No. 446
It is our intention to offer a clear analysis of the Adamic Death; and by way of introduction we would say this death is the one which Adam experienced as a result of his transgression in Eden. God had told him, “In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:17) The marginal comment offers a little help here by saying, “dying thou shalt die.”
Different Days – It should first be noted that the word day in the Bible has a number of different meanings: A day of our week – twenty‑four hours; a forty‑year day – “The day of temptation in the wilderness... forty years” (Heb. 3:8,9); a thousand‑year day – “One day is with the Lord as a thousand years.” (2 Pet. 3:8) “A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.” (Psa. 90:4) And there are other days which we shall not examine here. Self‑evidently Adam’s day in Gen. 2:17 was not a twenty‑four‑hour day, because he continued to live for 930 years. “Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years; and he died.” (Gen. 5:5) Adam was really not living in the full sense; and this will become clearer if we state it as it really was: “Adam was dying for nine hundred and thirty years; when he finally died.”
However, it should be stressed here that none of us are dying for the same reason that Adam died; Adam died because of his wilful sin against God; the rest of us are dying from the death penalty inherited from him. Whether good or bad, this sentence rests upon all of us, as we can see from the procession to the cemeteries. “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; so death passed upon all men.” (Rom.5:12) Thus, we are dying because of our inheritance – what was transmitted to us by Adam. None of us asked for it; and none of us can escape it. Before the Flood men lived much longer than they do now, the oldest being Methuselah, 969 years (Gen. 5:27). All thus died within the thousand‑year day. After the Flood men’s lives were much shortened: “The days of our years are threescore years and ten.” (Psa. 90:10) And with much sorrow have we eaten of our bread during those years. Gradually a Messiah began to be revealed through the Prophets; and, when Jesus appeared, this hope was mightily energized, so that much of the civilized world now “looks to Jesus” for escape from our wretched condition – sickness, sorrow, pain and death.
SALVATION
Throughout the Christian world the doctrine of salvation is taught with emphasis; but the meaning of salvation among the various segments of Christendom is a tragedy to behold! Some teach that the chosen few are predestinated to salvation (John Calvin and his adherents); with the remainder determined to an eternity of torture in a burning lake of Hell. Another extreme contends that since God “will have” all men to be saved that all will be saved whether or not they wish it.
This conglomeration is the result of a very erroneous understanding of the purpose of salvation. Luke 3:6 tells us, “All flesh shall see the salvation of God”; but seeing it does not mean that all shall receive it. However, as stated above, none of us are dying because of any evil we may have committed; therefore, God will save us from that for which we are not responsible; viz., the condemnation that has come upon us thru Adam’s disobedience. St. Paul makes this quite clear when he says in Acts 24:15, “There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.”
That resurrection will save all who receive it from the penalty of the Adamic Death state, after which they shall “come to an accurate knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4, Diaglott); and that will enable them to decide if they wish to live under an absolute monarchy of righteousness, or, if they wish they can return to the grave from which they have been saved. From that standpoint God desires all men to be saved – saved from the Adamic‑Death state, and from the gross ignorance that now engulfs the entire world. The Prophet tells us (Isa. 60:2): “Darkness shall cover the earth [the present social order], and gross darkness the people.” And it will be necessary for all men to be saved from that if they are to be changed from their present position to a better one. And once having reached that position, if they – of their own volition – determine they do not wish to live under that benign reign, they will then die the “second death” – “Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” (Rev. 20:14)
Some believers who contend that God wills definitely that all are to be eternally saved go to the extreme and teach that even Satan and the fallen angels will also be saved. If not, God would suffer loss, which is an impossibility; but the record is clear enough in Heb. 2:14: “Through death He [Jesus] might destroy him that hath the power of death, that is, the devil.” He is “the god of this world who has blinded the minds of those that believe not.” (2 Cor. 4:4) He has led men in his present condition, and he will eventually pay the price for it; he will be annihilated – destroyed.
It has been our privilege over the years to engage in written and oral discussions of this subject with those deluded by this error – which, according to God’s Word, is transparent nonsense. Some contend that if man and devils were completely destroyed that this would mean that God suffers loss; but this has no substance or bottom to it. In Gen. 2:7 we are told that “the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground”; and Gen. 3:19 states “dust thou art, and unto dust shall thou return.” Thus, if this is true – and we accept it as Truth – then, if man returns unto dust, God will have suffered no loss; He will have the dust which He had before he created man.
