NO. 181: A MISCELLANY

No. 181

“Is it proper to apply antitypically the ‘water of separation,’ described in Num­bers 19, to the cleansing of God’s people in the Gospel Age or in the Millennial Age, or in both?”

The above question is to be found on p. 29 of the March-April Present Truth, where RGJ ridicules the analysis contained in our Addenda to the February paper No. 176; and in this he confirms once more Brother Johnson’s description of him in E-10:591: “Loquacious, repetitious, false-accusing Epiphany crown-loser, foolish effusions, false criticisms.” Our Epiphany-enlightened brethren know that Brother Johnson himself was the recipient of much of the same “false criticisms” from the same kind of people from whom we now receive it. (See Epiphany Vol. 10, pp. 584 through 594.) RGJ goes into con­siderable detail about Brother Russell and Brother Johnson making limited application of the type to the Gospel Age, just as though we disagreed with that; whereas, we stated very clearly in our No. 176 our complete agreement with them on it.

However, we stressed Brother Russell’s basic conclusion in the Nov. 15, 1895 WT (incorrectly given as 1897 by RGJ in this March-April 1970 PT) to this effect:

“Had the red heifer and its ashes been connected with the Gospel Age cleansings, the Apostle surely would have shown the fact here (Heb. 9:13); for he did not shun to declare the whole counsel of God then ‘meat in due season;’“

We now offer a few more sentences from that same article: “The Apostle Paul, in Heb. 9:13, speaking of the typical cleansing, mentions the blood of both the bulls and goats (the Atonement Day sacrifices) and the sprinkling of the ashes of the red heifer with water, etc.; but, when applying the antitype, he stops with the blood of Christ, and makes no mention of the antitype of the ashes of the red heifer, – because (empha­sis by Brother Russell) it had nothing to do with our cleansing, but relates to the world’s cleansing in the Millennium; as we have shown.”

The foregoing was written sixteen years after Tabernacle Shadows – at a time when That Servant was at the pinnacle of his sanctified reasoning powers – yet RGJ insists on going back to the earlier writings for his ‘proof.’ WHY? Usually, when our positions seem to be reversed, he makes loud ado about the latest expressions by Brother Russell ­just as he did on 1 Cor. 15:24. However, when we quoted from his “latest teachings” on that text – which RGJ boasted could not be found – his “foolish effusions” were again exposed.

When writing our February paper we agreed with the above statement – and we still agree with it; although RGJ rails “sifting errorist” at us for quoting this statement at him in his confusion on this subject. Brother Russell’s emphatic teaching in 1895 should certainly take precedence over his statement 16 years earlier in Tabernacle Shad­ows. “In due time” Brother Russell also corrected others of his statements in that book, as we have previously stated. As we agreed in our previous paper, the noble example of the Ancient Worthies should goad us to better things – and it surely does; but we need not confine this exclusively to their deeds. The noble and inspiring acts of any world­ly person may work in similar manner for us. But we believe there is sound Scripture for claiming that the ashes of the red heifer – as a type – is strictly Millennial.

First, there are many Ancient Worthies of whom we know absolutely nothing – not even their names. Thus, their ashes (memories) can affect us now in no way whatever. But when they are established as ‘princes’ in Jerusalem, all mankind will then be bene­fited by the record of what they did. Second, the ashes of that heifer were for sprink­ling the “unclean.” None of the fully faithful of this Gospel Age are to be considered as “unclean.” “You are already clean (even before the Holy Spirit had been given) through the word which I have spoken to you.” (John 15:3) “Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor. 6:11) The only “unclean” new creatures during this Age have been the leprous Levites ­the Great Company – of which RGJ himself is admittedly one – which are so ably described in Epiphany Volume 4, pp. 243-302.

Third, RGJ’s Campers Consecrated (if we should grant such a class may exist now) are no more “unclean” through contact with the dead than any of God’s elect people during this Age. Let us keep ever in mind that justification in this Age comes only through faith – a justifying faith that counts all of the fully faithful elect as clean; where­as, in the next Age imperfect men will never be reckoned clean – they will be definitely “unclean” with Adamic defilements (process) until they reach perfection.

RGJ attempts to confuse this matter by injecting Brother Johnson’s explanation of Numbers 31 into it. And in this attempt he demonstrates once more that his understand­ing of types is just as confused now – if not more so – as it was sixty years ago, when he then admitted his confusion. (See his letter of Nov. 15, 1910 WT) As instance, he says this at the bottom of col. 1, p. 30:

“Though themselves (the warriors of Numbers 31) members of the Camp of Israel, they were to do this cleansing, not in the Court at the Laver, but outside the Camp.”

