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WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY

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N H. Knorr. President W E. Van Ambtboh . Secret a ry

“And all thy children shall be taught of Jehovah; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” - Isaiah 54:13.

THE SCRIPTURES CLEARLY TEACH

THAT JEHOVAH is the only true God and is from everlasting to everlasting, the Maker of heaven and earth and the Giver of life to his creatures; that the Logos was the beginning of his creation, and his active agent in the creation of all other things, and is now the Lord Jesus Christ in glory, clothed with all power in heaven and earth, as the Chief Executive Officer of Jehovah;

THAT GOD created the earth for man, created perfect man for the earth and placed him upon it; that man willfully disobeyed God’s law and was sentenced to death; that by reason of Adam's wrong act all men are born sinners and without the right to life;

THAT THE LOGOS was made human as the man Jesus and suffered death in order to produce the ransom or redemptive price for obedient ones of mankind; that God raised up Jesus divine and exalted him to heaven above every other creature and above every name and clothed him with all power and authority;

THAT JEHOVAH’S ORGANIZATION is a Theocracy called Zion, and that Christ Jesus is the Chief Officer thereof and is the rightful King of the world; that the anointed and faithful followers of Christ Jesus are children of Zion, members of Jehovah’s organization, and are his witnesses whose duty and privilege it is to testify to the supremacy of Jehovah, declare his purposes toward mankind as expressed in the Bible, and to bear the fruits of the Kingdom before all who will hear;

THAT THE OLD WORLD ended in A. D. 1914, and the Lord Jesus Christ has been placed by Jehovah upon his throne of authority, has ousted Satan from heaven and is proceeding to the establishment of the “new earth” of the New World;

THAT THE RELIEF and blessings of the peoples of earth can come only by and through Jehovah’s kingdom under Chnst, which has now begun; that the Lord’s next great act is the destruction of Satan’s organization and the complete establishment of righteousness in the earth, and that under the Kingdom the people of good-will that survive Armageddon shall carry out the divine mandate to “fill the earth” with a righteous race.

ITS MISSION

THS journal is published for the purpose of enabling the people to know Jehovah God and his purposes as expressed in the Bible. It publishes Bible instruction specifically designed to aid Jehovah's witnesses and all people of good-wilL It arranges systematic Bible study for its readers and the Society supplies other literature to aid in such studies. It publishes suitable material for radio broadcasting and for other means of public instruction in the Scriptures.

It adheres strictly to the Bible as authority for its utterances. It is entirely free and separate from ail religion, parties, sects or other worldly organizations. It is wholly and without reservation for the kingdom of Jehovah God under Christ his beloved King. It is not dogmatic, but invites careful and critical examination of its contents in the light of the Scriptures. It does not indulge in controversy, and its columns are not open to personalities.

Tbaut Subscription Pricb

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Printed in the United States of America

Entered as second-close matter at the poet office at Brooklyn, N. T., under the Act of March S, 1879

“JEPHTHAH’S DAUGHTER” TESTIMONY PERIOD

The month of February has been thus designated. By reading the Bible account at Judges 11, persons of good-will toward God’s kingdom who present themselves to his victorious King, the Greater Jephthah, for him to dispose of them in Jehovah's service will recognize themselves as part of the “Jephthah’s daughter” class. AH such are invited to join the anointed remnant of Jehovah’s witnesses in this month-long testimony period. This period begins a three-month campaign for subscriptions for The Watchtower. The regular year's subscription rate of $1.00 will be asked, but, according to the Lord’s generosity and to make the offer especially attractive, the book The New TUorld and the booklet Peace—Can It Last I will be added as a premium with each year’s subscription. The goal for the three months is 100,000 subscriptions, at least, in the United States and territories. So get your instructions and your equipment and complete your arrangements now. Avoid getting off to a slow start, but make the midwinter month of February a period that will count toward reaching your personal quota and helping in making the nation-wide quota, yea, exceeding it.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES

Week of February 21: “More than Conquerors," 1-22 inclusive, The Watchtower January 15, 1943. Week of February 28: “More than Conquerors,”

51 23-43 inclusive, The Watchtower January 15, 1943.

1943 YEARBOOK OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

The year 1942 has been a most eventful and thrilling year in the experiences and activities of Jehovah’s witnesses You may now-get a world view of such exploits and their lasting benefit to men of good-will by reading the annual report as prepared by the president of the Watchtower Society. This is published in the 1943 Yearbook of Jehovah’s witnesses, now off the press. Also contained therein are the yeartext for 1943 and explanatory comment thereon, together with a stirring text and comment for each day of the year As to the courage, strength, joy and vision to be derived therefrom. and also as to the need and usefulness of such throughout the year by Christians, there is hardly any need of comment. Due to the limited edition a contribution of 50c is asked per copy of the 1943 Yearbook of Jehovah’s witnesses. Companies should combine individual orders and forward same to us with remittance, to expedite the handling thereof and to make for postage savings

CALENDAR, 1943

The yeartext for 1943 is “More than conquerors through him that loved ns". (Romans 8:37) All Christians bent on keeping integrity toward God will be strengthened by having that text daily before them during 1943. The Watchtower calendar, now released, will enable you to do that. The theme picture m artistic color-

(Continued on page 31)

ANNOUNCING JEHOVAH’S KINGDOM

“MORE THAN CONQUERORS”

“Kay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."—Rom. 8:37.

TEHOVAH looks forward to the battle of Armaged-I don with perfect confidence, knowing He shall J there be Conqueror. (Isa. 42:13; Ps. 98:1) He knows He can trust and rely -with certainty upon his Chief Field Marshal in that universal war, namely, his pre-eminent and first-begotten Son. That Son, as a man on earth for thirty-three and a half years, proved faithful and true to his heavenly Father under conditions of trial and test which ended in the slaughter of him as “the Lamb of God”. Jehovah raised him from the dead on the third day and exalted him to heavenly life and service at God’s own right hand. Jehovah assigned his beloved Son to be the King of the New World, the world in which those shall live whose sins “the Lamb of God” takes away. Jehovah, however, bade his King wait till 1914 to be crowned as reigning King and to begin a successful campaign against the enemies of God's rule by him.

² The vision of what took place in heaven from 1914 forward is unsealed to our vision by Jehovah’s martyred Son. “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.’’ (Rev. 6:1,2) The white horse which the crowned and reigning Christ Jesus rides symbolizes just and righteous warfare against the foes of Jehovah and of hi« anointed King, who leaves the throne to mount the battle horse! His bow pictures his power to shoot out destruction from afar against the enemies without requiring his bodily presence in the immediate neighborhood of the earth or other location of such enemies! To Jehovah's mighty King at the time when going into action Psalm 45 is addressed : “My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, 0 most Mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.’' —Verses 1, 3-5.

’ The King Christ Jesus is the “man child” brought forth from God's organization or "woman” called Zion. He is the one who must rule w’ith an iron rod over the nations of the old world and must dash them to pieces like unsatisfactory vessels of pottery. “And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” (Rev. 12: 5) This enthronement of the Son of God as Acting King meant war against entrenched wickedness, and the heavens must be the first place where it must be uprooted and toppled from its place of power. In the office or capacity of “Michael” (meaning “XVho is like God?”) the Son of God took the offensive at God's command, to show that Satan is a mimic in trying to be like God. Says the inspired Record of the unseen heavens in 1914-1918: “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”—Rev. 12:7-10.

• ⁴ This was the first victory of the Theocratic Government of the New World. The casting of Satan and his demon organization out of heaven was the first conquest of the King at war. It was and is not his last; for it is stated: “He went forth conquering, and to conquer.” At the battle of Armageddon Jehovah’s trusted King will complete his conquests for the vindication of his Father's name. He will then execute Jehovah's judgment to the full against Satan's entire organization, demon and human, invisible and visible. As Jehovah's beloved and elect Servant he will “send forth judgment unto victory”. (Matt. 12:20) Hence the royal Rider of the white horse must continue to ride until he is Conqueror over all the foes of Jehovah's new world Government, which Government will be the capital organization under Christ and over the cleansed universe.

