NO. 218: WISDOM - MADNESS - FOLLY

No. 218

My dear Brethren: Grace and peace through our Beloved Master!

Says Solomon in Ecc. 1:17,18: “I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know mad­ness and folly: I perceived... that in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increas­eth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” But the Wise Man observes also in Ecc. 7:3 – “Sor­row is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.” Surely, all God’s Fully Faithful people will be in accord with the conclu­sion that that by which “the heart is made better” is to be more desired, for “out of the heart are the issues of life.” Solomon’s wisdom is legend and truth with a large portion of the human race, whatever may be their religious beliefs or disbeliefs. As Solomon realized he was King in Israel after the death of his father David, the enor­mity of his task had a very mollifying effect upon him. as was also true of the Epi­phany Solomon after the death of his spiritual father – That Servant.

The thought never once seized the Epiphany Messenger that he should be ‘king in Israel’ after 1916 – just the reverse of others of much less ability who were ambitious to be “somebody” in the Lord’s Household. This is beautifully outlined in 1 Kgs. 3: 7, 9, 10 and 12 – “I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.... Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad... And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him... Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.” And further in 1 Kgs. 4:29–31, “God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and large­ness of heart... And Solomon’s wisdom exceeded the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men.”

On one occasion we quoted this Scripture to Brother Johnson, asking how this could be true, since he freely admitted that Brother Russell had a position much su­perior to his own in the end of the Age. His answer: I have the knowledge and under­standing of God’s word that he had, plus what I now have; and that makes more than he had. Knowledge is a matter of “due time,” even as was true of our Lord – who was su­perior to all.

It is well stated that “Genius speaks only to genius.” St. Paul expresses a kindred thought in 1 Cor. 2:11-16 (Dia.): “Who of men knows the thought of the man, except that spirit of the man which is in him... We have received that spirit which is from God, that we may know the things graciously given to us by God... Now an ani­mal man does not receive the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; and he is not able to understand, because they are spiritually examined.” Thus, our approach to God or to understanding the genius of man is calculated entirely upon our own ability to reach a viewpoint on the same level with such genius. Therefore, a lawyer sees eye to eye with another lawyer of the same caliber, a doctor of medicine to another physician, and so on. And, by the same token, the more we acquire of the Spirit of the Lord, the more shall we know the “mind of the Lord.”

Physically speaking, the human race is divided into three classes – the magnet­ics, the repulsives, and the neutrals. In the Bible the human face is often used to portray the quality of love; and, even in man’s fallen condition, seldom do we find a human face that is repulsive to our vision. Consequently, there is only a small minority of repulsives – just as there is also only a small portion of magnetics; the vast majority are found among the neutrals. Also, the vast majority of human beings must receive their entertainment and relaxation outside themselves, which ac­counts for the great demand for actors and artists of various sorts. A few, however, are able to draw their pleasures from within themselves, and such people are never alone. Jesus was one of these, and to His disciples He had said, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.” (John 4:32) He had that strong assurance, that inner rest, calm and fortitude which were always His “meat and drink.”

Of course, with almost every human being there is some brilliant experience ­perhaps vague and passing quickly, interspersed with the great expanse of woe that clings as a blanket in this “valley of the shadow” – that brings some few heights of joy to ease the broad and persistent depths of sorrow. From such experience is spun the web of character which flows from the active loom of life, and which will be fine and beautiful, or coarse and homely, according to the skill, carefulness and fineness with which the individual weaves his “garments of needlework” into a final destiny. It has been well spoken that if we sow a thought, we reap a word; if we sow a word, we reap a sentence; if we sow a sentence, we reap a habit; if we sow a habit, we reap a destiny. This makes clear why St. Paul ever sought to have God’s people culti­vate right habits of thought – “whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report, think on these things.” Such thinking is certain to determine our destiny. “I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.” And any who come into God’s Household and faithfully seek to “be transformed” by His Word, Spirit and Providence, develop a firmness of character and brightness of countenance that they otherwise did not have – whatever their classifi­cation and position according to this world’s standards, in life may have been.

