THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS
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court records of both Canada and the United States.” “ Well! Of course we hear these things hut we do not think them true. You see, Mister, we are a little flock, the 144,000, and we are greatly perse cuted.” I said, “Where does it say in the Bible that the followers of Pastor Russell are the 144,000? I should like to see that passage of Scripture.” The traveling men leaned further forward and there was a twinkle in their eyes. She replied with great confidence, “ You will find it, sir, in the seventh chapter of Revelation.” I said, “ Would you "mind reading it to me?” She opened her Bible, searched a moment for the passage, and I made bold to suggest that possibly it was the fourth verse that she wasJooking for. “ Oh, yes, this is it.” So she read, “ And I heard the 1 number of them which were sealed one hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.” When she had finished read ing I said, “ Who are those that are sealed?” “ Oh, we are,” she said with great confidence. “ Who does the pas sage say are sealed?” I questioned. “ Why, the 144,000,. and they áre us,” she replied. “ But, my dear woman,” I said, “ God’s word says a 144,000 of all the tribes of the children of, Israel and the passage goes on to enumerate the different tribes. Will you tell me, please, are you a Jewess, and to which tribe do you belong?” She was silent for the first time for a whole hour. “ Now,” said % “ it is not my purpose to make you seem ridiculous in yóur own eyes, hut to show you that when God uses words He means just what He says. Isreal means the Jews and noth ing is said about Mr. Russell’s followers in this or any other passage of Scrip ture. I beg of you to lay aside all of Pastor Russell’s writings and all other writings and read and study your Bible, trusting God who wrote it to make it plain to you.”
‘Neithei can they die any more for they are equal unto the angels and are chil dren of God, being the children of the resurrection.’ ” By this time two traveling men who were sitting behind her had become very much interested in the conversa tion and were leaning forward in their seats to catch every word. She of course did not see them. “ But you see,” said I, “ that Mr. Russell’s teaching con cerning the Person of Christ is not only untrue hut his idea of the atonement is also untrue. He says, ‘that one un forfeited life could redeem one for feited life and no more,” (Yol. 1, page 233). This makes Jesus’ sacrifice of no more value than the life of any man. This does not agree with Jno. 3:16 or Rom. 5:8 where it says, “ God commendeth His love toward us in that while were were yet sinners Christ died for us,” and again I Jno. 2:2, “ And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” Jesus’ Life, which was in His blood, was of more value than the lives of all mankind of nil time. But giving her head a toss, she said, “ But what have you against Mr. Rus sell?” “ I have nothing against him, but it is his teaching and living that I cannot follow or recommend.” “ But what has he done that is wrong? He is greatly persecuted and many things are told against him.” “ Only those things,” X said, “ which he was forced to confess upon the witness stand. He said he knew Greek, hut when he was handed a Greek Testa ment he could not even read the alpha bet. This makes him a liar. He also confessed to having been in the bed room of one of his lady workers, at a late hour of the night, with the door locked and he dressed in his night ap parel. His business dealings were of a questionable character as proven by the
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