I am reminded, dear friends, of that wonderful people found in the eighteenth chapter of the book of Isaiah. It begins like this: "Woe to the land shadowing with wings beyond the rivers of Ethiopia; that sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto."

We might remark that the very first word of this translation is rather an unfortunate rendering. The word "woe" is an exclamation of calamity, while in reality it is an exclamation of surprise that is intended. The Lord is here talking about a certain land, and he mentions three things about that land. He tells us first, that it was a land shadowing with wings; he tells us in the second place, that it was located beyond the rivers of Ethiopia; and he tells us in the third place, that it was sending ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes. Now let us see if we can identify this land, and this prophetic statement respecting the land. Let us note the locality first. "Woe to the land shadowing with wings which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia."

Back in those times a very small part of the world was known compared with what we know today. Asia was very well known; the southern part of Europe was quite well known; and parts of Africa, Egypt, and Ethiopia, were fairly well known; but the remainder of the world had not been brought very clearly to attention of the people. Nothing was known of North and South America; nothing was know of Australia; nothing was know of quite a section of southern Africa. In fact, in Africa, the rivers of Ethiopia were practically the boundary of the then known world. People knew there was land beyond that, but it was impenetrable jungles where one risked his life to travel very far. And so it speaks of a land that was beyond the land of Ethiopia. The land was not yet mapped out. But notice something else about this land. It was [PE444] a land yet to be discovered "beyond the rivers of Ethiopia."

This expression "shadowing with wings" is also forceful. Back in the poetic language of Bible times, in fact, all oriental nations generally, to shadow with wings meant "protection." We read how the child of God hides under the shadow of his wings.-91st Psalm: "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust." So to speak of a land shadowing with wings would imply particularly the thought that this land would afford protection.

I wonder if there is a land that fulfills these conditions? A land that had not been discovered in the days of the prophet, and yet it would be discovered in the way of affording protection to others. We answer, it is nothing more or less than the United States of America. Isn't it a fact that the United States were not discovered until long after the days of Isaiah, and isn't it also a fact that since the discovery of this country it has afforded protection to others?

Think of the Huguenots and Pilgrims and others who found protection here. Think of the fact that this very day the oppressed Jews of Russia find a haven of protection here. We find that the very symbol adopted for this country is an eagle. Not only, however, has the United States of America been so noted for the protection it has afforded to others, but in addition to this, we find that God's protection, God's wings, seem to be very specially spread over this country. So many evidences of providential oversight is to be found in the history of our nation, and it is just as though the Lord would say, "Ho, to the United States of America." It couldn't be plainer.

But now He tells us something else about this country: "That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes." If you will look in the Revised Version, you will there find that the word "bulrushes" is rendered "papyrus." Papyrus was the ancient writing material. "Even in vessels of papyrus." Something here in the United States of America was going to sail over the sea in paper vessels, in paper boats. One might ask, how would that be? How could a man go over the sea in a boat of paper? We answer, friends, these vessels are nothing more or less than books. A book is a ship of papyrus. Here in the United States of America books were going to sail through the seas to distant parts of the earth to a certain class of people.

What is this to be for? "Go to a nation scattered and peeled?" What nation is that? This nation is the one Apostle Peter referred to when he said in 1st Peter 2:9: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." In other words, it is the church of Christ here referred to. This [PE445] is the holy nation. You notice how the people of God have been scattered over the earth. "To a nation scattered and peeled." The Hebrew word rendered "peeled" is a word, about which scholars have been very much confused. They don't seem to be in harmony amongst themselves as to what the significance of the word is. We speak about peeling an apple or orange, and that means to take the peeling off. That represents how the people of God have been in the world. The world can't get to their hearts, but the world has polished and scraped and peeled them. Surely the children of God have been peeled, have been scraped, by the world. As expressed here: "to a nation terrible from their beginning hitherto." From the very beginning of the church's history how terrible have been her experiences. We find these vessels of paper, these paper books were going to go out from the Unites States of America. And they were to out over the world. But what are these books referred to here? Some say, I presume they must be Bibles. They can't be Bibles; why, an immense number of Bibles are published in Great Britain every year. The Bibles going out from the presses of Oxford and Cambridge universities are innumerable, and we find that Germany publishes immense numbers of Bibles, and so it would hardly seem reasonable that our Heavenly Father would give all the credit of the circulation of Bibles to the United States of America. It goes on in other lands. What are these books mentioned? Dear friends, I trust we are agreed these books have reference to those wonderful volumes that have been helping us, the Studies in the Scriptures. They have gone all over the earth, and wherever there is a heart hungering for a better understanding of the Bible, God has sent one of these to them, and how they have rejoiced.

