NO. 294: "THE EVERLASTING FATHER"

No. 294

At this Season of the year we try to present something that will bless and en­courage all who honor our Lord and Savior by celebrating His birth December 25. As said in previous papers, we cannot agree that this is the proper day for celebrating the birth of our dear Redeemer, but must insist that it was about October first. Nevertheless, since He did not intimate His desire that we should celebrate His birth­day, it is quite immaterial upon what day that event, of so great importance to all, is celebrated. Upon this day, so generally celebrated, we may properly enough join with all those whose hearts are in the attitude of love and appreciation toward God and toward the Savior. The good tidings of great joy for all people announce blessings con­cerning a number of things, i.e., the forgiveness of sins, resulting in the awakening of all the dead; an accurate knowledge of the Truth; the race being placed amid conditions inconducive to sin and error, and conducive to Truth and Righteousness.

The above sentiments by That Servant have been abandoned by the Jehovah’s Witnes­ses, and by their rabid contentions about Christmas they have caused much distress in home and social life around them. Their message to all who do not join them before Armageddon is “Bad Tidings of great misery,” because they will be annihilated in that holocaust, with no chance of a resurrection according to them.

“‘His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.’ (Isa. 9:6) We have noted the propriety of the title ‘The Mighty God,’ as applied to Jesus; and few will dispute that He is indeed the Won­derful One of all the Father’s family; none will dispute that He is a great Counselor, Teacher; or that, though His Kingdom is to be introduced by a Time of Trouble and dis­turbance incident to the death of present institutions, our Lord is nevertheless the Prince of Peace, who will establish a sure and lasting peace upon the only proper basis, righteousness, conformity to the Divine character and plan. Now we come to the exam­ination of the title, ‘The Everlasting Father,’ and find it as appropriate and meaning­ful as the others.

“It does not, as some surmise, contradict the many Scriptures that declare Jeho­vah to be the Father everlasting, ‘the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,’ as Peter puts it. (1 Pet. 1:3) On the contrary the Bible clearly shows a particular sense in which this title applies to Jesus at His Second Advent – that He will be the Father of the human race regenerated during the Millennium. This title is merely the equiv­alent of those we have just considered, the new Lord of David and of mankind, the new Root, the Second Adam, merely signified the Everlasting Father, the Father who gives ev­erlasting life.

“Since Jesus purchases the world at the cost of His life, and since it is by that purchase that He becomes its Lord, its Restorer, its Life-giver, and since the central thought of the word father is life-giver, Jesus could take no more appropriate title than ‘Everlasting Father’ to represent His relationship to the world about to be gener­ated – born again from the dead by restitution processes. The world’s life will come directly from Jesus, who by Divine arrangement buys it and pays Justice the full price for it. Nevertheless, the restored world will, after the restitution process is fin­ished, recognize Jehovah as the great original fountain of life and blessing, the au­thor of the Great Plan of Salvation executed by Jesus, the Grand Father and Over-Lord of all—I Cor. 15:24-28; 3:23; Matt. 19:28.” (Parousia Vol. 5, pp. 141, 142)

“Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14) The song which the angels sang at the birth of the Savior has been seized upon and misapplied by some who do not see the Plan of God for the Salvation of the world. Becom­ing discouraged by seemingly poor prospect for the world’s conversion, these have put forth a version of this passage more in harmony with their own doubts and misconceptions. To these the prayer which our Master taught His disciples to pray, “Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven,” has lost its meaning; for they see no hope of its fulfillment except in a very limited sense. Hence they prefer to translate the latter part of the verse, “And on earth peace, among men of good will.” We think the proper rendering, our hopes for the ultimate good of all, as far as this passage is con­cerned, would surely suffer eclipse; for very few thus far in the history of the race have been “men of good will,” men who unselfishly endeavored to any appreciable degree to bring about the good of their fellows.

