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1954 YEARBOOK of Jehovah’s Witnesses containing report for the service year of 1953 Also daily texts and comments
Corporate Publishers WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY, INC. INTERNATIONAL BIBLE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
124 Columbia Heights Brooklyn 1, N. Y., U. S. A.
Branch offices appear on last page
Copyright, 1953, by Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society
Made in the United States of America
WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY
OFFICERS
N. H. KNORR President
F. W. FRANZ Vice-President
GRANT SUITER Secretary and Treasurer
WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY, INC.
OFFICERS
N. H. KNORR President
F. W. FRANZ Vice-President
GRANT SUITER Secretary and Treasurer
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
OFFICERS
N. H. KNORR President
A. PRYCE HUGHES Vice-President
E. C. CHITTY Secretary
GRANT SUITER
Ass’t Secretary and Treasurer
Page
Page
French Equatorial Africa . 77
Page Page
Jamaica ................185 Puerto Rico
Japan ......................187 Romania
Jordan ....................193 Saar
Kenya ................... 217 St. Helena
Korea ..................... 81 St. Martin, F.W.1
Lebanon ..................190 Samoa, American
Liberia...................197 Samoa, Western
Libya ................... 185 Saudi Arabia
Luxembourg ..............100 Senegal, French W. Africa 157
Malta .....................113 Sierra Leone
Mauritius ................ 249 Singapore and Malaya .... 242
Mexico ................... 198 South Africa
Morocco .................. 83 Southern Rhodesia
Newfoundland.............212 South-West Africa
Netherlands .............. 200 Spain
Netherlands West Indies .. 202 Sudan, The
New Zealand ............. 204 Surinam
Nicaragua................. 206 Swaziland
Nigeria .................. 208 Sweden
North Borneo ............. 244 Switzerland
Northern Rhodesia....... 214 Syria
Norway ................... 220 Taiwan
Nyasaland ................ 222 Tanganyika
Okinawa .................189 Thailand
Pakistan .................. 224 Togoland
Panama................... 226 Tunisia
Papua..................... 93 Turkey
Paraguay ................. 228 Uganda
Peru ...................... 229 United States of America . 68
Philippine Islands ........231 Uruguay
Poland .................... 233 Venezuela
Portugal .................. 235 Virgin Islands
Portuguese East Africa ... 223 Yugoslavia
Service year chart, page 32
1954
YEARBOOK
of Jehovah’s Witnesses
JEHOVAH’S witnesses are the most expressive creatures on the earth. Having gained knowledge of their Creator, Jehovah God, and of his Son, Christ Jesus, they cannot refrain from expressing themselves; that makes them talkers. The right kind of talkers, too—not gossipers—because they talk the truth as expressed in God’s Word. Really, they have something to talk about, the most wonderful news of good things to come that you have ever heard. It is very evident that they know their God, Jehovah. They know of his majesty, glory, power, wisdom, love, righteousness and the sovereignty of their Creator. They will show you that Jehovah God is the greatest one in all the universe, and that by studying Jehovah’s Word one can find out what he has done, is doing and will do as that Sovereign Ruler. When anyone comes to appreciate what Jehovah’s name means, what his mighty acts are, what he purposes to do, that one will not refrain from talking about Jehovah and the glory of his kingdom.
Do you appreciate that he has done much in the past for you to talk about, that he is accomplishing great things now that must be mentioned to others not informed, and do you understand what he is going to do in the future, and that this you must declare? Has he revealed himself to you through his Word? If so, and if you are acquainted with his
Word, then you must tell others what you know. You have come to know how to gain eternal life. With life you are able to do things yourself and to express yourself. If death is your goal, you have no incentive to make expression. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in She'd [the common grave], whither thou goest.” (Eccl. 9:10, AS) But Jehovah’s people are expressive people because they believe and want to live. Christ Jesus said: “He that hears my word and believes him [Jehovah] that sent me has everlasting life, and .. . has passed over from death to life.” (John 5:24, NW) Thus you will want to talk about the things you learn from God’s Word because you want to live in Jehovah’s kingdom.
Psalm 145:11 says: “They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power.” Reflect for a minute: think of some of the wonderful things that Jehovah has done concerning his kingdom. Read Revelation chapter 12 and see there described Christ Jesus receiving to himself his authority and reigning in the heavens and casting the Devil down out of the heavens to the earth. “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled but it did not prevail, neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God! And they conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witnessing, and they did not love their souls even despite the danger of death.’ ” —Rev. 12:7-11, NW.
In view of this you can speak of the power and glory of Jehovah God as expressed through his Son to cleanse the heavens of all unrighteousness and to prepare things for the glorious new world of righteousness now near. That battle in heaven was fought and won; the next and final one, the battle of Armageddon, is still to be fought for complete vindication of Jehovah’s name and Word. Do you want to survive it? Then start now studying and talking about the glories of Jehovah’s kingdom. Those who have come to know Jehovah God and his Son and of the new global nation are happy and want to follow Christ’s command to preach. Jesus said: “And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for the purpose of a witness to all the nations, and then the accomplished end will come.” (Matt. 24:14, NW) Nineteen hundred years ago this special Kingdom message was given a powerful impetus in the ministry of Jehovah’s Son Christ Jesus. His followers preached the Kingdom too and organized the faithful slaves of Christ into one congregation. They were all called to one calling, a heavenly calling, “the kingdom of heaven,” to be the bride of Christ, his body. (Col. 1:18, NW) James said: “God chose the ones who are poor respecting the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him, did he not?” (Jas. 2:5, NW) Those rich in faith talked to others about the Kingdom and believed that Christ did go away to prepare a place for them so that they could be with him in heavenly glory. That place is now established in the heavenly Zion:
“And I saw, and look! the Lamb standing upon the mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a sound out of heaven as the sound of many waters and as the sound of loud thunder; and the sound that I heard was as of singers who accompany themselves on the harp playing on their harps. And they are singing as if a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the persons of advanced age; and no one was able to master that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand, who have been purchased from the earth.”—Rev. 14:1-3, NW.
The glorious kingdom of heaven will accomplish Jehovah’s purpose with Christ Jesus again taking the lead soon in the battle of Armageddon against the Devil, who still is the god of this world and its disunited nations. We read: “And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Dan. 2:44, AS) When that happens, in our generation, the other sheep now being gathered into Jehovah’s New World society will have the opportunity to sing Jehovah’s praises for eternity. But they must show faith now in Jehovah their God and in his now permanently established government.—Isa. 9:6, 7, AS.
The kingdom of heaven is now governing the New World society, which includes the other sheep of Christ Jesus whom he is now gathering together so as to have the opportunity of living for eternity in happiness, in peace and in prosperity in the new world of righteousness. Have you become one of these other sheep by dedicating your life to Jehovah’s worship or service? If so, remember God’s words, “I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion, . . . You must not take up the name of Jehovah your God in a worthless way, for Jehovah will not leave the one unpunished who takes up his name in a worthless way.”—Ex. 20:5, 7, NW.
SELFISHNESS IMPRACTICAL
While the 145th Psalm is one of praise and adulation and expresses many things about the glory of Jehovah God and his kingdom, it is not just a dreamy expression. It is not the imagination of an individual who is sitting back and just thinking how wonderful such things might be if they were that way. What the psalmist writes are real, down-to-earth expressions of things that are now happening and things that will happen. He is speaking of the glory of Jehovah’s established kingdom. It is real, it is living, it is a going concern. It is something to work with and for, not against.
Is such a kingdom possible? Do you believe it is? When you meditate upon Jehovah’s Word does that Word live to you? Does it convince you that Jehovah’s kingdom is a reality, that the Kingdom is here, that it is in operation, that it is ruling Jehovah’s servants today? Can you observe the physical facts alongside the Bible prophecies? Are the Kingdom work and its way of operation practical, or do you think that this old world’s system is more practical? When one speaks to men of this old dying world who are supporting it and trying to hold it together, he soon sees that their theory is that there must be selfishness between nations to survive, there must be selfishness among men to make progress, to advance civilization. Just take a look at the selfishness of this world. Is it practical?
Selfishness has resulted in the condition foretold in these words: “But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, without gratitude, with no loving-kindness, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without selfcontrol, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with self-esteem, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power; and from these turn away.” (2 Tim. 3:1-5, NW) Now ask yourself, Has the selfishness of the world made it better? Has it progressed and has its selfishness made it a peaceful, happier world? No, you answer. So selfishness is not practical.
What does it need? It is not selfishness, but love as expressed by Jehovah in the new and glorious kingdom of God. That righteous government, now already functioning, is based on love, for God is love. Jehovah God shows that that is the principle on which he works; and that is the principle every one of us has to work on if we are going to be in that new world of righteousness. Love is the foundation of it all.
So we might as well begin learning to love now: love Jehovah God, the Sovereign Ruler; love his Son; love his other creatures and do things for them. One of the best ways to show your love to people now is to talk to them of the glory of Jehovah’s kingdom. It is a real government, a growing organization that hundreds of thousands of persons already recognize. It has been and is constantly bringing blessing and happiness to millions of persons since its birth in 1914, and will bring life and happiness and peace to yet more millions in the future. Love will make the new world a marvelous place in which to live! You have seen what selfishness has done to this old world. So you make your choice: God’s kingdom or the Devil’s world.
What a divided world you have! You see languages spoken by different groups of people in all parts of the earth, making it impossible for them to communicate with other groups of people. Nations just do not understand one another. Language has been a dividing factor. Nations have set up their own boundaries and fought over those boundaries, because they are selfish: ‘Stop! do not cross this line; this is mine!’ But this selfishness has not brought about any unity, peace or happiness in this divided world today. This is true also of religion. Whether pagan or so-called “Christian,” it is one of the greatest forces to separate people.
Then there is politics with its different parties, its different forms and ideas of government, all of which claim to be “unselfish.” But are they? Finally, there is commerce, marked by its competitive, selfish way of handling deals and building up powerful organizations to get all the wealth of one kind, like oil or iron, into the hands of a few, so that its owners can control the world.
Now what has all that selfishness brought? To humans everywhere, hatred, wars, death.
In Psalm 145, David, a man after God’s own heart, was talking about the glory of Jehovah’s kingdom. There is no glory in the kingdoms of this old world. Now we know of Jehovah’s kingdom as revealed through his Word, and it is a government based on love, righteousness, peace and justice. Which do you want? Which will you serve? We have just looked at the old world. How do we see the new world? We see it represented in the people whom Jehovah God has gathered together today and built into an organization, a New World society. Yes, they are still living on this globe that they know is, since 1914, his eminent domain, but they have come out of that old world. They have all the infirmities and sicknesses of the common man, but not the unhappiness and selfishness of this old world. By Jehovah’s undeserved kindness, he has, in these “last days,” gathered together those who are seeking him, seeking righteousness, meekness, happiness, contentment, and he has brought them into the New World society. The 145th Psalm shows how Jehovah God will reach out to help those who have fallen and who want to get up, and to help those who have been forced to bow down. He offers them his hand; he says he will feed them. There is a great contrast in principle governing these two organizations, Jehovah’s and the Devil’s. The Devil’s is a wicked, selfish world, oppressing people. Jehovah’s is the glorious kingdom based on love and sinlessness, for he arranged to take away the sin of the world by the blood of his Lamb, Christ Jesus.
Psalm 145:14-16 shows how Jehovah helps the poor and lowly of heart, for he ‘satisfies the desire of every living thing.’ Well, certainly those who have come to know Jehovah and have studied his Word have been satisfied with truth and their present happiness in life. But let us go beyond just his people and look into the earth itself, even to the animal kingdom. He satisfies even all their desires. The birds that fly above the earth, they fully enjoy their life span though it is short. He satisfies their needs by the food, by the nests, by the trees and by the open sky in which to fly. Look in any department of creation—the animal life that crawls upon the earth or the fish that are in the sea—he satisfies all their needs. Well, if he looks after them so thoroughly, certainly he will look after you, if you come within his organization. What a marvelous provision he has made for everything that he has created in the heavens and on earth! “Observe intently the birds of heaven, because they do not sow seed or reap or gather into storehouses; still your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they are?”—Matt. 6:26, NW.
Are we going to be expressionless when we know these things? How can we be when it is a natural thing for us to talk about someone who loves us and whom we love, and whom we want to bless? “To bless” means to bestow favor or honor upon, or to speak well of a person. Psalm 103 (AS) shows how those who have come to know Jehovah God want to do this. Its first five verses express their gratitude:
“Bless Jehovah, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless Jehovah, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy desire with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle.”
Do you bless Jehovah and his holy name? You ought to, because you have seen all of his benefits, or can see them if you look. He has healed you and helped you into the path of the living, or will heal you if you seek him and the truth. He has provided the truth for all to follow and to benefit by it. He will show all the way to gain eternal life if they want to know. He has redeemed you from destruction in this old world because you have come into his New World society. If you have not come you can do so, or at least cair investigate. He has crowned you with loving-kindness and he has shown you his tender mercies by making his Word accessible. If you study the Bible, he will satisfy every desire. Then you can say: ‘I have the truth. I know Jehovah. I appreciate that I can work for him and that I can gain life by continually taking in knowledge of him.’ And what does that do to us? It keeps us young; it keeps us alive; it keeps us active in his New World society, as representatives of him. “We are therefore ambassadors substituting for Christ, as though God were making entreaty through us. As substitutes for Christ we beg: ‘Become reconciled to God.’ ” —2 Cor. 5:20, NW.
Anyone who has come into the truth and has dedicated himself to Jehovah God has experienced this loving-kindness and tender mercy, and that gives him real faith and enables him to live an active Christian life and not be a hypocrite. Regardless of age, whether his years be many or few, it seems that a Christian shows only his youth, because no one will become old in the Kingdom, and the Kingdom is now here. So now every morning when we rise to talk of the glory of Jehovah’s kingdom we rise as a man in his youth. David says: “Thy youth is renewed like the eagle.” No longer are we in captivity to Babylon, but are now free. “They go from strength to strength; every one of them appeareth before God in Zion.” (Ps. 84:7, AS) “They that wait for Jehovah shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isa. 40:31, AS) We have something to keep us so busy. We have no time to get old and retire from serving the prospering kingdom, which soon will clean out this old world with Gog of Magog and destroy it all. Then the people of good will are to enjoy continual youth under the new and glorious system of things longed for through all earth’s ages by men of righteousness, and each of them will see it continually expanding and flourishing in the new world.
IN ITS FORTIETH YEAR
Since 1914 we have been living under the rule of this kingdom. Today we live in the fortieth year of its irresistible reign. What does that year mean to us? We cannot say. It will be much better for us to wait until this fortieth year is completely past and then look back to see whether that fortieth year of the Kingdom had some special significance. Regardless of whether there is or is not anything special in this fortieth year of Jehovah’s glorious rule as King (Rev. 11:16,17; 19:6, NW), in which year we are now living, we certainly feel young, fully satisfied with what has happened thus far. We are content. Wherever Jehovah’s namepeople are they are still able enthusiastically to praise their God and worship him day and night, and they are fully aware of Jehovah’s interest in them.
Jehovah’s witnesses, therefore, continually talk of the goodness of Jehovah God. They advertise his kingdom. They preach the Word and, like their God, they are happy. To them Jehovah continues to reveal himself, and they know Jehovah, and they must express themselves concerning him. He has shown Jehovah’s witnesses immeasurable kindness, and has been forgiving and long-suffering with them as well as with all mankind. We who know the happy God and his truth have felt his mercy; we have been endowed with his tenderness. With David (Ps. 34:1-3, AS), therefore, we have reason joyously to say: “I will bless Jehovah at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in Jehovah: the meek shall hear thereof, and be glad. Oh magnify Jehovah with me, and let us exalt his name together.”
Do you feel and talk that way? Do you want to bless Jehovah at all times, and continually praise him with your mouth? If you do, what happens? Psalm 34 shows that when you praise Jehovah with your mouth others who are meek will hear your praise. One who has come to Jehovah and keeps on devoting his life in service will talk continuously, and the meek will hear his talk; and then they are going to be invited to magnify Jehovah with him, and to exalt his name together. And then the meek will respond to the invitation: “Let us exalt his name together.” Now, are you going to do this praising and exalting of Jehovah God in this fortieth year of his established kingdom? The New World society is globally organized to do just that “in all the inhabited earth for the purpose of a witness to all the nations.” (Matt. 24:14, NW) As a society for such witness-bearing each of such associated preachers will talk “from house to house.” There is no question about it. The power of that organization we now see, not because of the 510,228 praisers who are now in the New World society. No, its power is not in numbers. While the organization is great in numbers, the power, the backing, the support these numbers get is Jehovah’s holy spirit. You individually feel that power, that active force, because you have come into Jehovah’s organization. His favor is seen upon his witnesses. They all move forward in service under Jehovah’s appointed Shepherd-Prince, Christ Jesus.
These hundreds of thousands of praisers doing house-to-house witnessing work are joyously inviting others every day, every night, throughout this whole world, to magnify Jehovah’s name with them. We are not asking them to magnify Jehovah’s name just to get them to be called “Jehovah’s witnesses,” as the religious organizations do to get members throughout this earth. No, it is because we want talking ministers who will promote true worship of Almighty God and who will want to magnify Jehovah and exalt his name, not hide it. We want all persons of good will to appreciate the glory of Jehovah’s kingdom and to get from it all the blessings in store for them, and to allow the glory of Jehovah’s kingdom to be reflected through them in the true worship they give to Jehovah God. We want to see them “bless Jehovah at all times” and bear witness to the world of the glory of Jehovah’s kingdom. That glory we could see at Yankee Stadium July 19-26, 1953, during the New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses. With people present there from all nations, kindreds, tongues and families of the earth, having one mind and spirit, one love for Jehovah God, you could see it. It was a glorious feast. If you were there you enjoyed it and talked of the Kingdom to others and, by Jehovah’s undeserved kindness, you will continue to do so.
If you were not there, what did others see in Jehovah’s witnesses as the New World society? Was it not the peace, quietness, friendliness, love, sincerity and unity of that group? If it was, why do you not allow yourself to be gathered by Jehovah’s Right Shepherd, Christ Jesus, into his New World society? If your heart is right you will respond to the invitation: “Magnify Jehovah with me, and let us exalt his name together.”—Ps. 34:3, AS.
Turn to a few of the thousands of press reports, comments and editorials, as follows:
“This weekend, thousands of them are swarming into New York City from all over the world . . . They’re called Jehovah’s witnesses, and each . . . a minister in name as well as in deed. Although most of them earn their livelihoods by worldly jobs, they devote the rest of their time to spiritual business—visiting homes, preaching on street corners, passing out literature.”—Dispatch of The Associated Press, widely published July 18 and 19, 1953.
“Jehovah’s witnesses are ardent believers in the Bible as ‘God’s word of truth.’... Their dynamism strikes admiration, however. Their devotion points an answer to the oft-expressed question of whether religion has failed mankind. Of course it hasn’t, but mankind seems often to have failed to find the ideals of true religion.”—Editorial in Paterson (N. J.) Morning Call, July 20, 1953.
“We are going to miss those Jehovah’s witnesses when they are gone. . . . Those folks seem to be the cream of the country when it comes to politeness, courtesy, and a few other things that most of us neglect these days. . . . Those folks are just as polite when they are back of a steering wheel as we are when we are in a hotel lobby, and that is something.”—Dunellen (N. J.) Weekly Call, July 23, 1953.
“The eight-day world assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses brought to New York City area nearly 150,000 members of this durable sect—men, women and their families from all over the world who live their faith vividly.”—Editorial in Vancouver (Wash.) The Columbian, July 24, 1953.
“We vote that our city’s latchstring be permanently left out for these earnest people. . . . We hope, too, that their example will start a trend among some of the wayward, middle-aged adolescents who hold their annual cutups here.”—Editorial in New York (N. Y.) World-Telegram and Sun, July 22, 1953.
“In the persons of Jehovah’s witnesses who passed thru this city on their way home from the world conference in New York last week . . . were whites and blacks and apparently American Indians and peoples of oriental background, of both yellow and brown races . . . family groups, quietly happy in the possession of a religion that engrosses them and to which they have dedicated their lives. . . . Wherever they go they proudly and joyfully advertise their cause but in the quiet, orderly fashion to which they have become disciplined. They are a splendid people who are growing in numbers and influence. And wherever they go they are welcome. By their behavior they create such goodly opinion that they are urged to return. And that does not go for all conventions and gatherings.”—Editorial in Allentown (Pa.) The Morning Call, July 28, 1953.
From that you would say that love, God’s way, worked and brought results, real happiness and contentment! Do you want to try it? Do not answer as the world does. “No,” says the old world, “our idea of life is ‘selfishness means advancement.’ ” They think Jehovah’s witnesses have done a wonderful thing in meeting together peacefully in upward of a hundred and fifty thousand, but it will not work as a world-wide setup. Well, look at the United Nations. It is a world-wide setup and its selfishness does not work. Why do not the clergy and rulers try Jehovah’s kingdom and God’s way of love?
Jehovah’s kingdom has been established and is now in its fortieth year. It is a working government with Christ Jesus at the helm. He has returned and he rules as Jehovah’s appointed King. Are you with him? There is every reason to believe his rule has begun. Will you serve Jehovah with his King? Do you see the glory of Jehovah’s kingdom and will you talk about it? Will you go forward in the ministry service now and prove to Jehovah God that you believe his kingdom is the only hope for mankind? Psalm 145:18 says that “Jehovah is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.” Why does not the United Nations organization try it and then, of course, listen to Jehovah? Good advice for the clergy too, but they will not heed it. Thousands more individuals will, though.
Even though you may be isolated in some part of the world or in a small congregation of his people, Jehovah will be nigh unto you if you call upon him in truth. At no time is he far away. Even when two or three are gathered together in his name, there he is in their midst, by his power and care. Being Jehovah’s witnesses and having dedicated yourselves to Jehovah God, you have a hope. You know the Kingdom is a reality. You have proof from the Scriptures that it was established in 1914. Now you see the gathering of the other sheep in great numbers, by the thousands; and you have seen manifested the spirit of Jehovah God upon the New World society. Why, then, should you ever doubt? Now is the time to flee to the mountains with Jehovah’s people. Do not try it alone later on. It will be too hazardous.—Matt. 24:19-21, NW.
Do not waste your time now predicting what is going to happen in this fortieth year of Jehovah’s kingdom. You should fully appreciate that Jehovah knows what he will do and what his purpose is in this year or any other year in the future, and that he is fully able to accomplish it in his own due time. For the present, we have his command to talk of the glory of his kingdom. For us there is nothing else to do. It is the most important work in all the world.
KEEPING A CLEAN ORGANIZATION OF TALKERS
Many persons have associated themselves with Jehovah’s witnesses and have mixed in with them, and we believed they were sincere because of their association and the course of action they had taken. But some have come that we do not want. The reason is that they are selfish. They have no love for God or their neighbor. They are still of the old world and they believe that the old-world practices can be worked into this New World society. Jehovah will not allow it. Jude wrote: “I found it necessary to write you to exhort you to put up a hard fight for the faith that was once for all time delivered to the holy ones. My reason is that certain men have slipped in who have long ago been appointed by the Scriptures to the judgment described below, ungodly men, turning the undeserved kindness of our God into an excuse for loose conduct and proving false to our only Owner and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (Jude 3, 4, NW) It is this type of person that we must be careful about. He is a hypocrite! His philosophy or his way of thinking has no place in the New World society. Only those devoted to blessing Jehovah will gain life. Jude continues and says: “But you, beloved ones, by building up yourselves on your most holy faith, and praying with holy spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love, while you are waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ with everlasting life in view.” (Jude 20, 21, NW) Those taking the right course will be blessed. The opposers and unclean will lose everything, even life.
In this connection it is written: “Men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts; and I will declare thy greatness.” (Ps. 145:6, AS) As one of Jehovah’s terrible acts, take, for example, the destruction of the city of Jericho. What a mighty and terrible act! Jehovah God had promised to lead his people into the land of milk and honey and he did so and assured them that he would win their battles for them. So he told them how Jericho would be destroyed. You can read the account in the Bible, at Joshua 6:1-26 (NW). Jehovah God was watching every move of his people, and they did as Jehovah commanded. They did their part; Jehovah did his. The walls fell. You will say it was a miracle. After the walls fell Jehovah was still interested in his chosen people. He wanted them to remain clean and obedient.
But now the selfish Achan came to view. (Josh. 7:1-26, NW) The whole nation of Israel must have trembled after Achan was exposed, for this searching out of the selfish one showed the mightiness and alertness of Jehovah God. Achan turned thief. To the Israelites he looked clean outside; but he was not, because he was dirty inside. His philosophy for survival was selfishness, not love, not worship of Jehovah God, not following His commands. No, he thought he knew better than to carry out Jehovah’s organization instructions. Joshua, the one chosen to lead Jehovah’s people, was speaking for Jehovah God when Joshua told the people how to march, when and where and what to do. But Achan was not marching for the love of it. No, he was interested in what he could get out of it. Covetousness impelled his heart.
Because Achan was unclean, a filthy thing in Israel, Jehovah’s chosen people, what followed? “Joshua, and all Israel with him, now took Achan the son of Zerah and the silver and the garment and the bar of gold and his sons and his daughters and his ox and his ass and his flock and his tent and everything that was his and they brought them up to the valley of Achor. Then Joshua said: ‘Why have you brought trouble upon us? Jehovah will bring trouble upon you on this day.’ With that all Israel went pelting him to death with stones, after which they burned them with fire. Thus they stoned them with stones.”—Josh. 7:24, 25, NW.
The people must have marveled at the way Jehovah ferreted Achan out, by tribe, by family, by household, down to the man himself and his own tent, and there they found the garment and the gold, the things that he had stolen out of the city of Jericho. Yes, Jehovah God was watching his organization. He watched them march round Jericho, he watched the walls fall, he watched his people go into the city to take out the things that they should bring to Jehovah. He saw Achan the selfish one with no love for God or his brothers. Remember, you too are now living under the eyes and the powerful hand of the same living God, Jehovah, not sightless, lifeless gods of stone, wood or metal!
There may be some whose ideas of living are based on selfishness and who will not clean up inside, will not change their thinking. Some of these get into Jehovah’s organization. Do not be one of them, for Jehovah sees what is going on. He can reach right in there and throw you out so quickly that you will need time to discover just what has so suddenly and swiftly happened to you. But as long eis you seriously and sincerely trust Jehovah and stay alertly in his organization and abide by his Word and obey Jehovah’s commandments, then his spirit and his blessing will be your happy portion. But violate his commandments, and you will not have his favor but will receive his punishments. Jesus said: “If you love me, you will observe my commandments.” (John 14:15, NW) You see, the whole organization of Jehovah God is based on love, not selfishness and uncleanness. Sometime maybe one will think that he can get away with something in Jehovah’s organization. If it is not according to the commandment of God, he will not get away with it. He will fail, as Achan did.
Just recall Ananias. In his case there is another example of the greatness of Jehovah God, his mighty acts, and the power of his holy spirit. Ananias was trying to live a lie. Because he lied, because he put on an appearance of doing something wonderful and great but actually was stealing from Jehovah’s organization he dropped dead. (Acts 5:1-6, NW) That event warns us, Never lie to Jehovah. Do not try to deal selfishly with his righteous organization. Never bring dishonesty or uncleanness into the congregation of Jehovah God. That is selfishness. The happy course of action that a real Christian takes is this: “Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever.” (Ps. 144 [145]: 2, CB) That is what all of us who have come into Jehovah’s New World society must do. Do not try to mar the glory of Jehovah’s kingdom and his organization by doing something like Achan or Ananias. Jehovah’s New World society is part of God’s holy organization. Recognize it, get in it now and serve with it right through his battle at Armageddon, on into his righteous new world without end, where all will love Jehovah and love their surviving neighbors.
When one dedicates his life to Jehovah God now it is a matter of a continual, never-ending service. It is not just doing a little bit now and then. It is not just an incidental hobby, or a pastime. But, “Every day will I bless you.” Your service to Jehovah God is your worship. You must praise his name, you must speak of his glory, you must tell others what your God has done. Bless his name, speak well of his name, show all the world that you are his servant, that you can live in happiness with love as a motive force.
TeU it out to the peoples of the world that Jehovah reigns and his kingdom is now a glorious, permanent government. Jesus said we should “go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded.” —Matt. 28:19, 20, NW.
“PUBLICLY AND FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE”
All of Jehovah’s witnesses, whether missionaries, pioneers or congregation publishers, must talk of the glory of Jehovah’s kingdom. In Jehovah’s organization none are silent, but “in his temple all say, ‘Glory!’ ” (Ps. 28 [29] :9, CB) Paul did so, for he reminds us: “I did not hold back from telling you any of the things that were profitable nor from teaching you publicly and from house to house.”—Acts 20:20, NW.
Jesus’ apostles and other faithful followers never held back anything that they knew about their Creator or about his Son, their Leader, who took away the sin of the world. They could not do so. Where did they talk? Publicly and from house to house. Just as that method was so important for them from the first and, later, in Paul’s day, so it is our most important work during this fortieth year of Jehovah’s kingdom. You should get out there in the field, going from house to house, from home to home, meeting the people in their homes, talking to them about the glory of Jehovah’s kingdom. Are you doing that, especially now that the Kingdom, Jehovah’s permanent government, is here? It is urgent to do so, because the years left before his final battle at Armageddon cannot be too many.
We must show the world that we are different. We cannot hide our light under a measuring basket. (Matt. 5:15, NW) We believe in loving our neighbor, not killing him with darkness. We want to see him live. We can help him with the message of life that Jehovah has given us to talk to the world. That can best be accomplished by going from door to door and studying with the people right in their own homes, so that they can conveniently ask questions and get a Scriptural answer. Just like you, they must “make sure of all things”; and we want them to believe in Jehovah’s kingdom. “When you are entering into the house, greet the household; and if the house is deserving, let the peace you wish it come upon it; but if it is not deserving, let the peace from you return upon you.”—Matt. 10:12, 13, NW.
We have a wonderful message to take to the world, for all nations, kindreds and tongues. It is a peaceful message delivered by peaceful persons. You ministers are of the New World society; you are representing Jehovah God, the Sovereign Ruler of the universe. And when you go into a house let your peace be manifest to that house. If that house does not want your peaceful message and your peaceful, friendly presence, and it does not want to learn of the glorious kingdom of Jehovah God, do not rebuke it; that is, the occupant who faces you at the door and refuses to hear. Rather take back your peace. Promptly and graciously leave if he has no ear to hear. There is no reason to scold and say, “You’re going to die at Armageddon!” and then abruptly walk away. Each has a right to choose whom he will serve. You brought peace, you brought a message of love, of kindness. You tried to show him the new world of righteousness. He did not want it. You take again to yourself your peaceful message and go on to the next house and talk to its occupant. Maybe some day the man in the first home you visited and who refused you will have a change of heart. Maybe the next minister calling will succeed in leaving in his home the message of peace. You have peaceful, good news for those who want it. It is precious, glorious. You are willing, yes, glad, eager, to give it to anyone who wants it. If any do not want it, you are not offended, you are not disturbed; you are going to hold it and offer it to someone else. Do not let the people who prefer and choose this old world upset you or slow you down. Instead, happily recall that “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16, NW) If anyone does not want to accept the Son, Jehovah is not going to force him to live. Each may choose to accept that wonderful gift, exercise faith in Christ, and enjoy the blessings of the glorious kingdom and its rule over this new world. But if any does not want the redemptive price to apply to him, he will not be compelled to accept it. The minister happily goes on to find and feed the ones who are hungry.
Jehovah is not going to have any selfish, unpeaceful persons in the new world to disturb its tranquillity. Such will do better to change now while there is time and get in line for life. Therefore, never neglect praising the name of the Most High God between now and the time of Armageddon. It is something that we are going to keep on doing and have the opportunity of doing for eternity—forever and ever.—Ps. 71:14, 15, AS.
Do not think that just your going from house to house is the end of your work of love. Unselfishly, from house to house, we carry the good message of the kingdom of Jehovah. Some hear. But look at what the apostles did. “Now after some days Paul said to Barnabas: ‘Above all things, let us return and visit the brothers in every one of the cities in which we published the word of Jehovah to see how they are.’ ”—Acts 15:36, NW.
So, after we have brought the message of peace into a home and have told in that home the glories of Jehovah’s kingdom, we do not want them to forget it. Remember, you are so much more mature than those people to whom you have given their first taste of Jehovah’s truth. You have the truth settled in your mind; by it you have been made strong; your faith is powerful. Paul and Barnabas knew that. So they went back to their brothers whom they had given the truth; yes, to every one of the cities they had visited. They wanted to strengthen them in the Word of God, which, as Jesus said, is the truth. We have to follow that God-given pattern of action, and we do organizationally at the Watch Tower Society’s headquarters, because from there circuit servants and district servants are sent from congregation to congregation, so that if we see anything that is wrong in the congregation or anything that is dampening its zeal, anything that is slowing down its members, the mature visiting servants of Jehovah God can remove the hindrance and build them up again in the most holy faith.
Servants in the various congregations should always be looking after the flock of God and calling back on those who are weak in faith and teach them how to go from house to house. Look after those who are isolated and live in rural territory and who have shown interest. The congregation servant with his assistants or others should get out there to look after them when at all possible. They are other sheep, they are scattered, they must be brought together and fed. As it is written of the early congregation: “Every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.”—Acts 5:42, NW.
Now that we have come into this fortieth year of Jehovah’s kingdom, can we let up? No; rather, recall that over 1900 years ago Jesus was impaled; he was tortured, put to death by conspiring religionists and politicians. That certainly must have been a blow to those early followers of Jesus. It was A.D. 33 when these startling things happened. Things looked dark then for Jesus’ disciples whom he had sent to preach; but later, from Pentecost on, they had to continue to go from house to house without letup. Now today, we who have, for many years, been preaching the good news during the very last days of this system of things, are we going to let up? Slow down? Go into retirement? We cannot. Today we see the Kingdom more clearly than we did back there in 1914 or 1918 or 1931 or any previous time. We feel its power; we see its activity. So just like Jesus’ apostles, we have to continue without letup declaring and teaching the good news of this glorious kingdom of Jehovah God. Great work is yet before us, and the New World society will do it.
Psalm 145, the basis for this article, is a very “talkative” one; it is expressive; it keeps on declaring things. And if you read that psalm verse by verse you will find that you are told to extol, praise, laud, declare, meditate, speak, utter, sing, talk, and “make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.” Oh, how the psalmist wanted us to talk! He was anxious to talk, he wanted to say things about the glories that he foresaw away back there, thousands of years ago; but now we are right up here in that glory of Jehovah’s kingdom. We certainly should be talking about it, ‘making known to the sons of men his mighty acts and the glory of the majesty of Jehovah’s kingdom.’—Ps. 145:12, AS.
The responsibility rests on all who are dedicated to Jehovah God to preach this good news from house to house and to keep telling this peaceful message even to the ends of the earth. Remember, Jehovah’s kingdom is here. It is the capital or ruling part of his universal organization. Into that kingdom have been taken 144,000. These are jointheirs with Christ and will rule and reign with him a thousand years. They all are humble, obedient, loving creatures, who, while on earth, were good ministers of the Kingdom, speaking of its glorious majesty. In addition to these there are many people who will share blessings and peace under that kingdom. Today such are scattered throughout the world. But they are being gathered together into one organization. The New World society and its activity, all under the direction of the heavenly kingdom born in 1914, we now see clearly. It is not something mythical; it is a tangible reality. When Jesus Christ was on earth he proved himself worthy of being exalted to the high position of ruler and the one able to operate the new world on the principle of love. He knows what love is and expressed it in his life on earth. Because he proved his integrity to his Father in heaven even “as far as death, yes, death on a torture stake,” therefore “God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name, so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground, and every tongue should openly confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”—Phil. 2:8-11, NW.
Jesus’ faithful followers have testified and will confess, or talk to others to the effect that Jesus is Lord “to the glory of God the Father.” All true worship, even by the Son, goes to Jehovah, and that is how God wants it; and all the 144,000 will bring glory to the Father through the Son, for they will be the bride of Christ Jesus in the heavenly kingdom. (Rev. 22:9, NW) There is still a remnant of this bride class on earth, according to the 1953 Memorial report only 19,183. All these must speak of Jehovah’s glorious kingdom in vindication of Jehovah’s name; and the One who leads in this vindication is Christ Jesus, for of him we read that “the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this.”—Isa. 9:6, 7, AS.
Jehovah the living God is backing up this whole arrangement. It is his will, his power, his zeal, that makes this whole thing a tangible reality. Jehovah will perform this. When we see this glorious kingdom that he has put into operation, then certainly we must talk of it. We know the need of the righteous rule and we as Christians must tell others about it all the time, “all day long.” (Ps. 145:2, AT) We must manifest ourselves as God’s people. “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for the purpose of a witness to all the nations, and then the accomplished end will come.”—Matt. 24:14, NW.
So let us talk the right things now. Talk about this kingdom, Jehovah’s permanent government, and you will gain life. You have come to know of it by oral teaching, and you can stay in the way of life. How? “Let anyone who is being orally taught the word share in all good things with the one who gives such oral teaching.” (Gal. 6:6, NW) You can do that by accompanying the oral teacher in preaching, by talking, by declaring, by teaching, by extolling the glory of Jehovah’s kingdom with him. The responsibility is yours “to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.” By your acting thus you, with the psalmist, can continually say to Jehovah: “Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.” (Ps. 145:13) If you want life, then you must also say in the words of the year’s text: “Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever.”—Ps. 145:2, CB.
We are not so selfish as to think this preaching work is to be done by just those who now are Jehovah’s witnesses. We are not a secret, restricted or closed society or organization. We call to the whole world whom we are orally teaching, to whom we talk, to come and have part with us in these good things, partake with us of the peace and learn of Jehovah’s purposes so that each “sheep” too may be his true worshiper and preacher. We are not trying to get anyone to join anything; but we certainly want to see people get life. We do not want to die, and we do not want others to die; we want them to live; we want others to recognize the Sovereign Ruler of the universe, Jehovah God. So why, then, should not we in all of our oral teaching want them to come with us and talk, just as we are talking?
There must be no letup now in this preaching work that we are doing. And there will be no letup in preaching the good news, for “the spirit and the bride keep on saying, ‘Come!’ ” So “let anyone hearing say, ‘Come!’ And let anyone thirsting come; let anyone that wishes take life’s water free.”—Rev. 22:17, NW.
We cannot be selfish in this matter. Go to your neighbors, your relatives, from house to house, and say ‘Come! and take of this water of life, without any cost, without any price. Take it free.’ More and more let each of us “make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.”
“BECOME DOERS OF THE WORD, AND NOT HEARERS ONLY”
JEHOVAH’S command to those in the New World society is to “preach the word.” That word is the truth about Jehovah God and his Son, Christ Jesus, the new world of righteousness and all the (Continued on page 36)
|
1953 SERVICE YEAR REPORT OF | ||||||
|
1952 |
1953 |
%Inc. |
Peak |
Av. |
No. | |
|
Av. |
Av. |
over |
Pubs. |
Pio. |
Public | |
|
Country |
Pubs. |
Pubs. |
1952 |
1953 |
Pubs. Meet'gs | |
|
U. S. of America |
126,626 |
139,966 |
11 |
153,624 |
6,921 |
97,607 |
|
Alaska |
72 |
101 |
40 |
109 |
8 |
53 |
|
Bermuda |
15 |
17 |
13 |
21 |
3 |
12 |
|
Fr. Equ. Africa |
83 |
235 |
183 |
416 |
1 |
10 |
|
Guadeloupe |
77 |
86 |
12 |
109 |
2 |
143 |
|
Guam |
13 |
23 |
8 |
27 |
1 | |
|
Iceland |
8 |
7 |
8 |
5 |
9 | |
|
Islands <Sibia) |
3 |
4 |
33 |
4 |
4 |
65 |
|
Israel |
IS |
21 |
31 |
31 |
5 |
11 |
|
Korea |
124 |
312 |
152 |
417 |
14 |
21 |
|
Morocco |
1 New |
1 | ||||
|
St. Martin, F.W.I. |
3 |
4 |
33 |
6 |
1 |
20 |
|
Argentina |
2,232 |
2,579 |
16 |
2,742 |
96 |
1,393 |
|
Australia |
5,716 |
6,302 |
10 |
7,141 |
320 |
4,739 |
|
American Samoa |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 | ||
|
Fiji Islands |
30 |
36 |
20 |
51 |
4 |
24 |
|
Papua |
2 |
5 |
150 |
11 |
1 | |
|
Western Samoa |
4 |
16 |
300 |
19 |
2 |
3 |
|
Austria |
2,772 |
3,101 |
12 |
3,410 |
77 |
2,137 |
|
Bahamas |
93 |
92 |
100 |
8 |
73 | |
|
Belgium |
3,120 |
3,406 |
9 |
3,623 |
96 |
1,644 |
|
Luxembourg |
96 |
109 |
14 |
116 |
5 |
88 |
|
Bolivia |
100 |
95 |
113 |
29 |
54 | |
|
Brazil |
5,103 |
5,774 |
13 |
6,429 |
194 |
3,546 |
|
British Guiana |
284 |
325 |
14 |
376 |
39 |
263 |
|
British Honduras |
78 |
76 |
87 |
10 |
52 | |
|
British Isles |
24,847 |
26,104 |
5 |
28.097 |
1,000 |
25,533 |
|
Eire |
116 |
143 |
23 |
173 |
38 |
192 |
|
Malta |
2 New |
2 | ||||
|
British W.I. (Trln.) |
1,192 |
1,163 |
1,293 |
71 |
1,183 | |
|
Anguilla |
1 |
2 |
100 |
2 | ||
|
Antigua |
35 |
37 |
6 |
46 |
3 |
55 |
|
Barbados |
415 |
480 |
16 |
581 |
16 |
567 |
|
Carnacou |
1 |
8 |
700 |
12 |
18 | |
|
Dominica |
45 |
53 |
18 |
62 |
2 |
54 |
|
Grenada |
73 |
85 |
16 |
113 |
4 |
98 |
|
Montserrat |
6 |
5 |
9 |
8 | ||
|
Nevis |
13 |
20 |
54 |
22 |
2 |
32 |
|
St. Kitts |
37 |
43 |
16 |
52 |
4 |
11 |
|
St. Lucia |
27 |
28 |
4 |
33 |
4 |
57 |
|
St. Vincent |
36 |
40 |
11 |
44 |
5 |
25 |
|
Tobago |
35 |
29 |
47 |
2 |
23 | |
|
Burma |
109 |
108 |
123 |
9 |
52 | |
|
Canada |
20,338 |
22,350 |
10 |
24,882 |
994 |
12,914 |
|
Chile |
720 |
824 |
14 |
913 |
79 |
464 |
|
China |
24 |
20 |
25 |
3 | ||
|
Colombia |
281 |
368 |
31 |
405 |
35 |
226 |
|
Costa Rica |
1,583 |
1,551 |
1,714 |
38 |
600 | |
|
Cuba |
8,634 |
9,085 |
5 |
9,917 |
329 |
4,673 |
|
Cyprus |
313 |
328 |
5 |
361 |
15 |
89 |
|
Denmark |
6,056 |
6,765 |
12 |
7,176 |
135 |
3,697 |
|
Dominican Republic |
226 |
273 |
21 |
303 | ||
|
Ecuador |
192 |
203 |
6 |
224 |
35 |
94 |
|
'^nglo-Egyptian Su |
228 |
243 |
7 |
264 |
21 |
226 |
|
dan 14 |
17 |
21 |
19 |
1 |
5 | |
|
El Salvador |
241 |
251 |
4 |
271 |
23 |
354 |
|
Ethiopia |
21 |
40 |
90 |
51 |
13 |
120 |
|
Finland |
4,734 |
5,029 |
6 |
5,422 |
228 |
5,973 |
|
France |
6,740 |
7,371 |
9 |
8,108 |
127 |
4,039 |
|
Algeria |
5 |
24 |
380 |
35 |
7 |
10 |
|
No. of Cong's |
Total Literature |
Total Hours |
New Subs. 1 |
Individual Magazines B |
Av. Bible ack-Calls Studies | |
|
3,195 |
12,371,552 |
21,978,943 |
552,594 |
13,468,474 |
7,392,293 |
87,858 |
|
5 |
9,560 |
16,890 |
862 |
15,110 |
5,605 |
69 |
|
1 |
1,591 |
3,243 |
139 |
1,210 |
2,295 |
42 |
|
5 |
80 |
32,285 |
6 |
10 |
59,147 |
94 |
|
4 |
4,267 |
13,473 |
56 |
2,591 |
4,696 |
59 |
|
1 |
958 |
3,047 |
47 |
479 |
509 |
4 |
|
1 |
10,736 |
7,345 |
68 |
1,967 |
2,409 |
18 |
|
1,476 |
4,646 |
17 |
800 |
1,656 |
24 | |
|
2 |
1,733 |
9,630 |
83 |
1,375 |
2,986 |
30 |
|
7 |
28,257 |
62,878 |
162 |
2,347 |
25,767 |
209 |
|
29 |
25 |
8 |
10 | |||
|
1 |
105 |
1,671 |
5 |
422 |
305 |
5 |
|
85 |
74,273 |
411,879 |
5,511 |
236,673 |
208,676 |
2,057 |
|
290 |
351,978 |
1,010,396 |
13,900 |
528,924 |
336,886 |
3,784 |
|
5 |
70 |
2 |
30 |
2 | ||
|
1 |
3,852 |
8,349 |
63 |
5,216 |
4,144 |
40 |
|
143 |
1,359 |
3 |
134 |
412 |
9 | |
|
1 |
332 |
3,873 |
44 |
249 |
1,023 |
26 |
|
162 |
134,268 |
453,565 |
2,881 |
314,169 |
209,387 |
1,632 |
|
z |
8,261 |
16,950 |
263 |
7,568 |
7,904 |
135 |
|
83 |
211,138 |
453,778 |
3,772 |
141,953 |
158,855 |
1,683 |
|
4 |
6,157 |
17,856 |
135 |
8,437 |
6,913 |
67 |
|
4 |
18,949 |
43,078 |
2,100 |
19,611 |
17,642 |
228 |
|
148 |
235,938 |
828,999 |
9,627 |
155,112 |
272,357 |
3,272 |
|
15 |
36,866 |
82,033 |
477 |
32,645 |
31,670 |
408 |
|
3 |
6,940 |
21,211 |
136 |
7,190 |
8,313 |
134 |
|
729 |
2,261,747 |
3,582,887 |
60,953 |
612,674 |
1,508,680 |
12,509 |
|
4 |
22,799 |
68,503 |
669 |
7,619 |
19,403 |
159 |
|
5 |
33 |
2 |
66 |
4 | ||
|
38 |
42,355 |
214,345 |
1,185 |
59,591 |
83,850 |
1,225 |
|
2 |
3 |
3 |
1 | |||
|
1 |
2,168 |
8,018 |
40 |
2,469 |
3,487 |
42 |
|
18 |
12,257 |
83,397 |
505 |
19,693 |
32,430 |
478 |
|
1 |
9 |
930 |
1 |
45 |
443 |
10 |
|
2 |
770 |
6,303 |
33 |
1,926 |
2,622 |
45 |
|
3 |
1,272 |
14,460 |
106 |
2,944 |
4,917 |
119 |
|
1 |
57 |
543 |
8 |
271 |
168 |
3 |
|
2 |
458 |
4,686 |
9 |
721 |
2,260 |
31 |
|
1 |
1,078 |
8,645 |
55 |
1,654 |
3,023 |
41 |
|
2 |
1,053 |
7,987 |
73 |
3,571 |
3,374 |
64 |
|
5 |
1,127 |
11,054 |
50 |
2,902 |
5,178 |
81 |
|
2 |
790 |
5,679 |
27 |
1,410 |
1,916 |
33 |
|
2 |
20,842 |
24,343 |
305 |
4,085 |
9,856 |
110 |
|
672 |
1,303.201 |
2,915,915 |
48,114 |
1,755,965 |
816,703 |
8,995 |
|
15 |
82,790 |
163,942 |
2,718 |
71,693 |
73,082 |
1,096 |
|
1 |
209 |
3,740 |
14 |
2,696 |
57 | |
|
11 |
20,520 |
95,233 |
378 |
39,811 |
38,387 |
496 |
|
40 |
15,512 |
173,709 |
818 |
29,167 |
54,773 |
1,055 |
|
252 |
126,246 |
1,117,748 |
4,652 |
240,192 |
342,693 |
5,474 |
|
9 |
6,376 |
46,875 |
198 |
5,675 |
16,674 |
243 |
|
180 |
353,118 |
732,386 |
6,291 |
374,827 |
294,415 |
2,511 |
|
•7 |
3,979 |
29,437 |
223 |
17,764 |
213 | |
|
5 |
17,302 |
66,430 |
405 |
25,065 |
27,330 |
329 |
|
9 |
16,187 |
56,552 |
749 |
12,251 |
20,888 |
214 |
|
1 |
371 |
2,479 |
237 |
1,192 |
404 |
5 |
|
10 |
9,104 |
58,210 |
565 |
21,994 |
24,025 |
296 |
|
4 |
1,178 |
19,220 |
21 |
3,240 |
8,696 |
107 |
|
393 |
195,981 |
718,392 |
13,187 |
325,198 |
220,096 |
2,379 |
|
169 |
357,172 |
763,287 |
5,218 |
207,650 |
326,157 |
2,873 |
|
1 |
10,350 |
12,418 |
100 |
2,305 |
9,673 |
76 |
|
1952 |
1953 |
%Inc. |
Peak |
Av. |
No. | |
|
Av. |
Av. |
over |
Pubs. |
Pio. |
Public | |
|
Country |
Pubs. |
Pubs. |
1952 |
1953 |
Pubs. Meet’gs | |
|
Indo-Chlna |
1 New |
1 | ||||
|
Saar |
577 |
592 |
3 |
637 |
7 |
241 |
|
Senegal |
2 New |
2 |
1 |
1 | ||
|
Tunisia |
1 |
4 |
300 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
|
Germany, West |
37,753 |
40,158 |
6 |
43,565 |
960 |
18,832 |
|
Gold Coast |
3,919 |
4,728 |
21 |
5,181 |
173 |
2,952 |
|
Gambia |
4 |
1 |
2 | |||
|
Ivory Coast |
9 |
13 |
44 |
17 |
3 |
8 |
|
Greece |
3,541 |
3,784 |
7 |
4,287 |
15 |
L180 |
|
Turkey |
48 |
56 |
17 |
66 |
6 | |
|
Guatemala |
271 |
308 |
14 |
341 |
28 |
358 |
|
Haiti |
165 |
201 |
22 |
219 |
21 |
206 |
|
Hawaii |
550 |
661 |
20 |
770 |
51 |
290 |
|
Honduras |
311 |
340 |
9 |
407 |
31 |
440 |
|
Hong Kong |
37 |
58 |
57 |
66 |
11 |
78 |
|
India |
472 |
562 |
19 |
620 |
46 |
479 |
|
Ceylon |
29 |
42 |
45 |
52 |
11 |
55 |
|
Indonesia |
91 |
132 |
45 |
162 |
16 |
106 |
|
Italy |
1,869 |
2,170 |
16 |
2,315 |
109 |
451 |
|
Libya |
10 |
22 |
120 |
29 |
2 |
5 |
|
Jamaica |
2,558 |
2,759 |
8 |
2,984 |
78 |
2,498 |
|
Japan |
255 |
287 |
13 |
336 |
62 |
207 |
|
Okinawa |
10 New |
14 |
8 | |||
|
Taiwan |
306 |
934 |
205 |
1,752 |
21 | |
|
Lebanon |
355 |
375 |
6 |
426 |
29 |
425 |
|
Aden |
2 |
1 |
1 | |||
|
Iraq |
2 New |
2 |
2 | |||
|
Jordan |
55 |
79 |
44 |
109 |
7 |
129 |
|
Saudi Arabia |
2 |
2 |
3 | |||
|
Syria |
89 |
67 |
79 |
5 |
4 | |
|
Liberia |
59 |
70 |
19 |
83 |
11 |
94 |
|
Mexico |
8,937 |
9,759 |
9 |
11,047 |
210 |
6,641 |
|
Netherlands |
7,040 |
7,649 |
8 |
8,168 |
165 |
2,562 |
|
Netherlands Antilles | ||||||
|
(Curacao) |
83 |
95 |
14 |
105 |
6 |
78 |
|
Aruba |
108 |
108 |
124 |
7 |
99 | |
|
Bonaire |
2 |
4 |
100 |
7 |
1 |
41 |
|
Newfoundland |
208 |
224 |
8 |
249 |
26 |
268 |
|
New Zealand |
1,442 |
1,643 |
14 |
1,906 |
66 |
1,114 |
|
Nicaragua |
128 |
123 |
139 |
25 |
161 | |
|
Nigeria |
10,989 |
13,056 |
19 |
15,078 |
669 |
11,779 |
|
Cameroun |
460 |
649 |
41 |
794 |
8 |
452 |
|
Dahomey |
314 |
349 |
11 |
569 |
11 |
97 |
|
French Togoland |
38 |
87 |
129 |
118 |
4 |
265 |
|
Northern Rhodesia |
18,913 |
20,373 |
8 |
23,059 |
64 |
1,480 |
|
Belgian Congo |
48 |
16 |
60 |
1 | ||
|
Kenya |
2 |
4 |
100 |
8 | ||
|
Tanganyika |
152 |
194 |
28 |
240 |
4 |
32 |
|
Uganda |
3 |
4 |
33 |
6 |
1 | |
|
Norway |
2,072 |
2,164 |
4 |
2,380 |
60 |
1,151 |
|
Nyasaland |
11,244 |
’11,296 |
12,291 |
270 |
15,610 | |
|
Portuguese E. Africa 282 |
252 |
315 |
1 |
233 | ||
|
Pakistan |
44 |
51 |
16 |
57 |
11 |
119 |
|
Panama |
509 |
602 |
18 |
668 |
53 |
400 |
|
Paraguay |
141 |
155 |
10 |
182 |
8 |
55 |
|
Peru |
260 |
283 |
9 |
323 |
50 |
230 |
|
Philippines |
14,890 |
18,053 |
21 |
20,120 |
656 |
4,304 |
|
Portugal |
46 |
77 |
67 |
97 |
6 | |
|
Azores |
29 |
28 |
31 |
4 | ||
|
Puerto Rico |
590 |
637 |
8 |
710 |
68 |
381 |
No. of Total Total New Individual Av. Bible
|
Cong’s |
Literature |
Hours |
Subs. Magazines Back-Calls Studies | |||
|
12 |
36 |
2 |
1 | |||
|
15 |
23,107 |
73,946 |
642 |
27,248 |
37,094 |
275 |
|
651 |
430 |
21 |
84 |
273 |
4 | |
|
2,828 |
1,180 |
11 |
67 |
510 |
6 | |
|
899 |
581,476 |
5,999,597 |
38,386 |
2,495,531 |
2,236,170 |
19,781 |
|
91 |
68,400 |
1,095,044 |
1,408 |
58,324 |
243,415 |
3,004 |
|
404 |
5 |
96 |
96 |
2 | ||
|
164 |
6,027 |
21 |
544 |
1,805 |
30 | |
|
240 |
43,258 |
288,767 |
1,824 |
61,269 |
140,263 |
1,114 |
|
2 |
2,873 |
13,805 |
117 |
2,594 |
6,143 |
95 |
|
11 |
20,472 |
63,901 |
1,278 |
26,345 |
27,111 |
422 |
|
8 |
16,574 |
49,943 |
720 |
12,742 |
17,847 |
294 |
|
12 |
43,672 |
134,358 |
3,126 |
53,236 |
54,822 |
962 |
|
15 |
14,690 |
79,805 |
963 |
27,789 |
33,282 |
487 |
|
1 |
10,848 |
15,424 |
368 |
1,152 |
7,331 |
158 |
|
36 |
48,760 |
139,644 |
1,077 |
25,548 |
43,894 |
558 |
|
1 |
13,657 |
21,047 |
264 |
7,999 |
8,063 |
75 |
|
4 |
19,256 |
35,861 |
1,185 |
16,985 |
17,699 |
297 |
|
96 |
110,297 |
317,710 |
2,074 |
32,780 |
138,008 |
1,330 |
|
1 |
816 |
3,405 |
28 |
786 |
1,592 |
16 |
|
143 |
85,432 |
398,252 |
840 |
81,660 |
129,213 |
2,394 |
|
13 |
47,890 |
115,235 |
1,722 |
42,396 |
54,812 |
851 |
|
1 |
2,525 |
2,025 |
55 |
1,170 |
1,345 |
6 |
|
12 |
511 |
176,926 |
36 |
100 |
90,190 |
492 |
|
10 |
13,929 |
68,355 |
735 |
10,143 |
17,930 |
186 |
|
5 |
49 |
5 |
14 |
1 | ||
|
49 |
759 |
10 |
129 |
170 |
1 | |
|
3 |
2,006 |
19,567 |
48 |
2,473 |
5,267 |
50 |
|
13 |
74 |
23 |
3 | |||
|
4 |
1,006 |
10,780 |
153 |
803 |
2,159 |
34 |
|
2 |
8,307 |
24,930 |
324 |
5,415 |
9,765 |
131 |
|
380 |
144,727 |
1,194,818 |
5,399 |
285,996 |
299,756 |
5,051 |
|
143 |
120,188 |
914,958 |
4,032 |
305,339 |
315,429 |
2,540 |
|
1 |
11,856 |
16,337 |
814 |
16,637 |
7,003 |
91 |
|
2 |
7,965 |
18,650 |
511 |
12,774 |
6,906 |
101 |
|
1 |
792 |
2,139 |
30 |
362 |
652 |
7 |
|
24 |
24,889 |
47,612 |
1,412 |
33,759 |
15,637 |
147 |
|
68 |
87,099 |
223,486 |
4,331 |
155,520 |
75,341 |
973 |
|
8 |
7,382 |
46,759 |
264 |
11,516 |
21,975 |
270 |
|
442 |
148,095 |
3,042,666 |
2,649 |
101,041 |
521,040 |
7,605 |
|
23 |
4,995 |
150,434 |
171 |
3.842 |
53,580 |
319 |
|
16 |
216 |
103,339 |
6 |
226 |
15,266 |
330 |
|
3 |
200 |
46,935 |
42 |
205 |
11,969 |
204 |
|
324 |
110,535 |
3,668,906 |
3,087 |
30,889 |
662,022 |
11,236 |
|
2 |
17 |
3,113 |
9 |
610 |
9 | |
|
1 |
88 |
371 |
8 |
25 |
96 |
1 |
|
13 |
1,965 |
50,277 |
40 |
332 |
10,821 |
174 |
|
1 |
51 |
324 |
10 |
84 |
94 |
2 |
|
120 |
106,114 |
256,996 |
3,355 |
236,787 |
99,542 |
700 |
|
624 |
65,217 |
2,611,154 |
977 |
19,844 |
667,589 |
9,863 |
|
19 |
567 |
41,561 |
9 |
73 |
10,205 |
162 |
|
1 |
9,374 |
22,377 |
537 |
6,507 |
8,433 |
103 |
|
25 |
41,806 |
131,686 |
2.010 |
49,092 |
61,109 |
909 |
|
14 |
10,191 |
26,191 |
527 |
10,838 |
9,126 |
100 |
|
8 |
33,626 |
90,745 |
1,300 |
47,387 |
40,121 |
628 |
|
487 |
308,124 |
2,614,496 |
9,848 |
212,476 |
533,201 |
9,585 |
|
2 |
3,949 |
17,046 |
59 |
1,074 |
5,993 |
53 |
|
1 |
626 |
1,647 |
4 |
53 |
728 |
17 |
|
20 |
73,408 |
144,533 |
4,679 |
109,078 |
66,770 |
893 |
|
Country Virgin Islands Sierra Leone Singapore North Borneo South Africa |
1952 Av. Pubs. 86 51 81 3 9,571 |
1953 Av. Pubs. 89 114 84 3 10,492 |
%Inc. over 1952 3 124 4 10 |
Peak Pubs. 1953 100 135 98 6 11,367 |
Av. Pio. Pubs. 3 11 10 704 |
No. Public Meet’gs 74 173 40 1 8,304 |
|
Angola |
20 |
23 |
15 |
24 |
145 | |
|
Basutoland |
53 |
67 |
26 |
113 |
9 |
68 |
|
Bechuanaland |
114 |
100 |
147 |
7 |
134 | |
|
Mauritius |
10 |
14 |
40 |
22 |
2 |
11 |
|
Saint Helena |
34 |
40 |
18 |
44 |
25 | |
|
South-West Africa |
18 |
11 |
17 |
3 |
5 | |
|
Swaziland |
146 |
126 |
148 |
5 |
64 | |
|
Southern Rhodesia |
9,477 |
9,699 |
2 |
11,132 |
934 |
8,184 |
|
Spain |
141 |
177 |
26 |
206 |
10 | |
|
Surinam |
87 |
90 |
3 |
107 |
10 |
65 |
|
Sweden |
5,077 |
5,435 |
7 |
5,824 |
231 |
5,495 |
|
Switzerland |
2,857 |
3,074 |
8 |
3,309 |
54 |
1,666 |
|
Thailand |
132 |
150 |
14 |
186 |
30 |
120 |
|
Uruguay |
580 |
553 |
601 |
47 |
290 | |
|
Venezuela Yugoslavia |
564 667 |
689 807 |
22 21 |
759 914 |
56 |
328 |
|
4 Other Countries |
40,613 |
44,127 |
9 |
51,545 |
72 |
6,462 |
|
Grand Total |
426,704 |
468,106 |
10 |
519,982 |
17,443 |
281,620 |
(Continued from page 31)
things the Creator of the universe has revealed to us through his written Word from Genesis to Revelation. That message must be preached! There are many individuals who have heard part of the Word, but even that part has never been implanted in them. It is “the implanting of the word” that will save lives. However, “the implanting of the word which is able to save your souls” must not just stop there. (Jas. 1:21, NW) That Word is able to save your souls if you do what that Word says. It is not only hearing: it is preaching to others the things you have heard. Each individual must choose whether he will serve Jehovah God or stay with the Devil’s wicked organization. So do not become hearers only, as millions of religionists are, but be doers of the Word. Follow the command of the Sovereign Ruler to preach, which shows you want to worship Jehovah.
During the service year of 1953 there were 50,665 individuals that symbolized by water immersion their dedication to Jehovah God’s service. It can be said of these that they individually were
|
No. of |
Total |
Total |
New |
Individual |
Av. Bible | |
|
Cong’s |
Literature |
Hours |
Subs. Magazines Back-Calls Studies | |||
|
3 |
5,076 |
14,648 |
372 |
9,580 |
6,989 |
103 |
|
3 |
9,679 |
28,772 |
204 |
13,408 |
12,945 |
158 |
|
2 |
21,444 |
20,656 |
1,112 |
8,073 |
9,609 |
154 |
|
1 |
195 |
251 |
13 |
18 |
185 |
4 |
|
496 |
326,107 |
2,854,446 |
15,373 |
396,669 |
625,230 |
7,992 |
|
1 |
5,804 |
1,572 |
34 | |||
|
8 |
831 |
26,223 |
15 |
373 |
6,712 |
77 |
|
7 |
168 |
29,808 |
20 |
194 |
6,281 |
67 |
|
2 |
6,035 |
4,269 |
61 |
1,329 |
2,122 |
38 |
|
2 |
275 |
5,113 |
18 |
225 |
1,572 |
23 |
|
3 |
4,242 |
4,951 |
172 |
5,279 |
1,979 |
20 |
|
8 |
114 |
30,733 |
7 |
66 |
6,208 |
130 |
|
236 |
119,855 |
3,015,429 |
2,029 |
69,607 |
724,241 |
11,906 |
|
8 |
4,102 |
30,288 |
92 |
2,748 |
19,668 |
161 |
|
2 |
6,730 |
23,637 |
289 |
14,499 |
9,344 |
147 |
|
333 |
298,651 |
754,213 |
9,368 |
551,904 |
295,280 |
2,332 |
|
104 |
177,559 |
357,307 |
4,535 |
322,885 |
168,174 |
1,806 |
|
10 |
34,376 |
48,651 |
868 |
8,622 |
16,410 |
221 |
|
16 |
36,721 |
140,034 |
1,193 |
43,295 |
61,289 |
838 |
|
13 |
39,256 |
165,340 |
1,194 |
49,135 |
64,108 |
776 |
|
10,282 |
32,649 |
7,433 |
312 | |||
|
1,902 |
99,843 |
3,599,403 |
1,184 |
179,902 |
1,357,634 |
25,529 |
14,163 22,116,916 72,344,728 882,296 25,115,729 22,990,305 281,219
choosing the destiny of eternal life. (Deut. 30:19, 20, NW) They forsook the old world and its offer of death, for “the way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.” (Prov. 4:19, AS) Those dedicated to Jehovah learned that “every good gift and every perfect present is from above.”—Jas. 1:17, NW.
The time has come to gather together the other sheep; and when they hear their Master’s voice they will follow. Jesus Christ, the ShepherdPrince, is seeing to it that those seeking truth and righteousness will have the opportunity of hearing and learning the truth. Jehovah’s witnesses, being doers of the Word, have gone from house to house and then called back on the interested people 22,990,305 times during the year, so that they could hear more. Out of all these millions of revisits 50,665 persons decided that this is the truth and that they too would become doers of the Word. It was not just going back to visit the interested people and making a social call. Jehovah’s witnesses had to show Jehovah their God that they were skilled in their work of being teachers of the
Word. They must be able to wield “the sword of the spirit, that is, God’s word.” (Eph. 6:17, NW) So every month throughout the year there was an average of 281,219 Bible studies conducted in the homes of the other sheep. These were willing to be taught by Jehovah through his Word, for Jehovah is the great Teacher and he has expressed his principles, his purpose and his mind in his written Word for the benefit of the human family. It is essential, therefore, for all of us to take instruction from Jehovah. “It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by Jehovah.’ Everyone that has heard the Father’s teaching and has learned comes to me.” (John 6:45, NW) So the other sheep are delighted to learn and come into Jehovah’s New World society and be his witnesses, always learning, always teaching.
It is because, year by year, 50,000 or more persons dedicate their lives to Jehovah God that the organization of Jehovah’s witnesses grows so rapidly. Now we find by the close of the 1953 service year 519,982 different individuals, scattered throughout 143 countries, colonies and islands of the sea, are ‘daily praising Jehovah’s name.’ The majority of these are associated in congregations, of which there are now 14,163 throughout the world. During the service year 221 new congregations were established. It certainly is wonderful to see these newly interested ones want to become part of the New World society and preach the Word. Just imagine, each day of the 365 days in the year 139 individuals, on the average, have dedicated their lives to serve Jehovah. That daily number is a fine congregation in itself. All of these new ones who are coming out of the Devil’s organization want to enjoy the field service regularly and carry on the pastoral work with the Shepherd-Prince. For the details of what has been done in the world by these witnesses of Jehovah, study the chart of countries on pages 32 to 37.
NEW WORLD SOCIETY ASSEMBLY CLIMAXES YEAR
Jehovah’s witnesses are always looking forward to some event that will bring great joy and gladness to their hearts. The event they were looking forward to and praying for was the New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses to be held in New York city July 19-26, 1953. For well over a year the Society had been working out arrangements. Branch offices were checking into travel facilities, so that delegates could come from their countries to the world assembly. A very busy year of service sped by. Jehovah’s witnesses were talking of the glory of his kingdom, and as the days drew near for the assembly in Yankee Stadium the hearts of both those who could go and those who stayed back welled up in praise and thanksgiving.
A convention of Jehovah’s witnesses means something to them. It is not just an excuse for a vacation. It is not just a trip somewhere. To them it means an assembly of Jehovah’s earthly organization, the gathering of his witnesses together for further instruction, enlightenment and an outpouring of his spirit. By land, by sea and by air Jehovah’s servants came from the four comers of the earth, and earth’s four quarters were represented at the opening session in Yankee Stadium by witnesses from Argentina, South Africa, Australia, India, Finland, Quebec, Korea and Ethiopia. On Sunday morning, July 19, at 9:30, the assistant chairman opened this blessed convention with prayer in praise to Jehovah. It was the beginning of eight days of blessing the name of Jehovah, and now this glorious assembly certainly makes us think of the year’s text for 1954: “Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever.” (Ps. 145:2, CB) From the first day to the last, representatives from 96 lands outside the United States of America spoke of the mighty acts of Jehovah in their countries. They told us how the preaching of the good news of the Kingdom is progressing and what would be necessary to carry on the work in the future. Counsel and instruction were given on how to approach the people, how to organize the witnesses, how to accomplish the greatest amount of good with the facilities we have. Above all, gracious counsel from the Word of God was given to everyone by competent speakers, who showed to all the responsibility that rests upon the servants of the Sovereign Ruler of the universe in seeing to it that this good news of the Kingdom is preached in all the world.
When the convention came to its closing day, July 26, it was revealed from the platform that 143 lands were receiving the good news, and that 510,228 witnesses were talking in these lands. All the great nations of the world, their colonies, the lesser nations and isles of the seas were hearing this important message that has to be preached in these last days. The program was the best, and everything occurred on time. There were no changes in the program; even rain did not interfere.
The first day’s big feature was the graduation of the twenty-first class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. It might be better to say that it was Gilead day, because those who really were in the spotlight on that day were the representatives that had returned from the twenty previous classes. All of these had already gone through this school of training for missionary work and had spent many years in foreign fields. All the graduates of each class were seated together in front of the platform in a great half-circle. During the president’s address to the graduates of the twenty-first class he spoke to those present of the previous classes, asking them to stand up by classes, class 1, class 2, class 3, and so forth. The sustained applause for these faithful witnesses who had opened up the work in many new fields was tremendous. It made one’s heart warm and brought salty tears to his eyes.
Those who were present at the assembly and many unable to come had made generous contributions to the Society, which made it possible to bring many of these who were not able to afford the cost of coming to Yankee Stadium. The very fact that they were present, the knowledge that all possessed of their own good works, was so comforting. Here we saw young men and women who devote their lives to full-time missionary work throughout the world. Here were the men and women who had gone forward and had proved the success of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead; and now before us was the twenty-first class, ready to join them in the foreign fields. It was a witness before men and angels; and in those great stands at Yankee Stadium there were thousands who wished they might do like work, but their assignment was in their own home town, talking of the glory of Jehovah’s kingdom.
For this they were grateful, because they knew that no matter where they were in the world this good news had to be preached. Sometimes to us who are associated in larger congregations the thrill of this great expansion work may become dulled. But certainly when one comes to a convention such as this world assembly, and he sees standing before him approximately 1,000 young men and women who have gone forward into new fields, opened up new territories, learned new languages, taken up new habits in life, in order to preach the gospel of the Kingdom, it is thrilling. It helped everyone present, and those who could not be there, to know that Jehovah God is directing his servants to get into the four quarters of the earth to preach the good news. Many were present who wished that Sunday would never end, but time marches on and there were more good things to follow, to build them up in the most holy faith.
Monday came as North America day with the keynote speech, “Living Now as a New World Society.” This was the theme of the convention. This organization had been built up by Jehovah God; it was here to stay, growing, and eventually would fill the whole earth. Nothing would be able to stand in its way. Enemies might inflict persecution or otherwise cause trials and difficulties to individuals within it, but Jehovah’s kingdom was born. The time had come for the Sovereign Ruler of the universe to bring forth a people who would maintain their integrity and travel on through the final battle of the great day of God Almighty, Armageddon. These Christians were abandoning old-world habits, and were looking forward to living in the new world. Their whole purpose in life is to talk about that new world, from now on and forever, until this gospel is preached in its completion. Here were gathered together more than 125,000 delegates from all parts of the world, eager to receive spiritual food, enthusiastic and determined to carry on the work, anxious to use their lives to the praise of Jehovah.
Then that crowd was thrilled beyond measure when the new 416-page pocket-size handbook, called “Make Sure of AU Things”, was released. It is a Bible handbook, containing more than 4,500 texts of the Bible. It is something that the witnesses of Jehovah had wanted for years; and now here it was, in 1953, a new release. Amid all its joy, this great crowd passed a resolution declaring allegiance to Jehovah God, his Son Christ Jesus, and restating their dedicated service to the kingdom of the Almighty.
And so day after day rolled by, as a feast of fat things. Special meetings were arranged for those who spoke different tongues; those interested in special service like Gilead, Bethel, pioneer work or circuit work were given special instruction. Volume I of the New World Translation of the Hebrew Scriptures was released on Wednesday. New publications in foreign languages came out day by day. Speakers from all parts of the world brought comforting and thrilling news. Some reported on the persecution, others on the present acceptance of the message; and after hearing all of them we knew that this gospel of the Kingdom was being preached in all the world for a witness according to the command of Christ Jesus. Here we could see in reality that these people assembled at Yankee Stadium followed his instructions to ‘Go and disciple all nations.’ They had gone forth into 143 lands, islands of the seas and the great nations of the world; and they saw ahead of them even greater activity and were determined to do an even greater work.
To many thousands who had come to this assembly it was the first one like it that they had ever attended. They, too, were anxious to dedicate their lives to Jehovah God. They did not make up their minds to serve Jehovah just because they had come to this meeting. There was no momentary ‘saving of a soul’ idea expressed in trying to get people to join with Jehovah’s witnesses. Many were there who had made up their minds long before they came to the convention that they would express publicly their dedication of their lives to Jehovah God, by water baptism. This matter of serving Jehovah is a lifetime work, and one does not make up his mind to serve God by ‘hitting the sawdust trail’ to be ‘saved’ for a night and then go back to his old habits of life. Dedication, as Jehovah’s witnesses see it, means living as a real Christian, following the high principles that Jehovah God has set forth in his Word, and believing his commands, preaching Jehovah’s kingdom message. Four thousand six hundred and forty symbolized their dedication to God by water baptism. To all of these newcomers special instruction was given on house-to-house witnessing, an essential thing, a kind of preaching in which all of Jehovah’s witnesses can become more efficient as they go from home to home telling of Jehovah’s kingdom.
A new booklet, Basis for Belief in a New World, was released. Prior to its release all the information contained in this booklet was presented from the platform. This publication was specially designed for the use of our brothers in Asia, and it will also be excellent for world-wide distribution.
A stirring discourse was given on “New World Society Attacked from the Far North,” wherein it was shown that Gog, the principal character of the prophecy, refers to Satan himself, and that the “land of Magog” refers to the location of the spirit forces of Satan in a limited spiritual realm near earth’s vicinity, following their expulsion from heaven by 1918.
Representatives of the Society spoke vigorously concerning our fight for freedom, how we must keep the door open to preach this good news.
Four new tracts were released, discussing very interesting subjects that will arouse interest in the minds of persons to whom they are given.
Meetings in twenty different languages, held throughout the week, were very well attended. Special instructions were given to branch servants and circuit servants. Before a crowd of 134,333 the new book, “New Heavens and a New Earth”, was released. The address that accompanied the release of this book, “Flight to Safety with the New World Society,” was very heart-cheering; and all who heard and all who eventually will read this lecture see that it is necessary now to ‘flee to the mountains.’ It is an action that cannot be put off.
Excellent advice was given on the rearing of children in the new-world way. The problems of pioneering were thoroughly discussed.
Then, on the eighth and last day, came the big meeting and the discourse that was so widely advertised throughout New York city, “After Armageddon—God’s New World.” The seven preceding days moved so rapidly that all the good things just mentioned as filling those days, with many other items of interest and reports, served greatly to sharpen the expectation of Jehovah’s witnesses concerning the final day of the convention, and all were wondering how New York city would respond to the invitation to hear this talk. That lecture was attended by 165,829. Not all, by any means, could get into the huge stadium, which so often had been filled to the rafters during this unprecedented assembly. Now, on the final day, not only it was filled to the rafters but all the ground space was covered with eager listeners, for now there were 91,562 persons inside the stadium, setting a new record. In nearby overflow tents an additional 25,240 heard, and 49,027 more were at Trailer City, some 40 miles away, tied in with the stadium audience by direct telephone publicaddress lines. At its conclusion, the president’s talk just delivered was released in booklet form to that entire vast audience.
From then on the last hours and moments flew rapidly and, before we could realize it, this blessed assembly had been brought to a close, prayer being offered to the Sovereign Ruler of the universe expressing the joy of Jehovah’s people for having been brought together by him, for having been fed so well and bountifully, for having been built up in the most holy faith, and for having the glorious privilege of serving Jehovah. Surely henceforth these witnesses of the Most High God would bless him every day and would praise his name forever and ever.
These were joyful and happy days.
Two weeks before the convention began branch servants had come from all parts of the world to assemble in the Bethel home, there to have daily instruction from eight o’clock in the morning until six in the evening. The New York congregation of Jehovah’s witnesses, assisted by many district servants, circuit servants and pioneers, were taking care of details in getting the housing problem completely in hand, looking after the marvelous cafeteria setup, building the trailer city, setting up a new and adequate public-address system for efficiently serving not only the entire stadium audience but also several nearby overflow locations and distant Trailer City, and a hundred and one other big and little things that just had to be done to bring comfort and orderliness to this great gathering.
When the convention was over and the beloved brothers began to move away in all directions to return to their homes, one could look back and say that if all these thousands upon thousands had to live together in one city in the new world it certainly could be done; for here, during eight days, new-world living was a reality. Even the newspaper and magazine writers, the radio commentators and television newscasters recognized that this was the most orderly convention that had ever come to New York city. Something new had happened. Here, for example, was the operation of a city of over 45,000 inhabitants, without electing a city council or a mayor; installation of a water system for that city without any graft or cost to anyone; erection of electric-light lines and the establishing and operating of stores, cafeterias, laundries and other equally essential projects were carried through without racketeering, graft or political string-pulling to get the jobs. All of this service was handled by volunteer labor. Everybody was anxious to help and all did help one another. Great crowds of upward of 80,000, in the stadium, by one announcement were informed of what was to be done, asking the brothers’ assistance, and it was done. They could keep the stadium clean; they could keep orderly lines in the cafeteria; they could cook wonderful meals and run refreshment stands; they could handle public-address equipment; they could do everything necessary for orderly living. The spirit of Jehovah God was prevalent. The spirit of Jehovah God was manifested. The spirit of Jehovah God was guiding his people.
Jehovah’s witnesses at this New World assembly, it appeared, were ready and anxious to go into the new world, but not so anxious that they did not want to finish the work that the Sovereign Ruler had given them to do before his battle at Armageddon. There is still much preaching to do, and these talkers of the Kingdom are ready, anxious, happy, delighted and filled with joy as they do the preaching. Effects of this New World Society Assembly will be felt around the globe. The message preached at this assembly will be heard in all parts of the world. The scattered sheep will be brought into the fold under Jehovah’s ShepherdPrince, Christ Jesus, in the not-too-distant future. The things looked forward to at the New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses will be fully realized in the new world after the battle of Armageddon. The one thing for every one of Jehovah’s witnesses to do now is to preach the Word and continue to be devoted to Jehovah God, each one maintaining integrity so as to be assured of sharing in the vindication of Jehovah’s name and Word.
The convention was a joy to everyone present or absent. This was Jehovah’s assembly, and it was here that those assembled ones spoke of the glory of his kingdom and talked of his power.
ORDAINED MINISTERS
After this grand assembly of the New World society the ministers started for home. All those who have dedicated their lives to Jehovah God gratefully rejoice to bear the God-given responsibility of being active ministers of the Most High. Their solemn duty is to preach his Word continually from the time of such dedication of themselves. Jehovah’s witnesses are different from those of other religious organizations, in that every person who is really one of Jehovah’s witnesses must and does bless Jehovah’s name. They must and do speak well of him in door-to-door witnessing, in making back-calls upon willing listeners and in studying the Bible with such interested persons in their homes. Each of Jehovah’s witnesses actively works as a minister of God. They actually become his slaves. So the instruction given at the New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses was not only for those who direct the congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses throughout the world but for every individual in those congregations. All have a responsibility to prove to Jehovah that they are his servants, that they will maintain their integrity, and that they will go from house to house to enlighten and aid other willing ones. On returning home these ministers will continue to study together and will arrange for service activity, looking after the territory assigned to them.
The whole world is divided into sections by the Society, within which the preaching work is supervised by respective branch offices. The branch servant and those who assist him at the branch office, the district servants and circuit servants, all have unique positions in the organization, including the duty of setting the right example in field service and taking the lead in giving admonition and in helping the various brothers with their problems. These special representatives of the Society we list in our Yearbook, but this published list is by no means the entire list of fulltime ministers and part-time ministers. Scattered throughout the world, we have many missionaries who are doing excellent work, forming new congregations. Also we have hundreds of pioneers and special pioneer publishers who go into isolated territories in countries where branches are already organized, and there they try to start new congregations. Additionally, we have many congregation (part-time) publishers who put in many hours working in isolated sections trying to start new organizations as well as to bring persons of good will into the organization already established in the city where they live.
Still every one of Jehovah’s witnesses has the responsibility to preach, and in reading this report you will find that the number of Jehovah’s witnesses who report regularly to the Society runs into the hundreds of thousands. Of course, we cannot list all their names. The list that follows includes those who are members of Bethel families at various branch offices, circuit servants, district servants and other special servants. Here it is noteworthy that immediately after the 1953 world assembly at New York many of these servants who returned to their foreign assignments arranged there for similar conventions at which, during September and October and later in the year, the same releases were distributed, so that many unable to attend the Yankee Stadium assembly have now had brought to them in their own language the same comforting Word of God. Many of the ministers listed here will have spoken at these district conventions.
ORDAINED MINISTERS APPOINTED TO SPECIAL SERVICE
Abbey, Geoffrey
Abbuhl, David
Abrahams, James Andrews Abrahamson, Richard E.
Adams, Don Alden
Adams, Elmer Polk
Adams, Frederick Walter
Adams, Joel Cameron Adams, Karl Appleby Adamson, Eduardo Diego
Adedapo, Timothy Ayoade Agbayanl, Pacifico Medina Aguilera, Candido Ahuama, Friday Alozle Akanbi, Emmanuel Adewole Akers, Albert Smith Aklntounde, Nouru A. Akpablo, Asuquo Obot Akpaowo, Moses Udom Aldrich, Lloyd Eigen Alegado, Francisco Reyes Allen, Malcolm S. Almona, Morris Oputa Alspach, Russell William Amadl, Eugene Ugwegbula Amaro, Armando Amores, Victor Casas Amy, Eugene Leroy Andersen, Anders Christian Andersen-Moller, Aksel Anderson, Fred August Anderson, Marvin Ferrol Anderson, Raymond L. Andersson, Allan Andersson, Hans Andersson, Ivar Anstadt, Edmond Antao, Sergio Augusto Araujo, Ruben Antonio Arata, Luis Archibald, Ross Alexander Arikpokpo, Ben Arlzo, Anselmo Suyat Armacost, Russell Frlnger Arnott, Harry Walker Attwood, Anthony Cecil Atzemis, Demetrius Constantine Averltt, Carl Gibbs (Jr.) Avey, Arthur W.