And notice the way the Lord goes on to tell about this. He says: "All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet." What trumpet? Why, dear friends, the trumpet of the Lord, the seventh trumpet. We know there are a great many today, when they read about the blowing of the seventh trumpet, they think that is a literal trumpet, our Adventist friends, for instance. But we see that that isn't to be a literal one. The proof of that is found in the fact that we find that there were seven trumpets, and Christians are agreed that some of those trumpets have already sounded, it doesn't matter what denomination they may be affiliated with. And we find that as the other six trumpets sounded and yet people did not hear a literal blast, what reason have we for thinking that the seventh trumpet would be? So we find that this seventh trumpet was not a literal trumpet.

You know the book of Revelation speaks about the blowing of the seventh trumpet. It says: "But in the days of the voice of the seventh [PE446] angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as He hath declared to His servants, the prophets." Now notice that language. It says: "In the days," not "in the day." "In the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound." Why, those words imply that it is going to take days for it to begin to sound, and as it is going to take days for it to begin to sound, surely it will take days for it to be over. And that is why we understand we are here today.

We find there were other messages in the past. It seems Martin Luther saw wonderful truths, and he proclaimed those truths, and he seemingly blew one of the seven trumpets. And we find William Miller was another of God's servants that blew one of the trumpets. And dear friends, we are down at the time when the seventh trumpet is sounding as the Scriptures declared the mystery of God was to be finished in connection with the sounding of the seventh trumpet.

Now, dear friends, we thus see how the Lord's word points us to the very things appearing today. The Lord's word points us to the very books that have brought us such a precious message. We have had people say to us, do you think Brother Russell is inspired in pointing out these things in these books? No, dear friends, we merely say the time has come when God's people needed more light than they ever needed before, and just as God used certain instrumentalities before, the Lord has seen fit to make use of that brother, and we rejoice in the privilege of helping in the circulation of these paper boats; these books that have brought a blessing to us.

Now, dear friends, we have all gotten a blessing out of these books, but we want to get a greater blessing, and I want to tell you this afternoon how to get it. No doubt there are greater blessings you can get from these things than ever our words can enable you to get, but if I can help you to get a greater blessing, then we will know you have been aided in this meeting this afternoon. You have your Berean classes, and yet we find a great many friends are not getting the good out of the Berean lessons that they ought. We find a great many classes highly appreciative of their Berean study, some classes giving up preaching service altogether, some classes are not giving it up altogether, but are giving it up to a large extent. A couple of classes I was at recently, they have very able brethren, and yet they have found so much benefit from Berean method of study that at very most they couldn't spare more than one service a month as a preaching service.

We find that one reason a great many do not get greater benefit from Berean method of study is because they do not know how to go about it as they should. I believe they want to get a blessing, but it is difficult [PE447] for them always to know just how, and so it is the "how" we are going to speak about this afternoon. I thought we would speak about it specially this afternoon because the brethren don't have as much difficulty along this line as the sisters do.

Now in the first place, we want to say that the value and the benefit of Berean study depends entirely upon the amount of study you give to it. And if we only give it an hour or a few minutes to our Berean questions we can feel quite confident we are not going to get the help from them that we ought. I was at a place some time ago where a brother said to me: "Brother Barton, we will announce our meetings for tomorrow, I haven't decided what kind we will have." He said, if we have a Berean lesson, we want to know it so we can look up the lesson. I said, "is it possible, brother, that that is the kind of a class you have got? If they knew were to have it tomorrow morning, would they spend a quarter of an hour or a half hour in looking it up?" I said, "brother, you can't have the kind of a Berean lesson that you ought to have if that is your method." Now, friends, we ought to have two whole days in studying the lesson. It would be better to have three days. If you have your Berean lesson on Tuesday you ought to spend all day Monday and Tuesday studying the lesson.

