Ismah

ARE you tiro a child of the King? Are you a soldier in his jinny? If so, you have a commission to . do certain , things. Happy is the man or the woman who holds such n commission. The "Words of the commission open thus: '‘Tilt spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me” to do so and so.

.And what is there for me Io do? .

Longing for the King, yet Fearful

In nominal Christendom there are millions of people who love order and peace and. righteousness, but who tire held in restraint because of fear of the beastly order of things and who are therefore much in distress. The World War brought sorrow to millions of them, and the wickedness of man has made countless millions mourn. They mark- the death of their loved ones.; and although they have claimed to be following the Lord; they see nothing but sorrow and death before them.

The members of the Lord’s specially anointed, however, have u certain duty to perform toward this great host of sorrow* ing ones, and their duty is pointed out in the commission given by God through the prophet thus: . 'To give unto them that mourn in Zion beauty for ashes.’ Ashes are a symbol of sorrow and death. It is the privilege and duty, then, of the followers of Christ Jesus to take away these ashes of mourning from the people and show to them the Ijeauties of idle kingdom, the res-* urrection of the dead, and the blessings that, will come with the reign of Messiah.

Comfort Jehovah Designed for Mankind

All over, the earth the. creation groans in pain, greatly desiring and praying for deliverance., They arc mourning because of their plight and miserable condition. The Lord has commissioned his faithful ones to' give to these the oil of joy for mourning. Tins means that it. is our duty to bring to the knowledge of these people that which will take away their mourning and fill their hearts vrtih joy. They have the spirit of heaviness. They have lost iiope. Our privilege is to dispel this darkness and heaviness and to clothe them with the garment of ' praise.

• 'This can be done by none others save those who have the message of the Lord. T'he purpose of thus doing is plainly pointed out by the Proptjet; "That they [these (billions | might be called trees of * righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified," A green tree is a symbol of life. Trees of righteousness, then, would mean the granting of an opportunity for life to the millions of the earth; and those who receive the message and obey it shall thus be planted by the laird and will be a glory to his name. This is another way of stating the message that the kingdom of heaven is hftre, and that those who hear and obey this message of the kingdom will live forever and will not die.

Instructors in Righteousness

The Lord has graciously armed his people with the message, put into such form that it may be used to give heauty instead of ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of heaviness. This message of comfort from God's Word is truly called his harp; for it is a harmonious statement of the divine plan. Now the Lord has provided “The Harp of God,” the book stating in plain phrase the salient features of the divine plan, which when read kt connection with the Bible brings joy to the sad and Jieaee to the troubled mind,

"Greater JForAs than These"

The responsibility of carrying this message rests upon those who are begotten and anointed of the holy spirit. It is plainly sei. forth here by the Lord’s prophet that the one purpose of the anointing is that this message shall be given. In times past the angels of heaven have been used for some specific purpose in bringing comfort to individuals; but the angels have never enjoyed the privilege of taking the message of the kingdom to great numbers of people. The honor conferred upon the consecrated and anointed ones of the Lord is therefore second to none that has ever been given to any creature aside from the Lord Jesus.

Satan’s Opposition Particularly in

Workers’ Ranks

And while this is due to be done anil is being done, Satan is marshaling all of his forces anti lodging them against the people uf the Lord to overthrow some by one method and some by another. It is his last desperate attempt to control mankind. But w& know .it will fail. Let each one, then, who has this commission avail himself or herself of the opportunity now to press on in the battle, seizing every possible opportunity to put into the hands of the sad, mournful, distressed ones of humanity the word of consolation which the Lord has given unto them to carry to the world.

