The Watchtower Society and John and Morton Edgar - A2Z.org

JULY 15, IQOY ZION'S WATCH TOWER (214.215)Sunday waa the principal day of the emvention--someattending just for that day, and very cheap excursions prevailing.The opening hour was devoted to praiee and testimony,md then Brother Barton epoke on "Spiritual Bickneases: their Causes and their Cure." The correspondenqbetween the two kinds of sickness was graphically &own, andcures for the spiritual ailments suggested. It was thoroughlyenjoyed.In the afternoon the public service of the Convention drewthe largest attendan~stimated at from 1,500 to 2,500. Thetopic was, "The Overthrow of Batanla Empire,?' and BrotherRuesell was the speaker. The audience gave close attentionfor nearly two hours.Sunday evening closed the Convention for many who couldnot remau longer. It was a "love feast." Eight differentspeakers diseusaed love from variom standpoints (1) Thelove of God. (2) The love of Christ. (3) Love for the Fatherand the Son. (4) Love of the brethren. (5) Love in thehome. (6) Love for our neighbora (7) Love for mu enemies.(8) Love the greatest of all gifte. Brothers C. A. Owen,W. H. Lewellen, C. A. Wise, Q. Draper, J. P. Martin, ff. B.Raymond, L. W. Jones and 8. J. Arnold were the speakers.Then came one of the most interesting acenes. The friendsfled np and down between the ranks of the viritiug Pilgrims,local Elders and Colporteurs, mnging, greeting and partakingof the broken loavea of bread held by Pltgrims Em, Barton,McPhail Sullivan and Draper. Mmy wept for joy, whilesome *~laa.Monday was Colporteur day, but this did not make it aday of leas interest to aU the dear friends of the troth. About400 were in attendance, about one-fourth of whom were Colporteursand intending Colporteurs. Brother Russell addreadthem for an hour on "Our hba8sadorehip"-dhowing thevalue of the time of all who have consecrated their all todivine service. He showed that the British Ambassador'sservices are valued by his government at $60,000 per year ormore thau $20 for every fifteen minutes of an eight-hour day,and that oar services are valued by our still greakr governmentat a still higher valuation. He aaid that he did not wish tostimulate the self-esteem of the Lozd'a people, for that wouldspoil them for any part in the Lord'a favor and service; buthe did wish them to awaken to the value of their office as"ambassadore for God," so that each might strive daily to"redeem the timeu from worldly, social, business and familyMairs to be used in joyful service to the honor of our king.He pointed out that this redeeming or buying back of ourtime from the oares of tbis life does not mean the neglect ofduty, but the wise ordering of life's interests so that no timewill be wasted in frivolities and extravagances, after the mannerof the worldly, who are notand have nosuch message to deliver by word and pen and printed pageand living epistle.In the afternoon Brother Cole gave some mlnable instructionsrespecting the necessity of method in successful colporteuring.He graphically illustrated the proper methods ofwork, showing how the bicycle can be a valuable aid in delivering,and exhibiting attachments by which 60 books can bccarried without inconvenience. Then followed assignments ofterritory--many new Colporteurs forming partnerships andentering the work in pairs.The laat session in the evening was a colporteur testimonymeeting and was replete with precious experiences of the joy9of the service and appreciation of the pririlege of self-dcninlsin the cause we love. The testimony of several was to theeffect that they had seen more fruitage to their labors in thepast aix months than during several years preceding-anevidence possibly of what may be generally expected in everybranch of the service for a little while. The zeal of the Colporteursseems to be increasing, too.REPORT OF THE LONDON CONVENTIONDEAR BROTHERUSSELL :- was spent in praise and testimony, and in listening to ad-AS probably you know the month of May is in this ccmntrp dresees by Brother Edger and Brother Williamson; their topthetime when most of the religious or@zations and soei- ics were, respectively, " Rest and Restitution" and "The Diet&have their yearly London maetinga and thep are known vine Plan Revealed in God's Attribute&" On Monday 