• ⁵ When he was here on earth as the “man Christ Jesus” he gained the victory over Satan’s organization, and that without any carnal weapons. The Devil's entire world, the invisible demons as well as the commercial, political and religious dupes thereof on earth, ranged up in antagonism against God’s Elect Servant, who was anointed to become Jehovah’s Executive Officer in the kingdom of heaven. Imperial Rome, in the role of “the king of the north”, was then the leading political power of the earth. Satan the Devil tried to bribe Jesus away from pursuing the visionary hope of a Righteous Government nineteen centuries future from his day. In the mount of temptation the wicked schemer offered to make Jesus “the king of the north” or the imperial ruler of that northerly political combine. (Matt. 4:8-11) The mere price would be for Jesus to worship the Devil. This proves which god "the king of the north”, whose role today is played by the Nazi-Fascist-Vatican totalitarian combine, worships. However, Jesus knew Daniel's prophecy which foretold the “abomination of desolation” and also the destiny of “the king of the north”, namely: “Yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” (Dan. 11:31,40,45) Jesus knew that such prophecy said concerning “the king of the north": “And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods.” (Dan. 11: 3G) Therefore Jesus indignantly ordered the Devil to get hence, adding the reason: “For it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”—Matt. 4: 10.

THE CONQUERING WITNESS

• Thereafter, without any fear of “the king of the north”, imperial Rome, Christ Jesus continued to worship the Lord his God by serving as Jehovah’s witness and bearing testimony to the truth about his Father’s name and his kingdom^ the throne of which his Father had anointed him to occupy. When finally brought before the political agent at Jerusalem of “the king of the north” Jesus declared that witness-

• 5 When on earth, bow did Jesus without carnal weapons gain the victory over Satan's organization when the Devil offered to make Jesus “the king of the north"?

• 6 What did Christ Jesus continue to do without fear of “the kina of the north"? and what shows be had no seditious designs against that “king"? ing was the chief purpose for which his Father sent him and for which he came. He said to Pontius Pilate: “Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” (John 18: 37) Jesus’ refusal of Satan’s bribe in the mount of temptation showed he had no seditious designs against “the king of the north” and had no interest in worldly politics, and was not backing up even “the king of the north’s” continual opponent, “the king of the south.”

’ Jesus stood for a third thing, entirely separate from the world, and that was the Kingdom of God. hence “the kingdom of heaven”. Satan the Devil saw to it that for Jesus to proclaim that righteous Government and to identify himself as its chief representative on earth should be judged as lese majesty by “the king of the north”, and hence as seditious, dangerous to the Roman authoritarian state, and punishable as a capital crime. Nevertheless Christ Jesus kept up his worship of Jehovah his Father by obeying Him rather than “the king of the north” and by boldly “preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God”. He refused to join in the “Jews’ religion” practiced by the scribes, Pharisees and other Jewish clergy of the times. Hence, in order to stop Jesus in his worship of Jehovah God and in his testimony concerning Jehovah’s name and government of a righteous new world, the Devil brought upon Jesus all manner of persecution, misrepresentation, reproach, ridicule, opposition, and threats of violence by the religious leaders.

' Jesus refused to violate his commission or anointing to preach the gospel. He would not break his covenant w’ith God requiring faithfulness for the kingdom of heaven, nor let go his absolute blanie-lessness or integrity under such stiff tests of obedience and devotion to Almighty God. The prophetic forevision of a disgraceful, lingering death in pain on the tree did not cause Jesus to turn back or swerve either to the right hand or to the left. He knew the divine prophecies foretold such a death as in store for him, and he resolved to march right into that death, faultless toward the One who had sent him to demonstrate before men and angels the perfect, unbreakable devotion to God although assaulted by Satan and all his world. (Matt. 1G: 20-23; Luke 9:51,62) As Jesus neared the climax of his own tribulation on earth he said to his faithful apostles on his last night together with them: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be

1. For wbat, then, did Jesus stand, and bow therefore did Satan proceed to bring about hit death and to stop his worship and laiimony¹ 8. Under stiff tests and faced with death, how did Jesus prove himself ‘more than conqueror’, and what therefore could he confidently commend to his Father at hla death? of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16: 32, 33) A few hours later, when he was hanging on the tree at Calvary, he uttered the words, “It is finished.” “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” He had finally proved himself ‘more than conqueror’, and he knew he could confidently commend to his Creator's hands the preservation of his right to everlasting life and his “spirit” or power of life.—John 19:30; Luke 23:46.

⁰ Before his death he spoke of himself as the Rock foundation, and said to his disciples: “Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16: IS) Nor did “hell”, which is the state or condition of the dead, prevail against him who is the Head of his church. On the third day Jehovah God his Father fulfilled to him as his faithful Son the prophecy of Psalm 16:10: "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” (Acts 2:24-32) By resurrecting his Son Jehovah God demonstrated the “exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come”. (Eph. 1: 19-21) There it could be said: “0 death, where is thy victory?”—1 Cor. 15:55, Am. Rev. Ver.

• ¹⁰ For Christ Jesus death itself held no terrors. He never held any morbid fear, but always exercised a godly fear, which kept him from ever doing anything that was not pleasing in his Father's sight. Not without strong crying and tears mingled with his prayers and supplication to God did Jesus hold true to the course which his Father marked out for him and which led to a reproachful death. Thereby he conquered the purpose and designs back of the opposition against him and overcame the world. ‘Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear, though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation.”—Heb. 5:7-9, Am. Rev. Ver.

• ¹¹ Do you desire to obey him and to overcome as He did? Then mark that Jesus, while in the world as a man, resisted becoming a part of the world. He constantly resisted all compromise with religion,

9 Why did not the “gates of hell” prevail or gain the victory over Chnst Jesus'’

• 10 What fear did Jesus always exercise, and with the aid of what expressions to God did be conquer the designs back of the opposition of the world?

• 11 (a) To obey Jesus and overcome as be did, what must we mark concerning his position toward the world and its religion*’ (b) Because of bis resistance even unto blood, in what two victories did Jesus share? which would mean departing from God's law and commandments. He refused to give up the preaching of the coming Kingdom of God for the pursuit of commercial material things of this world or the headship and bossism of the worldly political machine. Such resistance even unto blood against the elements of the demon-controlled world resulted in Jesus' personal triumph over the world, by the grace and help of his heavenly Father. His resurrection from the dead was a triumph of the omnipotent power of Jehovah God over the power of death, death at the hands of “them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul”. (Matt. 10: 2S) Both triumphs were to God’s vindication, the first triumph being to the vindication of his name and word, and the second to the vindication of his illimitable power.

• ¹² In both cases the Devil was defeated and was proved to be a liar, deceiver and blasphemer, and inferior to the Supreme and Almighty One, Jehovah God. His boast of being able to turn all men, and particularly the Son of God “made flesh", away from Jehovah God in disobedience and lack of integnty was proved to be egotistical, slanderous and fahe. Jesus' flawless obedience and unbroken integrity amid most extreme suffering knocked out completely the impudent and proud challenge of the Devil to God to put the issue to a test upon earth. Thenceforth the Devil and all his demons and dupes could none of them condemn the Son of God or lay anything to hi< charge. By Jesus' faithful demonstration to the* exhaustion of all tests every wagging tongue in all creation is stopped, and he is proved worthy of the office of Vindicator of Jehovah's name in the coming display of divine power and supremacy over Satan at the battle of Armageddon.

ASSOCIATES OF THE CONQUEROR

• ¹³ Since the great adversary could no longer make unfounded accusations against Jehovah's Chief Executive Officer, Christ Jesus, then Satan would seize the occasion to accuse the brethren of the Son of God. Who are these brethren¹ These are they that are called to be associated with Christ Jesu; in the kingdom of heaven, the Theocratic Government of the New World. These are the members of the “body of Christ”, of which body Jesus Christ is the Head. They have a common Father, Jehovah the Lifegiver, and a common mother, God's “woman”, namely, his organization Zion. Their Elder Brother, Christ Jesus, sanctifies them or sets them to doing the holy will of God after being purified with the washing from sins in the blood of Jesus. “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified, are all of one [Father, who is Jehovah]: for which cause he

• 12 overcoming the world how did Jesus prove the Devil a liar and meet bis challenge?

