Footnote
d On Friday, September 8, 1922, which was designated “The Day” of the second international convention of the International Bible Students at Cedar Point, Ohio, the president of the Watch Tower Society gave an unforgettable speech based on the Bible text of Matthew 4:17, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” In the fifth and sixth paragraphs from the end of his speech President J. F. Rutherford said:
“Why, then, deliver the message to those who do not understand? Will any one hear? The Prophet of the Lord answers: ‘Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is truth. Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; . . . therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God.’—Isaiah 43:8-12.
“Thus we see that those of the temple class are clearly designated as the Lord’s witnesses at this time, to bring a message of consolation to the people that the kingdom of heaven is here, and that millions now living will never die. Thus it is seen that God purposes that his name shall be magnified, that the people shall know that he is Lord. Thus we see that God purposes to have a people in the earth in this time of stress, clearly marked as separate and distinct from all others, standing as his witnesses, fearlessly crying out the message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand!’”