HIS WITNESSES

“Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen.”—Isaiah 43:10.

THESE words were spoken to those whom Isaiah foreshadowed. The time for their fulfillment is now. Those who respond to the Lord’s Invitation here have a special favor from him.

We can better understand the words of the text by considering them in connection with Isaiah’s vision as set forth in chapter 6 of his prophecy. Read carefully that chapter and then consider these lines.

Time

The vision was in the year that Uzziah the king died. Uzziah represented, we believe. the denominational churches which at. one time represented the Lord. Uzziah was rich and for a time ruled well; he was a great man. But self-conceit and arrogance led to his downfall. So it has been with the denominational churches.

Near the close of his reign King Uzziah insisted on offering incense in the temple, contrary to the law of God. for this offense he was stricken with leprosy and died. The denominational churches reached the zenith of their power about the beginning of 1919, when they repudiated the Lord and his kingdom and openly endorsed the League of Nations, the offering of Satan as a substitute for and as “the political expression of God’s kingdom on earth.” From that time forward they were stricken with leprosy and are dying.

The vision shows Isaiah in the temple; therefore it pictures the people of God this side the vail in relationship with the Lord, Sanctity through Activity

The vision shows Isaiah inactive; thus picturing the chureh during the year 1918 and part of 1919 in a condition of inactivity. Isaiah beholds the seraphim above the throne of the Lord, saying, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts.” The effect upon him was to cause him to cry out: “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” A seraph then took a coal of fire off the altar and purged Isaiah’s lips. This clearly shows that the impurity of the Isaiah class, to wit, the church, related to a message from the mouth which has not been delivered. In 1919 the temple class realized their inactivity. They came to a knowledge of the fact that the church had before that time been doing the work pictured by Elijah, and for the first time had a clear understanding that Elisha pictured another work which the church must do. They came to a knowledge in 1919 that the saints must deliver a message in behalf of the Lord as his witness to the nations.

The Willing and Responsive Delegated

In the temple Isaiah heard a voice saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah responds: “Here am I; send me.” So it has been with the faithful and earnest ones of the Lord since understanding the Elisha work. As good soldiers of the cross they have not asked the reason why, nor when, nor where, but have been wholly submissive to the Lord, saying, “Here am I, send me.” The message of the Lord tells them: ‘Go and tell the people that the King is present; that the kingdom is at hand; that Satan’s empire is under judgment; that the world has ended; and that millions now living will have the opportunity for everlasting life.’ The vision then shows that the leaders and the mighty men, the antitypical Pharisees and ilieir close allies, will “hear, but understand not.”

Nominal Christians Challenged —

“Are You or Not ?”

For centuries Satan has blinded the people to the great divine truths. Now the time has come for them to have their eyes opened. And so God’s prophet, speaking to the antitypical class, the new creation, this side the vail says “Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.” In other words, bring the message to those who have been blinded and made deaf but who now have the desire to see and to know. Then the Lord directs his people to issue a challenge to the Babylonish systems that have claimed that they can bring peace and prosperity and life and happiness to the peoples. The challenge is couched In these words: “Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say. It is the truth.” Then says the prophet of God: "Ye are my witnesses, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there Is no savior ....

I will work, and who shall hinder?”—Isaiah 43:9-11, 13,

Faithful Fulfil Divine Purpose

Clearly here the consecrated, spirit-begotten, anointed ones are designated as the Lord’s witnesses at this time; and they are called upon to challenge the world and all of the devil's organizations to make proof of their contention or else to keep silence and hear the witnesses concerning the Lord’s kingdom. Without question this witness must be given. It will have to be given persistently and under adverse conditions. Jesus says: “He that endureth to the end shall be saved.”

By the Scriptures we see that God now intends to have a people on the earth in this time of stress and clearly marked as separate and distinct from all others, who shall stand forth as his witnesses and fearlessly give out the message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand; the King is here; millions now living will never die.’

The Elijah work, done by the church from 1874 until 1918, is more particularly related to the restoration of the great fundamental truths which had long been hidden under the debris of human traditions. The Elisha work, since 1919, more particularly relates to a proclamation of the great truths against Babylon, against Satan's empire, and the announcing of the presence of the King and the establishment of his kingdom and the blessings to follow.

How Long Shall We Witness?

Some of the Lord’s dear saints are inclined to become weary and to think they must cease giving forth this message, and that it is useless to do more. Let all such remember the words of the Apostle: “Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we relax not.” (Galatians 6:9, Diaglott) When asked, then, how long we shall continue this work, the Lord answers: “Until the cities [the devil’s organization, his systems and his offspring] be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate.” In other words, the message must continue to be Rive:, :. the faithful ones until Babylon’s walls i mble to the ground. Let his people therel'f.i: continue to march about her and “shoot sit her, spare no arrows. . . . Shout against her round about.” (Jeremiah 50:14, 15) The Lord Jesus corroborates this when he says: “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world as a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

There is nobody to do tins work except the new creation. The question with each one who reads these lines is this: Am I of the new creation? Am I one of those begotten and anointed ones who are willing and anxious to be faithful and true witnesses to the Lord?