• 13 Thereafter whom would the Devil take occasion to accuse and what is their relationship to God and Christ Jesus’’ is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.” (Heb. 2:11.12) Such “brethren” constitute his “church”, which he builds upon himself as the Rock, so that, like as the gates of hell did not prevail to hold him in death, neither should they prevail against his church on the Rock.

• ¹⁴ Being by birth sinners because of being descendants of the sinner Adam, the members of his church needed justification first. This they gained by believing in Jehovah as God and in Christ Jesus as their ransom from death. In proof that their faith was not dead, they expressed it by devoting themselves in full consecration to God as his servants bought with the blood of Christ Jesus. Because of this faith and such act of faith God accepted them and justified them, counting them right and bestowing upon them the right to life. To this effect it is written concerning righteousness: “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”—Rom. 4:24,25; 5:1, 2, 9.

• ¹⁵ Justification by faith is not an end in itself. Why not! Because it is a justifying of believers as to the flesh or an assigning to them the right to life as human creatures on earth. God’s purpose concerning those thus justified was to make them joint-heirs and associates with his Son Christ Jesus in the Kingdom. That kingdom is of heaven, and Christ Jesus is also heavenly and therefore spirit. Hence, as the perfect man Jesus Christ laid down his human life in the great proof-case for the vindication of his Father’s name, so such believers must lay down their justified human lives in the same behalf. They must be “baptized into his death” and thereby share with him in the vindication of the heavenly Father. —Rom. 6: 3, 4.

” Immediately after being justified to an acceptable condition with Jehovah God, they are considered as living sacrifices’, and God takes them into a “covenant with [him] by sacrifice”. (Rom. 12:1; Ps. 50:5) Their human life right, gained through justification, is now yielded over as a sacrifice, and they no longer have any hope of perfect human life

• 14 Being slnnera by birth, what did those becoming members of the church require brat, and bow or on what basis did they gain it’

• 15 Respecting such ones, why is justification by faith not an end In itself’ and into what must they be baptized?

• 16 Immediately after justification, into what covenant does God taka them, and how does he then put them into the way of life in the spirit? on earth under the Kingdom. In God’s due time they must eventually finish their course by death of the present human body, after continually and faithfully doing God’s will as long as alive in the flesh on the earth. Hence, when God takes them into the covenant by sacrifice, he begets them by his spirit of power and through his word of truth, to be his spiritual children, with hope of life at last in heaven and with a conditional right to life there. That conditional right will be made permanent after they prove in their flesh their worthiness to life eternal in the heavens, and they prove this by faithfully following in the steps of Christ Jesus as he set the example. —Jas. 1:17; 1 Pet. 1:3,4; 2:21.

*’ Such spiritual sons God calls to the kingdom of his royal Son. Therefore they are called unto his sufferings while on earth. (1 Thess. 2:12; 2 Thess. 2:14) Those who manifest faithfulness under test Jehovah God anoints with his spirit to be members of the “body of Christ”. Such ones he selects out or elects to be members with Jesus in the heavenly kingdom. Thus these are God’s “called” ones and “elect” ones. (Col. 3:12; Titus 1:1; Matt. 24: 22) Now they must be “faithful unto death” in order to make their “calling and election sure” and so have ministered to them abundantly an entrance “into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”. (Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 1:10,11) Concerning these as brethren of Christ Jesus it is written: “The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”—Rom. 8: 16,17.

• ¹⁸ Jehovah God foreknew this company, not as to the individuals eventually making up this “body of Christ”, but as to the number thereof, namely, 144,000. He also foreknew their requirement to be like Christ Jesus in his course of action and sufferings. He also predestined or predetermined that his Theocratic Government under Christ Jesus should include such a faithful, Christlike company. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”—Rom. 8: 29, 30.

CONQUERORS OVER FALSE ACCUSATION

• ¹⁸ When Satan and his principalities and lesser demons were cast out of heaven, the holy angels who had fought under Christ Jesus and who remained

• 17 . How do these become God's "called" and "elect" ones, and thereafter what course is required of them to enter Into the Inheritance’ 18 In what respects did God foreknow and predestinate such company of Christ's brethren?

• 19 Who is the "accuser of our brethren" that was cast down, and therefore what name is appropriate to him in such capacity? triumphant in the heavens cried out joyfully, saying: “For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” (Rev. 12:10) The name “devil” means slanderer or false accuser, and for that reason the apostle could warn the women not to be “she devils”, that is, female slanderers, and also that one of the perils of these “last days” would be human devils, that is, “false accusers.”—1 Tim. 3: 11; 2 Tim. 3:3.

• ²⁰ On what grounds or argument would the chief of devils, Satan, “the prince of the demons,” accuse brethren of Christ Jesus before Jehovah God day and night? On the same point of argument that he accused the faithful man Job before Jehovah God, and it was this: Jehovah cannot call men out of the world and into the service of the Kingdom of heaven and have them thereafter continue walking faithfully in the footsteps of Christ Jesus under reproach, persecution and opposition from the Devil and his organization visible and invisible. (Job 1:9-11; 2: 4. 5) Thus the Devil bid for a free hand to do all manner of evil against them to put fear of creatures into them and to turn them aside from Jehovah and his Theocratic Government, if possible. Hence the Devil must be permitted to make the test and be allowed to attack the integrity of Christ’s followers before God. Jehovah must accordingly apply to Christ’s followers on earth the rule: “If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” ^irWe must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”—Rom. 8:17; Acts 14: 22.

• ²¹ To be “conformed to the image of his Son” such brethren of Christ Jesus, from the days of his apostles down till this day of the remnant of his brethren, must be subjected to like false accusations while active in God’s service on the earth in obedience to God's commandments and the example left by Jesus. It is enlightening to note the nature and the falsity of such accusations as are recorded in the Scriptures. One can then observe how they are being repeated against Jehovah’s witnesses by the leaders in “Christendom” at this very time. In the synagogue the religious Pharisees and clergymen tried to frame Jesus as a breaker of the laws governing the weekly day of rest. “And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.” In reply Jesus merely spoke a few words, and the man stretched forth his hand in response to the word and was healed for his act of faith. Forthwith the religious leaders conspired

20 On wbat grounds would Satan accuse Christ's brethren before God? (b) For what freedom was Satan thereby bidding, and in accordance with what rule toward Chnstians must God grant Satan permission to proceed? 21 (a) In wbat particular, therefore, must Christ's brethren be conformed to the “image of God's dear Son", and bow may we determine whether the^{1 2} are being so conformed today? (b) How did the religionists seek to frame Jesus as a lawbreaker on the rest day and to procure his death? with the political Herodians to kill Jesus.—Matt. 12:10-14; also Mark 3:1-6.

• ²² Then, because he attacked religion as dishonoring to God and as contrary to His commandments and as keeping the people in ignorance and under great clergy oppressions, the religious promoters pelted Jesus with a barrage of questions to trip him into some statement by which they could condemn him to the political rulers. “And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.”—Luke 11: 53, 54.

• ²³ At Passover time, A. D. 33, there would be hundreds of thousands of Jews gathered to Jerusalem for the feast and all could be aroused to a high pitch of religious fanaticism and a mob could be started to intimidate the political officers of the law and force them to fail of their sworn duty to uphold law and order. So the religious leaders seized Jesus by night while privately met with his faithful apostles. Then they brought him to the Roman governor Pilate, who was the local representative of “the king of the north”. They charged Jesus with subversive activities and sedition against the totalitarian “king of the north”. “And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Ctesar, saying that he himself is Christ a king.” (Luke 23: 1, 2) In doubt, Pilate sent Jesus to another representative of the Caesarean “king of the north”, Herod of Galilee; and the religious falsifiers went along to push their case. “And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.” (Vs. 10) Both Herod and Pilate found the religious accusations unfounded, and realized that the religionists merely had an ax to grind and a religious grudge to settle with Jesus. Pilate “said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people ; and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man, touching those things whereof ye accuse him: no, nor yet Herod.” —Vss. 14, 15.