Axelson, Lennart Henry Ayinla, Amasa Babinski, Joseph Eugene Backloupe, Emmett Joseph (Jr.) Baczinski, Francois Baeuerlein, John Adam Baier, Sandor Baker, Alfred G. G.
Baker, Glenn Seymour Baker, Paul Southgate Baker, Raymond Francis Baker, Robert Wallace Banda, Florentino Bangle, Aleck Bank, James Banks, Thomas Edgar Bante, Johannes Frits Barber, Carey Walter Barber, Norman H. Barker, Lester Barlaan, Leodegario Uson Barnes, Stuart Francis Barnett, Arthur Eugene Barnett, Herald Lee Barnhart, Keith M.
Barr, John Edwin Barrett, George Charles
Barrett, Glen William (Jr.) Barry, William Lloyd Bartlett, Milton Everett (Jr.) Bartonek, Erich Bartrip, Trevor Gordon Bartzsch, Otto Basikotl, Belson Baswel, Macario Bernardino Batuke, John Baumgart, Hans Bautista, Pedro Calimllm Baxter, Donald Edward Baxter, Wallace Hendrie Bealer, Fred (Jr.) Beavor, Ernest Edward Bedwell, Ernest Frank Beedle, Charles Joseph Behunick, Stephen Beier, Hans Bellnger, Hans Bellotti, Norman David Belokon, Nicholas Benade, Gideon Francois Benesch, Howard Joseph Benink, Jan Johannes Benites, Jos6 Bennett, Ernest S.
Benson, Gerald Lloyd Benson, Joseph R.
Benson, Raymond C. Benzing, Emil Berger, Fritz Berger, Johannes Bernard, John Russell Bernardino, Toribio Pobre Berry, Bennett H.
Betley, Samuel Beukes, Petrus Johannes Bevington, George William Bible, Reginald A.
Bieber, Ray Lewis Bigler, Paul Bippus, Walter Ernest Bird, Harold James Bittner, George G.
Black, Harry Blaner, Andrew (Jr.) Blaner, John Blaney, John Beech Blaschek, Emil Blumel, Richard Blumenstock, Calvin August Bobb, Edwin E.
Bock, Rodolfo Bodner, Michael Bogard, Gerald Julian Bogard, John Bollet, Rene Booher, Phillip Garland Booth, John Charles Borges, Edison Pestana Borja, Antero Sabandal Borys, Emil Fredy Bosompen, Charles Kwasl Botha, Jacob Johannes Bower, Arthur Noble
Bowers, Keith McKee Boyd, Donald Archie Bradburne, Thomas Randel Bradbury, David Martin Bradbury, Rupert M.
Braddy, Lindsay James Bradley, David George Bradley, Lester D.
Bradshaw, Wllliard Albert Brame, Earle Roy Brandt, Lee Roy Brehmer, John O.
Brekke, Norman Andrew Brembach, Helmut Brey, Harry Brian, Elmer Gene Bribina, Nathaniel Atanl Brichard, Daniel A. V. Bridle, Peter Langford Brlssett, Henry L.
Britten, Eric
Broad, Albert William Broad, Edward S.
Broadwater, Lloyd Brodie, Ralph Bromwich. Geoffrey Roy Brooker, Gerald Bennett Brookes, Frank William Brown, David Wallace Brown, Monte Cristo Brown, Wilbaforce Bruhn, Roy Frank Brumley, George Brussaard, Jacob Bruton, John Gist Buckey, Earle R.
Buckingham, Edward Forbes Buckingham, James F. F. Buehrer, Walter Buelow, Armand Otto (Jr.) Buenger, Philip Bulsset, Alvar Henry Bullelt, John V.
Burczyk, Benno Oskar Burt, Donald Herbert Burt, Gaylord Frederick Burtch, Lloyd Byron Bwali, John Call, William Eugene Callaway, Neal Lawrence Calsbeck, Cornelius Campau, John Leslie Campbell, Merton Victor Campos, Evelio Pena Canete, Nicolas Quinones Cantwell, Henry A. Cantwell, Jesse Lee Cantwell, Russell D.
Caposassi, Ettore Card, George H. Carlson, Arol Eric Carmichael, Hendry Drummond Carmichael, Leslie Albert Carnle, William Caron, Roger R.
Carter, Stanley John Carter, Walter W. Casola, Peter A.
Castlnelra, Guillermo Catanzaro, Angelo A. Cater, Harold George Cench, Giorgio Cetnar, William I. Chapman, Percy Charles, Cyril William Charlwood, Edmund Charuk, John Charuk, Michael Chen, Ah Pang Chlmiklis, John Peter Chlntubamba, Stephen Chipeta, Pharaoh Matembu Chitty, Ewart Charles Chlzenga, Robert Chongo, Yolam Chornenky, Theodore Christopoulos, Anastase-Baslle Chyke, Calvin Michael Cimwaza, Lester Cluffl, Francesco Clark, Donald Spencer Clarke, Cecil Percy Claus, Orville Bernard Claus, Theophlel Clay, Edgar Allan Clegg, William Robert Clutterbuck, Philip A. J. Cole, James Douglass Cole, Richard Jeunes Collier, Roland Edward Collins, Wallace Allen Comldoy, Felino Sayon Commey, James Benjamin Comstock, Ell Hall Conrad, Neil E. Constantinldis, George Conte, James Vincent Conte, Lawrence Alfred Cooke, Eric Rushton Harry Cooke, John Roy Copson, Sylvester William Cora, Albert Mann (Jr.) Cornelius, Russell S. Cotterill, Richard Sheldon Couch, George M.
Couch, William D. Couderc, Solange Coultrup, Charles Russell Counts, Winfield Andrew Coup, Carmon LeRoy Covllle, Allan Stanley Covington, Hayden Cooper Coysh, Eric George Craddock, John Alexander Crapp, Eric George Martin Crockett, Neil John Crosswhite, Orville Almus Crowley, James E. Cumming, Albert Edward Cummings, Marshall Henry Cummings, Morris Z.
Curry, Vernon Austin Cutforth, John Ashlin Cyr, Eldon L, Dague, Harry Danley, Albert Franklin Darko, Theodore Agyeman Datisman, Donald Charles Davey, Michael D. A.
Davies, John W. (Jr.) Davis, James Edward Davison, John Caryle Dayoub, Moises Dean, George Wendell Dean, James H. DeAngelis, Joseph DeBoer, Adrian DeBrine, James DeCecca, Giovanni DeFehr, John Frank DeJager, Petrus Johannes DeJesus, Fulgencio Villanueva Dell’Elice, Romolo Del Rio, Juan De Lucy, Richard Gordon Demorest, David Deninger, Orville Edwin Deninger, Stephen (Jr.) Derderian, Dickran Philibbos Devero, Mark Diaz, Jesus Dickmann, Heinrich Didur, Alex Michael Didur, Thomas Anton Diehl, Willi Dienaar, Pieter A. H.
Dietschi, Heinrich Dietz, Frederick M. Dike, Jeremiah Dike, Mark Dilling, Robert J. Dillon, Lee E. Dingman, William R. Dinsdale, Clayton Arnold Dionisio, Adolfo F.
Djevbudu, Jackson Nayavbiare D Mura, Peter Doerflinger, Rolf Dolina, Silverio Sabas Domres, Clarence P. Donaldson, Norman Doncel, Roberto Dopking, Frank Dorney, Stanley Gordon Dotchuk, Peter Doty, Keith Thomas Doulis, Athanassios Douras, George Dowell, Roy L.
Drage, Ronald Drager, Wilmer Edwin Drake, Grenville Drechsler, Walter Droge, George Henry Dryden, Wesley Duerdan, Harold Duffield, Harry Walter
Dugan, Lester M.
Duncombe, Vernon Ryerse Duncombe, Yorke Michael Dunlap, Edward A. Dunnagan, Philip Arvin Dwenger, Heinrich Dzingwa, Benoni A. Eames, Joseph Rutherford Eaton, Andrew Kirk Ebel, LaVerne Junior Ebert, Siegfried Eckley, Fred Garfield Edinger, Robert F. Edman, Tauno Olavi Edwards, Clifton Glen Eicher, Charles Emile Eichorn, Dieter Eisenhower, Charles R. Eklof, Valter Elder, Daniel I. Elder, Donald J. Eldridge, Francis R. Elrod, William A. Emery, Wilfred Vryburgh Endres, Wallace Hurst Eneroth, Johan Henrik Engelkamp, Robert Jos6 Engervik, Ernst Enicola, Manuel Esgra Erasmus, Percy J. W. Eriksen, Arne Eriksson, Gustav Eriksson, Kurt Ernst, Gilbert Herbert Errichetti, John Erusel, Andrew Miruwereme Estelman, Otto Estepa, Alfredo Esterhuyse, Etienne Evans, Paul K. Ewetuga, Amos Fahie, Robert John Fairfax, Harry Carlyle Fairfull, Edward William Fajardo, Felix Sta. Ana Fallick, Ronald Clarence Faria, Justinio Rodrigues de Farmer, Herbert James Fayad, Afif Fayek, Anis Fegid, Pedro Fe Feke, Preston Fekel, Charles John Feldcher, Irwin Feller, Jules Fellow, Donald D. Ferdinand, Walter Timothy Fergusson, John Fernandez, Humberto Almeida Ferrari, David Ferrari, Salvino Feuz, Arnold Feuz, Gottfried Filson, James W. Filteau, Marcel Finch, Henry
Finkbeiner, James Arthur Fisch, Wilbert Dominic Fischer, William R. Fitz, Emil Fleischer, Pahl Fletcher. John Robert Flores, Amadeo Fogarty, Herbert Marion C. Ford, Walter Stanley Forster, Johannes Fosmo, Laurance Oliver Fountain, A. Dewey Fourie, Josef Fraga, Joao L. Filho Frame, Kenneth Franke, Konrad
Franks, Frederick Newton Franks, Leslie Raymond Franske, Franklin Julius Franz, Fred William Franz, Raymond Victor Franzetti, Giovanni Fraser, Douglas (Jr.) Fraser, Gordon Sidney Fredette, Roland Harvey Fredianelli, George Fredriksen, Holger Johannes Friend, Maxwell Godward Friend, Samuel B.
Frohn, David Ralph Frost, Charles Edgar Frost, Erich Hugo Funk, Bernard Futschek, Johann Gabrielidis, Panagiotis Galbreath, Douglas Milton Gangas, George Demetrius Gannaway, Kenneth Niel Garcia, Salvador Garcia, Samuel Gardiner, Ernest William Garey, Max Raymond Garrard, Gerald Bayliss Gatchalian, Emilio Tejano Gatti, Piero
Geiger, Henri Auguste Geisler, Horst George, Arnold Evard Gertjegerdes, Werner Gertz, Arthur Georg Geyer, Benjamin Philip Giannone, Salvatore Gibb, George R. W. Gibbon, Robert Gibson, Anthony Halliday Giesen, Hans-Joachim Gilmore, Edmund James Glass, Ulysses Vanell Gluyas, Harold John Godfrey, Maston Goff, Cecil Joseph Gohl, Otto Goings, Chester Golic, Antoon Martinus Golles, Peter Gollnau, Herbert
Gonzales, Pilar G.
Gonzalez, Raymon Manuel Gooch, Wilfred Goodman, Claude Stanley Gorra, Joseph Tofy Goscinski, Mitchell Ben Gosden, Eric Goslin, Roland Gosson, Lance John Gosson, Owen Douglas Gott, Fred Ansel (Jr.) Gott, John Gott, Robert Elwin Gough, Robert Goux, Arthur R. Graber, Dewaine F. Green, David Maurice Green, Harrell Lewis Green, John A. Green, Kenneth Arthur Greenlees, Leo Kincaid Grencer, Andrew Gretchen, William John Grigat, Ernst Grist, Frank Eugene Grlica, Peter Groh, John Otto Groothuis, Jacob Grothman, George Ernest Grover, Erwin Albert Guerrero, Cipriano M. Guest, Douglas Arthur J. Guillama, Jesus Reyes Guiver, Ernest James Gumbo, Stainer E.
Gumede, Abel Thackeray James Gummeson, Lloyd V. Gunda, Grant Gunda, Pearson Guzamaya, Herbert Haenni, Fritz Haenni, Werner Hagele, Karl Hagen, Maurice Hagen, Walter Haigh, Joseph Horace Hakansson, Oscar Hall, Raymond George Hall, Ronald Ray Hall, William J. Halstenberg, Heinrich Halstenberg, Heinz Hammer, Paul Hanaoka, Kamelchi Haney, Arthur Hanke, Emil Otto Hannan, George Edwin Hannan, William Trenchard Hansler, Earl Robert Hanson, Bengt Hare, Maurice Lane Hargis, Calvin Harms, Carl Adolph Harper, Norman Harriman, Volney Allen Harrop, Stuart Atkin
Harteva, Elon Harteva, Kaarlo Jalmari Hartlief, Markus Hartmann, Wolfgang Hartstang, Frederic Harvey, Roy Wesley Haslett, Donald Hatzfeld, Robert Henry Haukedal, Asmund Hawkins, Theodore John Heans, William Dixon Hebard, Raymond Roy Held, Douglas Ede Held, John Jacob Helstrom, Daniel Norman Helton, William T. Hemmaway, John Tom Hemstad, Hans Peter Hendrix, John Noel Henrici, Garold Lloyd Henschel, Herman George Henschel, Milton George Hensman, Clifford Henry Hepworth, Charles Ernest Hernandez, Benito Gonzalez Hernandez, Manuel Hershey, Monsell Hewson, Arthur Desmond Hibbard, Orin J. Hibshman, Paul H. Hilborn, Howard Max Hill, Frank Allen Hill, Frank Arnette Hilldring, Thurston Andrew Hille, Curt Hillyard, Wayne Albert Himelick, Robert Edward Himm, Lew Ti Hinkle, Dwight D. Hodgson, Oliver J. M. Hoffman, Albert Manley Hoffmann, Filip C. S. Hogberg, Paul Holcomb, Buster M. Holien, Marvin L. Hollander, Gerrit Hollender, Loy Dennis Hollister, Frederick Stevens Holmes, Calvin Henry Holms, Robert Arthur Homer, David Homolka, Charles Peter Hopley, Alfred Hopley, Randall Hoppe, Karl Horak, Karl Horton, Bert Hosenilla, Valentin Aldemita Hosmer, Franklin W. Hounkanrin, Christophe K. Houseman, Martin Burdette Houston, Joseph Milton How, William Glen Howe, Harold W. Howlett, Wilfred Arthur Hoyt, Robert Townsend
Hricak, Francois Huber, Emil Hug, Remlgi Hughart, Richard Jack Hughes, Alfred Pryce Hughes, Gwaenydd Huhtinen, Valno Jalmart Humba, Forbes Hunick, Hollister Alfred Hunt, Leonard Alfred Hutri, Eemll Aamor Hutter, William Peter Idreos, Plato Ignacio, Fernando Camarillo Ihrig, Elmer Carl Ikeh, Nathaniel Mgba Ilaguison, Lino Baloyo Ileogben, John O. E. Ilett, Ambrose Emmons Iltanen, Taisto Olavi Improte, Michael Salvatore Insberg, Ans Irto, Pentti Kullervo Iszlaub, Percy Itty, V. C. Izquierdo, Armando Jaaskelainen, Kalevi Jack, Andrew Jacka, Ronald N.
Jackson, Harold K. Jackson, Ivor A. Jackson, William Kirk Jacobs, Edward A.
Jadner, Willi Jahnke, Pierre Jalandoon, Mauricio James, James H. James, John Henry Jandura, John Robert Jaracz, Theodore Jarvinen, Arvo Alarik Jarzyna, Edwin Stanley Jensen, Ingvard Jensen, Klaus Monrad Jimenez, Jos6 Jiya, Rankin Jobin, Charles Johansen, Svein Johansson, Elias Johansson, Erik V. Johansson, Hans John, Wilfred Henry Johns, Mervin Alva (Jr.) Johnson, Carl L.
Johnson, Claudius E. (Jr.) Johnson, Curtis Knute Johnson, David Paul Johnson, Donald G. Johnson, Gilbert Johnson, Harry A.
Johnson, James Wilbur Johnson, John Edwin Johnson, Lennart A. S. Johnson, Roy Dungate Johnson, Torlief Gunnar Johnson, Verville G.
Johnston, Elmer Delbert Johnston, Lome Seager Johnston, Paul E, Johnston, Wallace Edson Johnstone, Alan Cecil Jones, John E. Jones, Joseph Leonard Jones, Rosco Jones, Stanley Ernest Jones, Thomas Richard Jonker, Jacobus H. A. Jontes, Leopold Felix Jorgensen, Svend Aage Joseph, Adavimannathu Joseph Judson, Henry George Kacingwe, Beston M. Kadarlan, Jon M.
Kadzalero, Joseph D.
Kaiser, William Frederick Kalle, Rudolph Kallio, Leo Donatus Kaminaris, Michael E. Kammler, Rudolph Kandiona, John Kankaanpaa, Erkki Kapasuka, Lifeyu Kapteln, Maarten Karanassios, Petros A. Karanassios, Stephanos Karkanes, Vassilios C. Kaskaras, Theophilus Kasten, William Katamanda, Titus Kattner, Erich Katzmler, Leonard Norman Kawicz, Richard Stanley Kedziora, Josef Keen, Grant Street Kellarls, Alexander Nicholas Kelley, Fay Richard Kelley, Wayne Eugene Kelly, Henry Douglas Kelsey, Richard Kendall, Leon Abbott (Jr.) Kennedy, Edgar Claire Kennedy, Hendrlkus C. Kennedy, Keith V.
Kennedy, Lyle Devere Kennedy, William Richard Kent, Willie D. KettelarlJ, Evert Jan Kgathi, Piet S. Killian, David R. Killian, Lloyd John (Jr.) King, Gordon Douglas King, Harold George Kirkam, Hans Kirkland, Powell Means Kjellberg, Gustaf Klapproth, Carl Klein, Karl Frederick Klein, Theophilus Erhart Klenk, Johannes Kllmaschewskl, Heinrich Kllnck, Walter E.
Klohe, Addl Knecht, Rudolf Knoller, Helmut Knorr, Nathan Homer Knott, Wayne M. Koerber, Anton Kolar, Matthew M. (Jr.) Kotzmann, Francois Kovalak, Nicholas (Jr.) Kowalewlcz, Francois Kraker, Simon Peter Kramer, Carl Frederick Krause, Karl Kraushaar, Lawrence Krebs, Donald Russell Krebs, Richard (Jr.) Krenning, Fred William Kridler, James Jerome Krieger, Cecil Edward Krochmal, Chester Kronvold, Kurt Kroschewski, Alois Krug, Alfons Kruljff, Antonie Dirk de Krych, Robert Julius Kugler, Lothar Kuhn, Wenzel Kula, Josef Kulschewskl, Gunter Kultoniak, Jean Kumbanyiwa, Jarnett Kunz, Gunther Kupheta, Ernest Kurkutas, Panayotls Kurtz, Paul Edward Kurzen, John Godfrey (Jr.) Kurzen, Russell Walter Kushnir, Paul Kusiak, Michal Kutch, John A. Kwasniewski, Peter Kwazlzirah, Gresham Kwembeya, Hamanda Davies Ladesuyl, Sam Laidlaw, Alexander Elliott Lambom, Robert E. Lambs, Georges Lamech, James B. Landrum, Swepton James Lang, Julius Langmack, Erich Larke, Frederick Edward Larsen, Jorgen Larson, Max Harry Latimer, William Latyn, Mike Frank Laurens, Terrance Worrlngham Lauridsen, Soren Kristian Laurix, James Wells Lawson, Dyson Lazenby, Robert Learned, Alvin Eugene Leathco, Charles Dillard Lebld, Michael Lee, Forrest Leland Leeds-George, Lambert Cyril Leffler, Ralph Homer Leistikow, Mervin H. Lemb, Frost Idskov LeRoux, Carl Christian Rend Lester, Cornelius Lewinsson, Arnold Leyva, Elieser Lieber, Erich Llebster, Max Linder, Emil Lindner, Helmut Lindsay, Ludwell Moses Llonudakis, Emmanuel Lipenga, Saulos Lisle, Jack L. (Jr.) Littau, Harold Alfred Liwag, Salvador Augustin Lloyd, Walter Max Lochner, Hamilton Logan, William Harvey Lovegrove, Percy Loxton, Allan Alexander Lozano, Rodolpho Lubeck, Joseph Lucas, John Luck, Frederick H. Lueders, Ewald Lukuc, Fred Lukuc, Peter Harry Lund, Orrien M.
Lundgren, Herbert Benoni Luning, George A. (Jr.) Lunstrum, Elwood Luts, John Lutterbach, Heinrich Lyambela, Solomon Macaraeg, Ildefonso Malibong Mncaraeg, Toribio MacAulay, Daniel Fred Macdonald, Robert J. Macedo, Olimpio Teixeira Machado, Augusto Santos Filho Macias, Josd Mackinah, J. Stuart MacLean, Donald Howard Macmillan, Alexander Hugh MacNamara, Arnold William Maday, Caesar William Madomba, K. Eliya Madona, Widdas J. Madorski, Frank Madsen, Harald Mafambana, Alexander Magdych, John (Jr.) Maguddayao, Hllario Melad Mahoney, Francis Patrick Mais, Montague Makato, Felton Kuzukwa Makela, Otto Maki, Gust William Makumba, Stanley L. Malaspina, Francis Malm, Helmer Manera, Angelo C. (Jr.) Manhalter, David Paul Manlpol, Leon Meer
Manjoni, Jones Mann, Albert Henry Mann, Charles Stewart Mansavage, Victor Mansilungan, Adonais David Manthando, Justeen Manyochi, Robin Mapako, Edward Marcussen, Gunnar Marenco, Jesus Isidro Markevich, Michael Markevich, Thomas Marko, Market
Markus, John Frederick (Jr.) Marquez, Juan Martinez Martikkala, Emil Alfred Martin, Douglas Martinsen, Martlnius Mashaba, Alfred Mashele, William Matare, James Matomela, Lucas Matthew, Korote T. Matthews, Earl Ray Matthews, Leo Roy Mattson, Robert Warren Matungwa, Ishmael Matz, DeWayne Alvin Mbappe, Emmanuel Ngamby McClanahan, Thomas Franklin McGrath, Henry Joseph McInnis, William McKay, Homer Kenneth McKinney, Norman McLamb, Frank Algernon McLemore, Lester Loran McLenachan, John McLuckie, Donovan Blsley McLuckie, Robert Albert McLuckie, William L. McLuhan, Roy G.
McRoy, George Edward McWilliams, Robert Garland Mdema, John Young Meier, Friedrich Melin, Alf Memba, Noah Mendoza, Arturo Meng, Charles Joseph Mensah, James Emmanuel Meranda, Clarence Leo Mere, Rungano
Merlau, Earl Frederick Merrifield, Franklin David Merriman, Denys John Metcalfe, Geoffrey Russell Mgabi, Frakson P. Mhlongo, Joshua Micenga, Batison Michael, Orville Arthur Michalec, Edward Alexander Michalopulos, John Michetti, Roberto Mickey, Lyle R.
Mickey, Orville Weston Mickey, Plercie Lee
Mikula, Andrew Miles, John C. Miles, Thomas Garnet Millar, John Evans Miller, Alexander James Miller, Grant Dallas Miller, Harley Eugene Miller, Nathaniel T. Miller, Roald H. Miller, Robert M. Miller, Stephen George Mills, Stuart Wilford Mims, Richard Lee Mkhwanazi, Wilford Mmola, Lazarus Mock, Clarence Curtis Mock, Russell Vincent Mock, Wayne Hubert Moessner, Karl Mokowe, Richard Molohan, Charles Vernon Moreton, Ernest Vernon Morgan, Roger Lee Morgan, Willie Frank Morrell, Merrill Judah Morris, Harold Albert Morrison, Donald John Morrow, William Robert Mortensen, Ejner Peder Mortlock, Albert Reginald Mourltz, Harold Vivian Mroz, Alois S.
Mtemwende, Fanela Mucha, Richard Chester Mudge, Ronald Evans Muhaluk, Paul Mukaronda, Nason Mukumbo, George Ngoza Mulabaka, Andrew John Mull, Dale E.
Muller, Bohumil Muller, Christoffel Francois Muller, Emile Muller, Jan G.
Mulota, Michael Muniz, Juan Munsterman, Donovan R. Murphy, Henry Olliff Muscariello, Blosco Mushati, Joel Mutale, John Muzyka, Michael Mwamba, Patrick Mulolani Mwango, James Luka Mwanyimbo. Aaron Mzanga, Emmas B. Namasipa, Samden Nathan, Jack Halliday Nazaroff, Gilbert Ndumo, Solomon Nel, Gerhardus Cornelius Nel, Samuel Pieter Marthinus Nelson, Eric Nelson, John Dee Nelson, Paul Floyd
Nelson, Vernon Glenn Nervo, Toivo Israel Neubacher, Johannes Neumann, Gerhard Newcomb, Clarence Newell, Paul Harold Newton, Robert David Ngwaya, Albert E. Nielsen, George William Niemi, Kauko Olavl Niemi, Veikko Nikkila, Tarmo Kalervo Nilsson, Borje Nilsson, Gerhard Nironen, Eero Nisbet, George Nisbet, Robert Nkabinde, Stanley Nkhungulu, James Nonkes, Goitze Nonkes, Paul Joseph Nordstrom, Erik Norris, George A. Northcutt, Harold Loyd Nossek, Helmut Nsallka, Besiam Nsomba, Rabson Nushy, William John Nussrallah, Alfred Joseph Nwaukpele, Cyril Idabor Nwazomoh, Cletus Nyamujarah, Farlkai Arnold Oakley, Joseph Arthur Oblalo, Benjamin Uzoma Obrlst, Paul Odlli, Samuel
Oertel, Henry Carl Ogbulle, Michael Ogosi, Zigbonghan S. Ogunde, Seth Ade Oluyiga Ohler, Johann
Ojanen, Lennart Oji, Godwin Steven Ollh, Albert Nwafor Olipaz, Benigno de Vera Oliveira, Osmar de Olliff, Donovan Milton Olliff, John William Olofsson, Ake
Olson, Kenneth Arthur Olson, Nels Willis Olson, Olaf S.
Oltmanns, Gerhard Omavuayenor, Joseph A. Omuah, James Adanghova Opltz, Gerhard Oppermann, Harry Orrell, Eugene Dallas Ostberg, Bertil
Osterloh, Albert Henry (Jr.) Ott, Carlos
Otukegwu, Richard C. Outten, Ernest C. Ovbiagele, Ezekiel O. Owen, Donald Oliver Owsley, Burton Keith
Padilla, Arnaldo Palxao, Agenor da Pajasalmi, Esko Kalervo Pakathl, Dick Palko, Daniel Pallari, Matti Johannes Pallari, Vaino Jaakko Pandachuk, Ernest Anton Pantas, Pacifico Echosa Panting, James A. Papadem, George D. Papageorge, Demetrius Papargyropoulos, Aristotles P. Parcel!, Lowell Leon Paris, Ardell W. Parker, John Nathan Parkin, Ronald James Parr, Glynn Pasini, Caetano Noce Pate, Arden Paterakis, Emmanuel Pawllk, Henri Valentin Pazdyka, Francois Pearcy, Norman Charles Pedersen, Emanuel Pedersen, Oluf Percival, McKay D.
Perez, Santos Perholtz, Michael Perkins, Keith Everett Perry, John Alves Peter, Egon Peters, August Peterson, Charles Taze Russell Peterson, William Petersson, Viktor Pfuetzner, Johannes Phillipides, Theophllos Phillips, George Ross Phillips, Llewelyn V.
Phillips, Wendell Phillips, William Robert Photinos, Peter Plechota, Louis Pientka, Erwin Pierce, William Clarence Pietrangelo, Cesidio Pilet, Roger Pillars, Oscar Lawrence Pinder, Jack Pino, Rogelio del Pittman, Edward Dean Platt, Frank Gordon Pletscher, Reinhard Plomaritis, Timothy Plumhoff, Fred Henry Plumhoff, Sidney Howard Plourde, Willie Francis (Jr.) Pohl, Willi Pomo, Gideon Ponting, John Herbert Porsch, Otto Porter, George C.
Porter, Robert Earl Potgieter, Jacobus Cornelius Potzinger, Martin Powell, Grover Cleveland Powers, Avery W. Powers, Jack Daniel Pramberg, Jack Pratt, Neal David Price, William Frank Prighen, Matthew O. Prior, Robert George Proost, Jan Prosser, Calvin Sheridan Prout, Joseph George M. Puckett, Joseph O. Purscell, Charles Emmett Quackenbush, Colin Dale Quandt, Holdl Queyroi, Jean Quintana, Oscar Romo Quintanilla, Jose Rader, William Jackson (Jr.) Rainbow, Jean Charles Ralskio, Matti Nikolai Randall, Charles Alfred Rann, George Alexander Rasmussen, Christian Rasmussen, Johannes Ejner F. Rasmussen, Robert Vernon Rawlrl, Rudolph Wharemu Rawls, John Wesley Read, William I. (Jr.) Redford, Jack Donald Reed, Homer Franklin Reeder, Maurice Charles Reek, Michiel Rees, Philip D. M.
Reese, Willie F.
Reljntjes, Willem Cornelius Reiter, Ferdinand Rendell, Donald Rennalls, Julius Oliver Reusch, Lyle Elvern Reuter, Georg Reuter, Hermann Reynolds, Stanley Edward Rhode, Samuel Rlccobonl, David Albert Richards, Robert W. Richardson, Francis N. Richardson, Noah Samuel (Jr.) Richardson, Reginald Osborne Riddick, Garfield Ridenour, Roger Lee Rieger. Charles W.
Riemer, Hugo Henry Rieske, Hermann Rlffel, Julius Ripley, Stephen Ritch, James Carlton Robb, John Birrell Robbins, James Charles Roberts, Claude Rocha, Alberto Magna da Rocha, Gregorio Gallegos Rockall, William Arthur Rockwell, Linley Rodgers, Charles Edward
Rodriguez, Luis Rohrer, Arnold Romano, Joseph Anthony Roper, Lester Lee Rose, Edmund J. Rose, Philip Gene Rose, Raymond Rosser, Aubrey Arthur Ross-Jensen, William Richardt Rothe, Manfred Roy, Grenfell Thomas Rubio, Reynaldo Magpantay Rued, Lynn James Ruppert, Ernst Rusk, Fred (Jr.) Russell, George Mouat Russenberger, Hans Ruth, Wilmer Besco Rutlmann, Alfred Ryan, Roy Ansll Saarlo, Kauko Aksell Sabadach, Wasyl (Bill) Sacchettl, Antonio Saia, Joseph St. Jean, Jean Baptiste Sakatos, Rutherford G. Salavaara, Kalle Salinas, Adulfo Sallee, Robert Vincent Salonen, Antt Urbanus Saltmarsh, George Henry Sanchez, Thomas Sandeen, Harold P.
Sandner, Max Sapita, Melvin Sarakin, Charles W. Sauer, Cacllle Saumur, Laurier Saungweme, Daniel Schaffer, Konrad Scharner, Josef Schelbner, Erwin Scheldegger, Gustave Scheider, Wilhelm Schilllnger, William Matthias Schlumpf, Walter Schmidt, Edmund (Jr.) Schmidt, JosS Sobrlnho Schmidt, Robert T. Schmidt, Waldemar Schnake, Willy Schneider, Willy Schrantz, Emile Schroeder, Albert Darger Schutz, Hermann Schwabe, Heinrich Schwafert, Erwin Schwarz, Edward Searle, Bruce Douglas Sebolal, Samuel Seek, August Secord, Arthur Henry Seelye, Alden Leroy Seitz, Hans-Werner Setcer, Dwight Wilson Seubert, Merlyn Eugene
Sewell, John Edward Shaheen, Naseeb Shakhashlri, George John Shalkoskl, Harry Eugene Shawver, Winded Gilbert Shewchuk, Julius Joseph Shinn, Otis Ray Shuter, Sidney A. Shyers, George Fisher Sibiya, John E.
Slchela, Job Abnego Sideris, Anthony Siemens, Allan Bernard Sljula, Elijah Silva, Fabio Celso Silva, Jos£ Rufino da Simcox, James Eaton Simmonite, Sidney Burton Simmonlte, Wilfred Simmons, Billy Wayne Simpkins, William John Simpson, James C.
Sims, William J. Singb, George P. Sinyangwe, Godwin Sloras, John Peter Sipavich, Hlpolito Siverlo, Cornelio Skaleski, Antoine Skarhaug, Ingolf Skinner, Francis Edwin Sklavunos, Telemachos Slik, Henry Smart, Robert Francis Smedstad, Hubert A. Smit, Paul Jacobus (Jr.) Smith, George Alvin Smith, Harold Marshall Smith, Hollis Smith, Keith Neville Smith, Leonard Ernest Smith, Raymond H.
Smith, Ronald Reginald Smith, Thomas Erskine Smyrniotis, Nicolaos Snider, Elmore Sonderskov, Morten B. Soto, Hugo Rafael Spacll, Frank Spicer, Wilfred Shields Spiropoulos, Panayotls C. Spitzer, Kurt Sponenberg, Robert Edwin Spotta, Karl Sprafke, Bernhard Springer, Walter Stallard, Esel Darrow Stamos, David Steele, Charles Arthur Steele, Dave G.
Steele, Don LeRoy Steelman, Joshua M. Steffens, Karl-Heinz Stegenga, Dirk Johannes Stelmann, Emil
Stelnbrecher, Walter Steindorff, Wilhelm Steinemann, Hugo Stendahl, Kjell Stephen, Eliya Stewart, Earl Kitchner Stlgers, Edward William Stlkel, Ludwig Stippich, John Arno Stoermer, Clarence Adolph Stone, Roscoe A. Stoob, Paul Emil Stoops, Gilford Duane Stoove, Kenneth Stott, Lincoln Samuel Stoute, Arnold T. Stover, George William Strand, Roy Ivar Stromgren, Alvin Emanuel Strydom, Willie Henry Stuber, Alfred Stuefloten, John W. Stuhlmlller, Alois Stull, Donald Edmund Suess, Oscar F. Suiter, Grant Sullivan, Thomas James Sumen, Hemming Arthur Sun, Hutton H. Sunal, Rudolph Joseph Supera, Moises Gulpe Svantesson, Erik Svennback, Alfred Georg Svensson, Allan Svensson, Curt Svensson, Hugo Swader, Robert Ernest Swart, Willem Swierczynskl, Bruno Swingle, Lyman Alexander Sydlik, Daniel Sypien, Stanley B. Sypsas, Athanassios Szlel, Gottlieb Szumlga, Marian Szykitka, Walter Tabios, Julio Manalo Tabios, Santas Manalo Talabi, Michael Olatunji Talarico, Ernest Alfred Talen, Jolke Tangolls, John Peter Taylor, Clarence Taylor, Earl Allen Taylor, John Edward Taylor, Samuel G.
Tembo, Selvas Templeton, Ramon Roy Terry, Roger L.
Tetzner, Walther Teubner, Titus Tharp, Alexander E. Thatcher, Mason Edward Thiele, Oskar Thieme, Gunther Thistle, Donald Edgar
Thomas, Fritz Hans Thompson, Adrian deLaunay Thompson, James A. (Jr.) Thompson, Kwa Amu Thompson, Lawrence Thompson, Mandala Thompson, Martin F. Thompson, Rayburn Dale Thongoana, Joshua Sebaka Thorn, Walter John Thornton, Worth Leonard Tianinen, Matti Kullervo Tilton, Thomas Timm, Eldor Ruben Timmermann, Harry-Gerhard Tohara, Shinichi Tolentino, Geronimo G. Tollner, Wilhelm Toma, Shintaro Tomaszewski, Raymond Tomlanovich, Joseph Richard Tornlund, Martin
Touveron, Paul Marcel Joseph Tracy, Frederick Allison Tracy, Robert Nelson Truman, Ivan W. Tubini, Giuseppe Tucker, Cecil A. Turner, Lawrence Turner, Lowell Tuttle, Donald Lester Udoh, Reuben Azunna Ugbebor, Alfred Ujenwa Uhlig, Guenter Ulrich, Clarence Umek, Bernard Umlauf, Jacob Undl, Gerson Ungululani, Bright Valentine, Bill Ray Valenzuela, Paul Raymond Valtonen, Kai Petter Van Daalen, Emil Henry Van Daalen, John W.
Van der Bljl, Gljsbertus N. Vanderhaegen, Peter John Van Horn, Frederic Gilbert Vanlce, Ernest Ray Vanice, Jack Richard Van Ike, Donald G. Van Ike, Millard L. Van Seiji, Willem Van Slpma, Samuel Martin Van Staden, Jacobus F. Van Staden, Marthlnus J. Van Vuure, Hans Van Zee, Fred Post Vargas, Juan Ramon Vasquez, Sergio Molera (Jr.) Vaughan, Robert Tilden Veesenmeyer, Alfred Venture, Peter
Vergara, Alejandrino Gundran Vermeulen, Jan Gabriel Vieker, Heinrich Vocatura, Joseph
Voigt, Walter Erdmann Volkel, Fritz
Voss, Adolfo
Vuillemln, Jean Wagner, Andrew K. Walden, William Coburn Walker, James Russell Wallen, Robert Wayne Wall work, Reginald Wandres, Albert Wanner, Jakob Ward, Donald E. Wargo, John Michael Wargo, Michelle Washington, Alfred W. Wasltis, Frank William Watson, John Laurence Watson, Willem Jacobus Wauer, Ernst Webb, William Halbert Weber, Jean Webster, James Oscar Weckstrom, Erik Anders Wedrlns, Walter Weigand, Georg Weigand, Konstantin Weigl, Frank A.
Weiss, Stephen M. Welborn, Jack McDonald Weller, Arthur F. Weller, William Martin Welsh, Donald Douglas Weltner, Heinz-Kurt Welz, Heinrich Wengert, Joseph Wengert, William Robert Werden, Claude Herbert Wesley, John Basil West, Albert James Wetzler, Harold David (Jr.) Wheeler, James S.
Wheelock. Richard Carl Wiberg, Carl Emil Wlcke, Alfred Emil Wicks, Joseph H. Widawskl, Martin Wledenmann, David Wieland, Edward Walter Wiens, Benjamin John Wiesner, Ernst Wlger, Samuel Wlhlborg, Ingvar Wilda, Charles de Wildman, Lewis Allen Wiley, Luther Fedd (Jr.) Wilkes, John N. Wilkinson, Sidney Willett, Frank Allan
Williams, Charles F.
Williams, Clive Henry Williams, George Alvin Williams, Harry Willson, Peter Edwin Wlllumsen, Elvin Vebjorn Wilson, Ennis Robert Wilson, Frederick John Wilson, James L. (Jr.) Wlnberg. Arne Windolph, Guenter Winkler, Robert Arthur Winterburn, Victor Emmanuel Wlschuk, John Nelson Wisegarver, Vernon Cornelius Wittendorff, Alex Wojciechowski, Stanley Wood, Victor Winston Woodard, Hermon Alexander Woodburn, James Hardy Woodburn, Martin Woodburn, Sydney Woodworth, Harold P. Woodworth, W. Eldon Worsley, Arthur Albert Wosu, Amos Anucha Wozniak, Andre Wright, Clare James Wright, William H.
Wrobel, Paul Wulle, Otto Wuttke, Ricardo Wyatt, John Bryan Wynes, Emlyn Wynn, John Alfred Yacos, William Yaremchuk, William Yates, Allan John Yeatts, Hugh Macmillan Yeatts, Lowell K.
Yeatts, Thomas Russell Young, Charles W. O. Young, William Loyd Yuchnlewlcz, Stanley Zacharladis, John Zakian, Arthur S. Zamora, Alberto Ramirez Zamora, Francisco Ramirez Zavltz, Gerald Zbylut, Michel Zedi, Ernst
Zenke, Howard Winston Zetty, Edward Zleroth, Willi
Zilke, Otto Ziwawo, Delson Zook, Aquilla B. Zuercher, Franz
PREPARATION FOR MISSIONARY FIELD
The Watchtower Bible School of Gilead was opened in February 1943. Since then we have enrolled a total of 2,281 students. Of these, 89 dropped out of the school because of poor health, poor grades, or for other reasons. Of the 2,192 individuals who finished school 2,061 received diplomas, while 131 failed as far as scholastic marks are concerned.
The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society has brought students to this school from 52 different countries, and it is interesting to note that of the 2,192 who have finished school 935 are students from outside the United States of America. The year 1953 was an outstanding one for Gilead, because many thousands of visitors wanted to see the school, and many who had graduated from the school returned to see the building and the campus. Big changes were observed by those from the first classes. The campus has been enlarged; the trees have grown considerably, and the whole place breathes an atmosphere of fuller development. In the ten and a half years of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead physical maturity has taken place and, more important, the spiritual and educational maturity of the institution has certainly advanced.
One of the outstanding things of the year was the fact that the United States Office of Education in Washington, D. C., gave the school official recognition. We are now allowed to receive students under the nonimmigration student arrangement. The Office of Education notified the Department of State of the ruling, and so now the United States consuls throughout the world have been notified that official recognition has been granted to Gilead School. Its name is now entered on their official list, which makes it easier for students coming to the United States for Gilead training to get their visas. The Society is grateful for this recognition. The registrar of the school submits this report on the twentieth and twenty-first terms:
The fall term opened September 10,1952; 115 students enrolled, these coming from 20 different countries. Fifty-six of the students were non-Americans. During the twentieth term small groups of students were selected to study the languages of Arabic, Urdu, Malayalam and Siamese. The greater portion of the student body studied Spanish. During the school term three students found it necessary to leave the school. The term concluded on February 8, 1953; graduation was in midwinter, and even so 2,256 persons were present on this very happy occasion of closing school and the distribution of diplomas. Fifty-one of the 112 students were brothers, 61 sisters; 111 diplomas were given to the students reaching the high average required by the instructors.
GRADUATES OF THE TWENTIETH CLASS, FEBRUARY 8, 1953
Abrahamson, Richard Ernest Abrahamson, Julia (Mrs. R. E.) Aoanan, Catalino Catandig Azevedo, JosG Victor Azevedo, Rosa Maria
(Mrs. J. V.)
Baker, Virginia Kathleen Ben Mayor, Doris
Bennett, Ralph Gane Bennett, Mildred Annette (Mrs. R. G.)
Bopp, Doris Elaine
Brammer, Lyndall Yancey Brandenburg, Rex William Buckner, Catherine Athaleen Burnett, Lena Ruth Cafiete, Nicolas Quifiones Carswell, Eric Edmund Christensen, Mary Antoinette Chulacharitta, Thongpoon Connor, Andr6 Francis Connor, Mildred Marie
(Mrs. A. F.)
Davey, Michael Derrick Davey, Oliver Lester De Launay, Beatrice Anna De Voe, Joseph Mark (Jr.) De Voe, Irene (Mrs. J. M., Jr.) Di Lucci, Joscelyn Josephine Engler, Paul Heinrich Fajardo, Felix Santa Ana Faupel, Gloria Eleanor Fayek, Anis Youssef Ferguson, Anne Marie Gatchalian, Emilio Tejano Geurdes, Dorothy Louise Gosden, Percy
Harteva, Irmeli Ruth Harteva, Kaarle Ariel Humphrey, Philip William Husby, Kjell Georg Husby. Randi Johanne (Mrs. K. G.) Ilagulson, Lino Baloyo Jensen, Jean Dorothy
Johnson, Virginia Lee Joseph, Gracie King, Gordon Douglas King, Joyce Esme (Mrs. G. D.) Kortleven, Maty Jane Kulp, Arlene Mae Lachmuth, Leona Elizabeth Lachmuth, Tillie Karolina Loeffert, Dorothy Lukus, Julia Macareg, Toribio Mallbong Mall, Nasreen Margrave, Allan Martlnsen, Kjell Matllalnen, Eino Antero Miles, John Calvert Miles, Va Lora Jettie
(Mrs. J. C.) Moss, Shirley Margaret Moss, Thomas Murray Naggert, Margareta Elise Ohler, John Pandachuk, Ernest Anton Pandachuk, Emily Pearl
(Mrs. E. A.) Parvin, Albert Joseph Parvin, Gladys Rebecca
(Mrs. A. J.) Pebworth, Martha Kiger Peter, Egon Karl Pope, Reginald Taze Pulcifer, Kenneth Junior Pulcifer, Catherine Mae
(Mrs. K. J.) Puntuprayoon, Somsri Ritzheimer, Hans Roberts, Charles Ellsworth Ross, Betty Eloise Ross, Fern Marie Schwarz, Edith Maria Schwarz, Edward Fred Sherwood, William Edward Sherwood, Joyce (Mrs. W. E.) Simon, Margarete Anna Smit, Mabel
Spring, Roseann Jean Stegenga, Geertruida Marla Stovay, Kenneth
Suhr, Albert
Thompson, James Aarons (Jr.)
Thompson, Geraldine
(Mrs. J. A., Jr.)
Thompson, James Edward
Thompson, Wendy Laura
(Mrs. J. E.)
Thompson, Janice Mildred
Valjato, Katherine Mildred
Vanden Berg, John Alben
Vanden Berg, Marie
(Mrs. J. A.)
Vasquez, Sergio Molera (Jr.)
Venture, Peter
Venture, Ethel Mae (Mrs. P.)
Vltez, Rodolfo Romano
Vitez, Bessie Anna (Mrs. R. R.) Wall, Jo Ann Wallace. Bruce Ward, Donald Everett Ward, Virginia (Mrs. D. E.) Washington, Alfred William Weller, Sybil Gwendoline Weltner, Heinz-Kurt White, Mabel Gladys Whitson, Naccoli Elaine Whitson, Vaunda La Kae Wilson, James Lancelot (Jr.) Winkler, Gerhard Wolkin, Mary Joan
The largest class of students ever enrolled at Gilead School began their studies February 17, 1953. Ninety-five of the student body came from 28 different countries; the rest of the 127 that started school came from the United States. The twenty-first class had the happy experience of having their graduation take place at the New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses at Yankee Stadium, July 19, 1953. There were 126,387 persons in attendance. This was Gilead’s most spectacular graduation. Outstanding was the fact that 945 alumni graduates of the previous twenty classes were seated in the foreground of the stadium. The talk delivered on that occasion was “Gathering Men of All Nations into One Flock.” One hundred and nineteen diplomas were awarded. Foreign assignments were made to the students, who became missionaries in 44 lands. The school is happy to acknowledge receipt of such a flood of new spiritual food in the form of lectures and new releases as obtained in the recent never-forgettable New York convention. We are amending our course to include the very valued new textbooks received, namely, “Make Sure of All Things", New World Translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, “New Heavens and a New Earth", Basis for Belief in a New World, and the new testimony booklet. We thank Jehovah for these added gifts.
GRADUATES OF THE TWENTY-FIRST CLASS, JULY 19, 1953
Ahuama, Friday Alozle Antao, Sergio Augusto Aulich, Ingeborg Marie Baptiste, Christiana Catherine Barlow, David Harnden Bartonek, Erich Karl Batson, Oswald Odllngton
Batson, Beryl Glenishine (Mrs. O. O.)
Berecochea, Querubln Alvaro
Berecochea, Marina Cervantes de
(Mrs. Q. A.)
Biehn, James Freeman Blaschek, Emil Wilhelm Bonno, Arthur Walter
Bonno, Edith Ray (Mrs. A. W.) Boorman, Cecily Bradley, Lester Darrel Bradley, Catherine Jeanett (Mrs. L. D.)
Brown, Wilbaforce Candusso, Ida Paula Cantwell, Jesse Lee Cantwell, Aina Lynn (Mrs. J. L )
Clarke, Philip Ernest Clarke, Hilda Mary
(Mrs. P. E.)
Clayton, John Bruce Clayton, Freda Mae (Mrs. J. B.)
Crich, Gordon Allen Danner, Ruth de Kruijff, Antonie Dirk Dell’Elice, Romolo del Rio, Juan Yber De Young, Robert Cornelius De Young, Martha June
(Mrs. R. C.)
Dollin, Barbara Ruth Espley, Joan Ferguson, Evelyn Josefina Fischer, William Raymond Fischer, Shirley Hazel
(Mrs. W. R )
Fletcher, Thomas Alexander Giannone, Salvatore Gibbons, James Edward Gillan, Francis
Goff, Cecil Joseph
Goff, Juana (Mrs. C. J.) Hallquist, Eva Pauline Hardy, Joseph William Harris, Margery Ellen Herink, Sylvia Marie Heywood, Beryl Hibshman, Paul Henry Hibshman. Dolores Jean
(Mrs. P. H.)
Hinkson, Ernest Carlton Hinkson, Beryl Elise
(Mrs. E. C.)
Holt, Irene
Hosie, Douglas Murray
Hosie, Grace Edythe
(Mrs. D. M.)
Jones, Alfred Samuel
Kamp, Dirk
Kamp, Marion Ruth (Mrs. D.) Kershaw, Wilton Kershaw, Joan Frances
(Mrs. W.)
Kowalewicz, Francois LeClair, Clifford Charles Littau, Harold Alfred Littau, Audrey Jean
(Mrs. H. A.) Loreilhe, Lindor Luetchford, Sybil Priscilla Lunkenheimer, Ortwin MacDonald, Joan Marie
Mallen, Clifford Henry Marshall, Joyce Gertrude Martin, Veachel Verl
Martin, Doris Jean (Mrs. V, V.) Martin, Vivian June Matthews, Dennis James Matthews, Grace Mavis
(Mrs. D. J.)
Matthews, Ernest
Mills, John J. (Jr.) Monterroso, Manuel Morris, Vera Constance Mudge, Roma Dorothy Mull, Dale Eugene
Mull, Helen Mae (Mrs. D. E.) Nako, Adeline Fumiko Nicholls, Peter John Nonkes, Goitze
Park, Evalyn Myung Hae Percival, McKay Don Percival, Katherine
(Mrs. M. D.)
Prince, William James Prudehl, Erika Helene Read, William Irving (Jr.) Read, Dorothy Margaret
(Mrs. W. t, Jr.) Reast, Sidney Brian Riecken, Reinhold Gerd Roach, Joycelyn Eulalie Roy, Barbara Millar Sallis, William Arthur Samson, Lillian Leonor Schiffleger, Clemens Herman Schiffleger, Jean Cora
(Mrs. C. H.) Sedgwick, Peter Skipworth, Beth Lorraine Smant, Jan Smith, Florence Amy Smith, Stephen Smith, Jean Margarite
(Mrs. S.)
Smith, Sylvia Ruth Somers, Edward Frans Stegenga, Dirk Johannes Stegenga, Maria Catharina Steynberg, Wilfred Lawson Steynberg, Maureen Ann
(Mrs. W. L.)
Stlerling, John Eugenio Styra, Gerhard Karl Swaby, Lila Areline Swanepoel, Anita Tan, Hoat Kie Thom, Florence Edna van Seiji, Willem van Seiji, Grietje Henny
(Mrs. W.) van Vuure, Hans Wallwork, Reginald Wallwork, Irene (Mrs. R.) Wiegersma, Aalzen Wilson, June Woodward, Eva Nellie Wynder, James Edward
THE SOCIETY’S HEADQUARTERS
At 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, New York, the principal offices of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society are located. The officers of the Society have their offices in this building, called Bethel Home. Bethel means “house of God.” With its frontage of one entire city block, the building is 200 feet long and about 100 feet deep, ten stories high and having two floors below ground. Here the Bethel family lives. At present the family has 437 members. During the 1953 convention period there were 402 guests in the building with the family. The house was crowded, but everyone got on happily, knowing that everybody was there for the big event of the year, the New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
It is a pleasure to be associated with our fellow workers from all parts of the world and to renew acquaintances with branch servants, missionaries, special representatives, and to help them with their problems of running a branch home or a factory.
In this Bethel home are the editorial department, legal department, studios of radio station WBBR, a large dining room, library, laundry, and other facilities that make Bethel just a wonderful place in which to live. To keep this family well fed the Society operates three farms, one nearby at Staten Island (New York city), where the transmitting equipment for WBBR is located. Here are produced fresh vegetables and chickens, keeping us supplied with greens, eggs and fowl for food. Many tomatoes, string beans and other products of the farm are canned every year for use during the winter on the dining-room tables at Bethel. Additionally, Mountain Farm (New Jersey) supplies other foods, such as milk, corn, onions, and asparagus. Also, Kingdom Farm, which is about 255 miles from Bethel in upstate New York, supplies us with the larger crops, like potatoes, pumpkins, squash, carrots, beets, other vegetables and fruits, in addition to cheese and butter. The Kingdom Farm also supplies edibles for Gilead School. All these properties are under direct supervision of the president and they are operated solely for the purpose of supplying food at the lowest possible cost and so that the publications produced in the Society’s plant at 117 Adams Street, Brooklyn, can be provided at a low price so that greater distribution can be made throughout the world.
The sole aim of the Society is to promote true worship of the Sovereign Ruler of the universe, Jehovah, and to make known his kingdom, which will bless all lovers of righteousness. Every effort is put forth by those in responsible positions in the Society to promote this great Bible educational work, and it is a joy to be working with the branch organizations, the school, the missionaries, the congregations and pioneers everywhere, to increase the interests of the Kingdom entrusted to our care.
Jehovah’s witnesses world-wide use a number of corporations to serve their interests. The principal one is the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, a Pennsylvania corporation. This corporation publishes The Watchtower, issued semimonthly, and sees to it that Scriptural material is written for publication. It also looks after all the branches throughout the world and the missionary activity. Its work is preaching the message of Jehovah’s kingdom on a global scale.
Another corporation Jehovah’s witnesses use is the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Inc., a New York corporation. This organization owns the properties in New York State and, through its servants, looks after the preaching of the gospel throughout the United States. It publishes literature in scores of languages, shipping it to all parts of the world on orders from the Pennsylvania corporation. The International Bible Students Association of Great Britain is used extensively throughout the British Commonwealth of Nations to promote our preaching activity. In Canada we also have the International Bible Students Association of Canada. In South American countries Jehovah’s witnesses have organized corporations to facilitate their activities there. In all instances, however, these corporations function harmoniously together, having one end in view, making known the good news of Jehovah’s kingdom.
To Jehovah’s witnesses and also those interested in their activities it will be of value to read carefully this Yearbook, because here follow reports from all the branches throughout the world. Excerpts have been selected from their annual reports to the president of the Society and interesting statistics have been included to show the marvelous increase, which is certainly an expression of Jehovah’s blessing upon the zealous activities of his witnesses. The branches are listed in alphabetical order, starting with America, and under certain branches are included a number of different territories or countries, as all the assigned territory handled by each branch is reported on under the name of that branch. For any specific country or island on which the reader wishes an immediate report, please see the index at pages 3 and 4.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 64,995 73,512 132,797 153,624
This year of 1953, when so many of our representatives from all over the world came to the New World Society Assembly at New York, gave us a wonderful opportunity to have a series of meetings with them and to go into organizational matters very thoroughly with the branch servants. Meetings were held in the Kingdom Hall of the Bethel home during a period of two weeks. Fine lectures were given on organization and problems respecting branches, and questions were asked and answered. So as to make these meetings very practical, tours were made through the office at 117 Adams Street, telling exactly how things are cared for. Studies were made of the printing department, the operation of the Bethel home, and lengthy discussion was had on field service problems. These meetings were most profitable, aiding all to see in harmony with one another.
The United States branch office rendered a good service in this regard, because it is the largest branch of all the branches in the world. It is hoped that some day many other countries will have organizations as big as the Brooklyn branch office. Outstanding, of course, in the work of the Brooklyn branch was its preparation of literature for the convention. The printing plant was busy day and night for months, getting books, booklets, magazines and tracts ready for the New World Society Assembly.
Throughout the service year of 1953 a tremendous witness was given in the United States. This grand witness was climaxed near the close of the year, in July, with the magnificent world assembly. Publicity given the New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses country-wide was astonishing. This witness itself should certainly aid the publishers in America to find many more of the other sheep, to comfort them and instruct them in the proper ways of worshiping Jehovah, the Sovereign Ruler. The branch servant of the United States gives us an interesting report on the field and production activity of this branch. Excerpts from his report are printed here.
There have been many expressions of appreciation for the wonderful assembly held in our country. The New World society was certainly brought prominently into the public eye in the United States as never before,
and it is our hope that we shall reap the fruits of this public attention in our house-to-house ministry during the year.
The great difference between the New World society and the old-world system of things was observed by those who looked at the daily sessions of the convention. One manager of a large New York hotel, who may well speak for many others, phrased it this way: “I would like to take this opportunity of stating that, in our experience, it [Jehovah’s witnesses] represented the finest group of guests that this hotel has ever had. As the New World society so aptly puts it, ‘Love is longsuffer-ing and obliging.’ Hotel management is a little like love in that it too is longsuffering and obliging. However, guests like Jehovah’s witnesses remove all the pain and leave only a sense of wanting to oblige more than ever.” That wonderful spirit of the New World society should certainly be observed right down to the smallest congregation and, indeed, right down to each individual publisher as he strives to effectively minister to people of good will at their homes. It is the spirit of a new system of things, Jehovah’s system of things.
Even on the highways during convention travel it was possible to give an effective witness, as is substantiated by the following experience sent in by a pioneer: “Several years ago in a town 12 miles west of Wheeling, St. Clairsville, Ohio, we were mobbed and loaded on the fire-engine and run out of town. I met one of the mob leaders in his real-estate office in Wheeling. He was a changed man. For three mornings he had to crawl slowly to work in the string of witness cars coming east on Route 40 from his town to Wheeling. He had time to view the fine cars and the jalopies; the families with happy faces; he talked to some as they waited in line. He should be a fine call. He told me, ‘I sure was amazed; I didn’t know there were so many of you in the world. You know, I’ve been thinking; you could fool 100,000 Catholics, as they don’t read or study and are very gullible; also you might fool 100,000 Protestants, for they just go to church and come home. But when folks sell their homes to go to a convention; pay their own expenses for 2,000 miles and 10 days in a hotel;.who study night and day; who humbly go door to door talking and arguing with anyone of any faith who will listen; who give their all physically, financially and spiritually; I don’t think you could fool them. ... I want to know more. . , . ’ I was hardly able to break loose in 2 hours.”
Following the assembly a young Jewish man walked into the Society’s factory at 117 Adams Street, Brooklyn, stating that he had attended one day of the convention and would like additional information. After a tour through the printing plant and receiving an explanation of its operation, he stated that he would like to work at the factory. Association and Kingdom activity being necessary first, however, he was invited to the congregation meetings. He attended his first service meeting and ministry school, and then asked if he might go from house to house and tell others the message. Sunday morning he engaged in house-to-house work and has been a regular publisher and meeting attender since.
In addition to our grand privileges in connection with the assembly, the progress of the field work in this country during the past year makes our hearts glad and renews our spirit and determination to push right ahead with all the work committed into our hands. By Jehovah’s undeserved kindness we went forward from 128,668 publishers in September to 141,532 in January, surpassing the goal of 10 per cent increase. Then in April, 1953, a total of 1,365 congregations reported “We made it!” for the 20 per cent peak increase, bringing our total publishers up to 153,624.
Keeping pace with the publisher increase was the increase of more than 842,000 additional hours devoted to service in the field. The stress laid upon house-to-house activity undoubtedly contributed to the increase of individual magazine placements by almost one million copies over 1952. Without question increased house-to-house ministry on the part of all publishers was reflected in our obtaining some 127,000 more subscriptions this year than the previous year. These and other encouraging advances in the field certainly demonstrate the wisdom of every publisher’s applying himself to the basic and most effective feature of our ministry, namely, visitation of the people at their homes. We feel that, while much improvement has been made, there still remains a tremendous opportunity in the United States to hasten the preaching of the good news by striving for more effective house-to-house ministry on the part of each publisher.
This will include being aware of the fact that back-calls and home Bible studies are a part of this house-to-house ministry too, for we had only a very slight increase in back-calls during 1953, while there was a slight decrease in home Bible studies. There are goodwill persons who need help and it is up to the publishers to see that such help in new-world living is given. To emphasize the point, note the following letter that was slipped under the door of a Kingdom Hall in the midwestern part of the country. This is a word-for-word quotation.
“Dear Jehovah’s Witnesses:
“I am reading a book, ‘Let God Be True’. I wish I had read it years ago. I have a number of questions to be answered pertaining to it. Could someone help me out? I have no telephone, but I am usually home every day all day. If anyone has time to come I would appreciate it. My evenings are not free, but I have the whole day.” She now has a home Bible study and is attending meetings. It is certainly true that participation in all features of the house-to-house ministry brings best results, for we can see that Jehovah gives greater blessings where the effort put forth is complete and thorough.
Here in the United States special stress has been given to the advantage of the congregational book study and the organization centered around it. Working from the homes where book studies are conducted has proved most valuable. One brother arranging for congregational book studies counted the attendance as having increased from 15 to 40. The majority of the publishers began to be more active and there was a new publisher-peak the very first month. The number of hours devoted to field service in the congregation’s home territory was higher than during any previous month. By establishing congregational book studies in different parts of the territory a marked increase was brought about. Individual help was given to the publishers.
Not all publishers are able to go from house to house, particularly the one sister who wrote to us who is 74 years of age and is a cripple. She has not walked in 15 years. Writing is difficult, but she preaches the good news by telephone and by letter writing, mailing literature and talking to bedside callers. Brothers in the local congregation assist her with her mailing problems. She has sent literature to people in seventeen states, Canada, Europe and Korea. Many replies show appreciation for her effort. Some of the persons she has written to are now publishers. She conducts studies by mail. This crippled sister says: “I find, like those who go from house to house, that only a few compared to the number of people we contact will take an interest in the Kingdom message; but I am determined to continue on to my last breath.”
Another brother, handicapped by blindness, does house-to-house preaching regularly. He gets in the business section and goes from store to store. His report shows a regular placement of 400 to 700 magazines every month. His average hours for the past year, 105 hours per month.
With these two examples before our minds, certainly our regular-publisher report for 1954 should go up well past our previous peak of 153,624. It is a pleasure to report, too, that the new method of studying The Watchtower is going well in the United States field. One congregation reports on its first study under the new arrangement that now 41 brothers participate in the discussions instead of the usual 15 to 18. The Watchtower study is looked forward to.
We have not gone along in this country without some difficulties. The publishers in the United States have kept the legal department quite busy. There were only a few arrests because of door-to-door witnessing. Most of these did not even reach the courts. They were dropped without a trial. Others have used the booklet Defending and Legally Establishing the Good News. Many prosecutors were handed the booklet by the brothers involved, so the matter was not carried through.
The continued source of trouble is the type of law that prohibits calling at a home without an invitation to visit. The law is called the Green River ordinance. The name comes from the town of Green River, Wyoming, which first passed it. A brother was prosecuted in the town that fathered the nationally known law. His conviction was taken to the Supreme Court of the state. The court voided the conviction. To this date the officials of the town have not tried to repeat the process of arresting another witness under that law. Several Green River law cases were started in other states, but these have not reached the higher courts. They were either won in the lower state courts or dismissed by the prosecutors before the cases ripened for the appellate courts.
During the year some important park-meeting cases were decided by the Supreme Court of the United States. The highest court in the United States unanimously reversed the Supreme Court of Rhode Island. It held that the Pawtucket law that prohibited religious meetings in the park had been enforced in an unfair manner against Jehovah’s witnesses. In another case, however, the high court held that it was necessary, before using the park, to sue to compel the granting of a permit to use the parks of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This was ruled even when the council had unconstitutionally refused to give a permit for the meeting.
A number of congregations have been refused permits to build Kingdom Halls. Several cases were started against city officials in various parts of the country to compel the granting of permits to build. Three outstanding victories were given by Jehovah during the year. A large amount of time was devoted by the Society’s counsel to help fight cases in Canada, Scotland, England, Switzerland and other parts of the world. The legal office of the Society was also able to help many brothers desiring advice about making gifts and wills, leaving property to the Society. The brothers in the United States have been very generous in contributing money to the Society so that the expansion work could be carried on world-wide. We hope this will continue, for it is a great joy to see the expansion work going on.
The new arrangement for circuit servant activity, announced at the New World Society Assembly, was put into effect by the close of the service year and we look forward to 1954 for great results. The new specialpioneer arrangement announced at the convention should open up new fields. It is our hope that the publishers’ demands for literature will continue to increase, because the branch office in Brooklyn is in position to supply a greater quantity of literature than ever before, due to the fact that new machinery has been purchased. We hope the publishers of the Kingdom, by their demands for Bible literature, will make our present factory too small. The nine-story publishing plant in Brooklyn now takes up one city block. The other buildings that were on the same square block as the Watchtower printing plant have now been demolished, making way for a new road system around this section of Brooklyn. It certainly is interesting to observe that one entire floor of this building is now devoted to the handling of subscriptions and the mailing of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines. We rejoice to visualize this expanding river of truth, flowing forth to the nations. Due to the great demand for literature, the Society now has 13 linotype machines setting up The Watchtower every month in its many languages, also using these machines for the setting up of books and booklets. We now have 17 printing presses kept busy all the time. During the year these hungry machines ate up 4,278 tons of paper, in order to produce more than 67,000,000 copies of Bibles, books, booklets and magazines. In the Society’s printing plant there is a modernly equipped ink room, which was kept busy manufacturing 105,300 pounds of ink used in this printing work. Additionally, glue, paste and other supplies are made by this department. If at any time a reader of this Yearbook is in New York and would want to see the plant, we shall be glad to have him visit the factory and the Bethel home. It has been our pleasure to have several guided tours every day. The high light of these guided tours, however, was during the three days following the New World Society
Assembly, when we were privileged to act as host to more than 15,000 visitors.
So that you may obtain a better appreciation of the production accomplished in the Society’s factory, a tabulated report compared with previous years follows.
BROOKLYN FACTORY PRODUCTION REPORT
|
1953 |
1952 |
1951 | |
|
Books and Bibles |
3,781,216 |
5,281,878 |
4,731,329 |
|
Booklets |
14,232,080 |
7,376,041 |
11,666,279 |
|
“The Watchtower" |
29,034,200 |
26,135,600 |
21,737,200 |
|
‘ ‘Awake! ’ ’ |
19,952,400 |
19,999,824 |
18,037,900 |
|
Convention Reports | |||
|
(96-page) |
243,927 | ||
|
(32-page) |
6,000 | ||
|
(16-page) |
550,000 | ||
|
Total |
67,555,896 |
58,793,343 |
56,416,635 |
|
Advertising leaflets |
90,100,000 |
103,163,000 |
111,855,000 |
|
Calendars |
140,558 |
138,585 |
144,329 |
|
Miscellaneous printing |
36,147,508 |
30,746,921 |
35,622,496 |
|
Magazine bags |
26,645 |
30,543 |
21,439 |
|
Tracts |
23,600,000 |
19,016,000 | |
|
Total mlsc. printing |
150,014,711 |
153,095,049 |
147,643,264 |
|
A very large percentage of |
the above |
production, | |
which included work done in 38 different languages, was shipped to countries outside the United States. We are very grateful to Jehovah for the privilege of using our enlarged facilities here at the United States headquarters to be of assistance to our fellow ministers overseas.
May this binding tie of love grow stronger and stronger as we all, with confidence in Jehovah and in the unconquerable forward march of his purposes, continue to apply ourselves to our ministry.
COUNTRIES REPORTING TO UNITED STATES BRANCH
During the 1953 service year the Brooklyn branch looked after ten outlying territories, to compare with seventeen small groups last year. A number of territories that Brooklyn supervised in 1952 have now been made into branches and local supervision by an appointed branch servant helps in the expansion work. The progress made in these ten countries this year is excellent, for the publishers have increased from 767 to 949 on the average. More literature was distributed, more hours were devoted to the work, and now 30 congregations are established in these territories. There is certainly a wonderful prospect for increase, because 2,314 attended the Memorial service and these, of course, are showing interest in the message that is being proclaimed. In fact, 1,278 of these have gone out in field service already, and that is their peak for the year. Brief reports are set out here for each of the territories where the expansion work is being pushed.
ALASKA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 7 28 89 109
Along with many lands Alaska was happy to be able to say “We made it” in 1953. The number of Kingdom publishers increased from an average of 72 a year ago to 101 proclaimers of the good news. Alaska is a hard country in which to work, but the people that live there are sturdy and when you can get local people serving Jehovah God they are able to extend the truth in many directions. A fine convention was arranged in Fairbanks, but the big thing that the folks in Alaska were looking forward to was the New York assembly. Sixty persons made the trip from Alaska to New York.
Not only is the truth preached in some of the principal cities, but they reach out into the small towns and villages. In May and June one of the congregational publishers decided to take his canoe to Circle and then go down the Yukon River to witness in isolated territory. He had a wonderful time preaching the truth. What he told the people was so different from the orthodox missionaries. When some of the natives heard his good message they would go ahead of him to the next village and announce his coming. At one place his arrival was announced over the radio. When he arrived villagers were expecting him and they listened intently to his message concerning Jehovah’s kingdom. In his travels he encountered two young Catholic men. These men of the Yukon recognized the truth and they are now publishers. One of them has gone to Nome with the one who gave him the truth. There have been no pioneers in Nome for years. Now, through Jehovah’s undeserved kindness, people living in that far-northern territory are being reached with the good news. This shows us how the local publisher who knows his country and his territory, and knows how to get about, can do a wonderful work in spreading the message of Jehovah’s glorious kingdom in all parts of the world.
BERMUDA
Publishers Preaching
1942 1947 1952 1953
3 7 18 21
“Come to Bermuda, the isles of rest”—so runs the main advertising slogan of this enchanting little island group. Thousands of tourists and many rich persons have gone to these islands. It is territory where the publisher finds almost everyone wholly satisfied with conditions. They are content with the peaceful, sun-soaked golden sand and blue-water surroundings, and it is hard to break in with the facts about the world and the only hope for the world, God’s kingdom. But impressions are made and some are hearkening to the truth. There are now 17 regular witnesses and during the year a peak of 21 was reached. The theocratic school has had a telling effect. The ability of one brother was noted so much by those outside the congregation that when he started to give public talks this past year he was offered a position as lay preacher with a local religious organization. Needless to say the offer was refused. Not only is the Society trying to train those in the truth to be better witnesses, but their training is to enable them to seek life in a new world. We could use many more publishers in Bermuda, and if there are other sheep there those who have dedicated themselves to Jehovah God want to find them and aid them in the way to life.
FRENCH EQUATORIAL AFRICA
1948 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 10 112 416
There are now four well-organized congregations in French Equatorial Africa, and the seed of Kingdom truths that is being sown is scattering throughout the land. A number of the brothers have grown to maturity through careful study of the Scriptures with the Society’s publications.
Recently, at the Memorial service, there were 573 persons of good will attending this celebration. After the discourse was given and the emblems were passed it was observed that not one partook of the emblems. All understood that they were not of the remnant of Christ’s body members, but that their hopes and aims and desires in life were to worship Jehovah in holy array for eternity among the other sheep here upon earth.
The publishers in this territory are able to refute the false teachings. One brother came to an old chief of a village who was a member of a Protestant church. After he was spoken to at length on the Bible he said: “I have carefully considered what you have told me, and can verify that Jehovah’s witnesses tell the truth. Concerning the resurrection, I know that in the Gospel of John Jesus said, ‘He that believes in me will be resurrected on the last day’; but the religious leaders contradict the words of Jesus and say that those who believe on Jesus go direct to heaven from their deathbed.”
In another place much persecution was brought to bear against Jehovah’s witnesses for their bringing the gospel into a new territory. However, a few were found to be interested and back-calls were continued, Bible studies were established, and now at one of these studies there is an attendance of 27 persons of good will. Persistency is a necessary thing. One of the qualifications of a Christian is endurance. It is a delight to see these brothers and sisters rejoicing in the truths set forth in The Watchtower and responding to the call as set forth by Isaiah, “Send me.” They want to learn. They want to preach. This they are doing.
GUADELOUPE
1944 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 10 32 81 109
Located in the Caribbean Sea is the beautiful island of Guadeloupe. It has a population of approximately 387,000 and has been under French rule for 300 years. Even though the people prefer idleness and consider the only worth-while religion the Roman religion, some among them do respond to the Kingdom message. Back in the year 1948 it was possible for the Society to send a few missionaries, and there they began to teach the brothers and sisters how to work from house to house. The missionaries were not allowed to stay very long, but they did lay a good foundation. The zealous ones that remain are diligently aiding others to become regular publishers. During the service year 1953, 86 regularly engaged in the work, which is a good improvement over the previous year, and they reached a peak of 109 publishers in June. The brothers are anxious to put on more public meetings, but because the political parties have vilified one another so much the government has decreed that no more public discourses can be given in open places. Microphones are forbidden. Loud-speaking equipment is forbidden. Therefore, Jehovah’s witnesses are obliged to carry on their publicmeeting activity in private courtyards in the surrounding country towns, and many public lectures are arranged.
Many of the inhabitants are keenly interested in the work and questions are propounded about our activity. But when they see what is required to be a good Christian, and that it is necessary to go from house to house and preach this good news and to show love to your neighbors and to help them, then their pride rises. They find it so much easier to belong to another religion where they just have to go to church, sit and listen for an hour a week. Yes, Jehovah’s witnesses are admired for their zeal and determination to press on in proclaiming the good news, but there are very few who want to walk in the footsteps of Christ Jesus.
About 70 per cent of the territory in Guadeloupe has never been worked. Plans for 1954 are being made to try to get into some of these new territories. Maybe there are other sheep there.
GUAM
1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 15 27
There is a tiny volcanic-coral island in the Pacific called Guam. The truth is being preached there to the people of Guam and they are happy that they have learned about Jehovah’s kingdom. A number of brothers from the Philippines are working for a contractor who has work to be done on Guam island. These Philippine brothers got busy right away in their spare hours to preach to Americans and the Chamorros. Living in the work camps, they are not allowed to bring any individuals into their camps to study with them, but they do have the opportunity to go out; and others here do preaching wherever they can, from house to house, from club to club, village to village, climbing up and down the mountains and meeting people in the rural territory. Now there are 23 regular publishers engaging in the field service every month. They have reached a peak of 27, to compare with 13 publishers of a year ago. It seems as though a good congregation is now established in Guam. They want to show their love to Jehovah God by continually preaching. At last year’s Memorial service 46 were in attendance; so we see that in this far-flung island of the Pacific there are other sheep. When Jesus said, “This gospel must be preached,” he meant it.
ICELAND
1944 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 1 3 10 8
In 1929 a brother went to Iceland to engage in the pioneer service. Since that time much literature has been distributed in this North Atlantic island. The Society has sent missionaries here and they have preached diligently and tried to organize people of good will into a congregation. During the last few years an intensive witness has been given, but the Icelander remains quite indifferent to the Kingdom message. Many persons have gained some knowledge of the truth, but very few show appreciation of the fact that this means everlasting life. The people of Iceland are lovers of books, but their views on religion are very stereotyped. They prefer to believe the writings of their great poets and authors, and consider the expressions of men of greater authority than the expression of God. The general consensus is that God will never destroy a single soul.
There are only seven regular publishers in all Iceland, and only one of these is a native Icelander. Our brothers, who are working very hard to try to help these people with the message of the truth, sum up the whole matter in this way: One Watchtower subscriber recently said, “I do not believe there will be another religion like this anywhere in the world; yes, I am convinced that this is the only true religion, but I have no use for religion.” Seemingly many other Icelanders have this same attitude toward pure religion or anything that has to do with God’s Word. The responsibility of Jehovah’s witnesses, however, is to continue to preach this gospel until the cities are wasted and without inhabitants. There may be more of the other sheep in Iceland. If there are, members of the New World society want to find them.
ISRAEL
1951 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 11 24 31
It is reported that many of the people who have gone to Israel are now dissatisfied with this government and want to move on to another. The “promised land” that has been held out to the Jews as a nation, and that would answer their problems, does not bring them peace, contentment, happiness and, above all, life. Israel is not God’s government. It is still a part of this old world, being tied in definitely with the United Nations organization, which thinks it can establish peace through force.
The Society is very happy that it can send missionaries into Israel and there have the gospel of the Kingdom preached, and we rejoice to see that there is some increase in the number of regular publishers preaching the good news. The number has jumped from 16 to 21 regular publishers each month in the field service. A new peak of 31 proclaiming the Kingdom has been reached during the year. It has been a slow work, but we must remember, too, that in the early days Jesus had a very difficult time in converting the Jews to Christianity. Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God kept making it grow”; and so we believe that even in modern-day Israel God will keep making the New World society grow and that those other sheep, whether Jews or Gentiles, bond or free, will seek Jehovah and will find him.
It is reported that some Jews have now really taken up the truth and have become publishers of the Kingdom message. This has made the hearts of the missionaries glad. So that you might appreciate their problem, we report that at the Memorial service in one city there were 18 present and the talk had to be given in four different languages, and even then there was one who could not understand. Right now there is a group of Bulgarians who have been meeting weekly and they are very much interested, but this adds one more language to the many tongues that flood this country.
Those who have come to a knowledge of the truth and are preaching the good news are very grateful for the language testimony booklet, "Preach the Word”. This they can present to people of various nationalities who have come to Palestine, to get them interested, and they can obtain publications in their own languages for them to read. “Make Sure of All Things” is another very helpful publication, because the publisher can use this and point out the scriptures to be read in the other person’s own Bible. There are many who believe, and these must be fed regularly, and in time they, too, will preach the Word.
KOREA
1949 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 13 192 417
The service year just past has been a fruitful one for Korea in bringing forth the other sheep. Publishers have more than doubled and now we have an average of 312 witnesses of Jehovah preaching the good news every month. The peak reached during the year was 417. These brothers have been working three years under the harsh conditions of war. Food has been a problem. Many pioneers had to go for days with little food, and others were very grateful for relief sent them in the way of clothing. A ton and a half of wearing apparel was received in Korea from American brothers.
During the year 236 persons were baptized, and one may wonder how the mature message of the truth can be spoken when there are so many new ones. The fact is that Koreans love to talk and when they receive the glad Kingdom message they talk about it and never hesitate to tell the truth, to the extent that they are able.
The regular congregational meetings have from one and a half to two times the number of publishers attending. It takes little encouraging for a brother to take part in the area study group-witnessing activity. The Koreans love to go out in groups. The usual trouble is that there are not enough mature ones to pair off with the newer publishers.
The Watchtower is published regularly in the Korean language. The Society obtained a Korean typewriter that is used now to cut stencils, and from these we mimeograph The Watchtower in attractive form. However, there is a shortage of literature, as we have only two booklets in the Korean language. We hope to get more before the year ends.
One of the many interesting experiences during the year centered around a woman doctor who recently came into the truth. She is well educated and has enjoyed much prestige in Korea. She is always talking the truth. She was able to take a pioneer sister with her to the ROK army hospital and there witness to more than a thousand wounded Korean soldiers. These two placed 500 booklets among the men. Many were the expressions of appreciation, for now they have a hope in the new world. Through this sister the wives of several prominent government officials are taking interest in Bible study.
Almost all the congregation participated in the unassigned territory work during the summer months. The message was introduced for the first time in many smaller towns. The publishers really enjoyed this work.
The outstanding thing that caused great happiness for the Korean brothers was the fact that three delegates from Korea represented them at the New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses in New York. One of the sisters remained and is now in Gilead School.
All those back in Korea are awaiting her return and they expect her to do much to help them gain better understanding of Jehovah’s purposes and carry on the work. While the representatives from Korea were here in America they were able to speak to some of the United Nations officials. The Korean brothers are very happy, too, that they have been able to preach to some of the U. N. forces stationed in Korea. One sergeant in Seoul manages to get about 50 hours a month in the missionary activity. He has been a great aid to the brothers.
In June 59 persons were baptized in Seoul and an American lieutenant and an enlisted man were baptized with the Korean brothers. Some of these soldiers never had the opportunity to hear the truth before they came to Korea. No one knows what will happen in Korea now as to the truth, but there is no doubt that the work of Jehovah’s people will continue to move forward. With so many new and immature publishers, there remains a great problem in organization. The Society will open a branch office there beginning with the new service year and it is believed that this will better help the organization and bring richer blessings to the Korean people.
MOROCCO
1953 Publishers Preaching 1
During the past year is the first time that the Society has received any reports from witnesses living in Morocco. Several witnesses from America are now living in that land and the good news of the Kingdom is now reaching some of these Moslem people.
Morocco is located in North Africa and is divided into three zones, French, Spanish and the neutral zone of Tangier. The predominent religion being the Moslem faith, it is difficult to convince people that the Bible is God’s Word of truth. But a little headway has been made. Books are being distributed and some studies are being conducted.
It is interesting to note that wherever Jehovah’s witnesses go they preach and the message reaches out to the four corners of the earth.
ST. MARTIN, F. W. I.
1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 3 6
The regular publishers on this island have had the pleasure of having a few others join them during the year. It may have been due to the fact that some difficulties have struck the island and made a few of the people of that land do a little more thinking than usual. There has been a great crop failure and the drought has affected the stock raising. Eight months without rain on this little island that depends on rain means much. Why the world is in the condition it is, why conditions exist the way they do, is hard for people to understand. Jehovah’s witnesses have the message of truth and can bring comfort to those who are mourning.
One of the publishers had to stay in a hospital for a while during the year, but this one had good opportunities for preaching the Kingdom and used the book “Let God Be True”. A Catholic priest came through visiting the sick, and his manner of comforting was just to touch each individual with the stick that he was carrying, with no words of consolation. But when he came to this brother who was reading the book, he was very much displeased and told the brother that he was “a bad boy.” He did not tell him why he was bad for reading the book and looking up scriptures. All they know is that if a person is not a Catholic but looks into the Bible and studies something else he is “bad.” It is good for Jehovah’s witnesses to offer prayers to Jehovah God to continue blessing his servants in these lands. The prayers of the faithful avail much.
ISLANDS
The Society has a boat called the “Sibia,” which visits the islands in the Caribbean. Many of the islands it goes to have congregations on them, and the brothers working from the boat do isolated territory as well as strengthening the congregations with spiritual admonition.