Others say that the “everlasting fire” of Matt. 25:41 (the punishment of the wicked) is simply to be “aionian”; that is, “age‑lasting,” after which they are to be given another chance. However, we have answered by stating that the same sort of bliss is given to the righteous; therefore, it also will be only “age‑lasting”; and this completely silenced them. Following is the footnote from the Emphatic Diaglott:
“The common version, and many modern ones, render kolasin aionioon everlasting punishment, conveying the idea, as generally interpreted of basinos, torment. Kolasin in its various forms only occurs in three other places in the New Testament – Act 4:21; 2 Pet. 2:9; 1 John 4:18. It is derived from kolazoo, which signifies, (1) To cut off; as lopping branches of trees, to prune; (2) To restrain, to repress. The Greeks write – ‘The charioteer (kolazei) restrains his fiery steeds.’ (3) To chastise, to punish. To cut off an individual from life, or society, or even to restrain, is esteemed as punishment – hence has arisen this third metaphorical use of the word. The primary signification has been adopted, because it agrees better with the second member of the sentence, thus preserving the force and beauty of the antithesis. The righteous go to life, the wicked from the cutting off from life, or death. See 2 Thes. 1:9.”
From what then is man to be saved? (1) He is to be saved from the Adamic‑Death state (those in the tomb) which he inherited from Adam through no fault of his own: “Death passed upon all men.” (Rom. 5:12) (2) He will be saved from the “gross darkness” – the error which now engulfs most of the human race, those who have been “blinded by the god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4), Satan. When man is eventually saved from these two conditions, we are assured that “there shall be no night there” – error as we now see it. (Rev. 22:5) Those who willfully refuse to accept that New Order of things “shall be destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:23) Jesus emphatically told us, “All that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and come forth.” (John 5:28,29) They will then be able to accept or reject the Truth, as they wish. However, no one that is awakened will any longer be subject to the Adamic Death: Jesus purchased the world with His own blood, and when they are awakened by Him they will have been redeemed from the Adamic Death state. “There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.” (Acts 24:15) Why awaken the unjust if they have already been sentenced to a Hell of torment? We answer that the “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23); and “the dead know not anything.” (Ec. 9:5) God is not judging the unsaved world now, “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31)
We are assured in Zech. 13:8 that some will survive this Time of Trouble, but all of them will be subject to the Adamic‑Death state until they come under the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31‑33) and receive the “judgments” (instructions) of the Kingdom. However, all those who are awakened by our Lord will be subject to the New Covenant regulations and no longer subject to the Adamic‑Death state from which they have been delivered. At present it would be impossible for many to receive the Kingdom instructions due to their physical and mental lacks. Most of these will go, or already have gone, into the Adamic‑Death state, from which they will be awakened ‘in due time,’ and be physically and mentally able to receive the benevolent instructions of the Kingdom. When they are awakened they will have opportunity to walk up the Highway of Holiness (Isa. 35:8) and gain eternal life if obedient. If not obedient, they will eventually go into the Second Death (Rev. 20:14), from which there is no recovery. “Christ dieth no more.” (Rom. 6:9) They shall then be “as though they had not been.” (Ob. 1:16) But all the awakened will have the ability to receive the instructions of the Kingdom; and it will be due to their own willfulness if they are sent into the Second Death. “In those days they shall say no more, the fathers have eaten a sour grape [the sins of the fathers visited upon the children to the third and fourth generation], and the children’s teeth are set on edge. But every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.” (Jer. 31:29,30)
THE ADAMIC-DEATH PROCESS
The Adamic Death and the Adamic‑Death process are closely related, yet there is a wide divergence in them in some respects. The Adamic‑Death process will still be with us for years, perhaps a few hundred years, after the Adamic death itself has forever disappeared. When the last one has been recovered from the Adamic‑Death state, that will be the end of the Adamic death; but it should be clearly apparent that the evils that have been spawned by the Adamic‑Death process now working in all men will still be prominently with those just returned from the tomb. “In the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be.” (Ec. 11:3) All will be awakened with the character they had at the time of death. The expression is often heard, I am living in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc., but actually we are all dying in those places; and, regardless of wealth, social standing, etc., the death toll is certain to have its way. Thus, all those that are in their graves, shall hear the voice of the Son of Man and come forth – some to a resurrection of life, and others to a resurrection of judgment (John 5:28,29).