• ²⁴ “And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?” (Matt. 27:12,13; Mark 15.3) While treating the baseless accusations with silent contempt, Jesus did give Tearless testimony on the main issue, The Kingdom, whose King he acknowledged himself to be. (John 18:30.37) Jesus also warned the government officer of “the king of the north" of his heavy responsibility before God Almighty for yielding to religious pressure and insistence and for handing Jesus over to undeserved capital punishment. (John 19:10,11) Then the Jewish religionists, desperately seeking Jesus' death, put up the argument that to preach the heavenly Theocracy or Kingdom of God was against the political state and stirred up men to discontent and insurrection: "If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Ca?sar.” (Vs. 12) Despite Jesus’ bold, faithful and true testimony concerning The Theocratic Government, he was executed, this being permitted as a final test of his integrity toward God. Jesus' faithful followers are charged to give testimony like his in judicial courts: “I give thee charge in the sight of God. who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession.’—1 Tim. 6:13.

“Jesus was accused by pious, sanctimoniously-dressed religious clergymen as being a malefactor. (John 18:29,30) With reason he warned his disciples that they must expect to be likewise accused if they followed his example and preached the kingdom of God by Christ Jesus. (Matt. 10: 25) For this they must expect to be hated of all nations, including the religious nation of the Jews, and to be persecuted. (John 15: 20; Matt. 24:9; 10: 22) Prominent among those who suffered the violent hatred and persecution at the hands of religionists was the apostle Paul. Note the similarity of the false charges against him to those laid against Jesus and to those laid against the faithful remnant of Christ's "body ' on earth today. Note that the religionists framed the false charges and put them into the mouths of patriotic stooges, as quoted herewith:

²⁶ “But the Jews [of Thessalonica] which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted [mobbed] the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Ciesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.” (Acts 17: 5-7) From this we know that Paul and his companions faithfully preached the kingdom of God by Christ Jesus.

²¹ When Paul was brought before the Roman court at Caesarea, the Jewish high priest and elders put forth their orator or attorney, Tertullus. “And when he was called forth. Tertullus began to accuse him. saying, ... we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: who also hath gone about to profane the temple: . . . And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.” (Acts 24:1-9) Paul proved that these accusations were false, and that the real cause for his being haled before the court was not because those religionists were interested in the continuance of Caesar's government nor because he was a political disturber and danger. It was because he preached the resurrection of Christ Jesus and His exaltation to be the King of Jehovah's Theocratic Government. Said Paul to the court: “Touching the resurrection of the dead, I am called in question by you this day.” (Acts 24: 10-21; 25:18,19) Rather than submit to a retrial at Jerusalem under prejudiced circumstances like those surrounding Jesus when before Pontius Pilate, Paul asked for a change of venue and appealed to Caesar at Rome, not fearing to carry the case to the Supreme Court of the Roman Empire.—Acts 25: 9-12.

²⁸ When in court, the apostle Paul did not yield to any rule to “keep religion or preaching out of your testimony”. He alertly saw to it that he included in his testimony a description of the work he was engaged in doing, what he was preaching, and his commission from the Lord which was his authority to do what he was doing at the time of his arrest, Thus he got in a powerful testimony for the Kingdom of God and exposed religion as anti-God. —Acts 26: 1-29.

CONQUERORS OVER SUFFERINGS

²’ Today the common people in all lands invaded and overrun by the Nazi-Fascist-religious hordes are made to undergo all sorts of indignities. Privations and sufferings, such as hunger, nakedness, cold, homelessness, imprisonment, whippings, and other religious brutalities, are their lot. Are such grievous things being suffered for the sake of the Kingdom of God? Not at all; but because of nationalities and political differences of this world. On the other hand, why did the apostle Paul, and those who follow him as he followed Christ, suffer many things? Because they are not of this political, commercial, religious world, but stand solidly for the Kingdom of God and preach it for a witness to all nations, both

27 (a) In court at Caesarea, how wan Paul falsely accused and what did he pro\e to l>e the real reason that he waa dragged into court? ib) To whom did Paul then appeal, and why’

28 In behalf of the witness to the Kingdom, to what rule did Paul refuse to yield in court, and what, therefore, was lie always alert to do¹ 29. Why do the common people of all nations suffer such grtesnus things due to Nazi-Fascist-rellgioue Invaders, and why have Paul and those like him suffered many things to this day? publicly and by coins; from house to house. (1 Cor. 11:1; Acts 20:20) It is because they are commissioned as ministers of God and of Christ, and they put this ministry first. They permit nothing to interfere with their carrying on as ministers to preach the good news of Jehovah's Righteous Government that brings lasting peace and relief to all believing, obedient men on earth. Alark the things which Paul relates as suffering while so engaged as a minister:

³⁰ "Are they ministers of Christ ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent. in deaths [deadly dangers] oft. Of the Jews_ five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck. a night and a day I have been in the deep;in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen [Jews], in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren ; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. In Damascus the governor

under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: and through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.' (2 Cor. 11: 23-27, 32.33) Paul's experiences compare with hardships suffered by many pioneer publishers of the Kingdom at present. Further, Pau) said: "Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace, and labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.”—1 Cor. 4: 11-13.

^JI What was the purpose of enduring all such trials and tribulations? To vindicate God's name and void. It was to prove that, regardless of what suffering the Devil and his principalities and demon powers thrust upon God's minister or put in his way to stop or turn him aside, the Devil is a liar. Why? Because Satan the Devil and his chief prince Gog and other fallen angels cannot by any means force the faithful

Christian who loves God and Christ to deny God and the Kingdom and to break his solemn agreement to do God's work and to throw up his commission to preach the gospel and to quit the ministry, thereby bringing reproach upon God and his ministry. "Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: but in all things approving [or giving proof of] ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; ... by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and. behold. we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway re-

joicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and vet possessing all things.”—2 Cor. 6:3-10.        ’

” Today, after nineteen hundred years, there is a remnant of such ones of whom the apostle Paul was an outstanding example. They can be recognized because of preaching in the same manner as Paul did, going from house to house with Bible literature, and encountering experiences and undergoing hardships like, if not equal to, his. They are the remnant of Christ’s brethren, being Jehovah’s witnesses as Jesus and Paul were. Since A.D. 191S many persons of good-will toward God and his Kingdom have observed the proof of the authenticity of Jehovah’s witnesses by what they preach and suffer. These good-will persons have scorned the ridicule of the religionists and have associated themselves -with the faithful remnant and become their companions in the witness work and in the accompanying reproaches and afflictions. Even the remnant are not a more faithful group than these devoted companions who have wholeheartedly consecrated themselves to God through faith in Christ Jesus.

’’Jehovah's witnesses and their companions are now obliged to endure tribulation in increasing measure because of their unshaken devotion to Jehovah God and his ministry of the gospel of the Kingdom. Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Fascists, Nazis, Communists, politicians^ judges, police officers, and other organizations and authorities of this -world are bent on cracking the integrity of Jehovah’s witnesses and companions. How? By opposing, persecuting, and wrongfully interfering with these preachers of God’s holy Word. In so doing they are serving the cause of the great accuser of Christ's brethren who has been bounced out of heaven like lightning and who now brings woe on the earth as he goes forth “to make war with the remnant of [Zion's] seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ’’.—Rev. 12: 17.

³⁴ The tools of God’s chief enemy will have as much success in their purpose as that enemy had with the apostle Paul. They would save themselves much boomeranging trouble by examining the Scriptural Record for the answer to this question: Did persecution and even death cause Paul to breach his integrity and covenant toward God? They would learn that he counted not his life dear to him. Ever forward he pressed to new and untouched fields to give the Kingdom witness. He held on to the ministry by faithful activity till “the king of the north” was permitted to still his tongue in death. Paul thereby proved himself ‘more than conqueror’.

” The tenacity with which the apostle persisted in the ministry of-God’s Word, through all those years till death, and in spite of the severe buffetings by the demon powers of Satan and his earthly henchmen, shows that the ministry of preaching the Kingdom gospel is the greatest privilege of service on earth. It is the only work for which the true Christian lives on earth. It is the only life's occupation with which he should finish his earthly career and for which he should suffer and lay down his life in martyrdom. Not all can be apostles as was Paul, there being only “twelve apostles of the Lamb”; but all consecrated Christians can be ministers of the gospel like him when he tramped about proclaiming the glad tidings by word of mouth “from house to house”. (Acts 20: 20) In this Paul imitated Christ Jesus, and to his fellow Christians he said: “Be ye followers bf me, even as I also am of Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:1) But how many professed Christians of today thus follow Paul? Amidst all “Christendom" only Jehovah’s witnesses and their companions are observed doing so; and for this they suffer the same things as did Paul, and all that at the hands of religionists who do not follow Paul.