A Great and Important Work

This privilege and honor should not bring heartiness to any one; but on the contrary should cause us to walk with fear and trembling before the Lord, being always anxious to do that which pleases him. Let us remember that his work does not. depend upon us, but that our salvation depends upon our faithful performance of the work that has been committed to us. Let us further keep in mind that we are the roprft; sentatives of his kingdom; and as such it is our privilege to make, known the fact that lie is here; that his kingdom is at hand; that the old world is done; that God’s vengeance is upon the devil’s order; and that soon the old heavens and the old earth will completely pass away and be succeeded by the new heavens and earth, and that millions now living, if obedient to righteous, .will continue to live forever, •

This is the business of the King. If we are the King’s, members of his army, his business is our business; and blessed is our privilege to have a part in his work.

Travelers’ Opportunities.

“Yesterday morning I went out of P---

to v.nrk for the first time. The train I took to C--(ten miles from P----) stops in

P---twenty minutes for breakfast. I im

mediately boarded the train and began to hand out copies of GA No. <19 and to tell the message. I went back to iriy seat to get another supply of GA’s and just then the Christian minister came in and said: ‘Good morning. Are you leaving town for good?’ I. said: ‘I am on my way to C---- to tell the

people there that there are millions of people living who will never die.’ He sat down beside me.

“On my way to C---- peopie uv_b<,H

gather around to hear me talk. He was getting pretty uneasy and never said a word. Soon a nmn tapped me on the shoulder and said: ‘Lady, there’s a gentleman In the back end of the car who cannot bear all you are saying and wants you to come back there and talk.’ The minister hopped up and said, ‘He can come down here and have my place,’ at the same time making his way to the brick of the car like a bolt of lightning. Well, when I started to get off at C----> many said: ‘Oh, don’t leave the

car now; we want to hear you talk more.’ I expressed my- regrets at having to leave them, selling one Hasp, one Millions, and giving them all a GA with my name and address, telling them to write. Many went to the opposite side of the car to wave me Goodbye as I Stood on the platform when the train pulled out. ... I worked four and one-half hours and sold six Haups. I was told many times before I went to C----,

'You'll not sell anything there; persecution is too rife.-’ It will take another day to finish C——, but I ran out of Harps and am clear out now; did not know I was so short of books.’’—-Kans.

Memoir of a Week's Service

“One day recently I found two ladies a few doors apart who were much interested, but who said they would not have the money until the first of the month. I left the book with them and when I called back I found they were sisters. Both were enjoying the Harp aud will get the set of Studies soon. One of them said that she gets up a little earlier in the morning to read, as she is very busy, blit finds a new interest in life since the day 1 called aud explained some of rhe things that have so long puzzled her. . . . Indeed, this Is the .greatest of all work.

“I met it lady who had manifested much interest at the time I sold the hooks to her. and she told me she had been wondering about our meetings. She went with me that evening to the beginners’ meeting here, where twenty were in attendance, fifteen of whom were hearing these things for the first, time. . . . This seems To be one of the ways

meetings begin, without effort on our part as soon as the people are ready for them, as the other; one started just that way.”

"A lady said she did not want to buy the books without first consulting a friend of hers. . , . Next time I called the friend was there, and bought Combination, Harp, and Scenario. The husband of the first lady was home that day, and listened to what wns said. Later on a note was sent me requesting that I call for the books, as they were not what she had thought they were. I told her that I believed she had a great responsibility as an unusually good student of the Bible to show me wherein the books were not In harmony with the Bible, and that I would at least expect her- to show me where they -were unscriptural. Sin? answered that they were Scriptural, but that they- were Russell’s teachings, and of course he didn’t believe in hell. So when I told her lie wrote more concerning hell than any other religious writer, she was perplexed; and when I explained the Bible interpretation to the other, lady the next time I called (which explanation I purposely withheld while her friend was there), she wanted the books and said that she would read them without telling her friend, as what we believe seems so much more reasonable.”

