[PE27]
EIGHTY-FOUR REASONS WHY WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE TRUTH

We should be able to give a reason for the hope that is in us to everyone that asketh us. No one of the reasons given below is a proof in itself, but taken altogether they are very convincing. If one wished to buy a house, and had decided upon the kind of house he wanted, and the price he could pay, the fact that the price of a particular house was suitable would not be proof that that house was the one wanted.

The house must satisfy all the conditions demanded. And so, if we found a belief that satisfied all the conditions and answered all objections, then we could feel sure that we had the truth, otherwise we would have doubts.

We believe we have the Truth because:-1-Our belief is scriptural. If they speak not according to this word there is no light in them (Isa. 8:20). Others claim that their beliefs are scriptural, but they do not stand the test.

2-Those who hold to these views make so much use of the Bible.

The WatchTower literature is noted for its much use of Scripture.

3-It gives us a use for all of the Bible. Paul believed all the Scriptures (Acts 24:14). Many now neglect and have no use for the Old Testament, and many who do accept it as a whole reject parts of it. We have a larger use for the whole Bible than any other class.

4-It harmonizes the seemingly conflicting Scriptures, uniting the whole Bible, leaving no conflicting statements.

5-It leads to a comparison of Scriptures. No prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation (2 Pet. 1:20)-is its own solution. The view is consistent with all that is said in the Word.

6-It leads to such a dividing of the Bible. Many suppose that it must not be divided; they suppose that the promises to the good and obedient are for all who are reasonably good, and that the punishments for the wicked are for all who are bad. As one man, now in the truth, said in one of his testimonies, before he received the truth, that he wanted to be an overcomer, to go up the Highway of Holiness, and to [PE28] be of that Great Company standing before the throne, having palm branches in their hands; not realizing that these three classes and conditions were entirely different ones..7-It is the only theme which gives a meaning to so many obscure passages. Few understand these at all. See Isa. 65:20, one of the obscure passages. Why should the Bible tell us Adam's age when Seth was born? Now that we see why, we see also that we could not do without it. The truth makes such passages full of meaning.

8-There is no harping on one class of passages. Adventists harp on the Sabbath, etc. The truth makes all points prominent, and cannot stop to play on one key.

9-It is not necessary to give special theological meanings to certain words in any passage. We give them their proper usual meanings, as the dictionary gives them. The Devil seems to have his own dictionary with which he succeeds in blinding many Christians, thus, in ordinary life, when one sees the word destroy he knows it means to blot out, to cause to cease to exist; but in certain passages (Psa. 145:20) when the word destroy is met, they say: destroy means to preserve everlastingly in fire and brimstone.

10-It makes allowance for an increase of light. The Bible shows that the light will increase. (Prov. 4:18) Many boast that they know no more of the Bible than did their grandfathers. But the creeds were long ago fixed. Truth not only provides for the increase of light, but it contains all the light that is now due.

11-Those who believe it have so carefully investigated it, in most instances. Many men are more careful with money than they are of their faith. A man entering a church usually does not ask for a complete account of the tenets of that church, before he enters it. Few Christians have studied the tenets of their respective denominations.

Few Presbyterians could give a good reason why they are not Methodists. The Truth people investigate.

12-So many of those who accept it were once so bitterly opposed to it. Many have believed it because of the investigation which they made with a desire to overthrow it. One minister, who was warning his people, said "that all who read those books are convinced by them.

13-Our very enemies' works help to support it. Mr. Wilson, author of the "Emphatic Diaglott," was a bitter enemy of the truth. He said before his death that if he had thought the Diaglott would be so much help to the Dawn people, he never would have published it.

14-The very arguments used against it are so puerile. One would be ashamed of such reason and argument if it were presented in every-day matters. The Christadelphians have issued a book called, "Russellism. [PE29] Exposed," and it contains the statement that, "Of course, if this doctrine of the Ransom were true, the rest of their belief would follow as a natural consequence." One can easily see that such a statement is a fine recommendation of the Dawns.

Mr. Moorehead, who has written a tract against the Truth, mentioned in it the very low price of the Watch Tower publications, the Dawns especially; and this statement has been used successfully to sell the Dawns in Sweden. So the arguments used against the truth, often help it.

15-It provides so much reading of the Bible. It sends people to the word. Notice the Bereans in Paul's experience.

16-Those who believe it give such prominence to the Bible in their conversation, letters, and daily lives. It occupies all our time.

17-It presents a plan, just, wise and perfect, a plan incapable of improvement. Man's works can be improved, but God's work, never.

18-Its plan is superhuman, no human being or mortal could devise such a plan. It is wonderful, coming as it does from God, but it would be st ill more wonderful if it came out of man's puny mind, as some claim, saying that it is only Bro. Russell's idea. 19-It is so reasonable. The common belief of salvation is so crude, the latter could not have come from the same hand that created the Universe.

