The man with the writer's inkhorn

Eminently chosen of the Lord (Matthew 24:45) to serve the “Household of Faith with meat in due season,” and elsewhere (Ezekiel 9:2,11) described as the “man in linen with the writer's ink horn at his side,” HE HAS DONE AS HE WAS COMMANDED, finished the work given him to do, and has entered upon his reward, leaving us who remain a noble legacy of privilege in continuing the Society's work.

He has finished his course, completed the work given him to do; and truly could he say, as stated in the 11th verse, "I have done as thou hast commanded me."

God identified him thus: When The Watch Tower Bible And Tract Society was at Allegheny, Pa., an open Bible was to be painted on one of the large front windows of the office. A sign painter, not in the Truth, painted the open Bible; and without instruction from any one, of his own volition, he painted the Bible as open at Ezekiel, Chapter 9. The man in linen was the Laodicean servant, the Lordʹs faithful and wise steward, Pastor Russell. When Pastor Russell saw this, he turned pale.

Practically all in present truth, if not all, we believe, concur in the thought that the “man . . . clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side” (Ezekiel 9:2) foreshadowed Brother Russell; that Brother Russell had a commission from the Lord to do certain work; and that he finished that work and reported the same.

The “man . . . with the writer’s inkhorn by his side” makes it plain, and his successors are keeping their lamps filled, trimmed, and burning; and when I can contribute to that light I will do so.

Others, of developed intellect, seem to get to the point of feeling on a par with the man with the writer’s inkhorn and of having learned all there is to be learned through him.

This work of marking the foreheads of people in Christendom who sigh, cry and groan over all the detestable things that are being done in antitypical Jerusalem (Christendom) proves to be more than merely imparting Bible knowledge to such persons.

It made clear that the prophecy of the man "clothed with linen" had not been fulfilled in any one man in contact with Christendom, say, for instance, in Charles Taze Russell, the first president of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, who died October 31, 1916, thereby finishing his earthly work as a Christian, in the midst of World War I.

Not just the name, but the work carried out by them since then proves that this anointed remnant of Christian witnesses of the Most High God are unmistakably the twentieth-century fulfillment of the man "clothed with linen, with a secretary's inkhorn."

Both the speech and the book called attention to the fact that a marking work had to be done by the anointed remnant of Christ's disciples in behalf of sheeplike people of the earth, not merely of natural Israelites but also of people of all the nations.

They must see that having the “mark” of the Christian personality is what pleases God and prevents his anger from coming upon them.—Ezek. 9:4-6; Eph. 4:23, 24.

But that does not necessarily mean that they are marked for survival. They must be marked by the 'man with the secretary's inkhorn.' The facts show that "the faithful and discreet slave" class is doing that marking work today.—Matthew 24:45-47. 15 All who want to be marked as having God's approval must accept the instruction that Jehovah is providing through that "slave" class and become true worshipers of Jehovah.

A Christian named Susan, who formerly was quite independent, explains what dedication meant to her: "I was surrendering my whole self to someone else. Jehovah now determines my course, tells me what to do, and sets my priorities." Are you willing to make the same exclusive dedication to Jehovah God? Remember, the symbolic mark identifies you as 'belonging' to God, as a happy slave to his Master.

Those whose foreheads the 'man in linen' marked would experience God's compassion because they were not in sympathy with the detestable things done at the temple. Execution by the "six men" began there with the 70 idolatrous elders, the women weeping for Tammuz, and the 25 sun worshipers. These and others disloyal to God were killed by the Babylonians in 607 B.C.E. 18 The antitypical 'man in linen' is the class of anointed Christians.