The following statement was Watchman's announcement concerning his publications, issued in the June 1934 edition of Notes on Scriptural Messages:

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In the winter of 1927, having become clear concerning God's will that I was especially called to bear testimony on the spiritual side of the truth (which excludes everything that might cause dispute regarding prophecy, the church, and Bible interpretation), I discontinued The Christian and reissued The Present Testimony. This does not mean that the work of The Christian is unimportant; on the contrary, it has a significant place. But I feel that what the Lord has committed to me are truths more in keeping with the nature of The Present Testimony of these few years. Teachings which are in keeping with the nature of The Christian are also greatly needed, but what the Lord has not committed to me, I must wait for someone else to do.

In 1930, after seeing so many young believers (spiritually speaking) without help, I published a simpler and easier paper entitled Notes on Scriptural Messages. It was my hope that God's children might receive benefit and be linked up with the truths which have the nature of The Present Testimony. Meanwhile, I was continually expecting in my heart, and I frequently mentioned to the co-workers, that it would be best if God would raise up someone else to do this in-between work.

Last year during the time of my weakness, I received a special dealing from God and felt deeply at that time that if I continued in this way, I could not adequately accomplish the things God had committed to me. There was also the danger of making void my obedience of 1927 if I continued to be careless. As a result I had the thought then of discontinuing Notes on Scriptural Messages.

This matter was brought up to the brothers this year in a conference, and it was pointed out that since so many brothers have been raised up, they should begin to take up the burden for many things. The unanimous decision of the brothers then was to resume the publication of The Christian and to allow me to discontinue the Notes on Scriptural Messages.

This does not mean that I will no longer bear the responsibility for the content of The Christian. I will be happy to follow after the brothers and publish in The Christian the manuscripts which I have accumulated from the past. But as for me, from now on I will only bear the spiritual testimony.

Notes on Scriptural Messages will cease with this issue, and The Christian will resume with the next issue. May God receive the glory in our new arrangement!

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