The truth is in perfect accord with what we would expect of the Creator of all.

20-It magnifies God's character. Before we received the truth, the Lord was to some of us like a powerful giant. Now He is the God of love.

21-It gives such conspicuousness to Christ's death. The record of Calvary is commonly used to stir men up. Some hold that His death and life were merely an example to us, something as the life of Washington is.

22-it answers our different questions: Why evil was permitted, what is to become of the heathen, etc?

23-It explains why God's children have been found in nearly all denominations. Many cannot understand why. Each denomination used to teach that salvation was to be found only in its church. Yet they have had to admit that good people, just as good as in their church, have been found in other denominations. The call is now given: "Come out of her, my people." God has not been dealing with earthly denominations but with the true church, whose names are written in heaven.

24-It is so comforting..25-It creates such a respect for the Father, for Jesus, and for the Bible. People in the nominal churches sometimes are heard to swear, and to speak lightly of God and Christ. Evidently their belief does not create much respect. [PE30]

26-It so completely overthrows the arguments of infidelity. Other theories try to do so, but with poor success. Mr. Ingersol's objections are fully answered.

27-It so completely overthrows the theories of Christian Science, Spiritualism, etc. Many Orthodox have felt that these were wrong beliefs, but cannot tell wherein they have felt that these were wrong.

Orthodoxy is a half-way step to Christian Science and Spiritualism.

28-People are so afraid of it. In one case a little sister stirred up a whole town. It is as the Scripture says (Josh. 23:10). "One shall chase a thousand."

29-The miraculous way in which many get the truth. In one case a certain brother wrote a letter to Bro. Russell stating how much he enjoyed the Dawns, how they had helped him, and the peace and comfort of heart they had brought. At the same time he wrote a letter to a distant friend and by mistake he placed the letter for Bro. Russell in the envelope addressed to his friend, and the friend's letter went to Bro. Russell. The friend opened the letter he received, saw there was some mistake, and yet he read the letter over. He said to himself, "I wonder what it is that has so rejoiced this man; he talks as if he had made the greatest find of his life. I would like to know about it." So he sent to the office, got some literature, and is now in the truth.

Again: There were two sisters (after the flesh) living together, and they had been watching two birds building their nests in a tree. They watched them bring up their young and noticed their care over them.

Then, when the summer had gone, and the birds had left the nest, the sisters took the nest down and into the house, intending to keep it as a memento of the birds. While looking it over they noticed a piece of colored printed paper in amongst the other material of the nest. They took it out and found it to be a religious tract. They read it over and became so interested that they sent to the office for more literature and are now in the truth. Again: A shoemaker had a pair of shoes left with him to be repaired. Someone had left some of our tracts at his shop that morning. Finding a cavity in the heel of the shoe, he tore a sheet off one of the tracts (which he had not read), filled the cavity with it and put the new heel on over it. The customer came for the shoes, wore them for some time and then brought them back to be repaired again by the same shoemaker. The latter saw that they were the same shoes he had repaired once before. In repairing the heel he found the same paper which he had put in there some time before.

Being curious as to what it might be, he read it, became very much interested, sent for more literature and came into the truth. Soon after he sold out his business and became a colporteur. [PE31]

30-The way in which further light comes, often without any effort of our own. The Lord's hand is seen in it all. The light comes just when most needed.

31-The truth reaches each one at just the right psychological moment, neither too early nor too late. The Lord sends it when each is ripe for it.

32-Those whose a little of the truth usually see all of it, when they get on the right basis (the Ransom), it all follows so logically and simply.

33-The extent to which those who believe, see eye to eye. The Orthodox belief may usually be briefly stated. Yet, though it covers so little ground, there is great confusion. The truth covers so much ground on every subject that it would take much space to merely state it. The Millennium is a very confusing point to nominal Christianity.

We read "Thy watchmen shall see eye to eye." (Isa. 52:8.) 34-It is corroborated by the signs of the times.

35-It explains the events around us:the differences between capital and labor, and the shaking in religious circles.

36-It makes the Bible inexhaustible. The churches usually make it very shallow. Their sermons are full of anecdotes, and the meat in them could be condensed into fifteen minutes. The preachers think the text easily exhaustible and think they must fill up with anecdotes.

37-It takes away the stinginess of salvation. The common belief, that only the church will be saved is a very stingy one. God is interested in and merciful to all men, and to all his creatures. Not a sparrow falls to the ground but he knows it.

38-It makes the work of salvation anything but a careless one. The general view, that a man will be saved if he lives a fairly decent life, makes God more careless in his plan of salvation than a farmer would be in hiring his help.

39-It is so unpopular.

40-It is evil spoken of. "Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you."

41-The advocates of it are so few. It is a narrow way.

42-Those who believe it are so persecuted because of it..43-Its enemies are united against it, just as they were against Jesus when he was in the flesh.