You might say, "how can I do that? I have my duties to perform." Well now, friends, we want to show you how to study your Berean lesson without neglecting your work. Let me show you how to do it. We will take for instance, the Berean lesson for this week. If you don't want to cut them out you ought to take a writing paper tablet and write all the questions on that writing paper tablet. Then in case of sisters if you do your work, and in your kitchen a good deal, you take that paper and take a pin and stick it up where it will be conspicuous and you can see it all the time, where it will impress your mind. If it is hanging up there before your eyes all the time you can't forget about it. If you find yourself inclined to overlook it, then take a piece of black card board that will make it more conspicuous still, so it will stand out more in the kitchen than anything else. Now Monday morning when that sister goes into the kitchen to get breakfast she ought to begin her Berean study. She reads the first question. The Sister thinks over that as she gets breakfast ready; she doesn't read the comment yet. Before you have read the comment made by Brother Russell think of it and get it as clearly in mind as you possibly can. Of course, you can't think all the time about that, but you will find that question being there before you, it will cause you to settle these other matters as quickly as possible.

I believe we are so extravagant with our thoughts. We would not begin to throw our dollars away as we do our thoughts, [PE448] and yet our thoughts are worth more than our dollars are worth. We want to economize our thoughts. I realize now that sometimes I would think over it again, and I ought to settle it in about three minutes. A sister might think, I wonder what we will have for dinner today; I believe we will have beef today. Now sister knows that settles it, but she goes back and thinks over it again. She knows all the time it is going to end up in beef, but she goes back and thinks over it. She ought to be able to settle it in about three minutes. She ought to get to that Berean lesson and thus redeem the time. You will find that your mind won't be on it all the time, and don't worry if it doesn't. Don't make our minds stay on it till we think we are going to go crazy, but try as far as possible to give thought to the question.

Now then, when breakfast is over, you will have a chance to think over the second question. When breakfast dishes are washed and you may go into the room and get a broom to sweep you think of the next question, and in getting dinner you think of the next question, and thus you see you go over all those questions that day. Of course you have not got as much satisfaction out of it as you might, but try to get all the Scriptures on it that you can, what Scriptures indicates this or that.

Now the same way with brothers. The brother ought also to have those questions written out, and if for instance he is engaged in some kind of work, and he can have them in his pocket, he can pull them out and look over the questions. Possibly about 9 o'clock he hasn't much to do, and reads the next question and thinks over it, and at lunch time again, and you see he hasn't taken any time from his ordinary employment to do that. They have made their ordinary duties an occasion for edification or instruction in spiritual matters. You see, we have just as much time for study as in the other way-that is, going to ourselves, and setting down and taking the book. This time isn't taken from anything else. It is time that would have been wasted anyway. Now there is another advantage in that; you will find that the longer you follow this method the easier it will become, and the more it will help you during the day, the more our minds are on spiritual things, and the closer we will be living to the Lord. Not only that, but we will be better enabled to bear our trials. That is the reason friends at conventions can bear their trials so easy. Their minds are on spiritual things. You will find that they will have the effect of developing your ability of concentrating your thoughts, and it will help you in learning how to reason on Bible subjects also.

Now, Monday night that brother or sister has an opportunity to read the comments. They have not read them, but have been thinking all the time. Now, Monday night that brother or sister gets the volume and [PE449] they have a half hour to themselves. That sister reads the question then she reads the comment. Now having wrestled with it during the day you will get more good out of the comment. Just as at school. If a child is given a problem, if the teacher does it for the child, it doesn't do the child any good, but if on the other hand, the child wrestles with it and struggles with it, if then the teacher does it for him, he will see it then. And that is just the way with us. We will find that having struggled with these questions during the day, we will see the depths of the comment. You will see points in it that otherwise we would have overlooked, and we will get so much benefit from it. It will be so much of a blessing to us. You will remember it better too.

