No. 224
At each of these Conventions RGJ continued to stress his “advancing truth” on his Consecrated Epiphany Campers, declaring the Hill Ophel in Jerusalem as a type of that Class. Often in previous papers have we stressed the fact that only Star Members were permitted by the Lord to bring forth a new doctrine; but this has not deterred RGJ – he goes right on. Thus, we consider it timely now to set forth the Truth on the wilderness Manna and its typical significance for our day. The Manna typified the Truth for the entire Gospel Age; and there were two specific instructions given to the Jews about it. “Let no man leave of it till the morning. Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms and stank.” (Ex. 16:19,20) Gathering it six days typified the Truth as due in each epoch of the Church in the Gospel Age from the first through the sixth epoch. We offer here a quotation from E-11:319 on this subject:
“In all six periods the Lord’s people studied and appropriated the Word..... It prevailed as long as due... During the sixth, Philadelphia period, an unusually large amount of Truth was due, as can be seen, among other things, by the fact that ten of the twelve stewardship truths, as well as much refutative truth, became then due. Moreover, all the previously due Truth of the four preceding epochs was seen in the sixth epoch, as well as much of the first epoch’s truths.....
“Our Lord declared (Ex. 16:23-29)... The Millennial Sabbath, whose first period was the Laodicean time, was coming, and that it was to be a period of rest from a work that had previously been pleasing to the Lord, but that in the time following the Philadelphia time would be counted speculation for all except our Lord and His special mouthpieces.”
Clearly enough, RGJ has been revolutionizing against the foregoing, as he attempts to foist upon his readers his “advancing truth” concerning the Hill Ophel and the Nethinims as ‘proof’ of his newly-invented Campers Consecrated doctrine. The explanation of the type as given in E-11:318 (bottom) is this: “It corrupted in their minds into error (bred worms) and in their hearts into sin (stank), which naturally displeased our Lord (Moses was wroth with them) unto His casting them off from His special favor.”
During Laodicea the ledlings were not to attempt to gather the antitypical Manna (due Truth); for no new Truth would be found then by the Lord’s people in general. The Lord’s design in this restriction is wise, just and loving, because He knew that by speculating the brethren would give room to the Devil to produce all sorts of errors; for the Laodicea period has been the special time of his inciting to frenzies of delusion (2 Thes. 2:9-12). Those that observed this charge were shielded from error and temptation to that pride that Satan incites in alleged “discoveries of new truth” (such as Campers Consecrated, etc.) by speculation.
Here is a little more on the subject from E-11:321: “Despite the Lord’s pertinent warnings on direct study of the Bible after ‘the sixth day,’ some have been indulging in it, as experience proves in the Parousia and, especially, in the Epiphany, and perhaps some will attempt it among the restitution class in the next Age. Especially have the six sifting classes been guilty of this evil (there went people on the seventh day to gather – Ex. 16:27). And despite their professions of discovering ‘wonderful light,’ these speculators got absolutely no new truth at all from such study, because the Lord for the antitypical seventh day will not give any by that method. Such forbidden course led God to tell Jesus (Lord said unto Moses – v. 28) to expostulate with those who have so refused. This expostulation was made orally and in writing during the Parousia, especially through that Servant, and during the Epiphany, especially through the Epiphany Messenger.”
It is public record that RGJ confessed to some of these “besetting sins” in his letter of Nov. 15, 1910, in the Watch Tower – saying he was “enjoying the Bible as one would enjoy a picture book or Grimm’s Fairy Tales.” He then freely admitted to picture making: “My faculty for seeing pictures and types became so developed that my eye would skim over a chapter, jumping at a chance picture here and there, and missing nearly all the original meaning and proper application of the text.” It would seem that such picture-making and typing (“gazing”) has reasserted itself since 1950 – after the restraining hand of the Epiphany Messenger was removed from him. If we were remiss in exposing his “path of error,” we would receive the condemnation of Ez. 3:18: “And thou givest him not warning... to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.” And we are persuaded, too, that others who make loud professions of love for him, will also share in his guilt – come under the condemnation of this text – if they fail to resist his “gazing” and wayward course. “My brethren, if any one among you wander from the truth, and some one turn him back; know you, that he who turns back a sinner (the Great Company) from his Path of Error will save his Soul from Death (the Second Death), and will cover a multitude of Sins.” (James 5:19-20, Dia.) Once more we repeat, we do this only because “necessity is laid upon me.” (1 Cor. 9:16)
We would much rather praise him than expose him; and we do commend him for some of the good “witness” work he is doing toward the world. Thus, we are pleased to state that in many instances he is doing a good work of “witnessing” to the world. This was quite evident by the testimonies of some of our zealous brethren at the Chicago Convention. They reported their good efforts at the Billy Graham crusade in Minnesota, which resulted in the distribution of a number of Divine Plan of the Ages. Since this book contains the “faith once delivered unto the saints,” those testimonies warmed our hearts. As Brother Johnson has so aptly said, the Great Company do much better work toward the world than toward the brethren – which was amply manifest by the effort at this crusade. In their efforts to “witness” with the Divine Plan of the Ages, they are to be encouraged; and it is certainly not our wish to impede such good works in any way whatever; rather we would lend a helping hand as opportunity may arise – as is evidenced by some recent correspondence we have had with RGJ along this very line.