One would naturally conclude from this that, had those warriors not became “un­clean,” they could have availed themselves of the water in the Laver. Will he tell us if this is his thought? And if this is his thought, Is it now impossible for uncleansed Levites to avail themselves of the Laver in the Court?

But we inform our readers now that the Laver in the Court was exclusively for the priests and levites; therefore, had nothing whatever to do with the “water of separa­tion” in the red heifer type. And it will be noted that those warriors had to purify themselves Outside the Camp – where the ashes of the red heifer were deposited; they were not allowed to do this cleansing in the Camp, with the other Israelites. However, to clarify this matter, in this picture the warriors type the Little Flock – and not a one of them died in battle; but the cleansing of themselves and their instruments typed they “have this treasure in earthen vessels” – that is, Adamic defilements (con­tact with the dead – the Adamic death process) are still present with them – even though reckoned “clean” – perfect – through the merit of Christ. As the Apostle Paul says, “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” (Rom. 7:21) And to those who have not lost the “spirit of understanding,” this picture is very clear that the “waters of separation” here are not a substitute for the Laver in the Court ­of which all the consecrated must use if they would be faithful. And in all of this we now secure our information from the antitypical laver – THE BIBLE – even though others may secure theirs from other sources. RGJ has no antitypical laver in his camp, so none of this would properly be available for his Campers Consecrated – even for him, if – as he contends – that the Great Company and Youthful Worthies are on the same “narrow way” (in the Camp) with his Consecrated Campers.

Furthermore, RGJ stresses that those ashes “were available for all the people”; and with this we agree. But, did they have to go to the place where the ashes were – outside the Camp – or were those ashes brought in to them? Those warriors and their instruments were cleansed where the ashes were deposited – outside the Camp; so he again offers rank confusion when he tries to bring that type in and connect it with his Campers Consecrated, whom he contends are in the Camp. In fact, his reasoning here is on a par with his contention that those people who die under the Kingdom reign will be dying the Adamic death if they are still contaminated with any Adamic defilements.

Of course, in all this RGJ is simply treading the steps of his kinsmen of the past, those Levites who built Big Babylon in their efforts to cleanse the world; and for which the Bible offers severe condemnation: “The Levites that are gone far from me, when Israel went astray.... they shall bear their iniquity.... because they ministered to the people before their idols (moral uplift, social reform, convert all to Christianity before the “due time,” etc.), and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity.” (Eze. 44:10-12) “Bungling is the usual and natural activity of the Great Company.”

CONCERNING 1 COR. 15:24

It had been our intention to refrain from further comment on “the end” of this text; but there is a statement by RGJ on p. 21, col. 2, that forces us to further elab­oration:

“Many defiled ones have been Truth-enlightened teachers, who themselves became roots of bitterness; thus they defile many, speaking ‘perverse things’ (Acts 20:30), such as:.... The ‘end’ of 1 Cor. 15:24 does not come until at the end of the Little Season.”

For this statement he offers no proof, or refutation of our previous presentations (the reason being because he has none!); and in this he is simply following the steps of That Evil Servant (“walking in the counsel of the ungodly”), who, in his sneering at the crushing refutations of his errors by Brother Johnson, acted on the same principle as do the Jesuits (who also had Azazel for their teacher) – “do not attempt to prove your statements; for the effort to prove arouses suspicion in the minds of the hearers. Repeat, repeat, repeat, and the repetition will gradually be accepted as proof by most people.” (Epiphany Volume 6, p. 611, top)

Let us take a further look at 1 Cor. 15:24, with the Berean Comments as follows: “Then.... Having finished the work of redeeming the race, of bringing many sons to glory, of destroying the reprobate, and of filling the earth with perfect human beings... The End .... the end of the restitution work.” Also the Berean Comments on Matt. 25:34: “Blessed of my Father Inherit the Kingdom... When Christ delivers up the dominion of earth to the Father, he will do so by delivering it up to mankind, the Father’s repre­sentatives, who were designed from the first to have this honor... Prepared for you... From the foundation... For the restitution classes... Not ‘before the foundation,’ as in the case of the Church.”

