“The
Path of the Just is as the Shining Light,
Which
Shineth More and More
Unto the
Perfect Day.”
A Vindication of the Divine
Character and Government: Showing, by a Recognition and Harmonizing of
all the Scriptures, that the Permission of Evil, Past and Present, is
Educational and Preparatory to the Ushering of Mankind Into THE GOLDEN
AGE OF PROPHECY In Which All the Families of the Earth Will Be Blessed
with a Full Knowledge of God and a Full Opportunity for Attaining
Everlasting Life Through the Redeemer, Who Then Will Be the Great
Restorer and Life-Giver.
Acts 3:19-21
To the King of Kings and Lord of
Lords
In
the interest of
His
consecrated Saints,
Waiting
for the adoption,
—
And of —
“All
that in every place call upon the Lord,”
“The
Household of Faith,”
—
And of —
The
groaning creation, travailing and waiting for the
manifestation
of the Sons of God,
This
Work Is Dedicated.
“To
make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the
beginning
of
the world hath been hid in God.” “Wherein He hath abounded toward
us
in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the
mystery
of His will, according to His good pleasure which
He
hath purposed in Himself; that in the dispensation
of
the fulness of the times He might gather
together
in one all things, under
Christ.”
Eph. 3:4,5,9; 1:8-10
Written
by Pastor Russell
[Foreword
i]
“The Divine Plan
of the Ages”
THE AUTHOR’S
FOREWORD
THE
AUTHOR and the publishers desire to publicly acknowledge the favor of God
which has permitted them to be identified with the circulation of this Volume,
and with the results—light, joy, peace, fellowship with God, to many hungry,
thirsty, bewildered souls. The first edition in its present form was issued in 1886.
Since then, one edition has followed another in rapid succession and in
twenty different languages, until now there are nearly five million copies of
it in the hands of the people all the world over.
We
cannot hope that these books have all been read; but letters continually
coming to hand assure us that they are working powerfully in the hearts and
minds of people everywhere. Thousands write us that they have been
influenced—some who totally disbelieved in the Bible as a Divine Revelation
to mankind. Others write that
they have been atheists or approximately so, because they had not previously
known the true God and His true Plan of the Ages, and were unable to accept,
appreciate or worship the characters usually held before them in the creeds.
For
above five years preceding the first publication of this Volume, we had
substantially the same matter in print under another name and differently
presented. That book was entitled
“Food for Thinking Christians.” Its
style was different in that it first of all attacked the error—demolished
it; and then, in its place, erected the fabric of Truth.
We finally learned that this was not the best way—that some became
alarmed as they saw their errors falling, and failed to read far enough to get
a glimpse of the beautiful structure of Truth in place of the demolished
errors. [Foreword
ii]
The present Volume was written from the reverse standpoint. It presents
the Truth, shows its strength and beauty, and then suggests the removal of the
error, as not only unnecessary, but absolutely useless and very injurious.
Thus the reader of the DIVINE PLAN OF THE AGES at each step finds a
strengthening of faith and a greater nearness to the Lord, and therefore a
confidence that he is in the right way. After
seeing the Truth, the errors are more and more seen to be absurd, worthless,
injurious, and are gladly abandoned.
The
great Adversary, of course, has no love for anything which opens the eyes of
God’s people, increases their reverence for God’s Book, and breaks their
reliance upon human creeds. The
great Adversary, therefore, as we might have expected, is very much opposed to
this book. Few realize Satan’s
power and cunning; few realize the meaning of the Apostle’s words in respect
to this Prince of Darkness who transforms himself into a minister of light, in
order to fight the Truth and destroy its influence.
Few realize that our wily Adversary seeks to use the best, the most
energetic, the most influential of God’s people to hinder the shining of the
light and to keep the Divine Plan of the Ages away from the people.
Few
realize that from the time creed-making began, A.D. 325, there was practically
no Bible study for 1260 years. Few realize that during that time the creeds
were riveted upon the minds of millions, shackling them to horrible errors,
and blinding them to the Divine character of Wisdom, Justice, Love, Power.
Few realize that since the Reformation—since the Bible began to come
back into the hands of the people—well-meaning but deluded reformers have
been blinded and handicapped by the errors of the past, and, in turn, have
served to keep the people in darkness. Few
realize [Foreword
iii]
In
the earliest editions of this Volume, the title, “Millennial Dawn,” was
used; but we found that some were deceived thereby into thinking it a novel.
In order that none might be deceived, and that none might purchase
under such deception, we later adopted the present serial title, “Studies in
the Scriptures,” which nobody can misunderstand.
Many
queries have come to us as to why these books cannot be found in the
bookstores. Our answer is that
while the book publishers would be glad to have these books, there are certain
religious zealots who will not permit their sale—threatening boycott.
At first this seemed like a great disaster—as though the power of the
Adversary would be permitted to hinder the dissemination of the Truth.
But God graciously overruled the matter, so that today probably no
other book has so large a circulation and so steady a circulation as this
Volume. Those who, through
prejudice, refused to read the book and fought against it, did so because they
believed falsehoods, misrepresentations.
Many
of these books have been burned by people who never read them, but who were
influenced by misrepresentations. Just so it was during the Dark Ages in
respect to the followers of Jesus, who suffered martyrdom. Yes, Jesus Himself
suffered at the hands of those who did not understand Him or His teachings, as
St. Peter pointedly declares: “And now, brethren, I wot that through
ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers” (Acts 3:17); “for had they
known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.” 1 Cor. 2:8
But
if the enemies of this book have been bitter, unjust, [Foreword
iv] untruthful,
its friends are proportionately warm and zealous. The millions of copies in
the hands of the people have nearly all passed out through the friends of the
book, who, from the love of the Truth, have given time and energy for its wide
circulation. While we write these lines, we have knowledge of the fact
that approximately six hundred Christian people from various walks of life
have “left all” earthly business and calling and ambitions that they may
glorify the Lord and bless His hungry saints by putting this little Volume
into their hands. These include
doctors, schoolteachers, nurses, ministers, barbers, mechanics—people from
every walk of life who, touched to the heart themselves with the love of God,
are anxious to pass the blessing on to other hearts and heads.
The
books are sold at a small price, and these colporteurs who take them around to
the public are barely able to make their expenses. They rejoice, however, all the more if sometimes they have
privations and are counted worthy to suffer some inconveniences and
deprivations for the sake of the Lord, the Truth and the Brethren.
The good work goes on, the Message of Life in Christ passes from hand
to hand. The present output of this Volume is enormous.
May its blessing in future days be proportionately as great as in the
past. The author and publishers
cannot ask for more.
With
very best wishes to all readers,
Your
servant in the Lord,
Charles
T. Russell