“The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together,” nor should God’s people be foolish enough to think it shall not come nigh unto them. Even our Beloved Lord “learned obedience by the things which He suffered”; and “as He was, so are we in this world.” Few people can stand adversity, and fewer still can receive prosper­ity and still maintain an even keel. One shopkeeper put the sign in his window, “Hats enlarged to fit any promotion”; and it is little wonder that Solomon was forced to conclude that “vanity, vanity, all is vanity.” “What is that in thine hand?” the Lord said to Moses; and this query comes with equal force to each in his own place, for “it is required of stewards that a man be found faithful.” The vast majority strive and strain for the pelf that perisheth, but which they think will permit them to say, “Soul, take thine ease,” as had been true of the inhabitants of Sodom, where “pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was found in her”; but to all who regard the things of time as transient and elusive, the following verse will find acceptable lodging:

When fortune smiles, and full of mirth and pleasure

The days are flitting by without a care.

Lest you should be content with only earthly treasure,

Let these few words their fullest import bear:

This, too, will pass away!

It is a common expression, “You can’t take it with you”; and, while this may be true of what we have in perishing things of clay, it is certainly not true of what we are in excellency of character. This latter none can take from us, nor does God ever forget it, as evidence Isa. 49:15,16, “Can a woman forget her suckling child? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” Thus, riches may vanish, health may fail, friends forsake, and enemies take up reproach and revile us – yea, even “brethren cast you out” – despair and despondency may come in like a flood [“reproaches have broken my heart”], yet full victory is assured to those who keep up the “good fight”; the promise is theirs, “Ye shall reap if ye faint not.” It is aptly stated that we may never have full appreciation of good food until we have been raven­ously hungry, nor enjoy the cool refreshing waters of the hidden spring until we have first crossed the desert. One philosopher once intentionally forced himself to go with­out water for three full days in high summer that he might experience the gripping joy and satisfaction of assuaging such a thirst. Please consider we do not advise any of our readers to pursue a like experiment; we are certain to have a sufficiency of trib­ulation to tax the strength of the least unto the greatest even as we do our best to travel life’s pathway in even stride. “In the world you shall have tribulation.”

ENDURING HARDNESS AS “GOOD SOLDIERS”

In the midst of the cares, perplexities and difficulties, from “fightings with­out and fears within,” we may find solace in the example of Job, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” (Job. 13:15) God’s Fully Faithful people may rest in the sublime words of St. Paul (1 Cor. 10:13), “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able [to bear]; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape.” There­fore, if we break a leg, let us remember that thousands of others “without God and without hope in this world” also have broken legs; if we suffer the loss of loved ones, “we sorrow not, even as others which have no [substantial] hope” (1 Thes. 4:13), and who also mourn the loss of those dear to them.

“Behold, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction” (Isa. 48:10); but the arm of flesh has its limitations in ourselves and in others, nor will weak man ever be permitted to stay God’s great purposes – in His people as individuals, or in His great eternal purpose for humanity as a whole. ‘When He giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?’” Those who have never served as a “good soldier” under the Great Captain can know nothing of such consolations. Such “good soldiers” may appear to men to be soli­tary sentinels on the isolated outposts of the “good warfare” for Truth, but each may rest secure that he is never alone – “Lo, I am with you all the days, even to the end of the Age.” And the years of experience, if properly applied, enable one and all to “endure hardness as a good soldier,” even as St. Paul gave eloquent testimony of the refining and enduring effects of his own faithfulness as a “good soldier” – “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appear­ing.” (2 Tim. 4:7,8)

THINKING IN THE HEART

Mankind in general does much too little thinking. Even here in the United States, where the burden of the curse has been eased so very much during the past fifty years, there is a large segment of the population that works eight hours a day, sleeps eight hours a day, eats and drinks and is entertained in some insipid form for eight hours a day – and they think the rest of the time! However, there are those who do think, and think very straight and clearly; as Shakespeare put into the mouth of one of his char­acters, “Yon Cassius thinks too much; such men are dangerous!” And, while schemes dark and sundry may emanate from those whose thoughts are evil, yet there can never be too much of thinking on the better things – those things St. Paul gives in his epistle to the Philippians. Much of the thinking of human beings has been based upon unsound premises, such as the old Roman philosophy, “Without slaves there can be no leisure; without leisure there can be no thinking; and without thinking there can be no prog­ress.” All the more enlightened nations have long since discarded that doctrine.