However, there are quite a few men of good will in the world, even though they haven’t accepted the Truth as we know it, nor have they accepted what the Jehovah’s Witnesses now teach. They tell us that all men will have to have good will toward them, and accept them, otherwise they will be annihilated in Armageddon. But we do not believe that this is the thought of the original, which is “Peace on earth, good will toward men.” Such a translation as “Peace among men of good will” eliminates the thought of God’s eventual good will toward all the world, and greatly minimizes the scope of this glorious song. It implies merely that men who have a feeling of good will are, or will be at peace among themselves. How utterly barren of hope for all men would such an expression be!  How little the song of the angels would mean if this were its burden!

On the contrary, this song was a prophecy of God’s purpose to bring about through the newly born Child the abrogation of the curse and the establishment of peace and sinless­ness among mankind, in which God and man would become at-one. It was an expression of God’s good will, His good purpose, to bring man back to the image and likeness of Himself, in which Adam was created. When this shall have been accomplished, then peace will dwell in all the earth; for the causes of inharmony will have been eliminated.

The world of mankind came under the curse, or sentence of death because of the sin in Eden – because our first parents disobeyed God’s righteous command. All humanity, therefore, are members of an accursed race – under penal servitude, which ends in the tomb. The race has been learning the lesson of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and its terrible effects. But God has promised to take away the curse and to bring a permanent blessing in its place. This will mean a return to His favor, to full harmony with Him­self. “And there shall be no more curse; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it: and his servants shall serve him.” (Rev. 22:3)

PROGRESSION OF GOD’S GREAT PLAN

We speak of this song as a prophecy because the peace has not yet come, nor the good will, in the sense that God’s face is as yet not turned toward man. It is a declar­ation of what God purposes to do. He has not good will toward the present sinful, rebel­lious attitude of the race. He never has good will toward sin. We are not to understand that God was expressing His good will toward man when He pronounced the sentence of death upon him. God’s curse indicated His ill-will toward man – in other words, His displeas­ure because of man’s sin. He wished man to suffer ill as a just punishment for his willful disobedience. God cut him off from fellowship with Himself. He was not bound in jus­tice to do anything more for the race. But in His infinite mercy He provided a deliver­ance for mankind. He foreknew man’s fall, and planned his redemption from before the foundation of the world.

Through all the Ages since the fall of Adam God’s plan has been slowly, steadily pro­gressing.   While men have been learning in pain and tears and trouble the nature and re­sults of sin, God has been selecting His saintly ones, His elect – first, the elect who are to be the earthly princes in His Kingdom of blessing; lastly the Elect who are to reign over all as Kings and Priests of God on the highest plane of existence. The chief of all the elect is His well-beloved Son, the Savior of the world, whose birth the an­gels proclaimed to the shepherds watching on the plains of Judea, more than nineteen cen­turies ago. (Isa. 42:1) When all the elect ones are chosen and prepared, then the bless­ing of the world at large will be inaugurated. “For the earnest expectation of the crea­ture waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God (the Church). For the creature was made subject to frailty, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope; because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corrup­tion into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.” (Rom. 8:19-21)

The coming of the Son of God to earth was only preliminary to His offering of Him­self as a ransom for the forfeited life of Adam, the father of the race, in whom all his posterity fell. But even when our Lord had died as man’s ransom-price, God’s favor did not come to the world. Jesus was next raised from the dead a glorious, Divine being. Then He ascended up on high, and appeared in the presence of God for those who were to be of the spiritual elect. Thus the last became first in God’s plan. The merit of Jesus’ death was utilized first on behalf of these. It has not yet been applied for any others. The members of the Church of Christ now have this promised peace and good will. It is granted only to those who have come into vital relationship with God through Christ – the fully consecrated ones. The Scriptures show that after these are all selected, prepared and glorified, the next step will be the application to all men of the merit which has been imputed to these elect, and through whom it is to go to the Worthies and to the entire world of mankind. This spiritual class has been chosen to be members of the Body of Christ, joint-associates with Him in the Messianic Kingdom. “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?” (1 Cor. 6:2)