Well, that sister, after thinking over that comment, she goes to the next question, and she thinks over her ideas on that, and she goes on and reads it. The brother likewise. Now Tuesday morning that brother and sister begins all over again. That sister goes into her kitchen. She reads the first question like she did the morning before, but now she can get more good out of it. Now she can go into it so much more deeply than she otherwise could. She can think of it more thoroughly. She tries to answer the difficult points in that question; then she goes to the next question. Probably Monday she did not find much benefit in her study, but Tuesday it becomes profitable. She gets into the deep meat as it were. She was paring the apple on Monday; now she eats the apple; she enjoys it; now when there is a class when brothers.and sisters have studied like that, think what a meeting it will be when they get together. You couldn't keep people away from that kind of a meeting.

There is a class in North Carolina; the class there was away out in the country and lived miles apart. Not only so, but they are poor; poor farms too, and they generally have poor teams; most of them drive mules, and yet those friends have three and four meetings a week, and in bad times three meetings a week. There are twenty-five in that class. They have an average attendance of twenty in those meetings, notwithstanding the bad roads. You see, dear friends, it must be a wonderful blessing to get to meetings like that. But we can understand that when the friends have studied their lessons, there is such a benefit, such a blessing.

Now we want to imagine you have come to meeting; the time for class has arrived. Now it is not the thing for everyone to open their books, and be ready to look over the comment. Whenever I see a class do that, I have got the measure of the class right there. But I think when we come to the class, after song and prayer service, and be ready for the lesson, and the leader gives the question, then that question ought to be discussed, and the comment should be the last thing.

Not only should the friends seek to take part, but they should bring [PE450] in all the Scriptures they can. Never pass one single point by without you have two Scriptures in support of that point. And then furthermore, not only should all the friends try to take part, but even the friends that would feel that they haven't much ability should do the best they can. If you see wherein they are lacking in ability, we might be able to do them good. I was speaking Sunday night of an experience I had. I believe the most helpful discourse I ever gave was one of the poorest discourses I ever gave. Another pilgrim brother had an appointment not far away and he came over to hear me. He said to me, "Brother Barton, I believe I should give up the pilgrim service. It seems to me that I am not fitted for the pilgrim service. I am thinking of sending in my resignation." I tried to encourage him, but it didn't seem to have any effect. So he said, Anyhow he was glad to be there that night and hear a good talk. The time for the discourse came and if ever I gave a poor discourse it was that night. I couldn't get my thoughts together, and from every standpoint it seemed to be a total failure. And when the discourse was over and we were singing the closing song, I thought and wondered why the Lord has given me this experience to night, and now I see the reason. If I had given a helpful good clear logical talk tonight that brother would have gone away more discouraged than ever, and I thought to myself, I believe he will think he can do as good as that himself. You see, friends, it really encouraged him.

That is the way in the class. If you can speak ably do your best, and if you have something to say, say it, and it may be, dear friends, that there will be in the class those who will say, I see sister so and so there taking part, and I know I can do as well as she; and you may encourage a great many others. Having studied your lesson, having gone over it in the way we have suggested, it means when you have your Berean lesson these things will stick in your minds. You will not forget them so easy. Having studied your lesson, you will see points, if you didn't study your lesson, you will miss. Having studied your lesson, you will see the force of these points. I often realize that sometimes a brother will make a remark and the other friends didn't seem to appreciate it. I remember hearing a brother make a remark that when he made it, it didn't seem that it would help any one; it was made in such a blunt manner, but it seems to me it was one of the most helpful things I have ever heard. It impressed me so that I made a discourse of it. The friends said, my that has helped me so, but they couldn't say it when that brother made the very same point in his remarks.

One of the results of studying your lesson is, when you study your lesson, and then a brother makes a few points, you will get the force of it. It may be some other brother hasn't studied his lesson and he [PE451] won't see anything in that. Now this will mean too, that when you first try the method we have suggested, it won't prove quite as helpful as you wish. You will find, for instance, it won't work so smoothly, but dear friends, don't be discouraged, but persevere, and you will find how wonderful and thoroughly this method will prove helpful to you. You will be getting such a blessing in preparing for it and then if anything should happen that you couldn't get to the meeting, you will have had your lesson anyhow, even though you have missed the privilege and advantage of hearing the comments of the other friends. You have got a blessing from it anyhow.