“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh,” and good listeners often gain quick and sure insight into the hearts of those they meet just by allowing them to talk. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he”; and the thoughts of the heart are certain to reveal themselves in one form or another, because “A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and changeth the strength of his countenance.” Thus, a wise and good man will be motivated by just and good thoughts – which will cause him to speak and act justly, nobly; “the wisdom which cometh from above is without partiality and without hypocrisy.” This is the grand ideal, of course, which no member of the fallen race can achieve in perfection; but the appeal on every hand to “think” offers elo­quent testimony to the rating that the better-born among men give to it. It is said that the one and all-gripping slogan of John D. Rockefeller was, “I am bound to be rich”; and rich he became – perhaps the world’s first billionaire. But those who labor for “the wisdom from above” also acquire a wealth which the world cannot know, neither can it take away; whereas, “the meat that perisheth” is so often only too quickly dissi­pated. It is a proper observation that “distance lends enchantment,” and that the pas­ture in other fields always appears to be greenest; yet it is also a solid truth that “familiarity breeds contempt.”

Perhaps the most tragic example in all history of this sage expression is to be found in Jesus’ own family and the locale in which he grew to manhood. It was in Naz­areth that His boyhood acquaintances had contemptuously said of Him, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? And they were offended because of Him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not with­out honor, but in his own country, and among His own kin, and in his own house. And he could do there no mighty work... And he marveled because of their unbelief.” (Mark 6: 1-6) There is no record that any of Jesus’ brothers and sisters accepted Him when He was here; and at the cross there is the pathetic spectacle of Jesus resigning His mother to “that disciple whom Jesus loved” [the Apostle John], rather than to one of her own sons. We have often pondered, What will His brothers and sisters think of themselves when they experience the “common salvation,” and realize that they then stand in life because of the One they knew so well that they would have no part of Him during His ministry of sorrow!

“BE YE TRANSFORMED”

But the appeal to all who have accepted Him is that they be “transformed by the renewing of their minds” that they may know what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. (Rom. 12:2) Nor shall we succeed in this “transformation” ex­cept by “thinking on these things”; therefore, it is well that we “give our hearts to know wisdom” – the wisdom which is first pure, then peaceable, etc. And this appeal to all God’s people to “get understanding” enables them to “know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.” This is just the reverse of all heathen and of all false Chris­tian religions, which instruct their adherents to allow their priests to think for them on matters religious; otherwise, they may become confused. This is especially true of the Roman Catholic system, which forbids its devotees to read the Bible for themselves, or to read any literature not accepted by the board of censors – as is also true of its “Little Twin” (the Jehovah’s Witnesses). This same attitude was followed by the So­ciety after Brother Russell’s death, just as it has been advocated by some since the death of the Epiphany Messenger.

In Epiphany Volume 3, p. 311, we find this: “J.F.R. sought to prevent the Soci­etyites from partaking of the spiritual feast offered... Personally, by letter and by instructions to his pilgrims he not only counseled against reading that and other teachings that appeared in The Present Truth, but he specifically told his adherents, some of whom were burning the copies of The Present Truth that were being sent to them, not to burn them, but to send the papers back to the publisher unopened, with the word “refused” written on the wrapper... and thus he sought to prevent their get­ting any more copies of this journal.”

Since the demise of the Epiphany Messenger, the Executive Trustee of the LHMM, and the Editor of the magazine “Present Truth” does the same thing that JFR did to our publications. We have received many of the same kind of “refusals” written on the wrapper from his sectarian devotees. History is repeating itself! But we should “think it not strange,” when such errorists follow in the footsteps of their predecessors in error. Such bigotry should sound an immediate warning to all who have been enlightened in even slight degree by Present Truth. Of the Roman system it has been aptly observed that their slogan is, “Reading [other than Catholic literature] is doubt; doubt is heresy; and heresy is Hell.” It was indeed reading of the Bible that made of Martin Luther a ‘heretic’; had he not read, he would have remained a loyal “believer,” a cringing serf of the Roman system.

