VOL. XVII. JANUARY 1, 1896. No. 1.

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CONTENTS.

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Special Items..................................... 2
Views From the Tower.............................. 3
The Earth Saw and Trembled........................ 5
Poem: Still Let Our Hallowed Altars
Burn........................................ 8
The One Thing Desirable........................... 8
Bible Study: The Forerunner of Christ............. 10
Bible Study: The Boy Jesus........................ 11
Bible Study: The Ministry of John the
Baptist..................................... 11
Bible Study: The Early Ministry of
Jesus....................................... 12

THIS JOURNAL AND ITS MISSION.

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THIS journal is set for the defence of the only true foundation of the Christian's hope now being so generally repudiated,--Redemption through the precious blood of "the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom [a corresponding price, a substitute] for all." (1 Pet. 1:19; 1 Tim. 2:6.) Building up on this sure foundation the gold, silver and precious stones (1 Cor. 3:11-15; 2 Pet. 1:5-11) of the Word of God, its further mission is to--"Make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery which...has been hid in God,...to the intent that now might be made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God"--"which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed."--Eph. 3:5-9,10.

It stands free from all parties, sects and creeds of men, while it seeks more and more to bring its every utterance into fullest subjection to the will of God in Christ, as expressed in the Holy Scriptures. It is thus free to declare boldly whatsoever the Lord hath spoken;--according to the divine wisdom granted unto us, to understand. Its attitude is not dogmatical, but confident; for we know whereof we affirm, treading with implicit faith upon the sure promises of God. It is held as a trust, to be used only in his service; hence our decisions relative to what may and what may not appear in its columns must be according to our judgment of his good pleasure, the teaching of his Word, for the upbuilding of his people in grace and knowledge. And we not only invite but urge our readers to prove all its utterances by the infallible Word to which reference is constantly made, to facilitate such testing.

TO US THE SCRIPTURES CLEARLY TEACH

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That the Church is "the Temple of the Living God"--peculiarly "His workmanship;" that its construction has been in progress throughout the Gospel age--ever since Christ became the world's Redeemer and the chief corner stone of this Temple, through which, when finished, God's blessings shall come "to all people," and they find access to him.--1 Cor. 3:16,17; Eph. 2:20-22; Gen. 28:14; Gal. 3:29.

That meantime the chiseling, shaping and polishing, of consecrated believers in Christ's atonement for sin, progresses; and when the last of these "living stones," "elect and precious," shall have been made ready, the great Master Workman will bring all together in the First Resurrection; and the Temple shall be filled with his glory, and be the meeting place between God and men throughout the Millennium.--Rev. 15:5-8.

That the Basis of Hope, for the Church and the World, lies in the fact that "Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man," "a ransom for all," and will be "the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world," "in due time."--Heb. 2:9; John 1:9; 1 Tim. 2:5,6.

That the Hope of the Church is that she may be like her Lord, "see him as he is," be "partaker of the divine nature," and share his glory as his joint-heir.--1 John 3:2; John 17:24; Rom. 8:17; 2 Pet. 1:4.

That the present mission of the Church is the perfecting of the saints for the future work of service; to develop in herself every grace; to be God's witness to the world; and to prepare to be the kings and priests of the next age.--Eph. 4:12; Matt. 24:14; Rev. 1:6; 20:6.

That the hope for the World lies in the blessings of knowledge and opportunity to be brought to all by Christ's Millennial Kingdom--the restitution of all that was lost in Adam, to all the willing and obedient, at the hands of their Redeemer and his glorified Church.--Acts 3:19-21; Isa. 35.

CHARLES T. RUSSELL, Editor; MRS. C. T. RUSSELL, Associate.

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
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TOWER PUBLISHING CO., BIBLE HOUSE, 58 & 60 ARCH ST.,
ALLEGHENY (NORTH PITTSBURG), PA., U.S.A.

SUBSCRIPTION PRICE, $1.00 A YEAR, IN ADVANCE,
INCLUDES A SUBSCRIPTION TO "THE OLD THEOLOGY TRACTS"--QUARTERLY.
MONEY MAY BE SENT BY EXPRESS, N.Y. DRAFT, MONEY ORDER,
OR REGISTERED. FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES BY FOREIGN
MONEY ORDERS, ONLY. SPECIAL TERMS TO THE LORD'S POOR, AS FOLLOWS:

Those of the interested, who by reason of old age or accident, or other adversity are unable to pay for the TOWER will be supplied FREE, if they will send a Postal Card each December, stating their case and requesting the paper.