The question properly arises, What is the Adamic‑Death process? We answer that it is every evil in man whether inherited or acquired. A few men reduce the Adamic‑Death process they have inherited by receiving the instruction of the Holy Spirit, and resolutely resolving to improve their undone condition. Some of these have developed into the “saints” (Rom. 1:7,8); at Corinth “called to be saints” (1 Cor. 1:2); “to the saints which are at Ephesus” (Eph. 1:1); “to all the saints at Philippi” (Phil. 1:1); “to the saints and faithful brethren at Colosse” (Col. 1:2).
Note the words of the Apostle John in Rev. 20:14: “Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire,” a symbol of the utter destruction of these two enemies of mankind. Death in this text is from the Greek thanatos, meaning ‘death, literal or figurative’; and hell is from the Greek hades, meaning the death state, oblivion. Consider now the Berean Comment on this text: “Death ... Including aches, pains, mental and moral imperfections of every sort; Hell ... Hades, oblivion, the great prison-house of the tomb in which mankind awaits a resurrection; Were cast ... Gradually, from the beginning of the Millennial Age to its close; The lake of fire ... Gehenna, utter destruction – there shall be no more death; The Second Death ... So‑called, in contradistinction to the first or Adamic Death: the devil, death and hell are never destroyed but once, yet their destruction is for them the Second Death, death everlasting.” We have quoted this Berean Comment because we ourselves cannot improve upon it; it is an excellent definition of Adamic‑Death and the Adamic‑Death process.
Perhaps it should be stressed here that when the voice of Jesus in the established Kingdom calls forth the human race from the death state they will still have their inherited and acquired weaknesses which they possessed when they went into the tomb. They will have the same personality and character they had when they went into the tomb. Of course, they won’t have the same diseased bodies. If they did, the man consumed by vicious cancer would immediately die again; the man with his head shot off would never know he had been awakened from the grave, etc. However, they will then have sufficient physical and mental ability to understand the requirements of the “New Covenant.” (Jer. 31:31)
The Berean Comments on John.5:25 are to the point: “When the dead ... Whether actually in the cells or the prison yard: “Let the dead bury their dead”; Shall hear the voice ... Gradually, line upon line, precept upon precept: Calling them to awake and come to a full knowledge of God and to a full opportunity of everlasting life: When the last one has thus heard, Hades, the tomb, will have been destroyed, but death [the Adamic‑Death process] will still remain as long as there is any imperfection; Of the Son of God ... Not of the jargon of conflicting creeds; And they that hear ... Obey; Shall live ... In due time reach perfection of life.”
As Rev. 20:13 declares that all men shall be brought out of these conditions in due time for trial, so this verse declares that Adamic Death, and the sleep in oblivion consequent to it, shall be no more after the Millennial Age and in that future no one will die for Adam’s sin; it will be out of view as a factor in the trial of the future. The only death thereafter will be the Second Death, from which there will be no recovery: “Christ dieth no more.” (Rom. 6:9) “The soul that sinneth it shall die.” (Ezek. 18:4) That is not true of all who die now: Infants who die are not dying for their own sins. In the previous verses of this 18th Chapter, Ezekiel says much the same as does Jeremiah in what we have quoted from him. So we have here at least “two witnesses” to substantiate our statements herein. Though such will have the weakness of the Adamic fallen condition, from which they will never recover if they refuse to use the means and opportunities placed within their reach, yet under that New Covenant inherited weaknesses will not be reckoned against them so long as they use the means to overcome them, because they are covered by the sacrifice of the Redeemer. As said, they then will have opportunity to gain eternal life if they choose righteousness. If they refuse the benevolent rules of the Kingdom, they will be subject to the Second Death – not the Adamic Death. There will be no recovery for those who go into the Second Death; but all those who have been subject to the Adamic Death will have an awakening. “God is faithful that promised.” (Heb. 10:23)
ASLEEP IN JESUS
