Footnote
b The two paragraphs under the heading “The Penny” read: “Explaining the parable of the Penny (Matthew 20:1-16), Brother Russell set forth in Scripture Studies, Vol. III, page 223, that the Penny is ‘Kingdom honors.’ In Psalm 149:5-9 we read, ‘Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds; let the high praises of God be in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the heathen and punishment upon the people; to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written; this honor have all the saints.’ Commenting upon this Psalm, Brother Russell stated that the ‘honor’ here referred to would be conferred upon the saints on this side of the veil; that the sword, likewise, would be used by the saints on this side the veil. It is a great and wonderful honor to have part in wielding the sword now (the message of truth) that is binding the kings, rulers, nobles and systems of this world. Everyone who joyfully receives and uses the ‘point’ of the sword, to wit, the Seventh Volume (Ezek. 21:14, 15), thus receives ‘Kingdom Honors’—The Penny.
“For many years we have been promised the Seventh Volume. All have looked for it, expecting the last coming into the truth would be classed equally with the first in receiving it. The parable shows that some would murmur and complain. In harmony with this parable we see some murmuring and rejecting Volume Seven. Hence they are not satisfied with the penny—the honor that the Lord has offered them of having part in this wonderful closing work of the harvest. Such are not engaged now in the harvest, but are more particularly engaged in murmuring, in finding fault and in trying to hinder the work.”