SOME INTERESTING LETTERS
PROSPEROUS MEETINGS IN GERMANY
DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:--
Brother and Sister Rutherford have just left for Zurich. The eight public meetings were quite a success:
Addresses recd.
Hamburg ....2,500; hundreds turned away............ 616
Berlin .....3,000; 500 of these in a second hall... 620
Dresden ....1,600; 750 turned away................. 700
Leipzig ....1,500; several hundred turned away..... 442
Elberfeld ..2,500; ................................ 740
Siegen ..... 800; 200 turned away................. 288
Coln .......2,000; several hundred turned away..... 346
Stuttgart ..4,000; ................................1,232
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17,900 4,984
Together with the 16,000 addresses received in the last few months in connection with my discourses this makes 21,000. We will do what we can to feed these through our few able Colporteurs. They all received a copious supply of literature. Where it seems impossible to canvass these addresses soon, we will send them a handsome little circular illustrating the volumes.
Surely, the hungry ones can have food for thought and heart! We are much encouraged.
We are having a local convention here today and another public meeting tomorrow evening. I will do all I can to encourage the friends in the work and to show them the great privilege of service.
With much love in the Lord, O. A. KOETITZ.
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THE WORK IN HUNGARIA
DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:--
The work in Hungary is much more difficult than in America, because the friends, with few exceptions, are very poor, and the work must be done on a much smaller scale. All would gladly work if they could find work to do. (This evidently refers to labor conditions.) We were obliged to give a number of the books free, and we were glad to be privileged thus to serve the Lord.
Last year I had 50,000 PEOPLES PULPITS and also 400 volumes of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES in Hungarian. These are all out now, and more are ordered.
There are at present forty-two small classes in various counties, in which we are received with gladness, and they rejoice with us in the revelation of Present Truth. The eleventh and twelfth of May we had a little convention, about 100 being present. How good and how pleasant it was to be there! (Psa. 133:1.) Some strangers were among us that gave evidence of being interested.
Seven brethren were elected as workers and servants of the Truth--Brother Kis, myself and five others. We have conventions semi-annually, and spend the time in building one another up and studying the Divine Plan. We rejoice in spirit with the brethren at a great distance, with whom we seldom come in contact. We had a baptism service, at which seventeen brethren and ten sisters symbolized their consecration into Christ's death. About 1,000 people were present at this service, even the police, and it was a blessing that they were there, for somebody wanted to create a disturbance, but the police quickly restored order. Praise the Lord!
We believe that none of these blinded men will be able to destroy the work of the Lord, but rather that all things will be done after the counsel of his own will. One of those who are now opposing the Truth was with us for two years and was very zealous in spreading the Truth; he gave up a paying position to be more fully used in the service, and because of his activities was cast out of the Baptist church. I received much help from him financially, and through his efforts I was privileged to lecture in the Baptist church. Now, however, he has turned against us.
There is great need at present for a brother who can speak both Roumanian and Hungarian, to help the friends and to aid in building them up to the full stature of a man. (Eph. 4:13.) Pray the Lord of the Harvest to send more laborers into the vineyard.--Matt. 9:37,38.
The pastors and priests of various denominations have sought to stop our work in a legal way. We were haled before the court. We have been able so far to defend our course. We hope also in the future to be able to hold high the Divine banner, going forth and following the living Captain of our faith, as well as his honored servant, our beloved Pastor C. T. Russell, and say with the Apostle Paul, "We are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ."
KARL SZABO.--Hungaria.
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SOBERNESS, DIGNITY, REVERENCE
DEAR BRETHREN:--
My attention was attracted by a peculiar little laugh that accompanied a brother's effort to lead a meeting. This "little" laugh kept up through all his talk, but seemed to be more pronounced when he seemed to feel he had given a "deep" thought, when he would "heh-hah, heh" in a very peculiar way. This was about three years ago. I have noticed it in different brethren and upon many occasions since, and more particularly during the past year. To me it seems very undignified and has got to where it is very disgusting to me. The serious thing about it is, it seems to be "catching," often involving several in the class, and the meeting is made peculiarly strange. Even with strong resistance I find myself indulging to my shame, sometimes. Even other brethren who seem to be more dignified and modest than I are often affected and I notice they seem to realize it. Those who practice it don't seem to realize it, but seem to use it as a kind of emphasis to what appears to them to be a very deep thought or explanation. __________.
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LITTLE POLISH CONVENTION
DEAR BRETHREN:--
Thinking that news of the welfare of the Polish friends would be gladly received, as well as of all of the saints, I desire to mention something of the results of our efforts to be built up in the most holy faith and in fellowship and in love.
The two classes of Polish friends (one in Milwaukee, Wis., and one in Chicago) arranged for a two-days' convention, or union meeting, which was held August 31 and September 1, 1913, in Kenosha, Wis., midway between the two localities. A program was arranged for, calling for nine discourses and two symposiums and a testimony meeting. Two of the discourses were for the public in the same hall; one, "The Plan of God," and the other, "Baptism." There were also symposiums on the "Fruits of the Spirit," and on the "Attributes of God." All the friends were much refreshed and encouraged to run on in the narrow way. A good time spiritually was had. It was hard for the friends to depart, and nearly all of the faces expressed a desire to continue the convention and special fellowship with God, for our Heavenly Father blessed our meeting wonderfully.
Arrangements were made for the giving of an opportunity, to those desiring, to symbolize their consecration unto death to do the Heavenly Father's will and to follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. There were twelve immersed, six brethren and six sisters. The immersion took place in the lake. Although the lake was quite rough, the friends, and especially the sisters, who would never venture into the water under other circumstances, went bravely and yet with a dignity that characterizes all immersion services of the true saints of God, showing under a picture their death with Christ. While the friends were being immersed the remainder stood on the shore and sang in Polish, spiritual songs prepared for the occasion, such as "Happy Day," and "Our Best Friend," to the tune No. 134 in the hymnal, and several others which made the service very impressive and [R5338 : page 319] upbuilding for the singers and the immersed ones. That moment of witnessing will be long remembered by all present. A love feast was arranged for on the order held at the general conventions of the I.B.S.A. After this all went back to their duties, filled with the Lord's Holy Spirit. Such a wonderful blessing was realized that it would be almost impossible not to say something about it.
Praying for further blessings on these and the saints of God everywhere and with Christian love, I am,
Your brother in the One Hope,
W. K.--Ill.