And, while thinking of the right sort is advocated throughout the Holy Writ, we should ever consider that thinking of the wrong sort can quickly lead to the morass of confusion which is to be found in so many quarters. The words of Jesus are so very pertinent here, “Wisdom is justified of all her children.” Thus, the Roman Church correctly teaches that there is but one true Church, which is the custodian and stew­ard of the Truth. This Truth none can deny; but they then proceed with the next step We are that true Church. All who accept this second premise are then easily led cap­tive to the enslaving precepts of the system. By the same token, if one is falsely labeled a ‘sifter,’ those who believe the falsehood would then easily be deterred from investigating that person’s teachings. But we are admonished to “stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” However, even while advocating the fullest freedom in God’s Household, there is also that restraining precept, “Ye were called unto liberty, only use not lib­erty as an occasion to the flesh.” Thus, “all things are lawful, but all things are not expedient.”

We are told to “prove all things, and hold fast that which is good.” However, if this text be not read with sanctified reason, it may be badly misleading. It is not possible for any of us to prove all things; but it is possible – and proper – to prove all things we accept that pertain to religious truth; otherwise, it would not be pos­sible for us ever to “know the Truth.” As the Bereans of old “searched the Scriptures daily to see if those things taught to them were true,” so should we also; and this alone will make us “rooted and grounded in the faith as ye have been taught,” a burning and a shining light. All such, who “hunger and thirst after righteousness [the Truth and the spirit of the Truth] shall be filled.”

 “GOD IS LOVE”

“God is love in the sense that the term love represents the central principle of the Divine character. There is nothing contrary to love in God. The Scriptures do not teach that there is nothing except love anywhere – that God is everywhere and love is everywhere. But they teach that God is a loving character. This does not militate against the other statements that God is just, wise and powerful. But this quality of love best of all represents the Divine Being. All of His justice is in harmony with His love. There is no exercise of justice or power in an evil sense, for all His attri­butes work together for good to all His creatures.

“The Scriptures encourage us to reason from the known to the unknown. They tell us that although God is so great, so wise, so powerful, He is also just and loving. And the more we consider the matter, the more reasonable the Bible description of the Almighty appears. His power we see demonstrated. The Wisdom of One so great cannot be doubted. When we come to consider, Could One so wise and so powerful be unjust or ungenerous? Our hearts answer, No! No one is really great who is devoid of justice and love. So surely as our God is Jehovah, He must possess the qualities.

“When we came in contact with the Bible, and particularly after we learned some­thing of its teachings and got rid of the misrepresentations which gathered about it during the Dark Ages – then we began to recognize it as the message of Jehovah to His creatures. It informs us that the great Creator of the Universe is not only Almighty and all-wise, but loving and kind, with Justice as the foundation of His empire. (Psa. 89:13,14) From the Bible we learn, too, that our Creator has been pleased to make us in His own image, in His own moral likeness, to the intent that we may enjoy Him and the fruits of His righteousness to all eternity.

“All the power, all the justice, all the wisdom, of God must be used in accord­ance with His own character, which is love. It will therefore be loving wisdom, lov­ing justice, which He will use toward all creation in the exercise of His loving pow­er for their good.” (Reprint 5210)

Therefore, let all consider that “wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting, get understanding.” Such is our prayer for all our readers.

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – The Jehovah’s Witnesses are again suffering abuse in another African country. If you are informed on that situation, will you please give your analysis of it?