Two of the islands not reported on in the Yearbook but that were visited by the crew of the Sibia are Jost Van Dyke and Martinique. There are a number of interested persons on these islands, but it takes a little more time to bring them around to seeing their privileges of service.
Another island group that was visited by the Sibia and its crew was the picturesque Windward Islands. Just before the brothers left Carriacou another baptismal service was held in the little red house, which has, for several seasons, been loaned to the missionaries for the purpose of holding their meetings. On this beautiful day at ten o’clock in the morning some thirty people crowded into the room and were seated on sailcloth that had been laid on the floor. There they listened intently to a very pointed discussion on the obligations resting on individuals who take the very important step of dedicating their lives to Jehovah God and symbolizing it by water baptism. At the close of the talk, the candidates were asked to stand, and, to the delight of the brothers of the Sibia, three men and four women expressed their willingness to take on the preaching work in all seriousness in this island. Then the whole group went down to the beach, and there a large number of people gathered to watch, 300 in all. Seven were put beneath the water as a symbol of their dedication to Jehovah God. From that time forward preaching activity has gone on in earnest in this island. This has happened on more than one occasion on different islands throughout the Caribbean area. More congregations are established, and the witness goes forward on many islands.
When the crew of the Sibia visited Guadeloupe they had a number of interesting experiences. The brothers had advertised a public meeting, handbills were distributed, and the talk was advertised by word of mouth from house to house. At 6:00 p.m. the only ones present were the publishers. Just about the time the speaker was to begin the people began to come in. It was not long until every seat in the hall was filled. The stairways were jammed. And they eagerly listened to the talk, “Where Is This World Heading?” Two hundred and nineteen persons had come out to hear this talk, which was the concluding meeting of the first circuit assembly in Guadeloupe.
The visits that the missionaries make to the many islands of the Caribbean have proved to be very profitable. Excellent public meetings have been arranged. On these small islands the crew of the Sibia is always looked for. During the past year 16 days were spent at sea, traveling 1,500 nautical miles; 53 return visits were made to islands, the visits lasting from two days to three weeks. During this time 4,239 hours were spent in the field-service preaching, 2,190 pieces of literature were placed, 1,605 back-calls were made, resulting in 268 studies. Sixty-six public meetings were held.
The crew was able to attend the New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and now they are looking forward to returning to their assignment to continue going over their territory preaching to the people of the isles of the sea.
ARGENTINA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 329 790 2,440 2,742
Our brothers in Argentina say, “Come, let us go up to the house of Jehovah.” They want to be in the New World society, and they are demonstrating that they are. Here they want to worship Jehovah in holy array with all of Jehovah’s servants. The publishers of this country in South America have their problems in getting around and meeting the people. Announcers of Jehovah’s kingdom do not have the same freedom in this land as they have in some others, but that does not make any difference to them. They have their command from Jehovah to talk of the glory of his kingdom. Because they are talking so much a 16 per cent increase in number of publishers has been enjoyed. From the branch servant’s interesting report the following is taken:
Many people are looking to the New World society today and are asking for help, asking what to do and how to do it. This can be seen from the many letters received in the office from people of good will. One good-will person writes, “Thanks to reading The Watchtower (La Atalaya), I have come to a knowledge of the truth and want to have part in preaching the gospel. What must I do to meet the requirements besides being baptized? Please put me in touch with someone in your organization here. Can I preach before being baptized? How do I go about it?” Another good-will person writes, “Please send me some literature so that I can preach the message here in this town. Very few people know about the Bible.”
The campaign of working unassigned territory was a real success. Many interesting experiences were had and much literature was placed. In most cases the brothers returned to the same territory that they had worked in 1952.
By going personally to the homes of the people they visited before, the brothers were able to explain more of the truth and answer their questions. In many cases the brothers started studies with these people. Reports say that the brothers are still returning every two weeks to these territories to conduct studies that were organized during the campaign. Working this territory also helped to find lost sheep, those that have known the truth for some time but never have had contact with Jehovah’s people.
In one town the brothers were taken to the police station at the instigation of the priest, but when they explained the work and why they were in town, the chief of police received literature and wished them blessing and good success in their work.
The pioneers are doing a good work. Some of them have taken assignments in isolated territory and, after working there for some time, in two different towns five and ten publishers are reporting. Generally the pioneers have been able to meet the requirement of hours. One pioneer put on his report, “Please see letter why I have not been able to make more hours.” Although sick and 86 years old, he had reported 145 hours in August.
The work in all the congregations is carried on from the area group studies. The conductor is responsible for the activity of the group. Many of the groups have had to be divided, and one congregation reports 11 groups. All congregation studies are held in these groups. Almost all the brothers are house-to-house publishers; this is due to the fact that they receive constant aid through the area study.
The circuit servants are having a wonderful blessing in the expansion of the Kingdom message. They have gone into new territories visiting isolated people of good will that have never seen one of Jehovah’s witnesses before. These circuit servants have traveled 33,261 kilometers during the service year, covering this distance on foot, horseback, by bicycle, car, bus and train. The circuit servant has to give a talk every night in large congregations and sometimes two and three a day. One circuit servant tells us an experience he had when visiting an isolated person: “I left the town where I was serving traveling by bus, but where the bus left me I still had to go 100 kilometers. I hitchhiked these 100 kilometers. One truck took me 35 kilometers, then another hauling cows took me within 32 kilometers of my destination. There I stayed overnight in a big old house and the next morning I started out to walk the remaining 32 kilometers. It took me about seven hours to get to where the person of good will lived.” When reaching the house of this man the circuit servant told him that he was one of Jehovah’s witnesses. So great was the man’s joy that tears rolled down his cheeks. This man knew of the work only through the Watchtower subscription that he received. He was preaching the good news in the valley and all called him the “Bible man.” His children were put out of school because they would not take part in the religious ceremonies. But the brother said, “I will teach them with the help of The Watchtower.” He is now a regular isolated publisher. The circuit servant is the only contact that we have with many of the congregations. All the congregations are now asking, “When will the circuit servant visit us again?” This shows the important work the circuit servant has in this land.
We are determined to continue with the work of praising Jehovah more and more in whatever territory we might be. We are looking forward to the new service year with much hope of having a greater increase, if it be Jehovah’s will. This should be possible, thanks to the reorganization of the country into five circuits, with circuit servants visiting isolated people, with special publishers being assigned to cities where there are no congregations and, above all, in view of your much anticipated visit.
Our prayers are that, if it be Jehovah’s will, the work may open up again so that we can enjoy assemblies and the association with our brothers, as in other lands.
AUSTRALIA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 3,766 3,516 6,168 7,141
While Jehovah has built up a great New World society organization, still it is made up of individuals. As Jehovah’s witnesses go from place to place they meet individuals, and individually each one is given the opportunity of choosing the destiny of eternal life. Moses stated it very forcefully to the Israelites when he said: “I have put life and death before you, the blessing and the malediction, and you must choose life in order that you may keep alive.” (Deut. 30:19, NW) He further pointed out the necessity of loving Jehovah, our God, by listening to his voice and sticking to him, for it is Jehovah who is our strength and life and length of days. A number of such experiences are set out in the Australian report. The branch servant also sends along some very interesting items concerning the other territory under the jurisdiction of the Australian office.
Here is what a man in Western Australia wrote to one of the brothers after reading What Has Religion Done for Mankind? which he had received during the unassigned territory campaign: “That is the most interesting book I have ever read about the Bible. Points such as 'hell,' ‘soul’ and ‘trinity’ and many other matters are now cleared up in my mind, whereas before I was very uncertain on these things. In fact, I have been taught so many things that are obviously false that I have decided not to attend the Church of England service any more, notwithstanding that I have regularly attended since boyhood. Would you kindly send me a large number of books, as we would like to read them all; also two more copies of that most interesting book, because I would like to pass them on to my friends.”
During the year we worked hard to make the Watchtower campaign outstanding, and it was. Each month from January to April a new peak number of subscriptions was received. The four months’ total topped 8,300, which was 38 per cent higher than the previous year. A new subscriber wrote: “I have been getting your Watchtower and Awake! for some time now, and their contents, combined with studies with------, have
completely changed my outlook on religion.” Both magazines in French proved very popular in New Caledonia, where two Australian publishers obtained 39 subscriptions during a week’s visit. One lady said excitedly, “I have always wanted to meet Jehovah’s witnesses, because I read about them many years ago in a Reader’s Digest.”
As all of this activity was taking place there was some apprehension about reaching the 20 per cent increase by April, especially when the 10 per cent goal was not surpassed until March. Nevertheless, after all reports were tallied, a 25 per cent gain was recorded— a new all-time peak of 7,141 publishers! It was almost 1,000 more than the peak for 1952. The year’s average of 6,302 was 10 per cent better than last year. Contributing to this steady, solid expansion was the following experience. “After my answering all the young man’s Bible questions, he subscribed for Awake! and ordered other publications, asking me to return as soon as possible to have a Bible study. Since the first study that same week, he began attending the meetings. The next week he arranged for a Bible study with one of his friends. Then he asked if he could come out witnessing. He went the next week, and with the passing of only one month he purposely called on seven of the local clergymen to test their Bible knowledge. He was amazed at their lack of it. Some told him not to read the Bible, because it would confuse him. Others said that if they were to preach from door to door as Jehovah’s witnesses do, they would be doing the right thing. Soon he was baptized and enrolled in the theocratic ministry school, all within two months.”
The foregoing living dramas indicate that the end of the ingathering of the other sheep in Australia is not yet in sight. The fact that 661 symbolized their dedication vows by water baptism and 9,310 attended the Memorial proves the point. The potential is here for several hundred more ministers of the good news. Such expansion can be realized in a comparatively short time when people of good will appreciate the truth to the same degree as this family: “A young married lady obtained ‘Let God Be True1 and immediately requested that we call on her parents. Soon we did, and they manifested unusual interest. An hour’s talk was given to some of the family and repeated the next week for others of the family. The father proffered, ‘I had prayed that my family would all get the truth, but I did not think Jehovah’s witnesses had it.’ A month later the six adults attended the circuit assembly and one was immersed. Six are publishing regularly; two others are starting. All plan to be baptized at the coming Melbourne assembly.”
But still the growth of the New World society can come about even more quickly, like this: “Having nothing else to read there in Alice Springs (the geographical center of Australia), this young man read most of the Bible before moving up to Darwin, where he happened onto a New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures at a friend’s home. He read all of it and asked where he could get one of his own. Thus it was that he knocked on the door one night where the service meeting of the congregation was in progress. He was supplied with the new translation and invited to the public lecture on the coming Sunday. He came, enjoyed the talk, asked questions afterward and accepted an invitation to come to the Watchtower study next week. He attended and has not missed a meeting since. Three weeks after first hearing about Jehovah’s witnesses he queried, ‘Why can’t I come and help you with those magazines on the street tomorrow?’ The next morning he did, and he began house-to-house witnessing in the afternoon. After only six weeks of the truth he gave his first student talk. A few weeks later he attended his first assembly even though he had to resign his job and travel more than 3,000 miles there and back. Since his immersion at the assembly he is zealously witnessing on his own.”
Now, as we look ahead to 1954, we are even more determined to ‘walk in the name of Jehovah our God every day forever and ever’ in order to remain in his undeserved kindness and fully share in the earth-wide expansion of his New World society.
AMERICAN SAMOA
On the little island of Tutuila, American Samoa, the work of proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom continued during the early part of this service year. A pioneer was located there for a short time before going to Fiji to continue the preaching work.
While the greater part of the preaching work by Jehovah’s witnesses during the past year was accomplished in Western Samoa, it is our hope that the seeds of truth that have been planted in American Samoa will continue to take root and grow as some of the people there come to a realization of the fact that we are living in the last days of the old-world society.
If it is Jehovah’s will, others will return to Tutuila to water the seeds sown and to help the lovers of righteousness there to come to a knowledge of the truth.
FIJI
1944 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 8 12 37 51
Witnessing among the mixed population of more than 310,000, mostly Fijian and Indian, presents some difficulties to the publishers, but their theocratic training and provisions like What Has Religion Done for Mankind? are proving invaluable in presenting the truth to the Hindu- and Islam-trained Indians, who now outnumber the native Fijians by 13,000. Some of the sisters are conducting Bible studies with young Englishspeaking Indian girls, who, in turn, are assisting their parents, relatives and friends to learn about the new world. In one Indian village two publishers began witnessing just after a church service had concluded in a school hall. The chief of the village asked the two strangers their mission and, when learning that it was evangelistic, requested that an address be given to those still congregated in the hall. The chief interpreted while one publisher spoke about the Kingdom blessings and answered questions for an hour before 40 people. Many expressed appreciation for the plain Bible truth and accepted literature.
But what about the 136,000 natives who inhabit more than 90 of the 250 Fiji islands? The brothers have had only the booklet Freedom in the New World to use among the Fijians since early 1947, when there were only nine publishers. Then, unexpectedly, in July 1953, the Colonial Secretary approved for importation The Joy of All the People in the native language. This kind favor would make it possible to give more help to the Fijians. Would greater activity be forthcoming, especially in view of the approaching visit of a representative from the Australian branch office, who was to tell about the blessings of the New World Society Assembly and aid them with their problems? Their field report for August answered—51 publishers! A new peak, 38 per cent higher than the 1952 average. Yes, increased service was being performed on behalf of the Fijians.
Earlier in the year one of the full-blooded Fijian publishers brought encouragement to the congregation by engaging in magazine street work. The pioneer sister who accompanied her said that many people stared in amazement at the native sister, because they had never seen a Fijian do such a thing. One of the natives returning home that day remarked to his wife, “You will never guess what I saw in town. Princess------selling
magazines on the street!” (She is a native princess.) Since then other natives have expanded the public witness and, although magazine work has been done there for seven years with no interference by authorities, they now decided to investigate. Would there be a setback? Word came in July from the Suva Town Council that it would not "charge any fee for the distribution of Bible literature on the streets of Suva.” Heartened by this further theocratic victory they pushed ahead in their gospel-preaching.
Almost 100 came to a widely advertised public lecture given by a visiting speaker in the Suva Town Hall. Since nearly all the good will people present were back-call or Bible-study interest, the potential is there for a congregation twice its present size.
More and more our Fijian brothers are realizing their wonderful privileges and obligations to carry the message of life not only to the thirsting thousands on the main island of Viti Levu but also to the multitudes on the scores of other islands of the Fiji group. They are deeply grateful to Jehovah for his abundant blessings during the year and very appreciative of the favorable acts of ‘those in high station, that they may go on leading a calm and quiet life with full godly devotion and seriousness,’ seeking always to increase the ranks of the New World society, which will pass through the final war of Armageddon.
PAPUA
1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 2 11
Papua, New Guinea, has a native population of about 400,000, with less than 7,000 white inhabitants. In one of its largest native villages sickness stopped a Bible study, so the publishers began searching the locality for the interested ones that had attended. They contacted a very friendly man, who opened his house (ruma) for a study that now has 15 regular participants. Thus far it has produced four new sowers. Sickness spoiled another study; and this time when the publishers went out calling from ruma to ruma for another one to replace it, twenty people followed the brothers. Shortly, interest was found and the twenty inquisitive ones shared a most thrilling study, which still continues regularly.
One native lad of about 18 years is very keen for the truth, and he said, “I am very happy for this work!” His telling others one day about the regular study he enjoys brought almost 20 additional people at one meeting. At another Bible study a woman who reads the “New Testament” in the native Motu language at the London Missionary Society services said that she had read for years but did not understand. After only two studies her eyes of understanding are opening and she is very pleased with the clear explanation of Bible truth.
The year ends with sixteen Bible studies in operation, having at least four persons at each. The publishers say, “ ‘The harvest is great, but the laborers are few.’ There is a vast work to be done in Papua alone, to say nothing of all British New Guinea and its million inhabitants.”
WESTERN SAMOA
1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 10 19
In the small islands of Western Samoa, with more than 80,000 population, news travels fast, especially the good news of the Kingdom. One brother began talking the truth in April, 1952, and shortly ten were preaching the same message. Four months later the little group had grown to 19. Then, following the exodus of the original publisher to another land, the first Samoan congregation was born, January 1953.
One of the major problems to overcome is the custom of communal life. The chief of a community has the ruling say over those who comprise his little village and, although it is only a relatively small concentration of power and authority, it is sufficient to make many people fearful to take a stand for the Kingdom. How this force operates can be seen in the case of a father who learned the truth while spending almost a year in the hospital. Now he is back home and associating with Jehovah’s witnesses. However, he has been warned for the last time by the chief of the village that if he continues to associate or be friendly with God’s witnesses he will be ousted from the family and the land on which his house is built.
In spite of such opposition, though, there is much interest, as the following experience by two visiting pioneers shows. “We were invited to the village of an interested chief to tell him more about the Kingdom. After our meal the people who had heard that we were to be present began to arrive and a lively Bible discussion ensued. When an hour had passed, our discussion had to give way to a public talk, because the audience had grown to almost 50, and this without any previous advertising on our part.” It is very common to arrange Bible studies with two or three people and find, upon arrival, a group of 10 to 40 persons waiting curiously to learn about the work of Jehovah’s witnesses. Actually many of the back-calls and Bible studies turn out to be public talks.
There are hundreds of honest people in Western Samoa hungering for the satisfying food from Jehovah’s Word, as the brothers there help their fellow men to feed on the Bible truths and associate with the New World society.
AUSTRIA
1945 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 421 941 2,937 3,410
It is certainly necessary for us to engage in the pastoral work with the Shepherd-Prince. The best way to carry on that work is to go from house to house and visit the people. Our brothers in Austria are doing just that, and Jehovah is blessing them richly with fine increases. Here are some happy experiences showing how quickly the true sheep react when hearing the Right Shepherd’s voice.
These excerpts are from the branch servant’s report.
A general pioneer brother tells us of the blessing he had: “In a village of only 800 inhabitants I had found two interested families who subscribed for The Watchtower. As usual, I made a back-call at one of these homes on a Monday morning and was received with great joy. After a few minutes there was a knock on the door, and relatives and friends who had been invited by this family of good will also came to hear about the truth. There were seven of them, and they listened with great interest. When I had to leave, they did not want me to go, and I had to promise to call again the following Sunday afternoon. Sunday came, and after a warm welcome others knocked on the door, and relatives and friends came in as at the last time. But I could hardly believe it; there were more and more new faces, and when the door was closed behind the last one there were 16 persons gathered together, all looking at me with friendly expectation. What a surprise for me, as we all know from experience how difficult it is to bring a person along to a meeting. Now, all these had come without my having done a thing. My joy was greater still at the end of this back-call, when all these people, without exception, manifested real interest. As proof of this 14 came to the next public lecture, to which they had to cycle an hour. A regular home Bible study has been arranged and all attenders are quickly growing in understanding. They were enthusiastic about The Watchtower and begged me to arrange a Watchtower study with them in addition to the book study. Six took subscriptions, so that there are eight Watchtower subscribers in this small place, and there are always at least 15 at the studies. Two of these people of good will soon began to be regular publishers and have already spent 25 hours in the field work the first month.”
A circuit servant was looking for a single isolated “sheep,” and here he describes how he found it. “When I received your letter, telling me that an isolated interested man wanted to know more about baptism, I asked a young local brother to accompany me on the 17-mile-long trip in the mountainous territory where this man is living. We left at nine o’clock in the morning, but due to a defect in the bicycle we had to walk, reaching our destination only late in the afternoon. In a clean little house with a thatched roof, we were friendlily received and entertained by the wife and two children. The man was not at home, but as we discussed several scriptures with the family two hours soon passed. We were sorry not to have seen the man, but we had to leave with the promise to come again. The moon was bright and the sky full of stars on our way back. Just when we came out of a forest we met a man, and to our happy surprise it was the one we wanted to see. What a joy! His face was beaming when he told us that he had just come from a Bible study that he has regularly with a young man in the next village, and that this young man wants to enter the pioneer service. Surely we had good reason to be amazed, as here spoke a man who had never been at a meeting of Jehovah’s witnesses. He had read only The Watchtower for some time, having subscribed for it after he heard about it from an acquaintance. The following day he came over to the congregation, and over the week end he took an excellent part in the field work. He proved to be mature in the truth and was immersed at the circuit assembly, which happened to take place the following week.”
The New World Society Assembly in Yankee Stadium has been, of course, the outstanding event for Jehovah’s witnesses in all the earth. So in Austria too the announcement caused great joy, and for months our hearts were united in prayer that Jehovah might bless all preparations for the greatest gathering of Christians that has ever taken place. For the first time it was possible for 19 delegates from Austria to be present at an assembly in the U. S. A. All who are back will have a share in the three district assemblies in September and will relate to their brothers the wonderful things they have seen and heard.
BAHAMAS
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 8 27 104 100
One thing that is essential in the New World society is that each individual follow the Word of Jehovah God. When some do not, it is necessary to clean up the organization; and because some have not followed the Word of Jehovah, certain cleaning had to be done in the Bahamas. This makes an impression on the people outside Jehovah’s organization, for they see that we insist on right moral living. Another thing: we must always be interested in the people in the organization; for example, visiting the sick. This is often neglected in other religions. Some newly interested persons who were visited by Jehovah’s witnesses while they were sick, having Bible studies started with them, are now associated with the organization in the Bahamas. There are many islands that need working in the Bahama group, and a good effort is made year by year to reach them.
Whether persons are young or old, if they are interested in the truth they must be given attention. If they are of a sheeplike disposition, they will seek Jehovah and set a good example for others. Some excerpts from the branch servant’s report will show how things are going in the islands of the Bahamas.
Not to go unmentioned are the young publishers. When persons of good will come to the meetings they are very much impressed when young ministers eight and ten years of age give intelligent answers at the Watchtower studies. This spurs them on to study more themselves.
One young sister during summer vacation period from school, though not pioneering, increased her Bible studies from one to seven by following up placements and interest found in the regular house-to-house preaching activity. She is going to continue conducting them during the school term, for arrangements have been made to hold them after school time.
Some work has been done this past year on the “out islands” by isolated publishers and periodically by a full-time servant. We look forward to more publishers’ joining the pioneer ranks to assist in the organizing work on these islands. While on one of the islands, a missionary cycled from one village to another to advertise and give a talk. When starting to return he was stopped by a young truck driver from yet another village, who asked if he would come to his village and preach. Certainly! The missionary was going to work that settlement the next week end. During that week the young man arranged for the use of the school and told the people of the missionary’s coming visit. Close to 60 came to hear the talk. It was learned later that most of these had forsaken their regular church services to come to the lecture.
To one and all the outstanding event of the year was the New World Society Assembly at Yankee Stadium in New York. It was outstanding not only to the brothers but also to the people outside the organization. This was due mostly to the publicity over the American radio stations, the local station and the publicity given us in the local press. Prior to this convention the native colored population was usually ready and willing to listen, but they are more so now. The white population was mostly quite prejudiced against the truth, but now they manifest a totally different spirit, listening to the message the publishers have for them and accepting literature quite readily.
One white man with whom a Bible study had been carried on for some time decided to go to the assembly to see “what it is that Jehovah’s witnesses have.” At a special meeting for experiences and impressions of the assembly held by the two units in Nassau he expressed the following: All his life he had been looking for an organization where there was love and unity and where there was no class distinction, where everyone was equal; and now he had found it: Jehovah’s witnesses! What struck him was the attitude of the brothers toward him. They did not inquire about his station in life, but were as interested in him as though he were of their own natural family. He could sit down beside anyone and start a conversation, and they would talk as freely as though they had known him all their lives. He talked with brothers from India, England, Canada, Germany and many other places, and even those brothers who could not speak English manifested the same warmhearted spirit of brotherly love to him. He is so enthused he is still talking about it, not only casually but in the regular house-to-house preaching activity, which he began shortly after returning.
This man’s teen-age daughter, who had attended only a few studies, was so pleased with the change in her father’s outlook (happier and not so much worry) that when she heard arrangements being made to take him in the service, she asked if it was only for him or could she go too. Why, of course she could go! She has been out regularly to date.
BELGIUM
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 253 1,038 3,304 3,623
Jehovah is a happy God. Those who love him are happy and want to share their happiness with others. The best way to do this is to go from house to house with the publications of the Society and conduct Bible studies. We must appreciate that Jesus talked to many, and only a few followed him. Our work is similar to that of Jesus. We approach hundreds of thousands in our witnessing work, but there are not very many who are conscious of their spiritual need. The casual publisher will not find many, because he is not a regular witness; but those who are diligent in their service find many of the other sheep and reap blessings. We should always remember that as long as Jehovah wants this good news of the Kingdom preached, we should be willing and anxious workers and never think for a minute that the work is done. The branch servant in Belgium sends in a report for Belgium as well as for Luxembourg. Excerpts from these reports are of interest to all.
A young man 19 years of age, well educated and coming from a very Catholic family, was baptized at a circuit assembly on May 31 and has made great strides in the understanding of the truth. His first contact with the truth was rather unusual. Three fleshly brothers share the responsibility of supervising a garage, and one of these brothers commenced to have a Bible study. One day three young men came along to the study, having been invited by this interested man who had not been able to answer all their questions. They came, as the young man remarked afterward, with the purpose of “tripping up” the brother conducting the study by asking him catch questions; but as the evening went on, it was evident that the truth was “tripping them up” instead. After a while, the young man stopped asking and began to listen. He obtained a book and attended the following week, by himself this time, to learn more from the study. From that day on, he has made wonderful strides. A few weeks after hearing of the truth he went along to see his priest, this time with the Catholic Bible instead of his catechism or missal in his hand. Each time that he would open the Bible to quote a passage, the priest would firmly close it for him. And the priest’s final counsel—what counsel would this so-called guardian of the flock have to offer? This: “Go and take a course in philosophy first and read the Bible afterward; then you will understand the Bible much easier!” Needless to say, this young brother heeded the counsel of the Bible (1 Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim. 3:16,17) rather than that offered by the false shepherd.—2 Tim. 3:5, 7-9; Col. 2:8.
Many of the circuit assemblies this year were held in isolated territory, enabling the people in these places who are not so frequently visited to have a firsthand impression of the New World society in operation. We now look forward to our district assemblies to be held at the end of October so that the Belgian field can receive all the wonderful instructions already received by so many thousands at New York in July. Thirtyseven from Belgium made the trip to New York to attend the New World Society Assembly and all have returned refreshed as a result of what they saw and heard. Dealing specifically with the organizing of the field work, we know that the new system of training publishers now inaugurated by the Society will have good results here in Belgium as regards the house-to-house work.
LUXEMBOURG
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 3 59 101 116
The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is one of the most prosperous countries of Europe. Oftentimes one hears the inhabitants say that if anyone who is able to work suffers for want of the necessities of life it is because he is too lazy to work, and this is probably true. For this reason it is difficult for many Luxembourgers to realize what a terrible condition the world really is in. Outwardly the people of Luxembourg seem to be quite satisfied, but in order to know whether this is true or not one must penetrate the outward appearance of satisfaction and indifference in which they are shrouded.
One of the most common answers that the door-to-door preacher of the gospel meets is this: “I am a Catholic and do not want to change my religion; I will hold to that which my parents taught me.” Then the mature minister may point out that he wants only to discuss the Catholic Bible with the person, he just wants to show him what the “old Bible” says about present world conditions and the hope it holds out for all persons of good will.
For many years Jehovah’s witnesses in Luxembourg have been hindered in their Bible educational work because the authorities wrongfully applied a peddling law to their activities; however, this year, on March 26, the high court of Luxembourg handed down a decision that the door-to-door preaching activities of Jehovah’s witnesses do not violate the peddling law. Since that time we have taken advantage of this decision to carry on the fight for freedom of the press and of worship in many other localities of Luxembourg and have won a victory in every case where the local authorities tried to apply the peddling law to our activities. At the time of the writing of this article we have just learned of our most recent victory. While working in a village the local priest sent the gendarmes after us and they confiscated our literature, book bags and bicycles, leaving us stranded. We immediately got in touch with our lawyer in Luxembourg. Now we have been informed that all proceedings against us have been canceled and that we will receive back all that the gendarmes confiscated. What a victory to the glory of Jehovah’s name! Now we can preach the good news of the Kingdom everywhere in Luxembourg, just as we do in other democratic lands. Thus the government of Luxembourg has taken a firm stand for freedom of press and worship and has proved that it really is against totalitarian methods, which action Jehovah’s witnesses and other righteously inclined persons appreciate very much.
This year most of the important towns of Luxembourg were worked during the unassigned territory campaign and we expect that by the end of September all of them will have been visited. Some localities that we have no record of being worked before have received the witness. Hundreds of bound books and several thousand booklets have been placed in these territories; thus much seed has been sown, which we hope will bear fruit to the glory of the Exclusive God.
Many brothers in Luxembourg have the idea that there will never be much of an increase in this country; they work with this thought in mind and do not even go in the service prepared to find good-will persons. We believe that this attitude is one of the main causes for the lack of progress in the work in this country.
Those from Luxembourg who were privileged to attend the world assembly this year were greatly strengthened and prepared for more service, and we hope to communicate this same joy and strength to all the Luxembourg brothers at our coming district assembly to be held in Esch-sur-Alzette in November.
BOLIVIA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 15 26 114 113
Even in the high country of Bolivia the people are reached with the Kingdom message. There are good prospects for increase in this country, but during the past year the work as far as growth in
number of publishers is concerned has stood still. It is sincerely hoped that those who have taken their stand in the New World society are advancing to maturity. From the report of the branch servant it appears that it is very easy to place literature; but we know that the responsibility is to follow up on our placements and to aid those who are seeking truth and righteousness. A few of the comments by the branch servant are printed here.
One who had a good share In placing literature was a publisher who came out of the Lutheran Church and who has the advantage of knowing the local Indian dialect of La Paz department, which is Aymara. He has done much good placing literature, making back-calls and talking to the Indians who speak this language. But this year while others took a trip to the New World Society Assembly in New York he decided to take a vacation from his small repair shop and pioneer. The results of the three months of activity were gratifying; for he placed 510 books and Bibles, 1,006 individual magazines and made numerous back-calls. He witnessed in towns on the altiplano just out of La Paz and in towns and rurals of Yungas province, and the people were especially interested in the message in these rurals, where they also speak the dialect. He had good experiences to relate at nearly every service meeting.
In Oruro it seems that the subscription campaign has never subsided, for even though the brothers there participate in bound-book and booklet campaigns they still send in many subscriptions. Here is an experience related by one of the Gilead graduates who has been there just a short time.
“While working business territory during the Watchtower campaign we asked permission to talk to the employees of the Mineral Bank. Permission was granted. We were ushered into the working part of the bank, a section unheard of in banks in the United States. We obtained only two or three subscriptions, because one man said he would get the names of all who would like the subscriptions. We returned time and time again and no list was given. Finally, we told him we were going to talk with all, for we had permission. ‘Go ahead,’ was his reply. We did and obtained five more subscriptions. About two weeks later one of the employees contacted us in street work and said he wanted one of our books and for us to bring it to the bank. We made three trips to the bank, placing many bound books and obtaining more subscriptions. Now it is rare when we deliver the magazines to the bank not to obtain a subscription or two. The most valuable things in the bank now are three Bibles, 20 subscriptions, 40 books, and as many prospective sheep.
“Magazine street work, too, is a delight in Oruro. I wonder if it is surpassed anywhere in the world. Perhaps; but still it is something to write home about. The people were at first skeptical of the magazines; but now, after much talking and coming to know the magazines, it is rare not to place from ten to fifteen an hour any time on the street, and on a Saturday in one hour as high as thirty.”
Seeing the joy and gladness of these people of good will over the truth and also the joy of our native brothers over having attended the New York assembly makes our hearts glad too. We appreciate what the hope of Jehovah God’s kingdom has meant to them and we are truly glad that we have some part in preaching it to them and thereby bringing praise and honor to Jehovah’s great name.
BRAZIL
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 327 786 5,706 6,429
Brazil is a land covering more territory than the 48 states of the United States of America, minus Alaska. However, the greater part of its population is along the coastline and along the great rivers. With a little over 6,000 publishers a tremendous work lies ahead of them. We observe that year by year there is a constant increase. Brazil is a strongly Catholic country, but this does not disturb the publishers, because many of the people are seeking truth and righteousness. They have lived in darkness long enough. The branch servant gives us a good idea of what happened in reaching the people of that land and tells us of the progress.
The great river, the Amazon, gave everyone quite a lot of trouble during the past six months. It swelled up and swept away farms, cattle and all, sidewalks and villages. Our brothers were in need of medical aid, which was furnished by the other brothers in Brazil. If further need for clothes and food arises we are prepared to help our brothers in that way.
Just southeast of the Amazon, though, it turned very dry this year. A dust bowl formed and the winds blew everything away, and you might say the people too, for they had to flee to the south. As yet we have not penetrated much into that area with the message, but we have come in a little farther south, near the big bulge of South America. This is a “rough and tough” country, like that of the old “wild west” of the United States. In this area we have a few congregations and some isolated interest worked up. Out there they have their own law. In the city of Limoeira our circuit servant gave his advertised lecture and was ridden out of town at gun point. It was no jest, for all of Jehovah’s witnesses were forced to leave town. If they had not left, they would certainly have been killed. Our lawyer advised us not to protest as it would do no good. They seemed to be beyond the reach of the law. However, last month the good news broke that the city rebelled against its gang rulers and expelled them. Now the brothers have returned to their Kingdom Hall and homes to continue preaching.
The increased field service necessitated the construction of a two-floor building on the back part of the branch property. Our factory will be on the first floor, and the second will be used for the office and storage. This releases the Bethel family from compressed working and living conditions.
In January and February three district assemblies were held, with a total attendance peak of 8,214. There were 462 persons baptized. The two large assemblies in Sao Paulo and Rio were held in basketball stadiums and the smaller one in Salvador in the luxurious Municipal Theater. During these assemblies the then coming World Assembly in New York was advertised, with the result that some 75 brothers attended from Brazil. Now that they have returned all say that just one day of the assembly was worth all the sacrifice of money and time spent to travel the more than 6,000 miles, not to mention the release of the new book "The Kingdom Is at Hand” and the Evolution booklet in Portuguese.
Due to the loss of a great quantity of books by fire and the difficulty of importing more, we have pushed the Watchtower magazine more than usual. During the year our production of the Portuguese magazine increased from 16,500 to a new peak of 23,000 copies each issue. So you see our prolonged six-month campaign this year was good.
In Brazil the priests are everywhere, and we encounter them daily. A circuit servant met one caught by the skirt in a bicycle chain. The poor fellow wanted to get away in a hurry at first, but the circuit servant kept talking to him and finally got him loose after a long talk. He gave the priest a booklet, but the priest gave him an invitation to talk in the seminary.
Another priest had a more difficult time with one of Jehovah’s witnesses, a farmer’s wife. After the priest blessed the farm half the cattle died. In explanation he told the husband it was his wife’s half that died. The wife reminded them both that her husband always considered everything his. It woke the husband up.
In Belo Horizonte an elderly businessman became ill. Thinking of the priest, he called him for some information. The subject of the trinity arose. “It’s a mystery, my son,” was the reply. But when one of Jehovah’s witnesses called he explained the truth of it. The publisher later returned to see if he liked the book he had left, but the man had read only eighteen pages. Why? "Because I had to explain what I read to so many people that came to visit me. If I get well I’ll be a missionary like you,” he exclaimed.
Be assured that we publishers of Brazil are rejoicing with you in helping prisoners to secure freedom.
BRITISH GUIANA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 35 185 317 376
The chief means of transportation in British Guiana is by river or by dirt road. The publishers there have a problem of reaching the people; and then after they do reach them, where can they stay while helping them? The establishing of congregations is the principal thing, and the bringing of these persons on to maturity. It is certainly interesting to see how the congregation publishers, along with pioneers, take up this work of reaching out into the isolated territory. Knowing that this good news of the Kingdom must be preached, our brothers in British Guiana take upon themselves the responsibility of getting out into the isolated territory. Some of the experiences sent in by the branch servant are very interesting.
A large part of our territory is along river banks. Indeed, the rivers are to Guianese what roads are to people in other lands. Houses are staggered for miles alongside the rivers, and how to reach such people has been a problem, because few of our publishers have boats. However, due to some very determined pioneer work small congregations have appeared in villages ’way up the rivers. Likely these never anticipated being selected for a circuit assembly, due to being so remote, but that is exactly what was organized. A new feature has been added to these assemblies: unassigned territory work. For days in advance publishers travel to various sections of the river to preach. This took great courage, as few are accustomed to life in the “bush.” These rivers, some three miles wide with dangerous currents, electric eels, alligators and water snakes, make it more than a matter of simply “cruising down the river.” Word is sent to villages in advance to expect missionaries. As the steamer passes by, tiny canoes meet it and receive the publishers, who soon get located by pairs in a strange environment. The local people are helpful and even ferry them from house to house. Literature is placed in abundance and Bible studies are demonstrated. Within a few weeks letters of inquiry will begin to trickle in to the branch office, and then we are sure that some more seed has started to grow. Imagine the momentum thus given to an assembly when so many arrive filled with such thrilling experiences.
Organizing an assembly is not always as easy as renting a hall and moving in. When no halls are available it means going into the forest to cut timber and bamboo. It even means making our own seating. In short, everything starts from “bush.” It means much preparatory work by the brothers, but that is just what counts in making the assembly a success. Such preassembly activity quickly stirs local interest, and the people readily agree that Jehovah’s witnesses are different. Some only mildly interested in the truth come and offer assistance, and soon they too have the assembly spirit. Like the Gibeonites, they become hewers of wood and work right along with Jehovah’s witnesses. In this way the assembly is better advertised than by any other means. By the time all the publishers arrive and the assembly gets under way curiosity and interest have developed so that at the opening session the brothers are sometimes outnumbered 5 to 1.
But that is not all. People are accustomed to religious testimony meetings, but when they see demonstrations on the service meeting and circuit activity meeting these immediately become the talk of the district, and then they come back for more. At a recent assembly the demonstrations showed the tactless and also tactful methods of handling Hindus and Moslems, many of whom were in the audience. Well, the brothers acted so very naturally and realistically in their demonstrations that after the meeting a number of young Moslems challenged the brother in what he had said! The result: after an hour’s discussion he was even invited to come and live with them and tell them more. So demonstrations help others besides publishers, and with this in mind we urge good-will persons to attend every session. It may require a great effort to organize an assembly from “bush,” but the tremendous witness given by such an assembly gladdens not only the brothers but also the strangers. We find that assemblies and work in unassigned territory go hand in hand.
BRITISH HONDURAS
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 7 50 93 87
It seems as though every country had its own problem. This is true of Jehovah’s witnesses in British Honduras, but they do not sit idly by and wait for Jehovah to clear up these problems; they follow the Word of God and put it into effect. Our brothers appreciate that it takes action to keep an organization clean, and it takes work on the part of those in the organization to make progress. While there has been a decrease in the number of publishers in British Honduras, it does appear from the report that those in the truth are more mature. This is shown by the fact that fewer publishers put in 6,000 more hours in field service. Fewer publishers distributed more books and booklets, obtained more subscriptions for the magazines and placed more individual magazines in their work. They made a greater number of back-calls and held more Bible studies and also held more public meetings than in the previous year. This great increase brought about by fewer publishers shows that a good witness was given by a stronger, more mature organization. The report of the branch servant gives us some interesting food for thought.
The inside influence to retard the advance of pure worship centered mainly around the stumbling block of common-law marriage, so widely practiced in the colony. Previously no definite steps had been taken to put teeth into theocratic regulations regarding this. Now, with the brothers making a real effort to comply, they found the courts slow in helping them to solve their difficulties. Two cases have been pending before the magistrate since February and only now is progress being seen. Solving these tangles has meant hardship, which has been overcome solely with the strength of Jehovah. This is well illustrated in the case of a crippled sister who had been living in a common-law marriage arrangement for many years, depending upon the man for food and shelter. Heeding organizational instructions, she told him that the time had come for her to choose between him and the truth and she was choosing the latter. Within a week he had packed and gone, only to return a few days later to try to persuade her to take him back. Though faced with the possibility of losing her home, she is happily holding firm to the high standard of clean worship.
Often the enemy tries to bluff Jehovah’s warriors into inactivity, but by showing a bold front the bluff is called and overcome. An instance of this was seen when a person of good will had progressed to the point of taking Jehovah at his word and dedicating her life to him. She expressed this desire to her husband, who is a seaman and was just leaving on a voyage. He told her she was going too far and that she should not be immersed yet. Boldly she held to her stand and was immersed a few weeks later, then anxiously awaited her husband’s return, when he would find out. While at sea he reflected on the matter, and upon his return not only approved of his wife’s giving her life to Jehovah’s service but began attending all meetings, and now he looks forward to symbolizing his own dedication. The stand of this couple has caused great concern among their former Methodist leaders. That these sleepy shepherds had acted too late was brought to their attention when one of them called on this new publisher and was told, “If my dog fails to come home for his dinner I am worried. If he doesn’t come in two hours I know something is wrong and go to look for him. A person should be worth more than a dog, but I haven’t been to church for five months and only now do you come to look for me. Jehovah’s witnesses have fed me very well on spiritual food during this time, so I no longer need your care.”
Working unassigned territory in many countries only means settling comfortably in an automobile and driving to the territory, but not so in British Honduras. Two publishers here who chose an unassigned territory find it necessary to rise early in the morning and ride many miles by bicycle through narrow bush trails, witnessing to the people as they go. Then when a river is encountered the bicycles are left behind and persons who gladly listen to the message are depended upon to paddle them to the next bank in a dory. Here another witness is given; then this householder takes them to the next. The people, happy to hear the message, are glad to provide transportation for the publishers. The hardships of wading across streams, walking through mosquito-infested swamps and up and down steep hills only add to the contentment of a servant of Jehovah as he realizes that the time has come when the good news is reaching all comers of the earth.
A most encouraging feature of the year was the attendance of fourteen of the brothers at the New World Society Assembly. One brother, knowing the importance of these assemblies, arranged to take his entire household of three adults and five children. This amazed the American consul who was approached for visas. He could not understand why a man would spend so much time and money just to be present at a religious convention. But those attending felt more than rewarded for all the effort put forth and returned home so impressed with the unity and lack of racial prejudice demonstrated at the assembly that their zeal is greater than ever before.
This same unity is in evidence among Jehovah’s people in this colony, as new ones have been attracted to the side of the faithful older ones who are not standing still but growing in undeserved kindness.
BRITISH ISLES
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 12,318 13,670 25,775 28,097
One of the big problems in Britain is to overcome the deadly apathy that has settled over the people. They have battled through a hot war and the tension of a cold war, and now are facing the economic struggle that affects Britain and many parts of the Commonwealth of Nations. This frame of mind is not necessarily true of Jehovah’s witnesses. They represent a new nation, and they follow the advice to become skilled in their work. The Scriptures tell us that a wicked man puts on a bold face, but an upright man takes heed to his ways. (Prov. 21:29, AT) We believe that Jehovah’s witnesses in Britain are strong enough not to let this apathy reach into their ranks. The New World society is a going, growing, active concern. The energy-giving truth that comes so abundantly from the temple is life to all of Jehovah’s people. While the increase in Britain is not very great this year, we do rejoice that many persons of good will are being found. The branch servant sends in a number of very interesting experiences, not only from Britain, but also from Eire, where the work, under the jurisdiction of the British office, moved along very rapidly during 1953. It is good to hear again from Malta, another Catholic-ridden island like Eire. Here are some of the excerpts from his report.
There is no lack of interest in the truth in Britain. Letters of inquiry about it are continually coming in to the London office. A recent one was from a married couple who had been called on just five days previously. They wanted to say how grateful they were to the Society and “to the lady who called at our home to tell us of these wonderful things.” Also they wanted a book to help them teach their young children.
Another man wrote to a congregation servant saying that he had read some of our books and now wanted to “enter your ministry.” A study was started with him and from the first day he was also trained in the ministry work. Now he has his wish and is a minister.
When the Egyptian crisis threatened the safety of British personnel there about a year ago, the authorities requisitioned guest houses at a seaside resort to house families brought back. One of these was owned by a sister who was unhappy at the thought of losing the usually quiet winter period with its greater activity in the service. However, she resolved to make the best of it and, as a result, three wives and an officer are now well established in the truth.
The campaign in unassigned territory went off well again this year. Most of our remaining isolated territory was reached. Two sisters working on the Isle of Lewis, off the coast of Scotland, tell this experience: One of them placed a set of three books with a fine couple. Some time later she saw the man coming up the road in his car and wondered if he wanted to return the books. However, he turned off in another direction. Down that road he met the other sister and asked if she had a Bible concordance. She did not have one, but witnessed to him further. As a result he readily subscribed for The Watchtower and Awake! On his way back he saw the first sister and asked her about a concordance. Not having one, she went on to show him the New World Translation, which he eagerly took also. Thus the thirst of this isolated pair of the Lord’s sheep began to be quenched.
A good example of the value of incidental preaching was reported from a town where a brother ran a butcher shop in a meat market. One day he mentioned the truth to a customer, who happened to be a church warden. This man said afterward that he was really shaken to hear that butcher explain more of the Bible in a few minutes than he had heard in twenty-five years in church. He came to the public talk as invited, enjoyed it and agreed to have a Bible study. Soon he was witnessing to his church colleagues, and before long he and his wife, the Sunday-school teacher, tendered their resignations. Now, like the butcher, they are enjoying the strong meat of God’s Word.
Without a doubt there is much work to do in the congregations to help the brothers become thoroughly effective witnesses. A survey of the circuit servants’ reports shows that 62 per cent of the publishers are regular in their preaching work, 69 per cent are actually giving a witness from house to house and 65 per cent are regularly attending the Watchtower study. So it is clear that about one third of the publishers in every congregation are tender sheep needing shepherdly care and attention. With this in mind, how delighted we were, Brother Knorr, to hear you outline at Yankee Stadium the new program for the district, circuit and special pioneer work! How thoroughly it fits the need of our organization here! I am glad to say that these arrangements are now put into effect here and already there have been expressions of appreciation from the circuit servants.
As the year progressed the New World Society Assembly loomed larger and larger in our minds. We are glad to say that almost 800 British brothers were there at Yankee Stadium for the great event. Soon thereafter we conducted a series of five district assemblies to take the blessings of the world assembly to the brothers throughout the land who could not go. Talks from manuscript that you kindly supplied, tape recordings of other main talks and interesting items from the Convention Report were all fitted into the program. Thanks to the efforts of the brothers at Brooklyn, we also had the releases at four of the five assemblies. Not being expected so soon, their release here received tremendous ovations. The 1953 district assemblies were times of refreshment and joy indeed. The brothers left with their mainsprings wound up tight for work in a field that is bound to yield many thousands more of Jehovah’s sheep.
In conclusion I should like to say that we in Britain as a segment of the New World society joyfully identify ourselves with every point made in the historic resolution adopted at Yankee Stadium. It was enthusiastically adopted at each assembly here. We look forward to prosperous and happy days as the New World society moves onward, bidding men of good will to come and stand for true worship on Jehovah’s side.
EIRE
1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 52 126 173
Dublin, a city of half a million people, is the scene of outstanding theocratic prosperity. The congregation there, by growing from 60 to 115 in seven months, had about burst the sides of the hall they used to meet in. They could not get another hall, so they decided to lease a building used as a garage and turn it into their own Kingdom Hall. It took much hard work, but when finished it was indeed a credit to them. Now Eire has its first Kingdom Hall. On July 19, 134 of the brothers gathered for the dedication. It was a very happy occasion, and the brothers were also mindful of another happy, but much larger gathering over in New York, so they cabled their greetings to Yankee Stadium.
The circuit servant tells of a call on an Irish lady who told him he could not be a minister because he had on the wrong kind of hat. She did not want any books because a man had sold her one a week previous that was not a good book. It did not refer to the “blessed mother.” Trying to keep the conversation going a little longer, the circuit servant suggested that she bring out the offending book. Imagine his surprise when it turned out to be the Catholic Douay New Testament!
On another occasion he was invited into a house by a young woman whose mother was right then reading “Let God Be True”. Her son had sent it to her. She had studied it diligently and prayed that she might come in contact with Jehovah’s witnesses. That evening the circuit servant took her along to the public meeting, where she met the brothers of the nearest congregation. They arranged to visit her regularly. A few weeks later the congregation servant wrote to say that a car party would be witnessing in her area soon and that she would be welcome to join it. When they arrived she was waiting with hat and coat on. Not long afterward she made her dedication to Jehovah and was immersed at the circuit assembly. Now, only three months after that first call, she is a regular house-to-house preacher.
A special pioneer couple called at a farm one morning and found the farmer and a neighbor lad about to start on tailing the lambs. They all went into the house, where the farmer’s sister made the friendly pot of tea. These people could remember the very words used by the last witness to call on them twenty years before. They were glad to talk about the truth and wanted more literature. Meanwhile the 15-year-old lad listened silently. Next day the pioneers reached his home and found his mother eagerly awaiting them. She was one of the most interested persons they had ever met. It was obvious that the boy had taken in the Bible discussion of the previous day and given his mother a good account of it.
Without doubt the greatest contribution to the preaching of the truth in Eire has been the booklet God’s Way Is Love. Its kindly reasoning invites even the staunch Catholic to consider it. The publishers have distributed thousands of them far and wide. As is to be expected, the clergy try to offset it by warning their flocks of nonCatholic literature that is really Communist propaganda in disguise. But there is good evidence that it is being read. A lady in Cork told a missionary who called for the first time that she had already read the booklet and passed it on. It will be interesting to see what harvest comes from the distribution of this booklet.
MALTA
In 1948 two Watchtower missionaries were deported from Malta on the charge that they indulged in “public vilification of the Roman Catholic religion.” We are happy to report, however, that the torch of Kingdom truth is still burning strongly in Malta and its light is reaching into the darkness to be seen by men of good will.
Eleven persons are now meeting regularly for study, and at least four of these are doing some preaching among the people. One of them is a Maltese brother who has been active for ten years. He keeps on talking the truth among his countrymen.
We are managing to keep the flow of spiritual food going in to our besieged brothers in Malta. They are keen and strong for Jehovah, although most of them are quite young in the New World society. We are doing all we can to help them proclaim the good news of the Kingdom.
BRITISH WEST INDIES
1842 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 322 905 2,077 2,316
The work moves steadily on in the Caribbean Sea area. There are thirteen islands in this part of the world where publishers reside and make their reports regularly to the British West Indian branch. The names of the islands are Trinidad (the location of the branch office), Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, Carricao, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Tobago. Over a period of years good expansion has been made, and little by little missionaries, pioneers and congregation publishers have gone to different islands and started a theocratic organization. The strongest part of this group is in Trinidad, where 1,163 publishers reside. The island of Barbados has a fine organization on it, for there are eighteen congregations organized with 480 publishers engaging in the work regularly every month. The other islands have good organizations on them too, and good progress is being made.
In this part of the world we have quite a problem keeping the organization clean. Many of the people who have belonged to the various religious organizations now see the truth clearly and want to associate with Jehovah’s witnesses. But the religious organizations in these islands have never pointed out the necessity of following out in completion the will of Jehovah God concerning the marriage problem. Many people there live in common-law marriage. It was Peter who said: “Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth with unhypocritical brotherly love as the result, love one another intensely from the heart.” (1 Pet. 1:22, NW) And so the New World society insists that those coming into the truth be pure. This is in real contrast with a number of the religious organizations and those whom they accept into their congregations. Let us turn to the report of the branch servant, who writes about the work generally throughout this territory.
Many in the British West Indies have come into the organization with the proper spirit and display real brotherly love. However, there is a small percentage who have not shown the right spirit in obedience to God’s will; and since a “little yeast ferments the whole lump,” it would soon spread were it not quickly and firmly cleaned out. This, along with immaturity, has been our biggest problem with which to contend, but because we have persevered in faith we can now see and report a noticeable improvement.
In 1952 we were dealt a heavy blow by the amount of immorality that had to be cleared out. Like a boxer staggering from a flurry of stiff punches we have not quite recovered yet, but we are moving in the right direction again. Before long we expect to be fully recovered. The zealous and mature publishers, the hard core of theocratic fighters, are causing the enemies of Jehovah to feel the sting of Bible truths. It has caused the Anglican bishop to wail out in anguish that 'Jehovah’s witnesses are like stinging ants to me.’
The New World Society Assembly at Yankee Stadium, New York, in July, was the focal point of our year’s activity. What a privilege and joy it was to be in attendance, to feast on the rich spiritual food, to experience a practical demonstration of new-world living! Such an assembly will be a milestone in the annals of Jehovah’s people, firmly establishing them as a nation with new-world ideas. At great sacrifice over 80 different persons from seven different British West Indian islands were there. In a sense, even those islands not actually represented at New York were there through the medium of the radio broadcasts of the assembly high lights. From Antigua the missionaries remaining behind wrote:
“The New World Society Assembly has aided us to finish the year on a high note and has encouraged a very good start for the 1954 service year. There is a fairly large radio audience here that listens to the American broadcasts regularly, and during the assembly the American stations made special mention of the Assembly high lights. Nearly every day while the publishers were in the service and on the streets people asked: ‘Did you hear the radio last night?’ The public displayed amazement and more than general interest in the radio announcements telling of unusually large and orderly crowds at Yankee Stadium and the thousands of newly baptized ones. Some said, ‘I didn’t know Jehovah’s witnesses were such a big organization.’ ‘Is Antigua represented?’ A goodly number of requests for the 96-page assembly Report have come in as a result of the public interest cultivated by the radio and local publishers’ activities here.”
Illustrating the need to follow up all interest, a missionary in Barbados wrote about an interesting experience of a congregation servant. “In February, 1952, he received a letter marked ‘On His Majesty’s Service.’ It was a request from an inmate of an island prison to have the brother come and preach to him. Some persons, including the governor of the prison, tried to discourage him from making the call, stating, ‘Well, you can go and see him, but these fellows are not interested in the Bible; all they are after is charity.’ The brother made the call, after first sending him a copy of ‘This Means Everlasting Life’. He found the man eager to learn because he had heard that Jehovah’s witnesses could help him. The prisoner learned quickly and soon was witnessing to fellow prisoners. The results after a little more than a year’s study with this man are as follows: He has been a regular publisher in prison for a year now with a monthly average of 36 hours, 4.7 back-calls and 1 Bible study. Further, as a result of his preaching a second prisoner has become interested and has started publishing. The prisoner who wrote the letter expects to be released sometime during 1954 and is looking forward to greater opportunities of service. You can imagine how very, very thankful this man is that, when he sent his request for help, he was not turned down just because someone thought he was not interested. This experience has made all of us in Barbados see the need for following up all interest and leaving the results with Jehovah.”
The new service year now looms large before us. Having recovered sufficiently to record a 4 per cent average increase this past year, we confidently look forward to better things this year. The New World Society Assembly has already proved to be a powerful stimulus and we anticipate a further impetus to the work on the occasion of your visit to Trinidad and Barbados in early January, 1954.
BULGARIA
The avenues of communication with our brothers in Bulgaria are practically closed. Word was received only once during the year that “nearly all the brothers and sisters are well in the faith.” The Society tries to send information from The Watchtower to our brothers in Bulgaria, but we cannot learn whether they have received this spiritual food or not. It is practically impossible for them to tell us about anything that happens in the country. The trial is great when one cannot communicate with his fellow workers. Then one must stand alone, putting his full trust in Jehovah and looking to him for strength. Our prayers go out to our God in heaven to comfort our fellow workers in Bulgaria.
BURMA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 18 52 130 123
The happy witnesses of the happy God, Jehovah, had another joyful year of service in Burma. The conditions in this country have been little improved during the past year, and there is still internal strife, which makes it difficult for brothers in the northern part of the country to make reports to the branch office in Rangoon. A number of publishers were away during the year to attend the assembly in New York, and the Gilead graduates that were in Burma for quite some time were certainly happy that the Society helped them financially to get to the New World Society Assembly. They were very grateful that many of the brothers throughout the world contributed money to help them by sending funds to the Society so it could bring missionaries and others from the far parts of the earth to this grand assembly. The branch servant tells us how they feel in Burma.
Those who were able to attend were filled to overflowing with enthusiasm and determined to work as never before and assist their brothers as never before to more efficiently serve Jehovah, the mighty Founder of the new heavens and the new earth.
During the year the importance of taking advantage of every opportunity to preach the good news was forcefully driven home to us. A young brother while at secular employment spoke to his fellow workers about the incoming new world of righteousness. Some scoffed and others were indifferent, but one humble man listened, took a real interest and was baptized. It was this new brother’s joy to see first his sister-in-law and then his own Roman Catholic wife accept the truth, take a firm stand, and become active publishers.
In the meantime the brother continued his incidental preaching. One day after discussing some business with strangers, he swung the conversation around to the theocracy. The householder listened, as did his family, and admitted that sometime previously a friend of theirs had told them a good deal about the new world. Later the friend died, and the family had continued its association with the Salvation Army. Now, however, the interest was vigorously followed up by a Bible study and soon this family supplied four new Kingdom publishers, with prospects of several more to come. Yes, Jehovah has certainly blessed those who use their tongues to his glory at every opportunity. It is also interesting to note that these two families reside in a district that is covered several times a year by Kingdom publishers, yet apparently they had not been properly contacted. Surely these experiences should silence the objections of some who say, even in Burma, that the territory is covered too often!
During the year it was our privilege to see the first three brothers of the Lushai race in Burma take an active part in Jehovah’s service and symbolize their dedication by water immersion. We look forward to seeing many more of these earnest, humble people take their stand for the truth, and eventually carry it back to their own native land, the Lushai Hills in Assam, India.
Another interesting experience concerns a little Indian village on the outskirts of Rangoon. Here a poor Hindu milkman was living in a humble hut with his wife and family of four children. Half the hut was occupied by the family, the other half by a herd of cows. This hard-working man showed kindness to the publishers on their first call and they in turn showed kindness by instructing him in the Word of God. The person of good will responded from the start, and poor though he was he found the money to contribute for a Tamil Bible, which he paid for, little by little, over several months. It was a joy to teach him, as he was so anxious to learn. After several months he accompanied the publishers through ankle-deep mud on a group-witnessing expedition. How glad the publishers are that they did not pass by that humble hut but remembered that the prospective King, Christ Jesus, was born in such a lowly abode!
CANADA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 9,159 12,093 21,562 24,882
It appears from the report that many in Canada are taking flight to the mountains for safety. The New World society continues to grow at a rapid pace year by year despite the troubles and persecutions that defy the witnesses of God, especially in the province of Quebec. The going has been hard, but the results are gratifying. The issue as to whether we can go from door to door preaching the good news of the Kingdom was presented before the Supreme Court in December, 1952. Throughout the year Jehovah’s witnesses have been praying and looking forward to the decision. At the time of preparing this material for the Yearbook in October, 1953, word came through that the Supreme Court of Canada, by a vote of five to four, declared that Jehovah’s witnesses could carry on their worship by going from house to house. This good news did not come during the service year, but we mention it because it is a wonderful victory and Jehovah’s answer to the faithful witness on the part of those who have stood firm in proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom in the province of Quebec. What the future holds for all of Canada and Quebec we will continue to watch, and in the meantime we rejoice in the glorious witness that is being given. The branch servant sends us a very interesting report of the happenings there and how our Canadian brothers feel. Some of his comments follow.
Early in the service year it became apparent that the great international gathering at New York would dominate our thoughts and activities. Constantly stimulated by the articles in The Watchtower, Awake! and the Informant and by the 1953 Calendar’s daily reminder, the possibility of attending became more important and more attainable to thousands of Kingdom publishers in this land. But meantime, we were reminded, there was much work to be done; and surely it has been a busy and happy year.
The brunt of the battle for true worship in this country was in Quebec. During the year 64 missionaries in 20 different groups served in Quebec and certainly made good proof of their ministry in spite of persecutions, interference and hostility.
Not infrequently the clouds of priest-inspired hate are lined with bright experiences. One French-Catholic couple were docile parishioners until they heard that Jehovah’s witnesses were pressing charges against their priest in court for his illegal action against them. On Sunday they heard him say in church, “I am your teacher, and when those witnesses come to your door throw them out.” Shortly afterward the man was approached by the priest as the most capable and ardent Catholic in the community and asked to organize something to combat the witnesses and get rid of them. “You have the wrong man this time,” said he, “for I have come to know these witnesses and they are very fine people.” Then the priest offered him the job of local head of the League of Sacred Heart if he would only stay away from the witnesses. Mr. C--- informed
him that he wanted to have no part with an organization that stifled Bible education and offered bribes to keep people within its grasp. Since then this couple have had regular studies and are now regular publishers of the Kingdom. Instead of driving out the witnesses, the priest now has them resident right in his own parish.
Isolated territory was also given due attention this year, as far as this was possible in view of the preparations required by most publishers to attend the assembly. Correspondence received from many brothers in the field testified to the great joy they had in again contacting “sheep” who were first located in our campaign of last year. Also, during the circuit assemblies the theme of being regular and growing to maturity and assisting new ones to do the same was certainly emphasized. Demonstrated too was the vital role played by the book study groups in attaining this objective. Congregations derived much profit from this practical and timely counsel.
For strong, vigorous, healthy physical bodies we need plenty of good nourishing food in variety, and thereby we are enabled to acquit ourselves like men. In a spiritual way this is exactly what we have been supplied with, for The Watchtower and Awake! seem to have surpassed all previous standards of excellence and have developed along lines that are extremely helpful to the minister in the field. Everyday problems and questions are dealt with so lucidly and in such simple language. Brief articles on a wide range of topics cannot fail to strike the interest chord in a vast multitude of men of all kinds. We ourselves continue to eagerly scan their pages, and especially the columns of The Watchtower, for the counsel and direction and correction so essential for our well-being as we strive to meet the righteous requirements of the great Creator of the New World society.
And during the service year those pages and every other means at the Society’s disposal were so wonderfully used to beckon us on to New York and Yankee Stadium. For ten months preparations had been going on for the gigantic task of transporting the many thousands of Canadians who would attend the assembly. Special trains, chartered airplanes, also coaches, were arranged from one end of the country to the other, and every assistance was offered to any brothers or sisters having border difficulties. Many, we knew, had early made up their minds to be there, but the question was: How many would finally make the break and join the Canadian delegation? Eighteen thousand was the total that came and were convinced of the presence of Jehovah’s spirit upon his people in that mammoth Kingdom Hall.
Time and space do not permit mention of all the marvelous blessings we received, but we can say that we are truly filled with gratitude to Jehovah and to Christ Jesus for having arranged the New World Society Assembly and for enabling so many of us to be present. Happy foretaste of post-Armageddon life were those blessed eight days. And now, back at our posts in our own territories, what will we do? Why, go steadily on with our God-given assignments, assist all the newfound sheep to share with us in the blessed privileges of theocratic service, and do all we can to swell the ranks of those who will gladly obey Jehovah’s command to go from house to house and ‘preach the Word.’
CHILE
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 62 175 831 913
The New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses had a terrific effect on the publishers in Chile. It really did something to them, not only to those who attended, but also to those who remained at home. By placing responsibility upon those who remained, opportunity was given them to show maturity and willingness to do the work assigned to them. We should learn something from this and not always think that those who are working by the side of the mature ones have no ability to go ahead alone. Try them from time to time, as they were tried in Chile. A child cannot know its ability to walk until it tries to walk; and, then, to the amazement of everyone, it finds great joy in the accomplishment. The report the branch servant sends in from Chile is most interesting along these lines, and it should show all of us that responsibility should be placed on other shoulders once in a while, especially on those of willing workers. Remember that when persons are in the truth for a while they become skilled in their work. Let them show their skill.
The 50 delegates from Chile had many nice surprises as they returned from the New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses held in Yankee Stadium, New York city. The question of maturity had been in their minds as they left to attend that great assembly in July. Would the brothers be able to carry on the service well during the two-month absence of so many full-time workers?
The spirit of the publishers was a willing one and it was a real surprise to the delegates to learn what was accomplished back home in Chile during their absence. Many of the local brothers who were left in charge of the work did very well. As one brother put it, "I know they won’t believe that we increased from 54 to 64 publishers, so we have saved every publisher’s report turned in to prove it.” Another unit increased from 165 to 181 publishers and inquired about dividing into two units now that they have demonstrated maturity and servant ability. Still another unit reached a new peak of 130 publishers, remodeled the front of their Kingdom Hall and arranged new surprises on the interior as a welcome back home for their congregation servant, who was sent to the New York assembly as their delegate.
In Chile’s principal seaport, Valparaiso, the congregation reached a new neak of 74 publishers and the brother who was left to care for the activity gave a public talk every week in order to report five for the month of August. The congregation had been a little slow about meeting their Kingdom Hall expense, but during the absence of many missionaries it came through very nicely and, in addition, a piano was purchased for the Kingdom Halt
While so much activity has about depleted our supply of books and booklets, we do have a nice supply of magazines with which to start the subscription campaign for the new service year. Especially thankful are we for the freedom to use these. The court victory regarding the title of the Spanish issue of the Watchtower magazine, that is La Atalaya, leaves us free to distribute it with full liberty in this land of religious freedom. It was the General Conference Corporation of the Seventh-Day Adventists that tried to stop the circulation of our magazine La Atalaya. They argued that the name of their Spanish magazine is similar, and inasmuch as they had had it registered, they felt that they had the right to stop the circulation of our magazine.
Of course, you will recall, Brother Kporr, that their representative was there to see you in New York in order to determine the position that our Society was going to take in the matter. Your reply that our Society would rely upon the intelligence of the Spanish-speaking people to distinguish between the two magazines and their names proved to be a wise policy. On March 10, 1953, the trial court decision showed that much more than just a difference in meaning in the name was seen by the judges. It was held that the subtitle, “Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom,” which appears on all copies, was a distinguishing feature; that the appearance and coloring were absolutely different; that the difference in design of the two magazines was even more manifest; that, due to the restricted number of those interested in obtaining one of the publications, they should be fully informed as to these features, which could not be cause for confusion. So, in conclusion, the trial court stated that it was not convinced that a fraud had been produced causing damage to the rights of the complainant.
Adding to the findings of the trial court, the government prosecutor, who reviewed the case when the Adventists appealed it, observed that the volume number of our magazine indicated its greater age and therefore lack of criminal intentions. On May 16, 1953, the appeal court upheld the trial court decision, giving us another clean-cut victory with our most important Bible-study aid, La Atalaya.
The success of the subscription campaigns last year and the good supply of copies on hand at present give us much to expect in the new service year.
One notices how the spirit of the New World Society Assembly has penetrated every publisher, even the isolated ones. Newspapers and radios gave reports of it throughout the country. Especially the baptism scene was widely published in national papers and a good witness was thereby given to the public.
The missionaries were greatly strengthened for the work ahead, and all publishers are eagerly awaiting the receipt of the new Spanish releases for use in the door-to-door work in the greater happiness of giving the “good news” to others.
CHINA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 15 14 29 25
The psalmist says, “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God.” The waters from this river continue to flow to our brothers in China. While personal communications are not so good, still it has been possible for the lifegiving waters of truth to have been drunk deeply by those in this country. Sending in a report from China is just like sending in a report for one congregation, for that is all there is in this vast country, which contains about one fifth of the people of all the earth. But this one congregation of Jehovah’s witnesses stands firm in Shanghai, there to preach the good news. Excerpts from the branch servant’s report are set out here for the encouragement of our brothers everywhere.
It has never been the privilege of any of the brothers to meet in assembly with other brothers from other congregations. Since coming to the truth during the last six years they have known only the Kingdom Hall and the three missionaries working with them. Naturally there is a feeling of isolation. Our nearest neighbors to the north are the brothers in Korea, and to the south Hong Kong, while to the west we would have to travel many thousands of miles to reach the next congregation.
The missionaries have been forbidden by the police to preach from house to house; so the congregation has been denied the assistance and practical help of these brothers in the field. This would be a blow to the progress of any congregation, anywhere, because so much depends on the practical lead that the servants give the brothers in the field. The missionaries’ being foreigners too has made it practically impossible for them to go on back-calls with other publishers and assist in this way. Most of the studies now held by the missionaries are conducted in the Kingdom Hall. One can well imagine how a missionary feels when he cannot get out freely and lead his brothers in the service. Some may say the house-to-house work is a trial to them, but we missionaries can assure you it is a very much bigger trial to have to refrain from it.
Despite the fact that the missionaries have not been able to lead the brothers in the field, the congregation has had its best year. First-call work has been kept up weekly with group witnessing, the mature ones taking along new and weak publishers with them. On the whole they have been kindly received.
There are many Protestant religions in the city whose members usually profess a great love for the Bible. Many of these are conscious of the fact that there is no spiritual food in these churches, and they have been glad to study the Bible with us. These Protestant religions have shamed themselves by their compromising course of action with politics. In all these churches politics is openly taught, and most of the clergy attend classes to learn the new doctrine so that they can advocate it from their pulpits. They have shown themselves to be spineless and, to an amazing degree, completely lacking in trust in God. This has shocked many of their members so that many persons go from one church to another to find the one they consider the best. A number have called on us and studies have been started. Usually they are so surprised at the amount of spiritual food they get that they talk about it. In every case when their old religion gets to hear of it, its advocates slander the truth and try in every way to warn the people against studying. They know they are not feeding the people with the truth and yet they hate to see Jehovah’s people doing so and thereby comforting the people.
We have not been allowed to put on public talks, but we have been able to give talks in the Kingdom Hall each week. We have made them semi-public, adapting the talks to suit the newly interested ones and the mature brothers. We have had between forty and fifty in attendance each Sunday and a very good witness has been given in this way. We have also been able to use the local brothers to give talks in Chinese, and they have handled them very well indeed. The Memorial was the occasion of gathering all the interested ones together. There were 89 in attendance. We held one baptism during the year and ten persons were immersed, while sixty were in attendance to witness the event.
COLOMBIA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 2 34 338 405
There was considerable upheaval in Colombia during the year. There was an undeclared civil war, and the political situation changed. However, Jehovah’s witnesses have not changed, nor has their message, and the New World society continues to march along with great increases. It has been difficult for the Society to get more missionaries into Colombia, but it is very heart-cheering to report that those who are there and the pioneers and the congregation publishers are very zealous; and there are marvelous prospects for a fastgrowing organization. At the last Memorial service there were 915 in attendance. From these the brothers expect to gain their 10 per cent and 20 per cent increases next year. This good news of the Kingdom must be preached, and there is still much to do in Colombia. The branch servant tells us about their joyful time.
During December of the past year Barranquilla was the scene of the first district assembly held in Colombia. Several states were represented. Some traveled four days down the Magdalena River by boat; others came by airplane and bus. It was a very enjoyable occasion and really a memorable event for all Colombian witnesses. Christian companionship along with instructive discourses is good.
In an outlying village of approximately 100 houses, the brothers going from door to door were met with the remark: “Oh, you talk just like our neighbor.” All were curious to meet the neighbor, so fifteen minutes later found four witnesses together in his home. The key word was “theocracy.” When asked if he knew of the message of the theocracy, he replied yes and promptly brought out a well-used book in Spanish, The New World. No, he couldn’t read, but each evening his teen-aged daughter gladly read a chapter to the entire family and in-laws. How did the neighbors happen to connect our message with him? ‘That’s easy,’ replied the interested man, ‘according to this book the new world is near and now is the time to let others know about it. So, since I don’t have other literature to place, I talk to everyone and then loan my book to those that want to learn more. The book has been around to several pueblos now, so many people know of you.’ The entire family and several neighbors eagerly accepted a study.
Very unusual was one report of a witness’ finding a fanatical Pentecostal. The young man with his “spirit” left the back door as the witness went out the front way. Both went from house to house, the witness preaching the new-world hope and the Pentecostal warning all the neighborhood of the false prophets in town. The following week he hastened to Barranquilla to visit his aunt and cousin, whom he learned were witnesses, with the purpose of straightening them out spiritually. It took just one day to convince him that he was the one in need of straightening out. He accepted the truth and with it the responsibility of teaching others, even his former Pentecostal friends if possible. He rejoices that the truth has truly made him free, and he happily identifies himself as a witness.
Colombia was pleased to have twenty delegates at the grand New World Society Assembly in New York. These returned with a more mature view of the organization, of the expansion work and of the wonderful privilege to participate in such campaign. Their reports have been of real value to those staying behind, and many other local people were greatly surprised to learn of the magnitude of Jehovah’s organization. At least two newspapers carried favorable reports, and this, of course, is good publicity for us here.
The results of nearly 100,000 hours of preaching in Colombia during 1953 are being felt. Now and then word pops up of a newly interested one in some isolated section. Occasionally a witness moves out from the established congregation of Barranquilla and begins preaching and stirring up results in his new territory. We encourage more to do this.
COSTA RICA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 107 576 1,720 1,714
Participation in the prosperity of God’s nation can be seen in Costa Rica. While the publishers have not increased numerically during the year, it appears that a keener appreciation of their relationship to Jehovah God and to his organization has come to them. They are advancing in knowledge, and more are coming into the truth, which is proved by the fact that 124 were baptized during the year. There are a number of interesting experiences that the branch servant relates in his report on Costa Rica, which the readers will find helpful.
Religious opposition continues to flare up at times, spurred on by Catholic and Protestant pamphlets and booklets published by men who have dedicated themselves to “enlightening” the people on the errors of Jehovah’s witnesses and their new-world teaching. One such publication even referred to them as a “social plague.” This organized opposition makes reaching the people a little difficult at times, as many will not even converse with one of Jehovah’s witnesses, but it has also been the cause of many interesting experiences.
A few weeks before the Memorial celebration this year considerable pressure was being felt by the brothers in the congregation of Manzanillo de Ario, a group of about forty-five publishers in a rural community. Threats of violence finally bore fruit against the work there. About midnight one night, while all were asleep the local Kingdom Hall suddenly went up in flames, being consumed so quickly that no one could save anything in it. All the brothers’ literature, records, benches and other theocratic equipment were smoking ruins in the morning, a great loss of material and spiritual goods to poor people. This was the blow that was meant to cripple the Kingdom work and throw fear into any persons who had anything to do with it. But it did not work that way. A local investigation did not uncover the culprit responsible for the crime, so instead of spending a great amount of time and effort looking for someone to punish, the brothers looked to their Kingdom responsibilities and proved their faith while under fire. Fanaticism did not disorganize them, but united them in their efforts. They moved their meeting place to a brothers home and continued to make arrangements for the Memorial celebration.
Did this crime affect the Memorial attendance? Yes. It increased it nearly 300 per cent over former years. The attitude of some of the people around them changed completely when they saw the brothers’ determination and zeal and concern for their worship above everything else. The circuit servant, visiting the congregation later, reported that he found a considerable change in the people, and that the brothers are working together in rebuilding their hall, not mourning their loss, but rejoicing in what they have gained.
The Catholic Church is having more and more difficulty in keeping her children ignorant of the King’s presence as the news of the Kingdom spreads into isolated places. A brother in a small outlying congregation was acquainted with a man and his family who were devout Catholics, poisoned against the New World society. The woman in her daily rosary was continually heard to add to her prayer, “Lord, save us from los atalayas” (as Jehovah’s witnesses have been dubbed in Costa Rica). The brother began to converse with her, using the Catholic version of the Scriptures, making it a point to give her something to think about every time he was in her neighborhood. He took the circuit servant to see her and she asked Bible questions for two hours. By the time of the next visit of the circuit servant two of her daughters and a son-in-law were participating in the work with her. Her husband is still opposing the message, but he, no doubt, is a little fearful of praying, “Lord, save us from Zos atalayas.”
The members of the New World society appreciate their association with their brothers in the faith and look forward to assembling together. At one of the circuit assemblies this year one of the congregation servants invited the San Jos6 missionary group to visit their small Kingdom Hall far up in the mountains to help them conduct a public meeting. In this isolated section, far from any town, there is usually some movement on Sunday, but this Sunday everyone from miles around was either at or going toward the Kingdom Hall. Some walked ten miles or more to get there. What was the attraction? A talk on the subject “Who Are Jehovah’s Witnesses?” especially arranged to clear up some confusion about their beliefs. The inside of the hall filled past the overflow point, and halfway through the hour lecture brothers on the outside pulled planks off the full length of the building on both sides, leaving a long horizontal opening so that another hundred heads could get in and see and hear what was going on. There were 315 counted in attendance. This was one of the 600 public meetings conducted during the service year, a new peak, and the means by which many new persons were instructed.
The New York assembly stirred up a great deal of enthusiasm here and 28 delegates represented Costa Rica at Yankee Stadium, receiving many blessings and returning full of zeal and stronger than ever in faith and good works.
CUBA
1943 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 920 3,682 8,859 9,917
Maturity has been stressed in Cuba, and the brothers there have been pointing out the need of meeting the righteous requirements of Jehovah God in order to gain eternal life. Stableness is more apparent than ever before in Cuba, with a cleaner and more mature organization; so we can expect Jehovah’s greater blessing and a bigger increase. The scattered “sheep” are going to be gathered into the New World society no matter where they are or where they must come from. All those who are associated with the New World society should be anxious and ready to receive them and give them training that will fit them for life in the new world. We are certainly happy to see the growth of Jehovah’s organization in Cuba, and some of the excerpts from the branch servant’s report are very interesting.
The Watchtower has explained that in order to expect an increase it is vital to have a clean organization and to have Jehovah’s blessing. Letters were sent to the congregations telling the brothers that everyone must legalize his marriage and take on the full responsibilities of man and wife if they were living together or they would be disfellowshiped. They were given until September 1 as a time limit. There were many publishers who were living in common-law marriage, as so many do in Catholic countries. It meant much trouble and sacrifice for the majority who were not legally married, because, in order to meet God’s righteous requirement concerning marriage, they had to search in old records for birth certificates and registration papers, divorces had to be obtained by some, high fees had to be paid and a hundred and one other inconveniences had to be undergone. But not one had to be disfellowshiped because of rebelliousness. Those who were not able to legalize their marriage by the end of the time limit have signed a written statement promising to do so as soon as possible. It is heart-warming to see parents with grown children or grandchildren getting married. One father of seven children said the following: “For 17 years I have lived in common-law marriage, during which time my wife and I had 7 children. In spite of the serious economic situation, by much effort and the help of Jehovah, I have been able to legalize our marriage. It is with great joy that I notify the Society of this.” It is this willing spirit that makes Jehovah’s people separate and apart from the rest of the world. That is why they belong to a new-world society instead of the old-world society.
Since its announcement in July of 1952 the convention of the New World society in Yankee Stadium was the focal point of attention for all Cuban publishers. As soon as it was announced the brothers began laying plans to attend. Money was the principal obstacle. Some publishers left their homes and went to the cities in search of employment, while others took on extra work at home. Many began saving money in piggy banks, hoping that it would be sufficient by convention time. After much correspondence with the brothers and the travel agencies a charter arrangement was made to carry the majority of the conventioners to New York and back at a reasonable price. There were 217 brothers in all who were privileged to attend the convention, 10 of whom were circuit servants.
The convention was certainly a timely provision of Jehovah in these perilous days. The circuit servants and other brothers who were present at the convention will be instrumental in putting into effect the new theocratic instructions and arrangements for the New World society.
Cuba has less than 6,000,000 inhabitants, but there are almost 10,000 publishers associated with the 252 congregations scattered throughout the island. This means that there is now one publisher for every 600 persons. In the province of Pinar del Rio there is one publisher for every 195 persons. Yet there is much work to be done with many more publishers in view, as is evidenced by the fact that 5,474 studies were conducted each month.
Rich experiences have not been lacking during the past year and they give us a preview of what to expect in the future. One sister, who longed to help her neighbors and friends learn about God’s kingdom, opened up a small school and invited the neighborhood children to attend. The school grew to about 40 pupils, and they studied the Bible while they learned to read and write. The parents became interested, so she asked a brother to conduct a study with them. Now the study has become an area book study, and the mayor of the town took so much interest in the work of the sister that he bought her some school desks and gave her a salary.
CYPRUS
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 25 46 332 361
Jehovah’s ministers of good news in Cyprus are very grateful to Jehovah God for his protecting power for another year. They have been carrying forward the message of the Kingdom to the peoples of that land in spite of many obstacles and persecution. In general the Cyprians are hospitable people, and they want to learn the truth from God’s Word. The Greek Orthodox Church is determined to have no one hear. However, the refreshing, life-giving waters of truth are being brought to the strangers continually, and it is good to see the brothers advancing toward maturity and helping the other sheep. Excerpts from the annual report of the branch servant in Cyprus show us their problems.
The service year opened with the hearing of a case in the court against several persons who had led a mob of some 200 against Jehovah’s servants in one of the island’s villages. Among the accused was a Greek Orthodox priest. Considerable interest was aroused by this case and during the three-day hearing the court was packed to capacity and rows of faces peered through the windows from the outside. Several of Jehovah’s servants were able to give an excellent witness to the truth and the work of Jehovah’s witnesses. On summing up the case the judge said, “I have believed the evidence of the complainants in toto and I find the accused guilty on all counts. I do not believe the allegation that the complainants were teaching that Christ was a bastard. The complainants went to the village of the accused in order to teach their creed; they did so peacefully, and the accused had no right to attack them.”
The matter of being regular publishers, together with the importance of more door-to-door work, has been stressed. The visits of the circuit servant were of great help in this respect. It was noticed that many started out for the first time in the door-to-door preaching during the circuit servant’s visit.
Most of the publishers in the congregations are scattered and it has always been a problem to get them to attend the congregational meetings. To give closer attention to the publishers the organizing of more congregational book studies in the territory has brought good results. In some congregations the attendance at the area studies almost doubled, and more regularity in the field service has resulted.
An incident that brought us much joy during the year was the stand taken for the truth by our first Moslem. He was contacted by one of the missionaries, who left with him a copy of Awake! A study was later started in his home. The Watchtower articles dealing with Islam were studied. He accepted the Bible as God’s Word and that life could be obtained only through the merits of Christ’s ransom sacrifice. He was baptized during the year and is now a regular house-to-house publisher.
Because of their stand for the truth several children were expelled from school, due to teachers who were religious fanatics. At one school the children were told to raise their hands if they had not attended the Greek church the previous day. One child, a witness, raised her hand. She Was beaten by the teacher and sent out of school. Others were expelled because they did not make the “sign of the cross.” These cases were brought to the attention of the director of education, who investigated the matter and later permitted the children to return to school.