44-Money is out of sight. The poor have the Gospel preached to them. The poor have but small chance in most of the churches of today. There is no begging when the money gives out, the work will stop. If money were in sight, there would be something wrong. The books are cheap, we are not working for money.

45-It costs so much of self sacrifice in worldly interests, reputation, etc. [PE32]

46-Yet really costs so little. The cost is small in comparison to the blessings obtained now and those promised to us if faithful. It is so precious to us.

47-Only a certain class can appreciate it. Worldly wisdom or wealth is of no avail. (1 Cor. 1:26.) The churches in general boast of their great men, and this is one of the proofs that they have not the truth.

48-Those who believe it put their religion before everything else.

49-Those who believe it do not get tired of it.

50-Believers have such charity for their persecutors. If our opponents were more generous and sympathetic we might think there was some power of God behind their religion.

51-Believers lives are in accordance with the truth as much as possible. The truth takes the cream of men.

52-Those accepting it are so wonderfully converted. Though we profess that we are not now trying to convert the world, yet we actually do more real converting than those who profess to make it their business. The truth, without specially trying to do so, can beat error every time, even though the latter make conversion its special business. The truth gives something better in return, for the giving up of sin.

53-Those unfaithful to it lose the light, as the Bible foretold.

54-It requires such consistency in church membership. In the churches many believe contrary to their creeds. Such act a lie, for they give their moral support to their creeds before the world.

55-It brings us so near to our Lord. We were not near the Lord before the truth found us, most of us.

56-It creates such a love for the Brethren.

57-It divides families, as our Master said the truth would do. Many families will allow a member to believe anything popular, be a member of any church, and there is no trouble. But let one of them.receive the truth and in many cases that one is cut off from fellowship with the rest of the family, the others will not associate with him or her; and in some instances that one has been driven from home.

58-It separates us from the world. (John 17:14,16.) 59-The world knows us not. (1 John 3:1.) 60-It makes every believer a preacher. All are anointed to preach in one way or another. 61-The world itself watches believers so carefully.

62-It so wonderfully unites those who had been enemies before they had received the truth. Bro. Hay when in Canada was at enmity with another man. Soon after he received the truth, he heard that this enemy had also received it. He went right over to see him and they have been the best of friends ever since. [PE33]

63-It unites such different characters.

64-Those who receive it recognize their unworthiness of the favor.

65-It leads to such sacrifice. In one case a brother in Colorado, 74 years old, is in the habit of walking forty miles from his home in the country to the town where a pilgrim usually comes. He never misses a Pilgrim visit.

66-The effect it exerts upon those who indirectly come under its influence, such as our families, acquaintances, friends.

67-The peace and happiness it brings, even in the midst of trouble.

68-If you believe it, someone will certainly call you crazy. So they called Jesus. "He hath a devil." (John 7:20; 8:48,52); and the apostles at Pentecost (Acts 2:13); and Paul (Acts 26:24). Bro. Edgar, before he received the truth, was once sent as a physician to test the sanity of a sister who had received the truth, and he became as crazy as she was, for he got the truth from her.

69-The Lord has, to such a large extent used one channel for dispensing the truth. In a small banquet or a picnic there may be many cooks and laborers. But in a great banquet it is necessary to give chief authority to one head and so have order in everything.

Thus all down the Gospel age, since the early church, the truth has come through many channels, but at the great banquet at the end of this age, when Christ, Himself is serving us, it is absolutely necessary that there be one principal channel through which the meat in due season may come, that all things may be done in order. It was foretold that there would be one servant who should have charge of all goods. (Matt. 24:45-47; Luke 12:41-44.).70-The truth came in exactly the manner foretold. We believe the "seven thunders" of Rev. 10:3,4 are the seven volumes of Millennial Dawn. 71-It comes from the United States. The further unfolding of truth is each time further west. First, Jerusalem, then Rome, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, England and Scotland, United States. The light of truth progresses westward, just as does the light of day.

72-It came exactly at the time prophesied, at the end of 1335 days.

73-It is so thoroughly in harmony with true science.

74-It is corroborated by the Great Pyramid.

75-It advocates show the same spirit as did the early church. Meetings are held in homes, no outward show.

76-Believers are being continually confused with every other religious sect. Some have thought us Mormons, Adventists, etc. The world knows us not.

77-There are so many points in common between it and the 'Heresies' of the Dark Ages. Aryans were then persecuted because they did not believe in the Trinity. [PE34]

78-It dispels confusion and sets things in order.

79-It gives courage.

80-Many who do not believe it only wish they could.

81-Those opposing us are so generally lacking in the spirit of consecration.

82-It agrees with the original manuscripts. 83-Those who persecute believers think that they are glorifying God by so doing. (Isa. 66:5.) 84-It sets such a high standard of righteousness.