ZION'S WATCH TOWER

AND

HERALD OF CHRIST'S PRESENCE.

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PUBLISHED TWICE A MONTH.

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TOWER PUBLISHING COMPANY,
"BIBLE HOUSE"
ARCH STREET, ALLEGHENY, PA., U.S.A.

C. T. RUSSELL, EDITOR.

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SUBSCRIPTION PRICE $1.00 A YEAR, IN ADVANCE,
(INCLUDES ALSO A SUBSCRIPTION TO TWO COPIES
OF OLD THEOLOGY TRACTS QUARTERLY)

FREE TO THE LORD'S POOR.

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

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PROVIDING FOR COLPORTEURS' EXPENSES.

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"GO YE ALSO INTO THE VINEYARD."

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During the Colporteurs' Meetings which followed the regular meetings of the recent Convention, some of the older and more experienced Colporteurs made the suggestion that hereafter all colporteurs be authorized to sell the MILLENNIAL DAWN series of books at Thirty-five cents per volume, or three volumes for One Dollar--explaining to any who might notice and inquire, that the books could be had at Twenty-five cents each if they chose to send to the Allegheny office; but that the Colporteurs are allowed to charge the ten cents to cover their additional expense connected with delivering the books. With the consent of the office several had tried the higher price plan and the results had been highly satisfactory: they had sold about as many as at Twenty-five cents.

The object of the suggestion on the part of those proposing the higher price was not money-getting, but a desire to forward the work. While they are able to meet their traveling and living expenses and a little more at twenty-five cents, they well know that many others cannot do so on account of being less successful salesmen, or of having encumbrances in the way of family duties and expenses. Indeed, the plan proposed is that all who can do so shall return to the Lord's treasury all that can be spared from their actual expenses, that it may assist in the general work of spreading the Truth, to which all of our lives are consecrated.

We requested all the Colporteurs present at the meeting to make a trial of the Thirty-five cent rate for one week, and then to report their success or failure. And the reports turned in confirm the view of the suggesters, that the additional ten cents will be no hindrance; but that people concede that a book of 350 pages on good paper is cheap at 35 cents--or over 1100 pages for $1.00. As a consequence we have decided on this change.

There are at present about forty Colporteurs, and we trust that the new price will soon double the number; for quite a number who started and were unable to fully meet expenses, and who got deeply in debt to the Tract Society at the twenty-five cent rate, will now be able to meet their expenses and perhaps a little more. Thus the cause of the Lord will, we trust, be prospered by the new arrangement. It is not the thought to attract worldly people into the work of selling Dawn. We desire only such as engage in the work as ministers of the gospel, and from the conviction that what they are presenting is the Truth, and in no other manner can they so fully and faithfully serve the Lord and his people. We do not know of one now in the colporteur work merely as a business: all are doing what they can as unto the Lord. We know of several who could earn nearly or quite a thousand dollars a year in other occupations, who gladly give their all for the Truth for the mere necessities of food and clothing; and one at present getting two thousand dollars a year is about to leave it and engage his time and talents in the Lord's service. He has already tried it and finds that he can make expenses, and seeks nothing more.

COLPORTEURS' RATES ON MILLENNIAL DAWN
IN PAPER COVERS.

Single copies delivered by colporteurs, 35 cents.

Three " " " " $1.00.

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Single copies by mail from the office, 25 cents.

Five (or multiples of five, 10, 20, 40,
etc.) copies of any one volume by mail,
post-paid to one address, each, . . . 15 "

Five copies or more of any volume by
express or freight at colporteur's charges, 12-1/2 "

As a result of this arrangement we hope soon to hear of many ready and glad to give all their time to the work. The Master, the Chief Reaper, saith, "He that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto everlasting life."

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The DAWNS in the German language are now under the full control of Brother Zech, and all orders for them should be addressed to-- Otto von Zech, Euclid Ave., Allegheny, Pa.

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STUDIES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

--INTERNATIONAL S.S. LESSONS.--

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS DESIGNED TO ASSIST THOSE OF OUR
READERS WHO ATTEND BIBLE CLASSES, WHERE THESE
LESSONS ARE USED; THAT THEY MAY BE ENABLED TO
LEAD OTHERS INTO THE FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL.
PUBLISHED IN ADVANCE, AT THE REQUEST OF FOREIGN READERS.

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[R1414 : page 189]

MESSIAH'S REIGN.

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II. QUAR., LESSON XIII., JUNE 26, PSALM 72:1-19.

Golden Text--"All kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him."--Psa. 72:11.

In Acts 3:19-21we read that "Times of refreshing shall come from the presence [Greek, prosopon--face or countenance] of the Lord [Jehovah--from his favor, as indicated by the figure of his face turned toward us]; and [at this appointed time of refreshing] he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you; whom the heaven must retain until the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets, since the world began."

This is a very sweeping declaration of God's benevolent purpose toward the whole world, whom he so loved that he gave his only begotten Son to accomplish their redemption. Having thus at great cost redeemed them from the power of the grave, he here tells of a fixed, appointed time wherein it is his purpose to give to men the blessings thus legally secured for them through Christ, and bids us note the fact that this glorious time of blessing is the inspiring theme of every one of his true prophets.