INSEPARABLE LOVE

“ The aim of the demons and their dupes is to cause the remnant and their companions to prove untrue to their covenant and so damage their integrity toward God. This would enable the religionists to lay basis for an accusation against them before God and to bring condemnation upon them from God and his Judge Christ Jesus. As it is, Jehovah’s witnesses and companions stand condemned in the eyes of all the religious world, like their Master Christ Jesus. The religionists love this world and its god, and in ways suggested by the demons they try to compel Jehovah's covenant people to cease from loving God and Christ. “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” (1 John 5:3) Jehovah's faithful servants refuse to break his commandment to be his witnesses or preachers of “this gospel of the kingdom”. (Isa. 43:10,12; Matt. 24:14) They ‘keep themselves in the love of God’, by an obedient, faithful course meriting his love.—Jude 21.

’’Jehovah’s faithful'servants are determined to let nothing sever their love for Jehovah God and his King Christ Jesus. Unmoved by the false charges and condemnation of Satan, demon principalities and powers, and dupes of these, Jehovah’s witnesses say with the apostle Paul: “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, W’ho also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ [(or, Diaglott reading:)separate us from that love of God, which is in the Anointed Jesus]? shall [1] tribulation, or [2] distress, or [3] persecution, or [4] famine, or [5] nakedness, or [6] peril, or [7] sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these [7] things we are mors-

36 Why do the demons and their dupes try to cause the remnant and companions to break their covenant and Integrity¹ and why and how do these refuse to do bo?

37. In this regard, what is the determination of Jehovah s faithful servants and what do they say with the apostle Paul as recorded at Romans 8.33-39 concerning tribulations and other influences that are brought to bear¹ THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US. For I am persuaded that neither [1] death, nor [2] life, nor [3] angels, nor [4] principalities, nor [5] powers, nor [6] things present, nor [7] things to come, nor [8] height, nor [9] depth, nor [10] any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”—Rom. 8:33-39.

• ³⁹ In affirmation of their unbreakable resolve in this matter, Jehovah’s witnesses have expressed their confidence in Jehovah God and his King Christ Jesus by accepting the words above, “More than CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US” (Romans 8: 37), as their text for this momentous year, 1943. The text is displayed on their calendar of service for the year and is accompanied by the symbolic picture shown in the facsimile herewith (page 25).

MANNER OF OVERCOMING

• ³⁹ How, then, do Jehovah’s witnesses, under stress of all the afore-listed things, overcome the accusing Satan and his principalities, powers, fallen angels, and other creatures of his wicked world? God’s Word states the way: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Rev. 12: 11) The expression "the blood of the Lamb” may mean more than merely faith in the blood of Jesus as the price of their redemption and the means of their daily forgiveness and cleansing from sin. It means also their participation in the death of Christ Jesus. As it is written: “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?” (1 Cor. 10: 16) “Know ye not. that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” (Rom. 6:3) “For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him.” (2 Tim. 2:11) While thus dying daily with Christ Jesus, they give forth “the word of their testimony”, which is “the testimony of Jesus Christ”. (Rev. 12:17) Christ Jesus, Jehovah's Chief Witness, shares with the remnant of his body on earth the delivering of this testimony concerning Jehovah’s name and kingdom. Hence they go from place to place and from house to house as He and his apostles did. They are wholly unselfish in this. Hence in pressing aggressively forward in such witness work in the face of demoniacal persecution and tribulation they “loved not their lives unto the death”.

• ⁴⁰ The earthly companions of this remnant of Jehovah's witnesses possess the same full measure of devotion to Jehovah and his King. In the warfare against demonism or religion they are willing to die with the remnant rather than compromise, retreat, quit witnessing and break their integrity and love toward God and Christ Jesus. With unwavering trust in God they both look forward into the immediate future and continue planning to press the aggressive warfare against the religion of the old world and for the righteous worship of the new world. While yet in the wicked old world they know that “this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith”. (1 John 5: 4) Onward in faith they follow the Lamb of God whithersoever he leads them for the vindication of Jehovah’s name.

• ⁴¹ The total war for world domination rages furiously toward its decisive stages. Out of it shall come a world-government, a league or federation of nations, which means that this conflict will not be a triumph for Christianity nor turn the nations to Jehovah in acceptance of his Theocracy by Christ Jesus. That international confederacy supersedes the seven political world-powers from ancient times to modern. It was prophetically symbolized as a “scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns”. This composite “beast” or creature symbolizing a composite world government made its first appearance with the establishment of the League of Nations, in 1920. Now, due to this disruptive struggle for world domination, this “beast” of peace by a league has gone into the pit or the abyss of ineffectiveness and inaction, in 1939. Revelation, chapter 17, shows it will emerge therefrom in more powerful and totalitarian form during the peace following this total war. The religious clergy predict that the “beast” will be ridden and directed by the King Christ Jesus. But not so! A woman will ride it—fie! the harlot Babylon—symbolizing organized religion in unclean relationship with the political “new order”. Unlike a virgin espoused to Christ, “organized religion” will teach her monstrous beastly pet no love for Jehovah God nor for his Theocratic Government by Christ Jesus, nor for the ambassadors of that Theocracy, Jehovah’s witnesses and their companions.

• ⁴³ What course, then, will the powers and kings or rulers making up that collective world-security beast take? Infallible prophecy gives answer and also foretells the sure outcome, saying: “These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they also shall overcome that are with him, called and chosen [elect] and faithful.” (Rev. 17:14, Am. Rev. Ver.) The “Lamb” is the same one as the crowned rider with bow seated on the white horse of

41 (a) According to Revelation chapter seventeen, what thing Is due to emerge from this total war. and bow was it symbolized’ (b) Whom does God’s Word foretell as the rider of this creature, and with what effect upon the creature’

• 42 . What course does the prophecy show the ruling powers In that arrangement will then take? and to whom will the conquest Anally go’ righteous war and who went forth conquering and to conquer. (Rev. 6: 2) “Behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.” (Rev. 19:11,16, A.R.F.) This final conquest over the scarlet-colored “new order” beast and its female rider means the winning of the battle of Armageddon.

• ⁴³ Who will then stand with the King of kings on the side of'victory? They that “are with him, called and chosen and faithful". Besides this heavenly class will there be no others? Yes: the “great multitude” who take their stand for the Kingdom and hail Jehovah and his King with palm branches will likewise be standing, as "sheep” gathered to his right hand, on

43 (a) According to God's Word, who will then stand with His Klnu on the side of victor) ib) What then does this promise of God guarantee for the faithful remnant ami companion*' and bj what dBine provision will the conquest be made, and in what behalf⁹ the side of the overcomers. This is a sure and strengthening promise from the Most High God. It guarantees that by continuing to preach and maintain their integrity through the “things present during this total war and, further, by lovingly keeping God’s commandments and the testimony of Jesus Christ during the “things to come" after the scarletcolored, harlot-ridden “beast” comes out of the abyss, the remnant and their companions will be found more than conquerors through the thick of the Armageddon fight and when the last foe falls defeated in death. Their blessed conquest over demonism and persecution and over Satan’s “New World order” shall be by Jehovah’s love and grace through Christ Jesus, and in vindication of the name of the Most High God. The “more than conquerors" shall be crowned with life everlasting in Jehovah's new world of righteousness under Christ Jesus his King.

WHAT IS IT TO BE SPIRITUALLY MINDED?

WHEN America, victim of the sneak Pearl Harbor attack, voiced its objections to the Vatican’s opening up diplomatic relations with Japan in 1942, the pope suavely replied that he was exchanging diplomatic ministers with that nation of demon-worshipers for the spiritual benefits involved. Were the outraged feelings of America ignored because it was carnally minded and the pope was spiritually minded? Or was also the pope carnally minded? “For the wisdom of the flesh is death, but the wisdom of the spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6, Catholic Douay Version) "For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the spirit is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:6, American Revised Version) Have life and peace followed the pope's action? or has death?