At the Labor Day Convention the question was asked about the beginning and the end of the Time of the End. RGJ tried to pinpoint 1954 in his answer, saying the “sifters” (meaning JJH) contend nothing happened in 1954; then he insisted that plenty of things happened in 1954, but he failed to name even one of them. Our own observation on this point is that Parousia Vol. 3 tells us that the Man of Sin will be completely annihilated during the Time of the End. However, at Chicago RGJ spoke on this same question, and gave there a much different answer than he did at the Labor Day Convention; so we believe he would be well advised to state in the Present Truth just what his thought is on the subject.
At the Chicago Question Meeting we ourselves put in the following question: “Let us see the conditions of justification that will prevail during the Millennial Age. During that Age there will be neither a tentative nor a vitalized justification.” (E-15:261) Please harmonize this with your statement in the July-August Present Truth that, “Thus according to the two Messengers there will be no interval without tentative justification.” Signed: John J. Hoefle (He did not “have time” to answer this question!)
In our November paper No. 221, top of page, we quoted much more from Volume 15 than is given above, and we shall repeat just a little from that quotation here:
“In a word, faith is the justifying instrumentality and thus the condition of justification in this Age, while obedience (consecration faithfully carried out—JJH) will be the justifying instrumentality and thus the condition of justification in the next Age. These Ages’ purposes account for this.”
How do these Ages’ purposes account for this? Rom. 4:1-12 clearly tells us that justification must precede consecration during this Age. This is set forth markedly in the Atonement Day type, in which the animals had to be “without blemish.” Since they typified the “better sacrifices” of this Gospel Age, it follows that the sacrifices of this Age must also be “without blemish.” But this is not possible with men in their present fallen state. Therefore, they are reckoned perfect – “without blemish” – in order to make them acceptable as parts of the “better sacrifices.” Thus, we emphasize that there cannot possibly be any acceptable consecration during this Age without the offerer being first justified. “Having been justified, therefore, by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; through Whom, also we have been introduced into this favor in which we stand.” (Rom. 5:1,3—Dia.) Having come to this standing by faith, St. Paul then counsels such to consecrated (see Rom. 12:1).
But in the next Age the situation will be just the reverse. Then not even tentative justification (prospective justification is Brother Russell’s thought, and in no sense a justification by faith as we have it in this Age) cannot be obtained in the slightest degree without consecration. Without consecration – works – the dead world in the next Age will have no better standing than they have now in this Age; they won’t even have prospective justification then without consecration. Once this situation is clearly understood, our readers will have no difficulty at all in seeing through RGJ’s flummery on this subject – a ruse he has injected into the discussion to bolster his decayed “manna” – his “strange fire” of Campers Consecrated.
At the Labor Day Convention this question was raised: Who are the Household of Faith in the Millennium? His answer: Those who accept Jesus. As the Epiphany Messenger has so well stated – In this Age the predominant feature is faith, accompanied by works. In the next Age the predominant feature will be works, accompanied by some faith. In the Millennial Tabernacle picture the Court represents the condition of the Ancient Worthies (Kohathite Levites), of the Great Company (Merarite Levites), and of the Youthful Worthies (Gershonite Levites). The world undergoing restitution is represented in the Camp; and in no sense of the word are of the Household of Faith. This has been clearly explained by Brother Johnson in treating of 2 Tim. 2:20: “The Little Flock, the Great Company, the Ancient Worthies and the Youthful Worthies are the Millennial-Age Household of Faith. The Priests and the Levites dwelling about the Tabernacle type this Household of Faith. (Bro. Johnson does not say, as did RGJ, that all who accept Jesus are of the Household of Faith—JJH) From the standpoint of having the faith of Abraham the Youthful Worthies are, of course, like him, of the Household of Faith. They are, however, somewhat different from the tentatively justified who do not now consecrate. The latter during the Epiphany cease altogether to be of the Household of Faith, having used the grace of God in vain. All that are of the faith of Abraham are of the Household of Faith.”