Is RGJ now telling us “the end of the restitution work” will occur at the begin­ning of the Little Season – before the dominion of the earth is delivered to them? We have raised this question before, with nothing but silence from RGJ. WHY? Simply because he has no answer; therefore, he repeats, repeats, repeats such expressions as “sifting errorist, roots of bitterness,” etc. And we now suggest that Acts 3:19-23 will be accomplished at the end of the Little Season, just as 1 Cor. 15:24. Such tactics as used by RGJ are the last resort of cheap psychologists to fool “the unstable and the unlearned”; but they will have a reverse enlightening effect upon all those who are “of the Truth.”

Once more we refer to the type of Exodus 14 and 15. There the fleeing Israelites do not come to the complete end of their Egyptian bondage until Pharaoh and his pursu­ing hosts had been swallowed up in the Red Sea – the same being a clear type of the “Lake of fire,” into which Satan and his spiritual and human followers will be cast at the end of the Little Season. This Exodus account is one of the grandest types in the entire Old Testament; and we offer now a few of the comments on it as they are found in Epiphany Vol. 11, pp. 245-296 (which RGJ apparently has never read – and apparently does not want to read, because even he might feel some sense of shame in his present Jesuitical course of repeat, repeat, repeat):

“All the factors connected with the final trial (at the end of the Little Season—­JJH) are pictured in Israel’s surroundings at the Red Sea. Israelites camping in such a position types the faithful restitutionists (the sheep—JJH) being tried with the Second Death, as the threat before them, flanked by wicked angels and men, as their opposers to capture them, and guarded in the rear by the Christ, as their strong tower. Certainly such will be the conditions of the final trial (at end of the Little Season—JJH).”

Continuing: “The perfection (shown by the 600 chariots of Pharaoh—JJH), of course, would not be that of character, but that of faculty, because neither Satan, the fallen angels nor apostate restitutionists will be perfect in character, but they will be per­fect in faculty.”

Thus, the “goats” will have all the outward appearance of “sheep” – physical per­fection – with only a bad heart condition as their condemning quality. This latter is the clear result of their willful choice of sin as they enter the Little Season; and is the certain evidence of the Adamic death process still with them. They keep their evils because they are in heart-harmony with them. We have made similar comment in previous papers; and RGJ responded by saying that if this were true, then the Goats would be dying the Adamic death – and not the second death. Those who have even a smattering of Present Truth will readily recognize that That Evil Servant never offered a more ludicrous piece of nonsense to his gullible readers. And yet this same RGJ now has the colossal gall to rail “sifting errorist” at us because we make bold to expose this arrant nonsense.

More from the same book: “It is true that the promise will be given to the Mil­lennial overcomers that at the end of the thousand years they will inherit the king­dom of the earth (Matt. 25:34) – (which is a part of restitution – Acts 3:19-23—JJH). But Satan will use this doctrine deceptively, by ignoring the fact that the thousand years will end lappingly just as they began lappingly, in various stages – 1874, 1878, 1881 and 1914, and by reiterating in his tempting suggestions that it ended in 2874. Hence as days, weeks, months and years pass by he will with increasing emphasis suggest something like the following to the hearts of the people: ‘The thousand years ended in 2874, but you see that the Ancient and Youthful Worthies are not giving over the kingdom to you, but are keeping it for themselves (not giving you restitution – what Father Adam had—JJH). They are usurping the power that is yours in order to Lord it over you. They are power-graspers, and as lords over God’s heritage are seeking to deprive you of your rights for their own aggrandizement. This cannot be the Lord’s will, who has promised you the kingdom (as Adam had—JJH) by the end of the Millennium, i.e., 2874. You must have faith in His pertinent promise and request them to deliver to you the kingdom in harmony with God’s promise.’ Such seems to be that deception.”

And then – the same as now in this Epiphany – those who are not in heart-harmony with the Truth and its Spirit, will be susceptible to the deceptions of the Devil (otherwise known as Azazel) – “deceiving and being deceived.” They had received the Truth all during the Mediatorial Kingdom, but they received the truth not “in the love of it” (2 Thes. 2:10, 11). They, too, will receive “strong delusion” – although those ‘goats’ of the Little Season will not cleanse themselves, as do those crown-losers who are cleansed in the “great tribulation” here in the Epiphany. Any who enter the Little Season with an unholy heart condition will not be able to stand the crucial tests ­and will be “destroyed from among the people” (Acts 3:23) – just as second-death new creatures will all be annihilated during the Epiphany.

