If you were a JW 100 years ago what would you have been reading? Here are a few snippets. Highlighting is mine.
December 1, 1909
Do not forget that Christmas is the most favorable time
for giving to your friends something expressive of your
faith. The DAILY HEAVENLY MANNA and THE DIVINE PLAN
OF THE AGES, with many of our readers, head the list. For
a children's booklet remember the "Wonderful Story of
God's Love." See prices, etc., in our November 1 issue.
Unrest prevails the world over.
How we long to give the poor, groaning creation a proper
view of that blessed hope which so inspires our hearts--the
Second Presence of our Lord and the establishment of the
Millennial Kingdom--his rule of righteousness for the blessing
of all the families of the earth. "Be patient, brethren,"
while diligent and fervent in spirit.
The mind of man is fertile. Recent wonderful developments
of aeroplane and dirigible balloons are leading the
national thought to a new line of warfare. Aerial battles
are anticipated. The dropping of explosives upon battleships
and cities, arsenals and armies, is being studied. ...
The Apostle pointed out as among the conditions prevalent
in the end of this age the following:--Disobedience to
parents; lawlessness; pleasure-loving; ferocity of temper,
etc. We need not on this occasion go deeply into the why,
but recognize the fact that many of these predictions are
now fulfilled before our eyes.
Our readers well know that in 1880 we pointed out in
the columns of this journal the now much discussed Federation
of Protestant Churches. We showed that it was foreshadowed
in Scripture prophecy: that the beginning of it
was in 1846 in the organization of the Evangelical Alliance
and that the full development waited for the closing hours
of this age.
December 15, 1909
From various quarters the word came to us that the
leaders of classes were protesting that WATCH TOWER publications
should not be referred to in the meetings, but
merely the Bible. This sounded loyal to God's Word; but
it was not so. It was merely the effort of those teachers to
come between the people of God and the Divinely provided
light upon God's Word.
One Brother has tried the plan of introducing
the six volumes of DAWN-STUDIES for $2.15--only
about the price of one volume as such books are ordinarily
sold. He reports that he sells as many sets of six as
he formerly sold sets of three. And where formerly he
sold one he now can usually sell three. Should this plan
become generally successful it might lift our output for the
coming year still higher than that of 1908.