Then there was a question asked at the Chicago Convention as to whether RGJ’s friends should burn the sifters’ literature, or return marked “Refused.” He said it was each one’s stewardship: if they wanted to read enough of it to know that it is error, that was for them to decide. We commend him for giving an answer based on true Christian principles – as we also commend him for his mollified demeanor during the entire Chicago Convention. This is quite a change for the better, and also quite a contrast to his advice and attitude a few years back when a similar question was asked him. At that time he yelled: “If the Devil wrote you a letter, would you read it?” and regarding shaking hands, “Would you shake hands with the Devil?”
We trust he will continue to advocate Christian principles – and this change means that he will seek to serve the Lord in “sincerity and in truth.” That is our hope and prayer for him.
Those of us familiar with the situation know that Brother Johnson never warned his supporters not to read what JFR presented, even though he knew those papers were filled with subtle errors; and all know that we have never warned our readers not to read what RGJ or the “Apokalypsis” writings present. Nor have we read RGJ out of the Household, as he has done with us, which we have accepted without great ado. We well realize that his actions as described in previous papers were prompted by “strong delusion” of 2 Thes. 2:10-12 – the punishment meted out to those “who received not the love of the Truth” especially during this Epiphany period. However, it gives us much pleasure to note the improvement in his decorum and speech from the platform in Chicago. His mild and soft-spoken delivery was quite a change for the better over his past performances.
God’s faithful people have always been more generous with the measurably faithful than the latter have been with them. That Servant was much more generous toward Big Babylon than Big Babylon was toward him. The Jehovah’s Witnesses also relegate JJH and all his supporters to the “evil servant class,” much the same as has RGJ done although he uses milder language: the “sifters” have lost their class standing, and may lose out altogether in the Kingdom, if they continue in their course, he says. Such accusations do not embitter us in the least – rather, we would “think it strange” if such calumny were not directed toward us. Despite this, we are persuaded there are quite a few among the Witnesses, as well as among the adherents of the LHMM who are making sincere effort to serve the Lord.
THE “END” OF 1 COR. 15:24
On p. 78 of the Sept.-Oct. 1973 Present Truth is the following question: “How do we know that ‘the end’ in 1 Cor. 15:24 is at the end of Christ’s Millennial Mediatorial Reign, at the beginning of the Little Season, and not at the Little Season’s end? And how do we know ‘the last enemy’ (v. 26), the Adamic dying process, will be destroyed before the beginning of the Little Season?”‘
In his answer RGJ once more attempts to nullify the clear teachings of the Epiphany Messenger, and the impressive Red Sea type – in which the Egyptians were destroyed; so we now follow here with Brother Johnson’s treatise in the Nov. 15, 1949 Herald, p. 48, cols. 1 and 2:
“The results of the coming Universal Empire are illustrated in 1 Cor. 15:20-26, our last passage on this subject. We quote from the Improved Version: ‘But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become a firstfruit (Jesus) of them that slept. For since by man (Adam) came death, by (a) man also (Jesus) shall come the resurrection of the dead. For as all in Adam die (Jesus did not die in Adam, for He was not in Adam, and therefore our correction of the translation), even so all in Christ shall be made alive (e.g., the Little Flock is in Christ; they shall be made alive first and primarily). But every man in his own order: Christ a firstfruit (the Church is here meant); afterward they that are Christ’s at (during) His presence (those who are shown to be our Lord’s faithful followers during His presence, these also shall be made alive). Then cometh the end (the end of the Little Season, when He shall have ruled over all the earth and given every man the opportunity to gain eternal life, which His ransom sacrifice, a corresponding price, enables Him to give), when He shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father (for God will be the final Judge over the earth and will execute His judgment through Christ, the Head, primarily, and secondarily, the Church, His Body, as His vicegerent); when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and (all) power (every vestige of the governorship and of the pretended authority and the pretended might of Satan (We know that Satan will ‘pretend to have authority and might during the Little Season’—JJH), all of this will be put down by the almighty hand of Christ, the Head, and the Church, the Body, using God’s power as the almighty power in their hand). For He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. Thus we see that not only persons are these enemies, but also things. Death (the Adamic death process—JJH) is an enemy – it was an enemy to Jesus while He was in the flesh, it sought to destroy Him; it sought through the Jews (the Adamic death process in those Jews—JJH) to destroy Him, but He was faithful unto death; and by that faithfulness He was pronounced the One who could put to death the last enemy, even the dying process and the death-state. Glory be to God forever and ever for this glorious hope that Jehovah, our Heavenly Father, has given us; and let every one say, Amen and Amen; Amen and Amen, forever and ever, Amen.”