When we thus have our lesson, then we are ready to hear what Brother Russell has got to say regarding it. Then after hearing the comments, we are ready to take up other points. Finally you will be ready to go on to the second question. Now, I believe also, dear friends, there are a good many of us who are capable of analyzing Scriptural questions better than we do, but for want of practice we don't get exercise and develop along this line. You might ask, "Well, won't that be rather burdensome? Won't it be irksome and tiresome? Tomorrow morning is Monday and I will have to study my lesson." Well, dear friends, if that is the way you are going to look at it, don't study it. Don't study it if you are going to have a spirit like that. I want to tell you that we find instead of the questions being shallow, they are so deep. I have been interested in these truths for twenty years, and I don't find a Berean lesson where I don't see depths in those questions that I never saw before. Take, for instance, the question of a week ago: "Suggest a simple for of appropriate words for this service." This was in reference to baptism. Well, how much there was in that little question. Many say: "Oh, there was nothing in that; all it means is to say: 'Brother in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, by this authority, I baptize thee into Christ.'" Well now, if you have not studied the lesson, that ends it. If you have studied your lesson how much there is in it. When studying that question you will think to yourself: I wonder if there was any case where the Apostles baptized any one and said certain words? Do the Scriptures say what the Apostles said on the Day of Pentecost? Now let us see why was it that the Lord never gave us any form of words? Why didn't he give us some form of words? What would have been the purpose of that? I want you to think about these things. Didn't our Lord use a form of words when he said, "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit?" Was not that a form of words he gave us? We generally use those words, but he evidently didn't mean those for a form of words. Didn't that mean you would have to use those words? [PE452]

Then the Scriptures say, Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. If you buy a railroad ticket, you want to say, I am doing this in the name of the Lord Jesus. When you meet a man and shake hands with him, you want to say, I am doing this in the name of the Lord Jesus. In all things recognize the name of the Lord Jesus. And so when he says, baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, He didn't mean we should recognize that as a form of words, but recognize the Father's authority, and so you see there is a good line of thought there. You might say, would it matter if the wrong words were used? Suppose a brother would baptize another brother, and he didn't say that form of words, would that make a difference? Would it effect that brother's baptism because the proper words were not used? You see, dear friends, these are simple questions, but how much is involved in those questions. They have to do with the very principles along which the Christian has to reason. And we find nothing will develop as better than these Berean lessons.

Now if you don't study the question it will mean that when you go to the meeting you will not get the good out of those questions that you would when you study the question, and if you don't study the lesson that is the way the meeting will be. A number of the friends go to the meeting and when the question is put they all guess and then they go away feeling that the meeting was not as profitable as it ought to be. Why not study your lesson on Monday, so that when the time comes for you to go to the meeting, you will all be filled full of points and ready to get more of a blessing for yourselves and to share it with others.

I thought, friends, we would take a few of the Berean questions you have had in order to illustrate how these questions can be analyzed in our study. This is not going to be in the nature of a Berean lesson. You see I thought I would take just a few questions to show you how these questions, though seemingly simple in themselves, yet when you study them and analyze them carefully, you will find such a depth to them all. We would like for every one to take some part. If you feel you can give an answer to any question do so. We thought we would take the questions for the first Sunday in September. The first question is this: "Were any others than Jews eligible to John's baptism? If not, how were the Gentiles to be received into Christ's House of Sons?" Now this sister reads that question as it is hanging there Monday morning. There is really two questions here. "Were any of the Jews eligible to John's baptism?" The first question, dear friends, is this: Does the appellation "John's baptism" ever occur in the Bible? Where do you find that? Who can quote it? We find the secret of Bible study is to always have Scripture [PE453] for everything not merely to give our opinion, friends, but to give Scripture. Where do we find it?

Answer: John's baptism was for remission for sins.

Yes. Can you think of an instance where reference was made to John's baptism, sister?

Answer: John baptized our Savior.

That is true. We find it was actually called John's baptism; you remember the reference in the 15th chapter of Acts. It shows that the Bible really talks about John's baptism. It is a Bible name. We find a great many passages where it speaks of how John baptized them, but here it is actually referred to as John's baptism.

The next question would be: Why would it be called John's baptism? Would it be because nobody but John could baptize with that baptism? I will put the question in another way: Was there ever a case where John's baptism occurred and yet John did not do the baptizing? Or could anybody else baptize with John's baptism?

Answer: I think John's baptism was for the remission of sins and some one else could perform it.