The great work of the Millennial Age will then begin. It will be a work of gradual uplift during the entire thousand years of the reign of The Christ. The dead will be gradually awakened and brought to a clear knowledge of the Truth, and of the salvation of God in Christ. All will then have the opportunity of coming into the blessed condi­tion of peace and good will proclaimed by the angels. By degrees they will be brought, if they will, to where they will be ready to be received by the Father, to be introduced to Him. This will be the blessed experience of all who will be obedient to the rules and requirements of the Kingdom. If they prove unwilling and disobedient, after being brought to a clear understanding, they will be “cut off” (Acts 3:23), destroyed, as not worthy of further effort on God’s part for their reclamation.

CHRIST’S DEATH A BLESSING TO ALL

God seeketh such to worship Him as worship Him in spirit and in Truth. (John 4:23) Our thought is that all these worlds surrounding us are designed to be homes to many in­telligent beings yet to be created. We believe that it is God’s delight to give joy and blessing to many creatures, on various planes of existence. And God is making of this experience of mankind with sin a valuable lesson, a lesson that will be beneficial, not only to themselves, but to all the worlds that will ever be populated. These might be in­structed and informed in advance of their developing any sinful tendencies just what the nature and tendency of sin is – what it did for the people of earth. They will be told, probably, that sin degrades mind, body and morals; and its influence is only deteriorat­ing; that once deteriorated, one learns to prefer sin, notwithstanding all the misery and degradation it brings; and that God will never grant everlasting life to any except as they gladly cooperate to that end – that He will never influence any against their own will.

It would seem, then, that the great work accomplished at Calvary will have an influ­ence as wide as the universe. And this thought might be applied to the first part of the song of the angels, “Glory to God in the Highest!” God will be glorified by all the an­gels, by every rank of spirit beings. He will be glorified by His exalted Church, then of the Divine nature; by restored humanity, by all the intelligent creatures on every plane, in every Age! Yea, more and more glorious will be His honor as the years of eter­nity roll on, and as other peoples of other planets are brought into being and brought to know Him and to share His wonderful bounties and blessings, and to learn the blessedness of loving and serving Him.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD – THE CHRIST

“I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11) The Evangelist first presented Christ to our attention as “the beginning of the creation of God,” “made flesh,” that He might be the Light of the world: after­ward, under his presentation, we considered Him as the Feeder of the hungry; then as the Giver of the water of life to the thirsty; next as the Healer of human woes, and the Supplier of human needs, spiritual as well as temporal; next as the Opener of the eyes of our understanding. In the lesson now before us He presents Christ’s mission from another standpoint – as the Good Shepherd.

This parable probably followed closely the closing incident of the reverend doctors of the law incensed at the man whose eyes had been opened, so that they cast him out of the synagogue, because he confessed Jesus as the channel of Divine favor. It was doubt­less as reproof to such false shepherding that our Lord spoke this parable. The very ones who should have been helping the poor scattered sheep of Israel to recognize the true Shepherd, and to come unto Him and become inheritors with them of the long-promised kingdom, were seeking to prevent the Lord’s sheep from recognizing the Shepherd – seek­ing to prevent the Lord’s sheep from entering the kingdom which they themselves also re­fused to enter. (Matt. 23:13)

The illustration of the Lord as a shepherd, and His people as sheep, is common to the Scriptures, and very fitly represents their close confidential relationship, but is a figure that is quite contrary to the spirit of the world. The “natural man” sees little in the figure to admire, and when he expresses his sentiments he would rather represent himself to others and have them regard him as a wolf, a lion, a tiger, or some other fe­rocious creature, which they would best not stir up, lest he devour them. We find this characteristic well borne out in the emblems of heraldry; the escutcheons of the great are emblazoned with figures representing beasts of prey, birds of prey, and nondescripts, blending various natures – but all of them ferocious, snarling, howling, screeching, or otherwise implying fierceness and intimidation of foes. But when God would represent the emblems of His royal family, His only begotten Son is called the Lamb of God, and all His people are styled His sheep – symbols of meekness, gentleness, harmlessness. “Jeho­vah is my shepherd” is properly represented as their sentiment. (Psa. 23)