In one village where the brothers were preaching they met up with a theologian of the Greek Orthodox Church. The villagers requested the theologian to have a discussion with Jehovah’s witnesses, and they would listen. He refused; so the brothers spent two hours witnessing at the village center, with the theologian pacing up and down cursing the “ravening wolves.” One brother asked the theologian why he did not sit down and prove from the Bible that Jehovah’s witnesses were
wolves, to which he repied, “I am also afraid of being devoured by you.”
All publishers were keenly looking forward to the New World Society Assembly in New York. Although it would be an impossibility for the majority to attend, yet all rejoiced that three delegates were able to be present. They are anxiously waiting for our district assembly here so that they can receive of the many blessings poured out at that historic gathering.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 200 1,412 Still working
In Czechoslovakia the service year of 1953 began with more than a hundred of our brothers in prison because they had been preaching the good news of God’s kingdom, the only hope for the world. Jehovah’s witnesses in Czechoslovakia continue to preach the good news, but all of them are watched closely by the communistic organization. Every person who has become a part of the New World society will seize every opportunity to give a witness to Jehovah’s name and his kingdom. We have reason to rejoice today in the faithfulness of our brothers behind the Iron Curtain. It is difficult to gather reports, but we do know that they are continuing to distribute printed matter; and as far as preaching is concerned, many thousand more hours were spent talking the good news to those who wanted to hear than were spent the year before. They are talking, making back-calls and conducting Bible studies; and the only way the Communists will be able to stop them is to kill them. The communistic organization will have to take this responsibility upon their own shoulders. What these cruel, dictatorial rulers are now doing to Jehovah’s witnesses is the same as if being done to Christ himself. Jehovah declared that vengeance is his, and he will certainly repay them. Our prayers ascend to Jehovah God to pour his spirit upon these faithful brothers of ours and to keep them under his protecting care. The brother in Europe who keeps in communication as well as he can with our brothers behind the Iron Curtain gives us the following report.
Beginning February, 1952, hundreds of our brothers in Czechoslovakia were arrested in one night. In the course of months most of them were released, but it was expected that the authorities would want to stage a big trial against some of them. This trial took place on March 27 and 28,1953, before the Prague District Court. Eight of our brothers were sentenced as follows: two to 18 years each, three to 15 years each, the other three to 12, 8 and 15 years respectively, or a total of 106 years. One of the two who got 18 years is the branch servant, who had already spent many years in a nazi concentration camp, eight months in prison from November, 1948, till July, 1949, and four months in a labor camp. Like the nazis, the Communists are the sworn enemies of Jehovah and his slaves, and so it is absolutely certain that their rule cannot stand but is doomed to destruction.
The spirit of the Communists is seen from what the official Czech News Agency published about the aforementioned trial. Here are a few excerpts of its long statement as printed in the Prague daily Rude Pravo: “The American imperialists in their hatred against the Czechoslovak people’s democracy use every means to keep our working people away from the path to socialism. Not only do they send spies and diversionists and others doing pernicious work . . . but they also support other kinds of destructive activity against the order of our people’s democracy. Of these, those whose criminal personality cannot be seen immediately are especially dangerous ... such are Jehovah’s witnesses. The Prague District Court has sentenced the leading members of this religious sect. This organization, which is directed from Brooklyn, N. Y., and which in 1949 was forbidden in our country because of its destructive tendencies, has in spite of such ban smuggled into Czechoslovakia and into the other people’s democracies a cosmopolitan ideology which, under the cloak of a doctrine of pure Christianity, was to undermine the morals of our working people, sow hatred among them against our state and cause them to disobey its laws. In spreading their destructive views the responsible ones have especially threatened the unenlightened people by stating that Jehovah will punish everyone who will not obey his laws. . . .
“They have sent news about the illegal activity of their organization abroad, which news also contained important information which in the interest of the security of the state should not have been given to foreigners. . . . Therefore the district attorney brought a charge of high treason . . . The publications distributed were quoted in court and showed that they contained inciting statements against the Soviet Union, against comrade Stalin and the people’s democratic organization. . . . The attorney showed in his conclusions that the trial revealed the international character of the sect as one of the instruments of American imperialism to divert the working class from their historical mission consisting in the liberation of mankind from exploitation. Immediately after the great October Revolution the sect showed itself in sharp opposition to the Soviet state. In our country too the sect increased its activity after the victorious February 1948 when this organization prepared its adherents to play the role of a fifth column in the case of war. ...”
Thus the Communists are truly shown to be agents and mouthpieces of the Devil and his crumbling world. They have chosen his side to the finish, and destruction is certain to come upon them as an expression of Jehovah’s wrath against his enemies. But our brothers will continue to teach the meek ones the way to safety in Jehovah’s organization and Jehovah will take care of them as the great Shepherd who goes after his “sheep” and protects them under his wings.
DENMARK
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 2,473 2,977 6,206 7,176
There are so many things that Jehovah’s people can be thankful for. First of all, we know Jehovah because he has revealed himself to us, and, then, he has given his people such great prosperity. This certainly is true in Denmark. Like our brothers everywhere, our Danish brothers are grateful for Jehovah’s loving-kindness expressed through The Watchtower, the Awake! magazine, conventions, letters, the Informant and all the things that bring helpful and instructive counsel to them month by month. By following the Word of God and the lead of the Society results have been obtained, because we see a constant gathering of the other sheep in this land. The Danish branch servant gives us some very interesting things to think about, and a few excerpts are taken from his report.
Early in the service year a brother in each circuit was appointed by the Society to do public relations work in connection with the activities of Jehovah’s people. This has resulted in a very great witness. In the last six months over 100 newspaper articles have appeared in all corners of Denmark. Papers that at one time would not devote one line are now printing several paragraphs about our work and conventions. One brother went into the local newspaper office with an article about the circuit assembly that was to be held that week end. After the brother explained our work, the editor was very friendly, and went so far as to offer to give the brother a few tips in journalism. This information the brother accepted with gratitude, and the newspaper gave a day-by-day report on the circuit assembly. Both the editor and his wife came to the public meeting.
Circuit assemblies have played an important role in helping us gain our increases. At one assembly the first meeting was attended by 100 per cent of the circuit. The circuit servant, during the previous six months, had stressed that the circuit assemblies were three-day assemblies and not just one or two days. The brothers took this to heart and came out in full strength. It gave a splendid witness in the small town where the assembly was held.
To have a son that would become a priest was the hope of a man and his wife who lived in the southern part of Jutland. They decided that they would put 1,000 kroners aside each year so that when they had a son, and he grew up, he could train for the priesthood. However, that was several years ago, and as time went on they had only daughters. It was then decided that the money be set up as a scholarship for someone worthy. A young man was selected and awarded the funds, now over 12,000 kroners. He could draw the money each month as he needed it. A few months after this young man began his studies, he had a burning desire to tell others what he had learned. He left his room one evening and went down to the street. There he saw, as he said later, “one of those misguided Jehovah’s witnesses.” When he reached the publisher he asked, “Do you know what you are doing?” One week after this first contact the young student priest had six hours in the field service. Of course, the youth gave up his studies and his scholarship and returned home. The father of this young man was also a priest. He was furious with his son. But that did not stop the new witness for Jehovah. From his father’s house he continued working as a Kingdom publisher, calling on his father’s parishioners with the truth of God’s Word. After a time he was forced to leave his parents’ home. He took up residence with the local congregation servant. Today he is in the full-time service as a pioneer.
The New York convention was, of course, the high point of the year. The big question on the minds of the brothers was, “Can I gather together enough money to get to New York?” Many were the experiences as to how the 180 delegates finally arrived at Yankee Stadium.
The representative here through whom the Society worked out the chartering of the planes for the trip to New York was very much impressed with the way Jehovah’s witnesses organized themselves. Several times after the departure of the different planes he would say, “I can’t get over it. Most large groups cause us no end of trouble. They forget either their passports, visas, vaccination papers or tickets. But these people haven’t forgotten anything. They must have something to be so well organized.” So impressed was this man that he made future arrangements to have a Bible study with one of the delegates. Certainly it is not always by talking that a good witness is given. Sometimes actions speak louder than words.
FAROE ISLANDS
The Faroe islands consist of a group of eighteen barren, rocky islands in the North Atlantic. There are 31,000 inhabitants living there in small communities of various sizes. Only a few of these are true worshipers of Jehovah God, but these are associated with the New World society and are doing something to preach the message of the Kingdom. They have used many hours in which to preach the good word of the Kingdom in house-to-house witnessing. Many Bibles have been distributed among the people of good will. It is reported that the soil is hard and it is difficult for the seed to take root. A brother from Copenhagen worked as a vacation pioneer in these islands during the summer. It would be well if we could get some pioneers there to follow up the interest regularly and bring about better organization for the preaching of the good news.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 2 84 248 303
Sometimes Jehovah’s witnesses have to do things that they may not personally like to do. For example, Gilead students went to the Dominican Republic as missionaries some years ago and then later found that the government would not allow them to work as such. However, it had no objection to their remaining in the country. There are a number of graduates of Gilead still in the Dominican Republic even though missionary work does not flourish. Yet their hearts are right; they are seeking first the Kingdom interests under great obstacles. It does our hearts good to see their zeal and how they are determined to remain in the country, if it be Jehovah’s will, to comfort those who have come into the truth and others who are still coming in. Their work is one that brings them no glory. There are no moments of great enthusiasm caused by great crowds and wonderful witnesses being given, but there is a steady carrying on of the preaching of the good news of the Kingdom. Our prayers go up for these brothers of ours, and we are always happy to hear from them. Especially do we rejoice to learn of increases in such a difficult assignment. The brother in charge of the work there has sent some very good news through, and excerpts of his report are published for our encouragement.
Gilead students began the work in this country eight years ago, and the work has increased among those of good will. At one time there were over twenty-five Gilead graduates here, supported by the Society and working in all features of the service, with Kingdom Halls in seven different cities and towns. During these eight years we have had opportunity to hold only two assemblies. For this reason many of the brothers cannot appreciate the joy of convening. The work has been banned for three years, but that does not mean that the praising of Jehovah’s name has ceased in this nation. The Society saw fit to remove most of these Gilead missionaries to other assignments, but at present we have ten here who are working in secular jobs and doing what ‘their hands find to do’ in Kingdom service. Under this ban the graduates were allowed to stay in the country as long as they ceased their preaching work. This meant no public meetings, no Kingdom Halls, no street work, no door-to-door work, no study work, no literature placements, not even the receiving of The Watchtower—a man-made ‘famine for the hearing of the Word of Jehovah,’ so to speak.
One of our problems here has been that of staying and at the same time seeking to have a part in this final testimony to the nations. That has been quite a problem for the missionaries from Gilead, because they were trained to do the very things that are prohibited here. It has been hard on the nerves, but we have kept busy in secular work while still putting Kingdom interests first.
This country’s history is bathed in Catholicism and today one can see the result on every side. The Jesuits have the upper hand and control the lives of the people. One would think that after four hundred years of Catholic control the people would know how to read and at least know Catholic doctrine, but here it is all mixed up with spiritism, voodooism and many other isms. Darkness covers the people and the rulers. Blindly they grope through a sea of pagan doctrines and superstitions, wise in their own eyes but lacking the spirit of reason and the waters of truth.
We had a twenty-one per cent increase in the number of those who are ‘fleeing to the mountains.’ Thirtyseven during the year left behind the old condemned “Jerusalem” by dedicating themselves to Judah’s service in baptism. This increase has not been without persecution. At this writing sixteen brothers are in prison.
The imprisoned brothers have been a great comfort and strength to the other publishers here. They have taken all kinds of persecution and abuse and always kept theocratic interests first, with the result that Jehovah has matured them spiritually.
We have not been able to get The Watchtower regularly this year and have had to study the books and booklets that we have. However, we had an interesting experience with the convention news. During the convention we were able to get the New York Times and Herald, which gave us joy to see how the world considered Jehovah’s witnesses in convention. The Look and Newsweek articles appeared too. The surprise was that just after the convention closed a sister appeared here quite by accident with most of the releases. It happened that the plane on which she was returning to Puerto Rico had mechanical difficulties and was forced down here. The plane was repaired, but the sister decided that she did not want to go on because it had had motor trouble twice before and had to make forced landings. She would go by another line the next day. That night she looked us up and answered our many questions and left us the releases. Another visiting sister was able to enter and bring the taped talks with the releases we lacked. All we missed really was the companionship, because we had the information.
ECUADOR
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching — 24 227 224
One never knows what he will meet up with when working in Catholic countries. Catholic priests have been so impressed with their own importance that they think other people have no right to speak or express their ideas, especially if those ideas are based on Bible truths. However, their unruly action often boomerangs on them, and the truth receives greater publicity. While the work moves ahead in Ecuador, those opposing the preaching of the good news fight hard to stop it. The branch servant in Ecuador gives us an interesting report on how the nation is standing for freedom of speech in spite of the fact that the priests are trying to throttle it.
Press publicity began in the month of November when two of the missionaries and two of the Ecuadorian brothers were basely insulted and mistreated while working a small town near the country’s “city of culture,” Cuenca. At the instigation of the skirted priest they were forced to board a bus and were held prisoner there until they reached the city of their own home. On arrival there the brothers invited the priest to continue the imprisonment and take them to police headquarters, where he could charge them with whatever wrongdoing he had found in them. But the priest fled from the scene, and it was left to the brothers to take care of the legal side of the matter. Immediately complaints were filed with the provincial governor and with the chief of police. The governor replied that he could not fight priest-rule, for it was much too strong. The brothers would simply have to stay quiet and take things as they were. The chief of police complained that he did not have enough men to take care of the small towns, so there was nothing he could do. However, the complaint was not satisfied, so the brothers proceeded to file the same information with the minister of government in the capital. Without delay the government upheld its free constitution and sent out the following orders, not only to the responsible ones in the case involved, but to every provincial governor and chief of police in the entire country. Here is the text of the order:
“In view of the denouncement presented to this Ministry from several North-American citizens who are doing missionary work as Jehovah’s witnesses under constitutional guarantees granted by the political state in regard to liberty of worship, we have received knowledge of continuous attacks and other acts of violence against such missionaries. As it is the duty of the government to enforce compliance of such guaranties, please give instructions in case of necessity, that necessary protection be given to such persons, and punish with all severity those who, devoid of reason, should make an attempt against the security of their lives or interfere in the free exercise of the religion that they preach.”
On the heels of this action the branch expressed thanks to the government for its motion on our behalf, and the republic’s president replied personally by telegram assuring us of his respect for the defenders of the Bible.
No one escaped knowledge of the government’s attitude, for the order from the Ministry of Government was published in every leading newspaper in the country. Yet, as if the entire matter had been forgotten, five months later a second outrage was provoked only a few yards from the doorstep of the government buildings. Some sisters were doing magazine work in Quito’s “Plaza of Independence” at the same time that some small Catholic children were distributing pamphlets lauding Ecuador’s newly appointed cardinal for his vigorous fights against Protestantism. The sisters were approached by a Catholic university student who took a magazine in his hands to examine it, tore it up and threw it at their feet, and immediately sat down on a park bench as if he had done the world a favor. But he soon learned that there were many people in the world who thought differently. In a few seconds some observers approached the sisters to find out the cause of the incident, and when informed they stood up for freedom and threatened the man who had destroyed the magazine. In no time a group of about 200 people had gathered, and their calls in favor of freedom showed which side they were supporting. One of the little boys who had been distributing the Catholic pamphlets felt so bad about the whole thing that he offered to pay for the magazine. Soon the sisters withdrew from the plaza and left the people to straighten out the matter among themselves. But the press again made big news of the incident and described what had happened as an “outrage against inoffensive people.” El Sol, second newspaper of the capital, in its English supplement of the following week made reference to the attack among the principal news items of the day. In its editorial column entitled “Our Position” it said, “ . .. Dangerous developments have recently been observable in this country . . . non-Catholic preachers of the Gospel unjustifiably outraged.
“In the face of all this we cannot be silent. We protest and we sincerely deplore that such things should be happening in Ecuador, a country which could proudly boast of an honorable place among the free and democratic nations of the world.”
We cannot close this report without making mention of the great convention in New York. Twenty-seven of us were able to make the trip to New York and at the time of writing most of us have now returned to our assignment here. The information we received at the convention and at the branch meetings was a source of great encouragement and a stimulus for us. We will not let that information pass from our minds. We will retain it; we will ponder over it; we will use it; we will produce fruit with it in this new service year.
EGYPT
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 44 77 247 264
This country of the Nile has always interested Jehovah’s witnesses. So many things are recorded in God’s Word about this country, outstanding among which is the witness Moses gave before Pharaoh; and we know how God allowed Pharaoh to remain so that He might show forth His power. He has allowed Satan to remain, too, and rule this old world until the time that He shows forth His power. In the land of Egypt the truth goes forward even though many are still held in the darkness of Satan’s world organization; but even though Satan builds up strong opposition to the truth, the light will shine through to the other sheep. The branch servant in Egypt gives us a report for the country as well as for the Sudan, which lies to the south of Egypt. Some excerpts from the reports on both countries are of interest.
A series of talks was given to get the people antagonized against the work of Jehovah’s witnesses. In Upper Egypt warnings were written by schoolboys on the sides of buildings and on walls. These efforts served only as a witness against them. In one of the towns in Lower Egypt a priest hung a copy of The Watchtower on the front door of his church, telling the people from his pulpit to beware of Jehovah’s witnesses and the literature they distribute, pointing to the magazine on the door of the church. This caused the flock to wonder about his attitude. Curiosity got the better of many of them and they hunted up the congregation servant of the town, inquiring about our work. As a result, forty magazines were placed with these people in three days and arrangements were made for several back-calls and home Bible studies, all this because of the opposition of the church.
The brothers must take their stand on Jehovah’s side and firmly stay there if they are to receive His blessings and defeat opposition. This is shown in the case of a good-will person who had an opposing wife. On the day of his baptism she stormed into the Kingdom Hall demanding that he give up this work and, in general, causing quite a disturbance. The husband, however, remained determined in his decision and was immersed. What was the result? Just as some of Jesus’ brothers believed in him and became Christians as a result of his faithful preaching and immovable stand for his Father, so this man’s wife began attending meetings as a result of her husband’s determination to stick to the truth. Six months later she too dedicated herself to Jehovah.
Perseverance in house-to-house work under the choking heat of the sun in Egypt also brings rewards, as shown in the following experience of a pioneer sister. Working since morning on a sticky, warm day, she decided around noon to stop after the next house. So she knocked on the door; a lady answered, but no interest was shown. When she was about to leave the house, a man came in. Hearing about the blessings of Jehovah’s new world he said with a smile on his face: “Are you one of those Jehovah’s witnesses?” He then added: “You know, I have been looking for you people for a long time, and at last you have come to my home. I have been to many clergymen in search of the truth and have never been satisfied, but my prayer was that someday I might get in touch with the real servants of God.” Time went by quickly as the sister went on telling this man more about the Bible truths, forgetting the heat of the day. Before she left him, he said, “Please come back real soon and study the Bible with me, because there is so much I need to learn.” How blessed she was for her perseverance in door-to-door preaching!
One of the main high lights of the year was your visit, Brother Knorr, and that of Brother Henschel. It was really appreciated and helped many of the brothers to see the need of advancing. They are now striving to apply the counsel given.
Egypt, too, had its part in the main event of the year, the New World Society Assembly in New York city. It was represented there by 12 delegates.
We know this is the time for the expansion of pure worship; and we are determined to keep the organization clean, stick to the counsel given through the Society and work hard in order to get Jehovah’s blessing in the days to come. We expect a good increase and look to Jehovah for guidance and direction.
THE SUDAN
1950 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 1 20 19
A Gilead graduate was sent to the Sudan during the year and enjoyed many wonderful experiences during his five-month stay there. The field has just been scratched on the surface by the witness work. There is much interest but there are very few workers to take care of it. This could be illustrated by the fact that the missionary obtained 189 subscriptions while working there for just five months.
Look at the example of the young man that the missionary brother contacted in the door-to-door work. On his first call he was invited to call back in a few days. At the next visit this man subscribed for the magazines and discussed the date 1914. A month later the Kingdom Hall was moved to his home, and two months after the initial contact was made came the day when he took the images he had previously used in his worship and destroyed them all, one after the other. This young man is now taking part in the field service and in the activities of the local congregation.
We often hear publishers say about their relatives: “I’ll just let them find out for themselves. They wouldn’t listen to me anyway.” This was the attitude of an elderly brother who never told his son about the Kingdom message in spite of the brothers’ admonition to do so. It happened, however, that his son got a job in a company where one of the brothers was working. Following Paul’s counsel to preach the word and “be at it urgently in favorable season, in troublesome season,” the brother talked to him and found he was interested. So the brother invited him to come to the congregational meetings, telling him that his father was also attending them. “Really?” he said. And what a pleasant surprise when father and son met at the next meeting in the Kingdom Hall! It certainly shows the veracity of the Bible principle of talking about the truth to everyone, even if that one is of your own family.
The Kingdom proclamation is going ahead in the Sudan and many are getting their eyes opened to see the duplicity of false religion and the purity of true religion. A 21 per cent increase was realized last year and there are good prospects for increase in the future. With a stronger organization for Kingdom work there, the New World society’s activities will greatly advance.
EL SALVADOR
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 6 136 292 271
It is necessary for Jehovah’s witnesses to live now as a new-world society. It is essential that they take in knowledge and assume the responsibilities that fall upon them. We cannot always be leaning on someone else for support; but by taking in knowledge of Jehovah’s Word and taking him at his word, we can feel certain that we can go ahead doing Jehovah’s work. Our brothers in El Salvador have certainly shown their confidence in Jehovah, and they are assuming their responsibilities as is indicated by the branch servant in his report for 1953.
This year the Salvadoran publishers received perhaps the biggest test of their strength, devotion and willingness to serve that they have ever been required to meet. Before the first quarter of the year became history, only one missionary brother remained in the full-time field work. The remaining missionaries were all sisters. It meant that for the first time the local brothers would have to shoulder the responsibility of managing their own congregations; whereas before, three fourths of all the publishers in the Republic had been associated with congregations whose overseers were missionaries. No gradual process of shifting the responsibility, this; it happened suddenly.
One congregation was left completely without male servants, and the four missionary sisters had to cover their heads to care for the many servants’ duties. They were helped in their happy work by other capable, willing sisters from the congregation publishers. They did this for several months until the only qualified, baptized brother was released from the hospital. Then he took his proper place among his brothers, and he is doing very well.
The brothers by now are fast becoming seasoned in congregation management. They are thoroughly fieldwise. They are no longer following. They have taken over complete leadership in their own territory. These brothers show a quality of leadership with tenderness for one another and with a spirit of co-operation among themselves, which outsiders had sneeringly declared to be impossible among an all-Salvadoran organization.
Even during the absence of all missionaries at the time of the New York convention, the Salvadoran brothers who stayed at home averaged eleven hours each, and now they are making three back-calls each and conducting .6 of a home Bible study for each publisher.
It is a very pleasant circumstance and really quite axiomatic that the more one works preaching the good news the more field experiences he will have, and during the year we had many field experiences in El Salvador.
If we are both wise and meek as well as firm in our work, Jehovah will give us the victory.
On Magazine Day in Santiago Nonualco one Saturday the congregation servant led his brothers in the field. They stood quietly in the plaza for some time until some irate citizens tattled to the local priest. Arriving on the scene and recognizing the publishers to be Jehovah’s witnesses, this Italian monk brazenly snatched Brother Lopez’s magazines out of his hands. Following this crude example of neighbor love, the rest of the mob started to dispossess the other brothers of their literature; but meanwhile more thoughtful citizens, with much more common sense, had called the local guardia. This just man first heard both sides; then he rebuked the priest and returned the literature to the brothers, allowing them to continue work. He explained that in El Salvador the constitution guarantees freedom of religion.
Even if we have to work alone, Jehovah will prosper our efforts. A special pioneer working in one of the port cities visited the owner of the one small theater in town and explained that he would like to use the theater for a free Bible talk. The kind lady listened to his testimony, looked over the literature, subscribed for The Watchtower and then offered her theater free of charge. The pioneer made good use of it the following Sunday by talking to over two hundred persons. Also, on the following Memorial day, he walked into the public cemetery in Izalco and on the spot gave a public talk in the open air, basing his preaching on chapters three and nine from the book “This Means Everlasting Life”. The four hundred who listened each received one or two Bible tracts as a gift. This brother was glad he did not stay home just because he was working alone that day.
One of the congregation publishers with the San Jacinto unit had been having the very unusual experience of supplying Watchtower literature to a Roman Catholic priest for several months. The priest, by now a close friend of the publisher, would find some clandestine way of getting his magazines. Suddenly, late one night, the priest sent an urgent message to our brother requesting copies of The Watchtower, because he had been transferred to another town far away. He got his copies of The Watchtower, and in the succeeding months he kept in touch with the Kingdom publisher by mail. But, finally, one day the brother received a letter from the priest saying that he was leaving the country. His superiors had discovered his Watchtower literature and had expelled him from the church. He left for New Orleans to look for Jehovah’s witnesses there. So a Kingdom publisher must be prepared to “let anyone that wishes take life’s water free”—even a religious priest.
ETHIOPIA
1951 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 13 32 83
The psalmist recorded, “Ethiopia shall haste to stretch out her hands unto God.” (Ps. 68:31, AS) There are a number of persons now who are stretching out their hands, seeking after truth and righteousness; and not only that, but they are singing Jehovah’s praises and talking to others about the good news. It has been difficult to go from house to house in Ethiopia, but arrangements are now made for visiting the people in their homes and studying with them; and one of the happy things to report for the year is that this is bringing good results. The principal activity of the Society in Ethiopia is to conduct missionary schools, where we do considerable teaching. In addition to that, we are able to carry on our regular meetings, witness in the homes of the people and establish them in the truth. The Society just started a branch office this year, and from its new servant’s report the following excerpts are taken.
It has never been difficult to preach to the Ethiopian; he is always ready to listen and study the Bible. The difficulty has been, however, to determine the reason for his studying, as many study for ulterior motives. A large group of people will come to the missionary homes to ask for studies; and, if the missionary will spend the time with them, they will return every day for more studies. During the past service year it has been found wise to limit the number of studies with each person and to spend more time in the door-to-door work. In this manner we are enabled to find many more sheep who have the right heart condition, while at the same time more can be done in training our new publishers in the door-to-door work.
An interesting development during the year has been the increased interest among the women. In previous years it has been difficult to make any progress among them and our meetings were almost without exception 100 per cent male in attendance. However, with the help of our three missionary sisters this condition has now been overcome. Not only do we have several women attending our meetings now but some of them have begun to share in the preaching work. It was a real thrill to see our first Ethiopian sister immersed during the visit of Brothers Knorr and Henschel.
FINLAND
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 1,123 2,073 4,852 5,422
The branch office in Finland has been following the instructions of the Society in trying to work the isolated territory, and excellent success has been obtained. It takes great effort on the part of the publishers to leave their homes and spend days and weeks away in order to find the other sheep; but in these last days when it is necessary to find the other sheep so that they can flee to the mountains, it behooves every one of us to be in earnest about preaching the good news of the Kingdom. The good thing for everyone to have in mind is that missionary work can be done at home. You do not have to travel thousands of miles to find people who have never heard the truth, and you do not have to travel great distances to find people who have been interested a long time and just need the help of a teacher. The branch servant in Finland gives us some very interesting reports of what has happened in that land of the North.
Last year the Society suggested that many more congregational book studies be established as service centers. One woman and her daughter were contacted and invited to a nearby area study. They attended a few times, but because of opposition by the father the mother cooled off and started to oppose the daughter. They forbade her going to the study. But since she was sincerely interested and wanted to learn the truth, she still attended. She had her French lesson on the same night and would tell her parents that she was going to study French. She did, but afterward always stopped by the congregation book study and took part in it. What she learned convinced her it was the truth and she started to publish. Even though her parents forced her to attend a religious school, nevertheless she saw the issue and was immersed. Now she is a very active publisher putting in over 15 hours every month in preaching. She came into the truth as a result of the congregation Bible study arrangement.
The best way to use your vacation, in the opinion of one circuit servant, is in the service. During his two-week vacation he and four others went into isolated territory. During that time they placed 153 bound books and discovered many of the Lord’s other sheep. In one place they were told that there was a strange man 25 miles away who had worn out many Bibles and could surely tell them things about the Bible. The publishers’ curiosity quickened when another neighbor said that there is a “Jehovah”; go and talk to him. As they approached the house the man asked, “What brings you here?” The witness explained that he was a minister of the gospel of God’s kingdom. “Good thing, come on in then,” said the householder. The brothers stayed at his house that night and witnessed to him. He told them that he had lived here 30 years and never before had met people who thought the same about the Bible matters as he did. He took three bound books and subscribed for both The Watchtower and the Awake! magazine and invited them back.
On the same trip they met a strayed lamb, a brother who had been immersed three years ago but because of moving to such an isolated territory had lost contact with the friends and organization, but still he had been fighting for the faith. They instructed him to report directly to the Society and get the Informant as an isolated publisher.
In another congregation the friends decided to use their vacation wisely and went into isolated territory for two weeks. They pitched their tent beside interested persons’ houses. They worked diligently and every publisher got in 50 hours during those two weeks. One brother among them had not previously been bold enough to give public talks, but during those two weeks he held several public talks. After this time of witnessing in unassigned territory and giving talks, the brother has regularly been giving public addresses.
Last summer in one congregation of six publishers, three of them decided to spend two months in vacation pioneering. These brothers were amazed at how easily they could meet the quota, and when they went back to being congregation publishers they decided they should set a higher quota. As a result, in this congregation alone placements have increased greatly and average hours have gone from 7 to 16.9 in just six months!
In an isolated territory one woman subscribed for The Watchtower. Because it was not possible to go 50 miles every week to study with this woman, a pioneer wrote letters, thus getting her to study and read the publications. At length the woman herself came to Helsinki and asked to be immersed. About two weeks thereafter she called the office and asked if someone could come there to give a public talk. A brother from the branch office went there regularly every month or so addressing public meetings and witnessing to the family and interested neighbors. At length the woman’s brother became interested in the truth and started preaching. It caused quite a sensation in his community when he went to the priest, asking to leave church. Four other interested ones went with him and left the church at the same time. At the Memorial assembly he was immersed. Just before the close of the service year pioneer help was sent there and a congregation formed. Their first service month showed an average of 30 hours per publisher.
The State Church still tries to keep a hold over the people, and over 90 per cent of the people in Finland still belong to it. But as the people come into the truth they use the religious freedom law and withdraw from the church. This is made difficult with the priests’ showing opposition and generally asking many questions as to why the person wants to withdraw from the church. Recently one factory manager came into the truth and went to the priest, asking to leave the church. The priest asked the reason for his desire to leave the church. The factory manager said that if the priest could give the Bible answer to three questions, concerning the soul, hell and the trinity, then he would stay in the church. The priest became red and, looking at the man out of the corner of his eyes, said, “It seems to me that you are under the influence of Jehovah’s witnesses,” and without further conversation he wrote out a transfer from the church.
The circuit servant stressed house-to-house work all week during his visit. He was pleased to find on his return visit that as a result of house-to-house work three new publishers had come to the knowledge of the truth and were immersed.
At one circuit assembly in unassigned territory four good-will “sheep” became zealous to start publishing the Kingdom. At the district assembly in Helsinki all four were immersed.
One isolated-territory assembly was held within the polar circle. Application was made for a school auditorium in which to hold the assembly. Because of pressure from the priest the application was denied, with the explanation that ‘Jehovah’s witnesses’ doctrine differs so much from the recognized state religion’s doctrine.’ This decision was appealed, but to no avail. However, already over 300 accommodations had been obtained in the homes of the people and the brothers were determined to hold the assembly. They bought a 400-person tent and rented a plot of land .right next to the school. Over 500 people came to the assembly on the Swedish-Finnish border. Afterward the owner of the land said that the priest had rented the land for $5.00 for the whole year and had never used it, but now just before the assembly he said it was going to be used for football the three days of the assembly. Thereupon the landlord gave the $5.00 back to the priest and said, “Here is your money back. You first tried to prevent Jehovah’s witnesses from coming to the school and now you try to prevent them from renting this lot. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.” Now all the village calls the landlord one of the witnesses because he dared to uphold us against the priest.
We are resolved to do in 1953-1954 what is expressed in our yeartext, “Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever.”
FRANCE
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 720 2,380 7,057 8,108
Our brothers in France have worked diligently during the 1953 service year; and despite local opposition and the stopping of The Watchtower from coming into the country, the work goes right ahead. Those who are seeking after truth and righteousness will keep on seeking, and those who are spreading the truth will find these seekers. The bulk of the publishers in France were formerly Roman Catholics and had never even seen a Bible. Now that they are Jehovah’s witnesses, they are certainly using the “sword of the spirit.” The great cry in France is, “We need more publishers!” “We need more full-time servants!” The territory is so great, and the workers are few. The branch servant gives us a report on the work in that country and tells what is happening in five other possessions of the French government. These excerpts from his report you will read with interest.
Much of the increase in France can be attributed to a better appreciation of the value of the congregation book studies. During the last six months, 200 new area studies have been started, making an average of one study for every 10 publishers throughout France. As a result of this arrangement 1,300 more persons are attending the congregation book studies than six months ago. In the north of France, where a full half of all our publishers are situated, small neighboring towns have congregations of over 100 publishers each, and the territory is worked every six to eight weeks. But a tight organization of congregation book studies has brought about a more efficient working of the territory, and, in spite of the fact that the people are visited so frequently, three congregations in this area have registered an increase of 60 per cent in six months. The release of the book “This Means Everlasting Life” in French at the New York assembly is going to add new life to the congregation book studies.
The Bible tells us to preach the Word “in favorable season, in troublesome season,” and in France we recently saw a remarkable case of a publisher preaching “in troublesome season.” A brother had both his legs severed in a motoring accident and suffered terrible bums. During the 43 days he spent in the hospital he suffered very much, yet the best he could he witnessed to his nurse. The brother died, but the nurse was so impressed by his faith and courage that she contacted Jehovah’s witnesses, and now she has been immersed as a Kingdom publisher.
It is wonderful to see so many young persons ‘remembering their Creator in the days of their youth,’ and their good works are contributing to theocracy’s increase. Take the following example: Three young girls, aged 11, 15 and 17 years, learned about the truth from Jehovah’s witnesses and started attending the meetings. Their parents tried to discourage them by destroying the Society’s books, but the girls overcame this opposition by studying outside in the cowshed! Soon, Lucienne, the youngest, started talking to her friends about the Kingdom, and when the village priest taught them the catechism they said, “But Monsieur le curl, Lucienne says that is not written in the Bible.” The same thing happened every week until one day the priest, exasperated, warned all his parishioners against little Lucienne. But the little girl kept on talking; so eventually the priest went to her mother and said, “Madame, you should stop your children from talking to the others. If they will insist on learning the Bible, let them keep it to themselves. I am warning you!” But the mother replied, “Have you ever been able to stop a girl from talking?” Of course, nothing could stop them from bubbling over with the good things they had learned, and at the following circuit assembly the three girls were baptized.
One thing is certain; the clergy are forced to recognize the zeal of Jehovah’s witnesses. The inhabitants of one town told the visiting witnesses: “Monseigneur has preached against you. He says you are very zealous, and that we should follow your example. He says that you will be saved because God is with you, but he warned us not to accept any of your publications because they give a false interpretation of the Holy Scriptures.” Yet in spite of this warning, one gentleman gave a brother 100 francs, saying, “What you say is the truth. Take this money and use it for your work. I have visited the Vatican, but those men do not represent God. When I was in Paris, I watched Jehovah’s witnesses and the way they act, and I am convinced that you are the only true Christians.” He gladly accepted the literature offered.
Often the preaching work requires great tact. The following is an example of this. A sister who runs a grocery store in a suburb of Paris witnessed to a commercial traveler each time his business brought him to her store. This went on for about a year, the salesman showing more and more interest. Soon he began talking to his wife about the truth; in fact, he got so excited about it that she thought he was losing his senses. Things soon got to the point where the truth was causing a division in the home, and yet the salesman was sure that his wife would accept the truth if only it were presented to her properly. So it was arranged that a publisher living nearby should visit the home, as if he was going from door to door. The wife showed real interest in the message and it was she who took the initiative in asking the publisher to call back. The husband was overjoyed that his little ruse had worked, and now the truth is a blessing to that household, and they are united as never before. Both attend the congregation book study and the meetings, and they have made a start in Kingdom service.
I cannot close this report without mentioning the marvelous assembly held in New York. For a whole year we did nothing but think and talk about that great gathering. Finally, 72 brothers were able to attend as French delegates to the New World Society Assembly. They have returned to France joyful, strengthened and with a clearer vision of the theocratic organization.
ALGERIA
1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 5 35
January 1953 was an important date for the brothers in Algeria, for that was the month, Brother Knorr, that you made your first visit to the little group of pioneers in Algiers. Your visit provided the occasion for the first assembly to be held in Algeria. How happy the pioneers and their newly found friends were to meet you and to talk to you! Your visit was a real blessing to them, and they have many happy memories of the time you spent with them.
Since then many fine experiences have been enjoyed in the preaching work. Here are a few of them. One day, a publisher going from house to house met a Jewess who had become rich by telling people’s fortunes. She showed an interest in the truth and soon recognized the unscripturalness of her profession. She decided that to be pleasing to God she would have to change her occupation. But what troubled her most was how she could explain things to her clients, who came regularly to have their fortunes told. The publisher explained to her that she could use the opportunity to give these people a witness about God and His kingdom. No sooner said than done; this sincere person placed 25 books and 56 booklets the following month. Now she brings several interested persons to the meetings, and one has already started publishing. Being able to speak the native dialect, she is really an efficient witness. Thus it is that an ex-fortuneteller is now telling people about the future Jehovah holds in store for those who love and serve him.
It is interesting to note that the majority of the new publishers were formerly Adventists, Evangelists, Jews or Catholics. Some of them had already engaged in house-to-house work for these sects, but now they rejoice to be able to do it with the message of truth. A few publishers have advanced to the point where they work in an individual assignment of territory.
FRENCH INDO-CHINA
French Indo-China is a hook-shaped, hot country that curves around the eastern boundary of Thailand and is bordered by the South China Sea. War has ravaged the land for several years as the forces of the French army have fought to hold back the Communist insurgents. We have been happy to receive reports of field service from a man who is still in the French army but who realizes that the only true remedy for peace is through the kingdom of God now near at hand.
SAAR
1946 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 127 186 605 637
The influence of the Catholic Church on the administration makes the work difficult for Jehovah’s witnesses in the Saar. This is particularly true in the smaller towns and villages. We are called "false prophets,” and it is practically impossible to place literature with the people. Applications for the use of halls for public talks are always flatly refused.
A pioneer writes: “I contacted an elderly gentleman who took two subscriptions. I was able to arrange for a home Bible study right away. His wife attended also, and they were very friendly. But the man did not seem to grasp the truth very easily. He always looked very thoughtful when we discussed a fundamental Bible doctrine. One day, however, when starting the study, I was surprised to see that he had a small notebook with Scripture texts which he had arranged according to the subjects he had studied. He asked me to check the points he had noted to see if they were correct. They were, all of them. How glad he was to have his understanding confirmed! Shortly afterward, he started preaching to the people of his village, equipped with his Bible and little notebook. He invited the people to his home, where I gave a public talk to nine persons. The mayor even attended one of the studies held in his home. He also helped us to hire a hall in the next town for giving public talks. He is now a regular Kingdom publisher and was baptized at our last circuit assembly.”
Another experience states: “In our unassigned territory I found a young married couple who asked me to come back to help them study the book ‘This Means Everlasting Life?. After three studies they attended a circuit assembly. After this the study continued with more enthusiasm than ever, because all that they had heard at the assembly pleased them very much. Soon they told me that one study a week was not sufficient for them. I invited them to attend another study held about eight kilometers from their home. They attended that study also. But when I invited them to our congregation studies they could not promise to come because the distance was too great. Two weeks ago they showed me their new motorcycle—their way of overcoming the problem of distance! They regularly attend the congregation meetings now, and it is not unusual to hear the chug-chug of their motorbike as we set out in the field service.”
SENEGAL, FRENCH WEST AFRICA
Even in this section of so-called darkest Africa the light of Bible truth has been shining forth. Several brothers have boldly announced the Scriptural message of hope to the people despite considerable opposition. One of the brothers distributed a large quantity of magazines in a section of Senegal, and the intense reaction shows the fear of the clergy lest their pastures be spoiled. He writes: “It made a big commotion in religious circles. The clergy spoke against it in the churches, warning the people against accepting the magazines and charging the Society with many false accusations. Seeing we were not afraid at all of what they did, some of them went to the police station and incited them against us.”
Even despite official opposition and threats of prison, deportation and fines, the brothers have held firm to the truth and done what they could to teach some of the meek and humble people of Senegal the wonderful truths of the Bible. We look for the light to shine brighter and brighter in that country as the brothers continue their efforts to honor the name of Jehovah.
TUNISIA
1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 1 6
Tunisia is virgin territory. Last year two publishers did a little witnessing up until December. Then one of them left the country and nothing else was done until February last, when you decided to send a special pioneer and his wife from France. Since then the number of publishers has increased to six.
One lady of Sicilian origin had lost all faith because of the false doctrines of the church and the things she had seen. One thing she could neither literally nor figuratively “swallow” was the wafer supposedly transubstantiated into the literal flesh of Christ. As she put it: “It would stay in my throat. I just couldn’t get it down.” The pioneer explained the real meaning of the Memorial, and the lady was glad to accept the suggestion of a regular Bible study. She has now regained her faith, and witnesses to all those she meets. One of her sons has already started out in the field service.
A young student of Russian parentage showed a certain amount of interest when contacted in the door-to-door work, but said he believed in the evolution theory and also in the transmigration of the soul. A return visit was made with the Evolution booklet and those issues of Reveillez-vous! that dealt with such scientific matters. He soon saw the fallacy of such theories, and admitted the reasonableness of the creation account in the Bible. His study of the Society’s latest books convinced him that he had found the truth. The following letter was received from him while he was on vacation in France: “Here in this little village in the Vosges Mountains I have been to see the local priest. I had a long discussion with him on the trinity. He admitted that 1 John 5:7 was not in the original manuscripts. Could you send me some literature, especially something appropriate for priests. I hope to be able to help other people in the village as well.”
WESTERN GERMANY
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching Ban 20,811 38,653 43,565
Our German brothers have gone through another hard year, but it has all been enjoyable work, and they have found great happiness in giving. They know it is more blessed to give than to receive, and since they have received much from Jehovah’s hand they are happy to preach the truth to the German people both in Western and in Eastern Germany. We have cause for rejoicing, for we see here prosperity in Jehovah’s organization. Even though Hitler and now communism have tried to destroy Jehovah’s witnesses, the Word of God continues to be proclaimed. The grand spirit existing in both Western and Eastern Germany is shown in the report of the branch servant. Excerpts from it are set forth here.
Surely, the greatest event of this year of 1953 has been the New World Society Assembly in New York. This time 287 from Germany were permitted to attend, and enthused they were as they returned from this singular feast! It was really a banquet, and we all ate our fill from Jehovah’s table. This marvelous assembly served as a pattern for the two conventions in our country, one in Nuremberg for Western Germany and another in Berlin one week later for our brothers there and in the East zone. It has not been so very long ago that the world listened attentively as, year by year, Hitler called the elite of his party to Nuremberg, there to boastfully and braggingly make his aims known to the German people and initiate his laws, which steadily brought more and more restrictions of human rights. For these great military rallies he created the scenery of the Zeppelinwiese (Zeppelin Meadow) as a pompous backdrop. What he built at that time is still there, and this year on those very same grounds Jehovah’s witnesses held their New World Society convention—the largest one ever held in our country.
The principal features of the New World Society Assembly’s comprehensive program were delivered in four days’ time and were listened to with all intentness by the 43,074 in attendance, who frequently interrupted by storms of applause. The public talk “After Armageddon—God’s New World” saw no less than 55,240 persons coming out to this place of feasting. The resolution at the conclusion of the talk “Living Now as a New World Society” was accepted with great enthusiasm, after which the book “This Means Everlasting Life” was released in the German language and was welcomed with grateful joy. Within four hours after the conclusion of the convention, that is, by just after midnight, all the twenty-nine special trains and hundreds of buses and private vehicles left the vast field, which then lay in deep tranquillity again.
There was no time for us to lose. From Nuremberg we headed by plane toward Berlin, in order to repeat the same convention program. The Sportpalast (Sport Palace) in Berlin is a historical place too. It is the arena in which the Nazi propaganda chief Goebbels conquered the country’s capital “for his Fuehrer.” Now the despised Jehovah’s witnesses were in it worshiping Jehovah, their God, in holy array. If those who were formerly in power had imagined these conventions taking place, they would have seen to it that not one stone was left on top of the other at either place. Witnesses to the number of 10,166 assembled in the Sport Palace in Berlin, and the audience swelled to 15,210 for the public talk on Sunday afternoon. Such an imposing crowd! Thousands came from Eastern Germany even though an endless stream of difficulties made the way and travel to Berlin very trying. Some walked as far as thirty miles and were searched six to eight times by the Communist police on the way. But it was well worth the trouble. Their eyes wet with tears, but richly strengthened and with renewed vows in their grateful hearts, the thousands of brothers left for home again after spending four happy days with God’s new-world organization. In Nuremberg and Berlin 2,843 symbolized their dedication to Jehovah and their union with the New World society by water immersion.
Just as was done in Yankee Stadium, New York, in Nuremberg and Berlin the call was directed loudly and clearly to every member of the New World society in our country to take up the house-to-house ministry and to put it in the foremost position in his Kingdom service. This appeal was received with hearty consent and its realization will, without a doubt, prove a blessing for our whole work of publishing.
The appearance since the first of January this year of the Awake! magazine in German in the original 32-page edition has aroused great joy and raised considerably the zeal in magazine work. Not least in importance, it can be said that the Kingdom work in all its various features has been more firmly established legally, now that some hundred legal cases have had decisions in our favor. Jehovah has richly blessed us and granted success to our work, for his name is greatly to be praised!
EASTERN GERMANY
1950 1951 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 21,048 17,256 Still working
The persecution measures on the part of the Communist rulers continue in Eastern Germany. From time to time brothers, or sisters, are arrested if they are found with Bible literature, The Watchtower, or just with tracts, and are taken from their homes or caught while going somewhere. Checks by the “People’s Police” are made daily in trains, at intersections and at many traffic points. Thus the supplying of our brothers with the necessary spiritual food is constantly endangered; yet they still receive what they need and even have some left over for shepherding the other sheep and to still their hunger and thirst.
At the present time there are, all in all, 1,016 brothers and sisters who have been imprisoned and who share in a “punishment” totaling 6,865 years. That means an average of no less than six and three-quarters years for each individual—this, not because they are murderers, thieves and robbers, but because they hold fast to their dedication to Jehovah, the Superior, and want to keep their uprightness uncorrupted for the sake of his name and their eternal life. A comparison with earlier figures shows that the persecution and arrests are continually increasing. The Communists once said sneeringly: “We shall see who can hold his breath the longer.” Though they have been able to do much harm to our brothers, they did not succeed in breaking up the theocratic organization or in putting a gag on the good news. But after three years of carrying on such cruel persecution, they find themselves confronted with great difficulties. It may be that our brothers behind the Iron Curtain will still have to bear much, but all of them are very confident, and they can already see that the brutal methods of their persecutors will boomerang on them. ‘Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it; the stone a man sets rolling recoils upon himself.’ (Prov. 26:27) It is interesting to note that of the 2,058 brothers and sisters who have been in confinement since the commencement of the ban and persecutions in Eastern Germany— despite the severity and cruelty, despite the worst kind of threats—no more than 49 shrank back, while all the others are fighting for the faith with still stronger determination and are striving to maintain their integrity. We are thankful for our privilege of assisting them with the resources of the theocratic organization in this struggle.
The reports on field service activity in Eastern Germany that are turned in under great difficulty show that persecution cannot hold back the work and increase, either. Jehovah demonstrates his superiority and sovereign supremacy over all his enemies. They cannot do anything to interfere in the slightest way with the advance of his theocracy on earth, nor can they slow it down. They could not even prevent those one thousand brothers, who have been deprived of their bodily freedom, from associating in spirit with the New World society; yes, not even from their transmitting greetings of love at convention time and heartfelt expressions of unity to the hundreds of thousands gathered in New York, Nuremberg and Berlin.
The text that was put up in Yankee Stadium for our country, ‘‘Though Divided—Still United,” really speaks the truth!
GOLD COAST
1943 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 350 575 4,446 5,181
The work is expanding in the Gold Coast. Publishers are now going far to the north into new territories and enjoying wonderful experiences. Sometimes during the field service the whole family of a household to whom a publisher has witnessed will follow him to another house in order to hear more of the message. Many times Godfearing people come to the homes of the Kingdom publishers with questions they want to get answered written on pieces of paper. Some of the experiences enjoyed by the publishers in the Gold Coast have been sent in by the branch servant, who also tells us what is going on in the Ivory Coast and Gambia.
In the town of Chaina our public talk had an attendance of 800. The next day the chief, who is well educated, contributed for three bound books and a Bible and arranged for another public talk to be given in his own courtyard early that morning before we left.
A junior school headmaster, who has some of the Society’s publications, was contacted in a small town. To our surprise we were informed that he had been preaching with these books, convincing many people, and asking them to enlist as Jehovah’s witnesses. You could imagine the joy that this teacher and his wife had when they saw us doing a similar work. He quickly subscribed for The Watchtower and also got many new publications from us.
Many quickly pick up the voice of true liberation and come to enjoy the relative freedom of God’s servants. A publisher in Accra noticed a person walking along with “Let God Be True” in his hand. The publisher tactfully engaged in conversation with the person, resulting in a back-call that led to a Bible study, which since has produced a dedicated publisher. A man of good will in an isolated village wrote to the Society for help. The nearby congregation was asked to make the contact, and when they arrived ten persons engaged in Kingdom service. A Bible study and public talk were held, and a great witness was given. Another man, this time an ardent Catholic, upon listening to the blessings of the new world became so happy that he would not let the brothers go. He spent all he had for literature and promised to subscribe for The Watchtower when he got his pay.
During the delivery of a public talk at Panin-Ammisa the church bell rang. After the public talk a questioner inquired about the purpose of the bell. The answer was to this effect: When you go to your farm do you need a bell to call you? Which is greater, working on your farm or worshiping God? You do not need a bell to call you to your farm and you should not need one to call you to worship God. The questioner and one of the leading figures of the village then stated in public hearing: “If they ring this bell tomorrow we will not attend church.” The next day, Sunday, the church bell rang and the building was almost empty. The minister could not figure out why this lack of attendance, but now he knows that Jehovah’s witnesses are teaching the people by going to them instead of waiting for the people to come to church.
A pioneer tells us of his experience after working an isolated village. While he was making a back-call on a person who had taken some of the literature, two young men with “Let God Be True” in hand came in search of the pioneer. They did not come just to stand and listen. They said, “We have come for a Bible study.” Before the study concluded there were eight persons in the room and a definite time was fixed for a further study.
As reported in The Watchtower, the big event of the year was our national assembly, which produced the largest public-meeting attendance to date: over 15,000! Brothers overcame many difficulties to be in attendance. One cripple was carried 17 miles from his home in the bush to a lorry road to get transport to the assembly.
We are happy to have had nine delegates at the New World Society Assembly, two of whom are now in the twenty-second class of Gilead. With over 9,000 at the Memorial celebration, we look forward to helping many more good-will people in this land to become a part of the New World society.
GAMBIA
1949 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 3 5 2
Over the past year there has been a big drop in the preaching of the Word. This has been due to the missionaries’ having to leave their assignment for health reasons. However, the one publisher reporting has been regular in his activities and has averaged 33.7 hours and almost two Bible studies a month over the past year. In August two publishers were out in the field, so the year closes on a brighter note. We pray that during the 1954 service year the efforts of these two brothers will be richly blessed, to the end that others may associate with them in proclaiming Jehovah’s name and purpose.
IVORY COAST
Publishers Preaching
1950 1952 1953
2 12 17
Here, as in the Gold Coast, there has been misrepresentation by the false religious element. They have tried to influence police and immigration authorities to deport the two missionaries, saying that Jehovah’s witnesses are teaching a doctrine that is not good for the Ivory Coast and that its people do not want them in the country. But an elected representative in the government made it plain that he and not the religious leaders represents the people, and ‘we the people want them to stay.' We are happy to report that the missionaries are still in Abidjan and doing good work.
A Bible study started with a young married couple made rapid progress, and soon the wife appreciated her privilege of field service. Her husband objected to this and told his wife that he was going to act in a rough manner toward Jehovah’s witnesses so that they would not call at this house any more. The wife informed the publisher of her husband’s attitude, so when the time for the study came around the brother called expecting some trouble. However, to his surprise he was invited in. The brother then suggested that instead of the regular study that night they should study the article in The Watchtower on “Are You Choosing Life or Death?” At the close of the study the husband exclaimed, “Ah! the writers of this magazine are wonderful people; they can tell your mind and heart.” After a few more studies had been conducted he called on the brother at his house one night and said, “Brother, I would like to go out preaching with you sometime in the evening.” He is now a regular publisher and his wife is a pioneer.
Within the Ivory Coast the New World society is growing. Eighty-five came to the Memorial celebration and the prospects for the future are bright.
GREECE
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 570 2,372 4,191 4,287
Conditions in Greece have not changed in the last few years. The attitude of the government toward Jehovah’s organization is the same, and the Greek Orthodox clergy do not like us any better. This makes no difference. Another year has gone by, and another blessed year of preaching has been enjoyed by Jehovah’s servants. The New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses inspired our Greek brothers tremendously. Many wanted to come, but only 15 brothers were able to get their visas and travel to New York. Some brothers also came from Turkey, a country in which the preaching work is operating under the direction of the branch at Athens. These representatives have taken back to their countries the feelings and emotions, the joy and admiration, of Jehovah’s great organization. The branch servant sets out in his
report some experiences that have come in from both Greece and Turkey. A few of them are printed here.
Now that the brothers are back from the assembly, full of blessings and instructive impressions, they are hastening with an enviable promptitude to convey to the other brothers what they saw and heard. The spirit of the assembly is now spreading everywhere, and the gladness of Jehovah’s children is great in learning from eyewitnesses of the grand things done by Jehovah. All are determined to continue with greater zeal in Jehovah's service, to live in the New World society, and to walk in the name of our God, Jehovah. They invite honest people to take refuge now in the mountain of the Kingdom for their protection, because now is the day of salvation.
Great is the opposition to the truth, but those friendlily disposed and esteeming us are also not few. In the door-to-door work every day the publishers meet persons disapproving the false accusations and persecution raised against us. They disapprove the frequent arrests of brothers because of their presenting the Society’s publications announcing God’s kingdom. They disapprove the rude disruption of home meetings and the taking of their few attendants to jail because those persons gather together to study the Bible and the books of their Christian faith. They Invite the witnesses into their homes and ask to learn more of God’s kingdom. So the persecution is defeated, and the result is contrary to the one pursued by the Devil.
An Athens daily paper started a campaign against us with impressive headlines and was darting out libels and lies against the witnesses for about three weeks. We let all its reporter’s mischief break out, and finally we properly contacted the paper’s director and protested against this slanderous campaign carried on by the paper’s reporter. The director offered to publish without compensation one article contributed by us as a final conclusion of the subject. Our article was published in the paper, and an excellent impression was given to all people. Many persons wrote to the branch expressing their satisfaction.
A very good work is done by the children when their parents rear them properly. In Macedonia two little sisters, aged 4 and 6 years, went out for magazine work. They were presenting the magazines and saying: "We are Jehovah’s witnesses and bring you this magazine which speaks of God’s kingdom.” Of the thirteen doors they knocked at, they placed one copy in each of eleven homes. Small children, too, can praise Jehovah if reared in the discipline and authoritative advice of Jehovah.
Our pioneers in Greece are working hard to perform their blessed commission. Many times those working in the open country are obliged to walk for three or four hours in order to reach their territory, and after working there for one or two hours, because they cannot keep working longer, they must return on foot to their starting point.
Toward the end of this year Jehovah imparted us a nice victory at the Council of State. The case on erecting the building for the Bethel home was won with the victory of Jehovah, and now the way opens for materializing the fervent desire of all brothers to see the Society have a building of its own in Athens.
TURKEY
1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 6 55 66
There are two congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses at Istanbul: one Greek and one Turkish. Jehovah, the great Provider, has so directed lately that our brothers of the Turkish congregation have The Watchtower in their own language, and thus enjoy the spiritual food provided by Jehovah to his children through the “faithful and discreet slave.” This was indeed a great step in assisting our Turkish-speaking brothers, and great is the joy and gratitude of all for this loving provision of Jehovah’s organization.
A clergyman attended a discussion in which one of Jehovah’s witnesses was vigorously countering the arguments of two physicians who were backing the evolution theory. The clergyman kept silent, and the point was taken by the witness. When the discussion concluded with the prevalence of Bible truth, the clergyman was asked what his opinion was on the things heard from this witness of Jehovah. The clergyman replied: “If our church had five preachers like this gentleman, it would be happy.”
The newspaper Apoghevmatini of July 9, 1953, wrote the following characteristic points under the headline: “ ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses’ . . . They canvass homes and knock at doors without hesitation; they go in and start their propagandistic preaching with admirable calm. . . . They are quite educated and eloquent in speech to allure hearers and convince them. . . . Some people may probably suggest our Church owes it to enlighten its believers. . . . Let such ones allow us to disagree to their opinion, because the Orthodox Church has already crystallized its doctrine and drawn up its chart, so as not to resume discussions afresh, as this would mean that the Orthodox Church now at its old age admits having hitherto failed as to the kind of its belief, and that, right from the beginning, it is to be reinstituted in a new background and style. . . . People should not attempt to open discussions with such ones, because they are encouraged by their Organization to learn the Bible by heart. . . . Surely, if any one of us is familiar with the Holy Bible, he can throw them down just with an air-puff like playing cards, but we are sorry to say, not all of us are equipped. ...”
GUATEMALA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 4 112 313 341
Responsibility falls upon Jehovah’s witnesses to gather the other sheep and feed them. We never know what is going to happen when we take proper care of the other sheep. If we preach the truth to them in the right manner and they, too, go forward in the Kingdom proclamation work, greater fruit may be produced them we ourselves have ever borne. An experience turned in by the branch servant of Guatemala shows that blessed results can come from faithfulness in following out organization instructions, such as making back-calls, conducting Bible studies and keeping in touch with new interest.
At Morales, three special pioneers advertised a public lecture for seven o’clock. A local minister had scoffed when told that Jehovah’s witnesses were going to have a talk. At the hour advertised, there was not a single person present. Disappointed, they resolved to give the talk if just one person of good will came, but fifteen minutes later there were a hundred packed into the hall.
After the lecture many of the workers were heard to say, “Why, these men are not Communists as we were told; they are real ministers of God.”
Perhaps the most thrilling experience, however, is one of those “ideal” experiences. A pioneer contacted a man in the door-to-door work. At the first call he placed three bound books and obtained subscriptions for both the Watchtower and Awake! magazines.
The pioneer made the back-call, started a Bible study and in a few weeks the man of good will was attending at the Kingdom Hall, had enrolled in the theocratic ministry school, and was giving talks. In a few more weeks he went out in the service. But then came a big disappointment! He had to go to a large plantation near the Mexican border where there were no congregations nearby. With only a few months’ study, the pioneer wondered what effect the message would have. Would it die out? Months passed and there was no word, although rumors began to come in from various quarters that there was one of Jehovah’s witnesses near the Mexican border.
Finally the man of good will came back to the pioneer, asking for all the literature that the pioneer had. What had happened? The man had sent seven letters, but with the wrong address. Alone, and with only the limited amount of truth that he had learned in the few months of study, this brother had used the Scriptural summary in the book “Equipped for Every Good Work", along with “Let God Be True”, to give regular classes and Bible studies three times a week for a period of months to over 400 students. Not just once did he have 400 present to listen to him explain the truth, but regularly, three times a week.
Being the manager of a large plantation, he regularly called the workers together and explained the truth to them. The owners of the nearby plantations cannot understand the reason for the peace and harmony, and have asked the brother to come to their farms to give talks to the workers. They want the same peace that exists on his plantation to exist on theirs. The brother had made the trip with the special purpose of requesting that the Society assign someone to aid him with the feeding of these 400 people. Needless to say, he got his wish! If nothing else, this experience shows the importance of making back-calls and starting studies.
It has been a thrilling year for us in Guatemala and we confidently hope for even more wonderful experiences in the present service year.
HAITI
Publishers Preaching
1942 1947 1952 1953
7 26 208 219
When people have followed demon religion and are held under oppression by superstitious worship, it is certainly hard to change their minds.
Voodooism is practiced in the hills of Haiti, and some terrible things occur there. People must come a long way to change their way of thinking from their former manner of worship to new-world thinking and living.
Some very fine circuit assemblies were held during the year in this country, where the truth is being accepted more and more. These circuit assemblies always have their stimulating effect upon the year’s work, and the branch servant tells us about one that the brothers there enjoyed very much.
The year 1950 saw the first circuit assembly in Haiti’s capital, but this year we held our first assemblies outside Port-au-Prince. The most logical place to start appeared to be Cap-Haitien, where we had established our first out-of-town missionary home several years ago. Application was made to hold the event in one of the Mason halls, and to our surprise we received it without charge.
Saturday morning an obstacle loomed up. A Mason had died and they asked us to leave the building until after the funeral Sunday morning. However, when the chief, or venerable, showed up, he kindly arranged for the corpse to stay elsewhere until we concluded our circuit activity meeting. He was pleased with the program that evening, and those present had never before seen such an interesting array of pantomimes, dialogues and discourses. Next morning, while the funeral was in progress, we were comfortably seated in the fresh open air in front of the building to hear the talks on baptism and service. One brother was immersed; then most went to the field while some distributed the tract on Hell-Fire among the Masons outside. When we asked the v&n&rable if we could express our appreciation this way, he took a handful of tracts inside to circulate during their service. He attended all sessions of the assembly. Instead of interfering, their funeral was one of the things that stepped up the public-meeting attendance to 140. Masons brought their wives and friends.
During the year nine marriages were legalized, and on two occasions the children of the newly interested couples were at the ceremonies. In one case, when the rings were called for, the couple’s youngest child presented them. All eight children of another couple were present for their parents’ delayed event, which legitimized them all. Speaking of children, we also had a baby this year: a new congregation was formed in territory that is worked by a pioneer. A peak of four publishers has already been reported. We now have eight congregations.
HAWAII
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 46 163 629 770
The publishers in Hawaii have shown a very fine increase. That territory has borne much Kingdom fruit, and in this peaceful land of the Pacific it is expected that many more will take their stand for Jehovah and his kingdom. Even though Hawaii is a land of sunshine and pleasantness, still there are many who are sent to literal prisons. It has been the good pleasure of our brothers there to help some that are in the prison houses, and some very interesting experiences are reported concerning these. We must always remember, as the Bible tells us, that thieves, fornicators, idolaters and suchlike will not inherit the Kingdom. But Paul mentions that some of you who are now in line for the Kingdom blessings were like this in times past, but now you have been washed clean. Those who are now in prison houses can also be washed clean if they learn the truth, repent of their evil way, take their stand for Jehovah God and believe in his Son Christ Jesus. They should not be neglected if they can be reached.
The increase in magazines placed has been due to stressing the use of these in the door-to-door work. True to the Society’s suggestion, the publishers find that many more can be placed than in the street work. The publishers are also urged to keep a record and to call back on these magazine placements, so no doubt this accounts for part of the increase in back-calls for the year.
Another cause for rejoicing was the formation of a new congregation on the Big Island of Hawaii at Ko-hala. Two special publishers were sent to this isolated section, and as a result of their patient “feeding” efforts an average of 15 are now associating. Unlike most newly formed congregations, there were five local brothers who could be used as servants at the outset. Although the sparse population is scattered over quite an area, a thorough witness is being given. One more isolated territory has joined the ranks of those who cannot say that they have not heard!
Our commission to say, “Go forth,” to the prisoners can sometimes be extended to literal prisoners. Several were able to share in this unusual privilege, as the following report by one of the sisters bears out.
“A friend of mine asked me if I would go to the prison to study with her brother, who was desirous of learning about Jehovah. He put me on his visiting list and I tried to conduct a study with him on the regular visiting day, but that proved to be too noisy; so he took me to the warden who arranged for a personal pass in order for me to call on another day for his study.
“After a couple of months this chap invited me to a program put on by the inmates, where I met a man who said he was not a Christian but would like to be. He had been in prison for ten years with no outside visitors; so I inquired if I might visit him also. The one in charge of religion said that this man was one of their worst inmates, with such a violent temper that the officials were afraid that he would kill someone, but, in hope that I could help Blackie, his name was put on my pass and I conducted a study with both of them. A psychiatrist is now visiting Blackie every three months to try to figure out what has caused such a complete change in this man’s attitude—exactly the reverse of his former course.
“By persistent effort and the good merits of the truth itself, permission has now been granted for four more of the witnesses to study with eight more inmates and a greater witness is resulting. Arrangements are in process for someone to call on the women inmates by this personalized visitation method so these too can hear the Kingdom message.”
Of course, all other high lights were dwarfed by the greatest high light of the year, the New World Society Assembly at Yankee Stadium. Plans and preparations to attend were begun by many here just as soon as it was announced. The opening day of this grand event found over 200 of the publishers and persons of good will from Hawaii seated around the “spiritual table,” ready to partake of Jehovah’s good things. Of course, their interest in this day was heightened by the graduation of the three faithful pioneer sisters from Hawaii.
HONDURAS
1946 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 29 70 339 407
Without any hindrances our brothers in Honduras have been worshiping Jehovah in holy array. Their increase in number of publishers has come because of hard work. They have seen that the harvest is great and that their need is for more pioneers as well as congregation publishers. There is much territory in Honduras that has not been reached by the missionaries or the local congregations. Therefore pioneers are needed in the ranks of the publishers, because they can get out into other places. Our brothers in Honduras are very happy now because of the number of pioneers they have, and the experience that follows is one that all publishers can take to heart. It contains food for thought.
When general pioneers in this land were needed so badly it was discouraging two years ago to see that the only one we had quit. Paul said: “With faith we must contend for victory.” The circuit servant and missionaries encouraged the local brothers to enter the greatest profession on earth, to be a pioneer! We also made this a matter of prayer. There is an outstanding example of one who answered the call. An evangelist preacher was contacted in the house-to-house work and he accused the missionary of being a Communist. His weak argument was tactfully refuted and he subscribed for the Spanish Watchtower. Being an honest man he studied with the missionaries and was later immersed. Then he moved far away to the home of his family to take them the truth, but they refused and forbade him to return. However, his wife’s family did accept, and now in that village there is a congregation of 15 publishers. He wrote the branch for pioneer assistance, but there were none to send. The branch asked if he had ever considered the possibilities of pioneering. He could have replied: “I have no money, a family to support, am over 60 years of age; my health is not too good and I don’t even have a donkey to ride.” He did not make those excuses. To support his family he does carpenter work a few days each month., but also meets pioneer requirements. For days at a time he is away from home pioneering through the mountain trails, and monthly reports 23 home Bible studies. We hope his will be an example many more will follow. In Honduras the harvest is great and the pioneers few, but we are grateful to Jehovah to now report 13 general pioneers when two years ago there were none.
Jehovah’s servants rejoice and the opposers lament as the work spreads throughout the land. A letter of inquiry came to the branch office from near the jungle of the Mosquitia coast, reading: “I want to have a personal share in spreading the message of The New World and ‘The Truth Shall Make You Free" in Spanish. The people in these places need help in order to understand clearly the wonderful provisions of Jehovah and the blessings God has in store for us. Please let me know how much to remit and how to handle same. I hope you will consider me one of Jehovah’s humble witnesses.” The book “Let God Be True” found its way into an isolated mountain village and was read by almost all the inhabitants. They accumulated all the contributions they could and one from their midst walked all the way to San Pedro Sula to find the missionaries. He obtained a subscription and took back with him a Bible, concordance, and other literature. They are continuing their studies and hope to have a congregation.
In recent months there has been a great increase in meeting attendance and more are regular house-to-house publishers. The circuit servant reports that he had good results by calling on the persons of good will two or three times during the week, and on Sunday the Kingdom Hall would be packed out. The attendance has greatly increased since the servants have improved their service meeting programs by studying and practicing their parts, resulting in livelier meetings. The Watchtower and Awake! subscribers are personally given their magazines to assure safe delivery, and they are invited to the meetings. Two thousand good-will letters were personally delivered throughout Honduras, resulting in a peak in back-calls; and the Memorial attendance increased from 790 last year to 1,107 this year. Now there are many more regular house-to-house publishers of the good news because we have better-organized Magazine Day and group witnessing.
HONG KONG
1951 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 30 48 66
It is in Hong Kong where East meets West. This place is not a melting pot as New York city has been for years; but you see here two distinct ways of life. As in the days of Jesus in Jerusalem where there was a dual system, the Roman and the Jewish, so here in Hong Kong there are the British and the Chinese. They get along, and both of these classes of people need the witness of the Kingdom. It has been the Society’s good pleasure to send a number of missionaries into Hong Kong. They have done excellent work there, and more are being sent. These brothers set a very good example in using the holidays, especially, to bring about greater peaks in the number of publishers in the field, and we are interested in what the branch servant has to say on this point.
Looking back, Jehovah’s witnesses see that their greatest service efforts came by exclusively dedicating all holidays—oriental and occidental alike—to the joyful service of their God. This has meant new peaks along the way.
Although there is only a limited area we can move in, because Red China is all around, yet there is a picturesque variety of locations where we can carry on rural work in restful bright-green settings. On some holidays we went just a short bus ride out of town, and under the shadow of a great craggy mountain, called Lion Rock, we would weave our way among the little fields, visiting at every humble dwelling to talk about the Kingdom. We boarded a ferry on one occasion and visited a fishing village on a nearby island. Here we found the streets were mere passageways, which we had to share with sweating coolie carriers, playing children, sleeping dogs and wandering switchback hogs.
Recently, four missionaries and thirty-six Chinese brothers made up a bus load of singing fighters; yes, singing, for had not the returned delegates from the New World Society Assembly brought back a store of what were to us new songs? These we rehearsed with gusto as we sped over the coastal hills to a neighboring village, where we planned to witness. We covered the lower part of the village by midday and then climbed the hill to a little bamboo grove outside the walls of a Buddhist school. In this shady spot we ate our lunch and sang more songs, which attracted quite a group of curious people. Then the serious subject of baptism was discussed with seven new brothers who stood up to give an affirmative answer to the Scriptural questions appropriate to dedication. Behind us was a well, and, as in Bible days, some who came to draw water lingered and listened. After the baptism party went downhill to the beach, the rest of us struck off uphill to witness at the homes we could see perched high on the mountainside.
The greatest festival of the year, Chinese New Year, falls in February. Government restrictions on the setting off of fireworks are lifted, so day and night firecrackers rip and roar. Ancient tradition dictates what one must do on the opening days of the year, and everyone conforms. But this year an increased number of Chinese witnesses broke with tradition and used this holiday too for house-to-house ministry. Rather than finding it impossible to witness, many were pleasantly surprised to find the people more receptive than at other times and more ready to take literature.
The work is taking root among the Chinese and is expanding in spite of the paralyzing effect of tradition, which can show itself in so many different ways. Centuries of following the Confucian way have conditioned the Chinese mind to finding the smooth way out; a clearcut decision or course of action seems harsh and is to be avoided. Whether one quits his employment or a Bible study, a flowery worded letdown is usually tendered; both parties know it is not a statement of plain truth, but it is acceptable and preserves “face.” But even if this way of life is twined in the very fibers of the mind, we know that the truth is yet more powerful and that love of Jehovah and Christ Jesus and the New World society can dim out everything else, and with this faith we try to aid our Chinese brothers.
Five young local brothers took up vacation pioneering this summer, some for the second and third times. Two of them are going to carry on in full-time service. In this land where parents are venerated and their every whim is catered to, it is only with great determination and strong faith that one can strike out on the pioneer path when relatives feel it yields no gold dollars and hence is valueless.
HUNGARY
1945 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 590 1,253 Still working
The enemy of truth has kept his pressure unrelentingly upon Jehovah’s witnesses in the country of Hungary. This year more than 500 of our brothers were found in prisons and labor camps, but this has by no means slowed down the work. Unquestionably, Satan and his agents are infuriated, because the work in Hungary has progressed so that there are more publishers preaching the good news of the Kingdom today than there were a year ago. It is the aim of the government to make it impossible for any connections to be made with Jehovah’s people outside of Hungary. They think that by putting on a ban and censorship on letters from abroad nothing can reach Jehovah’s witnesses inside the country, or other people, for that matter. However, some communications slip through, and the report that our brother in Europe gives concerning Hungary shows how persistent Jehovah’s witnesses are in preaching the good news and what effect the message is having upon other people. With such faithfulness being manifested, it is evident that it will be impossible for the Communists to break down the integrity of Jehovah’s witnesses. With such devotion being shown to the cause of righteousness, the truth is bound to prevail.
A brother had a position that necessitated his dealing every day with some forty to eighty persons. Again and again he had to hear complaints about this or that. He comforted them all with the message of truth and drew their attention to the far weightier matter of the new world to come and of the judgment to come upon this world. When these people came again to see him they did not say much about their problems in their daily work, but talked about the truth. They quickly learned that the brother was one of Jehovah’s witnesses and they began talking about this wonderful hope to others. Many of them invited the brother to their homes and quite a number showed real interest. However, the matter came to the knowledge of his superiors, and they did not like his activity in this direction. Several times he was asked to stop it, but he did not, and because he was an extraordinarily valuable worker they tolerated it for a time. But on the occasion of the firm’s celebrating the anniversary of its foundation, he was dismissed as “reactionary, fascist and imperialistic.” To make believe that this was the “people’s decision,” many of the workers were ordered to his place of work and had to demand that he leave his position immediately. He was not allowed to work within the six following months. While he was without work his sick wife tried to earn some money doing cleaning work. After two months she was dismissed on account of being one of Jehovah’s witnesses. The police made three domiciliary visits because they were “imperialists and inciting to war.” Their neighbor, a woman, accepted the truth from them and became a publisher, and this gave further rise to police interference. On a Saturday evening the brother received the summons to leave his flat by the following Tuesday noon and to go and share a flat occupied by a Catholic. The sister, their neighbor, was also ordered out of her flat with her family and assigned a new place at the other end of the city. On Monday morning they inquired as to the reason for this action and were told to ‘ask Jehovah to repeal these measures.’ They were called to the police and told that two families being Jehovah’s witnesses could not be allowed to live under the same roof. These brothers, knowing that there was no legal provision allowing such action, refused to leave their flats. They were arrested and turned over to a commission of the party. Then they were told to leave their flats by Tuesday evening, otherwise they would be put out into the street; so they were forced to leave. But this experience has not discouraged them; they have not stopped their witness work, knowing why Jehovah allows such things.
In a village a zealous Communist, the husband of a sister, died. The burial was to be conducted by a brother. The Catholic priest wanted to hinder this and sent one of his men to the brothers with the message that they were not allowed to conduct the funeral because the cemetery would become desecrated and would have to be consecrated again by the bishop if they did. But our brothers did not submit to this order. They dug a grave and watched it all night. They did well, for during the night the priest sent men to fill it in again, but this was prevented. So the burial took place the next morning, although not without some trouble. One of the priest’s men began to shout and demand that the deceased be buried with the priest’s benediction and not like a dog, and they threatened to interfere. However, peace and quietness was restored, as many Communists were present who blamed the clergy and the priest’s men for the trouble. Thereupon the priest’s hirelings left and the brother was able to proceed with his speech before 350 people. It was a very good talk, giving hope and comfort.
Although the enemy’s almost unceasing action causes serious damage to the work, our brothers write that “the harvest is quite abundant. In spite of the unfavorable weather we do not neglect to cultivate the plants.”
Our brothers in Hungary are truly a spectacle to Satan’s world and to the angels in heaven. They give an excellent example of faithfulness to Jehovah, the Sovereign, amidst very great persecution. Surely Jehovah will protect them, show them further undeserved kindness and give them strength to persevere to the vindication of his name and their deliverance to eternal life.
INDIA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 344 256 499 620
In a world where there is so much restriction on freedom and personal liberty, it certainly is a pleasure to be an ambassador for the new world. It is the truth that makes one free. Jehovah’s witnesses are not bound by the superstitions of the world, nor by its heavy weights and cares, but they look forward to the new world of righteousness. Having God-given freedom in the land of Hinduism means a lot, and a person certainly can be thankful he is rid of the fanatical elements found in the non-Christian communities. Every country has its problems, but the problems of India are not common to all countries. The big problem is Hinduism. Then there is the language problem, too, that must be overcome in order to preach the good news. Our brothers are trying to do this, not only in India but also in Ceylon and Iran, concerning which the branch servant gives us reports.
The work of the past year has yielded some fruitage, even among Hindus and others of the non-Christian communities. Some have made their minds over to new-world thinking, based on Bible truth. A case in point has recently come to light where a young man of a branch of Hinduism began studying the Bible with Jehovah's witnesses. Now he has dedicated himself to Jehovah God. He has twice been turned away from his father’s home, and as this report is being written news comes in that he has been beaten, turned out again and threatened with death if he does not renounce Christianity. He has applied for pioneer enrollment.
The importance of witnessing to children is encouragingly illustrated in a case recently reported from a suburb of Bombay. A missionary was witnessing to an adult, but within the hearing of a child of eleven. The grown-up person showed little interest, but the child went home and told his granny what he had heard. Seeing the missionary another day the lad asked her for a booklet, and told her about his granny. The missionary went with the lad to see his granny, with the result that a study was started and the lad and four or five others are attending regularly. Seeds sown often find a resting place in the good soil of honest hearts quite a way from where they were first scattered, and sometimes in the most unexpected places.
Twenty-one missionaries from Gilead, in addition to twenty-three other pioneer publishers, have been working throughout the year in eight different localities. A systematic effort to learn one of the local Indian languages has been made, and with some success. Some of the missionaries have applied their minds assiduously to the study of a language and have made creditable progress. Some have been slow in this respect. But the lack of ability to preach in the local vernacular remains one of the biggest obstacles to progress in India. Better progress will be made when more missionaries are in position to witness to the people in their own local vernacular.
The New York assembly was, of course, the big event of the year, and India was well represented by having ten delegates attend that gathering, besides two Indian girls who had been through Gilead School earlier in the year and who were already in America when the convention was held. It was a joy to have so large a share in the immediate blessings of that mammoth Christian gathering.
CEYLON
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 1 22 32 52
Four more Gilead-trained missionaries were sent to Ceylon during the year, and they naturally have helped to make the increase, but all the full-time pioneers have done good work, including some new general pioneers recently enrolled. The addition to the missionary staff necessitated a bigger home to house them, and a new home was found in a better locality and much more suitable to their needs. There are now nine missionaries in the home and one, working as a special pioneer, lives in his own apartment.
During the year the English circuit servant in India has visited the island twice, and on the last occasion spent two weeks with the brothers visiting some isolated publishers in addition to his regular work with the Colombo congregation. There now seems to be real prospect of increase as some outlying areas are being opened up to pioneer work and pioneers are being assigned to them.
IRAN
The work in the ancient land of Persia, now known as Iran, has been practically at a standstill all during the past year. The political situation in that unhappy land has militated against regular and organized Kingdom work. Only one lone publisher is known to be in the land, and he has not sent in regular reports.
INDONESIA
1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 13 116 162
Many new brothers are making good progress toward maturity. Those who remain inside Jehovah’s strong city will themselves become stronger, and as they gain strength they are able to help others. Some who have been publishing for only one year are now helping other new ones to get out into the field service. The publishers of Jehovah’s kingdom in Indonesia rejoice now that they have “Let God Be True” in the Indonesian language. This has stirred the interest among the people of that land, whereas heretofore the main interest was shown among the Chinese and the Dutch. The missionaries have their problems, which they are working out according to the Scriptural instructions. It is interesting to read the branch servant’s report.
In this country many people live together who are not legally married. Such was the case of a lady contacted by one of the missionaries. After studying the Bible for a while she soon saw that she was not living up to the high standards of God’s Word. She told the man she was living with that he had to legally marry her or she was going to leave him. He refused to marry her and told her she must keep herself and the child if she left. This did not deter her. She left him and got a job and now supports herself and the child. She attends all the meetings and has started witnessing from house to house. Quite a number more of the interested people who are now studying are not legally married and some have expressed their desire to go out in field service, but we informed them that they had better clean up their lives first and then they can do so.
During the course of the year it became necessary to disfellowship a person from the congregation for unchristian conduct. We were rather afraid that this would not help the new brothers, but the result was quite to the contrary. The brothers all supported the action and it gave them more love and confidence in Jehovah’s organization. They realize it is a pure and clean organization and that we practice what we preach.
One of our missionary homes is in Manado. In the north of Celebes island, where Manado is situated, we find a greater percentage of literacy (95 per cent) than in other parts of Indonesia and the majority of the people are “Christians.” They have a great respect for God’s Word. The missionary home servant from Manado reports: “It is not surprising to see many people gather when the Bible is being discussed by Jehovah’s witnesses. Many times we have been invited by a few people to give an explanation of a certain doctrine, and we start off with about ten persons. Within 15 minutes it is not surprising to count 50 persons present, and then within an hour we have even had 200 listeners. And this was not a public lecture, but a study in a home, which finished up in the front yard so that all could hear. They always have plenty of questions when the speaker is finished. On the other hand, it is difficult to get the people along to the regular congregational meetings. The problem with meetings too is getting them started on time. The people here go by what they call djarn karet (rubber time), which can be stretched to start a meeting an hour behind the scheduled time. Just as they are indifferent to starting on time, so they are with finishing, and many times we have to keep on answering questions till well after midnight.
“One new brother started witnessing on his own after just a few studies. His village is a stronghold of the Pentecostal and Adventist religions, but he sailed right in, using the sword of the spirit. He was successful in refuting their arguments even after such a short period of study and he is now respected by the people of the village as an authority on the Bible. This same brother has distributed 150 bound books in the last three months.”