Let us note particularly that in the Red Sea experience Moses types Christ as the Deliverer, the Leader of the Sheep. Therefore, He self-evidently will be their Teacher, their Judge, their Ruler, their Protector during the entire Little Season, the same as He was during the Mediatorial Reign – to bring them safely through the antitypical Red Sea, the “Lake of Fire,” and save them from the Second Death. This final trial will be the last stand that Satan, sin and error and all in sympathy with them will ever make. The final trial and its outcome will leave a universe forever free from sin, error and their effects. This will be the end of the restitution work – “the end” of the Little Season. Then – and only then – will “the kings of the earth” (the Sheep, the faith­ful restitutionists) bring their glory into the heavenly city or kingdom. (Rev. 21: 24-26)

Consider further, 1 Cor. 15:24: “Then the end.... when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power” – “when He shall have abrogated all Government and all authority and power” (Dia.). In a limited sense this will be accomplished as soon as the Kingdom reign is universally established in all the earth; but all during the Kingdom reign there will be a certain defiance by those “sinners a hundred years old that shall be accursed.” But even this defiance will have disappeared by the begin­ning of the Little Season, after which it will reappear when Satan is “loosed for a Little Season”; and it will seem to gain a certain upperhand as the Goats do violence to the “camp of the saints, and the beloved city” – until, eventually, “fire came down out of Heaven from God, and consumed them.” (Rev. 20:9) Clearly enough, this also must be at the end of the Little Season!

“That Kingdom will be an absolute monarchy; hence its government will not be of the people nor by the people, but will most emphatically be for the people.... The ar­rangement that they will establish for mankind will be conducive to Truth and Right­eousness and inconducive to error and sin.... Instead of sin and error prevailing, right­eousness and truth will prevail. Instead of false religions, oppressive governments and predatory aristocracies holding sway, the true religion of God, teaching perfect truth and righteousness, the fostering Government of Christ Jesus and the Church, bless­ing everybody, and the faithful servants of Jehovah as a benevolent aristocracy effect­ing the prosperity of all, will hold sway. Instead of losses, disappointments, sorrows, tears, crying, sickness, weakness, dying, and death, there will be prosperity, hope, joy, pleasures, laughter, convalescence, strength, health and life, abundantly avail­able for all.” (E-17 – The Millennium – published in 1956)

Also, in this same book, p. 15, there are Seven Main Objects of our Lord’s Return: “(1) To gather together and deliver the Little Flock from the earth; (2) to cleanse and deliver the Great Company; (3) to develop the Youthful Worthies; (4) to overthrow Satan’s Empire; (5) to establish God’s Kingdom; (6) to bless with opportunities of Restitution the whole human race, both the living and the dead; and (7) to test and reward each member of the human race.” This seventh item will be completed at the end of the Little Season.

“Restitution means a return to an original estate. The original estate of the human family was the image and likeness of God, as these were exemplified in Father Adam and Mother Eve in Eden before the transgression. By the image of God we under­stand the perfection of being, the condition of being very good, to be meant (Gen. 1: 26, 27, 31; Heb. 2:6-8; Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:23, 24); and by the likeness of God we understand man’s rulership over the earth, even as God is Ruler over the Universe, to be meant (Gen. 1:26, 28, 29; Matt. 25:34). The image of God implies perfection in the physical, mental, moral and religious faculties.... The likeness of God implies a perfect earth with perfect rulers in charge.” (p. 21, and top of p. 22)

More from p. 23 and top of p. 24: “Acts 3:19-21 testifies: ‘Times of refresh­ing (this word is used to denote the re-enkindling of life and the promotion of growth effected by rain falling upon mown and burnt grass, to which the fallen human family is compared (Isa. 40:5-8), and which is expressly stated to be the effect of Christ’s Reign upon our race, mown down by the curse, and burnt by the fierce rays of sin).... but during the Millennium as this passage indicates, He will turn His face toward man, beaming with grace, mercy and truth for man’s restoration.... and He shall send Jesus Christ, which (who) before (during the Gospel Age) was preached unto you, whom (Christ) the heaven must receive (retain; – how long?) UNTIL THE TIMES OF RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS (every feature of the image and likeness of God is to be restored to the willing and obedient in the Millennium) which (things) God hath spoken (promised) by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.’ This passage expressly teaches us that Christ does not return until the Times of Restitution, the Times of Refreshing; therefore He returns to restore to, and to refresh the race with, its original condition. St. Peter tells us that this is the testimony of all the holy prophets, as also quotations above given prove.”

