The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1912-04-04
FAMOUS RElIGIOUS EDITOR.

cradle Pastor Russell Of London and
| Brooklyn Tabernacles, has won I'M
Stinted praise from the press and pub.
lie Of many nations by forty years un-
ccasfng 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 OF.
GRAFTON has become worldwide, and
the urgent invitations to deliver free
| public lectures in the largest cities
have become so numerous that even all
OF these cannot be accepted.
For the past several years Pastor
Russell has made Semi-annual foreign
| tours. and. through the press reports Of
| his meetings held in large public halls
| OF the leading cities. he has received
| much favorable comment and publicity.
Wonderful Drawing Power.
AS public speaker on Bible topics,
Pastor Russell stands unrivaled--
stands alone in place created by his
own individual work, a place not pre-
Viously attained nor occupied by an
other.
The mammoth crowds that repeated
~ assemble to hear him at every CD
portunity is conclusive evidence as to
his drawing power. Last year, while
conducting series Of Sunday meet
ings in the London Royal Albert Hall.
Pastor Russell received written COM
munications through the mail from
more than six thousand persons, re-
QueSting printed copies of his sermons.
SO spontaneous demand was both
unprecedented and unlocked for An
other 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 fore
most family paper. The Peoples Jour-
nal, has so aptly commented and acted
on the matter that we can do no bet
ter than to quote here the heart-to-
heart talk he gave his readers He
said
A Wonderful Preacher.
at is not the -church-going tenden-
cies Of the Age that l want to talk to
you about, although my theme is more
or less closely connected with that sub
1ect You have all. l think. heard Of
Pastor Russell, the wonderful American
preacher. who has just been indicted to
the charge OF the London Tabernacle.
known all over the United Kingdom and
thousands Of miles beyond, as the pulpit
or the revered Sturgeon? Mr.. Russell has
achieved position in the world OF re-
l1GiouS thought uncqualled by any living
DIVINE And. -curiouSiy enough he deliv-
ers his message to far more people out
SIDE Tho church than could ever be
brought together within the walls of the
largest temple in the Universe. His SER
mons and writings have won for them
selves an extraordinary popularity in
America and 1 am crediby informed that
Pastor Russel's printed books on religious
subjects are exceled in circulation only
by the Bible itself. Just think what this
means. 1t means that millions Of people
all over the world have found something
In Pastor Russclls 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 mat
ter. / feel sure that tho vast ma jority OF
my readers will learn with pleasure that
l nave arranged for weekly contribution
from the pen OF Pastor Russell \ SER
monctte' MIR. Russell himself calls it, but
| have an Idea it wiz be found to be
something more, something fuller than
merely a condensed sermon. I have been
reading a selection Of tho famous Pas
tors religious writings and they appeal
to me as being more> Of the nature Of
quiet, disCurSive talks on serious subjects
than sermons or pulpit delivcranccs Of the
conventional! description. Pastor Russell
Is clear, easily understood thinker; he
cschews dogma and all subtleties OF form
ana 1alth, and he says what he has to say
on the great truths of religion and morals
In plain but always beautiful language
lie speaks and writes not only to the or
binary church-gocr, as We accept the
phrase, but to all intelligent men and wo-
men, and for one can uite-yvc!l appre-
Clate the unparalleled popularity which
no has achieved in American popular ity
feel convinced, he will very soon equal
In this country. Pastor RusScl's talks
will begin in tho Jou1Hl next week and [
am hopeful that they will be an extremely
popular feature Of the Journal"
The Press of America.
Pastor Kusscll's popularity abroad
does not deprive him Of the honor Of
preaching to the largest congregation
in America. Surprising as it may
seem, his sermons arc at present pub
liShed in more than one thousand
newspapers in America. reaching APP
proximately ten million homes weekly.
i1'"C ""1o ana ouiJ' " me H'dhlhS
trans-contincntal tour to attend the BIZ
bic Students Convention at San Fran
cisco, Pastor Russell D,#dc several
stops en- route, and the reception ev-
crywhere accorded hc "Amcrcan
Sturgeon" vas most heart cheering.
Many excellent accounts Of his meet
lngs were published. "Thc San Fran
cisco Call in making reference to
what other papers were saying. inter
cstjngly summarized as folowS:-
"Pastor Russell's given name has been
lost TO public record during the last ten
years. in which he has been famous a = the
great 'Pastor-plain Pastor Russell who
has swayed hundreds OF thousands in this