ANSWER: – According to the May 1, 1973 Watchtower, the trouble in Malawi is precipi­tated by refusal of the Witnesses to “buy political party cards.” This does not tell us very much – not nearly enough for any one to pass proper judgment on the matter. If they would have people properly informed, they should tell us what is printed on those cards, if anything at all; and also what obligations are incurred by any one who buys a card. Just the mere purchase of a card as a fee for freedom could not Scripturally be said to violate any one’s conscience. If the card contains printed matter contrary to Divine principles as we understand them today, then the Witnesses are certainly fully justified in refusing to comply; but we are not informed by them if this is the case.

Jesus gave us a broad rule for such situations in Matt. 5:40-42: “If any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn thou not away.” In verse 25 there is more of the same: “Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge de­liver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.” Here we have a comprehen­sive doctrine of non-violence by God’s people against unjust impositions of the powers that be. Here is some of Pastor Russell’s comment on these verses: “Settle peace­ably, even if it costs more than you would lose by letting the case go into court..... Exercise a benevolent spirit whenever possible and proper for you to do so.”

This question is discussed further in Matt. 22:21: “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” This raises the ques­tion – What things are Caesar’s, and what things are God’s? Generally speaking, we would say that anything that Caesar has directly or indirectly produced, and which we may own, could be said to belong to him. This would include money, real estate, and personal property of all kinds. What, then, would belong to God? St. Paul gives us a clear answer to this in 1 Cor. 6:19, 20: “Ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” Thus, any demand by Caesar for our bodies to serve in any way contrary to Divine law would not properly be his to demand; and it would be our duty to refuse such service. If the Malawi card carries such an obligation, then the Witnesses would be justified in refusing; but not otherwise, as we see the matter.

However, in abuses such as the Malawi case it should be noted that it is the underlings – the poorest of the flock – that receive the most severe punishment; and not the heads of the organization in Brooklyn. This is just the reverse of the pattern set before us in Scripture and secular history of the Gospel Age. Jesus was the principal target of the dissenters of His day. When the Shepherd was smitten the sheep were scattered, but not crucified with Him. Later, when the Apostles had re­ceived the Holy Spirit, they were the main targets of those who opposed the Christian religion. In the case of Arius, Luther and others, they also were the principal tar­gets of the Papal system and Papal spirit.

Bringing the case down to our own time, Pastor Russell was certainly the prime object of the vicious attacks against the Truth group. It is a sound observation that he was the most loved, and the most hated man on earth. Some of this did spill over on to his faithful supporters; but he was always the one on whom his enemies con­centrated their calumny – pretty much the reverse of what we see with the Witnesses to­day. We cannot bring ourselves to approve abuse of any one, regardless of how much the abuse may be invited by those who receive it. The President of Malawi says the Witnesses are the “Devil’s Witnesses”; and to the extent that they are preaching er­ror, he is speaking the truth – brutal though the expression may be. Of course, the Wit­nesses tell us all other organizations – Government and Ecclesiastical – are the Devils organizations. Here we probably have an instance of the pot calling the kettle black, so our sympathy goes out to both of them in limited measure.

In our Special No. 11 we offered the opinion that the Witnesses had brought upon themselves the persecution they received in Cameroon – by disregarding the sage coun­sel of Brother Russell concerning voting if the Government requires it. In the Malawi situation the Witnesses have probably invited the trouble they are having there. On page 245 of the April 15 Watchtower there is this statement:

“In that universal war of the great day [Armageddon] all the people who are found backing those human govern­ments instead of God’s Kingdom by Christ will be annihilated with them. They will not survive.”

Annihilation means that those who continue to support these Governments, and fail to come with the Witnesses, will be utterly destroyed with no chance of an awakening, or resurrection. In the United States, where great freedom of speech is permitted, such statements as the foregoing are ignored by the Government; but we may readily understand the positive resentment that would arise in undeveloped countries where the Government is having great difficulty to survive. To tell such people that they will soon be annihilated is simply inviting trouble, as we see it. As that “Wise and faith­ful Servant” aptly observed – “It is no more obligatory upon the Lord’s people to de­nounce every wrongdoer whom they may meet in the street than it is for them to tell all homely persons they may see of their lack along the lines of beauty.” And he has this to say concerning John the Baptist, who was beheaded for criticizing the Roman Governor Herod: “Perhaps acting imprudently and exceeding his duty.”