Sheep-raising in Palestine, and more or less throughout that vicinity, was carried on quite extensively, and yet very differently from present methods of Europe and America. The owner of the flock or his son usually did the shepherding, or sometimes an employee who was given an interest in the increase of the flock – as, for instance, Jacob, with his father-in-law Laban. Under the circumstances it is not surprising that the rela­tionship between the sheep and their shepherds was very different from now – much more confidential. The shepherd was acquainted with his sheep and loved them, not merely as so much wealth and merchandise, but as friends, companions, with whom he conversed, and whose welfare he defended. Travelers tell us that the peculiarities of this parable are fully illustrated in eastern countries, even to this day; that a shepherd will know every individual sheep in his flock, and have a name for it, and that the sheep know their shepherd, and discern readily the sound of his voice, and cannot be deceived.

Some tell us how they have experimented and proved these peculiar statements of the parable; one asked the shepherd to call some particular sheep by name, to see whether or not it would come to him; the shepherd called one that was far off, and it immediately lifted its head, looked toward him, and when the call was repeated started, and wending its way in and out through the flock, came to his feet, where he patted its head in reward for its obedience. Thinking this possibly a solitary instance, requests were made for repetitions of the test, with similar results. Another traveler imitated the shepherd’s voice, and called the sheep, but they paid no attention. Thinking that it was because he had not on the shepherd’s garments, to test the matter, he and the shepherd changed raiment, but still the sheep would not heed the voice of the stranger; but when the shep­herd spoke to them, even though clothed in the garments of the stranger, they knew his voice and at once responded. Our Lord used these facts, well known to His hearers, to illustrate His relationship to the Lord’s people, as their Shepherd, the Son of the Great Shepherd; and He pointed out that all who were truly of His flock would hear His voice, would not be deceived by the Adversary, though he should disguise himself in garments of light, to deceive, if possible, the very elect. He declares, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Those who are not following the Lord, in obedience to His voice, expressed in word and example, are not His flock; nor are they in the way marked out by the Divine goodness and mercy, to dwell in the House of the Lord forever.

Jehovah God established a typical kingdom or sheepfold, and accepted the nation of Israel as His sheep, but as a nation they were wayward sheep and knew Him not. Never­theless, with a Law Covenant He fenced them in. They desired a king, a ruler, a care­taker, a governor, and God let them have their wish; but none of these was the true Shepherd, neither did any bring the sheep into desirable conditions. And when they were finally done away, various others presented themselves as the Messiah, falsely claiming the right to lead Israel – false Messiahs. These, as our Lord declares, were thieves and robbers, who sought the control of the sheep, not from interest in the sheep, but from selfish motives, for self-aggrandizement and exaltation. These attempted to lead out the Lord’s people, not by the door, but by climbing up other ways: by climbing over the Law, or by digging under it, they would reach the sheep and become leaders; and alto­gether in various ways a large proportion of Israel has been led astray out of the fold, some to idolatry, and some simply to wander in the wilderness.