ITALY
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 120 178 2,036 2,315
One of the outstanding things in Italy is the fact that this Catholic country is gradually turning communistic. What is happening in Italy today should convince reasonable persons that worldly religion is not a defense against the atheistic theories of communism. The clergy have not given an example of true Christianity in their actions, and because of this millions of persons are becoming easy prey to red propagandists. Jehovah’s witnesses know that the best defense against godless communism is an accurate knowledge of Jehovah’s Word and his purposes. Kingdom publishers in Italy, as well as in every other place in the world, stick to the Word of God, so communism has no hold on them. Because of their stout stand, people in general recognize that Jehovah’s witnesses are different, not only in what they believe, but also in the way they act. This is as it should be, and we hear it reported by the branch servant of Italy, who also gives us a little information on Libya.
Though our number is comparatively small in Italy, yet our high new-world standards do not go unnoticed. Even men who belong to the police department and who are used to the idea that they have to treat people rough in order to get things done have had to admit that Jehovah’s witnesses do get their work accomplished in a far different manner. We had the pleasure of hearing this directly from the lips of a police official who had been much impressed by our district assembly in Florence, held in September 1952. This individual, who had been accustomed to the brutal and dictatorial method of ordering people around, could not believe that there were people in Italy who would be able to get along together peacefully without policemen on hand to maintain order. But, during the three days of our convention, he learned that the attribute of love combined with Christian principles can accomplish much more than a club or a gun.
To illustrate how the “howling shepherds” of false religion try to prevent the truth from spreading, we cite parts of a letter that was sent to our office by an Italian circuit servant who had received Gilead training. The brother writes: “The visit I made on the isolated group in G---was very fruitful. Three talks were given
in the area where interested persons were anxious to be called upon, and, on an average, there were about 70 Fersons in attendance. For half an hour after each talk had the opportunity to show them how to study the book ‘Let God Be True’. . . . However, the religious ‘birds’ were aware of what was going on in what they called their pastures, and they took action in the same manner that similar religionists did against Jesus. A police sergeant (maresciallo dei carabinieri) appeared and began to ask questions. He had been misinformed about us and thought that we had come to build a church, that we were going to perform religious ceremonies in public, and that our activity was detrimental to the people. This gave me an opportunity to explain to him what our purpose really was. I read to him out of the book 'Let God Be True1, and then showed him some photographs of our national convention in Florence. As further proof of the educational features of our organization I showed him the diploma I had received at Gilead. The maresciallo was quite satisfied with what I told him, and was also glad to accept a booklet and a magazine before leaving. He stated that he was sorry to have disturbed us. ... It was really a great pleasure to visit this group of isolated persons. For the past two months, more than 30 people have been meeting together for study in this same area, and several have expressed their willingness to engage in the witness work under the direction of some trained ministers.”
In trying to present an accurate picture of the work that is being accomplished in Italy we must say that the past service year was one of organization and maturity. Although there were no outstanding averages of increase as in former years, yet theocratic increase has resulted and definite maturity is evident in the organization. It is good to see so many qualified servants in responsible positions in our congregations; something that was lacking in previous years. We are determined to keep working along these lines so that the organization does not have to be dependent on specially trained men from other lands.
The New World Society Assembly, held in New York from July 19 to 26, was a joyful event for 35 delegates from Italy, most of whom were missionaries. However, all have returned to their assignment and are determined to press on in the work that is left before Armageddon.
LIBYA
1950 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 5 16 29
Brother Knorr’s decision to place Libya under the Italian branch was happily accepted by all the brothers in Tripoli, most of whom are Italian. Therefore, the Society’s provision to serve them through the Rome office was a great encouragement to them, since they would be able to receive counsel and instructions in the Italian language. Furthermore, immediate plans were made to have a special servant visit the brothers in Tripoli, a Gilead circuit servant with his wife, who would give the brothers practical suggestions regarding their theocratic activity. In fact, two special visits were made by this circuit servant and his wife and good arrangements were made to get the work started in a systematic manner by establishing the house-to-house activity. Already the excellent results of this arrangement are evident, and the brothers rejoice to have an active part in it.
Libya is a vast desert country, and practically no work is being done among the Arabic element. However, we do have a good bridgehead established and in time the message will go forth from Tripoli to other provinces and cities in that country. Already it has been reported that the message has reached outlying villages of the province of Tripolitania, and some people in the province of Cirenaica have been contacted with the publications through the mail. It is hoped that some of these people will come into the truth in the future.
JAMAICA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 933 1,411 2,719 2,984
For many years Jehovah’s witnesses have met up with very little opposition in Jamaica, but, strangely, now opposition comes from many quarters, religious and governmental. Everyone in Jamaica knows that all Jehovah’s witnesses are doing is preaching the kingdom of God as the only hope for mankind. They are not meddling in other people’s religions, nor in other people’s politics. Yet these two great powers that have walked hand in hand for years are objecting to the blessing that Jehovah’s witnesses receive from the Lord God, for they see in them prosperity. Many in Jamaica said that opposition would never be shown against Jehovah’s witnesses there. “It can never happen in this island.” But it is manifesting itself now very definitely, even to the point of restricting the importation of literature, which had been going in regularly. Let us see what the branch servant reports.
When one of the Kingston congregations, after a two-year search, found a vacant lot for sale and announced its intention to build a Kingdom Hall, the “parson” of a neighboring Anglican church did all in his power to prevent it, chiefly on the grounds that the new hall would be too close and would be a nuisance to his services, since the meetings were sure to be noisy through use of sound equipment. This issue became the center of public attention for many months. The Anglican hierarchy opposed, and a large section of the people favored Jehovah’s witnesses. Many persons editorially voiced dissatisfaction at the actions of men calling themselves “churchmen.” An endeavor was made to secure the eviction of the Society’s missionaries, and when objection was raised by the local Finance Board to entry of a shipment of the Society’s literature from a dollar area the clergy tried to make it appear that the government was especially fearful of Jehovah’s witnesses and had banned their literature.
Although such a ban was never imposed, the importation of the Society’s literature was drastically curtailed. When this issue was taken to the people in petition form, over 145,000 persons signed the petition to the governor in favor of full religious liberty for Jehovah’s witnesses and specifically the right to import their Bible literature.
August 23, 1953, was a day of great rejoicing for the publishers in Kingston, for on that Sunday evening the new Kingdom Hall described by the press as "the hall that controversy built” was dedicated to Kingdom service and 1,400 persons attended the opening talk in a hall designed to seat 300. One paper described it as “Jehovah’s witnesses’ hour of victory.”
The educational work is not limited to those within the congregation, as the following experience testifies. A circuit servant writes: “We had a busy week, although a very rainy one. A man whose wife died some years ago was approached and given a witness. He was living with another woman in common-law marriage. The man said he could never think of marrying the woman, for he could not understand the hypocrisy in the church, the wicked world and present-day marriages. After an effective witness he saw the difference between the true church of 144,000 members and the false church systems, between the new world and the old world and between new-world and old-world marriages. He then chose two of Jehovah’s witnesses to go with him and got properly married on Thursday, went out in field service on Sunday to advertise the circuit servant’s lecture and afterward brought his whole family to the meeting. He, with his wife and children, is now rejoicing in the truth.” Adds the circuit servant, “This is what vigilant service got out of a rainy week.”
A grand climax to the year’s work came at Yankee Stadium. One hundred Jamaicans participated in the great migration and were filled to overflowing with the good things they heard. Now, on the brink of another divinely provided service period, we look ahead to a good start with a local follow-up to the New World Society Assembly. We feel certain that the increase of knowledge and improved organization will aid immeasurably in rendering more effective and thankful praise to Jehovah our God.
JAPAN
1949 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 12 311 336
Those associated with the New World society in Japan must smash through the weight of “sacred” tradition in order to unveil the hearts and minds of sincere people of that country. The big problem is Japan—its language, its customs, its life and its outlook. All these are so different from the West. Most of the missionaries the Society has sent to Japan have overcome the language barrier. The Society is happy to know that now many Japanese publishers are standing by the side of the missionaries proclaiming the message of the Kingdom. The branch servant tells us about some of the problems in Japan, also in Taiwan and the island of Okinawa. It makes our hearts glad to see the message reaching into these countries and spreading rapidly.
It is quite common for a woman in her thirties to say to the publisher, “Wait! I must ask my husband’s mother.” Or you may hear the "voice” itself croaking from behind a screen. And sometimes the aged grandmother crawls out to the doorway to shake her balding head and wave us away with Yoroshii wa! (“We don’t want it!”) But not all grandmothers are the same. In one congregation, a grandmother accepted the truth, and went around to all the other grandmothers in her neighborhood, inviting them to the neighborhood public meeting, so that twenty were present for the talk.
One young lady, desiring to study with Jehovah’s witnesses, met unexpected opposition from two quarters: her devout Buddhist father, who tore her “Let God Be True” book to shreds and demanded that she leave home, and her pastor, “Christian,” so called, who actually manhandled her in the street. So she left both home and “church.” Now she is a dedicated and zealous publisher. When she told of her persecutions, she picked up her beloved Monomi-no-To and said, “This is what makes me strong!”
Monomi-no-To? Yes, The Watchtower in Japanese. We are very grateful to have this 20-page journal twice a month, its name standing out in bold and beautiful Japanese, and with so many of the features of the English Watchtower. It is rapidly gaining in popularity, as shown by the increase in circulation last year.
Four missionaries, starting in a new territory, obtained 89 subscriptions and placed 600 magazines in one month. On the way to her territory, one of these witnessed to a businessman and obtained a subscription. The next day he came to her again on the train and obtained a subscription for a friend. The next day he came again—until by the week’s end the missionary had obtained six subscriptions from the one person. It pays to witness while traveling!
It is a source of great joy that many young Japanese are shouldering pioneer privileges. While the missionaries were away at the convention some of these took over the entire responsibility in the congregation, keeping the group and its activity going in excellent shape. They showed plenty of initiative. For example, when they came to a group of foreigners’ houses, they armed themselves with English literature, and placed some, too! They became Japanese missionaries to the Americans and British. Now Japan is very happy that its first two representatives are studying at Gilead.
What an incentive the New York assembly has been! We now eagerly look forward to receiving Basis for Belief in a New World in Japanese. This will indeed be a wonderful instrument in putting the “ancestors” to flight and bringing forth more of Japan’s millions to “blossom in holy array” in the New World society.
OKINAWA
This battleground of World War II is still an armed fortress. During the war the main city of Naha was utterly destroyed, only one building, an underground Shinto shrine, remaining. The Japanese population is living largely in improvised shacks, and the island’s economy is struggling to recover.
The nucleus of publishers is a group of Filipino brothers. They are very zealous and witness to the Japanese either through interpreters or by pointing out passages on a topic in the Bible. One Japanese person to whom they preached through the Bible in this way noted down the Scripture passages so that she, in her turn, could explain things to her friends. In this way she found that she could combat all contrary arguments through the Bible, and so readily accepted the truth. She is now a most zealous publisher in the congregation, conducting many Bible studies. During the year there were fine placements of the Japanese Watchtower and other literature.
TAIWAN
1951 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 417 611 1,752
Jehovah’s spirit has been working mightily in the valley of the Ami tribesmen for 17 years now. During all this time the persecuted, integrity-keeping brothers who first took a stand for the truth have been a spectacle before all. As these brothers refused to flinch before the tortures of the Japanese, and then those of the Chinese, the valley bestirred itself, studied, convinced itself, until thousands now believe that Jehovah’s witnesses are right. The government tried to suppress them, bottle them up. But they cannot bottle up the truth. It has to break out! The increase that has been waiting these many years is now bursting forth in organized Kingdom service.
House-to-house service is featured in Taiwan, as elsewhere throughout the world. But when it comes to studying, this usually has to be done by the oral method. Most of the people cannot read. In any case, the government will not permit the Society’s literature to enter the country to be read. So the oral method of preaching is widely used. In place of book learning, these people have most retentive memories, and their clear minds are unsullied by the philosophies and immoralities of the old world. They ask many questions until the subject under discussion is imprinted plainly in the mind. The mind becomes their reference book, and is always with them, much handier than a book that may be placed on a shelf and forgotten. When they learn the truth they are daily talking it, thinking it, so that it remains ever fresh and clear.
After long years of isolation, the brothers in Taiwan are rejoicing to feel their intimate relationship with their brothers world-wide in the New World society. They have received from the Society Bibles, literature, Watchtower magazines—as much as could be gotten to them. They have expressed appreciation of the continued efforts to have the government ban lifted.
Their oneness with their brothers world-wide has also been forcefully brought home to them by the kind gift of relief clothing sent by the New York brothers. Here was tangible evidence from halfway round the world that their brothers are united with them in their trials and difficulties. Moreover, it was a great witness to the police officers who supervised the distribution. Many who had been unable to go in the service, because their rags would be a reproach to the truth, are now fully equipped. Many brothers are now wearing their first pair of shoes! And they need them for witnessing in this rough terrain. The material benefit of the clothing shipment was wonderful, but even more valuable was the conviction it brought to the brothers in Taiwan that, no matter how poor they may be materially, they are considered a part of the New World society, and are being helped to move right along with it. The brothers who so kindly donated this clothing may feel rewarded in that they have contributed toward Taiwan’s service increase.
LEBANON
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 16 115 420 426
There has been a famine in the land for the Word of God, but in Jehovah’s due time “the glowing sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water.” So it is in Lebanon and the territory under the branch at Beirut. For years now the clergy have tried to keep the people in darkness. Then when Jehovah’s witnesses come along with the truth and light, which Jesus said should be shed throughout the world, great opposition arises. How strange it is that when one talks about the Bible and starts explaining the Word of the Almighty, the clergy, who are supposed to explain these things, try to stand in the way. They would like to close the mouths of all those who speak truth.
The New World society presses on in territory like Lebanon, Aden, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Syria, not with great numbers, but with earnest preachers. Because Jehovah’s witnesses are few, false religionists think they can stamp us out, and they try to use the sword of the state to do it. Someday the state will turn on them. A very interesting report comes in from the branch servant of this territory, and it does our hearts good to see the faithfulness of the witnesses and how firmly they stand up against the pressure of the clergy.
Because of the progress of the work and the increase in activity in making known the name, word and purpose of Jehovah, the clergy, behind the scenes and openly, have done all within their power to dam up or stop completely the swelling stream of truth from reaching the people. In this, thanks to Jehovah, they have been unsuccessful. They tried to get the government to place a restraint on our activities and they tried to sway public opinion against us by writing articles in their periodicals and causing some of the newspapers to do the same, falsely accusing us of being politically Zionist and collaborating with the state of Israel. This charge is most serious, due to extreme tension existing between the state of Israel and the Arab states. We effectively refuted the false charge of Zionism made by the clergy and submitted documentary proof as evidence. We showed that we do not even teach or believe in the literal regathering of Israel; but that the clergy, our accusers, teach that. One of the officials was very much impressed with our message, and, making a remark similar to that of Agrippa to the apostle Paul, he said: “If I keep on listening you will have me convinced to be a Jehovah’s witness.” By his favorable report on us all the missionaries obtained extensions on their visas.
Christendom’s clergy in this part of the world have rejected the Hebrew Scriptures, and pass them off as being so much Jewish tradition. This they have done in order to please the trend in Arab politics and the rising surge of Arab nationalism. Therefore, they make light of us for using the name Jehovah. “Why don’t you call yourselves ‘God’s witnesses’ instead of Jehovah’s witnesses,” they say. “Jehovah is the God of the Jews. If you do not have any political affiliation with the Jews, why do you hold to the name Jehovah?” But we tell them that that is God’s name forever, for Jehovah changes not. We are very happy, however, to bear the reproach for having the privilege of being called by His name.
The majority of our brothers are located in the central and northern sections of the country, but we are spreading out to the south of Lebanon and to the familiar Biblical cities of Tyre and Sidon. Yes, nineteen centuries ago Jesus came up to preach in these two cities. Today there is a small congregation of twelve publishers in Sidon. The narrow covered-over old streets similar to Biblical days still remain.
We are very happy to report that eight delegates from here were able to thrill with the thousands of others by their attendance at Yankee Stadium. Of these eight, two, a brother and a sister, are now a part of the twenty-second class at the Bible School of Gilead.
ADEN
During the year two brothers reported their field service in Aden. They were able to place quite a few pieces of literature. One brother, when writing in about his activities down there, had this to say: “There is some interest in the place where I live and work. Last Friday I had about eight persons in my tent discussing the work. I am, at the moment, handicapped by a lack of literature, particularly the Watchtower magazine. As soon as I get a group formed, I shall let you know when we shall arrange other details. As we now live in tents rather congested, there is not enough room for holding meetings. I hope to overcome this insignificant obstacle very soon.”
IRAQ
About the middle of the year two missionaries were sent to Baghdad, the capital, thus opening up a large new field of witnessing. Iraq is a predominantly Moslem country of 5,000,000 people, and of this number Baghdad has a population of 500,000. This city is located on the Tigris River.
Ancient and Biblical history shows that Iraq was formerly Babylon. This was where Nimrod set himself up as king in defiance of Jehovah’s supremacy and sovereignty. Later, the Devil’s world power of Babylon was established there. Now, in this twentieth-century time of the end, Jehovah is sending his servants in there to announce the fall and destruction of the greater Babylon, the Devil’s world organization.
The two missionaries in commenting on the progress of the work had this to say: “Several names were recently received from an Armenian sister in the States, who lived here thirty years ago. From these a doctor was contacted who showed great interest in our work and especially our observance of each day as to Jehovah, and not just certain days as the sabbath or as holy days. He took the book ‘Let God Be True’ and manifested interest in the Kingdom and in Jehovah’s witnesses.
“There are many Assyrians living in Baghdad, and as they claim to be the first nation converted to Christianity it is easy to discuss the Bible with them. The Moslems are also favorable and have shown some interest because of our similar belief concerning one God and not a trinity of gods.”
JORDAN
1945 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 3 23 102 109
Due to the marvelous progress made in Kingdom preaching in the Jordan during the past year, the false religionists have put forth every effort to impede or stop the work. By lies and false accusation they persuaded responsible officials to issue an order to expel the six American missionaries from the country. No reason accompanied the expulsion order; nevertheless, we knew who was behind it all. Seeing scores more taking up the Kingdom proclamation was just too much for the clergy.
We are reminded that nineteen centuries ago Jesus Christ, Jehovah’s chief witness, was accused of working against the state in this same city of Jerusalem. In 1900 years things have not changed much. The clergy are still found to be the instigators and the cause of most of the persecution that is heaped upon Jehovah’s witnesses.
There has been a fine increase in number of publishers despite the difficulties and troubles that the witnesses have had to contend with. The other sheep are being gathered into the New World society. From house to house in the streets of Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Jericho the native brothers are preaching. Near Jericho the famous Dead Sea scroll was found and of late many more recent manuscripts were discovered. Today the small group of publishers in and around Jericho are making those words come to life by speaking them forth, all to Jehovah’s praise.
Within the walled city of Jerusalem today a home Bible study is being held even on Mt. Zion. A sister is also regularly conducting a Bible study with a woman who lives on the Mount of Olives. This lady and some of her children come quite regularly to the meetings at the missionary home there in Jerusalem and her husband attends occasionally. Earthly Jerusalem with its 70,000 inhabitants is still in slavery with her children, but a way of release is being shown to those held captive. Our brothers in Jerusalem are obeying the command given to the man in linen, at Ezekiel chapter 9, to 'go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry.’ As a result a number have dedicated themselves to Jehovah during the past year and have been baptized nearby in the famous Jordan River. Nineteen centuries ago the angels sang and rejoiced over the human birth of the Son of God in Bethlehem; recently, however, Jehovah’s witnesses had their first circuit assembly in Bethlehem, this time assembling to sing praises to Jehovah for having enthroned his Son as King since 1914. Yes, even the city of our Lord’s birth is being well witnessed to in this time of the end.
We look forward to another year of announcing the Kingdom in the Jordan; and, come what may, the brothers are determined, with Jehovah’s power backing them up, to find all the other sheep before the accomplished end comes upon this wicked system of things.
SAUDI ARABIA
1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 2 3
The three publishers in Saudi Arabia have from time to time requested books, booklets, magazines and Bibles for distribution. They have placed these with various people and as a result a number of persons are becoming more interested and seeking more information.
Christian proselytism is not allowed, but Christians are permitted to enter the country. Oil companies have sent circulars to their employees cautioning them not to speak on religious topics with the natives, so that the Moslems will not be offended. It is said that the king will not allow even one Christian church on Saudi Arabian soil. It is impossible for the brothers to keep the good news of the Kingdom to themselves, so they talk to their fellow workers and to others with whom they make acquaintance.
Quite a few persons are subscribers for the Awake! and Watchtower magazines.
SYRIA
1949 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 28 111 79
The clergy have done everything to cause hatred for the work and the organization, and they keep on spreading their lies and propaganda, saying that we are Jews, Zionists or Communists. This greatly agitates the authorities in their endeavors to shut the mouths of the witnesses.
On one occasion all the servants of a congregation in a Syrian mountain village were awakened after midnight and arrested, chained together, and made to walk ten miles over mountains and hills until they arrived at police barracks. There they were subjected to a severe beating by the use of a rubber hose on the soles of their feet. Some received as many as sixty strokes. When they were finally tried in court the judge handed down his verdict and said he found these men to be true Christians, not political or Zionist.
The mature brothers have not been gripped with fear and paralyzed into a state of inactivity, so the service goes on. Back-calls are being made, home Bible studies are being conducted and the other sheep are being found. They will never be scared out of their Godgiven commission to preach. The brothers in Syria, in harmony with the apostle Paul’s words in Romans chapter 8, will not let tribulation, distress or persecution separate them from the love of Christ; but in all things they will come off completely victorious through him who loved us.
Damascus, the city where Paul was taken after his conversion, has a small congregation of twelve publishers. They have a big work to do in reaching the city’s population of 300,000. Yes, they are even calling on the people of good will on the street called Straight, which is still there.
A special pioneer and his wife who work in the largest city in Syria, Aleppo, write: “While we were calling at some homes we met a woman and offered her The Watchtower on subscription. She told us she could not subscribe until she received permission from her husband, for he does not believe in things like this anyway. He even prohibits me from going to church, for he has no faith in the clergy. We have two small children, she continued, one already four years old; and they are not even baptized yet, for he will not have them baptized. By what she said of her husband, I wondered if he had some knowledge of the truth. One week later we returned and found her husband at home. After telling him who we were and what we were doing, he became very happy. Then he told us he had come from Beirut and while there brothers had regularly called on him and had studies with him. Two years had gone by since he moved to Aleppo and now he wanted to resume his studies.”
Children can be real witnesses of Jehovah if they gain accurate knowledge, as evidenced by the following experience. Out of the mouths of children come answers that confound the clergy. A study was in progress with a father, mother and two children, a boy nine and a girl eleven years of age. The girl was attending a parochial school, and during catechism class she would ask and answer questions that embarrassed the nuns. Surmising that the witnesses were calling on their home, one of the nuns went to her home and warned the parents that if they continued to have the witnesses call on them, the girl would be expelled from school.
About that time summer vacation began; then the priest visited their home. He asked the girl why she was not attending church any more. She answered that when she wanted to pray she could go into her own room and pray in secret and God would hear. This is what Jesus said to do. He replied, “God cannot hear you from your room; you must come to church.” She answered, “I must obey Jesus.” “Well,” he retorted, “why don’t you come to church and confess?” “Jesus instructed us to pray to God to have him forgive us our sins,” was the answer. The priest then demanded to know where she was getting this evil knowledge. The little girl produced the Bible and the book "Let God Be True”. He lunged forward to tear them up, but the father warned him that if he did so he would have to pay for them. The priest, now trembling, threatened them that if they persisted in studying this false propaganda he would call the police. The father firmly told the priest that this was not propaganda, that the people coming to his home were like the apostles, teaching the Bible freely, and not asking them for money.
One Sunday as she was passing by the church, the priest stopped this eleven-year-old girl and told her that if she did not come to church she would go to hell-fire. Then he promised he would give her 25 Syrian pounds (about $7.00) monthly if she would be a good Catholic as previously and attend Mass every Sunday. She replied, “If you had the true religion, you would never offer me money; for Jesus said, ‘My sheep will hear my voice and follow me.’ So if you have the voice of the Lord and I am a sheep, I will follow you without money. But since you offer money to get people to follow you, this shows that you do not have the voice of the Lord.” To this he could not reply.
LIBERIA
1946 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 1 3 67 83
Some missionaries for the Society were sent to Liberia a number of years ago. Since then they have been working steadily planting and watering, and now Jehovah is giving the increase. It makes our hearts glad to see this republic on the west coast of Africa hearkening to the Word of Jehovah. It is our hope that during this new year, with many new missionaries, aided by faithful congregation publishers, a tremendous witness will be given. Now that we are established in a new home in the principal city, Monrovia, the missionaries are reaching out into the bush country, there to find good interest. The branch, which is newly organized, has aided the work; and the branch servant sends us an interesting report.
A program for expansion and increase in this Negro Republic was worked out in November when Brother Knorr visited Monrovia, the capital. The interior of the country had scarcely been scratched by Jehovah’s planters, and in Monrovia the local organization had outgrown the piazza of the missionary home, which served as the Kingdom Hall. A branch office was set up and, to the delight of all, plans were approved to build a small missionary home with a Kingdom Hall. The new building has had a good effect, since many had said that “Jehovah’s witnesses don’t build churches,” in an effort to brand them as fly-by-nights.
In February missionaries visited new territories in the interior, finding many who had seen Jehovah’s witnesses on the streets and in the homes in Monrovia. Some had literature and expressed good interest. Laborers were certainly needed for this harvest, and, therefore, our joy was boundless when two missionaries from Nigeria were assigned to help us. About the same time a pioneer brother left Monrovia to do secular work at Roberts Field. At the close of his workday, at four o’clock, he would go out and preach, sometimes witnessing until late at night. Soon four new publishers were assisting him, as a result of untiring effort.
What joys await the worker in this virgin field! One missionary from the interior reports a modern Macedonian beseeching, “We want you to come and teach us God’s Word. We cannot learn anything from those who are teaching us now, as they are all drunkards!” Later the missionary was invited to speak to students at an Assembly of God church with the “Reverend” sitting in. The day following the talk a student reported to the missionary, “Our minister preached in church today what you told us about the new world in class. He told the people not to expect to go to heaven but to prepare themselves to become the meek and inherit the earth.” In the same town an Apostolic minister has shown great interest in the truth and studies regularly.
The publishers in Liberia thank Jehovah God for the attention he has been pleased to give to the problems of the work there. It is very clear that during the coming year great efforts will have to be put forth to bring the message of the Kingdom to the many who have not yet heard, and this we unequivocally propose to do.
MEXICO
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 1,288 4,867 10,577 11,047
Our brothers in Mexico, as in other parts of the world, have carefully studied The Watchtower concerning morals and the proper conduct of every publisher. This has had a telling effect on the witnesses of the Kingdom in Mexico. Many of the publishers have now gained maturity and Eire setting a real example, giving proper leadership to the new ones who are coming into the organization. The servants have cleaned up the congregations and have gotten rid of those publishers who were living immoral lives. Now the organization is wholesome, and, of course, this aids greatly in the expansion work. The branch servant tells us some of the fine experiences they have enjoyed in Mexico during the year, and we rejoice with them in the progress they have made in Kingdom activity.
We finished what we had started the previous year, namely, the cleaning out of the organization of those not deserving to be in it. This caused the number of publishers to drop considerably for the first five months of the service year. It dropped as low as 7 per cent below last year’s average, but from February on it picked up to the extent that by the end of the service year we had reached a 9 per cent average increase over last year’s average.
The reading and writing classes have been very successful and, without a doubt, contributed to a great extent toward a better organization. Many publishers learned to read and write and are now conducting home Bible studies and making back-calls, thus bringing up our yearly back-call average 19 per cent.
In a small town of 12,000 inhabitants the Catholic priests tried to stop the witnesses when their congregation began to grow. First they tried to make the city officials stop the work the witnesses were doing, but failed. Then they began to make threats against them, and when this also failed they openly tried to carry out those threats by inciting the people to mob them. One taxi driver went so far as to try to pour gasoline on a publisher doing street work and then set him afire; but he, as well as all the other fanatics, has failed to stop the growth of that congregation, which has reached a peak of 264 publishers, one to every 46 persons in that town.
The unassigned territory work has opened up opportunities to many publishers. Some spend days walking from village to village where there is no other means of transportation. It is dangerous and requires effort on their part, but their efforts are rewarded. One congregation servant reports that he and other publishers walked for three days before they reached a little town they were going to work. Then he says: “We arrived at night and immediately the people came to us to find out who we were and what we were doing. We identified ourselves as Jehovah’s witnesses and made arrangements with the city officials to give a talk the next day. Next day we worked all day from house to house placing books and booklets and inviting the persons of good will to hear the talk ‘Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land,’ which was to be delivered at 6 p.m. To our surprise approximately one hundred persons were present and most of them asked us to come back. This we will do, even if we have to spend one week walking to and from that town. The joy of finding some of the Lord’s ‘lost sheep’ and helping them to learn the way to life more than recompenses our efforts.”
The New World Society Assembly in New York city was something that the Mexican witnesses will never forget. It was instructive to them not only because of the information received, but mainly because they learned what the organization is and how it operates. By staying in the homes of the American brothers and by spending much time with them they learned things about the organization that they had never had the opportunity to learn before. In fact, some publishers enjoyed the assembly so much that as soon as they returned to their homes they started to save money for the next world assembly.
NETHERLANDS
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 1,276 4,247 7,272 8,168
When one looks back over the joyful months of the 1953 service year, he begins to realize more and more how much happiness there is in giving and how much prosperity that worshiping Jehovah in holy array brings. Our brothers in the Netherlands have put up a hard fight for the faith, and they have met considerable opposition. But in spite of this the work goes on grandly. Our brothers there, as everywhere, are living now as a new-world society. A few experiences from the branch servant’s report give us a good idea of what is going on in the “canal country.”
Last year’s report related the incident in Catholic Venlo. Awake! also carried two articles on the incident. The next assembly for this “hot” area was arranged to be held in the city of the bishop, Hertogenbosch. When the district servant came into the assembly city Thursday morning (New Year’s Day), he was urgently requested to come posthaste to the office of the hall’s manager, Mr. M---. He informed the district servant
that the contract for the hall was being canceled and that the witnesses would have to assemble elsewhere.
“But why?” Mr. M--had been to church that morning
and the priest had warned the parishioners that “it is forbidden to extend rooming accommodations to Jehovah’s witnesses or co-operate in any other way that would contribute to the success of the assembly.” That’s that, thought Mr. M----. The district servant laid
before him the consequences he would have to bear if he went through with breaking the contract. Mr. M---
tried feverishly to get in touch with some of his business friends as well as spiritual advisers. After a hurried conference he retreated from his former position, and now the witnesses could have the hall after all. On Sunday bus loads of Jehovah’s witnesses came in from points even outside the circuit, so that in a circuit of about 700 publishers 1,300 were present Sunday morning in time for the field service. An assembly with some excitement seemed to be an attraction for many of these brothers living in “quieter” zones.
The assistant manager said that he had never seen such disciplined people. When two detectives walked in for some information, the manager walked up to them with the demand: “Gentlemen, please take off your hats! We have some decent people here.” The janitor remarked: “I hope you and the people who were here do come back soon.” When the inspector of police demanded of the manager, “How could you let Jehovah’s witnesses have the assembly hall?” Mr. M--- an
swered: “Why should I be inconsistent? It would be inconsistent if I should refuse to rent the hall to Jehovah’s witnesses and then turn around and rent it to other associations, for example, the V.A.R.A. or to Protestant organizations.” It appears that six months earlier the Roman Church took a bitter pill at Venlo that helped to relieve her “intolerance fever.” But such pills will not totally cure her. She will continue obscenely exposing herself until she is surprised by Armageddon and suffers a relapse of doom.
Sometime later several witnesses were arrested in this city and charged with breaking a law forbidding the sale of printed matter on most of the streets. The restricting law was so unreasonable that a judge of a lower court passed the verdict: “Exempted from all legal prosecution on the grounds that that which was proved is not subject to penalty and that the thereto related articles were not binding.” This is the first time that a judge of a lower court has dared make such a judgment. The fact that this judgment was passed in a court in that Catholic stronghold makes it a double victory. Another case from the Catholic south went as high as the Supreme Court, where we won. That makes eight cases fought before the Supreme Court during the last years, of which we won five. There were even cases where the local mayor rebuked members of the police force for arresting Jehovah’s witnesses, making any further legal proceedings unnecessary.
The Netherlands was represented by more than fifty delegates at the New World Society Assembly at New York last summer in addition to the nine who graduated at Yankee Stadium, three of whom have been assigned back to the Netherlands. As we approach the end of this service year, the brothers in the office are feverishly preparing the rich food brought from Yankee Stadium to fit into a Dutch menu for an assembly here.
NETHERLANDS WEST INDIES
1946 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 28 42 215 236
Many of the brothers in the Netherlands West Indies were able to come to the New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They said it was like a reunion. On returning home, they had much to say, and the report of the branch servant shows what they were talking about. The report is on the three islands where publishers preach the good news—Curacao, Aruba and Bonaire.
We are about 2,500 miles from New York city; still the New World Society convention was the biggest event for us during the past year. There were 24 delegates from the Netherlands West Indies and 12 of these were from the island of Curacao. They are all back now and they brought the spirit of the convention with them. It is still the main topic of conversation among the brothers. One brother brought a tape recorder with tapes of the main talks as well as the musical program. The African singing is especially enjoyed by the friends and the people of good will.
The most outstanding feature of the work here has been the placement of Bibles and magazines. During the year we imported and placed a total of 1,250 Bibles in many languages, namely, English, Spanish, Dutch, Papiamento, Portuguese, French and Chinese. There seems to be no end to the number of Bibles this territory can absorb. Out of every four bound books we placed one was a Bible. The priests are getting riled up about this and are warning the people not to take books or Bibles from Jehovah’s witnesses. One priest told the people that if they read our books they will lose their faith, and if they read the Bible they will lose their minds.
In regard to the placement of magazines, many are placed on the street; also the friends here have good success placing them with their fellow workers in their secular work, but the majority are placed in the house-to-house work. We have some success in getting the publishers to do house-to-house work by starting the new publishers in that feature of the service rather than some other, and the house-to-house magazine work is the easiest of all. We were especially pleased to see how the local publishers shouldered the responsibility of taking care of the magazines while the missionaries were away and did not let them pile up.
One missionary has been very successful in placing magazines and getting new subscriptions just by being magazine conscious and always having a supply of the latest magazines with him when he goes to the post office, the market, etc. Now people even ask for magazines. He has obtained many new subscriptions just by pointing out articles of special interest to the people, and after reading it they ask him to take their subscription when they see him again.
ARUBA, N.W.I.
The booklet campaign was entered into enthusiastically by all and was an excellent help in getting new ones started. We were hampered only by continually running out of stock; they literally went like “hot cakes.” A carload of publishers would easily place three hundred in a couple hours.
Clean living has been stressed continually. One sister, before getting the truth, had been living for twelve years with a man not her husband. Finally, when she saw he was not going to marry her, she decided to live alone and manage the best she could. She wanted her children to get an appreciation of Jehovah’s theocratic organization, so, at quite a sacrifice, she brought two of them with her to the New York assembly. All together, ten from Aruba went to the convention.
It is perhaps too early to be able to report on the full result of the assembly here, but one brother has this to say: “Have you noticed any change in the people who formerly were indifferent or mildly opposed to the truth? I have noticed that since the assembly many people are listening who formerly were not at all interested. One man to whom I have been preaching for years without any positive response demonstrated keen interest in the convention report. He was invited to the lecture Monday and was present.”
BONAIRE, N.W.I.
The island of Bonaire is the most Catholic territory we have in the Netherlands West Indies. But in spite of this the congregation there enjoyed a great increase during the last service year.
This increase was mostly because a general pioneer from Curacao went there and worked with the local congregation. With the help of this pioneer a place for a Kingdom Hall was obtained right in town, and this proved to be much more satisfactory than holding meetings in the homes of the brothers as had been done before. The owner of the first place that was hired for the Kingdom Hall canceled it at the instigation of the priest, but the owner of the second place stood fast in spite of all the priest could do and say.
The people of Bonaire did everything they could to discourage the pioneer brother, but he stuck it out and now the attitude of many people has changed. A man who ordered him off sent word for him to come to see him, and a woman who set the dogs on him later said she wanted a Bible.
NEW ZEALAND
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 463 779 1,578 1,906
Increasing numbers of persons are fleeing from Christendom and heathendom to the theocratic mountains. The hundreds of thousands of loyal, dedicated servants of Jehovah God are already in the mountains and are giving these new ones excellent instruction. Our brothers in New Zealand see the New World society and are rejoicing in the privilege of being in Jehovah’s organization, and they have an optimistic hope of welcoming many more to drink of the water of life freely.
New Zealand had fifty delegates at the New York assembly, and they took back to others, who were at the assembly only in spirit, the grand report. The branch servant tells us some interesting experiences to show how the publishers are welcoming the other sheep and directing them to flee to the mountains.
Witnessing while traveling locates interest. A New Zealand pioneer, homeward bound from the New York convention, spoke to a man who expressed fear of a return to the days of the inquisition because of growing Catholic power. She explained to him Jehovah’s superior power and the imminence of the Kingdom. Having never previously contacted Jehovah’s witnesses, he regretted that he had to leave the bus soon.- He was glad to receive some literature and the Society’s New York address.
Interest can be found in your own street. One sister recalled that a year had passed since she had witnessed to her neighbors, so she spoke to them and was rewarded by obtaining two Watchtower subscriptions and placing 12 magazines and some booklets. Two of those contacted are now taking both magazines regularly. A Catholic lady showed interest in God’s Way Is Love.
An initial rebuff does not mean “No interest.” A former Methodist Sunday-school teacher, who always turned Jehovah’s witnesses away, is now an earnest publisher. One Sunday morning, while he was teaching Sunday school, a witness called on his wife when she was about to leave for church. She enjoyed the brief witness so much that a return call was arranged so the publisher could meet her husband. To get ready for the occasion, that gentleman sought clergy aid. One clergyman said: “I know enough about them to keep out of their way.” Another said, “They’re no good. They don’t contribute anything to Christianity.” Still another replied evasively; so the Sunday-school teacher had to find out about the witnesses for himself to enable him to combat the Kingdom truths. But after a two-hour discussion, with the witnesses proving their every point from the Bible, he expressed his grave doubts about the Methodist teachings. A study of “Let God Be True” was arranged, and after four studies he was convinced he had found the truth. When he started teaching it to his Bible class he was soon taken to task for not using the Methodist schoolbook. The head minister of the district and seven Sunday-school teachers arranged to meet him, but the minister failed to show up. The superintendent took over and, after hearing Scriptural reasons for rejecting the Methodist book, could endure no more. On the superintendent’s motion it was decided to cross our new brother’s name off the roll. Most of his old Methodist friends shun him, but some are inquiring. One has already become interested and done some witnessing, while another is a good prospect for a Bible study.
Interest blossoms when prejudice is removed. A youthful Presbyterian, discouraged in his fruitless search for truth, both in his own and other denominations, was contacted by a new publisher. Fearing he could not qualify for heaven, he was worried about the cheerless prospect of a Presbyterian hell. He had not considered the teachings of Jehovah’s witnesses because of misrepresentation by prejudiced persons. This was soon corrected and a Bible study disproving the hell-fire doctrine kindled new hope. Two weeks later, after further discussions, he admitted having learned more in two weeks than in years spent running around to the churches. He had to enter camp for ten weeks’ military training, but there he witnessed to fellow trainees, even bringing some to a nearby public lecture. He intends to associate with the local congregation after his period of training ends.
Showing that Jehovah’s witnesses are different awakens interest. A circuit servant, working with another publisher, contacted an elderly man. Endeavoring to place his visitors the old man stammered, “You’re— you’re— you’re—” “Jehovah’s witnesses,” the publishers helpfully concluded for him. He turned away, remarking that he had no time for those people. Upon our appealing to his better judgment, not to be hasty, he responded by asking a few of his choice questions that had stumped many a clergyman. To his surprise he received logical and satisfying answers. Results: some publications were placed, for which he contributed above the amount asked, and provided refreshments as well. He attended the public talk, got more questions answered and stayed for the Watchtower study and final service talk. "I’ve certainly learned something today,” he remarked. A good Bible study is in prospect.
NICARAGUA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 2 65 142 139
The brothers in Nicaragua certainly know that the Catholic Church has ever been opposed to our work. When we opened a new missionary home during the year, she went all out in her effort to do away with the work. She put out handbills, published newspaper articles and falsely accused our brothers of being Communists. The constitution of Nicaragua guarantees freedom of worship and free exercise of religion that is not contrary to Christian morals and good public order. Jehovah’s witnesses in Nicaragua certainly do not violate this law. However, the religionists were able to maneuver matters, and through religious pressure mischief was framed. The matter had to be taken to court, because a ban was put on the work, prohibiting the exercise of free worship on the part of Jehovah’s witnesses. Now the work goes grandly on again in Nicaragua, and we look for increases. The branch servant gives us a brief report of what has happened.
Much time and effort were spent in trying to get the ban lifted by peaceful means, but to no avail. The only thing left to do was to take the matter to the Supreme Court and try to get an injunction against the order. In the middle of May, six months after the order was given, the five judges of the Supreme Court unanimously decided in our favor. For this victory we are truly grateful to Jehovah and pray that the faithful brothers, having passed this test of their faith, will continue to zealously sow the Word and reap its fruitage.
It is very enjoyable to visit a congregation where the good behavior of the children is seen. During the congregational meetings they sit quietly with their parents and listen to the instruction given. They may not understand everything but they do learn some good truths. For example, it is a real thrill to hear one of these, a little five-year-old girl, tell her unbelieving grandmother who Jehovah is, and why her speechless, sightless and deaf images are worthless. And as she accompanies her father in group work she takes a door and offers the magazines, placing several in a morning’s work. It certainly is a good example of parents’ giving their children a solid foundation for life in the New World society.
While the ban caused some to drop out, it served to open the eyes of others of good will. One of the missionaries had to drop a study with a subscriber because of lack of interest; she was a Baptist and wanted to stay one. But the missionary maintained contact with her through the delivery of her subscription copies of Awake! On one of these occasions the Baptist lady inquired as to why it was that of all the many religions Jehovah’s witnesses were singled out to be persecuted. This allowed for a further defense of the good news and the suggestion that a study would fully answer her questions. Since that time the lady has studied regularly. She quit going to church and recently stated that now she sees that it is time to change her religion.
NIGERIA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 1,938 4,111 12,290 15,078
The New World society in Nigeria has moved ahead remarkably well during the past year. Great strides forward have been made. At the beginning of the year the president of the Society and his secretary were expected to visit the country of Nigeria, but the government would not grant them visas to attend the assemblies at Ilesha and Port Harcourt. This was a great disappointment to the Society’s representatives as well as to all those who attended the assemblies. However, a marvelous witness was given; for the assemblies were very successful, with over 15,000 in attendance. The government and their religionists will not be able to slow down the work of Jehovah’s witnesses even through persecution. Little do the rulers know that Jehovah’s holy spirit is the guiding force. As the members of the New World society seek the Word of God, they learn of this direction and go ahead preaching the good news, which is the only hope for the world. The branch servant in Nigeria gives us a very interesting account of what has occurred in that country along with news on what Jehovah’s witnesses are doing in Cam-eroun, Dahomey and French Togoland.
Much of our increase can be attributed to improved organization in the congregations. As the brothers gain maturity they see the need for helping the weaker ones and keeping in close touch with them. Formerly, many would hear the zealous preaching of the brothers and accept the truth, but due to weak organization they would drift away. Now the congregation book studies are getting well organized and the brothers are seeing to it that no one is missed. At one place where congregation book studies were properly arranged there was an immediate rise from 110 publishers to over 150.
Cleanness in the congregations is also an essential prerequisite to progress. Filthiness is a barrier to Jehovah’s spirit. In one long-established congregation that for years had made very little progress some secret polygamists were found. When they were swept out the number of publishers jumped in a few months from around 130 to over 200.
Many prisoners continue to come out of the darkness of both Christendom and heathendom. A circuit servant in an isolated town found an Anglican catechist who had nearly all the books from The Harp of God on and is a Watchtower subscriber. He was teaching his flock the truths he read in the literature and was known in the town as one of Jehovah’s witnesses. A study of the article, “Is Interfaith God’s Way?” showed him that he had to “get out of her.”
From the ranks of heathendom came a juju priest, a man of great power and influence in his town. It was not uncommon for him to sacrifice as many as 300 chickens a month in addition to goats, dogs, etc. Although this was a lucrative business, he dropped it all when he heard the Kingdom message, and now he is learning to read so that he can better offer the “sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips which make public declaration to his name.”—Heb. 13:15, NW.
This brings to the fore the work of teaching the illiterate ones to read. Many have studied diligently in reading courses conducted in each congregation. The report comes in of one brother who could not read four years ago. Now he can read The Watchtower so well that he has been appointed as the instructor in the reading class. Another sister, over 60 years of age, and sick for over 20 years, regularly traveled five miles each week by canoe to attend the reading class. At the last circuit assembly her ‘advancement was manifest to all persons’ when she stood up and read fluently from the Scriptures.
Good work has been done during the year in isolated territory. A circuit servant was directed to spend some days in a town that was 122 miles from the nearest congregation and where there was a subscriber. He found the man thirsting for the truth. He took him out into the field service during the week and studied with him the article “Integrity Leads to Life.” The man’s gratitude was so great that he said, “I shall never stop preaching until I die or enter the new world.” He gladly agreed to give his shop for holding the Watchtower study and to conduct it himself. Soon afterward he traveled for five days to attend the nearest circuit assembly.
In an isolated town a prominent chief became a subscriber. He enjoyed the magazines and recognized the truth of what he read, but did not know what he had to do next. In due time the circuit servant visited him and they studied the Yoruba Watchtower together. Almost immediately he saw that he had to become a witness for Jehovah. When his townspeople proved doubtful of his sincerity, he proved his earnestness by putting away 13 of his 14 wives and being baptized. At the other end of the social scale, a special pioneer called at the local prison and was accorded the opportunity to speak to all the prisoners assembled in the yard. Appropriately, he spoke to them on the subject “Say to the Prisoners, Go Forth!” showing them how to escape from the spiritual prison of Satan. Sometime later, one man who had shown interest in the talk was discharged from the literal prison and immediately set about finding a way out of his spiritual prison. Stopping the pioneer in the street he obtained a Bible and What Has Religion Done for Mankind? A study was started and now he is going from house to house setting others free.
CAMEROUN
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 8 20 532 794
During the past year the brothers in Cameroun have been making good use of the remaining time and have found many people ready to hear the message of the Kingdom. Much good work has been done in the capital city of Douala.
The pioneer who went to Ebolowa says this town is so completely immersed in Catholic doctrine that he was tempted to wonder whether even one sheep could be found there. Nevertheless, he persevered in his preaching work and eventually was rewarded. The man he contacted was believed by the local inhabitants to be more Catholic than the pope himself. However, the pioneer’s message prompted him to ask many questions. The answers he received made him want to know more, and soon a study was started in his home. One by one his false religious ideas gave way to the truth, so noticeably that the whole neighborhood began to comment on it. Then the circuit servant came and the question of immersion arose. Both he and his eldest son had already begun witnessing from house to house. When this matter of baptism was noised around the town, almost half the population turned out to witness it. Of course, the matter had already come to the notice of the priest, who now sent for him, demanding an explanation of what was going on. “Have you any complaint about the church to which you have belonged since childhood?” asked the priest. “Yes,” replied the man. “You have a big sack here. Ebolowa is the mouth and Rome is the bottom. All my life I have been filling your sack for you and I know that if you could you would swallow all Ebolowa.” At this, the priest suddenly found he had business elsewhere, and departed. The man is now a regular publisher and a congregation is flourishing there.
DAHOMEY
1948 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 302 450 569
The brothers in this Catholic-dominated colony have had a hard time during the year. The religious leaders have exerted continual pressure upon the secular authorities to enforce the ban on the Society’s literature. They have instigated raids on the homes of the brothers to search for literature, and many of the brothers have been fined or sent to prison for merely possessing these Bible helps.
During one interesting case the prosecuting attorney did not press for severe sentences, admitting that he thought our work harmless. The judge, too, admitted that he had specially read our books in order to be able to judge the case fairly. His expressed opinion was that the books were interesting, and the brothers were given only light fines.
The result of this opposition has been that the brothers have had to change their method of work entirely. They now work quietly with the Bible alone, seeking out interested people and studying God’s Word with them in the privacy of their homes. This peaceful work, reminiscent of that of the early Christian congregation under similar trying conditions, has had fine results. Although many of the pioneers have been unable to continue in full-time service, the congregation publishers have taken hold of this work enthusiastically. Their home Bible studies have increased more than threefold during the year.
TOGOLAND
1949 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 1 58 118
In common with many other African territories, the people of Togo are seeking their independence. Many are looking to the U. N. as their deliverer; others are forming political parties to further their ideas. Desperately, both Catholic and Protestant religions are seeking to maintain their hold on an awakening people. But amid these disturbed conditions a small band of Jehovah’s witnesses is working hard to bring the message of true freedom to the people.
In the town of Mission Tove, the chief, although a Protestant and claiming to love the Bible, ordered the young publishers to be seized and beaten at the time of their meeting, but a modern Gamaliel intervened on their behalf. Although a few have fearfully turned back, most of them continue to rejoice in their privilege of service, even under opposition.
In the village of Vogan, a few kilometers from Ane-cho, the village chief had a newly formed gathering of 17 good-will persons beaten up and dispersed. A young publisher from Anecho, who was looking after them, suffered a fine. A few days later two publishers from Lome went to help them and the chief ordered them to be flogged and chased out and their Bibles seized. This was done at the instance of a Catholic missionary, who warned the villagers that false prophets would come with Bibles in their hands and would call themselves Jehovah’s witnesses so as to deceive the people. But these desperate attempts to block the truth cannot succeed. Already a congregation is being formed in Anecho and scores of interested persons are springing up in the villages.
It is a wonderful thing to see the truth flourishing amid such conditions, with thorns and the hot sun of persecution in opposition.
NEWFOUNDLAND
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 31 90 263 249
When Paul was writing to the Hebrews, he said: “But we desire each one of you to show the same industriousness so as to have the full assurance of the hope down to the end, in order that you may not become sluggish, but be imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Heb. 6:11, 12, NW) One who works in the country of Newfoundland cannot be sluggish, not if he is going to get anything done. Our brothers in Newfoundland have been very joyful in the service of Jehovah. They have had their best Watchtower campaign; they have gotten out into the isolated territory, and they have had grand experiences. The branch servant there tells us about what has been going on.
“Worship Jehovah in holy array” set the theme for our work in Newfoundland for the 1953 service year. Throughout the year this Scripture text was to emphasize the need for each one associated with Jehovah’s faithful organization to worship him by being a regular house-to-house preacher of the good news.
About fifty per cent of the congregations took part in working unassigned territory. The joys of working in territory like this can be explained only by those who took part in it. Our efforts were directed toward finding the other sheep. The good-will persons, in turn, expressed their appreciation for our efforts to assist them in the way of Jehovah. Expressions like the following were heard as the brothers proceeded to cover unassigned territory: “Have you any more of those good books?” “Oh, you’re here at last! I was over on the other side of the bay when you had a meeting and I liked it so well that I’ve been telling everybody about it since.” “You might just as well stop here until you teach us the right way. We want to know how to get everlasting life.” These expressions certainly indicate that a crying call from the other sheep is now going out. They want our help. We must give it to them. By the undeserved kindness of Jehovah we will use what we have to assist as many as will to “take life’s water free.”
The missionary boat Hope has done much in covering unassigned territory. Again it made its way to the south shore of this island to follow up the more than two thousand bound books placed during last summer’s unassigned territory work. Public meetings were held at each harbor visited by the brothers working on the Hope. The results attained in the public meeting activity in this area are outstanding. Public meetings are not held in comfortable halls with seats for all who attend. Rather, they are held on the wharves of each harbor visited and everyone who attends stands during the delivery of the one-hour Bible lecture. The missionary boat is used as the speaker’s platform. Under these conditions many times the inhabitants of an entire village will attend our advertised Bible discourses. Much interest has been manifested in isolated territory. Much has been done to assist the other sheep in the way of truth. Much must yet be done to aid them to grow to maturity and advance to the point where they, too, will take part in the ministerial work to the praise of Jehovah.
NORTHERN RHODESIA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 3,126 8,007 20,282 23,059
A wonderful work of preaching the good news of the Kingdom is being carried on in Northern Rhodesia. The branch office there has jurisdiction over this country as well as getting reports from the Belgian Congo, Kenya, Tanganyika and Uganda. The branch servant sends in some very interesting experiences on all of these countries, and they all go to show that these people can be taught the truth if they are given the opportunity and that they can make great advancement in learning the proper way to live and prepare themselves for Jehovah’s new world of righteousness. No matter where they come from, no matter what their walk of life or their color of skin, no matter what language they speak, we have the command that we must take this good news of the Kingdom to all nations, kindreds and tongues; and it is a joy to our hearts to see how the message is reaching out in Northern Rhodesia and the territory round about. These reports will certainly bring comfort to those who mourn.
It is with much joy and gratitude to Jehovah that I write you this report. It has indeed been the most outstanding year in the history of Jehovah’s people in Northern Rhodesia, and on every hand has been the evidence of Jehovah’s blessing. But the event that will always come to mind when we look back on the 1952-53 service year is the national assembly held at Kitwe last December, when you visited us. There is no need for me to say very much here about this assembly, as the details have appeared in The Watchtower and Awake! but a report on the year’s activity would be incomplete without some reference to it. As the service year began it found the publishers, African and European, eagerly looking forward to your visit with Brother Henschel to the assemblies. Now, eight months later, the brothers still often speak about that time. The experience of so many of Jehovah’s people getting together for assembly was really strengthening to them and convinced them more than ever of the reality of the New World society. At Nkana-Kitwe where the national assembly was held there are now five large African units and one European unit.
The increase in the number attending meetings was specially marked by the Memorial attendance of 72,619. As might be expected, those who oppose the gathering of the people into “one flock” have not enjoyed seeing this prosperity of the New World society, and have made strenuous efforts either to scare off persons from associating or to hinder the witnessing activity of the publishers. Time and again such efforts have come to nothing. During the visit of the circuit servant to a congregation local evangelists from the Swedish mission came to complain that the brothers were “robbing them of their members.” The circuit servant pointed out that the “sheep” belong to God. During the week the evangelists did what they could to keep their flock from attending the meetings and tried to win back some that had “strayed.” The result of their efforts was an even greater witness; more than were expected attended the congregation’s meetings during that week, and two more of the mission’s “flock” announced their intention of taking their stand with the New World society.
At one of the mining camps there has recently been increased opposition on the part of adherents of the Roman Catholic religion. While two of the publishers were out witnessing one day they were attacked by two women of that religion, who tore up their Bible literature. The matter came before the local native court, whose judgment was that the literature destroyed should be paid for by the women and they should be fined for assault. The local “Father” was on hand, and he paid the cost of the literature but appealed against the fine imposed. At the native appeal court the appeal was upheld and the court ruled that the women had committed no crime. It also ruled that Jehovah’s witnesses should not preach to Catholic people or call at their homes for that purpose. This decision was appealed by the brothers to the District Commissioner and he quashed this unfair decision of the native appeal court. In his judgment he said: “I know that Jehovah’s witnesses have not brought this case for you to be punished but only to have the matter put right.” He said that the brothers were free to go ahead with their preaching work provided they showed regard for other peoples’ freedom of worship and were tactful in approaching the people. The Catholics put up the argument that since their houses were marked with crosses they should not be called on by Jehovah’s witnesses, but the District Commissioner’s decision was that each individual should either refuse or accept the message personally. A real victory for freedom of worship! Jehovah’s witnesses certainly appreciated this fair and just ruling.
The authorities are seeing that Jehovah’s people are peaceful and law-abiding, having nothing in common with the unstable political elements that are causing unrest in Africa. Native chiefs, after attempts to oppose the work, have attended meetings and undergone a change of mind. As one chief said: “You people are on good ground and we have failed to break your work or drive you out. You are the happiest people in the world!”
BELGIAN CONGO
1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 1 48 60
The total ban against the Society and the activity of Jehovah’s witnesses continues in the Belgian Congo, and during the past service year those who have been associated with the organization have met with many trials and persecutions. Numerous imprisonments have been reported, and others have been beaten to try to force them to renounce their faith and supply the names and addresses of other witnesses.
It has been very difficult for us to assist the brothers there in any way, even to get letters of encouragement and instruction to them. It is likewise difficult for us to get information about conditions of the work in the Congo or to know always whether some who contact us are genuinely interested or not. There must be many in the Belgian Congo among the many millions there who want to learn the truth, and we are anxious to assist them and to instruct them how to live in harmony with the righteous principles of God’s Word. The Congo government would have nothing to fear from persons rightly instructed in the Scriptures, as has been shown by the conduct of Jehovah’s witnesses in other African territories. But their ban on the work prevents us from giving such instruction to those who wish to associate with us, to make clear to them what is required of those who come into the clean New World society. The government’s attitude has, no doubt, been somewhat influenced by the activities of an African “Watchtower” movement, which is antigovemment and dabbles in “healing” and magic. This movement is also against Jehovah’s witnesses and wants nothing to do with the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. As far as the Congo government is concerned they have looked on this group and Jehovah’s witnesses as the same people, and due to the conditions in that land it has been impossible for us to clear up that misunderstanding to any extent.
When one of Jehovah’s witnesses is arrested, the possession of any item associating him with the Society is sufficient for him to be found guilty. Even confessing belief in Jehovah is accepted as an admission of guilt. To one who did confess such belief a police officer said: “It is a mistake to believe in Jehovah; you must believe in God!” In prison faithful witnesses have carried on their preaching activity to the other prisoners, who with odd scraps of paper and bits of pencil make notes to take away with them and check further in their prison-provided copies of the Bible. No doubt it is because of such activity that in some prisons Jehovah’s witnesses have been segregated from the other prisoners.
On the whole, the work is greatly misrepresented and the false religious priests have not been slow to fan the fire of misrepresentation and persecution. In the eyes of the people of the Belgian Congo the name of Jehovah and the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society are associated with evil and subversive ideas. And at the present time there seems to be little we can do to clear up the situation.
The only solution would be for the Congo government to remove the ban and permit ministers of Jehovah’s witnesses to give spiritual guidance to those who want to hear their message and practice true worship. If they do not do so, then they will have to bear the responsibility for cutting off the waters of truth from many who hunger and thirst after righteousness in that land. We pray that, if it is Jehovah’s will, the way be opened up for us to do more to serve the people of the Congo with the spiritual food that will lead to life in Jehovah’s new world.
KENYA
1950 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 3 4 8
Kenya is the land of the dreaded Mau Mau terrorists. But while the old world writhes under the discord of its systems, the uniting message of the New World society is being declared abroad, and is bringing its comfort to fear-stricken people.
A brother and his family from England immigrated to Kenya and, joining forces with the few publishers already there, formed the first congregation of Jehovah’s witnesses in that land, namely the Nairobi congregation. This arrangement was put into effect following the visit of Brothers Knorr and Henschel to Nairobi in December, 1952. Although the busy schedule of the visitors did not allow them much time at Nairobi, the brothers took advantage of the grand opportunity and, beginning with the arrival of their visitors in the late afternoon of one day, kept them talking into the morning hours of the next, allowing them only a few hours of sleep before continuing their travels. This meeting was a source of real encouragement to the Nairobi brothers, and the evidence that they had been stimulated by the visit came a few months later when a new peak of eight publishers was reached.
TANGANYIKA
1944 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 126 237 198 240
In the past there has been much opposition in this land, but the good conduct of the brothers has done much to break it down. The district servant reports: “The brothers look more tidy than their fellow countrymen; their turning away from the practice of polygamy astounds many. At the circuit assembly two brothers were immersed who had quit their polygamous state and had resolved to measure up to the proper Christian standard of marriage. One of them was a sub-chief.”
Employers have found Jehovah’s witnesses to be reliable workers. At one large estate several have been promoted to be overseers because of their trustworthiness. At one of the mines, where due to religious pressure Jehovah’s witnesses had been threatened with being discharged from their employment, the attitude of the management changed and one of the compound managers assisted one of the brothers to get to the National Assembly in Northern Rhodesia at the time of the president’s visit. He arranged a free ride on one of the company’s trucks to get the brother to the nearest bus route.
Due to the tact and steadfastness of the brothers in their preaching work opposition has been overcome in many areas, with excellent results. At one village false religionists stirred up such opposition that the headman attacked the congregation servant as he was engaged in the witness work with a group of publishers. The brothers were told to clear out of the village, as all the people there were Protestant. The publishers quietly withdrew and for a time confined their witnessing to the other villages in the neighborhood. As time went on some from the original village got to hear of the truth through their contact with those of these nearby villages, and eventually the headman himself got to hear of the good news in this way. He wanted to ask the congregation servant to visit him, but was ashamed to do so. After a while a group of publishers went again to witness to the village and found themselves warmly welcomed. The headman’s wife showed interest and invited a publisher to visit her home. The headman also showed interest and expressed his sincere regret for what he had done in the past. Now a congregation bookstudy center is operating in this village and three of the villagers have become publishers.
There is much work to be done in this land in aiding the brothers’ advance to maturity, as there is much illiteracy and lack of education. Much good work is being done by the circuit servant and pioneers as well as the few mature brothers. We feel sure that as they press on in Jehovah’s service during the coming year Jehovah will continue to bless their efforts and add further to the increase in Tanganyika.
UGANDA
1950 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 2 4 6
A real forward step was taken in the organization in Uganda following the visit of Brother Knorr and Brother Henschel in December, 1952. A brother and his wife traveled through part of the East African territory where the treacherous Mau Mau have been operating to meet Brothers Knorr and Henschel at Nairobi, Kenya. They were greatly encouraged by the visit with the brothers, and, as a result of the meeting, arrangements were made to form the Kampala congregation. In the months that followed, the Kingdom work advanced rapidly. Five publishers were soon reporting, and a public talk was delivered to an African audience of 50 in the Luganda language.
The experience of the brothers in Uganda serves to show that no matter where a person might find himself, or how isolated he may be, if he goes ahead in faith doing the work Jehovah has for his servants in this day, namely, preaching this good news of the Kingdom, Jehovah will bless his efforts and provide the necessary strength to carry on. Serving the highest cause in the world, and certain of the greatest heavenly forces backing them up, the brothers in Uganda look forward to another blessed year in Kingdom service.
NORWAY
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 400 972 2,151 2,380
Norway, along with many other nations, has joined the Western bloc and looks to the United Nations for salvation. However, there are many people within the country itself who are not putting their trust in men and nations, but they put their trust in Jehovah God. These need help. Assisting the publishers to reach maturity in service activity is always an essential thing, for everyone who comes into the New World society must realize that house-to-house preaching is necessary in order to show Jehovah, their God, that they mean to serve him; and they prove their sincerity in this endeavor by good works. All who come to Jehovah will soon learn that faith without works is dead; so in Norway, as in other parts of the world, Jehovah’s witnesses press on doing a good work. The acting branch servant there gives us an interesting report of what is taking place in that land.
Two years ago the Gilead graduates were sent to Finnmark. They remained with the people, up there during the long winter too. They started to w'ork the small cities there and went to all the isolated places, traveling by boat, by bicycle and on skis over wide open spaces. Coming to such a small isolated place one of the missionaries was told that an old man living alone in a cabin there was one of Jehovah’s witnesses. The missionary thought there was some kind of misunderstanding, because he did not know of any Jehovah’s witnesses in the area. But he went to the cabin, knocked on the door, and was asked to come in; then he told the old man living there that he was one of Jehovah’s witnesses calling on him. With tears of joy in his eyes the old man exclaimed: “Do you really belong to my people!” This old man had read The Watchtower at the home of one of the neighbors who had subscribed for it through a pioneer working through the area. The old man got interested and the other person let him have The Watchtower, since he himself did not care to read it. The old man understood the truth, took his stand and started to preach to his neighbors, walking several miles to reach them. He succeeded in having others subscribe for The Watchtower.
The missionaries found many interested people. When these people of good will understood the truth the main thing was to acquaint them with Jehovah’s organization. Therefore two assemblies were arranged up there this year. These assemblies, no doubt, were the northernmost assemblies ever held by Jehovah’s witnesses. At the first assembly the brother mentioned above was baptized at the age of 82 years, together with 12 others. At the second assembly still seven others were baptized, and now there are about 50 brothers and goodwill persons living in Finnmark. They are now organized as a small circuit with one of the Gilead graduates as their circuit servant, and they will have their own circuit assemblies regularly, which they appreciate very much. The people up north are used to being neglected by the government and worldly organizations. Therefore they are very happy when they see that Jehovah’s organization will do something for them in the way of giving them due attention and helping them progress to maturity.
Although Norway is a small country, it has one of the largest merchant marines in the world. That means a great deal of floating territory. One of the Norwegian brothers has taken advantage of this. He is a sailor, and has been working on many different ships. He preaches systematically to all the boys on a ship, and when he is through he leaves that ship and takes up work on a new one. Here are some excerpts from letters received from him: “Now I study ‘Let God Be True’ every Sunday with five boys from Oslo, . . . and they want to come with me to the New York assembly. Larsen does not like this. He gets drunk and says, ‘Now it’s about time to leave this boat—it seems that we are going to have five to six Jehovah’s witnesses on board now!’ ” “I report 50 hours, 4 books, 8 booklets, 4 magazines, 1 study, for the month of May. . . . After we had left Bangkok these four boys asked me if I would baptize them, and I suggested that we wait until we get to the New York assembly. . . . They go with me witnessing everywhere. I never saw so much reproach as they receive every day from the other boys, but they grow stronger and stronger, and they go from cabin to cabin explaining the truth. ... I wish you could see how the spirit of Jehovah is working on them. They are so frank—after only two months! They had never heard a thing about the new world.” “Now we have made a complete trip around the earth and the boys have been with me to all the Bethel homes and congregations in the East. They are so enthused! Now there are ten boys at the study! Four want to be baptized! . . . Larsen is mad and says that the whole boat has gone crazy by Jehovah’s witnesses.” Well, they did get to the world assembly in New York, and two of the boys were baptized there and now they continue as sailing ministers.
NYASALAND
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 2,416 4,154 12,162 12,291
The work in this country is at a standstill although there are many thousands of publishers who are preaching, but still there is little increase. It appears that if we could get European brothers into this country to assist the African brothers much better progress would be made. Whether this will be possible or not we cannot say. At the moment the government of Nyasaland will not allow any more missionaries to go into that country to assist our organization. It may be they figure that if we cannot give it more assistance it will stand still and not grow; but we know that Jehovah’s spirit rests upon his people, and we are diligently striving to aid those in Nyasaland to gain maturity. When they do, the work will again spread like wildfire. The branch servant in Nyasaland also gives us some happenings in that land as well as in Portuguese East Africa, where the Catholics have complete control and make it difficult to carry on the witness work.
The 1952-53 service year has proved to be another period of much heart-searching on the part of those learning the way to life in that glorious new world of Jehovah God. Some liked to hide behind the plea of being “children”; but the Watchtower articles on maturity showed how unwise such an attitude can be, and these would-be “children” have had to begin growing up. Others just did not want to make their minds over to new-world living even though they have a knowledge of the truth.
Particularly in the Mlanje area did this condition exist during the first nine months of the year until the series of circuit assemblies was held there. At these assemblies great stress was laid on the need for maturity, regular and unselfish service and also on the responsibility brothers and sisters take upon themselves when they are given the opportunity to serve as a congregation. It is encouraging to note that the monthly reports received from the majority of the congregations there since these circuit assemblies have shown some improvement.
A congregation servant at Monkey Bay, on the shores of Lake Nyasa, writes in: “As we look after our master’s trading store we serve the few European ladies who live down here, and we wondered how we could give them the witness without offending them, since we are Africans. After some thought we hit upon the plan of including in their grocery parcels a booklet for each and a little note inviting them to read it. The result was that some wrote back thanking us for the booklet, while one of them called personally and asked for more. We showed her ‘Let God Be True’, which she promptly took, and before long she was gathering her servant boys together to study with her each day. They grumbled to us: ‘Now see what you have done! Every day our dona calls us together in the afternoon to study that book with her and we have no time to go around visiting our friends any more.’ This lady has now taken What Has Religion Done for Mankind? and has subscribed for The Watchtower. She is indeed very interested and talks to her friends about the truth.”
Ft. Manning: The brothers there are making good use of a Roman Catholic Cinyanja translation of the four books of the apostles and Acts entitled Mthenga Wabwino (The Gospel). The Roman Catholic adherents are astounded to find Jehovah’s witnesses using this book and explaining to them all about the “soul,” the “dead,” the “resurrection,” etc. They are also getting an insight as to who are the “false prophets” and are beginning to say to their priests: “All this time you have been telling us that Jehovah’s witnesses are the false prophets, but now we know that you are. The Bible says that the false prophets would wear long robes. The ones wearing long robes are not Jehovah’s witnesses, but you yourselves.”
PORTUGUESE EAST AFRICA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 70 382 322 815
The position in this territory remains difficult for brothers living in certain parts where their freedom of worship is being restricted by officials who have been misinformed and who are prejudiced against the message of Jehovah’s kingdom.
Jehovah’s witnesses have been threatened with deportation, and have been told to cease all communication with the Society and to stop their preaching work. This has upset the work of some congregations and so, for this service year, the report shows a decrease in number of publishers.
Wherever there are brothers these give out the message even though some may not report their activity. Very often a publisher pushing out into new territory will find people who already have the Society’s publications and are studying them and are glad to meet someone else with a similar interest. These people are encouraged to continue their studies and to tell others about the good news; so surely some of them will in time throw off the fear of man and come out for clean and pure worship of Jehovah.
PAKISTAN
1948 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 28 47 57
In the new country of Pakistan the response to the truth is not very great, but those who do respond to the Word of God are precious to all of us, as they must be to Him who sent the missionaries into that land. Just as long as those in the New World society are persuaded that there are other sheep to be found, just that long they will keep on preaching.
There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving, and in the land of Pakistan the work is certainly one of continual giving. The missionaries and the congregation publishers feel very confident that “in due season we shall reap by not giving out.” (Gal. 6:9, NW) The branch servant gives us some interesting reports about what conditions are like there.
Famine is an ugly word, but it is one with which students of Bible prophecy are familiar. Particularly has this been true among the witnesses for Jehovah in Pakistan during the past year, for a famine of immense proportions, with a deficit of one and a half million tons of grain, threatened the land, and was averted only by the timely aid of the U. S. A. and other countries. Disastrous as that threatened to be, yet it could not compare in seriousness with that other famine foretold by the prophet Amos: “not a famine of bread . . . but of hearing the words of Jehovah.”
We are particularly happy to have had at least one Moslem take his stand for the truth during the year, and to see him develop into a sincere and zealous publisher. Past friends and relatives are surprised to find him standing on the streets and offering passers-by the Watchtower and Awake! magazines. Their first thought was that he must be doing this for a living, until he explained to them that it is not for living in this doomed and dying old system of things that he labors, but for perfection of life in the new world. One such acquaintance became convinced that it was his duty to kill this one who had left Islam, but later, upon seeing his fearlessness, he himself began to show interest and now calls around regularly to discuss these things.
One Moslem desired to have a study with a missionary, but because of prejudice in the home and the hostility of friends he was forced to arrange to have the study in some wayside park. As he progressed in knowledge he began to tell others what he had learned, and one day this brought him into contact with a Roman Catholic priest. After being stumped again and again by this Moslem, the priest asked, “How comes it that you, being a Moslem, know so much about the Bible?” Fast came the reply, “How comes it that you, being a priest, know so little?”
An Indian Christian in the north came in contact with the truth, and since has been spreading all around what he knows. The result has been, according to the latest report from the circuit servant, that at least two others there are now witnessing. To counter this activity the Moslem authorities made false charges against him, do not permit his going from house to house, and gradually lowered his salary so that now he stands close to the border line of starvation. Still he persists in his witnessing activities. His great desire is to be one of those who can demonstrate to men and angels that he will ‘serve God for nought.’
So long as men like this can be contacted in this land of pagan darkness, just so long are the missionaries willing, yes, eager to remain. When entering a foreign assignment, it is not the filth or the absence of it, not the poverty, disease or even persecution that makes an assignment good or bad, but it is the degree of interest shown toward their message that makes the going easy or difficult.
PANAMA
1944 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 43 215 562 668
Putting the right ideas in the minds of the publishers is a big thing. So many who come to a knowledge of the truth are convinced that they cannot go from house to house—that is a work for someone else to do. They feel that they lack knowledge and understanding. However, the way to get knowledge and understanding is to talk about the message yourself, to preach, to make known the good news. With the above in mind, a 31 per cent increase in average number of publishers in Panama was gained by the circuit servants and congregation servants’ seeing to it that all the irregular publishers became regular publishers. It took work, but for the Kingdom’s sake it was worth it. The branch servant tells us of some very interesting experiences they have had in Panama, and such experiences are to be expected in the New World society.
At the beginning of the year the outstanding weaknesses that we had were the great number of irregular publishers, and that many of the publishers did not participate in the house-to-house work. In order to overcome these two weaknesses we gave continuous encouragement and counsel to the brothers on these points. The circuit servant on his visits stressed consistency in the service and that “every publisher should try to be a regular house-to-house preacher of the good news.” The servants of the congregations made definite and regular arrangements to help the irregular publishers. And in our monthly circular letters to all the publishers, month after month, we encouraged all to become more mature by becoming regular house-to-house preachers. What were the results of this? These: Our irregular publishers decreased by more than 50 per cent. Many more have now become house-to-house preachers of the good news. More hours have been put into the service and more placements made (our Watchtower campaign and our booklet campaign were by far the best we have ever had).
Jesus said: “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” A good example of this is shown in the following experience related by one of the congregation servants. “One day about a year ago an interested person attended one of our public talks. Following the lecture he was greeted by publishers, and after some discussion concerning Bible doctrines he seemed confused on the trinity, defending this doctrine as Bible teaching. For about a year nothing was seen or heard of him. Then one Sunday he appeared at another public talk. After it was over he approached a publisher and said, 'Well, I’m one of you people now! I’ve been to almost all the religious organizations asking about the trinity and have got no satisfaction. I’ve read “Let God Be True” over several times, and I’m convinced you have the truth.’ He is now a regular publisher and wants to be immersed at the next assembly.”
One of the new missionaries, after being in the country a short while, had the following interesting experience to relate. “I found speaking fluently and conversing in Spanish a barrier. However, with diligent study, and Jehovah’s spirit, I memorized my testimony and began territory coverage. Whenever literature was placed I concluded that the persons were interested, because no matter what they said upon receiving it, I could not understand. One day in the door-to-door work, the householder, a Spanish-speaking lady, invited me in and offered me a chair. With such kindness, I began repeating my testimony, this in spite of her telling me emphatically that she was not interested. Because I continued my witnessing she began calling me names; yet I continued preaching. Not desiring to admit my ignorance of her words, I began nodding affirmatively, and to her outburst of anger I began saying, ‘Si, si’ (Yes, yes, in English). I left her a booklet and made arrangements to return, which I did. At this time she had not read the booklet, but told me that she had a Bible and one of our books. Again she began calling me ‘una bruja vieja’ (an old witch) and telling me that my power over her was stronger than hers over me, as she was a spiritualist. Still hiding my ignorance, I said, ‘Si, si’ (Yes, yes) to her outburst of insults, mistaking them for expressions of joy and interest. I read a few verses from the Bible on the subject New Earth. This she really seemed to enjoy, and she began to show interest. Three weeks later we began our Bible study. After five months of regular, diligent study, this lady attends all meetings regularly, shares in all features of the service, and conducts Bible studies with other persons of good will. Language may be a barrier, but this time understanding it well might have been the barrier. Jehovah has again demonstrated his blessings upon his slaves in their efforts to preach the good news. Certainly Jehovah’s spirit directed both publisher and other sheep. We now both understand the pure language and there is great rejoicing.”
Forty-five delegates from Panama attended the great assembly in New York, and all were greatly enthused with what they heard and saw. One of the publishers who attended was so happy that upon returning home she immediately signed up for the pioneer service.
PARAGUAY
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 27 47 164 182
This small country in the heart of South America has had Jehovah’s favor shining upon it, too; for the work has increased very nicely during the year, with many more of the other sheep taking their stand for the Kingdom and preaching the good news in that territory. The brothers are better organized, and therefore further expansion is to be expected. Some from this country were able to get to the New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses and are taking back to their fellow workers the good news they received. Everyone is now determined to press on in preaching the Word. The branch servant gives us a very fine report of the work there, and some of the experiences the publishers in that country have had are recorded here.
The New World Society Assembly has really been a blessing to us, and we are now extending these blessings to the people of Paraguay. In the local congregation in Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay, graduates of Gilead were used as congregation servant, Bible study servant, etc. While the Gilead missionaries were attending the New World Society Assembly, local brothers were used to fill these vacancies. When we came back from the assembly we found that these brothers had looked after the Kingdom interests very well, even reaching new peaks in hours and Bible studies; and so they were given these assignments and are now the appointed servants. This leaves the Gilead graduates free to be used in other places. There are several towns within two or three hours’ ride on a bus where there are isolated publishers and Watchtower subscribers; and some of the missionaries will be making regular visits on these people, conducting a Watchtower study, aiding them in the house-to-house service and organizing them into a congregation.
During the past year a young brother who had been an isolated publisher for more than a year was given the privilege of pioneering. He moved to Asuncion, where he could pioneer and also receive instructions. But while in Asunci6n he also met up with some trials. One day while working from house to house he was taken to the police station. He did not have proper documents and so was held in custody. He sent word to us that he was in jail, so the circuit servant and I went there to help him. We talked to the officer in charge, explaining to him that the boy was a good boy and was with our organization and that we would help him get the documents he needed. The officer assured us that he would release him as soon as possible. However, he had to remain in jail overnight. The next morning the officer called him to his office to talk to him. When the brother explained the nature of his work and why he was doing it, the officer took three books and a Bible, contributing for them and telling him he was free now and could continue on with his work. A few days later we were able to help him get the necessary documents and he has not been bothered since.
This brother has made a success of the pioneer work and has been a good example. Before, quite a few of the brothers thought that it was impossible to be a general pioneer in Paraguay because the cost of living is high. But this brother proved to them that it could be done, and now two more young brothers are making plans to enter the pioneer ranks soon.
PERU
1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 80 282 823
It makes glad the heart of every one of Jehovah’s witnesses to see the work advance in these Catholic-ridden countries. Persons have been held in darkness for generations and ages, and now the light is shining; and when the people of good will are gathered they let the light reflect to others also. The responsibility that falls upon Jehovah’s witnesses world-wide is very great, and they may
never cease talking. They must please Jehovah every day and bless his name. They must preach this good news of the Kingdom. This they are doing in Peru, and the branch servant there gives us the story of what has taken place during the past year.
On the whole, the people of this land have a desire to learn. They are particularly desirous of knowing scientific facts, and because of this many welcome the magazine Awake! One man was so impressed with the field of information covered by Awake! that he asked for more information as to the circulation and other facts on the magazine, so that he could write an article about it for one of the prominent student monthly magazines. In this he gave a list of articles that had appeared in Awake! during the past year, even showing how reasonable the cost of the subscription is in comparison with other periodicals. This resulted in several students’ visiting the branch in order to obtain Awake!
Because our work is orderly and educational, we enjoy freedom to carry out our worship, and there is no concerted opposition. There are one or two cases of personal opposition, but sometimes the outcome is good, as this experience of some publishers in Lima will show.
“A Jesuit priest, who was carrying around an image of the virgin, called on a publisher and invited him to worship the image and contribute toward its upkeep. The publisher refused, and due to the priest’s voice neighbors began to gather round and took part in accusing him of atheism. At this point two more publishers came along, and they joined in the conversation with the priest, a thing which he evidently did not enjoy, but he took their names and addresses, saying that he would call on them personally and convert them.
“Fifteen days went by and he did not come, so they called on him. They explained many of the scriptures to him, and he had to admit that the attitude and zeal of Jehovah’s witnesses was totally different from that of his own flock. He was shamed into buying a Catholic version Bible, and he announced his intention of starting a Bible study in the church to educate his people and to convert these witnesses to the ‘true faith.’
“The time came for these classes. Many people attended (advised by him that they were going to witness the conversion of three of Jehovah’s witnesses), but his lack of Bible knowledge made him the loser. After four classes he gave up the struggle, and showed himself before the people that he could not be a teacher. However, he has decided to continue as a student, this time studying ‘Let God Be True1. He bows his head in prayer at the beginning of the study, and joins in with his ‘Amen’ at the end. We pray, too, that his searching might be blessed by Jehovah and that he might find the path of life.”
During the year the circuit work was extended greatly so as to include visits to all isolated publishers and many people of good will. The one circuit servant traveled 10,445 miles in order to visit these, and he reports many varied experiences. In one place where he had previously visited one lone publisher, he went this time to find a group of 35 people gathered together to hear him explain the Bible. He was able to help them to organize a regular study group.
At another place where he visited an isolated publisher he found that the witness was pushing ahead with the work, having gathered a nice group of 15 to 17 attenders at the meetings, which number grew to 47 for the public talk that was given.
His experiences when traveling in the country are very colorful. For instance, there was the time when he had to walk up to ten miles in the pouring rain, along washed-out roads, all traffic being stopped; other times he gave several public talks to his fellow passengers when traveling in the back of a truck; and one experience that he says he will never forget was having to travel for nearly twenty hours on top of a load of dried fish! But as is always the case, the personal discomforts that are met with are crowded into insignificance by the joys that come when seeing the Lord’s sheep fed and gathered into the Master’s loving care.
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
1946 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 2,069 2,902 17,520 20,120
The good news of the established kingdom of Jehovah God is being preached more than ever before in the Philippine Islands. The name of Jehovah has become known from one end of the nation to the other. Jehovah’s visible organization has become the object of respectful interest and attention among the honest people. The reason for this is that Jehovah’s witnesses have been faithful in preaching the good news throughout their territory; and they have not confined it to merely those areas where congregations are located, but have reached out into isolated territory and places where the Kingdom message has never been preached before. The story of the progress and expansion of the work in the Philippine Islands is given to us by the branch servant.
To accommodate and train the thousands of new ones who streamed into the organization it was necessary to rearrange the circuits and districts. Thirty circuits were formed in two districts. New servants were trained. Emphasis was laid on the need for individual instruction in accurate knowledge of God and the practical application of this knowledge in regular house-to-house ministry. Pioneers, congregations, area study groups and isolated groups were all interviewed by the circuit servants and urged to see the importance of training the brothers for ministerial service. The effort bore fruit. An example may be seen in the following excerpt from a letter of an isolated publisher in Ilocos Norte.