What, then, does it mean to be spiritually minded? Jesus said concerning Jehovah God his Father - “God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4-24) To ha\e an understanding and appreciation of the expression “spiritually minded” the worshiper must have a knowledge of God Jehovah, that great Spirit, and what is his mind. Jehovah is supreme. His power is irresistible For him to think of a thing to be done, and to will that it be done, means that such thing shall be done He puts his spirit upon his obedient creatures That means that the power of Jehovah God moves such creatures in the way of righteousness. Such power or spirit is invisible to human eyes, yet the result of its operation is often visible to human eyes. The creature may be entirely without power to accomplish anything; but when Jehovah puts his spirit on that creature and wills that he should accomplish something, the creature can accomplish what God wills for him to accomplish Christ Jesus is the express image of the Father, Jehovah. At all times Christ Jesus has had his mind in harmony with Jehovah. All who are in Christ Jesus and who continue to please Jehovah must be in full aceord with the mind of Jehovah God. Hence

“spiritually minded” means having the mind that is diligent in ascertaining God’s will and that is set upon doing and maintaining an unbending determination to do the will of the great Spirit, regardless of what any other creature might think or say. Action in doing God's will results

The mind of a creature is that faculty with which God has endowed it for searching out the truth and reaching a conclusion on it, which conclusion leads the creature to act The creature’s will is the fixed determination to act, which determination is reached by the exercise of his thoughts. Having his mind set on ascertaining God's will and having an unbending determination to do that will when ascertained, he never willingly deviates therefrom To those who have determined to do the will of God the great Spirit it is the reasonable thing to devote themselves wholly to Him, so the apostle Paul writes, and then he adds “And be not conformed to this world but be je transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye mav prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom. 12:1,2) This proves that a man cannot be conformed to this world of religion, politics and commerce if he would have the mind of Christ Jesus perfected in him He must get away from the world by the renewing of his mind, which renewing is accomplished by feeding the mind upon the Word of God as written in The Bible Thus he ascertains the will of the great Spirit, Jehovah God, and then he must do that will.

Many professing Christians, under religious advice, ha\e concluded that they must pursue a course of action among their fellows that would bring the approval of their fellow creatures and thus cause themselves to be honored by men Having such a mind, they have sought the best positions in the congregation and have endeavored to exhibit their natural ability and their knowledge of the Scriptures, and this they have called “spirituality”. Many such got themselves elected to the so-called “office of elder” but failed to become elders in fact according to the Scriptures. Convincing themselves that they were better than their so-thought “weaker brethren'¹, or ‘‘less spiritual" ones, they have declined to take part in what appeared to them to be the more ordinary service of a follower of Christ, namely, to go from house to house preaching the gospel by means of exhibiting that message in printed form at the doors of the people regardless of relisious creed. It is manifest that such ‘‘Christians’’, so called, regardless of their position among men, have not had the mind of Christ, hence have not been spiritually minded. To be spiritually minded or have the mind of Christ is not to seek or receive honor from men. not to think of oneself more highly than one ought to think A follower of the Son of God must think sanely, and he can be sane only when he thinks in harmony with God's Word.—John 5:41; Rom. 12:3.

One may be begotten to spiritual life by the spirit or power of God and yet not be spiritually minded. Writing specifically to those of the spiritual Israel of God, the Lord's servant writes: “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (Jas. 1:8) In the meaning of this text, what is a double-minded man! Manifestly it is one who desires to please God and at the same time please and receive the approval of man. No man can serve two masters, and no man can receive the approval of the world and at the same time have the approval of Jehovah God If the man seeks the honor of men he is God's enemy, thus reads James 4.3,4. Christ Jesus had nothing to do with the world and did not receive honor of men or open up diplomatic relations with Rome or any other demon-worshiping nation.—See John 5:41 and IS 36, 37.

To be spiritually minded means to have the mind of Christ. (Phil. 2:5) That means to walk in the footsteps of Christ Jesus. Those who are called to the kingdom of God under Christ are called to take exactly that course. (1 Pet. 2:21) The apostle Paul shows that an unstable mind, which is not spiritual-mindedness, leads one into the “man of sin" class, including the ‘ evil servant” class, because those of these classes think of themsehes more hnrhly than they ought to think and exalt themselves (Matt 24 48-51; 2 Thess. 2:1-17) They are not established in every good work of Kingdom service as every one must be who has the mind of Christ.

Addressing those who by faith in the blood of Christ Jesus have been brought into a covenant with God to do the will of the great Spirit, the apostle also says “For they that are after the flesh do mmd the things of the flesh , but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit " (Rom 8:5) The visible creatures of the world, which is Satan's organization, are flesh, and hence are called “carnal”, since they are part of the world and arc out of harmony with God’s kingdom under Christ. They are therefore “carnally minded”, being worldly minded. If, now, one who is in a covenant with God to walk in the footsteps of Jesus has his mind divided between the things of Satan’s organization and the things of Jehovah’s organization or Theocracy, he is unstable. Unless he takes his stand wholly on the side of Jehovah the great Spirit and sets his mind and affections on the things of God’s kingdom, he cannot live in God’s righteous New World, but must die. This the apostle Paul makes plain, when he says “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

The refraining from the beastly practices in which fallen men indulge, and pursuing what the world calls a "clean life", and using soft speech and talking about the Scriptures at home or meeting-place, are not sufficient to meet the requirements of the Scriptures concerning the spiritually minded. Many decent men do that much and yet are seeking wholly the approval of the world. One who is pleasing to God must do much more than merely lead what is called a “clean life”. Christ Jesus devoted himself wholly and completely to Jehovah and took his instructions from God, and still does only the will of Jehovah. He was perfect, pure and clean in his organism, and in every other way It is not his perfection in organism, but his full and complete devotion to Jehovah, that received Jehovah’s approval. He was not beset by temptations such as depraved men have. The great temptation before him was whether he would yield in the slightest to Satan's will or not. Never for one instant did he hesitate, but he pushed Satan aside and declared his purpose to do God's will Those who are now in Christ Jesus must do likewise, in order to be spiritually minded.

The mind of humankind is set upon doing the things of this world, which means to support the religious systems and to be a part of the political and commercial element that rule and control the world, all things of which are under Satan and all of which are against God. Such worldly creatures laud and praise men and exalt men and tell of the great achievements of men. but they do not honor the name of Jehovah, The Spirit. Hence, if a man who has made a covenant to do God’s will fails or refuses to obey Jehovah's commandments in order that he may thus save himself from the criticism or persecution of the world, then he is a follower after the flesh and is carnally minded and against God and His kingdom. “Because the carnal mmd is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Rom. 8:7) Friendship with the world is “enmity against God”.—Jas 4:4, Dzaglott.

If one who is consecrated to God has his mmd set upon God and his kingdom, and one's heart demotion is wholly to God, then even though his organism is flesh and he is very imperfect, yet he is not walking after the flesh and is not “carnally minded" He who has Christ’s spirit of humility and obedience and undivided devotion to God has the mind of Christ, and is therefore spiritually minded He is devoted to God’s kingdom and is not at all lifted up or disturbed by the things of men of the world

The follower of Christ, in order to be spiritually minded, must be against Satan and his organization and be wholly and completely for Jehovah God and his organization There can be no compromise There is nothing in common between the two. There is deadly conflict between the two To have the mind of Christ, then, means to be against the world, which is the Devil’s organization In the light of this truth it may be understood why to be a friend of the world is to be God’s enemy, and to seek the approval of men makes one the enemy abominable to God—.Tas 4:4; Luke 16:15.

JEHOVAH GOD, speaking to his firstborn and only begotten Son, the Logos, said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: So God created man in his own image.” (Gen. 1:26,27) Thus'began the human race about 6,000 years ago. “God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Gen. 2: 7) His name was Adam and means “red, of the ground: man”, and refers to his earthiness. That man, being the work of Jehovah God, was perfect and pronounced as “very good”. (1 Cor. 15: 47; Gen. 1:31; Deut. 32:4) He was “fearfully and wonderfully made”.