The question has recently come to us: Is the general run of the world of mankind asleep in Jesus – the same as is true of the footstep followers of our Lord? This is a very delicate question; and we hope our analysis of it may have the essence of Truth in it. When Jesus said, “Let the dead bury their dead” (Matt. 8:22 – “Leave the dead ones to inter their own dead,” Diaglott translation) it should be clear enough that Jesus reckoned all the unbelieving world – whether in the tomb, or those still alive now – as dead in God’s sight. However, in this particular statement He was referring only to those whom we consider now to be living, those not yet in the tomb. Those, of course, could not possibly be “asleep in Jesus”; nor would they be so considered up to the time of their actual physical death. But we believe that at that very instant their status will change. Henceforth they would be “asleep in Jesus.” Why do we say this? Because their only hope for life thereafter would be through the power of Jesus; and thus He is described by the Prophet, “the everlasting father.” (Isa. 9:6)
Often do we refer to Adam as the father of our race; and so the Scriptures say: “God hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth.” (Acts 17:26) But Adam brought death upon the human race instead of life; and he is now powerless to give them life. But Jesus can do this; thus the dead are now asleep in Him. “He is the propitiation for our sins [the faith classes during the reign of sin and death]: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2) By virtue of His sacrifice all men are now asleep in Him, because He will eventually give them an awakening from the death state, which no other could do. (l Tim. 2:4‑6)
Much of what follows has been taken from Parousia Vol. 5, with some comments of our own interspersed therein. First, let us understand that all the Elect will have a special resurrection – instantaneous one – whereas the world will be resurrected gradually – a resurrection by judgment. The first part of the resurrection of the world will be the awakening of them. They will not be awakened with disease and emaciation, but will be awakened with what we call normal health – the start of a full raising up to life again. Then the Christ will have provisions made for their return with proper instructions given them to know right from wrong. After that it will be up to them to obey or disobey. But they will not be permitted to harm any one: “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isa. 11:9)
But the goats, those who do not even outwardly obey, will be “cut off” from among the people after receiving 100 years of instruction and trial. (Isa. 65:20) Some of the goats will outwardly obey, but will not be in heart‑harmony with righteousness, so they will be permitted to live until the Little Season (Rev. 20:3), at which time they will be manifested as such. They will be manifested by the tests of the Little Season after the iron rule of the Mediatorial reign will be lifted. However, during the Mediatorial reign, “The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.” (Isa. 35:5,8) Now “the fool [the atheist] hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psa. 14:1); but even he will then learn and appreciate there is a God.
Through the resurrection, God has arranged to show His love for the world. It is written, “When the fullness of time was come [exactly at the time stated by the Prophets in the Old Testament], God sent forth His son... made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we [Gospel‑Age believers] might receive the adoption of sons [brethren of Jesus].” (Gal. 4:4,5) “Who gave himself a ransom for all” – for every man. (1 Tim. 2:6; Heb. 2:9) Thus, St. Paul says, “Since by man [Adam] came death, by man [the man Christ Jesus] came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order.” (1 Cor. 15:21‑23)
In the morning of that glorious day when the Sun of Righteousness shall rise “with healing in his wings” (Mal. 4:2), all that God has promised for that blessed time will come to pass. “All that are in the graves shall hear his voice [the voice of the Son of Man] and shall come forth.” (John 5:28,29) In this sense, therefore, we speak of the dead as asleep.
Heavenly Phase Of The Resurrection – The Scriptures tell us there will be several classes in the resurrection – Heavenly and Earthly classes. The chief resurrection, or the First Resurrection (Rev. 20:5,6) is the resurrection of saints. The Apostle Paul said, “We [the saints] shall not all sleep.” (1 Cor. 15:51) The inference here is clear enough that the Apostle himself expected to sleep. Of course, he did not know how long he would sleep, nor did the others of that time know.
Earthly Phase Of The Resurrection – In the Scriptures a class of faithful servants of God are mentioned. Many of these are mentioned by name in the eleventh Chapter of Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews. We classify them as Ancient Worthies, who lived and were found faithful prior to the coming of Jesus. It was not their privilege to walk in the footsteps of Jesus (1 Pet. 2:21), because “the example” (Jesus) had not yet appeared upon the earth. But it is written that they will have “a better resurrection” than the remainder of mankind (Heb. 11:35) – not to be raised on the spirit plane as are the saints; but they will be raised in human perfection – which the remainder of the race will not have as they come forth from the tomb. The world in general will have a gradual raising up to life again; and this will undoubtedly require years for many of them.