One of Christ’s offices is that of Deliverer, and the faithful restitutionists will not be delivered until the end of the Little Season: “As God in the ways de­scribed in vs. 19-29 delivered His fleshly Israel out of the power (hand) of the Egyp­tians, so God will by the ministry of the Christ and the Truth, by the authority and power of the Christ in the exercise of God’s power, through the obedience of the faith­ful restitutionists and the threats and protection of Second Death dangers, amid the capturing efforts of the post-Millennial wicked spirits and men, by the Lord’s troub­ling the antitypical Egyptians, by making their organizational efforts miscarry, sup­porting the faithful against them, and by sinking the antitypical Egyptians, all their appurtenances and leaders, into eternal annihilation, effectually and completely de­liver the faithful restitutionists during, and at the end of the Little Season.” (E-11, pp. 275, 276 – Published in 1948)

All authority will be vested in The Christ during the Mediatorial reign; and during this reign sin will be quickly obliterated – that is, outwardly. So, even then, during this Mediatorial reign, all authority and rule are vested in The Christ – some­thing like marshal law will exist then. But the “all authority” mentioned in 1 Cor. 15:24 is similar to the conditions now. Our Lord will not permit any “rule or author­ity” to prevail against His elect, such as Satan and his ledlings endeavor to enlist. All those who are “of the Truth” will come off victorious – the residue of the elect will be delivered during this Epiphany. And the same condition will exist in the Little Season for Restitutionists: Satan, his angels and the goats, who try to exert “authority and power” over the Sheep will not succeed. But Satan will succeed with the Millennial goats of the Little Season, just as he will with the second-deathers dur­ing this Epiphany period. We can indeed praise the Lord for His Goodness, Mercy and Deliverance of the fully faithful, as well as of the measur­ably faithful when they are cleansed.

We know that RGJ won’t attempt to answer any of this, because he can’t. But, true to his “higher class,” he will almost certainly continue his garrulous pernicious name-calling. For those of us well acquainted with Epiphany Truth, we know the basic concept of the article on p. 20 of this March-April Present Truth, “Moses’ Third Fare­well Address,” is by Brother Johnson; but we know, too, from sad experience, that RGJ is certain to inject his perversions into that splendid presentation (Azazel means Perverter). Also, by the same considerations, we know he will eliminate such truth as exposes the evils of the “unprofitable servant” (Matt. 25:30, Berean Comment) – the Great Company, of which he admittedly is one. Thus, if we had available the original notes of Brother Johnson, we would almost certainly find he described that “Great Com­pany” (the unprofitable servant) in his comments on p. 22, regarding the “Restoration of Penitent Ones.” And in all of this RGJ will fool “the unstable and the unlearned,” as he has been doing since he was abandoned to Azazel in 1950; but we know – with pity for him – that “he that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck (in willful per­versions of the Truth) shall be destroyed, and that without remedy.” (Prov. 29:1)

The controversy on such subjects with erstwhile brethren certainly affords us no pleasure, except the pleasure of serving the Lord in sincerity and in Truth. We could readily find other more winsome and pleasant ways to spend our time and money. Our sentiments here are the same as those Brother Johnson wrote concerning himself:

“He abhors controversy with brethren, and at first had, by the Lord, to be pushed into it, greatly against his inclinations. But as he more and more came to see the Adversary’s purpose in these attacks, and he came more and more to see that it was un­holy ambition to get and keep a following (Acts 20:30) that was animating these repudi­ators and attackers of the Truth, he more and more ceased to shrink back from entering such conflicts, though it is always painful for him to have to do it. Just as after the Apostles fell asleep, Satan used crown-losing leaders who hungered for a follow­ing to pervert the Apostolic Truth, until it was lost from the earth through their efforts, culminating in the papacy; so after that Servant passed beyond the veil, Satan began to raise up crown-lost leaders to take away from the Church the Truth that the Lord gave by him, seeking by them to destroy it entirely.” (Epiphany Vol. 5, p. 499)