At our Lord’s first advent this was the condition of things: God’s covenant with Israel was standing as a wall around that nation, but its door was barred by justice, as represented in the Mosaic Law – Israel’s covenant. There could be no proper ingress or egress; all were prisoners of the Law – shut up unto that hope which should afterward be revealed, namely, Christ the door or “way” of life. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) Mean­while, though the door was guarded zealously by the scribes and Pharisees, the fact was entirely neglected that thieves and robbers, Satan’s servants, were at work plundering the sheepfold. (John 10:1,2,7,9; Gal. 3:24; John 14:6; Zech. 9:9-12)

Nor could our Lord Jesus rightfully open the fold and take charge of the sheep, ex­cept at the cost of His own life. This was the purpose of the Father, the Great Shepherd, and with this in view He shut up the sheep under the Law, to the intent that they would need to be redeemed by His Son (the appointed Shepherd), from under the dominion of the Law, before they could be made free with the liberty wherewith Christ makes free His peo­ple. And this was the first work that the Good Shepherd did for the sheep; the laying down of His life began at the beginning of His ministry, when He made a full consecration of Himself even unto death, and symbolized this in baptism. It was in view of this sac­rifice which He had already devoted, and was even then offering, and which was finished subsequently at Calvary, that our Redeemer announced Himself as the Good Shepherd who giveth His life for the sheep.

The Apostle declares that our Lord’s death redeemed Israel from under the curse (sen­tence) of the Law – but it not only satisfied the Law, “the porter,” so that He opened the sheepfold, but it gave to the true Shepherd the ownership and control of the sheep, that He might lead them out to green pastures, and that they might go out and in with perfect freedom, as His sheep, following Him. Our Lord testified, however, that many true sheep had gotten out of the fold, and were lost in the wilderness of sin. His ministry was a call to these as well as to those who remained in the fold – to the publicans and sinners as well as to those who were endeavoring to live near to God.

Thus the true Shepherd showed His interest in all His true sheep, including the lame, the weak, the starved. He called sinners to repentance, and the true sheep, realizing their shortcomings under the Law, responded and came to Him as the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls. But inasmuch as many of the flock had wandered far from the position of true sheep, so that there were not enough who heard His voice, to complete the elect number of His flock, this Good Shepherd has, during this Gospel Age, lifted up His voice (speaking through the members of His Body), and has called sheep from amongst the Gentiles; and a sufficient number to complete the original predestination will respond.

The call of the present time is not a general one, but as this Scripture declares, “he calleth his own sheep by name” – it is therefore a special call. “The Lord knoweth. them that are his.” They manifest relationship to Him as His flock by their obedience to His call – by following Him. The flock which is called, and which eventually will make its calling and election sure, the Scriptures inform us will be only “a little flock,” and the fold provided for these is a special one; viz., the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)

Throughout this Gospel Age the Lord has been caring for this class; He has speci­ally led and fed and blessed them, notwithstanding that to the appearance of others, they have passed through severe trials, disciplines, suffering. Yea, as our Shepherd Him­self declared, whosoever lives godly suffers persecution.

A part of the key to this parable, as it is also the key to many other features of the Divine plan, is found in the fact that the sheep of the “little flock,” being called and selected to joint-heirship in the Kingdom, are to be sacrificed: as the Shepherd, the King’s Son, Himself was sacrificed as the Lamb of God, and not only opened the door to those who are shut up under the Law, but by the same sacrifice also redeemed the whole world of mankind, amongst which are the “other sheep” that He is yet to seek, so the sheep of the “little flock,” called, are all to suffer with Christ – with the Lamb of God – are all to be “living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to God, as their reasonable ser­vice.” (Rom. 12:1) As the Apostle elsewhere declares, “Hereby we know love, because He laid down His life on our behalf: and we ought also to lay down our lives for the breth­ren,” for the fellow-sheep. (1 John 3:16, Dia.)

