Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 232, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 September 1912 — FAMOUS RELIGIOUS EDITOR. [ARTICLE]

FAMOUS RELIGIOUS EDITOR.

The famed Bible defender, the venerable Pastor Russell of London and Brooklyn Tabernacles, has won unstinted praise from the press and public of many nations by forty years' unceasing activity as evangelist and writer. In the early part of his ministry smaller cities were frequently visited, but not so now, since his field of operation has become world-wide, and the urgent invitations to deliver free public lectures in the largest cities have become so nnmerons that even ail of these cannot be accepted. 1 For the past several years Pastor Russell haß made semi-annual foreign tours, and, through the press reports of bis meetings held in large public halls ©f the leading cities, be has received mucb favorable comment and publicity. Wonderful Drawing Power. As a public speaker on Bible topics. Pastor Russell stands unrivaledstands alone in a place created by his own individual work, a place not previously attained nor occupied by another. The mammoth crowds that repeatedly assemble to hear him at every opportunity is conclusive evidence as to bis drawing power. Last year, while conducting a series of Sunday meetings in the London Royal Albert Hal]| Pastor Russell received written communications through the mail from more than six thousand persons, requesting printed copies of his sermons. So spontaneous a demand was both unprecedented and unlooked for. Another evidence of his popularity on the other side of the rolling blue Is the publication of his weekly sermons in something over three hundred papers in England, Ireland, Scotland, Australia. The Editor of Great Britain’s foremost family paper. The People's Journal, has so aptly commented and acted on the matter that we can do no better than to quote here the heart-to-heart talk he gave his readers. He said:— A Wonderful Preacher. "It is not the non-church-going tendencies of the Age that I want to talk to you about, although my ‘theme’ is more or less closely connected with that subject You have all. I think, heard of Pastor Russell, the wonderful American preacher, who has Just been inducted to the charge of the London Tabernacle, known all over the United Kingdom and* thousands of miles beyond, as the pulpit of the revered Spurgeon. Mr. Russell has achieved a position in the world of religious thought unequaled by any living Divine. And, curiously enough, he delivers his message to far more people ‘outside’ the church than could ever be brought together within the walls of the largest temple In the Universe. His sermons and writings have won for themselves an extraordinary popularity in America and I am credibly Informed that Pastor Russell’s printed books on religious subjects are excelled In circulation only by the Bible Itself. Just think what this means. It means that millions of people all over the world have found something In Pastor Russell’s sermons, essays and lectures which they have been unable to discover in any other religious writings apart from the Great Book itself. A Weekly Talk. "Now, to come to the crux of the matter. I feel sure that the vast majority of my readers will learn with pleasure that I have arranged for a weekly contribution from the pen of Pastor Russell. A ‘sermonette’ Mr. Russell himself calls It, but I have an idea it will be found to be something more, something fuller, than merely a condensed sermon. I have been reading a selection of the famous Pastor’s religious writings, and they appeal to me as being more of the nature of quiet, discursive talks on serious subjects than sermons or pulpit deliverances of the conventional description. Pastor Russell is a clear, easily understood thinker; he eschews dogma and all subtleties of form and faith, snd he Bays what he has to say on the great truths of religion and morals in plain but always beautiful language. He speaks and writes not only to the ordinary church-goer, as we accept the phrase, but to all intelligent men and women, and I for one can quite well appreciate tbe unparalleled popularity which be has achieved in America—a popularity, I feel convinced, he will very soon equal in this country. Pastor ,Russell’s talks will begin in the Journal next week, and 1 am hopeful that they will be an extremely popular feature of the Journal.’-' The Press of America. Pastor Russell’s popularity abroad does not deprive him of tbe honor of preaching to the largest congregation In America. Surprising as it may seem, his Bermons are at present published in more than one thousand newspapers in America, reaching approximately ten million homes weekly. ■Last June and July, while making a trans-continental tour to attend the Bible Students Convention at San Francisco, Pastor Russell made several stops en route, and the reception everywhere accorded the “American Spurgeon” was most heart-cheering. Many excellent accounts of his meetings were published. ‘‘The San Francisco Call,” In making reference to what other papers were saying, interestingly summarized as follows: "Pastor Russell's given name has been lost to public record during the last ten years, in which he has been famous as the great ‘Pastor’—plain Pastor Russell—who has s\\ ayed hundreds of thousands In this country and abroad. "Do they come to hear hinj? . Well, rather! So far it has been impossible to engage a hall large enough to hold the crowds. Dreamland Rink has been hired for this occasion. In Kansas City, .Denver, Salt Lake and Los Angeles the Pastor and his faithful crew have taken the : populace by storm. The newspapers have given him more space than a war scare •and print his. speeches like a Presidential 'message.”

Has Many Interpreters. Pastor Russell recently returned from a “Round-the-Worid” Tour. His was a two-fold work, as he by appointment was to Investigate certain matters pertaining to Foreign Mission activities, and also to deliver public adLdresses In Great Britain. Greece, India, Ceylon, China, Japan, etc He Is soon to leave on another Tour, which will Include nearly all of the countries not previously visited by him. Thus the declaration that the “Gospel of the Kingdom” shall be preached as a witness to all nations in all the world will, by the end of this year, practically be fulfllled by him alone.