It should be noted that the Witnesses pay taxes to “Ceasar,” the same as the rest of us. They expect and receive police protection from those very Governments whom they advise their readers not to support. In short, they are telling all people they should not support their Governments: they should join them if they expect to survive Armageddon. If every one in the United States accepted their advice, we would not have any Government at all come next election, because no one would appear to offer a choice of rulers. When they speak of “God’s Kingdom by Christ,” they mean the Jehovah’s Wit­nesses, of course. After Armageddon, according to them, there won’t be anybody on earth except the Witnesses, so they will then be the ruling class. They use “survival of Armageddon” just as did Papacy, their prototype, in their heyday used Eternal Tor­ment to frighten the people into their counterfeit “Christ’s Kingdom” on earth. Error always tend toward an unsound mind, but the Truth gives “the spirit of a sound mind.” When we consider the beautiful system of Truth they inherited in 1916, and the repre­hensible system of error they have invented since that time, it is little wonder they offer the unsound advice they do, and which brings upon their faithful devotees much grief – over which they now shed copious tears.

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace!

Thank you for the February and March papers. We had read the Present Truth, so we were not surprised that you wrote a very timely article on the Epiphany Taber­nacle. It is very good! Also the Convention report was good to get. I am now re­reading the articles – and I am glad I have them in a notebook, thanks to Sister.

I have been studying the Numbers book this past week. It is so very good! I studied it in Class once, but my memory isn’t so good now.

Do hope all of you are well, and I know you are busy. Enclosed is a small do­nation. Please give my love to all there. Much love to you ------- (KANSAS)

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Dear Brother:

Received your mail – and thank you! I’ve read it now, and will be pleased to read more when you send me. I got No. 194 from my wife. She was visiting her sis­ter in Anderson, Indiana, and she gave it to my wife, saying that I might like to read it. Some Dawn Bible Students gave it to my wife’s sister.

Yes, I would like to be placed on your regular mailing list. I am not affi­liated with any group at this time. I was with the Jehovah’s Witnesses, but left them about five years ago. I would like to know more about H. C. Covington (lawyer) leaving the Society – and would also like to know more about the working of the Watchtower under N. H. Knorr.... Thank you again!

Sincerely ------- (KENTUCKY)

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Our dear Brother Hoefle:

Dearly Beloved of the Lord, may Grace, Mercy and Peace be your continued portion! Your letter is much appreciated. We looked up Exodus 23:22–24, and also comments from Brothers Russell and Johnson. It is good to realize we shall overcome through the Lord the common enemies – the world, the flesh and the Devil. One longs for the Kingdom under the New Covenant!

Sister ------- from Manchester came for a week and celebrated the Memorial with us. Brother ------ came too, and we had a blessed and refreshing time, as we remembered what the Lord had done for us – and our prayers and thoughts were with you and all the Lord’s faithful people...

Sister ------- appreciates the tracts we send her and asks us questions. She appre­ciates the answers and seems to understand. She enjoyed her visit with us – also en­joys the tape recordings.

Now, dear Brother, we enjoy your articles. The one on the Tabernacle is espec­ially good. Your March paper is excellent, so lucid. All should see “He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet.” (I Cor. 15:25) The Little Season is the last part of His reign before The Christ will deliver the perfected race to the Father, that, “God may be all in all.” (I Cor. 15:28)

Brother came across one of his old addresses based on the article by Brother Russell – The Voices of the Three Signs, Reprint 4057. Brother says “Brother Hoefle’s rod (serpent) swallows up all of RGJ’s serpents.” We think the Lord is manifesting the true significance of this type – and that the Lord is using you now since the two Star Members have entered into their reward.

Our united love to you and all the dear faithful Bible House family.

PS – 18 names enclosed.

Your brethren, ------- (ENGLAND)

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Gentlemen:

I am curious to know how you got my name. I am also interested in knowing more of your belief regarding Eternal Torment and the Consciousness of the Dead.

Sincerely, ------- (FLORIDA)