“The Faithful build upon Christ in wisdom as the Rock by subjecting every thought that is presented to them for acceptance to the acid test of these seven axioms and only then accepting it, if it stands this acid test (1 Thes. 5:21; 1 John 4-4; Ps. 45:1; Is. 8:20; Matt. 4:3-10; John 17:17).... Accordingly, they do His sayings as to their taking Him to be their Teacher in wisdom.... But crown-losers fail to do His sayings as to their taking Him as their Teacher and that in two respects. They fail to seek His teachings in the right way and frequently take as His teaching things that He does not teach. The Lord guarantees to give the meek (Ps. 25:8,9), the hungry (Matt. 5:6), the humble (Matt. 11:25), the honest and good (Luke 8:15) His Truth; but He will not give it to others.... Those who do not do these sayings of His on teaching lack one or more of the five qualities just mentioned as prerequisites of obtaining the Truth. Hence the Lord allows them to imbibe more or less of error. Their unhappy heart condition has a blinding effect on their minds, so they are often prone to accept error for Truth. Some of them go to the extreme of receiving with blank and unquestioning minds whatever a real or fictitious channel of the Lord presents to them. It is even required of them in the Catholic wards of Great and Little Babylon to shut their eyes, open their mouths and swallow whatever is presented to them on the ground that it’s not their but God’s business to keep the channel clean..” (Epiphany Vol. 5, pp. 478, 479)

“Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts. Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up forever.” (Psa. 28:3, 9)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle , Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Sir:

Please send me your free Bible student material. I am very much interested in starting a course. Sincerely ------- (NEW JERSEY)

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Dear Friends:

Thank you for the extra copies of No. 175. I have presented some of them to close friends of mine. Very thoughtfully written, and tells the truth as it is to­day. The No. 176 is here, and I am reading it now.... absolute accuracy as to Roman Empire, etc., and especially very educational. May I please have a copy of No. 7?

God bless you for your Blessings through your splendid magazine!

Cordially and respectfully, ------- (CALIFORNIA)

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Dear Brother: Greetings in Christ!

Please change my address from ------- to the address below. Your bulletins are very helpful. Do you have bitterness toward Brother Jolly?

Yours in Christ ------- (KANSAS)

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Gentlemen:

Please send me the following booklets, Numbers 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 10 and 121. I want to thank you for the gift of booklets numbers 1 and 2. They have been of great help to me during the period following the death of my wife.

Do you publish a magazine? If so, please send me a sample.

Thank you! ------- (NEW JERSEY)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in our dear Redeemer’s name!

Your letter was received with great pleasure...... We answered your last two letters of the 5th and 16th – and let us say how we received a rich blessing as we celebrated our Lord’s last Supper..... As you have said in your letter to Mr. ------- that you hope he finds the truth, and the truth will make him free. Yes, dear Brother, and as the Apostle says, Free indeed!

As we have said before, dear Brother, your letters to us contain so much, and how uplifting they are! And we can assure you we are deeply grateful to you for them. God bless you both! Thank you again for the copy of letter sent to -------

God bless and keep you all in His loving care–

Brother & Sister ------- (NEW JERSEY)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and Peace!

Would like to report that Sister and I took the Memorial on March 20 after 6:00 p.m. Sister is not well. She does not get out very much unless someone takes her out for groceries etc. She will be 85 in August. She has asked me to write and tell you so you will understand why she has not written herself. They still live in a section of town that is not safe to visit. So I keep in touch with her by phone.

Thank you for the Epiphany papers. They are wonderful.

Much Christian love, Sister ------- (OHIO)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in the Master’s Precious Name!

In reply to yours of the 19th, I am most grateful for your directive. I am, dear Brother, 100 percent in agreement with your statement of my tackling a subject which very few think of in terms of the factual – still one feels good to be reas­sured that he contends for the Truth.

In F 470:2, mention is made of the Apostles and their immediate followers hav­ing fallen asleep – somewhere about the third century. Please enlighten me somewhat here..... I heartily appreciate your invitation to write again if and when your guid­ance is sought on matters that tend to confuse me.........

Sister has received notice of the arrival of tracts, so I believe that she must be in possession of them now....... Please accept here an humble expression of appre­ciation for No. 176. Trusting the Lord’s gracious blessings will forever be the lot of you and yours. May I here pass on the warm Christian love expressed by all here, coupled with that of Sister and myself – to you, Sister Hoefle and the friends on your side.

Sincerely your brother ------- (TRINIDAD)

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Our dear Friends:

Many thanks for your letter. It will be difficult to make Mother understand....... We believe she knows and understands, but get­ting words to come forth is an effort.... when she does talk, such as “Thank you for the kiss,” etc., it is only a few words at a time. She knows us apart and probably understands more than we realize.....

Enclosed is a check for furtherance of your good work. How interesting to see world affairs shaping up exactly as we were taught many years ago. Sister ------- brought the Truth to our Mother. We had a letter from her last week. She is now 92 years of age, but able to be up and about.

Our family is as usual and thankful for that, but most thankful that our mother loved the Truth and told us about it. She would send her love to you all if she could.

Sincerely, ------- (Ohio)