The psalm chosen for this lesson is one of those blessed prophecies which tells us of the glorious reign of the risen and "highly exalted" Son of God, whose coming presence shall be "like rain upon the mown grass, and as showers that water the earth"--"times of refreshing," truly.

How wide shall be his dominion? Oh, says the Psalmist, "He shall have dominion from [R1415 : page 189] sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth." (Verse 8.) Yes, "As truly as I live," saith the Lord, "the whole earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord." [Mark! this earth: it is not heaven that is here spoken of, though the heavens too, are, and shall be yet more, filled with his glory.]

What shall become of the present kings and potentates of earth when the Lord thus begins his reign? And how will the nations receive him? The Psalmist answers (verse 11) that "all kings shall fall down before him, and all nations shall serve him."

But will none oppose him, or endeavor to withstand his power? Oh! yes: he will have enemies and meet with the determined opposition of the present ruling powers, but it is written again (verses 4,9) that he shall break in pieces the oppressor (that he will destroy all oppressive systems and institutions), and that "his enemies [those who after full knowledge oppose Christ's Kingdom and laws] shall lick the dust" --be destroyed. And as evidence of his glorious triumph and his conquest of even the hearts of his subjects, it is written that the kings (the prominent and influential among men) will bring presents and offer gifts to manifest their loyalty to the new government; that eventually "all nations shall call him blessed;" and that even "they that dwell in the wilderness [the nations beyond the pale of Christendom and all the half-civilized and savage tribes] shall bow before him."--Verses 10,17.

What will be the characteristics of his reign which will thus captivate the hearts of men and bind them in loving loyalty to the new king? The chief characteristic of his reign will be that justice will be established in the earth--that by strong and severe measures it will at first be secured, and that afterward it will be maintained and exercised with vigor and abundant success. Although the "iron rod" of justice will at first dash the nations to pieces as a potter's vessel and break in pieces every system and device of oppression (verse 4)--civil, social, financial and religious--yet, like a magnet, it will afterward gather up the broken fragments (the individuals that composed those nations and systems) and bind them together in a stronger, firmer bond of righteousness and peace which shall never be broken.

Thus it is written (verse 2), "He shall judge for thy people with righteousness, and for thy afflicted with justice;" (verse 3), "The mountains [new ruling powers of Christ's kingdom] shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills [--the tributary powers under the main government--shall also be agencies of blessing and peace] through righteousness."

Verse 4--"He shall judge the afflicted of the people, he shall give help to the children of the needy; but he shall crush the oppressor."

Verse 7--"In his days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace (shall be) so long as the moon endureth."

Verses 12-14--"He will deliver the needy when he crieth; the afflicted also who hath no helper. He will spare the poor and needy; [R1415 : page 190] and the souls of the needy will he assist. From wrong and violence will he deliver their soul; and precious shall their blood [lives] be in his sight.

As a result of this blessed reign of righteousness, not only will justice and peace be established in the earth, but a great abundance of blessings from the King shall follow as the rewards of righteousness, as it is written (verse 16): "There shall be an abundance of corn in the land; upon the top of the mountains [as a blessing from the King] its fruit shall shake like [the trees of] Lebanon: and they of the city [the subjects of this government--a city being a symbol of a government] shall flourish like grass of the earth."

When men come to realize these blessings and to recognize the righteous authority by which they are secured to them, what wonder if many of their hearts are won, and their loyalty evinced by hearty co-operation, as indicated by verses 10,11,17! Truly, in view of all that the prophets have to say of the blessed times of refreshing under the reign of Christ, we see the force of the Psalmist's joyful expression: "He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth."--Verse 6. "His name shall be as of a son continuing his father's name forever; it shall increase as the sun [as the sun's brightness increases to full noon-day glory, so shall the honor of Messiah grow brighter and brighter as the mists and gloom of sin are driven away]. Men shall bless themselves through him [they shall wash their robes, but it will be in and by the blood of the Lamb that this opportunity for cleansing shall come to them] and all people shall honor him."

The general blessed results of the Millennial age are portrayed in this prophecy--those who shall "lick the dust" being treated as exceptions. And surely the grand outcome of God's plan, when Christ shall have put all enemies under his feet and shall have fully restored all the willing and obedient, is cause enough for every one who realizes it to join with the Prophet in the glad shout with which he closes this prophecy in verses 18,19, "Blessed be Jehovah God, the God of Israel, who alone doeth wondrous things [whose wisdom alone deviseth the wondrous plan, and none hath been his counselor]; and blessed be his glorious name forever; and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen." And in view of the glorious character and record of him whom Jehovah hath appointed to be king over all the earth in that day (Zech. 14:9), we, with the Psalmist, would express our recognition of his wisdom and grace, and say (verse 1), "Give the king [this king whom thou hast appointed] thy judgments and thy righteousness unto the King's [Jehovah's] son"--Entrust him with the execution of the grand designs: we have full confidence in his ability and in his willingness to bring forth judgment unto victory and to fill the world with thy peace and thy praise.

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