How was this first man created or made in God’s image ? This could not mean that Adam looked like God in outward appearance. No man has seen or can see God and live. In what respect, then, is the likeness! Let us examine the duties and privileges of man at the time he was placed upon the earth, and then determine the answer.

Adam, with his perfect wife Eve, whom God provided as his helpmeet, lived in the garden of Eden and had work assigned for him to perform. He was placed in the garden of God to dress and keep it; he was to have dominion over the fish of the sea, fowl of the air, and beasts of the earth; he was commissioned to act as God’s representative prince in the earth Also to this perfect pair Jehovah issued the divine mandate to fill the earth with a righteous and perfect race. (Gen. 1:28; 2:15) Had Adam remained obedient to his Maker he would have occupied a unique position with all his offspring, and a blessed relationship with Jehovah God. The Lord spoke directly to Adam. If Adam had proved trustworthy he would have been a channel of communication between the Creator and Eve and ail his offspring. He would have enjoyed a princely office, appointed by and serving under the Higher Powers, acting in the image of God. He would have been God’s spokesman. Additionally, just as God has dominion over everything in the universe, so He gave man dominion over the lower animals of the earth. Here again Adam is seen to be in God's image, representing Jehovah in the earth and acting as his prince and in his image

In administering these God-given duties, acting as God’s representative and maintaining dominion over God’s lower creation on the earth, man would need some wisdom, a sense of justice, a measure of power, and to be moved by love or unselfishness. These attributes of wisdom, justice, power and love are without limitation in Jehovah God. (Pss. 89.14; 62-11; 1 John 4:8; Job 12:9-13) He created man with a limited degree of each of these attributes and thus qualified him to meet the assigned duties in the earth. Thus God created man in His qualitative likeness.

Adam and his wife, in their innocence and perfection, were the earthly part of God's universal organization. The man Adam, having communication with Jehovah’s spirit representative, was the visible, earthly part of that original world. What caused his downfall from such a favored position in God’s organization I

Man was created with a degree of justice and wisdom. He knew God’s law and requirements. He was also a free moral agent, free to choose his own course. Jehovah would test the man Adam to see if he were worthy of the position of great trust and responsibility given to him, namely, that of filling the earth with a race of persons devoted to their Creator, instructing them in obedience, having dominion over His animal creation, caring for the beautiful earth, in short, representing the Most High in His visible creation, himself comprising the visible part of a righteous world

The test was simple. It was not great It was a test of obedience. Jehovah commanded, “The tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it.” Out of the ground of Eden the Lord made to grow every tree that was pleasant to the sight, and good for food Of the fruitage of all these trees, and of the herbs on the face of the earth, man was invited to freely eat. It was a flourishing garden a land of plenty. But man must not eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This command would work no hardship or deprivation upon the perfect pair. It was a reasonable command, a simple test of obedience. The man was perfect; yet he became wicked. With what results?

Lucifer, man’s invisible overlord, rebelled against God and raised the issue of universal domination Adam joined the wicked one in his rebellion and supported the Deni’s side of the issue and submitted to his domination The man Adam failed under the test. To Adam God had stated the penalty for disobedience: “In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” While the eating of the forbidden fruit may itself seem a small thing, disobedience to the Creator was not. The supposed smallness of the offense moves some to maintain that God should have overlooked the act. Rather the smallness of the requirement and Adam’s failure therein emphasizes his lawless disposition even in little matters, and makes his transgression more inexcusable. Adam showed no repentance, he had sinned willfully; there is no reason to believe he would have avoided sin thereafter.—1 Tim. 2: 14; Isa. 26 • 10

The judgment must be earned out. God’s word must stand. He could not wink at sin or disobedience by giving man another chance. This would be a denial of the justice of the sentence originally pronounced. God does not change. (Mal. 3:6) A failure on God’s part to punish sin would encourage its commission by other creatures in his organization. and this must not be. Failure to execute the sentence would strike at the very foundations of God’s realm and dominion The serpent’s countering statement. “Thou shalt not surely die,” would be sustained. So the penalty was executed

Adam was cast out of the garden of God into the unfinished earth, there to wrest his sustenance from the thorn- and thistle-infested ground by the sweat of his brow until his return unto the dust, whence he was taken

When would that time be? The disobedience penalty answers, "in the day that thou eatest.” At the very moment that the man Adam ate of the forbidden fruit he lost his right to life. He was shortly thereafter ejected from Eden, the garden bearing herbs and fruit capable of sustaining life in perfect health, Ln the outside earth, cursed or unfinished for human habitation, the miserable pair, alienated from their Life-giver, began to gradually die in physical organism. Furthermore, God’s Word says, “One day is with the Lord as a thousand years.” (2 Pet. 3:8) Genesis 5:5 informs us: “And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years- and he died.’’ Thus was God’s sentence against Adam carried out. At the time of his dis-so

obedience he immediately lost the right to life, and before a day in God’s mode of reckoning time had elapsed the condemned Adam had returned to dust. Being a wicked and willful wrongdoer, he was completely destroyed and shall never again live.—Ps. 145: 20.

Not only did Adam, by disobedience, lose his blessed position of trust which he originally held, and eventually his very life, but also, by his transgression, he lost his eligibility to carry out the divine mandate. Although Adam was the father of many sons and daughters, and the entire human race traces back to this first man, he did not fulfill the mandate. His children were brought forth after his rebellion and after he had lost the right to life and after his physical organism began to die. He was alienated from God and had lost all his former trusts, including the privilege of filling the earth. He was not qualified to transmit perfect life or the right thereto or to instruct others in righteousness; instead his offspring inherited from him sin and death. '‘Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”—Rom. 5:12.

Romans 5: 18 continues. “As by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” The first man, Adam, lost all for himself and his offspring; the second man, Jesus, purchased with his lifeblood all that Adam lost, and will restore it to all those who obey him and meet God's requirements. This does not mean that Adam was purchased or that he will ever live again. God’s original sentence and its execution shall stand in justice and vindication. “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man. that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Num 23:19) However, it is not inconsistent with justice for God to redeem the obedient ones of Adam’s offspring and lift the wrath of God abiding upon them due to inherited sin, but to no willful transgression on their part. Such is wholly consistent with His attribute of love. Such provision of ransom Jehovah has graciously provided through Chnst Jesus

Adam’s disobedience in a small thing, and its disastrous consequences, should serve as a striking example of the importance of implicit obedience to the Almighty and the need of walking circumspectly before the Lord. Particularly should this be so in these last days when the issue of universal domination raised six thousand years ago in the garden of Eden and involving the first man is now due to be settled for ever. That same issue involves every man on earth today. The rights forfeited by. Adam are possessed by Christ Jesus. They shall be given to the faithful men of old soon to be resurrected as princes in all the earth and to the “other sheep” who will form the “great multitude”. Jehovah’s purpose in creating the earth to be inhabited by righteous human creatures praising Him shall be accomplished. Never again shall the affliction caused by Lucifer’s rebellion and Adam’s fall rise up again. (Isa. 45:18, Nah. 1: 9) The New World, with its visible part on earth, shall exist forever in vindication of Jehovah’s Word and name

LETTERS

‘BRINGS A TRUE WITNESS'

Dear Sirs:

Am writing you a few lines regarding the article on the sacrifices offered by the Aaronic priesthood in the wilderness.

I have studied the Tabernacle Shadows, but could never accept same

To me this new light is grand and thrilling and seems to be m harmony with all other scriptures, and I have waited many years to have it put into words.

Thank you also for the new Bible, I have greatly desired just such a help “The New World” is a fine name for the new book, because it is just what the people of this groaning creation desire to know about and it brings them a true description and witness.

Thanking our great Jehovah for all these blessings, I remain A sincere worker,

E. A. Craven

“RESOLVED TO PUT FORTH MORE EFFORT"

Dv.*r Brother Knorr:

The Passaic (N.J.) company of Jehovah’s witnesses, by a unanimous resolution, desire to express our thanks to Jehovah God for a most wonderful convention and also the shower of gifts that we received with it. The New World book, Question book. Peace booklet, “Sword of the Spirit,” Kingdom News No. 11 and new Organization Instructions are all beyond our greatest expectations.