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BY GIVING YOUR FULL ADDRESS at the head of each letter, you will save us much valuable time, and get your mail more promptly.

THANKS FOR PROMPTNESS.

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IN compliance with our request in last issue we are hearing from large numbers of TOWER readers. Thanks! We now ask consideration of the fact that our mails are very large, as an explanation for delays in answering, and for the brevity of our replies.

We greatly appreciate and enjoy your letters, being always specially pleased with those which acquaint us with your spiritual welfare. Please accept the WATCH TOWER articles as our responses; for, indeed, many of the subjects treated are suggested by your questions and evident needs.

A MUSICAL NUMBER.

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WE hope soon to issue a musical number of the TOWER. It will contain some strictly new pieces of vocal music, written specially for it, on the lines of our spiritual hopes and joys. You may expect it February 1.

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VOL. XVII. JANUARY 15, 1896. No. 2.

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CONTENTS.

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Special Items..................................... 14
Views From the Tower.............................. 15
Boast in the Lord................................. 17
Poem: The Promise................................. 20
Bible Study: The Power of Jesus................... 21
Bible Study: The Sermon on the
Mount....................................... 22
Bible Study: The Great Helper..................... 22
Into His Marvelous Light (Letters)................ 23

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
--ADDRESS TO--
TOWER PUBLISHING CO., BIBLE HOUSE, 58 & 60 ARCH ST.,
ALLEGHENY (NORTH PITTSBURG), PA., U.S.A.

SUBSCRIPTION PRICE, $1.00 A YEAR, IN ADVANCE,
INCLUDES A SUBSCRIPTION TO "THE OLD THEOLOGY TRACTS"--QUARTERLY.
MONEY MAY BE SENT BY EXPRESS, N.Y. DRAFT, MONEY ORDER,
OR REGISTERED. FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES BY FOREIGN
MONEY ORDERS, ONLY. SPECIAL TERMS TO THE LORD'S POOR, AS FOLLOWS:

Those of the interested, who by reason of old age or accident, or other adversity are unable to pay for the TOWER will be supplied FREE, if they will send a Postal Card each December, stating their case and requesting the paper.

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CHART DISCOURSES.

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THE Chart of the Ages is made a frontispiece to the first volume of MILLENNIAL DAWN, and is described by a chapter of said volume; but when, later, it was published separately, as a map mounted upon a spring roller (2 feet 6 in. x 5 feet), requests came in from every quarter for such amplified explanations as would enable friends of the truth to give comprehensive parlor talks from their wall charts. And it is to fill this requirement, and to enable many to tell the good tidings of great joy connectedly and systematically, that a little pamphlet has been published, giving three suggestive discourses upon the chart.

Many other discourses can profitably follow, and suggestions for some of them will be found in Chapters X., XI. and XII. of MILLENNIAL DAWN, VOL. I., and Chapter V. of VOL. II.

After interesting your friends or neighbors by the discourses on the chart, either loan or sell to them the volumes of MILLENNIAL DAWN and get them to reading, and follow this up with assistance upon points which may seem to them obscure. Next we advise a weekly gathering of such, as a "Dawn Circle for Bible Study." A method for conducting these very profitable meetings is suggested in ZION'S WATCH TOWER, Sept. 15, '95, and Dec. 1, '95.

The price of the above described pamphlet is ten cents.

These will be ready for mailing about Feb. 1. Orders will be filled in rotation as received. [page 14]

BINDERS FOR ZION'S WATCH TOWER.

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ALL those who preserve their TOWERS for future reference, should know that we supply the Emerson Patent Binders, stamped in gilt, at 60 cents each. They hold 864 pages, or three years' issues, which can be added as received, and thus kept clean.

YOUNG'S CONCORDANCE INDEX.

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THIS is of value only to the critical and scholarly, but very valuable to such. We have purchased the entire stock, so far as we are aware. Price 50 cents each. Some of them are soiled outwardly, and such we offer at half price, 25 cents each.

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