It will be noted that the above is a direct contradiction of what RGJ is now contending; and we would impress upon our readers the fact that RGJ proof-read that Herald, and offered no objection to it in 1949. In his summation of the above question there is this statement: “We will continue to reaffirm and defend the correct understanding of 1 Cor. 15:24 as given in harmony with the Greek text.” If he approved of the teaching as quoted above in 1949, is he now “continuing” in that teaching – or is he now revolutionizing against that teaching?
Again we quote from the Epiphany Messenger as given in E-17:124,125: “Then cometh the end (the end of the Little Season, when he shall have ruled over all the earth and given every man the opportunity to gain eternal life, which His Ransom-sacrifice, a corresponding price, enables Him to give), when He shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father (for God will be the final Judge over the earth and will exercise His judgment through Christ, the Head, primarily, and secondarily, the Church, His Body, as His Vicegerent); when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and the pretended might of Satan, all of this will be put down by the almighty power in their hand). For He must reign till he hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death (thus we see that not only persons are these enemies, but also things. The Adamic death in the sense of the dying process is this last great enemy, and, because of His faithfulness, Jesus became the One who will after the close of the Millennium finally destroy it).”
The above is also a direct contradiction to RGJ’s present teaching; and he himself published this teaching in Vol. 17 in 1956. He proof-read that, too; so the question properly arises: Is he “continuing” to reaffirm and defend the correct understanding of 1 Cor. 15:24 as taught by the Epiphany Messenger and approved by him – or is he now revolutionizing against the “correct understanding of 1 Cor. 15:24”? Truly, “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways”! (James 1:8) Surely the teachings regarding 1 Cor. 15:24 quoted above are crystal clear that the Epiphany Messenger taught the “end” of this text is at the “end of the Little Season”! Nor can RGJ or any one else set aside this clear teaching by a “faulty disc,” or any other “sleight-of-hand.”
To give some semblance of credibility to his symbolic witchcraft (especially deceptive false teachings – such as JFR with his Jonadabs, also a non-existent class) he offers the “foolish” conclusion: “If the Goat class will not have ridded themselves by use of the gracious opportunities of the Mediatorial reign, they will by the beginning of the Little Season be chargeable only to their own account, and not to Adam or any one else.” (Emphasis by RGJ) We wonder if he believes the Goats of the Mediatorial reign who refuse to have the Adamic death process plagued out of them, die the Second Death with their unholy hearts’ condition “chargeable” to Satan, Adam, or some one else, instead of to themselves! It is an elementary truth that all who are awakened from the tomb – the Death state – will never go into the Second Death with their unholy hearts’ condition “chargeable” to any one except themselves. But, when they go into the Second Death, the Adamic death process in them (their unholy hearts’ condition) will also be forever destroyed. Those “accursed ones” during the reign who die at 100 years because they refused to rid themselves of the Adamic Death process (Isa. 65:20), as well as those who survive into the Little Season, have no one to blame but themselves. The Adamic Death process is the “last enemy” – and it will not be destroyed until its possessors are destroyed. In essence RGJ admits this – then injects the flimsy statement of who is “chargeable” for it. This contention is simply a “red herring” injected seemingly to mislead the “unstable and the unlearned.” He is setting up a ‘straw man’ – “chargeable” – to avoid the self-evident truth, that such responsibility is “chargeable” to the Goat class of the Mediatorial reign, as well as “chargeable” to the Goat class of the Little Season. During the Mediatorial reign the Goats are sentenced to the Second Death because of their failure outwardly to obey; and the Goat class of the Little Season, who have outwardly obeyed during the Mediatorial reign, will also be sentenced to the Second Death during the Little Season because they do not outwardly obey. At that time their unholy hearts’ condition (the Adamic death process) will be manifested. We repeat, the Adamic death process cannot be destroyed until its possessors are destroyed – at the end of the Little Season regardless of any twist given by RGJ.