“I am indeed happy to inform you that we are doing group witnessing every Saturday in order to train ourselves and other brothers to become regular house-to-house publishers, which is one way of attaining maturity. . . . We diligently have our Watchtower classes, too, every Sunday afternoon. We are happy to have this through the effort of our pioneer brother. An increase was made in the number of publishers, and the total number that reported last month was twenty-seven."
Remarkable efforts were put forth by congregations and pioneers to witness to unassigned territories during June, July and August. One congregation servant reported the experiences of twenty-three brothers who loaded their literature, food, camping equipment and other supplies on their backs and followed a pack trail through the mountains of northern Luzon for three days on foot to witness in territory that had not been reached before. They were warmly received in each village and left much literature. A pioneer sister reported that the mayor in one isolated town instructed the police to bring seats to the public reading center. Then he invited schoolteachers who were passing by on the way home and other people to come in and listen to the witnesses of Jehovah who had a message for them. Soon the place was packed. A book study and Watchtower study were held. The mayor was so pleased he ordered the public platform repaired immediately and requested the witnesses to put on a public meeting the next day. They did and four hundred people attended.
In the field of law the fight has gone on to defend our brothers in the exercise of their right to preach the good news. On September 16, 1952, in Duefias, Iloilo, a pioneer was hacked to death by an angry householder who pleaded self-defense when accused in court. Careful cross-examination of his defense witnesses brought out the facts showing that he was the aggressor and that the slain brother had no chance to defend himself against the violent assault. The slayer was convicted and given the maximum penalty under Philippine law for homicide.
The supreme court of the Philippines issued an injunction restraining the school authorities of Mala-campa, Camiling, Tarlac, from expelling the children of Jehovah’s witnesses from school or refusing their entry into school because of their refusal to participate in the idolatrous salute to the flag.
Our finest service year was climaxed by the New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses at Yankee Stadium. Twenty-seven were in attendance from the Philippines. Fortified with all the rich truths revealed at that assembly we are better prepared for a grander service year to come. So on we will go with the preaching work in obedience to our divine commission.
POLAND
1945 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 2,880 7,703 Still working
When we think of our brothers in Poland, or any of our faithful brothers behind the Iron Curtain, we cannot help but think of Paul’s words, “Are they ministers of Christ? ... I am more outstandingly one: in labors more plentifully, in prisons more plentifully, in stripes to an excess, in neardeaths often ... in dangers from my own race, ... in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, ... in dangers among false brothers, in labor and toil, in sleepless nights often, in hunger and thirst, in abstinence from food many times, in cold and nakedness.” (2 Cor. 11:23-27, NW) Our brothers are going through these experiences continually, and the Communist organization is trying to infiltrate their men into the organization so as to corrupt it and break it up. Thus far they have failed, for in Poland we see a wonderful increase. People are fleeing from the Devil’s organization and coming into the New World society. Even though they have no association with the brothers at conventions or direct communication, Jehovah God knows his other sheep, and these he gathers to the Shepherd-Prince. Some communications that have come through indicate the fearlessness and faithfulness of our brothers in Poland.
In spite of suffering in many ways they have persevered in God’s work and by his undeserved kindness have reaped a rich harvest of true worshipers of God. How the Devil tried to get into the organization and work havoc, even to the extent of seizing the leadership through some of his tools to destroy the organization! Yet our brothers are of good cheer.
“In this fight for peace no one should feel too young or too old, even a six-year-old child or a man of a hundred years can successfully engage in this battle if he but wishes to. Such do not worry about the loss of their health or even their life and they have overcome the fear of police clubs and of prison. The enemy’s purpose is to stop the work by arresting the leaders of this wonderful movement for freedom. Arrests have frequently been caused by betrayals, yet such efforts are in vain. In spite of all we are constantly endeavoring to improve the organization and are setting new quotas, which we have not only been reaching but even surpassing. Our greatest enemy in our unifying work is the old harlot. She is insisting on continuing her hypocritical work and exercising her oversight and wants to harm our work whenever she can. But many people today see what further contact with her means and abandon her, and it often does not even take much effort to have them do this, because they have already learned many things by their own experience. So they are coming in large groups and want to be in that class where there is security for themselves and their children. Although you are far from here your family authority is fully respected and all your counsels and instructions are a help to me and my children and an aid to reach maturity, as Uncle Paul also says that mature people must take in and understand the solid food. You do not need to worry about us, because our older brothers reared us carefully and we are able to take care of ourselves in all the problems of life in spite of the fact that we are young. So we are going along well.”
From another letter: “Many of our brothers in Lodz are also suffering severe trials and are proving their faithfulness. In spite of severe attacks on the part of Satan by methods that are like those of the Middle Ages, the soldiers of Christ go forward in the battle to victory. In these trials our brothers are accused of serving God in violation of human proscriptions, of opposing the present regime. The evidence by which the judges try to prove our offenses is truly ridiculous and only proves that the position taken by God’s people is the only proper one. The sentences vary between one and a half and five years in prison.”
PORTUGAL
1948 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 14 62 97
A drastic cleanup took place in 1952 in Portugal as far as Jehovah’s witnesses are concerned. This year’s report on the country shows the importance of keeping the new-world organization clean, for a splendid increase has come forth. The president of the Society and his secretary had the pleasure of visiting Portugal during the year and helping them in their organization. It was a pleasure to be with them and to observe the results of the previous year’s work, that is, of housecleaning. Congregations should never be fearful of losing publishers when it comes to those who do not line up with the Word of God and follow the fine principles that he constantly teaches us. We must remember that Jehovah is taking care of his organization, and he is going to gather his sheep only to a clean organization. The brother looking after the work in Portugal also sends in a report on the Azores, islands that are away out in the Atlantic and which come under Portuguese governmental jurisdiction. Here are some of the things he has to say.
Among the many interesting experiences enjoyed by the publishers in the house-to-house work was a call on a young man who, as soon as he realized what society the publishers were representing, rushed to fetch a copy of the booklet Where Are the Dead? which he had obtained many years ago. It was well-thumbed and had many points underlined. The young man gladly obtained a copy of “Let God Be True” and immediately started attending the meetings.
So far, one immersion service each year has been sufficient for Portugal; this year there were three. The first was at the assembly in September. The second was held in mid-winter at some swimming baths, and six more brothers were immersed. The swimming instructor at the baths was very much impressed by the simplicity of the service and, on receiving a witness, turned out to be a Hungarian who knew of and admired Jehovah’s witnesses in his homeland on account of their firm stand against both fascism and communism.
The third baptism was held in August soon after the return of one of the missionaries from New York. A small New World Society Assembly was organized, picnic-fashion, under the trees near a beach. Epitomes of the main talks and the high lights of the program and events enjoyed at the marvelous, unforgettable assembly at Yankee Stadium were presented to a delighted audience of 150, which applauded frequently. Great joy was expressed at the release of the new publications in Portuguese: “The Kingdom Is at Hand” and Evolution versus The New World, excellent instruments with which to sing Jehovah’s praise in this land. And in spite of a very full program there was time for a talk on baptism, after which 24 prospective new-world citizens were immersed in the Tagus River. This made a total of 37 new brothers immersed for the year.
We here in Portugal take this opportunity of expressing our gratitude to Jehovah and his New World society for all the undeserved kindnesses of the past service year. We realize as never before the high standard set by the theocracy. Closer contact through Brother Knorr’s visits and attendance at the New World Society Assembly helped us to appreciate the maturity and vitality of Jehovah’s people. We realize the lack of maturity in our own ranks, but feel a deep desire to improve.
AZORES
1950 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 8 32 31
This little group of islands away out in mid-Atlantic is growing in importance strategically but is still one of the more isolated, out-of-the-way places on the globe. It comes under Portuguese rule, which, of course, carries with it the dominion of the Catholic Church. The people are generally poor and uneducated; they have some knowledge of "saints” and “miracles,” but none about the inspired Scriptures or the new world.
But there are exceptions to this rule. In fact, during the last year there were 28 exceptional people with enough faith in Jehovah and his Word to proclaim the new-world message to others.
Some of the publishers are timid about doing house-to-house work in such Catholic territory and have concentrated on back-calls and studies. As a result the studies have increased and for the last month of the year there was an average of one study per publisher, which is excellent. But there is need for more house-to-house witnessing. All the publishers are located on one of the islands, where a faithful and determined congregation servant takes a good lead. On at least two of the other islands there are persons who show considerable interest in the Kingdom message, too.
PUERTO RICO
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 6 119 653 710
It was Solomon who said, “Thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be good alike.” He was talking about seed sown. For years our brothers have been sowing seed in Puerto Rico, and the publishers are now reaping the results. They are still planting; and, by Jehovah’s undeserved kindness, they are going to keep on gathering. Some plant, others water, but it is Jehovah who gives the increase. And so, over the pretty hills and valleys of Puerto Rico and across its beautiful countryside, people of good will are being gathered together into the New World society. Puerto Rico used to be a strongly Catholic country, but it appears that the Church’s political influence is waning and its influence over the lives of the people is losing its hold. The branch servant gives us an interesting report on what is going on in the territory under the jurisdiction of the Puerto Rican branch, which also includes the Virgin Islands.
The isolated territory work is opening up new fields that give promise of abundant harvests. Up in the mountain town of Comerio a missionary placed three books with a woman who showed so much interest that the missionary took time to explain the method of study used, mentioning that such Bible study work was the principal activity of Jehovah’s witnesses. A year passed, however, before she was able to return to this town; but when she did, the woman saw her approaching her home and began to smile and wave energetically. She warmly invited the missionary and several other publishers into her home, and then came the questions: “Where have you been? I’ve waited and waited for you. Do you have any new books? Would it be too much trouble for you to take my subscription for The Watchtower? I’ve listened regularly to your radio programs. I’ve been talking to my neighbors and they are interested in having a Bible study like those you told me about. Why didn’t you come back?” Most of the publishers accompanying the missionary had just started publishing that year themselves and they were quite as thrilled with the visit as the lady was at having them call on her. That the harvest was to be big, with many workers needed, they had no doubt.
Down on the coast in the little town of Toa Baja during this summer the town’s last church closed its doors, since the minister said that the ten or twelve who were attending did not make it worth while to continue the services. The collections did not even pay for his traveling expenses. At the same time enthusiastic Kingdom publishers from the capital were gladly spending time and money to go to Toa Baja on Sundays and were finding many hungry sheep. They started three group studies, with as many as 14 attending one study, and at least six of the “hireling pastor’s” flock are in attendance.
Here, as in other parts of the world, it is soon evident that modern conveniences and traveling facilities are not the important factors in progress and expansion. Take the rural congregation near the town of Vega Baja for example. Due to the newness of the brothers, a sister is congregation servant. The publishers have to walk many miles to witness and conduct studies. They began the service year with just seven publishers. By January eleven were reporting and the circuit assembly that month saw six of them immersed. A month or so later three more were immersed. By the end of the service year the congregation’s August report showed eighteen publishers reporting, with an average of 17 hours per publisher and 16 Bible studies being conducted.
The New World society has become a reality in Puerto Rico and people are being obliged to notice the difference between new-world and old-world living. Many are surprised to realize that Christianity is a way of life as well as of worship. They are amazed to see persons, some up in their sixties, who have lived together for a score of years now legalize their marriages. Also, hot Latin tempers have flared as many wives have stood firm for their God-given rights to witness for God’s kingdom and to assemble with his people and have held to the apostolic rule that they should obey God rather than men in such matters—a doctrine nearly incomprehensible to many Puerto Rican husbands. Many cities and towns are sitting up and staring at the spectacle of orderly but highly enthusiastic and very lively assemblies of members of this New World society in ever-increasing numbers—assemblies that are different from anything they have ever seen before, both in their nature and purpose.
Puerto Rico was happy to have 120 delegates at the New World Society Assembly, including every one of the missionaries. We are grateful indeed for the good gifts that our Father saw fit to give us there through his earthly organization. We intend to use them welL
VIRGIN ISLANDS
1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 34 100 100
One clergyman, writing in a newspaper article, said that a number of ministers who had labored in several other islands of the Caribbean had frankly stated that religiously the island of St. Croix was the ‘hardest field of them all’ and that “churches built to house hundreds now number attendants in ten and scores.” By way of contrast, during the past year the two congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses in St. Croix have both obtained new Kingdom Halls in better locations and are looking forward to good increase. The reason for the difference may be found in a statement made by one U. S. businessman who, after spending five months in the Virgin Islands, said that Jehovah’s witnesses were clearly the “most active group in the religious field and were putting the clergy to shame.”
The little British island of Tortola also had cause for rejoicing when a brother in his sixties came all the way from England to take up the pioneer service and help the small group of good-will persons in that island. How happy they were to have him join them in their Watchtower study and to know that he would help them in their efforts to gain right knowledge!
For many the year 1953 will be an unforgettable one, because they were able, by much sacrifice and careful saving, to attend the grand New World Society Assembly in New York. Yes, eighteen of the ninety-some publishers in these little islands made the trip to that assembly and returned rejoicing.
ROMANIA
1946 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 2,191 2,685 Still working
The communications we have with Romania are very unsatisfactory because censorship in that communistic country is very severe, but the preaching work continues to move ahead in that country in spite of the fact that many of our brothers are in prison. Jehovah’s witnesses are putting forth a great effort to find the sheeplike ones and teach them the truth. This is the only hope for the future. In some of the few communications we have received we have reports of various congregation servants’ being put in prison. Others tell us that they are taking care of the lands and that the family is well, learning, growing up and having much joy. The Society makes every effort to keep in touch with our brothers in Romania. We pray that they may never be forsaken as they continue maintaining their integrity in that bedarkened country.
SIERRA LEONE
1944 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 45 38 73 135
Many persons of good will are responding to the truth in Sierra Leone, a small country in West Africa about 500 miles above the equator, and Jehovah’s witnesses have gone into this territory explaining the truth to the people from the Bible. It is interesting to see how zealous the folks there are who receive the truth and how determined they are to keep on in their preaching activity. A branch was established in Sierra Leone this year, and the branch servant makes his first report.
Many of our brothers walk long distances during the rainy season to attend meetings and service contact points at the congregational Bible studies. One pioneer, 72 years old, has to walk three miles over mountainous terrain to assemble with the brothers at the Kingdom Hall; then he stays overnight in town and returns to his farm in the morning. He rarely misses a meeting and enjoys giving public talks, as he engages in all features of the service. Our oldest publisher, a sister of 84 years, sets a wonderful example for the brothers, young and old alike, to follow. Not only does she attend every meeting when physically able to do so, but her field service is so well balanced that any publisher would be proud to do it During the service year she placed 35 books, 157 booklets, spent 160 hours in the field, obtained 6 subscriptions, placed 236 magazines and followed up with 80 back-calls.
The outstanding event of 1952 was the visit of Brother Henschel to Sierra Leone in November. He discussed with us the many missionary problems and gave many helpful suggestions for more effective Kingdom service in our territory. All the brothers were happy to learn of the new branch arrangement and the circuit work, with the two circuit assemblies each year. This is the first time that a representative from the Society’s headquarters visited us here. It made the brothers feel even closer to the organization. The public discourse, “It Is Time to Consider God’s Way,” was well attended; more than 400 were present, and more than 250 stayed on for the evening sessions. This visit gave the brothers much encouragement for the remainder of the year.
During the past year many of the brothers have seen the organization in a new light and are becoming more mature and united in theocratic love and devotion. The New World society has become a reality and a moving factor in their lives. As in all parts of the world, before the organization can really prosper and have Jehovah’s blessing it must be clean. As of May 1, 1953, all congregations were sent letters explaining the Society’s viewpoint on common-law marriage, and the immediate need of those living under such conditions to comply with the Society’s instructions before November 1, 1953. We have been taught to realize that coming to the theocratic organization means submitting to theocratic law. The days of ‘doing what was right in our own eyes’ have passed. The Kingdom Judge, Lawgiver and King now rules the New World society; selfinterpretation and flouting of the theocratic law will not be allowed or tolerated. Party spirit, strife, rivalries and murmurings are now put aside by the sincere ones leaving the old-world society. Many are making their minds over to the clean New World society’s book— Jehovah’s Word, the Bible. Those who persist in common-law marriage and refuse to heed the Society’s instructions to get cleaned up have been informed that they will be removed from the organization through disfellowshiping.
Our minds are truly “braced for activity” for the year ahead and we will continue ‘every day to bless Jehovah’s name, even forever and ever.’ The new releases are being eagerly awaited and will be a great help in ‘making sure of all things.’
SINGAPORE AND MALAYA
1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 15 104 98
In countries like Singapore and Malaya, where superstition and false religion play the major part in deciding the everyday life of the people, the ministers of God find it difficult to carry on the service work. When one recalls that only forty in every hundred persons are literate and that less than fifteen women in a hundred can read and write, and nearly every language is spoken, certainly great patience is needed to help these people visualize new-world living. Even after talking and studying with the people, it takes a long time for them to shake off the shackles of tradition. The branch servant tells us the story about Singapore and Malaya as well as North Borneo.
Among the Chinese population, which is considerable, the veneration of the parents must be carried on during their life and, even after death, much time and expense is devoted to the worship of these departed ones. When witnessing one is often told by the householder that he would like to become a Christian but would have to wait until his mother dies. If one comes into the truth, although no longer a minor, this pressure still makes itself felt, and unless a good grip is kept on the Word of life he is apt to waver. Many do not realize that a close association is needed with the New World society to overcome these influences. Better attendance at the congregational meetings would be a great step in the proper direction of gaining Jehovah’s help in these things.
A missionary experience shows that if the good-will person has the desire to study, progress can be made in spite of difficulties. While the missionary was working from store to store, a subscription was obtained from a Chinese schoolboy; later a back-call was made and three bound books and a Bible were placed—another back-call, and arrangements were made for a study of the book “Let God Be True”. The study was continued regularly through the book, although his command of the English language was very poor at first. It was seen that the lesson had been properly studied in advance, as answers were underlined and a wealth of notes in Chinese characters covered the page margins. As the final chapters of the book were being studied an invitation to attend the meetings was given and readily accepted. Even then the missionary pondered on how to mature this boy in field service. He was from a Buddhist home and studied in a Chinese-language Catholic high school. Circuit assembly time approached and the congregation was notified; then this lad expressed his desire to be baptized. It was drawn to his attention what this involved and a detailed study was made of the points in the literature, with many Chinese characters again being drawn on the margins. On being asked if he had the points clear he replied, “I know that I cannot get life unless I serve Jehovah, and I know that my first duty will be to help my family to become Christian.” It was then realized that although he had not expressed himself freely other than giving the answer to the propounded questions he had been taking in knowledge and now had a desire to preach the Word.’ This brother has further progressed and his fluent testimony in Mandarin and other dialects at the doors is admired by the Straits-born Chinese brothers who can express themselves only in the local Malay. Shortly he is to give his first student talk in his Chinese dialect.
In the Federated Malay States, to the north of Singapore, where the missionaries were deported at the end of the last service year, there is a congregation established in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and a number of isolated publishers and people of good will are scattered in the tin-mining towns and other villages. In the capital, a young Chinese sister after only a few months of study has become very active, conducting five studies in addition to other good field service. As she finishes her school studies this year, she hopes to begin pioneering. Another brother who had been inactive since his return from India after the war, having revived his joy of service, has become a full-time pioneer and is acting as congregation servant.
The unassigned territory campaigns met a need in this area, although we were not able to go far afield. The activity was extended to two more towns this year within a distance of one hundred and fifty miles of Singapore. These last two towns are in notoriously bad or “red” areas, where there is much bandit activity. Long week ends from Thursday to Sunday were spent in each place, much literature was placed and public meetings were held. At one place that was visited three times last year and twice this year there has been good attendance at the public meetings, and two Indian lads have become publishers. It is hoped that the circuit servant will be able to stimulate this interest for regular activity on future visits.
While polygamy is freely practiced here among the Chinese and Malay people and there has been doubt as to the legality of the Chinese custom marriages even where there is only one wife, so far no difficulties have arisen in the congregations. One assistant congregation servant whose conscience was troubled regarding the legal status of his marriage and who did not want to jeopardize his privileges or the congregation arranged to have it legalized. His wife, who had not taken a stand for the truth at this time, said to one of the brothers who acted as witness to the marriage, “I think . . . has gone crazy.” However, this must have given her good food for thought, especially when those among whom she is living have very insecure marriages. Now this sister is immersed and delights to take her two children out in the field service at every opportunity.
NORTH BORNEO
1950 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 2 3 6
During the year Brother Knorr instructed that the circuit servant from Singapore travel out to Jesselton, in North Borneo, and give help and encouragement to the brothers there. This involved five and a half days of traveling by coastal steamer, but it was a good time to make the trip, as the northeast monsoon season was over and this meant better sailing on the usually rough South China seas.
While he was witnessing with one of the new publishers a house was approached and, without giving a testimony, we were greeted by a Chinese man and invited inside to sit and have a drink of tea. He immediately said he wanted to subscribe for ‘that Watchtower magazine and have one of those New World Translations’ and all this without our even making an offer of literature. What a surprise! This territory had never previously been worked in the history of the theocracy. Inquiries elicited the fact that this man had spent a long period in the local hospital and a friend of his who had subscribed for The Watchtower had given him a pile of back issues of the magazine to read while there. He found it to be ‘the best magazine he had ever read.’ A good study was started with him.
During door-to-door witnessing a Filipino man was contacted and the book ‘‘Let God Be True” was placed. Later a study was started with him and a Chinese neighbor friend. During the course of the study on the chapter “What Is Man?” hard-hitting truths were disclosed to this Catholic person on the mortality of the soul. He saw the point and in his excitement jumped up from his chair and laughingly exclaimed, “Now I know the reason why the priest wants these books burned.”
SOUTH AFRICA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 1,582 4,163 10,010 11,367
Jehovah’s witnesses in all South Africa and the territories under the jurisdiction of the branch office are aiding those who are the desire of all nations to come into Jehovah’s organization. There are certainly many desirable persons in many nations who long for truth and righteousness. They are forsaking false religion, trying to get away from the oppression that comes upon them through the rulers and commercial organizations and are looking for truth and righteousness. These will surely be found and gathered together as “sheep” to Jehovah’s organization.
It is important that we walk in Jehovah’s name, not only now, but forever. The time has now come to exalt his name and daily bless the Sovereign Ruler of the universe. The report that follows covers the Union of South Africa, Angola, Basutoland, Bechuanaland, Mauritius, St. Helena, South-West Africa and Swaziland. Each of these lands has its individual problem, but we rejoice in the grand progress that is being made as these brothers continually bless Jehovah.
Jehovah’s witnesses in this country know that they each have a total of 1,100 persons to whom to preach. This is a challenge!
By Jehovah’s undeserved kindness we are answering the challenge through the arrangement for working isolated and previously unassigned territories. Many wonderful experiences have been enjoyed by those who have taken part in this expansion work. One of the circuit servants had to wait nearly two days to make a train connection to the next congregation. He started work in the Native Location and after a few calls from house to house he met a man who had the literature and who was very appreciative of the truths that he was hearing. This man took the servant to two other families, who also had publications and were conducting their own group study, having realized that the churches were not offering them the food they were hungering for.
While working unassigned territory in 1952 a congregation publisher contacted a man who asked for the books to be sent to his working address, as his wife was opposed and would tear up the books and burn them. This year the publisher went to make a back-call, taking the circuit servant with him. How pleasantly surprised they were to hear the man’s first words to them: “Well, what must I do to become one of Jehovah’s witnesses?” Further discussion revealed that the wife also wants to become a witness! The man took more books, as he had already been witnessing and had promised to get books for some of his friends.
Another congregation of about 20 African publishers, upon reaching their territory, had difficulty getting accommodations. A farmer was not prepared to put them up without their showing a permit from the police. The police station was far away and it was late. Some of the farmer’s employees then took the witnesses to a minister of the First Church of Christ living near the farm. He refused to assist and was extremely unkind. One of the flock sympathized, condemning the attitude of the minister, and took the witnesses to a nearby empty house. Hardly had they settled in when the police arrived. The European policeman was very considerate and even gave encouragement after he had been shown the Isolated Territory assignment card. It was the clergyman who had called the police. The following morning, however, the clergyman showed a complete change of attitude, apologized for his behavior the night before and offered his church for the public meeting. He invited his “flock” to the meeting. The result was an attendance of 80 (60 were strangers) for the talk. All stayed for the Watchtower study afterward. The clergyman was among those who obtained literature that day. Two more visits have been made since, and once again the minister offered his church for the public talk. He attends not only the talk but also the Watchtower study held afterward. As a result of the work done here, instead of having only one publisher active in the area there are now seven.
A back-call made on a young lady, who had stopped a Bible study the previous year because of worldly connections, resulted in her coming to the Watchtower study that week end. At this first visit to the study she answered some of the questions. The following Sunday she traveled to the circuit assembly 40 miles away and thoroughly enjoyed the program, including the baptismal talk. So much did she enjoy it that she went to another assembly nearby two weeks later and was there immersed! This sister has averaged 22 hours of field service for each of the three months since then.
Recently she and another sister were working in unassigned territory and left the tract “Awake from Sleep!” with a lady who refused to discuss the matter or take any literature. When the publisher came back to the car, which was parked nearby, the lady came out of the house with 7/- in her hand to subscribe for Awake! She had read and been impressed by the powerful message in the tract.
The most outstanding event of the year was the visit of the president, Brother Knorr, and his secretary, Brother Henschel. On the occasion of their visit a national assembly was arranged. This was held at Johannesburg, with upward of 7,000 in attendance. For the first time all races of people in South Africa could meet in the same place and at the same time. This was possible because of our having a large stadium. Europeans were seated on the one side and the Africans on the other side of the stadium. All greatly benefited from the ministrations of the two visiting brothers, and we were encouraged to more diligent efforts in service to our God, Jehovah. We in South Africa are more determined than ever before to keep on pushing the battle to the gate, thus magnifying the great and glorious name of our Almighty Father, Jehovah.
ANGOLA
1950 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 14 21 24
By far the greater part of the work done in the territory of Angola has been done on the island of Sao Tome. A congregation was started there in 1950 with six publishers. Now there is an average of 23 publishers reporting. These publishers are very regular indeed. Not once during the entire year was there a decrease of workers, but always an increase or a figure equaling the previous peak.
Not only have the publishers been regular but they have regularly kept a high average of hours and back-calls. During the year the average of hours spent in field service was 23.3 per publisher, back-calls, 6.3, and Bible studies, 1.7. Truly a wonderful report of integrity and love for Jehovah and his kingdom!
BASUTOLAND
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 3 9 67 113
Basutoland is entirely a native reserve. Europeans are not allowed to settle in the country. The some 1,600 Europeans living in Basutoland are mainly government officials, missionaries, traders and labor agents. Taking into consideration only the habitable area, Basutoland is the most thickly populated territory in South Africa, and all arable land is under cultivation.
About 60 per cent of the population of nearly 600,000 are “Christianized,” but that does not stop them from being ancestor worshipers. Sacrifices are made to pacify dead chiefs and forefathers. Clergymen play a big part in these ceremonies and the witch doctors an even larger part. The people are assured that their deceased parents really can help them against their enemies. Herbs and drugs are buried around and inside their huts to serve as magical guards against evil. Only when this has been done do the occupants feel safe from evil.
Pagan practices and ceremonies make it difficult for the average Basuto to see and accept the truth. Nevertheless, there are now eight congregations and two isolated groups in Basutoland. There are yet many of the Lord’s other sheep waiting to be liberated from the doctrines of demons, and they will be found. They will hear the voice of the great Shepherd and respond to his call.
BECHUANALAND
1946 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 17 45 143 147
The publishers in Bechuanaland have been working in primitive conditions and under great difficulty during the last year. The circuit servant in that area gives a revealing report on the conditions. He writes: “Due to a very dry season there was much starvation in this land during the last year. Many publishers left their homes to look for work in centers outside of Bechuanaland.
“The progress that has been made in this country has not been without opposition. Most of the chiefs in the various areas are not friendly to the witness work. One of them recently arrested two witnesses merely because they are witnesses. One was immediately released when it was found that he was a visitor to the area and hence not under the control of the chief. The other was sentenced to four months in jail and a £30 fine. He was held a few days and then also released. It seems that this was done to try to frighten the witnesses.
“Much of this opposition is due to the protests against the work made by religious leaders, baruti, who prompt the chiefs to threaten the arrest of all who become Jehovah’s witnesses. False religion is proving to be a heavy burden on the people. Women have to pay 5/6d and men ll/6d a year as church membership dues. Many of the inhabitants are not yet free from the fear of man and so, although accepting the good news as truth, fail to stand out actively for the truth.”
MAURITIUS
1951 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 8 13 22
This makes the second complete year’s report of the activity of Jehovah’s witnesses in Mauritius. Much seed has been sown; some, having fallen on good soil, has taken root and, being now nourished on theocratic truths, is developing to maturity. It thrills us to observe such growth.
Interestingly, certain Roman Catholic priests, who made a nuisance of themselves last year, no longer bother us. Jehovah’s witnesses, it appears, must be considered another necessary evil. The local political situation gives increasing encouragement to anticlericals, and maybe the clergy dimly comprehend what was lucidly revealed at Yankee Stadium—that their mighty religious setup is being surrounded by powerful godless forces. They seem remarkably shy about fighting on any front.
Now the Church of England has become startled at our progress. In addition to issuing warnings in their church magazine they have had translated from English into French a particularly malicious booklet about Jehovah’s witnesses. Lies, some as appalling as they are obvious, are recklessly presented. Indeed, several formerly connected with the Church of England have expressed amazement that the well-respected bishop of the church of the British Royal family should authorize such an irresponsible publication. It is the work of desperate men. The truth is that, like the religious leaders of the day of Peter and John, they are annoyed because our missionaries are teaching the people.—Acts 4:2, NW.
A few weeks ago the Port Louis congregation held its first regular La Tour de Garde study. As required by law, the police were notified. The reply of the Commissioner of Police stated that “there was no police objection provided no religious controversy arises which might lead to a breach of the peace.” First to arrive were four detectives. Among our friends were a retired detective and several close relatives of yet another detective—and all this in a total audience of fifteen. It was almost like a policemen’s reunion. The study, “God’s Way Is Love,” was apparently considered harmless and the officers accepted a copy of the subject matter. While we don’t know on whose information the police were acting, we believe that they are now satisfied that Jehovah’s witnesses are quiet, law-abiding people.
The year just past has been one of consolidation. One congregation is now a ‘going concern’ and the missionaries will now concentrate on building up another. With the number of full-time workers soon to be raised to five and with congregation publishers becoming more efficient, prospects are good. The New World society is really established in Mauritius. The gratitude of all concerned is to Jehovah.
This opportunity is taken to say how much the rich food provided in the journals and books is appreciated. The loving air-mail provisions of the president at convention time reminded us that, even if we are in one of the most isolated and distant-from-New York assignments, we are not forgotten. We look forward to the Scripture and book releases, including the book “This Means Everlasting Life” in French. It is indeed thrilling to be associated with such a God-inspired organization.
ST. HELENA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 11 17 41 44
This little island of some 4,700 inhabitants is visited by only about 35 ships a year and hence, to a great extent, is cut off from the rest of the world. For the whole of the previous year a special pioneer worked in the island and established the organization on theocratic lines. When he left in July, 1952, there were two congregations operating.
It is a great pity that we here cannot attend circuit or other assemblies. We are sure it would be a stimulation for the brothers in the Kingdom work. Nevertheless, we did have a one-day assembly on July 26, and we had a most joyful time together.
A very strict member of the Baptist religion had many years ago got hold of some Watchtower publications. He was very much interested in them, but had never had the opportunity of having the truths in them explained to him clearly. Then, when the work was organized and the territory began to be worked thoroughly, the news got all around that the “Jehovah’s people” were coming. This man, as he expressed it, “was looking forward to seeing the Jehovah’s people.” It was during the 1952 Watchtower campaign that we reached his house. When at his door we heard him inside reading aloud from Isaiah chapter 2. It reminded us so much of the Ethiopian eunuch to whom Philip was sent. We were invited in and the discussion began on Isaiah 2. He was glad to have it clearly explained. The Watchtower was offered, but he had no money to subscribe. Since he was sincere, the book “This Means Everlasting Life” was given him. When a back-call was made he had been able to secure the contribution for the book. He felt he had to do it because “it is such a good book.”
A study was started with him and every week after each study he would comment, “My word, that is a new teaching altogether” or “that was a deep study.” He has always expressed appreciation that the pioneer brother came all the way from South Africa to bring such enlightening teaching. He kept going to his Baptist meetings, but more and more he saw that there was no spiritual food to be obtained there. He had many personal discussions with the preacher and noticed that the preacher understood none of the wonderful things he was now learning. Finally, after studying for about eleven months, he made a break and dedicated himself to Jehovah, was baptized in January 1953, and is now himself publishing the good news.
SOUTH-WEST AFRICA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 1 1 29 17
The work in this country has continued rather slowly. People seem to be very much satisfied with their wealth and they content themselves with taking a book or two from the publishers but not really studying them. Therefore, back-calls are most vitally important to stimulate the interest.
One of the chief difficulties encountered in South-West Africa is that so many of the people are migratory, never stopping in one place for long. This has made it difficult to get a center of activity started. Just when one has shown interest and the studies are getting along nicely, the family moves away and the work has to start all over again. However, centers are gradually being established and publishers will grow around such centers.
SWAZILAND
1944 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 2 11 170 148
Swaziland is at the stage when education and material development are the main topics of conversation. Many, including the religious leaders, are gathering followings for worldly schemes, promising money and material gain. Yet these same men continually engage in the exploitation of the poor in the country.
There is but one small group of people who are not interested in such material things. Their sole duty is to carry on spiritual education among the mild-tempered ones, and this educational work has carried them out into unassigned and isolated territories. Many people are fed up with the pagan rituals practiced by those claiming to be Christians. Sacrifices are offered to the spirits of the dead and other pagan “first-fruit” ceremonies are engaged in. These people are glad to hear of the glorious new world that Jehovah has promised.
Up till now all the work done in Swaziland has been among the African peoples only. However, a family of newly interested Europeans are moving into the territory and will push on with the work, assisted by congregations in the Union of South Africa near the border of Swaziland. We are looking forward to a constant increase of praisers among the folks in this land in spite of the fact that all publications of the Society are still banned. Jehovah knows those who belong to him and he is seeing to it that they are fed on the truths contained in the Bible, which, after all, is the chief textbook of freedom.
SOUTHERN RHODESIA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 871 3,044 10,315 11,132
In Southern Rhodesia there is about one publisher to every 230 people, but there is a tremendous amount of work yet to be done within the organization and outside. First of all, the ones who have taken their stand for the Kingdom and are anxious to live in the new world need much more education, and this the Society is trying to give them. While more than 10,000 publishers have seen the error of religious teaching, they still must be trained to have the truth clear in their own minds and be able to express it to others. As in all parts of the world, Jehovah’s witnesses must be trained inside the organization, and they must carry very good information outside the organization to the people of good will. There is much prejudice to be broken down, and it means steady, conscientious effort on the part of everyone. The branch servant gives us the picture.
Brothers Knorr and Henschel paid Southern Rhodesia a visit last December. We are very grateful that a fine missionary home was purchased in Salisbury. With the growing interest among the Europeans it is an asset to have a good central home for the missionaries. For our part it was gratifying to see the bigger audiences that heard our visitors, to compare with those of five years ago when we had the last presidential visit.
To help the African publishers Brother Knorr directed two of the European missionaries to travel as supervisors to the African circuit servants. Why was this? Because, despite their willingness to serve, it was obvious that the African publishers were untrained in many ways. Very little literature was being placed in the people’s homes. Reports were inaccurate and the instruction of the Counsel booklet was inadequately understood. Then there was a lack of smoothness in the organization, that smoothness that comes when each one knows his duty and does it well. Naturally, the African circuit servants could not pass on to the congregations what they themselves did not know, so it was the circuit servants who received attention. It is still too early to give a full report on this supervisory work, but enough has been seen to encourage us. The African publishers really appreciate having a white brother from Gilead train them and listen to their problems. Since our increase over the past year has been very slight, we hope that this closer training of our African publishers will result in an improved condition in the African congregations and better increases.
Our battle against prejudice still continues, but we are steadily gaining ground. In one area the farmers all seemed to be in a dilemma. They feared the “Watchtower,” as they call us, and yet they realized that Jehovah’s witnesses were the best “boys” to have on the farm. As one of them put it, “When I found out that all my best ‘boys’ were Jehovah’s witnesses I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t afford to let them go, and yet I was afraid to keep them around.” Fortunately, he was an honest man who willingly listened to an explanation of the real purpose of our work and now recognizes the good we are doing. He now has several of our books.
Another farmer had previously opposed Jehovah’s witnesses on the ground that they did not know how to teach the natives to read and write. He said that he did not want to have a school operated by Jehovah’s witnesses on his farm. He preferred to hear the natives with their drums! Well, one day he heard the drums going in his native compound. The time was 7 p.m. and this was the same time that our school was due to begin. This drumming is associated with demon worship and is a means used to work up a frenzy, resulting in some natives’ speaking in foreign tongues and foretelling the future. The farmer took his cookboy with him and went to investigate, but the perspiring dancers had stirred up so much dust that hardly anything was discernible. At that moment the farmer heard some children singing and traced the sound to the school then being conducted by Jehovah’s witnesses. He ducked into the hut and was surprised to see the native children sitting quietly on chairs and benches with their books. The school servant gave him a chair and soon he was impressed with the instruction given to the young witnesses; so much so, that he freely gave permission to the witnesses to carry on their educational work, while he put a stop to the demon-worshiping dancers.
We want all the people here, black, brown and white, to know that the name of Jehovah stands for clean worship and the pure religion. May there be many thousands more of Southern Rhodesians who will forsake their inadequate and deceitful gods and be on the side of Jehovah when the battle of the gods breaks out!
SPAIN
1948 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 43 145 206
The prophet Isaiah tells us that gross darkness would cover the people. Certainly this is the condition of the inhabitants of the country of Spain. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy is responsible for this condition, because they have kept the people of this country in illiteracy the same as they have held the people in all the countries they dominate in illiteracy. They do not want them to read or write, nor to have any knowledge at all, but to stay in darkness. However, some are breaking away from this darkness, and in due time false religion is going to reap the whirlwind. For persons to preach the good news of God’s kingdom in Spain is really a difficult task, but there are a number of Christians in the country who will not keep silent when they are with friends, relatives and others who show interest. They tell the people the good news. Christians know that this good news of the Kingdom must be preached in all the world for a witness, and Jehovah’s witnesses are Christians. What follows informs us that some of our fellow workers are going ahead with the good news.
A good witness was given in spite of difficulties with both priests and police in some towns. One young special pioneer was “detained” two and a half days for aiding others to understand the Holy Bible in their homes. She was undaunted and during her short imprisonment witnessed to police officers, fellow prisoners and chief alike. Later she was released with a warning not to preach “that doctrine.” What can she do but continue as an active member of the New World society?
Experiences were many and varied. One minister contacted a young student of the Madrid University. He was enthused with the message and invited the brother to speak to several of his friends the following week. Nine attended. Magazines and copies of “Equipped for Every Good Work” were placed. Seven days later fourteen students of law, mathematics and medicine crowded into a small pension room for a lively study on the “Authenticity of the Bible.” Subscriptions for Awake! and The Watchtower were obtained and several copies of “Let God Be True” placed. So the truth continues to branch out to reach “all kinds of men.”
As in many congregations, the sisters do a great share of the service work, and several spend many hours a month in preaching although having family responsibilities. One sister conducts up to fourteen Bible studies weekly and does much personal contact work at the doors. They continue to have a part in the fulfillment of the prophecy: “The Lord giveth the word: the women that publish the tidings are a great host.”—Ps. 68:11, AS.
For many sincere Catholic persons the Bible is a “Protestant book,” to be treated with horror. It would not be exaggerating to say that many people have never seen a Bible and do not know what it is. A missionary reports that in house-to-house work he explained that his mission was to aid persons to understand the Bible and asked if the householder was familiar with it. No, she had not heard of it. Well, then, maybe she had heard of the Gospels? No, what were the Gospels? Undaunted the patient publisher referred to the apostles, but these were likewise unknown personalities to her. As a final attempt to enlighten the person as to the nature of our work he appealed to her knowledge of “Saint” Peter. A vacant expression convinced him that a leaflet would better explain our message. This case of Scriptural ignorance was not in a pueblo (village) but in a big industrial city.
SURINAM
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 10 75 109 107
In this little country on the northern coast of South America we find the Dutch settlement of Surinam making progress, as far as Kingdom truths are concerned. The point the branch servant makes in his report is that they are putting holidays to good use, not only for pleasurable relaxation, but for building up companionship within the organization itself. A whole group will go out into the countryside, or to a small village where they want to carry on the preaching work, take their basket lunch with them, invite the newly interested and then all go from door to door in the witness work. Afterward they have their picnic.
Many persons are fearful of Jehovah’s organization because they think it is stiff, and all work, with no pleasure. But what greater pleasure can a person have than to converse with others concerning the truth and then have fellowship together? Staying within Jehovah’s organization brings blessings, while mingling in with the world puts one in serious danger of getting like the old-world system, which we have already left.
The branch servant in Surinam tells us a little about the work there.
On the whole the local organization is becoming more and more like an adult person, stable, not easily thrown off balance by the unexpected. This is mainly due to the faithful adherence to righteous principles and maturity shown by some of the servants in fulfilling their obligations, as outlined in Isaiah 32. Indeed the publishers have done their best to follow and apply counsel, and this results in a healthy condition spiritually. Some sisters are beginning to do good work in training newer ones in the service, and the whole organization will be doing far more in this direction in the future in harmony with the suggestions received in New York.
On Christmas and boxing days we had never done too much work heretofore, but this year in Paramaribo we had a visit from the circuit servant then and publishers went out in the work practically in droves. We obtained more subscriptions during those four or five days than in the rest of the entire month.
For the first time we have had a Memorial attendance somewhat comparable with the importance of that event. Over 200 attended in Paramaribo alone, where there were about 80 publishers.
Our public meeting attendance at the last circuit assembly was also highly gratifying. Nearly five times as many persons were present as there were publishers. At the assembly in Paramaribo 427 listened to the lecture and 327 stayed to hear three other short discourses of twenty minutes each, which were presented after a short intermission.
By far the greatest blessing of the year was the convention in Yankee Stadium, especially since, for the first time, the local brothers and persons of good will were able to attend. Now they have seen the organization and it has built them up. Their eyewitness account will benefit the whole country. Incidentally, while the climate in Surinam is considered to be quite warm, we did not envy New Yorkers those hot days preceding the assembly.
“Equipped for Every Good Work” in Hollandish! “Preach the Word” with its message in many tongues! Evolution versus The New World also in Hollandish! Yes, and even “Make Sure of All Things” and the new Bible in English are all great treasures that we in Surinam will be able to use well in service and study.
SWEDEN
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 2,097 3,092 5,341 5,824
There were 195 of our Swedish brothers who attended the New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses at Yankee Stadium. In addition, our Swedish brothers had their own New World Society Assembly in Gothenburg at the end of August, and it seems from reports that as big an impression was made on Gothenburg as Jehovah’s witnesses made on New York city. Jehovah’s witnesses are a different people; they are Jehovah’s people. And some in the old, dying world are beginning to recognize that. Some laugh; others take it seriously, listen to the message and eventually come into the truth. But let us hear what the branch servant has to say about things in his country during the past service year.
As one columnist wrote during our recent assembly, “Jehovah’s witnesses have been dominating the town. In groups they are walking the streets with the very conspicuous badges on their jackets and coats. With very small intervals they stand and invite people to the meetings at the Masshallen and at the same time selling The Watchtower. They are not offering their magazine with a noisy voice. Quietly and calmly they hold it forth. They are not intrusive, but they are many. . . .
“Of course there is something foolish about them. But this foolishness seems in some respects to be related to mankind’s innermost and childish hopes of the thousand-year reign and eternal peace.
“When the Gothenburger more or less Indifferently passes by Jehovah’s witnesses, does he not become conscious of something of the spirit that pervades the history of man, the spirit that causes persons to do that which others do not do, to differ from the multitude, to don placards and badges, to offer writings which the sages call confused and void of insight and modem knowledge? Does he not feel a kind of inner satisfaction because there are, in spite of all, people who act as though they were not of this world?”
The following excerpt from a letter to this office testifies that many of the sincere, good-will persons who opened their homes to conventioners were moved by what they saw and heard. “Our host and hostess were shedding tears of joy, because they had been happy to have us stay in their home. We were not permitted to pay them anything for the lodging, for, as they said: ‘It has been a great privilege to us that you came. If you had not stayed with us, we might not have got to the Masshallen and would not now have known where to look for the kingdom of God. But now we know where to find it. Really we ought to pay you, and we do hope that the next time Jehovah’s witnesses will gather in this town we may get some of them staying in all of our rooms. Yes, perhaps next time we meet, we too may be Jehovah’s witnesses.’ ”
Although the majority of the Swedes may be uninterested in Biblical matters, there are many of the Lord’s other sheep yet to be located and fed. Sometimes the sheep come of themselves to inquire for the truth. So on Midsummer Eve, when everybody is supposed to be out to feast and dance in the sunlit night, a telephone call came through to the Society’s Bethel home at Stockholm. It was a lady who asked if someone would come to her home, as she and her husband were wanting to learn about the message of hope that she had heard that Jehovah’s witnesses were preaching. They had long been dissatisfied with things in this old world and had found no comfort in the religious systems. A Bible study was, of course, arranged right then and there.
Another interesting experience shows an increased interest in Biblical matters and that people are beginning to recognize that Jehovah’s witnesses have something “different” and worth while. One of the boys in the Bethel home who slept on the first floor in a room toward the street was awakened three times one night between ten and eleven o’clock by three different parties of university students who came driving from a town about twelve miles outside Stockholm in order to get literature that would help them, as they were engaged in a discussion about the Bible. The book What Has Religion Done for Mankind? which was released in Swedish at the New World Society assembly, will certainly prove a splendid instrument in the work of helping the other sheep to gain their freedom and “worship Jehovah in holy array.”
It has been a great joy to watch the increase of the people’s interest in the Watchtower magazine during the year. The number of new subscriptions obtained is up this year by 38 per cent, and the majority of them are for this magazine. The special campaign in May with booklets was also a successful one, which brought placements of booklets up by 43 per cent, to compare with last year’s result.
Our new Bethel home outside Stockholm is now nearing its completion; and we hope, by Jehovah’s undeserved kindness, to move in there during the month of March, 1954. At the Gothenburg convention a model of the new place was exhibited and the brothers eagerly looked at it. They have been freely contributing toward this building proposition, and we are certainly grateful to Jehovah and his organization for this provision that will mean a great help in the work of looking after the interests of the Kingdom in this country.
SWITZERLAND
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 1,353 1,645 3,011 3,309
The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society has an office and printing plant in Berne, Switzerland, where much work has been done in supplying literature for a number of places in Europe. The Swiss brothers have taken well to the unassigned territory work in their country, they responded marvelously to the Society’s invitation to come to the New World Society Assembly in New York, and they are putting up a real fight for freedom so that this good news of the Kingdom may reach into all parts of Switzerland. The branch servant gives us an interesting survey of what has taken place during the past year.
“Black” as certain parts of Catholic Switzerland may be, Jehovah’s witnesses do not work among the Catholic population in vain. “I shall remain Catholic,” declared a woman to a pioneer who had left the book “Let God Be True” and was now calling back on her. “Do what your conscience tells you to do,” replied the pioneer, and thus the way was paved for a Bible study to begin. Many questions were answered during the course of this study, and soon the lady attended the congregational meetings; but just the same, she attended her church. Nevertheless, she now began to compare the sermons and the ceremonial with what she had learned from the Bible, and one day she queried: “Do you think I ought to attend mass?” “Always do what your conscience teaches you to do after you have gained a knowledge on the subject from the Holy Scriptures,” replied the pioneer sister. Then came their study on the subject of the ransom. At the conclusion of this chapter she was so overwhelmed by its contents, especially by the evidence that the mass represented a repeated sacrifice of Jesus, whereas reconciliation was accomplished once for all time by Christ’s offering of himself, that she exclaimed: “Do you know why I want to learn all these things?” Why? “So that I can teach them to others.” Three weeks later she admitted that she had not attended mass since that time and could never do so again. The circuit assembly was approaching; and see now— the one who definitely declared she would “remain Catholic” symbolized her dedication to Jehovah! By her own will she is no longer Catholic, but a publisher of the new world.
“The Watchtower, the only magazine announcing Jehovah’s established kingdom!” called a witness of Jehovah in his gospel-preaching work at a busy center in B----.
A man walked straight up to him: “I must have The Watchtower; I am very much interested in Jehovah’s kingdom. Just recently I got the book ‘Let God Be True’ in O---.” An animated discussion ensued. "What, you
were a monk?” exclaimed the witness in surprise. “Yes, to be sure,” replied the man. “And because I loved truth from my childhood and searched for it, I soon recognized that the Catholic religion could not be the right one.” A back-call was arranged, where many Bible questions were answered and the witness learned that this former monk, disappointed in his religion, had left the monastery and had been going from one sect to another. His contact with Jehovah’s people soon widened his spiritual horizon; he grasped the truth spontaneously and soon attended the Watchtower study, where he took an active part in answering the questions. Now, two months later, our circuit assembly is in full swing; the former monk is to be found sharing joyfully in the field service, enthusiastic over the theocratic work and all the features of a circuit assembly. And at the writing
of this report his rooming application reaches us for the national assembly with the remark: “Please note my name for immersion”!
The outstanding event of this service year is most certainly the New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Yankee Stadium, New York city, July 19 to 26. What a stupendous event for the 100 delegates from little Switzerland! Of this number 30 were from the Bethel family alone, many of whom had been invited to attend the assembly by you, Brother Knorr, in view of their more than 20 years of service in the Berne Bethel and thanks to the wonderful generosity of our American brothers. Great was their appreciation of this privilege and especially for the favor of being able to live with the Brooklyn Bethel family.
During the past service year 32 cases where publishers encountered police interference during their ministry have been reported to our office. Six of these cases were successfully settled by correspondence or personal interviews. Twelve cases were brought before the courts, seven of which were decided in our favor, three against us and in two cases the decision is pending. As in the previous years it was again the misapplication of the peddling law that caused most trouble.
Doubtless the most important event of the past service year in the legal field is the victory Jehovah gave us in our five years’ fight in the canton of Vaud, which was described in detail in the Awake! magazine of September 8, 1953.
A similar situation arose in the Catholic canton of Solothurn when the court of appeals of this state reversed two favorable decisions of lower courts that had acquitted our publishers of the charge of peddling without a license. The same court of appeals changed its mind, however, on September 18, 1952, when it had to deal for the third time with this peddling issue.
The police department of this canton, which has been unfriendly toward Jehovah’s witnesses for many years, was not pleased with this turn of events. In January, 1953, four publishers were reported by the police while preaching in the village of Snottwil, where they had worked for years previously and had never encountered difficulty before. A secretary of the police department betrayed the motive when he stated: “It is true you have won as far as the peddling law is concerned, so we have to try it with the collection law now.” And they tried. On May 11, 1953, the trial was held in the district court, where, in spite of evidence disproving the charge of collection, the court fined all four publishers on the charge of having violated the collection law. It was only too obvious that the court wanted an adverse decision. We appealed.
On September 2, 1953, the case came up in the court of appeals. Our lawyer, a member of the Federal Parliament, pointed out effectively to the three judges where the judgment at stake was wrong and arbitrary. He showed that it classified under one heading an activity the sole purpose of which was to spread religious beliefs, together with activities whose only purpose was to collect money. In concluding his speech he invited the court of appeals to help sustain the precious liberties and fight the tendency of hindering religious activities under the camouflage of a collection law now 150 years old.
Then came the surprise. The state attorney, instead of pleading for the police, pleaded also for a reversal of the judgment, and for acquittal of the publishers, supporting the arguments of our counsel! Thereupon the president of the appeal court rendered judgment to the effect that the decision of the lower court was reversed, the defendants were freed from all guilt and penalty, the costs were to be charged to the State and the accused awarded damages. Another victory in the Solothurn court of appeals, by Jehovah’s undeserved kindness, in the interests of freedom of worship had been accomplished. Will the police department accept it, or search for some other, maybe even older ordinance? The future will tell.
THAILAND
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 12 31 149 186
It certainly must bring joy and gladness to the hearts of our fellow workers in Thailand to see that the waters of truth are increasing in that land. It makes our hearts glad, too, when we see some brothers finish their course faithful; not that we like to lose them, but we are joyful that they have maintained their faithfulness to the death. Many years of faithful service in Siam takes a toll, because it means working in jungles and cities, and among people whose language one must study to master. We rejoice with our brothers in Siam because of the fast-growing organization that manifests itself there, and we are happy that the New World society has reached out that far. In fact, it has reached around the world. The branch servant sends in some interesting experiences that have made the publishers glad and will help us, too, to have courage.
One of our finest experiences concerned the “seed” of truth sown by Brother Moongsilapa some months before ftis death. While witnessing in the far northern part of the country, in Chiengrai, he met a young lady who thought he was a Seventh-Day Adventist and, being interested in that religion, she called her friends to listen to his preaching. At first Brother Moongsilapa did not say he was one of Jehovah’s witnesses. Later, when she found out, she had become so interested in the message that she knew it was the truth and she soon took her stand. She then received hot persecution herself from her professed “Christian” friends, while a group known as “the black hand” threatened Brother Moongsilapa with bodily assault if he did not stop his preaching there. But he kept on, and today this “sheep” is persistently upholding the word of life in her town, despite continuous opposition.
Another exhilarating experience comes from Bangkok, and it is a new experience in that it concerns the first Indians to take their stand for the truth in Thailand. It started off when a missionary was trying to make a back-call on an Indian. During his unsuccessful quest for him he met another Indian, a Hindu, who smilingly inquired what the missionary was doing. When he explained the Kingdom message to him the man was very much impressed. He gladly took an Urdu Bible and The Joy of All the People in Urdu. A Bible study was arranged, and after several months the new “sheep” went along in the witness work. Not only that, but he continuously preached among his friends and to the whole Indian community. He was overjoyed when one of his closest friends, a Sikh, also took his stand for the truth, and he, too, is a publisher today. Both these brothers have received continuous opposition from both their families and the whole Indian community, which greatly resents the departure from their ancient customs and religion. But even in the face of threats of bodily punishment both are standing firm and preaching at every opportunity.
As the service year closes our enthusiasm is great because of all the thrilling reports we have heard from the New World Society Assembly in New York, at which we were privileged to have eight delegates, the highest number ever to go from here to an assembly, and we are grateful to the Society for the provision that enabled so many brothers to attend. Moreover, eight new Gilead graduates are arranging to come to Thailand, and with their help we hope to apply all the good counsel and instruction given out at New York. So doing, we look forward to the new year with confidence for further joys and increases, by the undeserved kindness of Jehovah God.
URUGUAY
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 15 211 605 601
As has been true in all the Catholic-dominated countries, the people do not have high morals. Sometimes these people forsake the Roman Catholic Church because it gives them nothing but wood, hay and stubble, and they seek after the truth. But they try to bring along their immoral practices of loose living into the New World society. It is necessary to keep the high standards before Jehovah’s people, standards that are explicitly set forth in God’s Word. As in other countries, so in Uruguay the congregations must be stabilized and strengthened, and it is essential for the servant body of each group to see to it that the brothers are brought on to maturity. If there is any loose living or if vile practices are being carried on in the congregation, these things must all be removed. This has been one of the reasons why Uruguay has appeared to stand still, although the witness work goes grandly on throughout the country. They have advanced, though not in actual number of publishers.
Efforts have been made to improve the organization, for instance, in the arrangement to cultivate local speakers. Though slow at first, it can be seen now in the closing months of the year that a greater number of the local brothers are giving talks, and doing so in a much more efficient manner. The coming year should see continued improvement in this feature of the work.
More of the congregations are conscious of Magazine Day, and this is resulting in a better placement of magazines throughout the country.
The arrangement for more and better-organized area book studies is helping the congregations. From one congregation come encouraging reports of good increases in attendance and in the number of those who are taking part in the service each week. The giving of talks in these studies has proved to be a means of maintaining interest, even on the part of the publishers themselves.
A group of special pioneers was assigned to what is reputedly one of the most Catholic cities in the country. In spite of much opposition and many hot arguments, a new congregation has been formed and prospects are good for further increase.
A special pioneer with his family moved to another city which had previously been worked by a nearby congregation, and now there is a small group meeting regularly for study. Before long this should result in another congregation of praisers of Jehovah.
On the border of Brazil is a small city that had not been witnessed to with any degree of regularity, though there were one or two persons who had obtained literature and shown interest. Then a sister moved there and shortly afterward a visit by the circuit servant was arranged. In spite of many difficulties arrangements were made for a public talk in the city plaza. Though only two days were employed in giving publicity to the talk, it caused so much curiosity that when the time came to deliver the lecture more than 500 persons were counted, besides many more who undoubtedly heard from a distance. This was one of the largest attendances on record in this country, even larger than some of the assemblies held in the interior. The sister who lives there continued in the work, and now there is a group of persons who study regularly and will soon be publishing, some of them having already accompanied the sister in the work.
Thus it is that the message is being given throughout the country. Considerable work has been done in unassigned territories and fairly good results have been obtained. Much literature has been placed and arrangements have been made where possible to care for the interest. There is still much territory that must receive the message.
VENEZUELA
1944 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 1 47 662 759
The singing of praises to Jehovah God in Venezuela is getting louder and louder and louder as year after year goes by. New ones are continually associating themselves with the New World society. In Venezuela, as in other parts of the world, the slaves of Jehovah are making a joyful noise to their God. It has been a busy and prosperous year, and the branch servant gives us an interesting report on some of the experiences that occurred in that country.
A publisher tells about a woman who wanted to clean up and live according to theocratic standards. “One of the women with whom we were studying found herself in quite a situation. She was living in common-law marriage with a man still married to his first wife. He was a fanatical Pentecostal, so he began to oppose and persecute her as she learned the truth. He said Jehovah’s witnesses were ‘of the Devil’ and ‘false prophets,’ but to no avail, because she always answered with a scripture. Although he had studied the Bible for five years, and a year before she had been an ardent Catholic who did not know what the Bible was, she gained far greater knowledge than he in this short time. When she told him they could not go on living together since he was still married to another, he said he would marry her if she would stop studying and join the Pentecostal Church. She replied, ‘Never! What would I have? Only a man, but I would lose my life and the lives of my five children. All my life I have suffered and never known real joy or peace of mind, but I have them now because I have learned the truth, and Jehovah’s witnesses are the only ones teaching it.’ Despite his bringing the police to try to stop her, she took the children and left him, to live in another city with her brother who is a witness, so she can be clean and serve Jehovah acceptably. She is very happy because now she can be baptized, and she knows her zealous service will be looked on favorably by Jehovah.”
The circuit servant, working from house to house in isolated territory, met a man who had read the book “Let God Be True”, which he had obtained from a man who did not want it. When he reached the last chapter he read that he should get more information about the truth and associate himself with Jehovah’s witnesses. He knew there were no witnesses nearby, so he planned to go to the branch office in Caracas, over 800 miles away, on his next vacation and find Jehovah’s witnesses at the address given in the back of the book. Of course, he was very happy when the circuit servant called at his door, and a study was started at once. The servant called daily for about ten days and studied with the man for about two hours each evening.
One Sunday, when the group went to work in its assigned territory, an Italian brother residing in Caracas gave a testimony to a Catholic man whose wife was an Adventist and who was holding classes in the Bible with a neighbor. The man said to the brother, “I’m holy Roman Catholic and very devoted to the virgin of Alta-gracia,” and, showing a picture of this “saint,” he added, “but maybe my wife would be interested because she attends the Adventist church.” The brother placed a magazine with the lady and when he returned two weeks later to make the back-call she was quite indifferent but tried to refute the truth, saying that the Adventists were the only ones following Christ because they observe the sabbath. The brother, though he does not speak Spanish fluently, tactfully explained to the woman that he had some very good information about the sabbath day. Leaving the woman with her curiosity aroused, he promised her to return the following week with a mature Venezuelan brother who would explain it to her. The back-call was successful, the woman deeply impressed. The next time a call was made the husband listened attentively from the adjoining room while the brother was explaining the point of our being not under the law, but under grace. “And,” he said, "if we are under the law, it would mean Christ’s sacrifice was worthless.” The woman then showed real interest in the text at Galatians 2:21, saying that she had never read that text in the Bible. The husband, who had made no comment up to this point, entered, saying, “You see, this gentleman is telling the truth.” Then an explanation was given about Jehovah’s new world of righteousness. The man asked for further explanations, so a study was arranged for the following week in “Let God Be True”, much to the surprise of this woman who had been trying for years to get her husband interested in some Protestant religion and had never succeeded. But on hearing the truth for the first time, he realized this was different. The neighbor soon joined in the Bible study with the witnesses, because her Adventist “teacher” was learning something new. Now the two women and the man are all publishing.
The outstanding event of the year was the international convention in New York city. Fifty-seven delegates from Venezuela were able to arrange their affairs to attend. Venezuela is thankful for the training and equipment received at that great feast of spiritual food.
YUGOSLAVIA
1942 1947 1952 1953
Publishers Preaching 30 — Still working
Yugoslavia is one of the countries in which both the Society and the activity of Jehovah’s witnesses have been refused recognition for many years. The going has been hard for Jehovah’s witnesses, but in all of these years some have stood faithful. When the fascist rule ended in 1945, our brothers tried to register our work with the government, believing we would obtain greater liberty for preaching the good news. However, the authorities rejected the application for registration, and it was not long afterward that the brothers in charge were arrested and put in prison.
In the month of May, 1953, a new law on religious matters was put into force in Yugoslavia, and it was suggested that Jehovah’s witnesses again try to register with the government to see what would happen. The necessary steps have been taken. For years Jehovah’s witnesses have had very little to study in the way of The Watchtower and other publications of the Society, but we managed to get things to them from time to time. We hope the spiritual food they receive from now on will be in greater quantity and will build them up in the most holy faith. Reports out of Yugoslavia at the close of the service year are very interesting, and what follows shows that it may now be possible to give a greater witness than has ever been given in that country. We do pray to our heavenly Father that he will guide and direct this arrangement, all to his honor and praise; but we do know this, that whatever the outcome the Kingdom good news will continue to be preached.
It is now our fervent hope that if our legal registration is accepted, thus giving us freedom to preach, many will lose their fear and engage in the work. There are very many sheeplike ones who, when hearing the voice of the Right Shepherd, will follow it and join in the great song of praise to the vindication of Jehovah’s name by participating in the proclamation of his eternal kingdom. We know that the activity of Jehovah’s witnesses is not popular anywhere, but we have full confidence that no power can hinder Jehovah in carrying out his holy will.
During the past years of great trouble we have experienced the undeserved kindness of Jehovah, and in this we will continue to trust as we look forward to greater possibilities of service.
We have now made all preparations to carry through the registration in accordance with our local laws. The statutes and a program for the work to be done have been submitted to the congregations for their perusal and the expression of their opinion. On September 13, a general assembly of the founders of the Christian Association of Jehovah’s witnesses in the Federative People’s Republic of Yugoslavia was held in Zagreb. The 104 delegates, representing all the congregations in the country, unanimously approved the statutes and the working program. The delegates were admonished that as soon as we start our public activity we will be assuming special responsibilities and that it will be the duty of everyone to prove himself a worthy representative of the theocracy.
After fifteen years of extreme hardship, this has been the first step taken by Jehovah’s witnesses in Yugoslavia with a view to starting public activity again, and everything has gone very well, with Jehovah’s help. All were grateful for this opportunity of meeting together again in this way after so many difficult years. It is like awaking from a terrible nightmare, which only those who lived through it can fully appreciate.
NEW WORLD SOCIETY GROWING STEADILY
It makes our hearts glad to see 468,106 different individuals in all parts of the world engaging in the field service every month without letup. That was the average number of witnesses preaching the good news each month during the year 1953. This is 10 per cent better than the average number of publishers who engaged in the work the previous year. Better still, the peak of publishers for the year, 519,982, was 21 per cent better than the average of publishers for 1952. Taking the report for the world, Jehovah’s witnesses reached the quotas they set for themselves. In this they rejoice, because they see the harvest of their planting. Jehovah has given the increase. They have found, too, that there is greater happiness in giving than in receiving. (Acts 20:35, NW) These more than a half million publishers have given the truth to others and will keep on doing it by preaching, talking and explaining the Scriptures to the people they meet, in all languages under the sun.
Because Jehovah’s witnesses cannot be with all the people all the time to answer their questions, they find it very wise to leave with those to whom they have talked literature explaining in detail the wonderful promises of Jehovah God. During the twelve months of the 1953 service year 22,116,916 books and booklets were left in the homes of the people, as well as 882,296 new subscriptions obtained for the Watchtower and Awake! magazines in their various languages. Add to this the 25,115,729 copies of the Society’s magazines distributed by these publishers from house to house, store to store and on the street corners and you have quite a witness given in honor of Jehovah’s name. They were happy indeed to give this literature to the people of the world for a small contribution, and what little contributions they received they sent in to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society so that more literature could be printed and distributed to the ends of the earth. They know that this good news of the Kingdom must be preached in all the world for a witness, and they are doing it. They have heeded the words of Paul, where he said, “Do not loiter at your business. Be aglow with the spirit. Be slaves to Jehovah.” (Rom. 12:11, NW) They proved they did not just sit around at home hearing the Word and reading the Word. They have been working with the Word, because they have spent 72,344,728 hours in talking to people all around the earth. What other religious organization has spent that much time preaching the good news of God’s kingdom? Where else in the world do you find an organization of ministers, every one of them having dedicated his life to give a witness concerning Jehovah’s kingdom and to speak well of his Father’s name and to bless Him every day of his life? These ministers are determined never to let up in this, but to walk in Jehovah’s name forever.—Micah 4:5, AS.
Jehovah’s witnesses are not going to let up now with 1954 at hand, forty years after the Kingdom was born. They do not feel that the work is done, because they still see ahead horrible distress and great perplexity in the world and hundreds of thousands of people sighing and crying for the abominations that exist in this present system of things. Year by year thousands of persons will make their flight to the mountains for safety. This was Jesus’ advice to Christians as he expressed it in Luke 21:20,21. The time is growing short for persons to leave the Devil’s organization and find refuge in the mountains of Gilead, in the New World society. Millions of people must be told where to go and how to get there. Where all these people, the other sheep, will come from we do not know, but Jehovah God has seen to it that his witnesses are scattered throughout the world now in 143 principal lands to give the warning. Gog of the land of Magog is going to assault especially those who have taken their stand for Jehovah and who are announcing his kingdom. He is going to do everything he can to direct them away from the service of the Most High, and all of those who are prisoners within Satan’s organization he is going to try to hold there and not allow them to grasp the freedom that comes through knowing Jehovah God and his Son, Christ Jesus. So the warning of the assault of Gog of Magog must be given to all the peoples of all the continents of the world and the islands of the sea. The report that follows does not show great numbers of witnesses in any one of these places, but the report does show that there are busy witnesses there, talking diligently long hours in hot and cold climates, up in the mountains, down in the valleys and on the plains. Day by day they are blessing the New World Sovereign’s name.
In the chart of continents on page 273 you will see the advance of the New World society since 1942. In that year the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society was not sending out missionaries to all parts of the world. But in 1943 the Bible School of Gilead was opened by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, and from then on the Society’s world-wide missionary work began. The desire of many young, strong, healthy Christians was to go somewhere where the message of Jehovah’s kingdom had not been preached to any great extent, if at all. Jehovah’s witnesses world-wide were anxious to support this new arrangement and made sufficient contributions to the Society to increase this missionary work. To this day Jehovah’s witnesses have supported the missionary work financially, and the chart shows what was done in the different sections of the world in the year 1942, to compare with 1947, 1952 and 1953. You can see from this report alone how the expansion work reached out into new fields. Observe, too, the increase in the number of Jehovah’s witnesses and the hours they spent during these years in talking. The last column shows the number of graduates of Gilead working in the different countries in these years.
|
Place |
Lands Witnessed To |
Total Publishers |
Hours Spent Preaching |
Gilead Graduates Teaching |
|
Africa | ||||
|
1942 |
(11 lands) |
10,070 |
2,200,163 |
None |
|
1947 |
(17 lands) |
24,896 |
6,298,189 |
20 |
|
1952 |
(32 lands) |
72,228 |
15,460.243 |
84 |
|
1953 |
(34 lands) |
81,793 |
16,979,027 |
80 |
|
Asia | ||||
|
1942 |
( 6 lands) |
406 |
93,223 |
None |
|
1947 |
( 8 lands) |
475 |
140,661 |
17 |
|
1952 |
(19 lands) |
2.274 |
504,301 |
164 |
|
1953 |
(19 lands) |
2,698 |
597,050 |
173 |
|
Europe | ||||
|
1942 |
(13 lands) |
22,796 |
5,344,006 |
None |
|
1947 |
(19 lands) |
74,196 |
12,819,994 |
21 |
|
1952 |
(24 lands) |
158,867 |
19,147,879 |
177 |
|
1953 |
(24 lands) |
179,374 |
19,433,567 |
216 |
Islands of the Atlantic, Caribbean and Mediterranean
|
1942 |
( 6 lands) |
1,297 |
237,057 |
None |
|
1947 |
(12 lands) |
6,429 |
1,448,810 |
135 |
|
1952 |
(15 lands) |
15,659 |
2,200,647 |
149 |
|
1953 |
(29 lands) |
17,421 |
2,248,941 |
133 |
Islands of the Pacific
|
1942 |
( 3 lands) |
4,275 |
701,037 |
None |
|
1947 |
( 6 lands) |
7,385 |
1,390,228 |
13 |
|
1952 |
(12 lands) |
26,690 |
3,590,037 |
51 |
|
1953 |
(13 lands) |
31,980 |
4,214,497 |
49 |
North America
|
1942 |
( 7 lands) |
75,589 |
19.668,961 |
None |
|
1947 |
(12 lands) |
91,740 |
20,787,495 |
163 |
|
1952 |
(12 lands) |
168,752 |
25,810,384 |
493 |
|
1953 |
(12 lands) |
193,542 |
26,734,105 |
674 |
South America
|
1942 |
( 8 lands) |
807 |
219,905 |
None |
|
1947 |
(12 lands) |
2,431 |
956,928 |
117 |
|
1952 |
(13 lands) |
11,795 |
1,990,208 |
303 |
|
1953 |
(12 lands) |
13,174 |
2,137,541 |
301 |
Grand Totals for the World
|
1942 |
( 54 |
lands) |
115,240 |
28,464,352 |
None |
|
1947 |
( 86 |
lands) |
207,552 |
43,842,305 |
486 |
|
1952 |
(127 |
lands) |
456,265 |
68,703,699 |
1,421 |
|
1953 |
(143 |
lands) |
519,982 |
72,344,728 |
1,626 |
Jehovah’s witnesses have big plans for the year 1954, plans designed to praise Jehovah’s name and make it known to even greater numbers of persons. Their determination is, to quote their principal thought for the year, “ ‘All day long will I bless thee, and praise thy name forever and ever.’—Psalm 145:2, AT.” It is their hope to aid many people of good will in their quest for truth and righteousness. We now see thousands upon thousands, month by month, taking their stand for Jehovah’s kingdom, and we see a great crowd coming from all nations, kindreds and tongues to Jehovah’s witnesses to hear the truth from God’s Word. At the Memorial celebration there were 742,565 persons, all of whom showed keen interest in the message we preach. They want to live now as a New World society. They must be taught and helped in this way to eternal life. As they come into the organization they must get rid of their old habits, the filthy things of the old world, and accept the pleasant and good things Jehovah God has for them to do. They are happy to do his will and to preach the Word. They rejoice that someone came to them and their ears were open to hear. Now they want to be doers of the Word, and not hearers only. They want to live so that ‘every day they can bless Jehovah and praise his name forever and ever.’ Will you “become doers of the word, and not hearers only”?
To that question every one of Jehovah’s witnesses will say, ‘I have not become a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, and will be happy in doing it.’ (Jas. 1:25) What a pleasure it is to read the Yearbook and learn of the many happy experiences that our brothers have had in all parts of the world! We rejoice with them in their trials and tribulations, in their happiness and in their pleasure of serving the other sheep, for here we have found a people who are making glad the heart of Jehovah. Here we find a people who are maintaining their integrity, remaining loyal to Jehovah under all circumstances. They are anxious to remain in the New World society forever, there to praise the Sovereign Ruler of the universe. We look to him with confidence that Jehovah will pour upon his people a rich blessing. All of us will pray for one another to the end that we will have freedom to preach the good news of Jehovah’s kingdom to the ends of the earth until that work is finished. Your brothers from all parts of the world have asked me to send to you their love and their greetings, and they look forward to the service year for 1954 with joy and gladness and zeal for service. May it be your good pleasure and mine to bless Jehovah every day and praise his name forever and ever.
Your fellow servant,
, President
Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society
Annual Meeting
The annual meeting of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society was held October 1, 1953, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The board of directors passed a resolution that this year the annual meeting should be held in the Carnegie Hall lecture room, because the offices of the Society in Pittsburgh, located in the Wabash Building, are being demolished. It is hoped that in 1954 the annual meeting of the Society will be held in its own building, which is now under construction. The business of electing two directors whose terms had expired was taken care of. Other matters were handled and talks were given by the brothers of the board of directors who were present at the assembly. The present board of directors is made up of N. H. Knorr, F. W. Franz, G. Suiter, H. H. Riemer, T. J. Sullivan, L. A. Swingle and M. G. Henschel. A few weeks later the board of directors met and the officers were elected to look after the business of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, a Pennsylvania corporation. By unanimous vote the following were put into office: Nathan H. Knorr, president; Fred W. Franz, vicepresident; Grant Suiter, secretary-treasurer; Hugo H. Riemer, assistant secretary-treasurer. All of these brothers are delighted that they can serve their brothers world-wide, and they rejoice that they can bless Jehovah every day. Their one desire in life is to praise Jehovah’s name forever and ever.
Yeartext for 1954
“Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever.”
—Psalm 145:2, CB.
Have you repeated the above text and meant every word of it from the bottom of your heart? When you say you are determined to do something forever and ever, it shows you have a firm hope for everlasting life. Your decision to bless Jehovah’s name forever is certainly the right one to make. You will never go wrong if you continue to bless Jehovah’s name. And, if you do, it means you will be favored with endless life. This is no time for halfheartedness or indecisiveness. It is no time to slow down and say ‘I will quit,’ even for a short space of time; nor to say ‘I will slacken my hand.’ This is not the time to let the hands droop. Those who are determined to bless Jehovah as God and King forever and who by Jehovah’s undeserved kindness do that will be crowned with everlasting life, and thus they will be able to carry out their determination. To bless Jehovah’s name means to speak well of it and to give it credit and exaltation. It means that the individual must always maintain integrity toward Jehovah God and that he may never be induced or coerced by Satan the Devil or anyone else to curse or renounce Jehovah. In the Scriptures we have many examples of faithful men. For example, take Job. Satan tried to make him curse God. Satan failed to break Job’s integrity. By divine help all of us can do the same as Job did. Remember, he too was born in imperfection. He was faithful. We may never break integrity with our God. Every day of our existence we must praise Jehovah’s name, and this is accomplished by the good works we do. It was Paul who said we should do all things for God’s glory. (1 Cor. 10:31, NW) We must bless him by everyday service, by day-long service, by life-long service. This is not the time to retire and step out of the ranks and say, ‘Let others do it.’ It is the time for each and every one of us to maintain integrity, to do the work of preaching the good news of the Kingdom in all the world for a witness, to praise the name of our God in heaven, Jehovah, the Sovereign Ruler. It is our occupation. It is our life’s work. If we are faithful, it will be our joy to praise the name of Jehovah for eternity. Stay close to the New World society. Never forsake your brothers. Study with them, work with them, pray for them, and be a minister worthy of Jehovah’s name. Every one of Jehovah’s witnesses in the earth will give him their exclusive devotion.
■>' -MM----f
Daily Texts and Comments
The comments following the daily texts are taken from The Watchtower (W) as of the year 1953. The numbers following the date of The Watchtower refer to paragraphs in the first study article where further comment on the texts may be found. When “a” follows the paragraph number, comment is found in the second study article; when “b” is shown, it refers to the third study article.
Keep assisting these . . . whose names are in the book of life.
—Phil. 4: 3, NW.
The book of life is not a literal book such as men make and write in, any more than are the names in it the literal names of men given at their birth. The book of life is Jehovah’s righteous requirements creatures must meet to live, and the names therein are names that stand for and match those requirements. If we make names for ourselves as moral personalities, integrity keepers, zealous preachers and neighbor lovers we shall be in God’s book of life, for that is where such things are approvingly named. The book of life contains the names and reputations we must live up to if we are to be included in it, if we find ourselves described in it. If by our conduct we have made names that stand for and measure up to the divine requirements, then such names of ours conform to and are reflected in God’s book of life. If our names stand for the things that God’s book of life stands for, then our names are in it. W 5/15 18
Saturday, January 2
Jehovah taketh pleasure in his people.—Ps. 149: 4, AS.
Jehovah created man for His pleasure, and faithful men do give pleasure to Jehovah. And it is the faculty of free will in man that greatly contributes to Jehovah’s pleasure. Jehovah had many creations without free will, such as the stars; and even the lower animals, especially the insects, are rather mechanical in action, since they are governed largely by instinct instead of reason. Man was to be something different, something higher, something suitable to put over the rest of earthly creation to exercise proper dominion over it, and so God made man in His image, with the qualities of justice, love, wisdom and power. God gave man these qualities, and the instructions for their proper use, and even added a conscience to guide when doubts as to right and wrong arose. But if man rebels he is destroyed. Yes, Jehovah could have made a robot instead of a man, but he wanted live men with free moral agency instead of mechanical men. W 6/1 18,19a
Sunday, January 3
How happy is he that is attentive to the poor, in the day of calamity will [Jehovah] deliver him: [Jehovah] will preserve him and keep him alive and he shall be pronounced happy in the land.
—Ps. 41 = 1,2, Ro; AS.
Jehovah is very well pleased with those who are interested in the poor of this world, because it is this class of people who listen to the message of the Kingdom. We certainly cannot quit preaching this message just because it is the desire of our enemies. Rather, we will be pronounced happy if we keep these truths concerning Jehovah’s kingdom before the poor, those who are sighing and crying because of the abominations of this old system. When we think of our brothers and sisters and of all the servants of God in other lands and how the enemy has kept them under assault, we should be very thankful to God for the freedom we have and should show our gratitude by preaching to a greater extent while we still have the opportunity. If we do so, Jehovah will preserve us through Armageddon and into the new world. W 1/15 9a
The God that made the world and all the things in it . . . does not dwell in handmade temples.—Acts 17:24, NW.
There is no need for a literal temple today, either at Jerusalem or at 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, New York, or anywhere else. Such a temple would be inadequate as God’s house. No man-made temple, no matter of what grand proportions, can house or hold in the Most High God. The day of such symbolisms is now gone, and no temple, such as pictured in Ezekiel’s vision, will ever be built again on Mount Moriah. (Ezek. 40:1-46:24) How contrary, then, to God’s Word for any religion to build cathedrals to house what they call “the host,” which the priest claims to transmute into God! Neither by such “host” nor by any other representation does God now dwell in any man-made temple. The Christian martyr Stephen made that plain to the Sanhedrin while Herod’s temple still stood, and so did the apostle Paul to the Athenians gathered on Mars Hill. W 10/15 5-7
Tuesday, January 5
I will bless thy name for ever and ever.—Ps. 145:1, AS.
Being determined to do something forever and ever shows we have a firm hope of everlasting life. The decision to bless Jehovah’s name is worthy of our making for all time to come. Anyone who determines to bless Jehovah as God and King evermore has a motive worthy of being crowned with everlasting life enabling him to carry out this determination. To bless his name means to speak well of it and to its credit and exaltation, always to keep one’s integrity toward him and never to be induced or coerced by Satan to curse or renounce God. By divine help we can do as Job did, never having a bad word to say about God, never complaining and finding fault with him, never putting his goodness in doubt either in our own hearts or in those of others. In blessing God, Christ is our leading example, never breaking integrity toward Him. He is a godly King, a King inflexibly loyal to God, and he helps us to keep on blessing our God while we hold on to our integrity. W 12/15 5, 6
Wednesday, January 6
Shall not God cause justice to be done to his chosen ones . .. ? I tell you, He will cause justice to be done to them speedily.
—Luke 18: ~, 8, NW.
Now it will be for wicked men even as Paul stated it would be in Jehovah’s day. Just when they think they have everything organized to break up the organization of Jehovah's witnesses on earth so that they will never be bothered again by Kingdom preaching, then they will meet with sudden death. (1 Thess. 5:3) It is absolutely certain that all those who abuse and persecute Jehovah’s servants are going to receive just retribution. Jehovah is watching all that is done and he assures us of deliverance. We should not be troubled in mind. Jehovah is not going to withdraw his judgment and the execution of it. By means of his Son Christ Jesus, together with his powerful angels, God will repay those who have brought tribulation against his servants and tried to interfere with pure worship. They will pay the penalty of everlasting destruction from before Jehovah. —2 Thess. 1:6-9, NW. W 11/15 38
Do not be loving either the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.—1 John 2:15, NW.
As Christians we are in the same position as Jesus was when on earth. We are in this world but we are no part of it and are no friends of it. We are friends of God’s new world; we uphold its divine government set up in the heavens. On account of this the world may hold us for its enemies, but there is no other way for us to be God’s friends. We love the new world and are looking forward to it, for that means that the love of the heavenly Father is in us. In this world, fights, cravings for sensual pleasures, murdering and coveting go on. James denounced as adulteresses all Christians who turned back to such things. (Jas. 4: 1-4, .Vff) There was no friendship between Paul and this old world either. The world viewed him as an accursed criminal condemned to a torture death on a stake; but he in turn viewed the world as likewise accursed and condemned.—Gal. 6 :14, NW. W 8/15 11,12
Friday, January 8
When you spread a feast, invite poor people, crippled, lame, blind; and you will be happy, because they have nothing with which to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous ones.—Luke lift 13, H, AW.