The thought would be that if any one baptized for the remission of sins then it would be John's baptism. Did the Apostle Peter baptize with John's baptism?

Answer by Brother A.: No doubt but what he did.

Can you mention the case?

Answer: I can't recall it.

Well, you remember the case of the day of Pentecost. We find so many people heard the message of the Apostle and were baptized, and we recognize their baptism was unto repentance for remission of sins. The Apostle Peter and the others shared the performance of the baptism.

Now then, we would ask this question along that same line: Who was it that were baptized with John's baptism? Could anybody be baptized with John's baptism?

Answer: It was only for the Jews.

How would you answer then, if somebody would speak to you about the baptism of those people on the day of Pentecost, and they would say there were men in Jerusalem from every nation and many of them were converted and baptized? Could they all be Jews?

Answer: I think they were. I think they were all Jews.

The Scriptures speak of Scythians, Parthians, Medes and Elamites, etc. In what sense do you think those people were Jews? How could you account for people being Scythians and Jews too? Some one express their thought on that. (Silence.) Is it that there was a certain day they all met at that place from wherever they lived, and was in that day [PE454] they were baptized?

Answer: Yes. The day of Pentecost.

Yes, we see that there is the thought, friends; that these were Jews; outsiders here and there specially interested in that feast. It was merely a Jewish festival; they must be Jews. And then how can we account for the fact that they were Parthians, etc.? Why, it was merely that Jews settled in those countries. When Philip baptized that eunuch, did he baptize him with John's baptism?

Answer: I think not.

Any other have a different thought?

Well, now, we would understand that the Ethiopian Eunuch was baptized with John's baptism. We find various proofs of it. For instance, the fact that the Gospel had not been carried to the Gentiles yet. Therefore, it must have been John's baptism that he was baptized with. It must have been that he was a Jewish proselyte, and therefore, he shared the privileges of the Jewish nation. We find evidence of that: When Philip was commanded to go up to him, he was reading a portion of the prophet Isaiah. I would hardly expect a man would be interested in reading the Scriptures if he was not a Jewish proselyte. Philip asked first the question as to who this was and so on, and he referred to the fact that he couldn't understand it unless some one explained it. You see, friends, the thought: that by taking time to study the lesson you will find that all these different things will bring truths to mind, and you will cover a good deal more ground.

(Questions were continued along this line further.)

We find, dear friends, there is so much in this subject of baptism, and nothing brings out so much on that subject as the Berean lessons for the time. I am sure that all the friends that have followed the Berean lessons carefully have come to fully appreciate the advantage they have had, and now dear friends, the trouble has been with possibly all of us in the past, we have appreciated the Berean lesson, but we have appreciated it as a sort of lesson in school hours. Like children in school; they say, I will know it when the teacher call for the answer; they just want to get through the lesson. If they had studied it at home, they would be more likely to remember it later. Just so in the Berean lesson; if we don't study our lessons carefully, we may give good answers, but it won't last long. And we find another thing there: After the Berean lesson is over, you should not go home and think: Oh, well, the lesson is over. Now, you want to spend another day thinking over the lesson. Wednesday morning the sister could read the first question in her kitchen and she thinks over the different ideas that were new to her. She will think: there is that question that brother so and so brought out such [PE455] a good point on. Then may be when she gets through preparing her breakfast, she thinks of another question. But she ought to go over every one of those questions to impress it on her mind so thoroughly so she can remember it.

I do not believe in one thing-making our Berean lesson matters of discourses; therefore, in a Berean lesson, everybody ought to take part. I know one class they say they have Berean lessons, but I have my doubts about it, for it is like this: They will come to meeting and the brother who leads will read the first question, and he will call on some brother or sister, and they will say nothing, and then he will call on somebody else and perhaps get a comment or two, and then he will preach about a quarter of an hour sermon. They say they have had a Berean lesson, but I think they have had a preaching service. The successful Berean leader is the one who says very little and brings the friends out. I had an object in asking these questions-to see how freely the friends would take part, and furthermore, to try to impress on your minds that it is very likely you don't give enough time to studying these questions. It should be that those questions will become part of our nature. If we just learn to recite certain answers, then it stands to reason that they will not be to our profit, but if we learn to analyze our statements, I am sure it will be of great spiritual profit.