Note now the statement in the foregoing paragraph to the effect that whatever of the Adamic death process the Goats may have in the Little Season “will be chargeable to their own account”; and compare with his statement in the question itself that, “The Adamic dying process will be destroyed before the beginning of the Little Season.” These two statements are in direct contradiction of one another – so we would ask now: “Will he “continue to reaffirm and defend the correct understanding of 1 Cor. 15:24,” that the Adamic death process will be eliminated before the beginning of the Little Season; or will he “continue to reaffirm” the teaching that the Adamic death process will still continue in the Goats of the Little Season, but will be “chargeable to their own account,” as given in his first statement? This is a classic example of “the unprofitable servant” of Matt. 25:30, who was cast into outer darkness (error). In the Berean Comment there is this: “Sorrow, disappointment and chagrin in every sense.”
We repeat, concerning the Goats of the Mediatorial reign who go into the Second Death, the Adamic death process (their unholy hearts’ condition) was “chargeable to their own account,” just the same as will be true of the Goats in the Little Season who will have the Adamic death process “chargeable to their own account.” In other words, the Goats who outwardly obey during the Mediatorial reign, but still retain their unholy hearts’ condition (the Adamic death process) will be no different from the Goats who enter the Second Death during the Mediatorial reign: when they die, the Adamic death process in them perishes with them.
For emphasis, let us repeat some of the Nov. 15, 1949 Herald, as given aforegoing: destroy Him; it sought through the Jews to destroy Him.” Certainly, it was not the Adamic death state that sought to destroy Jesus; those Jews in their graves gave Him no concern whatever. But those living Jews – badly diseased with the Adamic death process (all the evils inherent in fallen man) – did their best to destroy Him; and did finally succeed in destroying His flesh-and-blood body. It was the Adamic death process in those sinful Jews that brought Him to the cross. Those persecuting Jews that died before Jesus was crucified could no longer harass Him, because the Adamic death process (the evils within them) ceased when they went into the Adamic death state; but those evil tendencies will yet be present in them when they are awakened from the tomb. “Where the tree falleth, there it shall be.” (Ecc. 11:3) If they do not avail themselves of the “gracious opportunities of the Mediatorial reign” within 100 years – to the extent of outward obedience – they will experience the Second Death even before the Mediatorial reign is concluded; and the Adamic death process in those individuals will perish with them. However, the Goat class who outwardly obeyed during the Mediatorial reign will still have the Adamic death process in them – the mental, moral and religious depravity in their hearts – which will not be destroyed until their possessors are destroyed at the end of the Little Season. Be it noted in both the quotations we have offered from Brother Johnson, he states the Adamic death process applies not only to persons, but also to things; and the things cannot be destroyed until their possessors are destroyed.
The truth of the foregoing quotation will be deeply impressed upon us if we keep in mind that the Adamic death process is inseparably linked with the “curse.” Thus, the curse (the Adamic death process) will be present in the Goats until the full end of the Little Season; although the part of the “curse” represented by the Adamic death state will have been eliminated in all of them many years before the Little Season even begins – and the “curse” insofar as physical infirmities are concerned will also have been eliminated from all by the beginning of the Little Season. All will enter the Little Season with perfect physical bodies – but the Goats will still have the mental, moral and religious depravity – the Adamic death process – in their characters. And, as Brother Johnson has stated, All who enter the Little Season with imperfect characters will not be able to stand the crucial tests of the Little Season. In support of this, we quote from Parousia Volume 5, p. 439:
“This assurance that God’s love and justice operate in fullest harmony gives us confidence that the same principles will continue to rule the universe forever, satisfies us that the ‘wrath,’ the ‘curse’ (the Adamic death process—JJH), will be lifted from all who come into harmony with God through Jesus the Savior, and that all who do not avail themselves of this grace will be swallowed up of the Second Death – for the wrath (the “curse”—JJH) of God abideth on them. (Acts 3:23; John 3:36; Rev. 22:3)”
From the foregoing by That Servant, it should be clear enough that the “curse,” or the Adamic death process, is never eliminated from the Goat class; but continues with them until their destruction at the full end of the Little Season, when the Goats go into the Second Death. The Harvest of the Millennial Age will probably bear close resemblance to the Harvest of this Gospel Age, in which we are told to “judge nothing before the time.” During the 40-year reaping period the more perceptive among the Truth people may have had reasonable suspicions that some had fallen from Grace sufficiently that they were no longer of the Very Elect; but they were cautioned not to express themselves on the subject. Doubtless That Servant was aware of that in certain individuals, but he did not express his opinion to any one, so far as we know. Just so, during the Mediatorial reign – especially so as it draws near its close – it may be reasonably clear to some that many will not survive the Little Season, because some of the faults of the Goat class will probably become manifest. Nevertheless, it will remain for the developments of the Little Season to make this certain; and the Sheep class will not be able to sing the song of deliverance until the Goat class has been eliminated from their midst. This is remarkably clear in the song of Moses and the children of Israel as given in the 15th Chapter of Exodus – which was not sung until they were safely on the opposite shore of the Red Sea – after the Egyptian hosts had been annihilated in the resurging waters. This is further confirmed in E-17:426 under the heading “THERE SHALL BE NO MORE CURSE”; and on p. 427 there is this:
“And there shall be no more curse (the Adamic death state and dying process will have been destroyed): but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him: and they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there (after the Little Season’s night has ended there will be eternal day), and they need no candle, neither light of the sun (the Bible); for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign forever and ever (when every member of the Sheep class shall have become a king in his own right—JJH).”