From this standpoint it will be seen that, as our Lord was the Father’s Lamb, and the sin-offering for the world, so we who are of Jesus’ flock are to fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ, in the interest of His Body, which is the Church. (Eph. 1:22) And other Scriptures show us that all of the flock thus faithful, in fol­lowing the Shepherd even “unto death,” are counted as members of the Body of the Shep­herd. Thus the entire Gospel Age has been the period of suffering with Christ, of dying daily, of laying down our lives for the brethren; and not until this sacrifice is com­plete in the close of this Age will the New Covenant be thrown open in the largest sense of the word to the world of mankind in general, and the great Shepherd be complete ­Head and Body. Then the spirit and the bride will say, Come, and whosoever will may come – whereas now, “No man can come except the Father draw him,” and in all a “little flock.” However, during the Kingdom Christ will draw all men unto Him. (See John 12:31,32)

MORE ON THE KINGDOM

In this connection we may well quote John 3:16,17, which has appropriately been called the Gospel in a nut shell: “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begot­ten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life; for God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved (from Adamic condemnation).”   Here God’s love, Christ’s death and the Spirit’s work, for salvation on behalf of the world are clearly set forth; but as yet the world has not gotten the benefit of them. In John l2:32,33, Jesus’ death is set forth as the meritorious cause whereby all men will be favorably influenced toward Him by the Spirit: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This He said, signifying what death He should die”; but all have not in this life been drawn to Him. St. Paul tells us clearly in Rom. 5:18,19 that Christ died in order to de­liver the race from the condemnation into which it was involved by Adam, and that this deliverance will be realized: “As by the offense of one (Adam) judgment (the sentence) came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of One (Christ) the free gift shall come (the future tense in the parallel expression of the next verse shows that the italicized word came should give place to the words shall come, seeing that the italicized words here as everywhere else in the Bible are lacking in the original Greek) upon all men (the purpose of) justification of life; for as by one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners (through heredity), so by the obedience of One shall the many be made righteous (of the Adamic sin); but manifestly this has not yet happened to all.

Very clearly does 1 Tim. 2:4-6 prove God’s love, Christ’s death and the Spirit’s work for all men unto salvation: “God “will (literally, willeth to) have all men to be saved (not eternally, but from the Adamic sin and condemnation) and to come unto the knowledge of the Truth (this shows God’s love to all), to be testified (the Spirit’s work) in due times (the Greek word is plural, times, or seasons, referring to the Gospel Age and the Millennial Age as the periods for giving the testimony).

THE KINGDOM’S RESULTS

Men will be mentally perfect at that time. Memories that are unfailing, perceptive powers that are all embracing, reasoning powers that are precise, logical and inerrant will be his to have and enjoy forever. However, as in the heavenly realm, “One star differeth from another in glory” (1 Cor. 15:41), it will no doubt be the same in the earthly realm. God will prepare variety in the perfection of earthly beings the same as He has provided variety in the heavenly beings. Perfection will not be dull or monoto­nous, as some seem to think: all God’s creation, both heavenly and earthly, will be joy evermore. Righteousness has its compensation even in this “present evil world,” even though many of the righteous today have had to suffer for righteousness’ sake. But in the Kingdom that will be changed. Only the unrighteous will have to suffer stripes for dis­obedience, but the righteous will be blessed and rewarded. If the stripes don’t correct the disobedient, they will be “cut off” (Acts 3:23).

From a moral standpoint man will be perfect. There will be nothing of hatred, anger, contentiousness, malice, evil surmising, covetousness, hypocrisy, gluttony, drunkenness, unchastity, unfaithfulness, indifference, pride, cowardice, ostentatiousness, or laziness among the children of men. In their place the opposite graces will shine forth in all their beauty, loveliness and attractiveness. Every human heart will radiate peace, joy, friendliness, kindness and charity. And what a glorious world to live in will that be, in which everybody loves everybody else, in which everyone trusts, respects, and honors everyone else. Surely in these respects – in man’s relationship to his fellows – a foun­tain of joy and peace will ever be bubbling up with its waters of refreshment, gladdening the hearts of all beholders and participants.