At the beginning of the reign of Christ, the “Ancients” (Psa. 119:100; Isa. 3:14; 24:23) will come forth perfect human beings – perfect mentally and physically – that their bodies may correspond with their moral development. If they had scars when they went into the tomb, or if they are blemished in any way, they will be gone. It is not easy for us to picture to ourselves a perfect man, for we have never seen one, and all around us are in various degrees of imperfection. But we know that a perfect human being will be perfect in form, features, voice, sight, hearing, taste, and in all other organs, as well as in mind. “God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” (Gen. 1: 31)
However, none of the Restitutionists will come forth physically perfect; they will have to develop physical perfection as they obey. The residue of men (Acts 15:17) will come forth every man in his own order. (1 Cor. 15:23) Their awakening will merely bring them forth from the tomb in the condition in which they entered – minus, of course, whatever of disease or violence that had put them there; for “in the grave there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom.” (Ec. 9:10) This awakening will not be the real resurrection (a full raising up to life again), but merely the preliminary step toward it. The Greek word rendered resurrection is anastasis, and means literally a standing up again. Adam fell, and ever since that fall the world lieth in wickedness – literally, in the wicked one. (1 John 5:19) The standing up again is, therefore, a return to the perfection lost in Eden; for the world of mankind the resurrection is RESTITUTION. (Acts 3:21)
During the thousand years of Messiah’s reign the resurrection of the world will be in progress. The work will not be done by the Father directly, but will be committed to the Lord Jesus (John 5:22), and will require the whole thousand years for its completion. At the end of that Millennial reign the world of mankind will be perfect, as was Adam in his creation. All God’s work is perfect. (Deu. 32:4; Gen. 1:31)
During the Millennium God will not recognize the people because of their imperfection, their weakness; but all of their dealings will be through the Mediator until they shall have been brought up to perfection. At the end of the thousand years they will be delivered up to the Father, faultless before Him. (1 Cor. 15:24) God will then receive them as sons, just as was Adam (Luke 3:38), heirs of the earthly blessings which He has provided for mankind, the things given to Adam. The very moment when the merit of Jesus is applied for the world in that same moment they will be turned over to the Mediator. Then they will be in covenant relationship with God, but only through the Mediator, until they shall have reached human perfection and shall enter into relationship directly with the Father.
The New Covenant will continue everlastingly; and as it is proper to say that Moses mediated the Law Covenant, so we may say that Christ will mediate the New Covenant. But it would not be proper to say that Moses is now the Mediator of the Law Covenant; for a covenant does not need a mediator after it has been mediated. So the New Covenant will need no Mediator after the thousand years. But the title Mediator may belong to Christ to all eternity, just as the one who has been a judge, ever after receives the title of Judge – continues to be called Judge.
At the end of the thousand years, when the Messiah will have accomplished His work of Restitution, He will cease to act as Mediator. But the covenant will continue to stand; for if that relationship with God were to be removed from the people, they would have no blessing of everlasting life. Under the favorable conditions of the New Covenant, whoever will may have an opportunity to become the children of the Christ, the seed of Abraham. At the conclusion of the thousand years, the willing and obedient receive the commendation, “Well done,” and will be accepted as fit for the condition of everlasting life on the human plane. Those who prove to be unworthy of life will be destroyed in the Second Death.
Adamic Death State Vs. Adamic Death Process – Although we have treated on this subject, we repeat that while the two are closely related, there is a wide divergence of meaning between the two. Here are the Berean Comments on Rev. 20:14: “Death [from the Greek thanatos] ... Including aches, pains, mental and moral imperfections of every sort.” This is the detailed description of the Adamic Death process. It is the cause of bringing the human race to the Adamic Death state – that has put them in the tomb. When people have entered the grave, the Adamic Death state would eternally end for them when they “hear the voice of the Son of Man, and come forth.”
But not so the death process. Within limits, this will take up where it left off – will continue to harass its possessors until they fully eliminate it, or it eliminates them in the Second Death. We are informed that Brother Russell ventured the thought that the entire race might be freed from the tomb in the first 500 years of the Kingdom reign. If that be true, the Adamic Death process will occupy a much longer period of the Kingdom than the Adamic Death state – the second 500 years, plus the Little Season. We have no argument with this; but we are emphatic that the “last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:26) – the Adamic Death process, some of which will continue in the goats until the last of them is destroyed at the end of the Little Season.