It is elementary that all who come under the benign influence of the Mediatorial reign will never again be subject to the Adamic death state. That part of the curse will be forever destroyed for them the instant they come from the tomb; they can never again die the Adamic death. “Every one shall die for his own iniquity.” (Jer. 31:30) This applies during the Mediatorial reign as well as during the Little Season. Thus, for all such the only part of the curse that will exist for them during the Little Season will be the Adamic death process – the imperfect mental, moral and religious degradations that are now inherent in the human race. The opportunity will be generously available for all to rid themselves of these evils during the Mediatorial reign; but those of them who do not avail themselves of the saving processes will enter into the Little Season with imperfect characters (the Adamic death process still with them), and will be unable to stand the tests. They will be destroyed at the end of the Little Season – when “the last enemy” (the Adamic death process) will be destroyed. Both the Sheep and the Goats will enter the Little Season physically perfect, the great difference being in their heart condition.
Brother Johnson lists 21 offices of Christ for the cure of 21 evils suffered under the curse. As we all know, His Mediatorial office will be completed at the beginning of the Little Season. However, there are some offices that will not be completed until the end of the Little Season – among which are Judge, Revealer and Deliverer. The Christ will reveal (manifest) the unfaithful, sentence them to the Second Death, and Deliver the Sheep. His office of Prince of Peace will continue throughout all eternity.
It has been well stated that in controversy the Truth comes out; and in this present controversy we trust that our readers will have no problem in determining for themselves who is now presenting the Truth on it. However, we believe Brother Johnson saw and gave the Truth on 1 Cor. 15:24 in the 1949 Herald and other places, because he was persuaded by the Red Sea type, which is probably the grandest type of the entire Old Testament, and which indisputably supports the “end” of 1 Cor. 15:24 as being at the end of the Little Season.
In our efforts to uphold the Truth and refute the error of this and other subjects, we derive much satisfaction from the fact that many of the very best supporters of Brother Johnson have also wholeheartedly supported us in our activities since 1955. Some of these are still with us, so we would not mention their names; but we take pleasure in naming some who have finished their course, and concerning whom we would say it has been impossible to replace them: Brothers Cotton, Price, Alger, Roach (who was Brother Johnson’s representative in Trinidad for nineteen years), and Brother and Sister Baxendale of England; also, Sisters Pickering, Fowler, Evans, Atkins, Jordan, Oldham and Condell (widow of Brother Condell who was Brother Johnson’s representative in Jamaica). Some of these dear brethren we had met during Brother Johnson’s life; others of them were known only by the praise he had given them to us in private conversations. And we would say of them, as we say of Brother Russell and Brother Johnson, God bless their memory!
“Preserve me, 0 God: for in thee do I put my trust... I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night season. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” (Psa. 16:1, 7-8)
Sincerely your brother,
John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim
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ANNOUNCEMENT OF GENERAL INTEREST
Our Memorial date for this year is April 5, after 6:00 p.m., and we suggest for our Special Effort in Antitypical Gideon’s Second Battle Sunday, March 24 through Sunday April 14, for our volunteer and sharpshooting in the slaying of the two King Errors – Zebah (Eternal Torment), and Zalmunna (Consciousness of the Dead). Our tracts, Where are the Dead, What is the Soul, and The Resurrection of the Dead may be used, as well as the L-D-H and The Divine Plan of the Ages, if ordered in time. So place your orders early if you desire to participate in this good work. The Battle is not over, so “Let us not be weary in well doing.” Be assured of our special prayers that all may have blessed experiences as they participate with us in this Special Effort – an Arrangement made for the Epiphany by the Epiphany Messenger.