This will be the condition after the benevolent influence of the Kingdom proper, its teaching, instruction, have brought all the redeemable – the sheep class (Matt. 25: 31-46) – to perfection; and all the unredeemable – the goat class – have been destroyed at the end of the Little Season (Rev. 20:3). Then “There shall be no more curse; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it: and his servants shall serve him.” (Rev. 22:3)

May all our readers be richly blessed in the Holiday Season while contemplating the goodness and mercy of our Great Shepherd, as well as the blessings of our Savior and Re­deemer, in that He gave His life so that we may have eternal life. “The grace (favor) of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.” (Rev. 22:21)

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Friends:

Thank you so very much for your recent correspondence to Dr ------- Due to his very busy schedule during the past several months, he has requested that I assist him.

I am writing to let you know how much Dr ------- appreciated the booklet which you enclosed.   He wanted me to thank you for sharing it with us. It was very thoughtful of you to remember us in this manner.

We greatly appreciate all the kindness and consideration that fine folks such as you send our way. We ask you to remember us often in your prayers. May God’s hand of blessing be upon you as you continue to serve Him.

Sincerely, ------- The International Radio & Television Outreach... (VIRGINIA)

Dear Sir:

Thank you for your reply to my request for information. I found the back papers you enclosed interesting and would like to have my name placed on your mailing list. I would also like to receive a copy of each of your tracts and a list of the books that you offer for sale.

I am familiar to some degree with both the Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement and the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and would be interested in obtaining papers with your refuta­tion of their errors. I would appreciate your telling me how far back I can go in get­ting back issues and also what the cost would be.

Enclosed is a check for a copy of the book The Divine Plan of the Ages. Thank you!

Sincerely ------- (VIRGINIA)

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My dear Brother and Sister Hoefle:

Many thanks for your papers and letter from Sister on your behalf. Christian Greetings!

So sorry to hear that you are not too well. How is your health now? Thank you, Sister, for confiding in me in your personal history. I feel honored that one of God’s special servants has honored me with confidentiality in their private affairs.

I have pondered much over your financial needs, and I have feared for your feel­ings had I probed and queried too deeply. I got the impression that Brother Hoefle was a little sensitive in this area. I know that discretion and discernment are necessary before revealing such personal information. It is enough for me that Brother ------- has vouched for you, having met you. May God bless and provide for you adequately in your long and faithful service to Him. Hoping that you both will always keep a good conscience toward Him – the whole-knowing God, as a priority.

It must be a most severe test as one’s health and strength fails – yet He knows our limitations. So be of good cheer, dear Brother and Sister. I have faith that your reward will come, and your labors of great value to many (so hard to measure) bringing people to a more accurate understanding of what He has originally purposed us to know.

Our Christian love in and through the saving power of our Lord Jesus’ blood, we remain as always, Your faithful Brother and Sister ------- (ENGLAND)

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Dear Brother and Sister:

My most sincere thanks and warm appreciation for your blessed material ministry to Christian Action for Israel, which – I can tell you – arrived at a most opportune time. I have just returned from a trip to find your donation and... letter. It would be most interesting to read the Studies in the Scriptures by Brother Russell, and I look forward to receiving this book. Please let me know if there is any charge.

With warmest blessings to you in your ministry to the body of Christ and the unbeliever. Yours sincerely for His sake ------- (AFRICA)

PS – Parcel of books just received. God bless you!

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CORRECTIONS

Inadvertently part of the quotation is omitted in No. 293, Nov. 1979, page 2, be­ginning with the top line after “the fallen angels.” Please add “with its wind, which is World War (1 Kings 19:11; Ps. 48:7; 107:25); (b) the winds, which are the fallen angels.” Also, page 7, line 1 of No. 293, please change E–5:45 to read E–3:45.

In No. 291, Sept. 1979 paper, on page 7, line 10, please change the text Rom. 8:36 to read Rom. 8:38. Also, inadvertently part of the quotation is omitted in No. 291, page 4, par. 1, line 5, after “presence, of Christ before.” Please add “Time of Trouble, and the later epiphaneia, or REVEALING.”