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::R5142 : page 378::

ADVICE TO PILGRIMS, GOOD FOR ALL

TO THE PILGRIM BRETHREN OF I.B.S.A.

DEAR BRETHREN, BELOVED IN THE LORD:—I know well that as New Creatures your desires are to lay down your life for the Brethren. I know well, also, that the world, the flesh and the adversary (especially the latter) evidently oppose all who seek to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, particularly those in public places and those who are active in the service of the Truth. These attacks come sometimes in one form and sometimes in another—sometimes through too much sympathy and sometimes through too little.

I feel constrained to give you some advice:

Do not do much writing of letters. Experience shows that those Pilgrims who do much of this generally neglect the particular work in which they are supposed to be engaged. If there are questions needing answers, ten words on postcard will refer the friends to THE WATCH TOWER OFFICE, or to STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES. We believe that the results would be far more profitable than if you would attempt to write lengthy discussions. In some instances the friends could be more profited. Is it not wise that we remember St. Paul’s exhortation that the eye, the hand, the foot, strive to do its own part as members of the Body of Christ? Your portion, dear Brethren, is a very honorable and important one. We believe that it will need all of your time, if properly attended to.

The forenoons, or times when there are no meetings, we advise that brief visits be made to dear friends of whom you get word that they are sick, or for some other reason have not attended meetings of the Class recently.

Such opportunities not presenting themselves, we suggest that you write a brief synopsis of your principal address (if you give a public one), suitable for the newspapers. This will be a valuable experience to you and may prove acceptable, and thus give the Truth a wider swing. One dear Brother has been very successful in this way. Not being much of a hand at writing nor much of a scholar, he inquired of me if he could use some of my sermons. I gave cheerful consent. Rewriting them, he has been able to get them into numbers of papers, and thus the Truth has been circulated. We wish to give you all this same privilege.

Do not understand by this that we mean for you to go out of the Pilgrim service into the literary work, but merely that you seek for opportunities to write up something that may effect the scattering of the Truth. The time thus employed would be much more useful in the Lord’s service than in writing to the friends.

I remember you daily in my petitions at the Throne of Heavenly Grace and hope that I am remembered by you all. Remember me to the dear friends wherever you may go, assuring them that you bear my greetings. As ever,

Yours in the Fellowship of the Anointed,
C. T. RUSSELL.

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— December 1, 1912 —