. The cry is coming from every quarter. There never was such an important moment as this. Surely the Lord is thus hastening the work of finishing our faith so that we may at once come to the mark, and our faith may be able to stand the final great conflict and we be brought off “more than conquerors.” May the Lord grant that none of us may be found wanting in willingness to encourage and strengthen these little ones who are now struggling for existence. In much love to all,

Your servant, O. L. SULLIVAN,—Pilgrim.

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— October 15, 1907 —