Happiness comes in greater measure through giving. Have you ever had that pleasure? Yes, you say, I have given many things to people I love, which made me very happy. But has not such happiness been only momentary? Or, have you ever felt that you must give a gift to someone because he gave you a gift, which more or less obligated you to do something in return? There was no happiness in that giving, was there? You were giving under compulsion, because you felt you must reciprocate. That is often the case in this system of things; this old world operates on that basis: You give a gift to me, and then I will give you a gift. In that way individuals obligate themselves to others. Obviously the people of this world do not follow the excellent advice of Jesus as above stated. W 1/1 1,2
Saturday, January 9
I came to cause division, with a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother.
—Matt. 10:35, NW.
While we may not go to the extreme of claiming no respect is due fleshly parents, it should not be overlooked that obedience is to be rendered to those parents “in union with the Lord.” (Eph. 6:1-3, AW) Does this mean that believing children are not responsible to unbelieving parents? No; in the normal matters of life they would certainly be required to obey their parents as long as they were dependent and to show proper respect for them even though they were not dependent. But, in the event that an issue arose over the true worship of God, then ‘God must be obeyed rather than men.’ True, this might lead to dissension in the family and even cause division, but Jesus stated quite clearly : “He that has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me.” In fact, he said even more pointedly that he came to cause division between members of a family. W 7/1 5a
Sunday, January 10
Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain? He who sits in the heavens laughs; the LORD has them in derision.—Ps. 2:1, 4, RS.
On January 10, 1920, the clergy-blessed League of Nations began functioning. At the same time the voice of Jehovah’s witnesses began to be heard with an unusual tone of boldness and conviction, proclaiming God's kingdom under Christ as the only hope of distressed humanity. Now which of these two postwar movements really promoted God’s kingdom? Which aroused the disgust of the Most High God? Jehovah’s witnesses or the clergy-blessed League of Nations? Well, Jehovah’s witnesses are still here, now more than a half million strong, but where is the League of Nations? Where was it during World War II? Down in the bottomless pit of helpless inactivity. To take away its reproach, they revived it and gave it a new front and a new name. Students of Bible prophecy know this was just as foretold.—Rev. 17:9-11. W 9/15 20, 21
Monday, January 11
Thou wast in Eden, the garden of God; . . . Thou wast the anointed cherub that covereth.
—Ezck. 28:13,14, AS.
These words were addressed to the king of Tyrus but are prophetic of the one we know as Satan the Devil. He was originally the covering cherub in the garden of Eden. God gave him a sacred trust. He placed him with authority over man so that he could look out for the needs of mankind and provide for the things they would want. The covering cherub, however, did not keep integrity to this sacred trust. He thought too much of himself. Iniquity was found in him. He thought he should have the worship that was going to Jehovah. So he rebelled and began carrying on wickedness, seeking to turn all creatures away from God and to himself. He succeeded in causing Adam and Eve to break integrity to God. From that time forward every human creature that has lived has had the challenge of whether he can maintain integrity to God or not. W 3/1 2, 3a
Tuesday, January 12
0 Jehovah, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all.
—Ps. lOlf: 24, AS.
Although this earth is but a very, very small speck in the boundless expanse of cosmic space, yet Jehovah did not lose track of it or overlook any detail in making it fit for man’s habitation. All about us are marvelous specimens of the Creator’s delicate and artistic handiwork, both micro- and macro-forms, each an aweinspiring wonder to behold. No effort or labor did he withhold in providing for the needs of every living creature. “Jehovah is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works. All thy works shall give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah; . . . Thou openest thy hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.” (Ps. 145:9,10, 16, AS) Yes, all animate and inanimate creation testifies to the great Master Worker’s untiring zeal and energy and precision. No one can justly find fault with his work. It is perfect. Neither is he slack or behind time in any way. Jehovah accomplishes all his declared purposes exactly on time. W 4/1 3
I saw three unclean inspired expressions that looked like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the wild beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet.—Rev. 16:13, N~W.
People are not automatons, nor do they operate solely by instinct. Men have minds and hearts in which are seated reason and motive. Therein ideas are plantable, and the objective of the old-world propaganda is to sweep through the minds of all persons, regimenting or lining them all up in opposition to the kingdom of Jehovah by Christ. The demonic source of unclean teachings is the Dragon Devil. Through his beastly organization he operates upon the selfish minds and hearts of the falsely prophesying rulers and leaders of the people,' and through them upon the minds of the common people. The appeal of such expression or word of the Dragon in its many forms is to selfishness, to the self-interest of men, inducing them to follow such seeming self-interest ahead of and in disregard of principles of righteousness. W 11/1 2, 3
Thursday, January 14
And Jehovah said unto him., Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof.—Ezek.
9: Jh AS.
The gathering of all of God’s sheep alive on earth was not fully accomplished by 1931, the year they received their new name. The divine Caretaker in that very year opened the eyes of his regathered remnant to see that there was a great shepherding work for them yet to do. Multitudes of persons of good will had to be marked in their foreheads by the truth for life everlasting. The remnant had to go out and hunt for these people that cried and sighed because of all the abominable things committed in Christendom. They must mark them in the seat of intelligence, that they might identify themselves as belonging to Jehovah and as being subject to his King Jesus Christ. This has proved to be a tremendous work and is still being carried on. Are you having a share therein? W 8/1 17
Friday, January 15
Then Miriam and Aaron spoke . . . “Is it only through Moses alone that [Jehovah] has spoken? . . . Has he not spoken through us as well?”—Num.
12:1, 2, AT; AS.
Aaron and Miriam showed that they were not satisfied with God’s provision to have Moses as the spokesman. They did not like God's way of handling things, and as a result of their complaining Miriam was struck with leprosy. Moses interceded with prayer for his sister, and after she was sent outside the camp to be cleansed according to the law, she was saved from such a loathsome existence. So we see that no one should complain against God because he does not do things as we want them done. Jehovah, the Sovereign Ruler of the universe, knows how to handle his organization and his work much better than those who serve him. All should be happy where he places them in his organization and service. What God requires of us is integrity and faithfulness to him; and if we give him these we shall be happy. W 1/15 13
Through knowledge shall the righteous be delivered.
—Prov. 11: 9, AS.
Jesus is Jehovah’s Chief Agent for deliverance. He proclaimed Jehovah’s deliverance by spreading knowledge of God as the One who is determined to deliver mankind from their troubles; and knowledge of himself as God’s anointed one to effect such deliverance. Knowledge of Jehovah’s purposes is therefore the key to deliverance. Backing up this knowledge must be a life pattern molded in conformity to God’s requirements as set forth in his Word. The required knowledge is an understanding of Jehovah as “God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the terrible, who regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward.” (Deut. 10:17, AS) It means knowledge of him as the Builder of a righteous new world that will provide permanent deliverance for those who love him, and of his intention to save righteous men out of this old world into that new system of things. W 2/1 12,13
Sunday, January 17
Why should a living son of earth complain, let a man complain because of his sins? Let us search out our ways and examine them well, and let us return unto Yahweh.
—Lam. 3: 39, JfO, Ro.
Jehovah knows the mind of man. He knows that if man does not train his mind to think correctly, he will be unhappy. Having searched the Scriptures we know the truth about being born in sin and shaped in iniquity, but at the same time that is no license for wrongdoing on our part. As Christians we must look at ourselves and make careful examination of the way we have lived and where it has led us up till now, and decide what we will do in the future. We come to the conclusion : “Let us return unto Yahweh.” That is why we have dedicated our lives to Jehovah’s service. Knowing that sorrow, sickness and death were brought upon us by our first parents, we do not complain of our plight. Rather, there is every reason to be happy; we know the way out of this trouble, for God has made provision for our salvation. W 1/15 1
Monday, January 18
When you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place, . . . begin fleeing.—Matt. 24: 15,16,
NW.
When we see that Christendom is in fact the modern-day counterpart of the holy city of the days of Jesus and his apostles, then we are impelled to ask, What led to that frightful siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 (A.D.) ? Knowing that, we can then determine whether for a like reason destruction on a vaster scale is hanging threateningly over Christendom. The “disgusting thing that causes desolation” at the sight of which standing in the holy place Christians were to flee to the mountains —this was the cause of the appalling destruction that overtook Jerusalem and her realm in Judea. That “disgusting thing” was the league or alliance that the religious rulers of Jerusalem made with the Roman empire in order to procure the death of Jesus Christ, God’s appointed King. W 9/15 10-12
Jehovah is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
—Ps. 145:18, AS.
It is now most urgent to call upon Jehovah and make it our fixed, unchangeable practice. By doing so we shall be saved. That means making public declaration of him in fearless confession before everybody. For men to do this, we preachers, whom God has sent, must let them hear about this only god who is able to save by Jesus Christ. Hence we must be an information bureau or society and must impart information, oven though at first it may not be solicited. Jehovah who sent us as preachers did not say to wait upon solicitation. He told us to go out and give the information, whether they hear or refrain from hearing. A numberless “great crowd" will hear. Those calling upon Jehovah with salvation in view must “call upon him in truth,” that is, through Christ, the now-reigning King. To all doing so in sincerity Jehovah is nigh, near, close, easily within reach and consequently ready and quick to answer the call. W 12/15 38, 39
Wednesday, January 20
For Jehovah is righteous; he loveth righteous deeds: his countenance doth behold the upright.-Ps. 11:7, AS, margin.
“Jehovah” is the name of the true God. It is the name by which he designates himself and makes himself known. “God” is a title, as is “Lord,” but “Jehovah” is a name, the name. Jehovah, through his creative works, his mighty acts, and his Word of truth, the Bible, manifests his exclusiveness and that he is the true God besides whom there is none. Accordingly, the exercise of Christian faith requires us to distinguish between the only true God and all other gods. Now in these latter days men and women, upon coming to the knowledge of the truths in God’s Word, turn to the worship and service of Jehovah. What is the appeal? A very exclusive one indeed; it is the attraction of righteousness. Persons who love righteousness respond to the right doctrines and high principles of the Bible and therefore to the God of the Bible. The worship of sincere hearts is directed to the God named Jehovah. W 4/15 4-6
Thursday, January 21
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
—Isa. 65:17, AS.
In spite of all the factors for perpetuating the old world, a new-world society has emerged and grown until now it arrests the attention of the old world. From an unexpected and most unlikely quarter this has come, and the old world watches with an unfriendly eye to see what will become of it. How, then, did this New World society come into being? Polilical slogans and proposals made by rulers, businessmen and clergymen for the postwar era never could have produced this New World society. Being such as it is today, only God's power and wisdom can be credited with producing it according to his marvelous purpose. Only he could inspire in his obedient worshipers the vision of his promised new world and give them an understanding of its requirements; and this he has done by means of his written Word. W S/15 1,2
In accord with the holy one who called you, do you also become holy yourselves in all your conduct.—1 Pet. 1:15, NW.
To gain a right standing with God, a positive course of action is required, based upon knowledge. Jehovah looks upon the heart and knows the mind of man. A man who has an abiding love for righteousness will practice it. He will look to God and to his Word for guidance. Paul, even though constantly active in Je-hovan’s service, never took the attitude that he had done enough so that he could now relax and slow down or retire. He did not advocate a mere confession as the way to become reconciled to God. Rather, he pictured himself as pursuing and stretching forward toward the goal that God sets up in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 3:13,14) While at times we can encourage and strengthen our brothers by listening to their problems and giving them Scriptural counsel, we should never think that a confession is going to change their standing before God. It is the course of action that a person follows that counts, not mere words. W 12/1 22, 23
Saturday, January 23
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: liehold, I am against thee, 0
Gog.—Ezck. 38: 3, AS.
Gog is a figure prophetic of the ruler of all seven demon princes, namely, Satan the Devil. So Gog pictures that original Serpent, the Dragon, not when up in heaven but when down here at the earth after he has been cast out of heaven and been restrained at the earth with his seven demon princes. Thus Gog pictures Satan during the short period of time that he has left between the end of the war in heaven and the battle of Armageddon. After his ejection from heaven Satan is angry with God’s woman who gave birth to the Kingdom. So it is the Dragon that goes forth to make war upon the “remaining ones of her seed” who observe God’s commandments and have the work of bearing witness to Jesus. It is the Dragon out of whose mouth the frog hops to gather the world rulers to Armageddon. It is the seven-headed Dragon itself that takes charge of the final attack and the ensuing war at Armageddon. W 10/1 7a
Sunday, January 24
Wherever anyone does not take you in or listen to your words, on going out of that house or that city shake the dust off your feet.—Matt. 10:11), NW.
If the people did not appreciate what was being given to them and would not listen to the Word, then the apostles were instructed to move on to another city. They were not to force the message upon the people. The individuals hearing it had to decide whether they wished to accept it or to rebel against it. Likewise today, if any rebel, why spoil your own happiness by staying? It is best to leave the unfriendly people. Even in democratic countries where there is freedom of speech and of worship we find individuals, sometimes whole towns, who get the mayor or the police officials after Jehovah’s witnesses and have these ministers of God driven out of town. Sure, they will go; they will shake the dust off their feet, and they will remain happy because they have a good message to take to other people in the next town. W 1/1 3a
For when they had not yet been born nor had practiced anything good or vile, ... it was said to her: “The older shall be the slave of the younger.”—Rom. 9:11,12, 2VW.
Divine foreknowledge is something quite different from “predestination.” The pronouncement concerning the twins Esau and Jacob was not made before Adam and Eve’s creation, but while the babes were in their mother’s womb; neither was it concerning final destiny. It meant the younger was to get the birthright, which, upon the death of his father, made him head of his father's household and made bis brothers subservient to him. In this case the birthright carried with it the Abra-hamic promise. In making the selection before birth, before either had done good or bad, Jehovah showed that the choosing of those sharing in the Abrahamic promise was not dependent upon works but that the selection was entirely up to the one who calls candidates for these blessings, namely, Jehovah God. W 6/1 6, 7
Tuesday, January 26
You have been built tip upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, while Christ Jesus himself is the foundation cornerstone.—Eph. 2: 20, A' IF.
Whatever kind of house man may erect must be of materials God already made. Such a place for God to rest symbolically is no longer acceptable to him. He himself is building a real temple out of altogether new material that human architects cannot use. It is made up of 144,000 and One stones, not quarried, fashioned and laid in place by man, but “living stones,” each one of which is a ‘‘new creation,” each one a living, intelligent new creature of God, while Christ is the “foundation cornerstone.” It is “a spiritual house for the purpose of a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices.” (1 Pet. 2 : 5, AUi This is the real temple that was foreshadowed by that which Solomon built and that which Zerubbabel rebuilt. This is the temple on which Jehovah has his eyes and where his heart is. Upon it he has put his holy name. W 10/15 8
Wednesday, January 27
As we look intently at the leader and pcrfccter of our faith, Jesus. For the joy that was set before him he endured a torture stake, despising
shame.—Hcb. 12:2, NW.
Jehovah God gave Christ Jesus a sacred trust and expected him to keep integrity in that trust. He had a work to do. He was to come to earth to restore pure worship and to lay the foundation for the new world of righteousness. Jesus was an exemplary man, living a life of devotion to God, keeping his integrity, though tested by Satan far beyond what a man would normally endure. Always Jesus stuck to God’s Word and lived in accord with his laws. In time of temptation he quoted God’s Word, which was the most potent force for good in existence on earth. (Matt. 4:4-10) Though Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their glory if he would fall down and worship Satan, Jesus refused, upholding the right side of the issue. He furnished us with the greatest example of a man who maintained his integrity to God under the most severe trials. W 3/1 lb
Whether it is righteous in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, make your decision. But as for us, we cannot stop speaking.
—Acts 4:19,20, NW.
Jehovah’s being both God and King makes him a divine King, a Theocrat or God-Ruler. In all the universe there is room for only one such God-King. This fact obliges us to take an uncompromising stand when there comes a clash between God’s rulership and law and man’s. We may suffer for such a stand, but it does steady and settle us when we make the Christlike decision to have Jehovah as God and King. In the strength of this decision we can courageously face the future, despite all the political changes taking place. There remains no change for us to make. The main rulership in our lives is permanently fixed upon. We must keep extolling Jehovah as our God and King in our lives. That means, first of all, we must exalt him, set him on high in our own lives. Then we must seek to do so in the lives of others, by everywhere advertising his Sovereignty and Kingship. W 12/15 3,4
Friday, January 29
The other prophets, who through faith . . . stopped the mouths of lions.
—Hei. 11: 32, 33, NW.
In the prophetic drama recorded in the sixth chapter of Daniel and which is full of meaning in this day, Daniel is used by Jehovah to picture his “slave,” his organized body of witnesses on earth. (Matt. 24:45-47) Darius pictured regal power or authority and law. The lions represent true justice, which is of God. Daniel is the only one mentioned in the prophecy as a worshiper of Jehovah. None of the other men were servants of Jehovah. That is why Daniel, as one of the Jewish remnant, is such a good picture of Jehovah’s “slave” class on earth today. No one else adheres to pure worship. Daniel occupied a high position in the kingdom of the Medes and Persians, showing how Jehovah’s anointed witnesses in this day for salvation would have a prominent position in the sight of Jehovah, as his ambassadors and representatives, bearing his name. W 11/15 7, 8
Saturday, January 30
So, then, it depends, not upon the one wishing nor upon the one running, hut upon God, who has mercy.—Rom. 9:16, NW.
The lesson to be learned from this is that of our total dependence upon God. It is not wrong, of course, to wish to enjoy God’s favor and mercy, neither is it wrong to run in the way marked out by God for his people. The point is, one cannot become one of God’s people just because one so wishes or decides. Neither does it depend upon running or pursuing a course that will give one the right, as it were, to expect God’s approval. That is the mistake Israel made. Let us not decide or determine things for ourselves. Let us keep careful check at all times to see that we maintain a true heart appreciation of the conditions that God himself has decided on and put in his Word as to the necessary requirements to have his favor. This is necessary, not only in getting a proper start on our Christian course, but all along the way, for it is possible for one to let things slip. W 3/15 5a
Do not be misled: God is not one to be mocked. For whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap.-Gal. 6: 7, NW.
If predestination were true, why would Jehovah give his law to Israel or have the good news of the Kingdom preached to the nations? Why would he have judgment periods for determining the destiny of men on the basis of their conduct, judging them “individually according to their deeds,” rendering “to each one according to his works,” and saying ‘in accordance with their practices will I treat and judge them’? Why separate sheep and goats on the basis of their reaeiion to the message and messengers of Christ? Why all this, if the destiny of men is fixed before birth? Not God, but man, is responsible for his destiny. Not as God predestinates, but as man sows, does man reap. To reap life man must never give out in sowing good. God does not show partiality to some, predestinating them to life, and discrimination against others, predestinating them to death or torment. W 5/15 34
Monday, February 1
My Father has kept working until now, and I keep working.
—John 5:17, NW.
Jehovah hates laziness. Slackers and sluggards are an abomination to him. Indifferent and slothful ones who are negligent in their work cannot hope to have the blessing or approval of Him who from the very beginning of creation has labored with matchless zeal and diligence. Never does Jehovah tire of his work. Never does he grow weary or become bored in doing what he sets out to accomplish. Never does he slow down and quit before attaining complete success. Even his name, Jehovah, defines him as a God of purpose and activity, for it is drawn from a word of action, the causative form of the Hebrew verb havah. “I have purposed, I will also do it.” he says. (Isa. 46:11, A£J) So after immeasurable eons of time we find Jehovah still faithfully sticking to his stupendous work, discharging bis heavy responsibilities both as Creator of the universe and as its Sovereign Lord and Eternal Governor. W If/I 1
Tuesday, February 2
How happy is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in his law does he study day and night.
—Ps. 1:1, 2, AT.
You as an individual can be happy. You do not have to be in a large congregation to have happiness, although many happy people coming together make up a happy congregation. Wherever there is one of God’s servants, even though he may be far away in a missionary home or in an isolated territory, he can have happiness. If he has the right viewpoint he will feel like the man concerning whom the psalmist wrote at Psalm 1. He knows that when one seats himself with sinners, he becomes unhappy. Just look at the world and consider its condition. The people are not really content. They cannot be, because the world is filled with evil. They ignore God and his provisions for life. As a result they are not happy either individually or collectively. Only those who shun the world can have happiness. W 1/15 2
But each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his own desire. Then the desire, when it has become fertile, gives birth to sin; in turn, sin, when it has been accomplished, brings forth death.
—Jas. 1; H,15, ~NW.
Using all the subtleness of his exalted position and communicating his message through the visible serpent, Satan assured the first woman that by following his suggestion she would have something far greater than what an untrustworthy God had given her. Whether she was shocked at the original suggestion of distrust of her heavenly Father, or not, is immaterial and the record does not state. That she yielded to the allurement of the prize and transgressed is important. Today all of God’s creatures must likewise choose between loyalty to Jehovah on one hand and submission to the archenemy Satan the Devil on the other. To obey Jehovah means life, to yield to his enemy means eventual death. W 6/15 4, 7
Thursday, February 4
My words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith Jehovah, from henceforth and for ever.—Isa. 59: 21, A.S.
The safety of the spiritual remnant is not the full realization of the divine mercy and saving power in this day of Jehovah. He has put his words in the remnant’s mouth, not for them to keep to themselves, but that they may transmit them to the rising generation of the new world that will occupy the “new earth” permanently. Jehovah’s words in the mouth of his people are for them to speak out boldly, authoritatively. For his words never to depart out of their mouth means for them never to cease serving as his mouthpiece in proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom. If they are willing to use their mouths in his witness work he will always supply them his message to deliver. This will be not alone for the salvation of themselves but also for the salvation of many others. W 9/15 12,13a
Friday, February 5
My Father is glorified in this, that you keep bearing much fruit and prove yourselves my disciples.—John 15:8, A'W.
It is not enough that we hear the words of Jehovah and hear only. It is not sufficient that we merely come to a personal understanding of doctrinal truths. We may not use the truth to serve ourselves alone. If we obey the commandments of God and Christ, follow the example of Christ, the apostles and the early Christian congregation, we will tell others concerning the things from God’s Word that have so enriched our lives. We will make the activities of the New World society our activities all we possibly can. We will bear fruit; we will speak out of the abundance of a heart filled to overflowing with the truths of God’s Word and the love that his Word instills in us for the great Author of the Bible. If we do this, with the approval of God as his Word discerns between our soul and spirit, we are Jehovah’s witnesses. If we do not serve God, worshiping him in spirit and in truth, we are not Jehovah’s witnesses. W 11/1 7,8a
Saturday, February 6
Love . . . does not look for its own interests.—1 Cor. IS: 4, 5,
NW.
Jehovah gave us so much in his original creation; and he shows his love continuously by giving the sun, the rains, the fruits and vegetables, wool and cloth, trees and shelter, but, most of all, his words of life. He certainly was not looking out for his own interests when he gave us all these things. These gifts and blessings were an expression of his love for mankind. He gave and still is giving us all these things and many others, and he is a "happy God” in his giving. If we follow this same principle of love, then when we give we should not be looking after our own interests. Love does not work that way. Furthermore, there is more happiness in giving to others when they cannot repay. Jehovah makes his sun to shine and the rain to fall upon righteous people and unrighteous. We should likewise not be selective in giving the good news to others. Jesus said to preach the Word to all nations, and it is by doing this that we shall receive happiness. W 1/1 10
Sunday, February 7
Now the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had come to have numerous livestock, . . . And they began to sec the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead and, look! the place was a place for livestock.
—Num. 31:1, NW.
Gilead was the land just east of the Jordan liiver on the north, and today is occupied by the Hashemite Kingdom of the Jordan. The tribes of Reuben and Gad had a great deal of livestock and when they saw the well-watered tablelands of Gilead so suitable for grazing, they chose to settle in it rather than cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land. To this Moses agreed, provided that they sent over a contingent of soldiers to help the other Israelites until they had taken possession of the land of milk and honey. In time their stone flock pens dotted the highlands and became a marked feature of Gilead. How fitting, then, that the Watchtower Bible School, which through its graduate missionaries is taking such a forward part in the pastoral work of Jehovah’s “one shepherd,” should have the name “Gilead” prominently associated with it! W 8/1 23, 24
Monday, February 8
Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching. Stay by these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.
—1 Tim. 4:16, NW.
There is no place for a person in God’s organization unless he is worshiping Jehovah. If he stops worshiping, he takes himself out of the organization. When one stops studying the truth and forsakes Jehovah he has nothing to give to others any more. If one does not continually take in the truths and the light that shines more and more until the perfect day, he will become indifferent toward his privileges of preaching the good news of the Kingdom. Having let his mind go idle, he soon begins to feel that he has nothing to tell the people. In effect he says, I do not want any more food from Jehovah’s table. Then he stops using the knowledge he has and his happiness fades away. In that condition he helps neither others nor himself to gain salvation. W 1/15 7
Although he was a Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered, and after he had been made perfect he became responsible for everlasting salvation to all those obeying him.—Heb. 5: 8, 9, 2VW.
Christ Jesus taught men how to worship God and personally showed them how to maintain integrity. By him the superior law of love of God and neighbor was clearly set out, a righteous requirement for those who would gain life in the new world. Jesus trained his followers to be genuine ministers of God, men who would preach the truth of God’s Word. The trials that came upon him were many. Finally he was falsely accused of sedition and put to death in humility, but even in this he upheld God’s supremacy. For this God resurrected him and gave him immortality. He gained life by keeping his integrity. He provided the way for others of integrity to gain life, through his ransom sacrifice. Satan the challenger suffered a defeat. He had failed to disqualify the King of the new world. W 3/1 2 a
Wednesday, February 10
Whoever sins against me, him only I blot out of my book.
—Ex. 32:33, AT.
All are born under wrath, not in the book. By doing the things described in the book of life and by becoming associated with such things we enter the book of life. It speaks of us in that it names approvingly the good works we now do. Those things were always established there, but our names did not match. However, when we change and make a name for those good things then we come into the categories or classes already approvingly named in the book of life. And if we thereafter become unfaithful, immoral, etc., and lose our good name, we shall no longer be found named in the book of life, for such things are not named there. The good name we once had is gone and the bad name we might thereafter make is not in the book of life. Such wicked names are blotted out from God’s memory so far as any resurrection or salvation to life is concerned. The former righteousness is forgotten when wickedness replaces it with a bad name. W 5/15 19
Thursday, February 11
When we are judged, we are disciplined by Jehovah, that we may not become condemned with the world.—1 Cor. 11: 32, NW.
As members of the New World society we are bound to have our problems. The old world is still with us. Its interests conflict with those of the incoming new world. So this causes difficulties for us in this transition period. While drawn from all nations, we may not bring their troublebreeding things into our society. They will not be carried over Armageddon. They must and will end there. So it does not bode us any good to hang on to such things or meddle in them now. We must abandon those worldly forms of selfishness, those jealousies, envies, egotistic ambitions, religious sectarian wars, persecutions of one another, and other manifestations of the spirit of the Devil. Were we not to keep ourselves clean from its politics and its controversies, then we should become condemned with the world. In this it is our privilege to copy the example of Noah before the flood. W 8/15 9,10
O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; . . . I will bring you forth, and all your army, . . , Persia, Gush, and Put.
—Peek. 38:3-5, RS.
Meshech and Tubal here picture a part of Satan’s visible organization. So do Persia, Cush (Ethiopia) and Put, and the rest, whose hordes form part of Gog’s final assault force in the disastrous expedition that they are duped into undertaking by the symbolic frog, the “inspired expression” that leaps out of the Dragon’s mouth. Meshech and Tubal represent those who do business with Satan for commercial profit. The men of Put and of Persia once served in the army of Tyre as its soldiers. Thus when we look at the land they attack, the attacking forces are a conglomerate army of “many peoples” drawn from the far north and far south and that hem their victim in. This fact is a warning that Jehovah's New World society will be put in the squeeze by the invisible and visible hordes of Gog. As foretold, ‘hated by all worldly nations.’—Matt. 24 : 9. W 10/1 12,13a
Saturday, February 13
All thy works shall give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah; and thy saints shall bless thee.
—Ps. 145:10, AS.
The marvelous works of creation do indeed give credit to the Creator. And the time has now come for all his intelligent works to give thanks from a sincere heart. All kinds of men may now find cause to thank him. Since 1919 Jehovah the great Judge has been gathering his “saints” who are in the new covenant, the ‘covenant by sacrifice’ as it is called because of being based on Jesus’ sacrifice; and now they must and do bless him. Looking forward to being joint heirs with the Greater David, these “men of loving-kindness” have extraordinary reason for blessing Jehovah; and this earth over which they will reign is the proper place for them to begin blessing him. Doing this now has a powerful effect upon the great crowd of other sheep for their salvation, because, through the remnant, they learn of the Kingdom and assemble to it. Joining in thanking Jehovah, salvation will result to them also. W 12/15 23,24
Sunday, February 14
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
—Prov. 3:13, AS.
Undoubtedly, the thing that distinguishes delivered ones from those who perish is knowledge. Knowledge is desirable above everything else, for the value of knowledge lies in the ability it gives its possessor to act now in harmony with God's purposes. Applying true knowledge with a pure motive, men can gain wisdom and understanding far beyond anything this world has to offer, notwithstanding its great educational institutions. Such knowledge and understanding, however, arc not individually granted apart from God’s Word and his organization. The same order and organization are apparent in God’s work of deliverance as were manifest in his creation. While the light of truth concerning his deliverance shines brighter and brighter, it does so through his theocratic organization. Only by keeping in touch with that organization can we come to a full appreciation of Jehovah’s arrangement for deliverance. W 2/1 16,17
Monday, February 15
Known unto God are all his works from the leginning of the world.—Acts 15:18.
Neither Scripturally nor logically can it be maintained that Jehovah foreknew that the covering cherub would rebel or that Adam and Eve would succumb to that rebel’s temptation. God’s foreknowledge is exercised regarding his works, but the cherub's rebellion and Adam and Eve’s transgression were not works of Jehovah. He did not intrude his powers of foreknowledge into the affairs of these creatures. He is not a suspicious God, seeking to find flaws in their minds and hearts. He waits and allows them to manifest their failures. After Jehovah assigned the covering cherub to his position, and after Adam and Eve were created, the situation became a temptation to the cherub. Not a temptation from Jehovah, but one that the improper thoughts and desires of the cherub created for himself. All that Jehovah had foreordained was that obedience would mean life and disobedience would mean death. W 6/1 13
Tuesday, February 16
0 Jehovah, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth. . . . When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man f—Ps. 8:1, 3, If,
AS.
Jehovah stands revealed as the great Maker. On every hand is testimony in his inanimate creation. All of mankind are aware of the existence of the wonderful earth and heavens, but not many look beyond the creation to the Creator as did the psalmist. The inanimate creation of God never alters its praise of its. Maker, and as men gain more information concerning this part of Jehovah’s creation they find that every proved fact of every science verifies and supports the Scriptural truth of Jehovah’s creatorship. In the animate creation of Jehovah, man and all the animals by their very existence testify to their Maker. But only among intelligent creation including man is the issue of Jehovah’s supremacy raised, because not all give their great Benefactor the praise that is due him. W 4/15 10,11
Wednesday, February 17
Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. But ye shall be named the priests of Jehovah; . . . ministers of our God.
—Isa. 61: 5, 6, AS.
Throwing the prosperity of the remnant into bold relief, the strangers and foreigners of good will render services as plowmen, vinedressers and feeders of the flock, spiritually speaking, and Jehovah’s “ministers" and “priests” draw help and benefit from such services. Anybody may now show himself one of those strangers and foreigners of good will, no matter how great this crowd of good will becomes. But that is not so of the “royal priesthood” under Christ, whose number is limited to 144,000 members. It takes consecration to be admitted into that exclusive body, and only Jehovah can do the consecrating of those whom he calls to that high spiritual office. The good-will strangers and foreigners recognize this and acknowledge the spiritual remnant to be God’s ministers and Jehovah’s priests. W 10/15 28, 29
You see a man skilled at his workf He will stand in the presence of kings.
—Prop. 22:29, AT.
As illustrated in the parable of the talents, when the Lord Jesus called the lazy and slothful holders of Kingdom interests to account and found they had hidden what Kingdom privileges were granted them, he condemned the whole of them as a “wicked and sluggish slave.” All further privileges of service in connection with God’s work were taken from them and given to Jehovah’s theocratic society of anointed witnesses, the “good and faithful slave.” It is no surprise, then, to find those whom he cast out blindly groping in the dark, their leaders howling in a bitter rage of hatred against Jehovah’s faithful and approved witnesses. On the other hand, because of their industry and skill in caring for the Kingdom interests Jehovah’s witnesses have been raised out of obscurity and now stand in an honorable position of service before the Superior Authorities, Jehovah God and Christ Jesus. W Jf/1 10a
Friday, February 19
We shall find no ground of complaint against this Daniel, unless we find it in connection with the law of his (Jod.
—Dan. 6:5, AT.
Jehovah requires his witnesses to live in purity as part of their preaching and they stand out as a people who put Jehovah first in their lives. They are like Daniel, faithful to their God and true to whatever trust may be put in them. They are not willing to join in with the corrupt practices of Satan’s world, but are people of decency, honesty and integrity the world around. They do not fill the prisons with murderers, thieves and rioters. They are the most law-abiding group of people in the whole world, barring none. Obedience to Jehovah’s Word has made them such. Being no part of the world they are hated in every nation, by most clergymen, politicians and others of influence who cannot stand hearing the preaching of the good news of God’s kingdom. They want to silence those who worship according to God’s commandments. W 11/15 12,13
Saturday, February 20
To this course gou were called, because even Christ suffered for gou, leaving you a model for you to follow his steps closely.—1 Pet. 2: 21, NW.
If your heart condition toward God is right, an accurate knowledge of his Word will bring strong faith. But knowledge in itself is not enough to be pleasing to God; faith in itself is not enough; zealous works are not enough. But it is the combination of knowledge, faith and service that finds Jehovah’s approval. The accurate knowledge of the truth we gain gives us a firm foundation for our faith, and the unshakable conviction we enjoy through faith motivates us to action, to proving our faith by our works. In all these respects Jesus is the guide we should follow. He devoted himself whole-souled to the service of his Father. He was not satisfied with simply leading a good life as a carpenter, but devoted his life to searching primarily for the lost sheep of the nation, and then organized his disciples to carry on the work following his death. W 12/1 28, 29
Sunday, February 21
For, indeed, although you ought to be teachers in view of the time, you again need someone to teach you from the beginning the first principles of the sacred pronouncements of God, and you have become such as need milk, not solid food.
—Heb. 5:12, NW.
If one does not continue to study and does not try to advance he will forget even the basic principles he has learned. Some people are like that. They become lazy in the use of their minds and they do not take time to review the things they have learned or to use the knowledge they have to gain greater knowledge. Many people learn the fundamental doctrines, but because they do not use what they have learned by telling it to others, they find they must keep studying the same things over and over again. It is absolutely necessary to use the Word of God in order to have it stick in our minds. If we do not use that Word as mature teachers, we shall continue as spiritual babes. But think of the happiness that comes with increased knowledge! W 1/1 3b
Monday, February 22
The night is well along; the day has drawn near. Let us therefore put off the works belonging to darkness and let us put on the weapons of the light. But put on . . . Christ, and do not be planning ahead for the desires of the flesh.
—Hom. 13:12, Ilf, NW.
All the desires of our selfish natures and the appeal of all the propaganda of the old world are for us to refrain from putting on Christ, or, having put him on, to put him off, and, instead, to lay plans ahead for fulfillment of personal wishes, disregarding the interest and needs of God’s people, his organization and his work. We owe a debt of love to our brothers, namely, to chart a course of action that will be helpful spiritually to our associates of the New World society. We owe to our fellow man, and to our God primarily, our service of praise to Jehovah in behalf of all lovers of righteousness. Repeatedly we read that when the word of Jehovah came to his servants they obeyed. The Word of God cannot be separated from our ministry. W 11/1 10, Ila
Tuesday, February 23
After he had been made perfect he became responsible for everlasting salvation to all those obeying him..—IIcb. 5: 9, NW.
Now Jesus was really always perfect in the sense of being flawless in physical and mental ability and construction, so his suffering did not make him perfect in that sense. Well, how then was he perfected by the things he suffered? In this way : he was trained or equipped for the position he was destined to occupy as the head of the Kingdom government Jehovah was preparing for the blessing of mankind. Yes, his faithfulness in all his suffering made him complete as the ‘right hand’ Son of Jehovah to execute his purposes and righteous laws. If it was necessary for Jesus, the perfect Son of God, to be tested and tried before he could be appointed heir of all things and head of the new Kingdom government Jehovah purposed to launch, how much more is it necessary for those who will be his joint heirs, offspring from Adam, to be tested and proved qualified. W 7/15 28
Be angry, and yet do not sin; let the sun not set with you in a provoked state.—Eph. 4 • 26, SW.
For us to be knit closely together now in organization, while we are imperfect and have our selfish likes, dislikes and tendencies, may result in a bit of rubbing for a time. But if we try to show the mental attitude and spirit of Christ and put up with our brothers in love, we shall be able to straighten out our difficulties and hold together in one supreme common cause. We did not come out of the old world and its squabbles just to plunge ourselves into squabbles of our making. So we must learn to surmount our internal difficulties and straighten them out now. Better that than to have to contend with such things among us after Armageddon. Let not Armageddon overtake you while in an angered mood against your brother. The thing to do is to seek peace and harmony with your brother now. The New World society’s Book instructs you how to do so.—Matt. 18: 15-17. W 8/15 28
Thursday, February 25
My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth . . . for ever.—Isa. 59:21, AS.
Jehovah, our great Singing Master, has provided all the training and equipment to fully meet our needs. He does not instruct us individually, but he has his school of music, which is his organization, Zion. This is under the headship of his beloved Son, who takes the lead in singing Jehovah’s praises “in the midst of the congregation.” (Ps. 22 :22) The equipment provided for all in Zion in this day of Jehovah is primarily God’s spirit and his Word, which serves as our Songbook. He has also provided for modern-day training and equipment in the regular study of The Watchtower and other publications of the Society, also the theocratic ministry school course. If we sing aright we will cause the hearts of our listeners to burn even as did the hearts of the two disciples on the way to Emmaus when Jesus opened up the meaning of the Scriptures to them.—Luke 24:32. W 3/15 17-19a
Friday, February 26
In the end of the years you shall march against a land restored from desolation, . . . against the mountains of Israel.—Ezek. 38:8, AT.
This prophecy must apply particularly from 1919 forward, when Jehovah began releasing the remnant of spiritual Israelites and restored them to the land desolated by persecution during World War I. After that years had to be allowed to build up the condition of the New World society to one of great spiritual prosperity so as to command the attention of Gog’s organization. The attack would therefore be timed by Jehovah to fall at the close of the years of the "time of the end.” This would be when Armageddon would be scheduled to begin. Since the “time of the end” began at the birth of God’s Messianic kingdom in 1914, we can appreciate that we are well along in the “last days” of Gog’s world organization. How we need to fortify ourselves against the impending attack, which we ourselves are now commissioned to announce in obedience to Jehovah God! —Ezek. 38:1-3. W 10/1 16a
I have put my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of my hand, that J may . . . say unto Zion, Thou art my people-Isa. 51:16, AS.
At the close of World War I the anointed remnant turned to Jehovah’s kingdom as the rightful government of the new world and vowed to proclaim it to all mankind, and that with boldness, if only they were ransomed from the enemy’s power. Therefore in 1919 their release from the enemy’s power began ; and it can bo attributed only to Jehovah's power that today they are a people called by his name. It is he who by the dynamic power of his spirit and by the liberating force of his revealed Word of truth has broken the restrictive fetters of fear of man and the shackles of religious falsehoods, manmade traditions and untheo-cratic systems and customs. Ue has reorganized them in subjection to his anointed King. He has ordered their lives theocratically and given them a purpose in living, a glorious commission of service in his name. W 9/15 5a
Sunday, February 28
How happy are the people who know the joyful sound! O [Jehovah] ! in the light of thy countenance shall they firmly march along; in thy Name shall they exult all the day.
—Ps. 89:15,16, Iio; AS.
Never allow yourself to start complaining about the place you have in God’s organization. Instead, be happy with the organization and stay in it. Jehovah’s people are very happy as they march along in holy array, keeping firm. All around the globe God’s servants make a joyful sound of worship to Jehovah in holy formation. Each one must hold to his position and try to improve his efficiency in the service. There is no reason to have any doubt as to the outcome of the matter. God’s Word has revealed his purposes to us; so his faithful servants in the earth know what he is going to do, and they should march shoulder to shoulder, never breaking their ranks. We realize that some will make mistakes, but that is no reason for complaint. The thing to do is to correct the mistakes and continue on, rejoicing in our privileges of service. W 1/15
Monday, March 1
Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered ?—Jer. 8: 22, AS.
Not without deep meaning is the Bible name “Gilead” linked with the Watchtower missionary school. Gilead was a land rugged with hills and mountains, somewhat like the location of that school in the highland section east of Lake Cayuga, upper New York state. Its highland grazing grounds attracted Israelite settlers to it fifteen centuries before Christ. Among other things, the land of Gilead was also noted for its medicinal balm drawn from its plentiful bushes. Far and wide this balm was carried, and it became symbolic of God’s means of spiritual healing. In lovely agreement with this product of Gilead and its healing properties, the missionary graduates of the Watchtower Bible School have carried the curative balm of Jehovah’s message of comfort and reconciliation to all nations and have applied it for the spiritual healing and recovery of multitudes facing spiritual death. W 8/1 23,26
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our
God. shall stand forever.
—Isa. JfO: 8, AS.
No doubt under God’s kingdom there will be a uniform translation of all the Holy Scriptures, based on the most authentic manuscripts, and in the new world's one universal language. Thus all may get the proper rendering of the Scriptures in that one language to convey the exact sense of God’s miraculous Book produced in vindication of his word, which endures forever. Certainly all the living will want for once to have a perfect Bible and understand every word of it. Certainly, too, all those resurrected will be quite uninformed about much or all of it and will want to learn what it teaches and what God said in it and how accurately he said it. The Bible should not become a “dead book” at any future time. Forever it will be a testimony to his praise, a memorial of his, an imperishable document for all those of mankind who gain eternal life in the righteous new world. W 9/1 40
Wednesday, March 3
He shall judge among the nations, and shall reprove many peoples; and they shall forge their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-knives: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.—Isa. 2:4. Va.
The nations of this world are not the ones that pay attention to Jehovah’s judgments or that heed his reproof. Their disarmament conferences and resolutions are not for total disarmament but for mere limitation of armaments, and these have never led and will never this side of Armageddon lead the nations to forge swords into plowshares and spears into pruning knives and to lay down the sword and quit teaching war. When Armageddon strikes them, they will be fully armed with all the improved weapons of modern science, of many of which we have now no knowledge. But when Armageddon is finished, Jehovah’s King will have dashed all those anti-Kingdom nations to bits. Then first we shall have total disarmament of those nations and permanently so. W 10/15 41
Thursday, March 4
All thy sons are taught of Jehovah, and abundant is the peace of thy sons.—Isa. 54: IS, Yo.
Jehovah is the exclusive God, the true and supreme One, the Most High, the Maker, the great Source of all things good. Organizations of his devoted creatures are formed by him for his purpose, and toward his great universal organization he is a loving, directing Husband. Father and Teacher of all his children, he is Instructor of the members of his organization, along with dedicated lovers of righteousness now on earth. To us his teaching through Christ is with life in view. We may choose it, well aware that our hopes for life in the new world of righteousness depend upon our devotion to righteousness now, which leads us to dedicate ourselves to Jehovah. Let the old world pursue its wicked way to its doom. We need not go with it, but, rather, with understanding and appreciation receive the peace, security and righteous heritage of those taught by Jehovah. W 5/1 19, 20a
Friday, March 5
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.—Ps. H5:13, RS.
In view of Jehovah’s faithfulness in his every word, the New World society does right in sticking strictly to the Bible. Never shall we be disappointed about his Word, even if we do have to wait longer for some things than we used to think. There is no possibility that anything that Jehovah has promised will fail. Covenants, promises, stated purposes, truths, statements of fact—time will only add to the truthfulness of these and will verify Jehovah’s dependability in all his words. He is also holy, kind, gracious toward all his creatures who appreciate his goodness, and we need never fear for the future of any of his intelligent creation. There is no basis for doubting him or suspecting him of cruelty. The full vindication of his Word is getting nearer, and those who will live forever will witness it or know it. W 12/15 31
Saturday, March 6
Go in through the narrow gate ; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it.
—Matt. 1:13, NW.
The way that the majority of the people follow is not the way that leads to life. Jesus made that clear. Yes, keeping integrity is not easy. But we can do it if we first learn what God’s Word says, learn what is in that book and learn which way to take and then seek to do it. We must be genuine Christians in every sense of the word. Does that mean we have to join a church organization? No, God does not require us to do that; but he requires us to worship him, to preach the good news of the Kingdom, to be Christians, to follow the example Jesus set, living in unalterable devotion to Jehovah God ; to praise God and respect his supremacy, to resist all efforts to turn us from decency and to endure in faith. We have the Bible to show us the right way. W 3/1 11,12b
Sunday, March 7
Be transformed by making gour mind over.—Rom. 12: 2, NW.
Jesus gave his followers much counsel on proper worship, devotion and service to God, as well as instruction in the basic laws governing the theocratic organization, namely, the fundamental principles of love, truth and righteousness. This was necessary, for all their former lives had been shaped according to the pattern of this old world. Now they were called out of darkness into glorious light to be footstep followers of Jesus, devoted as he was to pure, undefiled worship of Jehovah God. They must therefore make their minds over, get rid of their false ideas, practices and preconceived notions based on human reasonings and manmade theories and traditions. From now on they were to be part of a holy nation of kings and priests, completely devoted to God and his righteous kingdom under Christ. This making of their minds over for a new way of life was certainly no easy task, but required much effort and exertion on the part of each one. W 4/1 9
Monday, March 8
But you, do not you be called “Rabbi", for one is your teacher, whereas all you are brothers.—Matt. 23:8, NW.
The peoples of Christendom have made worship a vain thing by setting up a special class of educated clergy who claim a preferred place in the organization and who, by the example they set, exalt certain others who may be influential and debase the majority until many sincere ones feel unwelcome and unwanted. However, there is hope for relief and that in this generation, for Jehovah’s purpose of unity and oneness of family relationship earth-wide will not fail to be carried out; and those who rely on the outworking of his purpose eagerly insist that the impartiality of recognition and equality of opportunity, which already exist within his true modern-day organization, be guarded as zealously as they were in the early days of his people. Yes, no one who is faithfully carrying out the righteous requirements of Jehovah need ever feel inferior or out of place in the midst of God’s people. W 7/7 1,2
Tuesday, March 9
There is no partiality with God.—Rom. 2:11, NW.
Jehovah is a God of justice and of love. But in exercising his quality of love he never ignores the demands of justice. Both operate in perfect balance together, neither being stifled by the other. Through sinfulness inherited from Adam all men are justly condemned to die, but by the sacrifice of Christ all men are lovingly offered opportunity to live. (Rom. 0:23) Opportunity for receiving the loving gift of life is not limited to a select few, leaving the justifiable condemnation of death to be unalterably forced upon the remaining many. God does not single out some for life regardless of their personal conduct just to display his love, nor does he arbitrarily doom others to destruction merely to exalt his justice. To do so would be showing partiality, and Jehovah “is never partial,” does not show “respect of persons.” His love and justice are wisely directed, and “the wisdom from above” is “not making partial distinctions.” W 5/15 1
Wednesday, March 10
How happy the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the lawless, and in the way of sinners hath not stood, and in the scat of scoffers hath not sat; but in the law of Yahweh is his delight, and in his law doth he talk with himself day and night.—Ps. 1:1, 2, Ro.
By this odd expression ‘talks with himself day and night’ the psalmist means that this man meditates. What does he meditate about? He meditates on the provisions God has set forth for him in the Bible, just as Joshua meditated upon God’s Word. God said to him : “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate thereon day and night.” (Josh. 1: 8, AS) Joshua was to talk to himself day and night. He was to meditate on these truths that God had spoken to Moses and w’hich were now in written form. Then, living according to them, he would be happy. Yes, happiness comes to the man who does what is right; and our individual service to the Most High God Jehovah is right, because it is the worship of God. W 1/15 3
We are a sweet odor of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; ... an odor issuing from death to death.
—2 Cor. 2:15,16, NW.
It is by taking in accurate knowledge about Jehovah and Christ that human creatures made of dust or clay can be remolded, changed from vessels of wrath to vessels fit for divine mercy. On the other hand, this same information hardens some even more as vessels of wrath, even driving them to murder. And this testimony that either hardens vessels of wrath or remolds them into vessels fit for mercy, where is it found? In God’s Word, the Bible. So, through his Word, Jehovah either makes persons more stubbornly wicked or changes them into his glorious servants, and this without any forcing of the creature, but rather it is as the creature himself wills to react. To say Jehovah forces men to be good or bad vessels is unscriptural. He does mold us through his Word, for good if we will let him. W 6/1 8,9a
Friday, March 12
I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.—Isa. 1;26, RS.
Today we stand in a position like that of the Israelites on the plains of Moab shortly before crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land. At that time, after corroborating and reinforcing the law covenant that had been given at Mount Sinai, Moses urged the Israelites to be faithful to this covenant, that they might keep on living in divine favor and blessing. Isaiah prophesied of the glorious days of restoration of Jehovah’s people to the theocratic way of organization and activity in which we now live. Having enthroned his King as our Judge and “Wonderful Counselor,” Jehovah has restored things as at the time when Christ was visibly present on earth, and now we enjoy the counsels of God’s unfolding Word as never before I We must prove ourselves a faithful society, a loyal representative of the “faithful city” above. W 8/15 32, 33
Saturday, March 13
Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, are these.
—Jer. 1: 4, AS.
Men have a strong tendency to hold on to certain things long held sacred and to trust in them as though they were a charm against harm. It is felt that they are from God and that he will spare them and therefore it guarantees one’s safety to take refuge in such sacred things. But the things to which men impute sacredness may not be saered to God, even if they have great age. To rely on such, means to deceive oneself with a false hope. For the truth of this in our time we have a historic example. No temple of religion was invested with greater sacredness or guarded with greater jealousy and fanaticism than Herod’s temple in Jerusalem. It and previous temples on the same spot had a combined existence of almost a thousand years, yet Jesus said regarding it: “The days will come in which not a stone upon a stone will be left here and not be thrown down.”—Luke 21: 5, 6, NW. W 9/15 2
Happy are those who are conscious of their spiritual need, since the kingdom of the heavens belongs to them.
—Matt. 5: 3, A'W.
Are you happy when others try to assist you? You will be if you are conscious of your spiritual need. Your brothers want to help you, just as Paul wanted to help all the congregations that he had organized. So the congregation servants, the circuit servants and other servants appointed by the Society want to help you, the Kingdom publisher, to become more efficient in preaching the good news. Accept their help in loving appreciation. And whatever you do in the field service, do it because you love Jehovah. Do it because you know it is the right thing to do, because it is your worship of the Most High. Do it because you want the “joy of Jehovah.” Do it because you want the happiness in giving. If you do your service, that is, enough of it, as to God, you will receive a great blessing. Give of your knowledge to others. Plant and reap. W 1/1 8, 9a
Monday, March 15
But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.—Job 36:12.
Jehovah says: “I, Jehovah, change not.” (Mal. 3:6, AS) He has always had certain rules governing his creatures. In times past there were requirements for them to meet to gain deliverance, as, for example, their conforming to minute instructions relative to the handling of the unblemished lamb and its blood on the night the death angel passed through Egypt. Inasmuch as the present heavens and earth are to make way for the righteous new world, only the faithful following of Jehovah's rules will guarantee deliverance at the present world’s end. What rule of God is unchangeable and must apply to the other sheep and all now seeking deliverance? What will be required of every person who wishes deliverance into Jehovah’s new world? Obedience is required. The law of Almighty God demands, without exception, that every creature given life in the heavens or in the earth shall learn obedience to the Most High. W 2/1 22, 23
Tuesday, March 16
We must obey God as ruler rather than men.—Acts 5: 29, NW.
Jehovah’s servants will not bow down before dictators or other rulers and they will preach neither communism nor any other human ideology as the hope for the people. They will hold to the clean worship of God. Politicians may ban Jehovah's witnesses and their service to God and may forbid the keeping of integrity to him, but Jehovah's servants will stand firm, not frightened at all, and they will not now or ever stop preaching the kingdom of Almighty God as the hope of the people unless God causes them to stop. We may not put the will of dictators above the will of Jehovah God. When dictators try to contaminate the true Christian organization, God’s ministers will resist completely and will keep on preaching the truth from the Bible even if they must do it in an underground manner. It means a fight for righteousness ; and we expect it now, when the great issue of world domination is to be settled. The integrity of each Christian is being thoroughly tested. W 3/1 20b
Death ruled as king from Adam down to Moses, even over those who had not sinned after the likeness of the transgression by Adam—Rom. 5: 14,
HTW.
What, then, is the difference between Adam’s transgression and that of those who followed him till Moses? Adam had been created perfect; there was no flaw or weakness in his organism. He had been given the divine law, had the capacity for understanding and appreciating its importance, and possessed within himself the ability for perfect obedience. Yet in the face of all this he became a rebel. His disobedience was deliberate, willful. But with Adam’s offspring it has been different. They have not had the perfection of Adam nor the ability for flawless obedience. Although not excusable for any wrongdoing, they have not had the same degree of responsibility. Responsibility depends upon the degree of knowledge of God’s will available to one and also possessed by him, and immediately following Adam’s disobedience God did not give any precisely stated law to mankind. W 6/15 2, 3a
Thursday, March 18
And all thy children shall be taught of Jehovah; and great shall be the peace of thy children.—Isa. 54:13, AS.
These words of Isaiah found a small-scale application and fulfillment in Israel in days of old. However, Jesus, by making an application of them to his day, took them out of a Jewish nationalistic setting as far as their fulfillment was concerned by showing that Jehovah was using him to do the teaching. (John 6:41-47) Among other things, this showed a casting off of the unfaithful Jewish organization to whom Jehovah was once a husband, and the exclusive teaching by Jehovah through the Christian congregation of which Christ Jesus is the head. No wonder, then, that the Christian congregation, since earliest beginning, accepted unquestionably and relied wholeheartedly upon the Hebrew Scriptures, many prophecies of which saw fulfillment in Jesus Christ and in the Christian congregation. Today, in this year 1954, Jehovah continues to teach the children of his organization through his Word and through his organization. W 4/15 17-19,21a
Friday, March 19
Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances ; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah’s anger.—Zeph. 2: 3, AS.
Is it just a matter of making a claim or profession of being one of Jehovah’s witnesses that makes one an associate of this New World society? No, it is not such an easy thing. It is difficult from the human standpoint, but it is possible by the undeserved kindness of Jehovah, who makes ample provision through Christ Jesus. To join an organization of men, pay dues and in some way have one’s name inscribed in an enrollment record, that is an easy matter. But the only way to be one of the children of God’s “woman” and be taught by him is to be devoted to him and to righteousness and to carry out the principles of his Word to the best of one’s ability. We must be teachable, not arrogant. We must be amenable to God’s Word of instruction and have a real love for righteousness. W 5/1 13a
AU flesh is as vegetation, . . . the vegetation becomes withered, and the flower falls off, but the word spoken by Jehovah endures forever.
—1 Pet. 1: 21,, 25, NW.
Is it not the part of good judgment to endeavor to have the approval of the great God with whom the accounting is to be made? (Heb. 4 : 13, A'IV) How else can we possibly win his approval except through the taking of the course outlined in his righteous Word? There is no other way under the sun. Would it be wise to rely on the grass that grows in the meadow, to worship flowers that bloom in the fields? There is nothing practical in following men who are going contrary to God’s Word and who are as important and reliable as weeds. When the counsel of God’s Word is disregarded by men, the men who go contrary to it get into trouble; so avoid difficulties brought about by untheocratic conduct. As Peter insists, Jehovah’s Word endures, and it is blameless in regard to the difficult conditions that have come about because of disobedience to that Word. W 11/1 15,16a
Sunday, March 21
Never be anxious . . . For your heavenly Father knows you need all these things. Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you.—Matt. 6:31-33, AW.
Let us all be content with what Jehovah God has given us and look well to the responsibilities that have been placed upon us. Let us serve our brothers with joy and gladness. We do not want the riches of this world, nor do we want its poverty. Instead, we ask as Jesus taught his disciples to pray: “Give us today our bread for this day.” All we need are the necessities of life : shelter, food and clothing. With these and with godly contentment we should be content. (Matt. 6:11; 1 Tim. 6:8, AW) God has promised all the necessary things to keep us alive and active in his service, and we put forth daily effort to obtain these for ourselves and our family. But more than that, we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from out of the mouth of God.—Matt. 4:4. W 1/15 26a
Monday, March 22
Jehovah thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing.
—Zcph. 3:11, AS.
There appears to be but one reference in Scripture where Jehovah himself is referred to as singing. It is contained in a prophecy now finding fulfillment, a prophecy linked also with fighting. This marks the occasion as unique and outstanding. (Zeph. 3:14-17, AS) First, for our encouragement as singers, comes the command to ‘sing and shout, and to be glad and rejoice with all the heart.’ Why? Because “Jehovah hath taken away thy [adverse] judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even Jehovah, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not fear evil any more.” Then, for our encouragemeut as fighters, comes the thrilling command : “In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not; O Zion, let not thy hands be slack.” And finally, the stirring and exalted note of Jehovah joying over his people with singing! W 3/15 4, 23
Command certain ones not . . . to pay attention to false stories and to genealogies which end up in nothing, tint . . . questions.-l Tim. 1:3, 4, A7 IV.
Some might conclude that since God did set in order the human family arrangement, absolute loyalty to fleshly ties is a requirement, and nothing should be allowed to disrupt or break up the family peace or unity. However, such reasoning is not based ou the sound and unchanging principles of the Most High, as noted by Paul’s advice to Timothy. Anyone more interested in family ancestry than in the life-giving message of faith should consider well this point: All family genealogies, if pursued far enough, end up in Adam; and what “superiority” is there to be had m relationship with him? The only thing that can be of real value to receive as an inheritance, namely, everlasting life, was not his to give. So none of his descendants are able to make any real claim to superiority in themselves or demonstrate any permanent advantages to be had through relationship to them. IV 7/1 3a
Wednesday, March 24
The ransomed of Jehovah shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall he upon their heads: they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.—Isa. 35:10, AS.
In 1918 the remnant of Jehovah's witnesses were as an oppressed people not a nation and with no land of their own, no God-given land according to his promise. How, then, is it that today they are distinguished as a united, organized people, moving about freely in the realm of theocracy? It is because God has done for them spiritually what he did for the Israelites after they had been held captive in Babylon for the decreed term of bondage there. God fulfilled his promise of liberation. When in 537 B.C. Jehovah ransomed his people from the mighty world power of Babylon after seventy years it excited the amazement of the ancient world. So now, too, the deliverance and prosperity of Jehovah's name-people cause the world to marvel. IV 9/15 3, 4a
Thursday, March 25
The children of God and the children of the Devil are evident by this fact: Everyone who does not practice righteousness does not originate with God.—1 John 3:10, A7 IV.
Is the Watch Tower Society God's woman or universal organization? No. The religion we are advocating, is it the teachings of Jehovah's witnesses? Again, No. The Watch Tower Society is just an instrument that is used by the New World society, which we love and which is blessed wonderfully in the teaching of God’s people. Our religion is the worship of Jehovah God, conforming to the Bible. Only thereby can we become a child of God, a lover of righteousness, and so can be taught by him. Men now must contend with imperfection by birth, with evil human environment and with wicked spirit creatures who are running this wicked world. Deliverance from the old world is a miraculous thing, but it can come to us individually if we study the Bible, believe it, live according to it and associate with others who love righteousness. W 5/1 16a
And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall {eel them, even my servant Dav.d.
—Ezek. 34:23, AS.
Since Christ Jesus is the “faithful and true witness” he would, therefore, as Shepherd-King, use as his representatives men of his own class— witnesses! However, at the close of World War I the remnant of Jehovah’s witnesses were themselves like a flo< k that had been scattered. The enemies of God’s kingdom hail duplicated the action taken by Judas and the religious and political shepherds of Jesus' day and had rejected Jehovah's Shepherd-King. This they did by rejecting the Kingdom message and by persecuting his followers. Hence the scattered remnant had to be gathered first if they were to share in the pastoral work of Jehovah. From 1919 on he began to reassemble his sheep. He caused them to hear the voice of the Shepherd-King. It assured them that God's kingdom had been established and that “this good news of the kingdom” must be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations before the complete end came upon this world. W 8/1 15
Saturday, March 27
Prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah : Behold, I am against thee, 0
Gog.—Ezek. 39:1, AS.
The fact that at Armageddon Jehovah has Jesus Christ do the crushing would not call for Satan to mimic God and appoint a new, untried demon prince as his chief of staff at Armageddon. The Dragon, having already tried out seven princes, now assumes charge personally to face Christ on the field. He now knows that Christ is the woman’s Seed assigned to bruise him at the head as a serpent. So would the Dragon trust some inexperienced spirit prince with this vital task of conducting field maneuvers to stave off the crushing heel of the woman’s Seed from the Dragon? Never ! Armageddon is his big fight, like that of a roaring lion cornered in his lair. Furthermore, Ezekiel’s prophecy pictures this as Jehovah's fight against Gog, hence against Satan the Devil, thus making it a fight between the God of the righteous new world and the “god of this world.” W 10/1 8a
Sunday, March 28
Grade up the highway, clear it of stones; raise a signal over the peoples.—Isa. 62:10, AT.
Jehovah, despite his being so high, so lofty, so eternal in duration and so holy, is so considerate as to notice those who are broken in heart over sin and error and who are humble and contrite. Wc need never think we are so small and worthless that the Most High would never take time to notice us. Because the remnant were of such a contrite, humble spirit Jehovah condescended to notice their affliction and he delivered them from mystic Babylon in 1919. They trembled at his Word and had respect for it instead of human traditions and were always anxious about being deprived of it and not doing what it says. Hence Jehovah cast up and prepared a way for them to escape to theocratic freedom. He took the stumbling blocks out of their way and led them out of mystic Babylon and brought them to his newborn land of theocracy where they might engage in temple work. W 10/15 11,12
The spiritual man examines indeed all things, . . . For “who has come to know the mind of Jehovah . . . ?” But we do have the mind of Christ.
—1 Cor. 2:15,16, NW.
In these crucial days for Satan’s world much persecution comes upon Jehovah’s servants. But as long as we trust in Jehovah’s deliverance, we shall be safe. What must we do and have to endure? We must grow in spiritual maturity. We must look at things in a spiritual way. We must not view matters as men of the world do, for if we do we shall think as they, that Jehovah’s servants are doomed, that pure worship will be wiped off the earth. But with the mind of Christ, as spiritual men, we see beyond what the people of the world view. We see from God’s Word what Jehovah is doing now. that his King reigns, and that the time for the execution of his judgment is at hand. We see the New World society in operation. We must have this strong faith to endure. We must keep on in this faith. Then we shall go on without fear, with full confidence in Jehovah. W 11/15 40
Tuesday, March 30
If anyone of you is lacking in wisdom, let him keep on asking God, for he gives generously to all and without reproaching, and it will be given him.
—Jas. 1: 5, NW.
To gain God’s favor and to be reconciled to him, study is essential. Every person needs to continue growing in his knowledge of God’s Word. No one can say he knows it all, because the light of understanding is shining more and more to the perfect day. Are you handicapped by a lack of education, which makes it difficult for you to understand the deep things of the Scriptures? Do not be discouraged, for Jehovah, who has given us his Word, will also help us to understand it if wo ask him. In order to be pleasing to God in the service we render we need to be able to thoroughly grasp mentally the depth of the Scriptures and to be rooted and established on a solid foundation of truth. What another person may know about the Bible is of no value to us, but it is our personal understanding of the truth that will serve us at all times as a foundation for faith. W 12/1 27
Wednesday, March 31
You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living
thing.—Ps. 145:16, CB.
Everything is in Jehovah’s hand. He is the Giver, and a cheerful one at that, hence a most happy one. He is never made poorer by his generous giving. His stores never get exhausted. He knows living things desire to live—in happiness, even if they do not now recognize the Life-giver. He foreknew what they wanted and needed, and he got it ready for them and kept it in constant supply. But those of the enlightened, God-fearing New World society have a purpose in desiring to live. It is not just to enjoy existence like beasts, but to satisfy the craving of the heart and mind in their God and to praise him and serve his eternal purpose. Our spiritual need is what we mainly appreciate now. We look to Jehovah’s hand to satisfy our spiritual need no matter how many years we have yet to live to Armageddon and no matter what world conditions may surround us then. After Armageddon we shall keep looking to him. W 12/15 35, 36
As substitutes for Christ we beg: “Become reconciled to
God."—2 Cor. 5:20, NW.
Christendom’s clergy are not substituting for Christ as ambassadors. So the responsibility is now placed upon us as individuals to give others the knowledge we have; for thereby will come our happiness. Christ Jesus as the Son of God had the authority from his Father to preach this good news of the Kingdom. The command to preach this same message was passed on to the apostles and to the Christians who followed thereafter. Hence today we are ambassadors substituting for Christ. Jehovah’s witnesses have taken up that command to preach, and each one of them takes his position in Jehovah's organization, doing with his might what his hands find to do, seeking for opportunities to help others do the same. Their happiness in giving and their knowing they are right and have the backing of Jehovah have made it possible for them to preach this good news of the Kingdom to the ends of the earth. W 1/1 15a
Friday, April 2
How happy the man whom thou correctcst, O Yah! and whom out of thy law thou in-
structest!—Ps. .94; 12, Ro.
If we were not corrected and we kept on going in our wrong way, we should soon find ourselves back in the Devil’s organization. The only way we can have happiness is by being corrected and by staying in line with Jehovah’s organization. Jehovah is not going to come down to earth or send some angel down to explain matters to us. The corrective information may come through a brother, a parent, a servant in the congregation, or through the Watchtower magazine; but it will come from within his organization. It may hurt, and if we cannot take the correction we shall lose our happiness. Of course, there is no joy at the moment the correction is given; but afterward when we see the error of our way and when we get back in line with God’s arrangements again, then we can rejoice and appreciate the value of the correction. The wise servant will be glad for the correction; so it is true that a man who is corrected by Jehovah is happy. W 1/15 11a
Saturday, April 3
And she gave birth to a son, a male, who is destined to shepherd all the nations with an, iron rod.—Rev. 12: 5, NTV.
Even as the king of Israel, David was spoken of as the shepherd of his people, God saying to him, “You shall shepherd my people Israel.” (2 Sam. 5:2; 7:7, AT; AH) This is true also of Christ. When his Father makes him King of the new world Jesus does not cease from being caretaker of sheep, lowly though that occupation may seem, lie becomes the gov ernmental shepherd of all his subjects, for they are the ones for whom he laid down his human life. In 1914 the Supreme Sovereign of the universe enthroned him in the heavens to be the reigning King of the new world; and by this act he made him the royal Shepherd of all who will gain everlasting life in the righteous new world. In defense of his sheep he will wield the iron scepter against the worldly nations, dashing them to pieces as though they were fragile vessels of a potter. W 8/1 11
I . . . will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.
—Ezek. 3',: 11, AS.
It is heart-cheering to think that men of all the many different nations will be gathered into one flock. All men are of one flesh, one human race, the welfare of one means the welfare of all; and, oh, how the sincere heart yearns for the time when all who live on earth will be united as one family, with justice and equality enjoyed by all and with love binding one to another indivisibly! No one desires a united human family more than does man’s Creator himself, and this he has purposed to bring into existence. In his Word he has told us so, and he will never let it become a mere scrap of paper, unfulfilled. His own name is at stake ; the lasting good of men of all nations is at stake. These things are of high concern to the selfrespecting Creator, for which reason he will gather all men of good will into the one peaceful fold. We are living at the chosen time for him to do it, and it is a wonderful time in which to be living and witness his doing it. W 8/1 1
Monday, April 5
We, though, who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those not strong, and not to be pleasing ourselves.
—Rom. 15:1, AIV.
You servants in the congregation of God, do not hang back and think you can drive the flock of God. They are sheep, and sheep must be led. So take the lead in the various features of the field activity and they will follow as long as you follow the Greater Shepherds of the flock. As servants, in addition to your personal preaching activity you must study local conditions, seek ways and means of expanding the Kingdom interests. As overseers, do not give all your time and attention to the strong and active, but also tenderly look after the irregular publishers, the sick and afflicted, the slow and weak ones. True, all this requires much work, hard work, but it is necessary for the advancement of pure worship in the earth. Remember, hard workers in the Lord have his approval, for in the eyes of Jeho-xah, “a diligent man is a rare treasure.”—Prov. 12 : 27, Mo. IV 4/1 22,23a
Tuesday, April 6
There should prove to be one law and one judicial decision for you and for the temporary resident who is residing for a while with you.—Num. 15:16, NW.
Although classes did appear in Israel, the law did not allow for discrimination of any kind against any group or individual because of station in life. And even though he commanded that the heathen squatters in the land be destroyed, Jehovah made merciful provision for those temporary residents who were favorably disposed toward the Jews. If they would be willing to submit to circumcision and would keep all the laws of Israel, they would be accepted as a part of the nation and would receive blessings the same as the home-born Jew. Here, then, is a beautiful picture of the unity that exists in the congregation of Jehovah’s people today, the one law for homeborn and temporary resident alike well picturing the one set of theocratic counsel for the “little flock” and the “other sheep,” dwelling together as “one flock,” a family without division. W 7/1 15,16
1 fter the three and a half days spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon those beholding them.
—Rev. 11:11, XW.
The little remnant of faithful survivors of World War I experiences still clung to their God Jehovah. They still had faith in his Word and did not forget or forsake it. The fury of the enemy had not broken the bonds that bound them to their brothers. They saw now the meaning of their persecutions during the world war. yes, the meaning of that wTar itself and its concomitants, famine, pestilence, earthquakes and distress of nations. These things were proof that the time of this world’s end was upon us and that God’s kingdom was now a fact. This gave basis for the message that a good-sized multitude of people, ■‘millions,” they estimated, now living would never die. The postwar period offered an opportunity to serve Jehovah further, and as long as they had breath they were determined to praise him before all nations. W 8/15 5
Thursday, April 8
Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are found here, for fear you may be swept away in the iniquity of the city!—Gen. 19:15,2VW.
In love for our imperiled neighbor and fellow man let us help as many as we can to flee without further delay from the entire doomed world of the Devil. We have to go to them. Like the angels who warned Lot and his daughters at Sodom and urged them not to stay in the District but to escape for their lives to the mountainous region, we must take them by the hand and help speed their escape. (Luke 17 : 28-30) We must view seriously what we see in the light of Jesus’ prophecy and we must act with the sense of the greatest urgency in behalf of all the people of good will who long for such a thing as a happy life in a righteous new world. By such efforts we show we welcome them to the blessed land of the New World society, here to enjoy the pleasures of God’s loving-kindness and security under his wings, where everlasting joy is upon the heads of his people. W 9/15 16a
Friday, April 9
Son of man, set thy face toward Gog, of the land of Magog.
—Ezek. 38:2, AS.
At Revelation 20 : 8 Gog and Magog are mentioned, but there both are names of earthly lands and they have a different time-location from that of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel's prophecy. In Ezekiel’s prophecy Magog is premillennial, whereas in Revelation Magog is located at the end of the millennial reign of Christ. So in Ezekiel’s prophecy Magog corresponds with the realm of its chief ruler, Satan, and represents his spiritual realm. This agrees well with the fact that the Bible leaves the location of Magog indeterminate to man, hence a realm beyond man's intimate knowledge. Magog is a limited spirit realm near the earth’s vicinity, to which Satan and his wicked angels have been forced by the war in heaven. From that standpoint it is a degraded land, where the spirit inhabitants are subject to Jehovah’s disposition and held in reserve for him to express further judgment. W 10/1 10a
For living is the word of God and energetic.—II eb. If: 12, Ro.
Because the Bible is the Word of the living God it is living and has power, standing in the world as a bulwark against the flood of hurtful propaganda, it alone offering a safeguard for the minds and hearts of men. It is a revelation of the mind of the Creator, his instrument to convey to the minds of men ideas of his infinite mind. It is composed of words that are Jehovah’s words. These words stand for ideas that are God's thoughts. Just as certainly as the great Word Giver is the living God, so certain it is that his inspired Word of truth is the living Word. Common is the saying, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” That is a recognition of the fact that ideas conveyed to the minds of men are more powerful than merely physical force. Not only is God’s Word more powerful than physical force, but it is mightier than the penned or spoken words of all the propaganda agencies of this ungodly old world. It is alive. Tim old world is dying. W 11/1 10,11
Sunday, April 11
And he formed a group of twelve, whom he also named "apostles," that they might continue with him and that he might send them out to preach.
—Mark 3:Ilf, NW.
On the earth we find that of the men and women worshiping Jehovah, organizations have been constituted by him, of which the Christian congregation is one. God-fearing men were drawn together through the teaching of Jesus, and they organized. Very early in the life of the Christian congregation the apostles were a preaching organization. The entire congregation of the followers of Christ had been constituted by him a ministerial organization and so commissioned, as shown by Jesus’ words at Matthew 28 : 19, 20. That this commission is not restricted to those to whom Jesus directly spoke at the time but continued with the Christian congregation throughout its life, even down to our day, is shown by his concluding words : “And, look ! I am with you all the days until the consummation of the system of things.” The facts show that today we do have such a ministerial organization carrying out that commission. W 4/15 18
Monday, April 12
Just as sin ruled as ling with death, likewise also undeserved kindness might rule as king through righteousness with everlasting life in view through Jesus Christ.—Rom. 5:21,
NW.
Another king arises who challenges the rule of sin as king and counteracts his power. It is king undeserved kindness. Sin has been ruling concurrently with death. Undeserved kindness rules through righteousness. Sin brought death, undeserved kindness brings life. Sin was a sting like that of the poisonous serpent who lied about Jehovah and his word. The truth makes one free from his power. Paul wrote: “The sting producing death is sin, and the Law gives to sin its power.” (1 Cor. 15:56, A’IV) In view of this, how gracious is Jehovah’s arrangement that “where sin abounded, undeserved kindness abounded still more.” What joy may be ours! Though sin is still ruling in those of this world, leading to death, yet undeserved kindness can rule as king in us, leading to life. IV 6/15 15,16a
My son, do not belittle the discipline from Jehovah, neither give out when you arc corrected by him.—Heb. 12:5, jVW.
Do not spurn correction. If someone tells you that you arc wrong about something, do not get excited right away, but calmly listen to him. Think— maybe there is something wrong with you, and probably there is. There is one thing we know, that we want to remain in Jehovah’s organization. If we receive correction even though we have done no wrong, the correction still is not going to hurt us. But if we have done wrong, then the counsel will be a great benefit to us and we shall not find ourselves slipping off into the Devil’s organization. If we ever find ourselves outside of Jehovah’s organization because of wrongdoing we can be sure we shall never enjoy the same happiness in the world that we enjoyed in his organization. Therefore we must always keep our minds on God’s things. We must make our minds over and keep on correcting ourselves. 17 1/15 12a
Wednesday, April 14
A nd, look! a great crowd, . . . And they keep on crying with a loud voice, saying: "Salvation we ou:e to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Laml>.”-Rev. 1: 9,10, NW.
The things foretold by Jesus must occur in the day of Jehovah : there must be preaching of the good news of the Kingdom ; his followers must be hated by all nations; there must be much violence among Satan’s cohorts in the earth. In fact, war against Satan and his wicked world was to be held up for a time so that those who worship Jehovah might be saved. It was a time set aside in which many would receive the help of Jehovah and go in the way of salvation. Jehovah’s purpose was to preserve a people for his name, who would bear witness throughout the world and give warning to people of all nations to flee from modern Babylon before the destruction comes. Jehovah shows his kindness, patience and endurance of reproach by allowing this day for salvation. A great crowd of praisers has already come forth for their salvation. W 11/15 3
Thursday, April 15
For initially Jesus knew . . . who was the one that would betray him.—John 6: 64, ATI'.
What Jehovah foreknows takes place because of the infallibility of his power of perception into the future, the exercise of which in no way does violence to the free will of any creature. Jehovah prophesied that one of Jesus’ apostles would betray him, but that specific one was not named. There is no evidence for saying that Jesus knew when he chose Judas Iscariot that this was to be the betrayer. However, Jesus’ power from Jehovah enabled him to perceive the thoughts and intents of the human mind and heart, and as soon as Judas began drifting in that direction Jesus was aware of it. To demonstrate that he was the Messiah he spoke of this coming betrayal in advance. (John 13: 19) The predictions made that identified Judas personally as the betrayer came after he was grown, after he was an apostle. It was not a predestinating or the fixing of his destiny before the original world’s foundation. W 6/1 1, 9
They shouted: “Take him away! Take him away! Impale him!’’ Pilate said to them: “Shall I impale your king?” The chief priests answered: "We have no king but Caesar."
—John 19:15, NW.
Do you feel disgust at that? Then how mueh more would Jehovah feel hot indignation at this betrayal of his King Jesus Christ to the Roman imperial world power and the lining up of those who claimed to be his people with that cruel, antiJehovah world power? It was a religio-political conspiracy against Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom. No wonder he considered them part and parcel of a disgusting thing, an abominable arrangement against his kingdom by ChristI They professed friendship for God’s enemy, Caesar, thus making themselves God’s enemies. Now let them eat the bitter fruitage of that traitorous friendship; let them gall under that unequal yoke of such a nefarious antikingdom conspiracy until they should be driven to violent revolt against their political partners. W 9/15 13,14
Saturday, April 17 Memorial Date, after 6 p.m., S.T.
For it teas fitting . . . to make the Chief Agent of [oar] salvation perfect through sufferings.—Heb. 2:10, NW.
Sure deliverance at God's hand does not mean there will be no suffering, nor even death on the part of those ultimately delivered. Only through patiently bearing reproach and persecution in faithful continuance can anyone show his unqualified love for what is right and thus demonstrate his worthiness for deliverance by God. Christ Jesus demonstrated his worthiness to be delivered from the tomb by patient, faithful, obedient preaching, often under very adverse circumstances. He suffered bodily pain and mental distress. Yet he was always kind and generous, doing harm to no one but always doing that which was good, and spoke words of kindness toward those who had a hearing ear. Out of love for God and man Jesus greatly desired to fulfill the role of deliverer God marked out for him. So "he humbled himself and became obedient as far as death.” —Phil. 2:7-11, NW. W 2/1 27, 28
Sunday, April 18
Jehovah giveth wisdom; out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
■—Prov. 2: 6, AS.
Think of the vast amount of information known to the Creator, his unfathomable knowledge and his wisdom. All this is his possession, but he does not just hold it to himself. Rather he reveals much of his wisdom to his intelligent creatures. He sends it forth through his Word and gives it to us for our blessing. Every one of us can obtain a portion of this wisdom and knowledge. We must apply ourselves, though, and put forth the effort to obtain this knowledge and then show wisdom in dispensing it. We do not want to be like a sponge, just absorbing water, and then needing someone to squeeze it out of us so that the good things we have learned will benefit others. We should be so filled with the truth and with the understanding of God’s Word that it runs out of us constantly. Yes, let us be like a bubbling spring, always giving forth fresh lifegiving waters of truth to anyone thirsting.—Rev. 22: 17, NW. W 1/1 5, 6
If any man is reaching out for an office of overseer, he is desirous of a right kind of zvork. . . . not a newly converted man, for fear that he might get puffed up with pride and fall into the judgment passed upon the Devil.—1 Tim.3:1, 6, NW.
"Maturity is necessary in Jehovah's organization because responsibility always accompanies a position of supervision. Often when some responsibility is placed on young folks who feel they are qualified, they fall down on their responsibilities. They do nor like to carry the load, and lose their interest in it. So youth should accept wisdom from those who aie older and learn obedience and patience. They must make their minds over and absorb knowledge before they can give admonition to others. It is good to seek the right kind of work, but keep studying and training so that you are well qualified for it, and you will have Jehovah’s blessing. Title or position is of no value, but giving glory and honor to Jehovah’s name is the important thing. W 1/15 15, 16a
Tuesday, April 20
Although there may he so-called gods in heaven or on earth— as indeed there are many “gods" and many “lords"—yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through vhom we exist.
—1 Cor. 8:5,6, RS.
Paul here stated that there are many creatures in heaven and on earth that are called either “gods” or “lords.” So, amid all the rival claims to godship, was it necessary for Paul's God to be distinguished by a name to make him exclusive as the “one God”? We Christians confess that there is but the one God; yet his being the one God is disputed and denied by others. It is therefore most appropriate for the Christian God to be distinguished by a name. Also, in the universe there are many that arc <*alled “lords,” although there is only one real Lord for Christians; and hence, too, it is appropriate and necessary for Christians to identify who their Lord is by the name Jesus Christ. W 9/1 8
Wednesday, April 21
Jehovah is supporting all who are falling, and raising up all who arc bowed down.
—Ps. U5:l%, Yo.
Jehovah acted in accord with this rule in 1919 when he raised up his remnant who had fallen into his disfavor and who were bowed down under their Babylonish enemies. Particularly since 1935 he has done the same thing for the many captive “other sheep,” prisoners in the same Babylonish world. By bringing them out Jehovah began having the desirable ones of all nations come in, that thus his house of worship might be filled with glory. He knew that the limited thousands of the remnant were not the only ones now on earth who wanted to worship God aright. Mankind, w’ho are made of the earth, were originally made for worshiping the live, true God on earth forever. In tune with that original purpose, Jehovah will have such worshipers on earth forever, and so he starts with the hundreds of thousands of the “great crowd” of other sheep, who will survive Armageddon and, keeping integrity, will never die. W 12/15 32
Christ suffered for you, leaving you a model for you to follow his steps closely.—1 Pet. 2: 21, NW.
The apostles followed the example of Christ Jesus and also maintained their integrity. Jesus had shown them that they must follow in his footsteps and do as he did if they wanted to gain life, and so they held to the pure worship of God. They stuck to God's Word of truth. They spread the good news, building up the worship of God in purity. For this they suffered imprisonment, reproaches, beatings and martyrdom. It was not the easy way of life. Satan wanted to break down their integrity and destroy all worship of God; but these men endured blamelessly and provided for the carrying on of pure worship by leaving instructions that others could follow. Those who followed the apostles were also tested in their integrity and likewise endured blamelessly, They went everywhere, telling of God’s supremacy, expanding pure worship. W 3/1 3, 4b
Friday, April 23
I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, . . . and my servant David prince among them.