. “Another who intended going to a Christian Science testimony meeting one evening decided to stay at home anti rest artti have the Harp read to her. Next time I called she said Hint she believed the Lord sent me on time, as this is so much marc reasonable, and. that she just loves the Harp, us it is so clear and easy to understand. I loaned ti Harp to one of Dr. Haldeman's congregation, requesting that she help me ■see wherein these books were unscriptural, remarking that she had advantages of education greater than mine ami thus had responsibility as u Christian lo do so. She suggested that I read Dr. Haldeman's criticism of Pastor Russell. This I told her I had already become .familiar with, bat so far had only been more fully convinced that these interpretations were the correct ones.”

.      —J.

Three Complete Sets of Studies

Many engpurfj"[;;g _ctl'ns and interest manifest in connection with the Harp Bible Study Course. Was fileased to be able to place three full sets of Scrspturb Studies last week in homes where the inmates were just completing the Course and also to take orders for two more sets.”—Calif.

Results of Previous Work

“The people seem more anxions to hear the truth now than ever before. Three out of four that I call on who have the Combination take the Habp Study Course. One lady on' whom I called gladly accepted It, and came the next Sunday to the Harp study. Interest in the Habp In my home Is Increasing. One Catholic lady said that since childhood she had been longing for the 11 ght .... The walls of the convent could not keep her from thinking. Four dear souls. (Catholic) in my territory of late, by the aid of some of Hie 1, B. S. A, literature, see that God is love.”—Tei.

Harp Bible Study Results

“This morning a lady told me that she had learned more in the little she had read in the Habp than she ever did in Sunday School. She had an idea that when I called again she would be expected to answer to me all the questions on the cards, and said she knew she couldn’t, but that she had memorized the “strings” of the Harp ... . She is breaking a previous engagement to come to a chart talk this evening, and seems very desirous, of learning more.

Another young lady says that the Habp is more interesting to her now than Action, and that it is the first religious hook she has ever become interested in, chiefly because of Its simplicity. The father of the same lady says that he had prayed for the dead all of his life until he read in the Habp that the dead are unconscious. Now he has changed his prayer .... Another lady said that she never would buy it on its looks, as she would think the Irish got it up; but she readily bought, it after I explained that it was green for the same reason that we hang green wreaths at Christmas time.”

“I am working among the more wealthy and find greater interest among them than I ever found before. Many of them express appreciation of the beauty of the language used in the Harp. . . . My partner . . . came to a knowledge of the truth as recently as o December 11, and started working in her home territory about six weeks ago. It was hard to call on those who had been, her best friends ; and one call in particular she asked, jjie to make, but finally decided she would go, The lady on whom she called bought' the Combination. In the evening the daughter called and found our new sister so much happier than when in the world that she became interested, and asked questions; then she bought the Harp. Last week fourteen of the relatives of the two girls heard a chart talk in the home, and I have never seen-keener interest than they are taking.”—A^T. J-

Best Results in Own Town

"Just a few words which may he encouraging to yon: Last Thursday I made three back calls where the Habp Course had expired, and two ordered complete sets of Studies in the Scriptures. The other lady, though interested, eouid not buy at present hut she may later. I find that I-have the best results in my own town. I was very much blessed and encouraged to see what results the circulation of the Habp Course is bringing.”—-Pa.

Purchaser Sold Six Books

“It is such a joy to watch the progress of some who. are newly interested. They need care and attention from time to time, and I find my heart going out to them in loving sympathy and interest .... One day in canvassing I found a Christian Scientist who bought the Millions book and the TD, and . we had a little talk. T asked her whether T might leave my bag of books at her place until I came again, and said, laughingly, ‘You can sell some If you have au opportunity.’ The first time I went back she had sold two Millions and one Habp; and she herself took the Harp. The next time she had sold three' Millions, and took a Scenario for herself. She said quite seriously, ‘Now, you’d better bring me some, more of the Millions books. I can sell them easier than anything’—jnst as if it were a matter of course that she was to continue to sell them. In the meantime she is reading the Harp, and I have a little talk with her each time I see her.”—N. F.

Watch Tower Bible and Trad Society