Asleep In Jesus – The very fact that it is Jesus who awakens the human race from the sleep of death offers indisputable proof that they are now “asleep in Jesus.” That is the first part to them of the New Covenant blessing. They belong to Jesus, as He purchased them with His own precious blood; therefore at their awakening they are under the New Covenant arrangements even before they have received the instructions of the Kingdom laws: they are no longer under Adamic condemnation, no longer subject to the Adamic Death. Jesus is now their only hope of life, the One who will give them the initial impetus to Restitution, and who will “heal all their diseases,” etc., which have come upon them through the transgression of their original father – Adam. After their return from the tomb, it will be up to them as to what they do with it. But Adam will have nothing to do with it. While we owe to him the little spark of life we have enjoyed, yet all have faced the awful sentence, “In sorrow shalt thou eat of it [the daily bread] all the days of thy life.” (Gen. 3:17‑19)
During the Mediatorial reign even the Goats, who have outwardly obeyed, will receive great blessings, although the Christ will know even then that they have not rid themselves of the Adamic Death process. But when the “iron rule” is lifted in the Little Season, they will outwardly manifest themselves. It will be true of all those who emerge from the tomb; they will immediately come under the blessings and restraints of that Covenant – even before they are properly instructed thereunder. None will ever again die the Adamic Death, even though they refuse to accept the conditions of the New Covenant.
With this comes the hope and prayer that we have made this subject clear to all our readers. “Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.” (Psa. 128:1)
Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim
(Reprint No. 322, April 1982)
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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST
Dear Sister Emily,
Again, receiving your warm letter was an uplifting blessing. Thank you! I am pleased too, that you had a pleasant birthday. It is always heartwarming to be remembered. Our Heavenly Father always remembers us, and it is something we can do for each other.
The beloved sister I went to Grand Rapids to visit, died Thursday. I’m grateful I could see her before she left “this vale of tears.” She was very faithful and laid down her life for her family and the Lord’s people. I am grateful she no longer suffers.
Yes the Lord always supplies our needs. I stayed with friends in Grand Rapids, who were so good to me; and the Memorial in Grand Rapids was a highlight of my visit. “My cup runneth over.”
I appreciate your May/June papers. Grace especially enjoyed the “Covenants” article, as I did. And the article on the authenticity of the Bible is real faith food. One article stated there were four elections. I understand there is the Church, the Great Company and the Ancient Worthies. Could you please give me more information on a fourth class and the Scriptures for it? It is a new thought to me.
I know David Horowitz writes a newspaper column and published the book about Brother Russell (which I have), but I didn’t know he published a Bulletin. Is it something I could subscribe to? If so, what is the address, and how much is it?
Enclosed is a wee check to help in your work. I hope this finds you feeling well. Hope, too, that the blizzards bypassed you. Thank you, dear Sister, for your love and prayers. You daily have my warm thoughts of you, and my prayers, too.
The Lord’s rich blessings be with you always! Lovingly, ------- (ARIZONA)
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Dear Brethren,
My name is ... I am a believing Christian. I got your name from Mr. Voygt of Kirchlengen. I am very much interested to learn what you believe, about your activities and publications. How many believe as you do?
Thank you very much for your kind efforts! Hoping to hear from you soon. The Grace of God be with you. God bless your group! Remain in love, ------- (GERMANY)
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Dear Sister Hoefle: Greetings in Jesus dear Name!
Thank you for your letter of April 16. I notice you said I could celebrate the Memorial on May 4, which would be one month later than the primary date. I talked to Brother ------- and later to Brother ------- and they said it was up to me what I wanted to do. I didn’t feel ready to celebrate April 4, but I read the Matthew account of Jesus’ institution of the Memorial, His trial and crucifixion, and last night I read the Mark account and sang Hymn 2. Last night my roommate was out of the room for awhile so it was easier to do this. Brother ------- told me one should not celebrate if he believes the door is closed. I have always understood the door is still open. My mind will be made up next year, D.v. I was told the brethren would have been able to bring me back by the 10:00 p.m. curfew.
My mother died on February 6, 1987, and she was 94 years old. No, the friends don’t visit me now except once when I broke my ankle. They come in a car to take me to the meeting sometimes. I am not in touch with the LHMM.
God bless you and be with you! Sincerely, ------- (CONNECTICUT)
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Dear Sister: Love and Blessing in Jesus’ dear Name!
I feel stronger today. I have made myself rest more often... I am thankful I am not in a convalescent home and I am still on my feet and don’t hurt anywhere to speak of. A person just has to realize how limited the strength of a senior person is.
I read the article about Netanyahu, by David Horowitz. It was good! His articles are in the Jewish Press... Today on the news, more former employees going back to work place and shooting people. Even at work people aren’t safe. I hope you will be well.
With love to all, ------- (CALIFORNIA)
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