(Continued from page 18) work under the yeartext brings into sharp relief the situation facing humankind and in which faithful Christians must overcome. The calendar pad names the new year’s Testimony periods, and

We can say with the psalmist, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: . . . my cup runneth over ” We wish to assure you that our prayers for you and the rest of the Bethel family are going up to the heavenly throne daily, and we are resolved to put forth more effort this year than we ever did before.

Your fellow servants by His grace, Passaic company of Jehovah’s witnesses

'WILL FIGHT SHOULDER TO SHOULDER’

Dear Brother Knorr:

This letter is written to express the thanks of the New Kensington company for the recent visit to us of George Papadem, servant to the brethren. We all spent a very profitable, joyful three days with Brother Papadem.

This experience is to us a further proof that the Lord is directing his servants through the Watch Tower Society, and that his blessing is upon your efforts as president thereof We are taking steps to conform fully to the new Organization Instructions and hope that, by the Lord’s grace, we will be found fighting shoulder to shoulder with you when this battle is won

We enclose a contribution of $25.00 toward expenses of the servant to the brethren. Incidentally, this year's annual meeting was greatly appreciated by the brethren present, particularly your report which showed beyond doubt that the Lord is leading his organization everywhere throughout the earth.

Your brethren in Jehovah’s service,

New Kensington (Pa.) Company of Jehovah’s -witnesses

also the special objectives of the intervening months This service calendar is yours at 25c a copy, or five copies mailed to one address on a contribution of $1 00. Companies should please combine orders and send through the company servant.

HOW THE MESSAGE GOT TO DETROITERS (MICH.)

“While my children and myself were working territory No A-96 [Detroit] on Sunday, October 11, handing out the very important message that Jehovah meant the goodwill people of that part of the city to have, someone phoned the police station and told them ‘the pesky Jehovah's witnesses were disturbing the people of Larchmont Street’. We had called at about 150 homes and had already placed about 130 booklets when the scout car pulled up and two police officers got out and came up to me asking if I was one of Jehovah's witnesses. Then they wanted to know whose child that was going to the next house. I answered she was mine. How old was she? I told them, ‘Eleven¹’ One officer asked if I knew it was against the law for a child of that age to be doing that work. I said: ‘Since when has it been against the law for anyone, regardless of age, to bring a good message to the American people of Detroit? This child loves God and she is serving Him by bringing the good people of this community a very important message, “not charging,” but giving freely.’ The officer said we would have to quit working, tor they had complaints that we were disturbing the public with our propaganda. I then held out the booklet Peace—Can It Last? showed him my book-bag, and told him I was presenting everyone who would accept it a free copy of that wonderful message and I could not see where I was disturbing anyone He then exploded by saying, ‘The people on this street don't want any of that stuff!’ I then asked: ‘Give me the addresses of the people who don’t want to be bothered, and we won't endeavor to give them this message. I am finding more people that want this message than ones who don't. so I must continue with this street to find the ones of good-will who are waiting for a message such as tins' Meanwhile my two sons had finished their side of the stieet and walked up to where the officers and I were talking. The one doing all the talking then asked who they were. I answered that they too were my children, and were also engaged in serving the Lord by bringing this message to the people. I asked the boys if anyone had told them not to disturb them, and they replied that more people were accepting than there were refusing So I said: ‘You see, officer, we must continue with this message.’ One officer asked if he could have a copy. I said: ‘Yes. you may have as many copies as you wish, so you can pass them out among your fellow officers.’ They both took a copy and said they would read it first to see what it was all about. and left us to continue our Father’s business. Result: 267 booklets placed in three hours ”

AT THE NEW WORLD THEOCRATIC ASSEMBLY

Minneapolis: “Immediately after President Knorr’s talk Sunday on ‘Peace—Can It Last?’ a young man came toward the speaker's platform and asked if he could have a word with me. He was in an emotional state of mind, and this is something near what he told me: ‘Mister, I have been a strong Catholic all my life, but within the past fifteen days I’ve been doing some tall thinking about my religious convictions, because I’ve been brought in contact with your people. I was invited to attend this wonderful convention; so I came. I have attended every session since the first day, and during the past two days I have taken part in the witness work. Now I have made up my mind that I’m going to be one of those pioneers, as I just signed up at your booth.’ Then he looked me square in the face, with tears running down his cheeks, and said - ‘Brother.

I thank God I’m still a young man and have my vigor of youth, because henceforth I will use all my strength to expose that dirty Hierarchy, and tell others about Jehovah's great Kingdom.’ That was the end of the experience.”

Havana, Cuba. “In the hotel where I resided those days of the convention I carried a little bag which carried this sign: ‘Announcing The Theocracy.! The hotel boss asked me the reason for this sign. I told him I am a Jehovah's witness announcing the kingdom of God by Christ Jesus, the only hope of man. His answer was that he was a Spaniard and Catholic by faith. I asked if he would be willing to hear a recorded speech entitled ‘Snare and Racket’. He said he would. Well, off went the ‘Snare and Racket’ [on the phonograph], giving him the whole thine The result was that I placed the book Enemies and booklet Comfort All That Mourn. He started his study right away "

THROUGH A COPY OF KINGDOM NEWS NO. 11 (CALIF.)

“Several weeks ago I placed The Watchtower with a lady while engaged in the magazine street-work. Last Saturday night on her way home from work this lady stopped to tell me she enjoyed reading The Watchtower, but she did not accept the new one. About an hour later she came back with a Kingdom News in her hand She said. ‘When I got home I found this little paper It certainly does tell the truth.’ She then asked if I would take her name and address and order the book The New World for her. She had read the announcement on the back of the Kingdom News I had The Neiv World in my magazine bag, which I offered to her. This she readily took, expressing her surprise that it could be had on a contribution of 25c Here it is clearly seen that a Kingdom News should be left at every house, and, when doing magazine street-work, we should always carry The New World.”

THE DEAF-AND-DUMB PREACHER (MANCHESTER, ENG.)

“I saw Kingdom publishers around several times I hesitated to inquire of them. At last one of the pioneers came to my door, so I made some inquiries about the matter and she helped me to see the course that must be followed if I wanted to know the truth, and encouraged me to follow on to know. I surrendered all other things for the excellency of the knowledge of the truth and the Scriptures I used to preach to deaf-and-dumb people in many places, for several years, although I was ignorant of the truth because of religion, which is of Satan I was then silenced for many years, until the Lord revealed the truth to me in the way described I now join in the paxement work and visit all deaf-and-dumb people that I know of and whose names are handed to me by companies round Manchester. I have about four studies with deaf-and-dumb people each week. We have Watchtower study for deaf-and-dumb people in Kingdom Hall while the regular study is being held there on Sunday. One of the brethren brings me the questions the night before and we go through it together. I am so grateful to Jehovah for revealing his purposes to me and giving me a share of the joys which the privilege of service brings to all who loxe him and Christ the King.”

¹

22 How did the religionists seek to bring Jesus into difficulty with the political powers by his utterances ’

23 (a) Why did the religionists seize upon the Passover season as the best time to bring their conspiracy against Jesus to a climax'* <b) Bow did those religious leaders prove they were instruments of the “accuser of our brethren” before Rome's political officials in Palestine *

²

33. (a) Why are Jehovah’s witnesses and companions now obliged to endure Jncreasing tribulation¹ (b) What la the effort of the enemy toward them, and whose cause are the enemj serving in such effort'¹ 34. How much success will the enemy have in their purpose, and how does Paul’s course furnish the answer’

35. (a) What do Paul’s tenacity and persistence toward the ministry of preaching show as to its place in the life of a Christian¹ (b) Since Paul was an apostle, how can others be followers of him as he was of Christ, and bow many professed Christians today are?

38 In affirmation of their resolve what particular text have Jehovah’s witnesses accepted for 1943, and how do they keep it before their attention?

39 (a) How do they overcome the accusing forces by the “blood of the Lamb”, and how by the “word of their testimony”’ (b) How have they shown that “they loved not their lives unto the death”?

40 (a) Who show a devotion to God like that of the remnant and how’ (b) How do they manifest their trust in God respecting the future, and by the exerase of what will they o>ercome the world’