58as itMay meetinga," The London Convention just pa& wag brethren (30 brotbers and 28 aistem) symbolized their conseaMay meeting for us, and was a grand time of refreshment cration %y immersion. We praised the Lord for them, andfrom the presence of the Lord. There were more visitors prayed for them and for oumelves, that we all may be keptand more friends of the truth than at my previous convention the grace of and that we may be ~Cmnnted worthyin this country, and, accordingly, there vas more of the holy to stand in our lot. In the afternoon Brother Johnston apokespirit of love manifested; indeed, the Convention was a grand of the "Feasts of the Lord," and in the evenine Brothertestimony to the increase of the harvest work, and of the Edgar eve the addreas already referred to. Earlier in thegrowth m grace and knowledge of tbow who are walking in afternoon Brother Williamson spoke of the nerd of laborersthe light now given to the consecrated. How we wished that in the harvest field, and many who wished to We some P&all the Lord's children were sharing with us in the thing onr in the Colporteur work simified their intention to ahape theirMaat= now Bpreading before us1 It was good to be there; affairs to assist them to that end. We how the dear brethrenthe light of heaven shone in the faces of the brethren, and the will use mch opportunities the Lord shall permit them tojoy of the Lord seamed to fill each heart. Yet there seemed, have, for there is verg mnch yet to be done before the fieldat least to the writer, to be more ~olempity. Probably the is gone over. Tuesday brought us a very helpful address fromdearer realization of the end of the harvest, and the need for Brother TVilliamson on the nee~sity of embroidering our garcleansing from all defilement of the flesh and spirit were ment with faith, fortitude, love: and an nddress by Brothereffectual to this. From first to laat them was a tiwaiting Hemev on "Christ, a PrieRt after the Order of Melchiiedec."upon the Lord,'? and our expectations we* more than filled. The dosing of the Convention was one of its most impressiveThis tirne the Convention was held in the heart of the features. We asked Brother Williamson to give us an illuscity,in a fine hall attached to the Cannon St, Railway hotel tration of the "good-bye" aaid in the American conventions.The hall usually seats over 800, but would at pressure hold In this way, instead of merely sin@g a good-b~e, we Sang1,000. ~t proved just convenient aim for us, but gave us it and spoke it to each other. One lady who came to that lastlittle liberty for advertiaing. Perhaps the largest number meeting eo taken the spirit of it that she, too m epresent would be 850, when Brother Edgar gave an aad=ss round with the brethren to shake hands with the speakers andon 11 Where are the Dead? fl The averwe number of brethren elders of the meetings represented. Afterwards she aaid itand frien& and partly interested would be 500-600. 1 remem- was all so unusual she could hardly understand it; she said,ber that when you were here in 1903 and we were lookin at 'rsurel~ the Millennium has b~ in Yon people," and wethe room for the first meeting, a room which would fold assured her that just the me-400 at a crush, I said I was afraid it would be too small. You Before the final parting a meaaage of love was sent tosaid you would be surprised if that should be the case. The you, dear brother, and the meeting sroae to eignif? its wilroom was well filled, though. When you come next year, it to have the message sent. We all wish your mpintnal prostheLord will, I think the fie hall we have just had may be perity, and pray that grace and strength abnndant may betoo small. 80 much is the Lord blessing his work, and for yonre.eo much we praise him1"As the mountains are round about Jernsalem, so theThe Convention was opened by a welcome from Brother Lord is round ahout his people from henceforth even for-Hemery and a word from Brother Williamson as your repre- coer."-Pm. 135:2,santatives-Brother Williamson in a more personal sense asComing directly from You. Brother J. nag then gave an I am, dear Brother Russell, your6 in his grace,address, "Jehovah's Suffering Servant," and later, BrotherHemery gave a talk on the "Songs of Degrees." Sunday J. HEMERV,t40271