The Honor of All Hu Saint*

For six thousand years Jehovah has been preparing for the very hour in which we are living. He has been developing his plan and preparing for the final overthrow of Satan and his empire. Since 1914 the King of glory has been exercising his great power and is reigning. Let every one of his saints, then, who, having had his lips cleansed, sends forth this message, do it with all the power and force with which he is endowed by the Lord. The importance of the message of the kingdom cannot be overestimated. Let the voice of the Lord speaking through the Prophet ring out in our ears: “Ye are my witnesses, and my servant whom I have chosen.” Remember that this witness can be given both by word of mouth and by the printed page, particularly the latter way.

Days of World-wide Concerted Effort

October 29, 1922, is again set fot a worldwide witness and drive. Let all the classes prepare for one good meeting in their vicinity at that time, and devote the remainder of their energy in making a special drive to put out the message contained in the books.

On December 10, 1922, will be another world-wide drive. Let similar action then be taken. Do not become weary in well-doing. Be brave; be fearless; be courageous. Let love be the motive, and keep in mind the great honor of representing the Lord and establishing in the minds of the people that Jehovah is God, and that Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords, and that his kingdom is now taking its place for the blessing of mankind. Let each one do his duty as a valiant soldier of the cross. Onward, Christian soldiers! Relax not your hand nor your zeal.

Quiz Cards Made Sale

“The other week while working in H____________

I canvassed a man who bought the Combination and the Harp Course. He said that he did not have the money to spare, but was going to get them anyway. His wife had been sick so much that their hospital and doctor bill was about to break them up. After he had made the purchase he asked me whether we had been in a section below there. When I answered in the affirmative, he said that he had been delivering cards to several down there (he Is a mail carrier) and had become much interested by the questions.

“The next day I saw a man to whom I had tried to sell at another place some time previous. He remarked that when I had called, upon him he told me he did not read much, but said that his neighbors had bought and he was reading and very much enjoyed the-books. His wife’s only objection to the books was that neither she nor the children could get anything out of him when he got the books; for then he was like a setting hen.

“We see more results from the books now than ever before, and rejoice in the great privilege of helping to enlighten the world and of tearing down Satan’s house.”—Jfiss.

Sales That Assure Knowledge

“I have never enjoyed the colporteur work more than during the last six weeks. The Harp work surely is the best of all. Have worked all but the north side of B............,

where the well-to-do people live, but I cannot stay to finish. Have placed 230 Harp Courses in the city since March 25.”—Minn.

Purchased with Meagre Savings

“We are having great blessings. In three instances the people I called upon emptied their purses and penny banks, and one of them yesterday paid part of the price in postage stamps, so eager was she to get the Habp. Of course there is opposition; but we expect that, as the ministers are bitter, and some, at least, of their people still believe in them .... We find the Quiz cards a great help in the sale of the book.”—N. 7.

Joys Obtainable Thru Experience Only

“Have just finished H........ and rural dis

tricts, and in just eight days’ work we took orders for and delivered over 275 books. The population is given as 2, 500 ( 500 families), which means that a good percentage of the people purchased the books; this, too, in spite of the town having a decidedly Catholic majority. Our delivery was over 100 percent, as we delivered the books in some homes where we had taken no orders, but where the people had heard of the subject and desired to investigate it. Not one order was canceled.

“We are glad to place the truth in so many homes. But this is not our only cause for rejoicing; for we find the work of grace progressing so grandly in our own hearts through the experiences we receive each day hi the work. Surely the lot of a colporteur is a happy one .... If the unencumbered brethren and sisters could only experience the joys and blessedness of a colporteur’s life, the colporteur list would so expand as to require additional help at the Head Office to handle the increased work.”—Mich.

Worth Trying Out

“We have certainly been blessed by our Lord In service. He is a wonderful paymaster; and If more of the friends only knew they would not be anywhere else than in his direct service.”—Calif.

Course Placed Set of Studies

“A lady who has read the Combination is just completing the Habp Course. I also sold her the six volumes of Scbiptube Studies. She expressed herself as greatly interested in the Coubse. The Self-Quiz cards she says she intends to keep and to continue going over. . . This lady is a very active ‘Pastor’s Assistant’.”— Calif.

Mourning—Brokenhearted—Comforted

“I sold the volumes In a home where the man was a cripple, having but one arm. Shortly before this his little son, eight years old, had been shot and killed by a playmate. He and his wife read and accepted everything as fast as they came to it. They also talked it, and he lost his position. Then another baby came, and the wife lost her eyesight. They have one other child, and are now destitute. I had failed to keep in touch with them, and only a few days ago learned of their distress. When I called they told me .that If it were not for the hope held out in the volumes they would have taken morphine and gone to sleep, as that seemed better than seeing the children starve. But always when that thought would come they would remember things which I had told them; and they said even in their extremity they would not take one hundred dollars for the books, if that meant doing without them. The wife has made a complete consecration, as far as I can determine. They were Catholic. .

“I thank my God daily for the wonderful experiences I am having and for the blessings which he is bestowing upon me; and I am thankful to have even a small share in the auxiliary colporteur service.”—Ore.

By his grace we are,

Your brethren and co-laborers in the Lord.

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