—Ezek. 34:15, 24, AS.
How will Jehovah be the shepherd of his sheep? By raising up one competent, proved shepherd to seek after all his sheep and gather them together in the unity of the family of God. Who is this ShepherdPrince whom Jehovah has now set up over his sheep to save them and feed them? It is the great Son of David. Jesus Christ. He is the Heir of the Kingdom covenant that Jehovah made with King David. This covenant guaranteed that he would raise up to David a seed who would sit upon the throne forever and whose kingdom would have no end. Jesus acknowledged himself as being the one whom Jehovah appointed to take care of his earthly sheep, even to laying down his life for them, saying: “I am the right shepherd ; the right shepherd surrenders his soul in behalf of the sheep.” Jesus followed the occupation of his Father as a shepherd. W 8/1 8-10
Saturday, April 24
He chose us in union with him before the world’s foundation.
—Eph. 1:4, HW.
There is not the slightest evidence that Jehovah foreknew the fall of Adam and Eve. Then why would he foreordain before “the world’s foundation” the provision of Christ and the Kingdom class to lift up obedient mankind from the effects of Adam’s fall? The world that began with the creation of Adam and Eve is not the same as the one before whose foundation this class was foreordained. Peter speaks of three worlds, “the world of that time,” the present wicked one that started after the Flood and the promised new world wherein righteousness is to dwell. (2 Pet. 3: 5-7, 13, A IP) The new world’s foundation was laid when Jesus presented his sacrificial merit in heaven, for it is his sacrificial death that furnishes the basis for humans to be rescued from sin and death, enabling some to reign with him as part of the new heavens and others to live forever on this globe as an obedient new earth. lienee Jesus is referred to as “the Lamb who was slaughtered from the world's foundation.” —Rev. 13: 8, NW. W 5/15 14
But Jehovah is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.-Hab. 2: 20,
AS.
Being so concerned about the economic, military and political domination of the earth, the nations forget the thing of prime importance today, that we must serve Jehovah at his temple, being lovers of God rather than lovers of pleasures, and proving true to the power of godly devotion instead of having a mere form of it. To worship Jehovah at his spiritual temple, we must turn our faces in no earthly direction, but heavenward through Christ, the foundation cornerstone of God’s temple of living stones. Jehovah is now in his holy temple, and all the earth should quiet down and be silent to hear his Word. But instead they rage at the fact that he reigns. Their very raging now is visible proof that the lofty, unseen Jehovah is present in his temple, for that is how the prophecy explains their raging.—Rev. 11: 15-19, /VW. W 10/15 13,14
Monday, April 26
Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
—Isa. 1:18, AS.
In despair some think that they have sunk so low in the mire of human troubles that they have no hope. This is not necessarily so. Instead, a choice is open to each person. It is up to him whether he wishes to heed the call to quit being fashioned after the old world and become reconciled to God or not. Jesus himself declared that publicans and harlots would enter the Kingdom before the rebellious, self-righteous chief priests and elders of the people. This does not say that such publicans and harlots would continue in their evil course of action, but, as Jesus explained, they believed and showed faith. Because of this faith their past course of action was to be washed clean by the blood of the Lamb. By means of the illustration of the lost sheep Jesus showed that no one is too insignificant or lowly to receive God’s loving provision for ransom and reconciliation. —Matt. 18:12-14. W 12/1 24, 25
Tuesday, April 27
Be blameless and innocent, children of God without a blemish in among a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you are shining as illuminators in the world.
—Phil. 2:15, NW.
Jehovah’s servants today fight confidently under their Leader and Commander, Christ Jesus, holding fast to their integrity. Now or never the people of good will must be told to turn to Almighty God and his kingdom by Christ, to seek righteousness and seek to gain life. This is the time to be an active influence for good in this degenerate world. By holding our integrity we show others it can be done; we encourage them to take up God’s service too. By our faithfulness to God, by our preaching of the good news, and by upholding God’s supremacy, we can help other people to gain everlasting life. Millions of people of Christendom today are looking for righteousness. Many in the church organizations are looking for a hope, for a way. We can help them. We must help them. We must uphold God’s side of the issue in this time of the end. W 3/1 23b
Wednesday, April 28
When Jehovah brought back those that returned to Zion, we were like unto them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing.
—Ps. 126:1, 2, AS.
God read the hearts of his loyal people in their affliction. He it was who had preserved them through the fiery trials, amid World War I. He had a fiurpose in doing so. Aceording-y, by his strange providence, he loosed them from captivity to their foes. By the power of his spirit he freed them from the shackling effect of fear of men and of man’s organizations. He reorganized them and set his work before them, making known to them that this was the predestined time when “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness” and that this gospel was the allimportant news that God’s kingdom had been set up. Today we can see that God’s purpose has been carried out. By all the means of passing out information this good news of Jehovah’s kingdom has been preached. W 8/15 6,7
Thursday, April 29
Shepherd the flock of God in your care, not under compulsion, but willingly, neither for love of dishonest gain, but eagerly, neither as lording it over those who are God’s inheritance.—1 Pet. 5: 2, 3, NIV.
In Jehovah’s organization there are no unscriptural “clergy” or “laity” distinctions. Unlike the clergy of Christendom, the servants in Jehovah’s organization are not vested with special robes of honor and distinction. They are not paid fat salaries for their services. Neither do they carry a whip of authority empowering them to dictate, boss, browbeat or lord it over the congregation. Praise Jehovah, no such antiChristian practices are found among Jehovah’s witnesses! Rather, as slaves of Jehovah and as servants to their brothers these duly appointed overseers of the flock of God are prompted to serve by pure motives of love and unselfishness. They are appointed to assist others to become better ministers of God, better preachers of the truth, better singers of Jehovah’s praises. W 4/1 16a
Friday, April 30
I saw, and, look! a great crowd, . . . before the throne of God, and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple.
—Rev. 7:0,15, NW.
With joy, shouting and clapping of hands the regathered remnant hailed the disclosure in 1935 from God’s Word that a “great crowd” of “other sheep” was to be assembled out of “all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues” before this world’s final tribulation, and that these, also, must actively serve Jehovah God. Ever since then they have rejoiced at how God has rewarded their pastoral work. Each year they have welcomed the influx of multitudes of “other sheep” into the flock at God’s temple. The “other sheep” have imbibed the spirit of the little remnant; they have come to realize their obligation to copy the “one shepherd” and take part with him in searching for still other strayed, lost and scattered sheep. So they have gone forth and loyally worked side by side with the remnant under the leadership of the heavenly Pastor, the Greater David. W 8/1 19,20
Saturday, May 1
Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
—Ps. 107: 8, AS.
Jehovah God, long before ever we appeared on earth, was doing the giving, and that for our benefit. He gave of his great power, his wisdom, knowledge and love. lie is still giving. Blessings continually flow from him to his creation, and we are the recipients of these gifts from “the happy God." (1 Tim. 1:11, iVW) He asks for no return, but we can show our gratitude. How can we show our appreciation for the many blessings he has bestowed upon us? By giving him the only thing we can give him, namely, the right kind of worship, true worship. This means worshiping Jehovah in holy array. It is something that comes out of the heart, out of a pure mind. If we worship the true God in the way he directs in his Word, he will be pleased. Our worship is our service to him. It should be performed in a spotless manner, and this we can do by observing his commandments. W 1/1 3, 4
Sunday, May 2
It makes one happier to give than to be given to.
—Acts 20: 35, A T.
Adherents of false religions of the world cannot understand why all of Jehovah's witnesses are so active; but their activity is their worship of the Most High. Jehovah's witnesses are seeking life in happiness, and they are gaining happiness as they live now. They have found the secret of being happy even in this present evil world. They have proved to themselves that there is more happiness in giving the truths of God’s Word which they have received so abundantly to all the nations of the world; so they give constantly of what they have received. The organization of Jehovah’s witnesses is filled with a happy people. They arc friendly, and they are anxious to have others join with them in their happiness and in their true worship of Jehovah. That is why they preach ’this gospel of the kingdom in all the world.’ Jehovah’s witnesses as a nation are happy because their God is Jehovah. W 1/15 6
Monday, May 3
He inaugurated for us ... a new and living way through I he curtain, that is, his flesh.
—lleb. 10:20, 2VW.
With the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus to heaven to appear in the presence of Jehovah with the blood merit of his human sacrifice, the new system of things began in reality. Having the sacrifice that was really acceptable to God for ransoming mankind from sin and its penalty death, Jesus served as the new High Priest of God. The earthly high priest of the old Jewish system of things lost his office, for he had been made a high priest by the Law covenant that Moses mediated. But now Jesus had become a Prophet and Mediator greater than Moses and he mediated a new covenant between Jehovah and the spiritual Israelites, the Christian congregation that was built upon him as the Rock. From then on he served as God’s anointed High Priest at God’s spiritual temple, its Holy of Holies being heaven itself before the very presence of God himself. W 9/15 4
For this is as the waters of Noah unto me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.—Isa. 54: 9, AS.
Following the flood, God stated to Noah his mind concerning sanctity of life and his loving consideration for creatures upon the earth. In this connection he declared the rainbow to be a sign. Many rainbow’s are seen by men upon the earth. It is said that from an airplane flying high above the clouds, looking toward the earth instead of up from the earth, one may see the rainbow even more in evidence. Thus Jehovah has given complete assurance to those who believe him. Because of his great vantage point he always can observe the rainbow, which he has constituted a sign and a reminder and a strengthening assurance. God’s covenant word is an assurance, not solely that the earth will not be overflowed with water a second time, but even more wonderfully, that he will never forsake his “wife” but will always cherish her and her children. W 5/1 18, 19
Wednesday, May 5
There is no fear in love, but perfect love throws fear outside, because fear exercises a restraint. Indeed, he that is under fear has not been made perfect in love.—1 John 4'-18, NW.
We know for a certainty that Jehovah will have justice done speedily. Therefore wre are fearless, and this is a real blessing to us. This is something that the enemy cannot understand. They do not know why Jehovah’s servants, in the face of the w’orld-wide persecution that is brought against them, with all the reproaches and sneering and mocking laughter, still keep on in their worship of Jehovah. These are able to take this fearless position because they love Jehovah with all their hearts. They do not allow fear to restrain them from continuing in their worship. They are fearless and faithful as Daniel. They go on regardless of what mischief men may frame by their decrees, and this keeping on in love of Jehovah means their salvation. W 11/15 42, 43
Thursday, May 6
Every day will I bless you; and I will praise your name forever and ever.—Ps. 145:2, CB.
Every day of our existence it is proper for us to bless Jehovah. How empty, barren, purposeless, even one day would be without doing this! We must therefore watch every day. Determining to do this puts us in line for the fulltime service of God, or at least trying to make our works all count toward God, doing them “whole-souled as to Jehovah, and not to men.” “Do all things for God’s glory.” Blessing him is an everyday service, a lifelong service, without retiring for old age. Always we try to testify in Jehovah’s favor. Our everlasting life depends on it, because praising Jehovah’s name forever and ever begins right here and now. No matter if life in the new world will go on endlessly, there will always be cause for us to praise God’s name. What wrong, what discreditable thing could Jehovah ever do? None in the slightest! He will ever cover his worthy name with glory. It is for us to cover it with praise and blessing. W 12/15 7, 8
Let each of us please his neighbor in what is good for his upbuilding.—Rom. 15: 2, A’IV.
It would be improper for the servants in the congregation to assume positions as the false shepherds do. While they might of necessity be drawn into closer relationship with certain ones in the organization, due to their work, still they will never lose sight of their responsibility toward the weaker ones and the opportunity to be of assistance to them by their association especially in the field. And those who are truly mature, even though having a full schedule, will show their interest in expansion by taking as active an interest in those new ones as possible. Many times this can be done by merely sitting with different ones in the meeting or by a few minutes of greeting after each meeting. This friendly interest by those taking the lead in the organization is very much appreciated by these newcomers and is a loving expression of the principle in the law of Moses regarding the stranger’s right. IV 7/1 13a
Saturday, May 8
O mortal man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the great prince of Meshech and Tubal.—Ezek.
38: 2, AT.
Some translations render this, “Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.” And since “Rosh” really means “head,” it was reasoned that Rosh meant Satan the “head” and so Gog was a mere prince of Satan. But if we reason this way, it would also mean that Gog was a prince not of Satan only, but also of Meshech and Tubal and subordinate to all three of them. However, other modern translators show that, instead of a subordinate prince, Gog is a chieftain, or sovereign prince, which strongly indicates that he is Satan, “the ruler of the demons,” and not a subordinate prince representing him at Armageddon. Gog, that is, Satan, does not stay back home in the rear in the land of Magog, to await the bursting in of God’s fire upon him there. No, he egotistically takes charge of his vast hordes of aggressors and madly leads them in attack upon the remaining ones of the Seed of God's woman. IV 10/1 11a
Sunday, May 9
Vow should put away the old personality . . . [and] be made new in the force actuating your mind, and should put on the new personality which was created according to God's will.
—Eph. 4: 22-2If, NW.
Because men in this old dying world think, speak and act wrong, because such unbelievers are vessels of wrath headed for destruction, and because they must be remolded into vessels of glory to Jehovah if they are to escape being shattered like a potter’s vessel by the King's rod at Armageddon, the vital command is: “Quit being fashioned after this system of things, but be transformed by making your mind over.” If they make their minds over they are changed persons; for as they think, so are they. They must let the old circuits put into their brains by the schemes and propagandas, the lusts and immoralities of the old world fade out through disuse, and replace them with new circuits built up by the right thinking and acting. If so, they will be remolded into a new personality. W 6/1 7a
As for the one sown upon the right kind of soil, this is the one hearing the word and getting the sense of it, who really does bear fruit and produces, this one a hundredfold, that one sixty, the other thirty.
—Matt. IS: 23, NW.
Bringing forth fruit is an essential part of our lives and cannot be dispensed with. It is something that God’s Word equips us for at the present time. It constitutes a proof of our acceptance of God’s Word. It is an evidence of the living Word acting on our hearts and minds and exerting its power in our lives. It is something that can be seen by both God and man. It is our service. In fact, the faithful service of Jehovah’s witnesses is one of the most remarkable manifestations of the power of God’s Word, as well as an evidence of his protecting active force operating in their behalf and through them. Obviously, it is more than just a matter of intentions when God’s service is involved. In addition to intending to serve Jehovah, we must do it. W 11/1 5a
Tuesday, May 11
And he showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, flowing out from the throne of
God and of the Lamb. —Rev. 22:1, NW.
There is one thing we are sure of: No matter how much of the truth one might give, he will never run out of it. There is no limit to the speaking of the truth. It is like a stream that comes down out of the mountains, with a source far behind it in the towering, snow-capped peaks. That stream will always flow, and so will the river of life-giving truth emanating from the throne of God always flow. It comes through his organization to all the nations of the earth. We shall never run out of truth or happiness as long as we keep on receiving and giving of what we receive. In fact, the more we give of the truth, the more happiness we shall possess. At the same time the truth will build us up and continue to make us stronger in carrying forth the good news from house to house. If our hearts and minds are filled with this good message from God’s abundance, we cannot refrain from telling it to others. W 1/1 5a
Wednesday, May 12
If, note, God, although having the will to demonstrate his wrath and to make his power known, tolerated with much longsuffering vessels of torath made fit for destruction, in order that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, . . . what of it?—Rom. 9:22-2 J,, A'W.
Here are two valuable lessons for properly singing God’s praises. The first is that a real appreciation of God’s greatness inspires confidence and godly fear. There are forces for evil of great power in the world today, forces that could unleash a third world war. Fear them not. God can and will cause these forces to be held and so maneuvered that nothing will be permitted to really hurt a single Kingdom singer and fighter. We can afford to sing both boldly and sweetly. The second lesson is that of gratitude. We should be grateful that we have become recipients of God’s mercy, instead of being hardened, like Pharaoh I This salvation kindly provided through mercy is a strong personal reason for our singing Jehovah’s praises. W 3/15 7, 8a
You received free, give free. —Matt. 10:8, NW.
To give means to bestow without expecting a return. When God gave us the gift of his only-begotten Son, he did not give expecting that we would be able to repay him in like manner. No, his gift of life to us was full and generous. It is ours to keep if we continue faithfully obedient to his will. Likewise when we give this good message of life to others, we do not expect to be paid back in money or possessions by those who receive it from us. We have received the message of life from our Father as a gift, and we want to give to others freely the knowledge we enjoy, that they also may gain the hope of eternal life. So if we are going to have real happiness in giving in the way Jehovah does, we must do something for others without expecting a return from them. We cannot add anything to God; but in view of the many gifts we have received from his hands we certainly should show gratitude by following the course of true worship and service to him. This service brings happiness. W 1/1 7
Friday, May 14
Why have 1 not found favor with thee, that thou shouldst put the burden of all this people on me? . . . Let me sec no more of my trouble.
—Num. 11:11,15, AT.
We never want to feel as Moses did and want to get away from it all. There is no reason why we should feel that way, because Jehovah’s organization today is peaceful, prosperous and happy. The servants are co-operative and want to help in every way to see that this great work is accomplished to the honor, glory and vindication of Jehovah’s name. The gospel of the Kingdom must be preached before the accomplished end comes, and whether it comes in five years, ten years or more within this generation should not make any difference to us. We are God’s ministers. God has given us the work to do, and we are happy to bear the whole load of responsibility. Having taken on the work, by Jehovah's undeserved kindness, let us keep on doing it until it is finished. As long as we continue to give the truth freely we will enjoy happiness in great measure. W 1/15 17a
Saturday, May 15
The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.
—Rev. 11:15, NW.
The Kingdom established in the invisible heavens in 1914 may be unreal to worldly politicians, but it is real to us, in fact, more real than the United Nations. The actuality of a government is shown by its having subjects that submit to its power. Our recognizing a government and our submitting to it are displayed by our loyal obedience to it. The Kingdom’s reality and power are 'vividly impressed upon us, not by material buildings, official uniforms, flags, emblems and insignia, but by the visible signs in the earth. God’s Word foretold these would appear as evidence of the Kingdom’s establishment and operation, such as World War I followed by unending distress of the peoples and perplexity of the nations. Most impressive of all, the Kingdom’s work as foretold in divine prophecy is being carried out irresistibly before the end comes at Armageddon. W 8/15 20
If anyone loves me, he will observe my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our abode with him.—John Ilf: 23, ftw.
Today we see Jehovah's witnesses as a nation that Jehovah has raised up, a chosen people taken out from all nations, kindreds and tongues; and they are a happy nation. (Ps. 33: 12, AS) Why is this? Because they have observed Jesus' words ; and therefore the Father loves them and has made his abode with them. They worship their Father in heaven in spirit and in truth. They are not thinking of doing things their own way but arc anxious to do the Father’s will and to follow the commandments of Christ Jesus, the Son of God. They find happiness in preaching the gospel of Jehovah’s kingdom in all the world for a witness. God’s gift to them is a knowledge of the truth. They are not selfish, holding it just for themselves, but are happy to be giving this truth to others throughout the world. Are you sharing in this happy work? W 1/15 5
Monday, May 17
Clod is unto us a God of deliverances; and unto Jehovah the Lord belongeth escape from death.—Ps. 68:20, AS.
A candid view of history, ancient and modern, reveals the ineffectiveness of armies, alliances, weapons of destruction, etc., in really bringing about a genuine deliverance. It is not the part of wisdom to keep repeating the mistakes of the past. Wise men listen to the counsel of Jehovah and profit thereby, (Prov. 28:5) His Word reveals Jehovah as a mighty Deliverer. He has promised for these last days a deliverance without precedent in human history—a deliverance of people from the oppressions and terrors of this old system of things to a righteous new world free for all time and resplendent with the vigor, freshness and confidence that come with genuine security. This new world is especially prepared by Jehovah. (Isa. (>5:17) No conceivable arrangement of men today could possibly achieve such deliverance of humankind from its afflictions. II7 2/1 8
Tuesday, May 18
Look! we pronounce happy those who have endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome Jehovah gave.-Jas. 5:11, NW.
Job was a man of devotion to God and he is an outstanding case of a person who maintained integrity to God under the test. When Jehovah removed the hedge of protection he placed around Job, Job took great losses. All his wealth and his personal possessions were taken away. Then he was put to a personal test. He was made to suffer much pain and discomfort. Satan used Job’s wife to try to cause him to renounce God and die. Certainly such was a very great trial. Then on the scene came three of his so-called friends. They did not comfort him either. They began accusing him of all kinds of wrongdoing. Job endured through all these trials that came upon him personally. He never wavered in faith and devotion to Jehovah for one minute. He made a record that stands to this day. Jehovah preserved his life and blessed him for his integrity. W 3/1 7-10a
If you live in accord with the flesh you are sure to die; hut if you put the practices of the body to death by the spirit, you will live.-Rom. 8:13, A’ll'.
When Eve invited Adam to eat, the full consequences of her disobedient act quite probably struck home to him. He was not deceived. How would his Creator take action? Would ho immediately lose his only human companionship? Why had she forced this issue upon him? To yield to her meant disobedience to his God. It was a choice between love and duty to Jehovah and affection and attraction to his helpmate ; choice between the Creator and the creature, between governing his life by principle, according to the godlike attributes with which he had been endowed, on the one hand, and passion, the strong pull of emotion, on the other. Lacking true love for his Creator, Adam decided wrongly. We must guard against yielding to temptations to please our flesh, and we must beware against being made tools of the adversary to ensnare others. W 6/15 5,7
Thursday, May 20
So let us not give up in doing what is right, for in due season we shall reap by not giving out.
—Gal. 6:9, A’W.
Work, good, wholesome work, that requires co-ordinated use of mind and muscles is among God’s loving provisions for man. Even the Sabbath commandment took note of the work that man must do, for it allowed that by far the greater amount of man’s time and energy be spent in profitable labor, and this for man’s good and to the praise of his Creator. Those, therefore, hoping to have God’s approval must take up the work he assigns them with enthusiastic (God-inspired) zeal. They must attack their assignments with determination and industry, sticking to such despite all efforts of Satan to slow them down, turn them aside, or make them quit altogether. And how happy are those who thus continue working I For not only do they eventually prosper and succeed, but they also reap along the way satisfying fruit for their labor in the form of extreme joy and contentment. W 4/1 4
Friday, May 21
There is none like unto thee, 0 Jehovah; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
—Jer. 10: 6, AS.
With majesty and simplicity Jeremiah acknowledges that Jehovah is without equal. This exclusiveness of Jehovah is a vital truth, and appreciation of it is essential to all who would realize their righteous desires. False gods are common. Gods of many kinds are served and worshiped by the peoples of the earth. Above and apart from the array of degenerate gods and their devotees there is the one Jehovah, whose exclusiveness elicits our sincere praise. We must distinguish between this true God and the false ones. It is entirely appropriate to differentiate between Him and all other gods. In fact, it is necessary that we do so. The righteous God does not appeal to unrighteous creatures. The just and living God does not find harmonious response in unjust, hate-filled men. If you respond to his Godship in loving appreciation, happy are you I W 4/15 1-3
Jephthah came to Mizpah to his home, and, look! his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourine playing and dancing!—Judg. ll:3i, NW.
In behalf of victory over aggressor Ammonites, Judge Jephthah of Gilead vowed to sacrifice to Jehovah whatever came out first from his home to meet him on his victorious return. His only child, his unmarried daughter, proved to be the first one to meet him there with dances in celebration of Jehovah’s victory. Jephthah in faithfulness to his vow dedicated her to the exclusive, virgin-pure service of the God who had blessed him with victory. In this prophetic drama his virgin daughter pictured the “other sheep.” With great joy this modern Jephthah’s daughter class hail the victory of the Greater Jephthah, their “Everlasting Father.” They yield their lives of service to Jehovah and keep themselves in virgin purity from contamination from this world. They do not violate the vow of the Greater Jephthah, the “one shepherd,” who has presented them to the temple service of the Most High God. W 8/1 25
Sunday, May 23
I will extol thee, my God, O King.—Ps. lift: 1, AS.
It is really something when a mighty king recognizes he is not absolute in power but is subject to a sovereign over him. That was what King David recognized. There is today a Greater David, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he now reigns in the heavenly Mount Zion. Since 1914 he reigns as king of the new world in God's name. The main purpose of his reigning is to extol his God and Sovereign King, for never in history has so much reproach been heaped upon God’s name by man and demon. With a king reigning who is devoted to God’s praise and exaltation, reproach to God cannot now go on for much longer. In harmony with Jehovah’s King we must now work to remove the reproach upon God’s name. Primarily, those who are his anointed remnant should do so, and now, too, the great crowd of his prospective subjects. Jesus recognizes God as King. We also, if copying Jesus, will recognize the divine kingship, Jehovah's kingship. W 12/15 2,3
Monday, May 24
God was by means of Christ reconciling a world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and he committed the message of the reconciliation to us.—2 Cor. 5:19, NW.
By bearing this message of reconciliation you will have the true happiness that comes only by peace with God. You will see the time come when God will do to all subjects of Christ’s kingdom as he does now to those Christians in the new covenant: write his law in the hearts of all men. Then there will no longer be a need for every man to teach his neighbor, saying, ‘Know Jehovah ; for they will all know him, from the least of them to the greatest. Jehovah will forgive their iniquity and remember their sins no more.’ Before you there will stretch a thousand years devoted to mankind’s reconciliation to God, and beyond that there will be an eternity in Jehovah's service. The loving provisions of Jehovah for mankind will also be reflected in his blessing upon all creation. To enjoy life then, share now in the ministry of reconciliation. W 12/1 41
A prudent man sees danger and hides himself; hut the simple go on, and suffer for it.
—Prov. 21:12, RS.
Where can the wise and prudent person flee and hide from destruction by the heavenly executioners that carry out God’s will upon his foes? Not to refuge farms or isolation in some literal mountains or other out-of-the-way place. There are no out-of-the-way places to God’s executioners; and the hiding of oneself from the armies of the “disgusting thing'' will not hide anyone from execution by God's Armageddon forces under his King Jesus Christ. For Christians and for people outside of Christianity who want to flee and be hidden at Armageddon’s very outbreak, the mountains outside of condemned Judea pictured today the protected New World theocratic system of things that Jehovah has created in this time of the end. In that system of things is where he keeps his New World society safe, that they may carry on their theocratic activities, announcing the Kingdom. W 9/15 la
Wednesday, May 26
Thou shalt see and he radiant, and thy heart shall thrill and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned unto thee.—Isa. 60:5, AS.
Once the remnant thought that in the time of the final test it would become necessary for God to raise from the dead the “princes" (estimated to be just seventy in all), to give the remnant divine assurance and strength. But today the remnant see the so great crowd of modern witnesses with which Jehovah has surrounded them, all of them showing the genuine faith of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets, even if they have to die for it behind the Iron Curtain or elsewhere. What more than this in the way of divine miracles can the anointed remnant ask for now? The loyal companionship and support of this “great crowd’’ of modern witnesses of Jehovah and their zeal and faithfulness in keeping his commandments arc a powerful stimulus, along with the example of the ancient witnesses, to run the race that is set before them to the finish, to victory! W 10/15 33
Thursday, May 27
There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.
-—Acts 20: 35, A’W.
Paul did not say that there was no happiness in receiving; there is. lie knew the joy and happiness that come with receiving the truth. So do we. Look how Paul showed his gratitude after he listened to Jesus’ voice in the brilliance of his appearance. (Acts 9:3-22, .VW) Today we delight to go to conventions and assemblies, to Watchtower studies and book studies, and to receive good news from the instructor. But once we have absorbed all these good things, there is more happiness in giving the truth to others, more happiness even than we enjoyed in receiving it. Was that not true in Paul’s case? Yes, that is why he did not hold back from any kind of activity but “taught publicly and from house to house." (Acts 20:20, ATW) It was this course of action that made Paul so happy. So let all dedicate themselves to Jehovah and share his Word with others that they also may live. Let them know the superior happiness of giving. W 1/1 15, 12
Whoever, therefore, wants to he a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of
God.—Jas. It: 4, NW.
Our not loving or being friends of this old world does not mean we are haters of mankind, haters of everybody. If we were haters of everybody, then we would not go tramping from door to door, bringing the people God's warning and beseeching them, “Become reconciled to God.” The greatest commandment ever given is that we must love God first, that is, with all our mind, heart, strength and soul; and in expressing that love for God, we must obey his second great commandment, to love our neighbors as ourselves. This we try to do by leaving our cozy homes and calling on our fellow men at their own homes and sharing with them the God-given message, that they may be saved to the new world the same as we ourselves. But as for becoming the friends of this world in its desires, its ambitions, its politics, its religions and philosophies, we may never do that without becoming religious hypocrites, hated by God. W 8/15 13
Saturday, May 29
In the day for salvation I came to your help.~2 Cor. 6: 2, ArW.
Salvation is in Jehovah’s power. He is the God of salvation. The word here used means more than merely gaining life. It means deliverance to life and safety. It connotes giving health. It therefore shows that Jehovah’s salvation comes in more than one way in this day of Jehovah. Jehovah sustains his servants. He provides spiritual food to keep them strong. It is Jehovah who delivers his servant body on earth through many trials. Though Christ has begun his invisible rule, nevertheless Jehovah’s servants have passed through many trying experiences since 1914. Jehovah foretold these experiences, preserving the record for our use in this day of salvation. Knowing accurately what Jehovah has said gives us strength, builds up our endurance and bolsters our faith. If we are wise, we study God’s Word and grow spiritually strong. Then, especially in times of difficulty or persecution, wc shall be able to endure in our faith and we shall be able to serve others. W 11/15 5, 6
Sunday, May 30
God . . . kept Noah, a preacher of righteousness, safe with seven others when he brought a deluge upon a world of ungodly people.—2 Pet. 2:4, 5, NW.
Moses once said to God in effect, ‘You cannot supply flesh to feed all of these people, two million or more.’ Can you imagine anyone’s questioning God’s power and saying that he could not do what he said he would do? It is just like someone’s saying today that God cannot protect his people at the battle of Armageddon and take them through into the new world; that it is too great a task. Well, have you ever stopped to think that Jehovah did protect Noah and his family in the flood and brought them from the “world that then was” into this present evil world? That is history, and it shows God’s power has already been proved. Do you not believe he can do it again? Where is your faith? Jehovah has all power in heaven and in earth, lie has even given such power to his Son.—Matt. 28:18. W 1/15 11
Remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, who said, “To give is happier than to get.”
—Acts 20: 35, Mo.
Is it not the giving of the good news to others that brings you real happiness? There is no satisfaction in just storing up knowledge and information in your own mind and heart without ever letting it out. To keep it to yourself makes a miser of you, and you will always be a miserable person, because the real secret to full happiness is giving. Happiness cannot lie dormant; it must be expressed. Happiness must affect you or someone else. Have you kept your happiness inactive? Have you kept it asleep? Are you the miser type who prefers to be unhappy and miserable, never giving to anyone else of that which you have learned? Even if you were to gather all the knowledge of the world into your mind, it would be useless if you never gave it out. Why get knowledge if you are not going to use it? Real Christians are taught of Jehovah through his Word, and their happiness comes by telling others. W 1/1 16,17
Tuesday, June 1
Sing ye to Jehovah, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.—Ex. 15: 21, AS.
Pharaoh and his mighty men fittingly picture Satan and his leading representatives. On the other hand, Moses and the children of Israel fittingly represent Christ Jesus and the new-world forces of God's people on earth. As then Pharaoh and his hosts, under demon influence, flouted Jehovah and were led to the catastrophe at the Red Sea, so now earth’s rulers defy Jehovah and his announced purpose and warning, and under demonic influence are led on to Armageddon. Moses and the children of Israel, by their stand against Pharaoh and by the proclamation of Jehovah’s name and purpose and their final song of praise, can properly be described as singing fighters, even though they did not fight with military weapons. Jehovah’s people today, being in exactly the same position, can be similarly described as singing fighters. W 3/15 10
Wednesday, June 2
For there are many invited, but few chosen.-—Matt. 22: Ilf, NW.
If Jehovah predestinated individuals to salvation in advance, would he invite those not predestinated for it, those who could not possibly attain it? Would not such an invitation be hypocritical in the extreme, a heartless mocking and cruel taunting of those whom he has foreordained to fail? It would be sadistic torture to weak and helpless creatures at the hands of an all-powerful Creator. It would deny the divine attributes of justice and love. Jehovah is not guilty of such unloving, unjust, hypocritical misconduct. By pouring out his holy spirit upon persons he invites them to membership in the heavenly class, and that without predestinating in advance their success or failure in attaining it. Some of the individuals called become unfaithful and drop out. More are invited to take their place. Enough arc called so that eventually the predestinated number are finally chosen, regardless of the many who fell away after being invited. W 5/15 12
Do not loiter at your business. Be aglow with the spirit.
—Rom. 12:11, HW.
As Jehovah’s faithful witnesses we “are .God's fellow workers,” “working together with him,” a people belonging to Jehovah and devoted to his service, “always having plenty to do in the work of the Lord.” Therefore, “whatever you are doing, work at it whole-souled as to Jehovah,” for he will render “to each one according to his works,” for “God is not unrighteous so as to forget your work and the love you showed for his name.” Because of Jehovah’s righteousness and faithfulness, the apostle urges us “to show the same industriousness so as to have the full assurance of the hope down to the end.” Yes, if we crave to live forever in a paradise of perfection, then we must avoid the ways of the slothful, lazy sluggards. This is no time to dillydally or hold back. The King is upon his throne. Jehovah’s special work is rapidly reaching its successful conclusion. The triumphal day of final victory is at hand. Awake ! W J,/1 25, 26a
Friday, June 4
I have made your name manifest to the men you gate me out of the world. . . . Holy Father, watch over them out of respect for your own name which you have given me, . . . When I was with them I used to watch over them out of respect for your own name.
—John 11: 6,11,12, NW.
Why did Jesus pray thus? It was because he knew his Father had a distinctive name. He said that he had come in his Father’s name and not in his own name, and he wanted his followers to know the Father’s name. That is why in The Revelation he pictured his genuine, faithful followers as “having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.” (John 5:43; Rev. 14:1) There being only one God does not deny he has a name. Nor does he forbid his human sons to call him by his personal name, for to call him by his unique name does not denote undue familiarity and disrespect. Contrariwise, it denotes greater respect, awe, and worship, more so than the childlike expression, “Our Father,” does. W 9/1 15,16
Saturday, June 5
The sayings that I have spoken to you are spirit and arc life.
—John 6: 63, NW.
The New World society is founded solidly on the unchanging Word of God. Its members recognize the most important thing, a true appreciation of their God and their relationship to him. They glory in this relationship as prospective members of God’s great family. The Word of God is to us inexhaustible, its study always rewarding, adherence to it always beneficial. We thank God for everything in our lives that serves to keep our attention on his Word and increases our love for it and our appreciation of it. In it are found the organization instructions on which the New World society operates. Correct, truthful doctrine, righteous laws, highest and noblest principles, authority to preach, all are contained in the living Word, pointing to and applying in this great day of judgment and division. Above all, his living Word identifies and exalts the true God, Jehovah, the Source of light. W 11/1 17a
Sunday, June 6
One generation shall laud thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.
—Ps. 11,5: 4, AS.
Two generations will survive Armageddon. The anointed remnant are a spiritual generation. Compared with them, these who resixmd to the Kingdom preaching and dedicate themselves to God as the new world's Sovereign are an earthly generation by God’s lifegiving power through Christ. While these latter will have offspring to maybe grandsons and great-grandsons, to Ml the earth, they will not leave the new-world stage to their offspring but will be an abiding generation on earth. Their sons, grandsons and great-grandsons will simply merge into that everlasting generation now begun. Those of the spiritual remnant who survive Armageddon will finally pass off the earthly stage, never to return, and they will leave behind them this totally earthly New World society. Till then the remnant will celebrate Jehovah’s works and declare his mighty acts to this generation already begun. W 12/15 11-13
Monday, June 7
The family heads became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt, llut Ood was with him, and he delivered him out of all his tribulations and gave him graciousness and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of
Egypt.—Acts 7: 9,10, A’W.
Joseph suffered much, but always maintained his integrity to God and kept God's righteous principles in mind. He was sold into slavery by his own brothers. When he was down in Egypt serving as a slave, he was put in prison on a false charge. There in prison he endured in faith and eventually God brought him out of the place and used him. Joseph gave public praise to God in connection with Pharaoh’s dream. God saw to it that Joseph was given an exalted position among the people of Egypt. But whether he was in prison or in the high position of rulership in Egypt, there was no question in his mind about who was supreme or what he was going to do in worship of Jehovah. Right to the time of his death he had in mind that God was first in his life. So he endured in his integrity. W S/l 20a
Tuesday, June 8
Thy Maker is thy husband; Jehovah of hosts is his name.
—Isa. 5^:5, AS.
If a man should form an organization, be devoted to its purposes, seek its interests, be faithful to it, look to the welfare of all its members, give it time and attention, rejoice in its productivity, and so be united with it intimately, can it not properly be said that such a person is “married” to that organization? Yes, because, figuratively, “marriage” means just such a close union. It is consistent and in all good taste for Jehovah God to designate himself as a husband to his organization. That is why he referred to himself as the husband of the natural nation of Israel. His relationship of husband, however, was not restricted to that nation long ago cast off. It was prophetic of greater, enduring things. “But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.” (Gal. 4:26, AW) Surely, Jehovah does hold the universal organization of his creatures as a wife, in loving relationship, and properly designates himself as its husband. W 1/15 2,3,5a
Wednesday, June 9
You are from your father the Devil and you wish to do the desires of your father.
—John 8:44, NW.
It is not a matter of everyone’s being either a child of the Devil or a child of God now. Jesus said the above words, not to all people, but to those leaders who claimed to be religious instructors anil guides of the people. They had no faith as had Abraham; no love for Jehovah, for Jesus or for righteousness. Their claims to holiness were worthless. They were liars, murderers, haters of truth and light, certain to die in their sins. They had made the wrong choice of gods, and misled others to do likewise. In discussing this with Jews and Pharisees of his day, Jesus applied to them the principle that decides as to whether we finally become children of God or children of the Devil. Everyone has the opportunity now of choosing whether to serve the true God. Jehovah, or not, and so to make his choice of all the gods, because this is the opportunity Jehovah affords since the birth of his kingdom in 1914. W 5/1 14,15a
Thursday, June 10
Strip off the old personality with its practices, and clothe yourselves with the new personality which through accurate knowledge is being renewed.—Col. 3:9,10, AW.
If we did not possess free will we would be more like lower animals. Their brains are not so blank as humans’ at birth; most of their circuits are already there, and they can add but few thereafter. They primarily follow God-given instinct. They come nearer to being predestinated at birth than do men. Man, on the other hand, makes up his own mind. And because each one does it differently, each one is a separate individual, a distinct personality. It is a person’s thoughts and acts that make him what he is. From the heart, which frequently stands for the mind, come words and acts. So what a person thinks, says and does is largely governed by the mind. To change himself, to remold himself, he must change his thinking; for “just as he hath thought in his own mind, so he is.”—Prov. 23: 7, Ro. W 6/1 6a
Friday, June 11
You will concoct an evil design, thinking, “I will invade this land of villages."—Ezek.
38:10,11, Mo.
The same covetousness that produced Satan in Eden now ferments in his heart as sovereign prince Gog. Especially is this so in these “last days” when he can conti ast the condition of Jehovah’s restored remnant and their good-will companions and the condition of his old doomed world. With resentful eyes Gog views the spiritual prosperity of Jehovah’s remnant. He begrudges them their flourishing paradisaic condition in which their theocratic society dwells and worships Jehovah, and particularly so when he beholds the distress of nations in his own world and realizes that its display of pomp, power and artificial prosperity can last now for only a “short period of time,” until Armageddon. If his own world organization cannot prosper and if it cannot enjoy lasting prosperity religiously, economically and nationally, then no other organization shall enjoy it either! That is Gog’s envious resolve! W 10/1 19a
Does not the potter have authority over the clay to make from the same lump one vessel for an honorable use, another for a dishonorable use?
—Rom. 9:21, AW.
Clay is a good symbol, for to shape into fine vessels it must be the right kind of clay, ground fine, saturated with water, easily molded, able to hold its form and not sag out of shape, and not crack when burnt in the kiln. Similarly, persons must be of the right kind of soil, not rough or coarse in conduct nor with hard, stubborn streaks in them, but be saturated with the water of truth, fine-textured, smooth, pliable, meek, easily shaped to allow for thorough remodeling after the image of Christ, and then never drift back or collapse to the former shape or crack under the fiery tests of persecution sure to come. Jehovah, through his Word declared by his witnesses, will mold both vessels of wrath and vessels for glory, as each one chooses, unhindered by predestination, uncoerced by foreknowledge. W 6/1 25, 26a
Sunday, June 13
Narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life.—Matt. 7 :14, AW.
Jehovah uses his organization to effect deliverance, and one’s being delivered depends on his relationship to God and God’s organization. To many this may seem a narrow view of matters, yet we cannot condemn as unthinkably narrow what Jehovah provides for our deliverance. We must seek deliverance on God’s terms. An Ethiopian eunuch was diligent in reading God’s Word, yet that was not sufficient to put him in position to receive God’s deliverance. (Acts 8 : 2639) Cornelius, though a devout man, exercising neighbor love, received the holy spirit, indicating favor -with the great Deliverer, only after he got in touch with God’s organization as represented by the apostle Peter. (Acts 10) Even Saul of Tarsus did not receive favor until he made contact with Ananias. (Acts 9) Without adherence to the visible organization that Jehovah uses there can be no deliverance now or at any future time. W 2/1 17-19
Monday, June 14
I am not able to carry all this people by myself, because they are too heavy for me. If this is the way thou art going to deal with me, pray kill me at once.—Num. 11: Ilf, 15, AT.
The Israelites were complaining and faultfinding, and their murmurings finally got Moses in the same unhappy frame of mind. It certainly must have been very depressing to Moses to be associated with those people to bring him to the point where he wanted God to kill him. Moses showed the wrong spirit under this heavy trial. He did not want to carry the responsibility God had placed upon him. Then, too, he was not putting full trust in Jehovah at the moment. Moses felt very bad ; and as he looked at the great number of people, he really questioned God’s power to provide them with flesh. He should have reflected on the wonderful things God had done in times past. Let any who feel that their load of responsibility is too heavy likewise reflect on what Jehovah has done in times past and exercise faith in his ability to provide all things needful now. W 1/15 9,10
1 will overturn, overturn, overturn it: this also shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.—Ezck. 21: 27, AS.
Jesus, when prophesying of that “disgusting thing that causes desolation,” said that Daniel had foretold it too. Daniel prophesied of its appearance as taking place at the time appointed, the “time of the end.” (Dan. 11:29-35) Jesus predicted things to occur in the time of the end of this world, and such things have come in one continuous series since 1914 (A.D.) ; all of which in combination mark this as the critical “time of the end.” What makes it that for the nations of this world is that God’s “appointed times of the nations” came to an end in 1914 and there the kingdom of God was born in the heavens and his King Jesus Christ was installed on the throne and came into the right to rule the entire earth and break in pieces all nations that opposed his rightful rulership. W 9/15 16
Wednesday, June 16
And I cut off the three shepherds in one month; for mg soul was weary of them, and their soul also loathed me.
—Zech. 11:8, AS.
Would Jehovah send forth the religious and political shepherds of Christendom to represent him in his pastoral work, seeing that Christendom is the modern counterpart of ancient Israel? No; for in view of their misconduct in office he is against them. “Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep ; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more.” (Ezek. 34:10, AS) The time is here for a change! The indignant Owner of the sheep has decided for the dismissal of all those in Christendom who have claimed to be the religious and political shepherds of his sheep “by the grace of God,” but who have led the mass of mankind into the mess it is in today. His swift action in this regard was foreshadowed when his prophet Zechariah said the above words. Jehovah will require his sheep at their hands. W 8/1 15, 14
Thursday, June 17
What you hear whispered, preach from the housetops.
—Matt. 10:27, NW.
Abraham and other faithful men looked for a eity or government to come whose builder and maker would be God. Since it would have a heavenly origin, the apostle Paul calls it a heavenly city. They hailed that kingdom in which God’s will shall be done on earth as in heaven; when death will no longer rule as king over mankind ; when for a thousand years Christ and his bride will rule the new world and Satan will be bound. How this knowledge should loosen our tongues in appreciation and thankfulness for the deliverance Jehovah has brought to us from the shackles of ignorance and superstition ! How it should make us want to let millions know, so they too can obtain release from Satan’s bondage ! Christ Jesus told his disciples that what they heard in the ear they were to proclaim from the housetops. What else could we do, who were once slaves to sin and death but who are now free? Say to the prisoners, Go forth; worship Jehovah in holy array I W 6/15 23,24
The temple sanctuary of God that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen.—Rev. 11: 19, AJF.
The original ark of Jehovah’s covenant disappeared when Solomon’s temple was destroyed in 607 B.C., and it was restored neither to Zerub-babel's temple nor to the one built by Herod. Consequently, when the apostle John saw God's temple in heaven opened, the appearance of the ark of his coxenant in the sanctuary or Most Holy was an event extraordinary. It symbolized that Jehovah was in his holy temple and was seated on his throne as pictured by the propitiatory cover over the ark. In the xision the opening of the temple and the disclosure of the ark’s presence followed Jehovah's taking of his great power to rule as King in 1914. This adds to the proof that Jehovah has been in his spiritual temple since 1918. That being so, his presence at the temple became true before the anointed remnant were* restored in 1919, in order that they might take up temple worship. W 10/15 15-17
Saturday, June 19
For they say but do not perform.—Matt. 23: 3, ArW.
In the Bible there is an abundance ot facts set out that are common knowledge, such as references to the beauties of the natural creation. Additionally, principles of conduct are found therein. Generally speaking, people will agree that those principles are good; they contend that many such principles have been incorporated into the laws of the nations. In point, the Bible condemns lying, stealing and murder. Recognizing good principle, the laws of the land also forbid these things and provide punishment for transgression under certain circumstances. However, the righteous principles of God’s Word are more difficult for men than is the acceptance of Bible facts of common knowledge. Many people with their lips and in their publications say that Bible principles of conduct are good; and yet the actual, consistent and persistent practice of those very principles by such people is indeed a rarity. Unapplied, they are not living principles. W 11/1 6, 7
Sunday, June 20
I will declare thy greatness. —Ps. 145: 6‘, AS.
The emphasis is put on speaking about God and what he has done and now does. The idea is to get men of the spiritual generation to speaking about Jehovah, building up the faith of one another, also instructing the rising, never-dying generation. This very information and instruction operates toward their never dying. (John 17: 3) So our main theme should be the great Lifegiver and Wonder-worker. The works he does are wondrous, not to mystify his friends, but to deliver, save and bless them. On earth Jesus did not hold back from declaring his heavenly Father’s greatness. The remnant of his joint heirs will not do so, either. The first thing for a king is not to blow himself up in the estimation of his subjects, but to magnify the God whom the king worships. The King, the Greater David, sits as a subordinate King on the throne of Jehovah. He has impressed upon us who our real Father is and how worthy Jehovah is to rule and to have our willing subjection. W12/15 15,16
For he says to Moses: “I will have mercy upon whomever 1 do have mercy, and I will show compassion to whomever I do show compassion.”
—Rom. 9:15, NW.
Here we have the first Bible principle or fundamental truth, namely, that God has the absolute and unquestioned right to choose whom he will to enjoy his favor. Paul, after quoting the above words of Jehovah to Moses, adds in support those addressed to Pharaoh : “For this very purpose I have let you remain, that in connection with you I may demonstrate my power and that my name may be published throughout all the earth.” (Rom. 9:17, NW) This brings in two further fundamental principles. One is that no one can withstand or thwart God’s purpose. The other principle is that God is infinitely great. God is everything. That is the greatest principle, and that is how it will be in the final outworking of his glorious purpose, for “then the Son himself will also subject himself . . . that God may be all things to everyone.” —1 Cor. 15: 28, W. W 3/15 4-6a
Tuesday, June 22
In those days there was no king in Israel. As for everybody, what was right in his own eyes he was accustomed to do.
—Judg. 17:6, NW.
For hundreds of years after the Israelites had crossed the Jordan and settled in the land of Palestine their invisible Ruler, their King, was Jehovah. They did not have any visible king, but God raised up judges for them to govern and deliver them from their enemies. There was considerable self-interpreting and flouting of the theocratic law of their national covenant with Jehovah. But today we cannot afford to be like those Israelites of old. Why not? Because a new power has come into force in the universe. It is the long-promised theocratic government, the capital organization of the universe that is dedicated to vindicating Jehovah’s sovereignty. All creatures in heaven and on earth have to reckon now with this new entity, the Kingdom. This puts us under special responsibility. According to our faith we shall show seriousness about meeting this special responsibility. W 8/15 22
Wednesday, June 23
Keep doing all things free from murmurings and arguments.
—Phil. 2:14, NW.
You must want to get along with your brothers and your sisters. Remember that all are servants of God just like yourself. You all have so much to live for because of your knowledge of the truth of God’s Word. You all want more knowledge. Already you have been given much information. But you still want to study; you still enjoy the reading of God’s Word, and you want to show your faith in it by telling this good news to others. Now if all of us are of this same mind and are preaching the Word of God in the field, why can we not get along in agreement on other things? Why can we not live as God would have us live: in happiness, not complaining to one another? All we need to do to make living successful is to give or yield a little. All in Jehovah’s organization must render their true worship to him. They must also show love to their neighbor and strive for contentment in their life. W 1/15 4a
Thursday, June 24 jVo man that has put his hand to a plow and looks at the things behind is well fitted for the kingdom of God.
—Luke 9: 62, 1W.
There are those who begin working yet grow weary in well-doing, slow down and finally quit altogether. Some of these may work for a long time and endure the heat of many fiery trials, like the grumblers mentioned in the parable of the penny, before they slack off. They have the same disposition displayed by Adam, Esau, Saul and Solomon, to mention a few, who for one reason or another quit worshiping Jehovah in holy array. “Remember Lot’s wife,” for she too was of that kind. Writes the apostle for our encouragement : “Let us not give up in doing what is right, for in due season we shall reap by not giving out.” “Attend to these duties, let them absorb you . . . stick to your work.” Under no circumstances should we allow Satan through any sly or cunning trickery to turn our minds away from Jehovah’s precious service. Remember, quitters are never winners. W 4/1 21a
Friday, June 25
But all things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of the reconciliation.
—2 Cor. 5:18, NW.
As we continue in the work that Christ instituted, we are in effect associates of Christ in the reconciling work. What have we individually done with this message of reconciliation? Paul counted it so important that even though he was imprisoned, mobbed and beaten on account of the truths he preached, still he did not account his soul as dear to him but was concerned only about bearing “thorough witness to the good news of the undeserved kindness of God.” (Acts 20: 24, NW) And though committed to chains, Paul did not permit this to stop his ministry of reconciliation, but he prayed that he might have the ability to speak with all free-ncss of speech to make known the good news for which he served as an ambassador. Are we personally sharing in this ministry? Nothing should weaken our faith or deter us from pressing forward in the service of God. W 12/1 32, 33
Saturday, June 26
And [God] made out of one man every nation c>f men, to dwell upon the entire surface of the earth.-Acts 11: 26, N IP.
The above words of Paul, together with their context, argue that the dividing of the human race into families would not cause disunity and eventually class distinctions that would result in one family’s being elevated above another through an accepted or enforced superiority. Regardless of the manner he has chosen to carry out his purpose, Jehovah’s principles of justice and equality, which he had established from the beginning in his dealings with mankind and which have been indelibly recorded as a part of his sacred pronouncements, would not permit him to favor individuals because of family relationship, nor would they allow him to show partiality to certain elite family groups. The disunity and class distinctions that afflict the world today are not the result of Jehovah’s arrangement with mankind, but rather are the result of an organized effort in direct opposition to God’s will and purposes. W 1/1 6
Whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty at all, hut the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water bubbling up to impart everlasting life.—John 4: H, NW.
Having received these lifegiving waters of truth for ourselves, will we be among those who gladly invite others to share them with us? There are millions today who call themselves Christians but who do not actually follow Christ by devoting their lives to ministerial service. Millions have a basic knowledge of the Bible and declare they have faith in Jesus and drink of the waters of life. They thank God they are not as other men, pointing in disdain at the “heathen”; but, unlike true sheep, they do not follow the lead of the shepherd. Those who are truly Jehovah’s witnesses for reconciliation are happy to be of service to God and to their fellow men. They “always offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips which make public declaration to his name.” —Heb. 13:15, NW. W12/1 31
Monday, June 28
Was it to prey upon them that you mustered your host? Was it to carry off silver and gold, to seize cattle and goods?
—Bzek. 38:13, AT.
In the main, those making up the New World society are poor in this world’s goods. What, then, could be the prosperity that they are enjoying and that Gog covets ? This: that they have the precious possession of God’s name by which they are called. Additionally, by their deliverance from the enslaving power of this Babylonish world, they have had nationhood conferred upon them. They have the most powerful message of any on earth, and their method of propagating it, from house to house, gets results: hundreds of thousands of those conscious of their spiritual need are flocking to the land of the remnant to whom they are like flocks and herds in their possession. Also the restored old truths and the newly revealed truths are more precious than silver and gold. Nothing that Gog has can compare with this spiritual wealth. W 10/1 20, 21a
Tuesday, June 29
I am thy servant; give me understanding, ... I love thy commandments above gold, yea, above fine gold, . . . I hate every false way. Thy testimonies are wonderful.
A person can say to God, ‘I am thy servant,’ and yet refrain from serving Jehovah. He can ask for understanding, but avoid the study of God’s Word, from which alone understanding can come. Profession can be made that a person loves God’s commandments above gold and yet the one so professing can disregard them, reading them in the Bible and not following them, but instead turning his time and efforts to the acquiring of gold. If God’s precepts concerning all things are actually esteemed to be right and held valuable and proper for keeping, then Jehovah’s servant, upon coming to an understanding concerning Jehovah’s counsel upon any matter, will follow that counsel and will actually and literally avoid falsities because he hates them, delighting rather in his very being to keep the wonderful testimonies of God. W 11/1 12
The latter glory of this house shall he greater than the former, saith Jehovah of hosts.
—Hag. 2:9, AS.
This prophecy was never really fulfilled upon the temple that Zerubbabel finished building four years later, nor npon Herod’s temple that succeeded it, even though Christ did visit it and teach in its courts. The temple priesthood and other Jewish religious leaders did not permit that temple to be filled with any glory through Jesus Christ and his apostles. But in 1919, corresponding with his restoration of the Jewish remnant back in 537 B.C., Jehovah delivered a remnant of his anointed witnesses from the power of Greater Babylon, which had taken them captive against their wills. God’s purpose in delivering them was the same as that in the case of the Jewish remnant in the days of the prophet Haggai—temple work. As long as the restored remnant of the anointed witnesses of Jehovah would concentrate on this temple work, they were bound to prosper spiritually. W 10/15 4
Thursday, July 1
In the latter days . . . we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God for ever and ever.
—Mie. 4 •' 7, 5, AS.
Both heavenly and human events since 1914 mark our days as the “latter days” or final days of this old world. Who, then, of all the peoples is it that is now walking in the name of Jehovah as God? Is it the recently established republic of Israel or is it the Jewish people as a whole? No; for during the past nineteen centuries the name of Jehovah has not come to be known to mankind through such natural Jews. Who, then, by the authentic court records, and by the reports in the public press, both secular and religious, both friendly and hostile, yes, who by these records are indisputably shown to be the people that have chosen to walk in the name of Jehovah as their God? Jehovah’s witnesses. Moreover, the enormous amount of literature that they have distributed and the hundreds of thousands of public lectures they have given answer to the same effect. W 9/1 3
Friday, July 2
We are therefore ambassadors substituting for Christ, as though God were making entreaty through us.
—2 Cor. 5: 20, NW.
Think of the responsibility that rests upon Christians today ! We are God’s ambassadors instead of Christ; or, ambassadors in the name of Christ. We are the ones who are commanded to do the talking, representing God. That is why Paul pleaded with all those who would hear, “Become reconciled to God.” He felt his responsibility; he took hold of the task at hand as an ambassador. To be ambassadors we must do the same thing that Jesus did when he was upon the earth and “comfort all that mourn.” Certainly Jesus fulfilled Isaiah 61: 1, 2, because he did preach good tidings ; he did bind up the broken-hearted; he did proclaim liberty to the captives, and he did open the prison to those that were bound. He comforted all that mourned. There is much comforting yet to be done, and this can be done only by ambassadors substituting for Christ. The comfort is furnished by their giving the good news they have to others. W 1/1 10, Ila
The Adversary answered, “But is it for nothing that [Job] reverences God? Have you not hedged him safely in, his house and all he has?”—Job 1: 9,10, Mo.
From the book of Job we see that Satan has earthly interests and dealings with fallen mankind. He was the invisible overlord. He had many creatures serving him. However, the conversation between Jehovah and Satan shows that Jehovah still maintained his position as the all-powerful One, the Creator. Satan was not able to do anything he wanted to Job, because of the hedge of protection Jehovah put around him. God was still in charge and God was going to have this issue settled. God was going to magnify his name throughout the earth. That is why he did not demonstrate his supreme power immediately by killing Satan, but allowed him to remain. (Ex. 9:16, Ifo) From the time of Adam and Eve forward the test of integrity has been going on. Each human creature has been in effect choosing life or death. W 3/1 5, 6
Sunday, July 4
Jehovah, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.—Bx. 3:15, AS.
There are some persons who are concerned with worshiping the true God and are not content to see his name obscured. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were thus concerned. “Abram called on the name of Jehovah.” After the foreign gods were put away by all the members of Jacob’s extensive household, Jehovah confirmed to Jacob the covenant he had made with Abraham. (Gen. 13:4; chap. 35, AS) The descendants of Jacob became the nation of Israel. In setting the ancient Egyptian stage for his vindication, God called attention to his name Jehovah. Moses did not worship the gods of Egypt, but he worshiped Jehovah, whom he loved. Today, Jehovah’s servants worship the true God and have concern with the honor of his name. They appreciate the exclusiveness of Jehovah and sing his praises. W 4/15 7,8
Monday, July 5
Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man-child. . . . Shall a land be born in one day? shall a nation be brought forth at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
—Isa. 66: 7, 8, AS.
What is there unusual about the birth of Zion’s man-child? This: it is brought forth before her pain comes. In 1914, in God’s due time, his organization Zion brought forth the Kingdom by Jehovah’s setting his King Christ Jesus upon his throne to rule in the midst of his enemies. “Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things?” No one! It is unheard of among the nations of the world. Thereafter, both in heaven and upon earth, travail, distress, trouble and pangs came upon God's organization, Zion, with which travail she brought forth her children, not the man-child, but children, plural in number. What accounts for this travail? A war in heaven, persecution of Christians upon earth and their spiritual purging. W 5/1 7, 9
1 loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.—Rom. 9: 13, 2VW.
The record does not specifically state that this judgment was entered while the babes were in Rebekah’s womb, that it did not await their subsequent conduct as a basis for it. But regardless of that possibility, Jehovah’s power of foreknowledge could disclose to him the course each twin would take and provide all the needed basis for loving one and hating the other. His power to read the inherent dispositions of unborn babes cannot be doubted. Certainly Esau had a bad disposition, and it persisted despite the good training he received from his parents. In contrast with Jacob’s faithfulness, Esau was an irresponsible hunter, sought out the accursed heathen women as wives, showed contempt for the Abrahamic promise by selling his birthright and yet later tried to cheat Jacob out of the birthright that was Jacob’s both by purchase and God’s gift. Of his own free will Esau did all this and earned Jehovah’s hatred. TV 6/1 8
Wednesday, July 7
Do not let sin continue to rule as king in your mortal bodies that you should obey their desires.—Rom. 6:12, ATV.
There is a contrast between the trespass that resulted in death and God’s free gift. (Rom. 5:15) God’s free gift accomplishes more good for us who exercise faith than any harm we may have received as the offspring of Adam. For as by one man’s trespass many died, the undeserved kindness of God and his free gift, together with the undeserved kindness by Christ, abounded much more to many. We today have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ. He is a priest of loving-kindness, undefiled, guileless, able to deal moderately with the ignorant and erring ones. We have God’s word made more firm, we have better knowledge and we have God's spirit and his organization. We enjoy a new relationship to him through his Son, we have many faithful examples of integrity and a glorious treasure of service. Should not this equip us to break the power of king sin in our lives? W 6/15 11a
Thursday, July 8
How happy the nation whose God is [Jehovah], the people he hath chosen as his own inheritance.—Ps. S3: 12, Ro; AS.
Israel had every reason to be a happy nation, because its God was Jehovah, the Sovereign Ruler of all the universe. But often the Israelites turned away from following the wise counsel of their God. Instead, they chose a sinful course and ignored God, and as a result the whole nation lost its felicity. We see from the Bible account of this nation that there were not too many occasions for happiness, because they were a stiff-necked race and a faultfinding people. They did not give true worship to Jehovah ; therefore God’s blessing was not forthcoming. Jesus stated the matter truly when he said: “If anyone loves me, he will observe my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our abode with him.” (John 14:23, W) Too often the Israelites did not want to make their abode with Jehovah, but their desire was to return to Egypt and to the worship of heathen gods. If we would be happy Jehovah must be our God. W 1/15 4
Jehovah knows how to deliver people of godly devotion out of trial, but to reserve unrighteous people for the day of judgment to be cut off.—2 Pet. 2: 9, NW.
Jehovah is the great Deliverer ; of this there is no doubt. But he does not provide deliverance indiscriminately. He delivers only those who are worthy of deliverance, and abandons to destruction those not worth saving. He proclaims himself the only Deliverer and Savior of mankind, through his Son Jesus Christ. Jehovah’s Word is actually a great song of deliverance that fosters courage, strength and confidence in him. He never lets those who love him forget his power for deliverance, though they go through difficult times. He compasses them about with songs of deliverance, all of which show him as the One sure to deliver. He does not need to rely on armed might nor upon clever military stratagems for power of deliverance. To do so would be a confession of weakness on his part. Why, his very name is a strong tower to which the righteous can run for safety. W 2/1 10,11
Saturday, July 10
The ten horns that you saw, and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot and. will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.—Rev. 17:16, All'.
The armies that are predicted by Jesus’ words to desolate antitypical Jerusalem are within the political ranks of the very United Nations. They are those elements that wage war upon the religious system of Christendom. When the “disgusting thing” eame up out of the abyss in 1945, it at its very start contained powerful members of the Communist antireligious bloc of nations. The anti-Christendom bloc will grow and will not halt until Jerusalem’s modern counterpart is completely surrounded by armies of terrible destruction. All “ten horns” of the beastly disgusting thing that has come out of the pit will yet turn on its religious partner that has adulterously joined the disgusting thing in a world conspiracy against Jehovah’s anointed Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords. W 9/15 26
Sunday, July 11
For this very purpose I have let you remain, that in connection with you 1 may demonstrate my power and that my name may be published throughout all the earth.-Rom. 9:17, NW.
This pronouncement was fulfilled primarily by God’s mighty acts on behalf of his people, beginning with a series of plagues in Egypt, and culminating in that spectacular destruction of all Pharaoh’s hosts in the Red Sea. But those mighty acts did not in themselves identify by name the one to whom the credit was due. That was where Moses and the children of Israel came into the picture. First, in Pharaoh’s presence, Jehovah’s name was declared and the issue set. And after the climax had been reached, with Israel safely across the Red Sea, and able to look back and witness the complete destruction of the enemy forces, then there arose a great song of triumphant praise to Jehovah that strongly emphasized that all glory and praise for this great salvation were to be given to Jehovah. W 3/15 7-9
God for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name.—Acts 15 : H, NW.
If God had no name, then it would be meaningless for him to predict that the Gentiles would be called by his name and that he would take them out from the nations to be a “people for his name,” not for the name of Jesus, mind you 1 The prophecy could not fail. God promised to take out of all nations a people for his own name, and he does unmistakably have a name-people today, Jehovah’s witnesses! As true sons of their Father they are not ashamed of his name. Rather than want to hide it from others who are not sons and who may wish to reproach, abuse and misrepresent it or take it in vain, they are glad to stand up in defense of it and heap honor upon it. That divine name for which they stand and to which they bear witness cannot be wiped out merely by omitting it from any modern translations of the Bible. W 9/1 17,18
Tuesday, July 13
Come on! Let us build ourselves a city and also a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a celebrated name for ourselves, for fear we may be scattered over all the surface of the earth.
—Gen. 11:4, NW.
Nimrod set out upon a one-man world-building program in defiance of Jehovah. Rather than adhere to the then well-established and recognized principle of family unity and to Noah’s divinely instituted program of family migration to the ends of the earth, he began to work in the opposite direction and to the accomplishment of different aims. Evidently his program of exalting a centralized human government and of violent subjugation of the people was gaining momentum. So to show that this was not Jehovah’s reason for making family divisions and to show his disfavor of such an attitude of “class superiority,” Jehovah enforced the fulfillment of his own purpose by the simple expedient of confusing their language. So ended in ignominious defeat man’s effort to establish a superior “caste” system in defiance of Jehovah. W 1/1 8
Wednesday, July 14
Look! Now is the especially acceptable season.—2 Cor. 6:2, NW.
In the short time that has elapsed since 1918 the number of those preaching has increased from 3,868 to 510,228 in 1953 reporting time in preaching and hundreds more every month are symbolizing their dedication to Jehovah by being baptized. This has come about because of the increased light on God’s Word. By making known his purposes, especially now, in “the time of the end," Jehovah opens the way to salvation. He provides help for lovers of righteousness who want to serve him. He shows them the right path to follow. They must join in calling upon Jehovah’s name in order to be saved. (Rom. 10: 10-15) Now is the time for it, before the great storm of Jehovah’s day breaks at Armageddon. When Armageddon breaks in all its fury, the acceptable season for taking up the worship of Jehovah will be ended. The decision must be made before the especially acceptable season concludes. Now is the time to take up Jebo-vah’s service. Now is the time to keep doing it. W 11/15 4
Many peoples shall go and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.
—Isa. 2: 3, Da.
It is the “great crowd” of desirable ones out of all peoples that now heed Jehovah’s judgments and reproof and now walk in his paths. These now practice total disarmament, converting to peaceful, productive uses what was formerly devoted to mortal combat, and laying down the swore! that they literally used to raise against one another and learning such carnal warfare no more. When Armageddon strikes, Jehovah’s enemies will turn every man against his brother. Not so this “great crowd” that have come out of all nations to the highly lifted “mountain of Jehovah” I They will lend every man a helping hand to his brother, that they may all stand united in God’s peace. This will be because they have all flowed together to the house of Jehovah, the place concerning which he has stated, ‘I will give peace.’ —Hag. 2: 9. W 10/15 42
Friday, July 16
Let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips which make public declaration to his name.
—Hcb. 13:15, NW.
It is not difficult to recognize God’s visible organization, for there is only one organization that is bringing forth good lifesustaining fruit to the praise of Jehovah God, namely, Jehovah’s witnesses. Inseparably associated with this widely known organization is its legal servant and governing agency, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Only Jehovah’s witnesses and their associates are bearing the fruits of the Kingdom by heralding forth the good news that God’s kingdom under Christ is man’s only hope and that shortly now this heavenly government will transform earth into a glorious paradise with wickedness and violence replaced with perfection and peace. What a high and lofty privilege to be engaged in a work like this! What a great and singular honor to be associated with Jehovah’s organization, doing the work approved by God! W 4/1 11,21
Saturday, July 17
Jehovah is our judge, Jehovah is our lawgiver, Jehovah is our king; he will save us.
—Isa. 33:22, AS.
It is a real kingdom that we are living under now. Of course, the governments of this world are living under it too, but they are not operating as its representatives. They are rather its foes and therefore destined to destruction by Christ’s iron rod. Meantime, as long as the King lets these earthly political powers remain and chooses to rule in the midst of his enemies, the New World society must live under such visible ruling factors. It must live peaceably and engage in no subversiveness of any kind. All righteous manmade laws we are exhorted to obey. But when a conflict arises between God’s law and that of man, then we must show we recognize Jehovah’s sovereignty over earth and heaven and we must follow the theocratic example set forth by the apostle Peter, who declared: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.”—Acts 5 : 29, NW. W 8/15 16
How happy the man who hath made [Jehovah} his confidence, who hath not turned unto the haughty, nor gone aside unto falsehood.—Ps. 40: 4, Ro; AS.
A proud man never has happiness. He thinks only of himself, not of his neighbor, and especially does he forget Jehovah his God. When Miriam and Aaron became haughty toward Moses their brother, they were brought low; and today we can never become haughty if we realize our position before Jehovah, the Superior One. We are the inferiors; so there is no reason for us to get proud or big-headed. As soon as we do we are believing a falsehood; we think we are important. We fail to remember that the great issue is the vindication of Jehovah’s name and the preaching of his message in all the world. By our daily service let us show that this is not the way we view the matter, but let us live in a way that will honor Jehovah’s name and purpose. Doing this, we will be happy in our living. W 1/15 5a
Monday, July 19
Their names have not been written upon the scroll of life from the world’s foundation.
—Rev. 17:8, NW.
To say that these names are literal ones recorded before the individuals were born is to say that Jehovah named all these babies, and not the parents. Some names copy those of heathen gods. Did Jehovah give such hated names to predestinated servants of his? We must abandon the narrow view and see that names involve more than mere literal designations of persons. In the Bible names are meaningful, denoting a person’s circumstances or activities or qualities, being changed to be more descriptive of him as he or his circumstances changed. In this broad sense names stand for certain qualities or principles or actions, and on the basis of such things the names may be good or bad. It is such names that persons make for themselves during life that determine whether they are found recorded in God’s book of life or not, rather than narrowly viewed literal designations given to them at birth. W 5/15 17
Tuesday, July 20
Laban proceeded to say: “This heap is a witness between me and you today.” That is why he called its name Galeed, and The Watchtower, because he said: “Let Jehovah keep watch between me and you.” —Gen. 31: 48, 49, NW.
“Gilead” is popularly drawn, by a change of a couple of vowel sounds, from Galeed, and its true meaning is therefore taken to be “heap of witness.” The name “Mizpah” means “the watchtower.” Just as Mizpah and Galeed, or Gilead, were thus closely linked, so the names Watchtower and Gilead are tied together in the Bible School of Jehovah’s witnesses for the advanced training of missionaries. In the light of w’hat gave rise to these names, Gilead refers, not to the greatness of the testimony Jehovah’s witnesses have given in all the earth, but rather to the heap that bears testimony to the making of a covenant or solemn agreement to keep peace within the family relationship and never to prove disloyal to it or to harm the members of it. Jehovah is the all-seeing One, who watches to see that the binding contract is kept. W 8/1 27-29
This my son was dead but has come to life again, he was lost but has been found.
—Luke 15: 2If, NW.
The prodigal son journeyed to a far country, where he spent his time in riotous living until he was driven by hunger to herding swine. When he came to his senses and returned to his father’s home he was received with happiness. In the same way, even though one has taken a course that led him far from the house of his heavenly Father, and has spent his time in foolish living, if he comes to his senses and realizes his shortcomings, it may be that Jehovah’s mercy and forgiveness will be extended to him. We are told, “He is patient with you because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:9, A’W) However, though Jehovah's great provision for reconciliation and blessing is for men of all kinds, of all walks of life, still it will be received only by those who devote themselves to God with their whole heart, mind, soul and strength. W 12/1 26
Thursday, July 22
And they shall walk up and down in his name, saith Jehovah.—Zech. 10:12, AS.
Jehovah’s name-people are striving to prove themselves his people indeed by walking in his ways and heralding abroad his kingdom. As a result the peoples of earth have come to know that Jehovah’s name has been called upon them and they fear them because they have an invincible message drawn from God’s Word and because omnipotent power has been displayed on their behalf. Those of the nations who develop a wise fear learn to fear Jehovah. They associate themselves with his witnesses and become part of the New World society, and they too make the decision to walk in the name of Jehovah as their God forever and ever. (Mie. 4:5, AS) And, indeed, in that name they will walk everlastingly, for their God will cover them in the shadow of his hand and bring them through into his new world. Walking now and always in the name of Jehovah means life forevermore through Jesus Christ our Lord. W 9/1 43, 44
Friday, July 23
“How long, 0 Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant.”
—Isa. 6:11, RS.
Jerusalem’s modern counterpart is seen getting encircled with armies of desolation and those in that doomed system are commanded to flee out of it if they want to be Christ’s followers. But this does not mean we must quit preaching in Christendom. The system of Christendom in alliance with this world against the Kingdom is what we must flee from, but it is in the realm of Christendom that we must keep preaching. How long? Until the crack-up in Christendom’s alliance with the “disgusting thing” becomes a complete rupture and the horns of the beastly thing turn upon her and make her desolate. That means, till the battle of Armageddon begins and proceeds toward the total desolation of Satan’s world. Till then there must be no quitting. We must give forth God's words that have been placed in the mouth of his remnant and in the mouth of the rising generation of good will. W 9/15 15a
Consequently, ice have the prophetic word made more firm, and you are doing well in paying attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and a daystar rises, in your hearts.
—2 Pet. 1:19, NW.
Turning to the worship of Jehovah means turning to his Word; turning to his Word means worshiping him. Jehovah’s witnesses admonish one another to turn to God’s Word always. They counsel others to turn to the Bible, inform themselves concerning its true contents and conform to its righteous teachings. Jehovah himself backs up that principle of accepting the Word: “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.” The words of God spoken through this Greater Moses are available to us, and we should accept them. ‘Also accept the sword of the spirit, that is, God’s word,’ says Paul. The apostle Peter did the same thing, urging his associates to pay attention to the Bible, including its prophecies. W 11/1 12a
Sunday, July 25
Men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts; and I will declare thy greatness.
—Ps. H5 : 6, AS.
Christ Jesus, the subordinate King, does not magnify himself against God, the way Satan did and the way Nebuchadnezzar did just before being struck mad. The godly King is like a shepherd, leading his subjects in paths of righteousness. He would call for meetings to address his subjects. He would not except himself from the meetings God appoints for his people but would attend and take part in them, contributing his part to such. This is one place where he could declare Jehovah’s greatness. He promised that where two or three of his worshipers were gathered in his name he would be there. How his presence was manifest at the 1953 New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses, at Yankee Stadium, New York city, where Jehovah’s servants met for the mightiest witness in Christian history! How they spoke there of the might of Jehovah’s terrible acts! They are still speaking of it! W 12/15 16
Monday, July 26
You must love your neighbor as yourself.-Mark 12: 31, NW.
Happiness is a state of wellbeing and pleasurable satisfaction. One who is happy is in a peaceful state of mind and has comfort. So when peace is not present in a congregation it is easy to see that something is lacking. Someone is not giving love to his neighbor as Jesus said we should. There certainly is no pleasure in living without happiness. By turning to Jehovah’s Word we can find the secret to happiness day in and day out throughout the years, even throughout eternity, if we strive for it. Surely if we find this secret to happiness, we ought to be eager to reveal it to others. The secret to happiness lies in giving. If that is so, then let us give of what we have received to others. And what we have to give as Christian worshipers of Jehovah is the truth, the greatest gift, the knowledge of him. We know Jehovah’s requirements for true worship, and we should give this knowledge to others. W 1/1 8, 9
Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are accounted as the small dust of the balance.—Isa. 40:15, AS.
Some religious buildings today are very impressive from an architectural standpoint. Yet, if the Most High does not now deign to look at such or reside in such representatively, how much less would he condescend to notice a man or woman on earth ! So we should be inclined to think. In ourselves we are so insignificant, and we especially feel so when we are just lowly, unassuming, comparatively unnoticed, doing what is common, never-rising to wide fame or notoriety. How infinitesimally small we are individually to God! Imagine our earth reduced to the size of a scalepan of a balance. On this scalepan there is a thin, fine dust, just enough to dull the pan’s luster. Well, all the nations teeming with population are just like that fine dust, so light that its weight is not measurable except by micro-weighing scales. A tiny speck of dust each one of us is. W 10/15 9
Wednesday, July 28
I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God.—Dan. 6:26, AS.
After the destruction of the wicked conspirators, Jehovah was proclaimed as the God of salvation. Also, under that righteous rule Daniel prospered in the kingdom. This points forward to God’s new world where Jehovah’s position will be respected by all men of good will who live. And Jehovah’s anointed witnesses foreshadowed by Daniel will prosper under the righteous reign of Christ Jesus. There they will enjoy Jehovah’s salvation to eternal life. Knowing that these things are sure, we must always have complete trust in Jehovah. No matter how great the persecution might become, no matter how isolated we might become from our brothers for a short time, we can endure it patiently. We shall wait upon Jehovah to act, knowing he permits persecution now for the same reason that he did in the days of Daniel—in vindication of his great name. W 11/15 44,45
Thursday, July 29
Keep your senses, be watchful. Your adversary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone.—1 Pet. 5: 8, A’W.
Satan is a force for evil let loose in the earth and heavens and by his evil act he raised the issue, Who is supreme? He is trying to put over his idea that he can get all creatures on earth to worship him, and that God cannot have creatures on the earth who will be faithful to him under test. The question is, Can Jehovah carry out his original purpose to populate the earth with righteous creatures? So the great issue has come to be one of integrity. Though Satan was disempowered by God, though he was taken away from his position as the covering cherub, cast out legally, still he was not banished from being present in this world. God set a time; he allowed time for the Devil to try to prove the evil challenge. The perilous conditions and the lack of integrity that now prevail are part of the Devil’s planned campaign to ruin the human race. W 3/1 4, la
I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.
—Isa. 57:15, AS.
What strength and comfort can be gained from the way in which Jehovah himself brings together these two contrasting principles of his own greatness and our littleness I So, rather than being acutely conscious of your limitations and humdrum conditions in life, think of the wonderful part of it, that God has chosen to make it possible for you to come and share with others, likewise small and unworthy, in the grand privilege of direct Kingdom service. Instead of looking for dramatic circumstances, be alert to make use of even the smallest and seemingly insignificant opportunity to sing Jehovah’s praise. You do not have to go through the Bible School at Gilead before you can take part in publishing Jehovah’s name. No, you can enjoy just as real a share, with Jehovah’s blessing added, in calling, in the regular way, on the people in the back streets of your own home town. W 3/15 10,11a
Saturday, July 31
Jacob called it Galeed. And Laban went on to say to Jacob: “ . . . This heap is a witness and the pillar is something that bears witness.”
—Gen. 31: 47, 51, 52, NW.
How appropriate the name Gilead is! It denotes the obligation to unbreakable unity and solidarity on the part of the members of the one flock whom the “one shepherd” has now assembled. By their vow of dedication to God the members of the one flock have sworn to keep peace within their ranks and never to seek the hurt of any member of the flock. They are committed to this peaceful, helpful way of getting along together under their “one shepherd.” This prevents the sheep of the flock from getting scattered by the operation of any selfish spirit inside the flock. The peaceful, harmonious relationship of this “one flock” throughout the earth is a witness, a testimonial, that they are the faithful flock of their Shepherd-King. Jehovah God himself is witness to it and therefore blesses them with prosperity. W 8/1
Sunday, August 1
Our Father in the heavens, . . . Let your kingdom come. Let your will come to pass, as in heaven., also upon earth.
—Matt. 6: 9, 10, NW.
Christ Jesus appreciated the troubles of mankind and their need of a deliverer. But he did not instruct them to devise methods to effect their own deliverance. Rather, he taught the people to pray to God for deliverance, and thus he pointed them to the correct source of deliverance. This meant that all men were to rely upon Jehovah God to deliver, not upon Imperial Rome’s legions, nor upon any succeeding power that might gain the ascendancy. Jesus predicted that nation would rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, precipitating distress of the most critical kind. Yet he did not advocate reliance upon any human scheme or organization for deliverance, but he instructed men to direct their prayers to Jehovah God for deliverance. They were thus to look for deliverance in a manner and from a source much higher than things earthly. W 2/1 9
Caleb . . . said, “We ought to go up and seize it; for we are quite able to do so." But the men who went up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people; for they are too strong for us.” —Num. 13:30,31, AT.
The Israelites and ten of the spies who looked over the land were too indifferent to work for the inheritance God had promised them. The ten spies of little faith influenced the whole nation, and as a result the older generation never did get into the Promised Land. Instead it was their children who, accompanied by Joshua and Caleb, received the promise. Do we have faith in God’s provisions today? Are we willing to go ahead under his direction? Do we prefer to stay in this dying, corrupt world? or would we rather associate with people like Caleb and Joshua, forward-looking men who are fighters for the new world? If we prefer to follow Jehovah’s direction, then we will preach the good news of the Kingdom and practice the true worship of the Most High. W 1/15 14,15
Tuesday, August 3
I know what their temperament will lead to.-Deut. 31: 21, AT.
Jehovah can penetrate the innermost thoughts of the mind, and foresee the course that will be taken by not only individuals but also classes. He created the mind that directs man, knows its intricate operation, and can instantly detect the bent of man’s mind and knows what that bent of mind will eventually lead to. He took just such a measure of men’s minds before the Noachian flood, and found them un-reformable. Before the Israelites entered Canaan Jehovah gave testimony against them for future reference, to show he foreknew what their mental disposition would lead them to and that they had been forewarned. He also foreknew and described in advance as a warning for us the wickedness of men in these last days of this old world; also the existence of a “great crowd” that would serve him. So Jehovah foreknows that the majority of mankind today will perish with Satan at Armageddon, and that only a minority will side with him and live. W 6/1 13a
Wednesday, August 4
But you have approached a mount Zion and a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels, in general assembly.
—Lieb. 12: 22, 23, NW.
Jehovah God not only has produced inanimate creation, growing things and living creatures, but, in addition to all of these, he, as the great Maker, also forms organizations. In the organizations of his making are righteous heavenly creatures. In both plain and symbolic Biblical language they are shown as moving in order, praising Jehovah to one another, performing service relative to the communication of the truth, battling to victory against evil, devil-organized forces, refusing to receive worship from men for themselves, and ministering to Christians. They had to do with leading the nation of Israel out of the land of Egypt, and in the Bible other organized activity is shown to be their portion. Each of these activities bespeaks an organization in and with which faithful heavenly sons of God serve to His praise. W 1/15 13,16
When you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, . . . Then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains.
—Luke 21:20,21, NW.
For thirty-four years after God’s new covenant was made and the Christian congregation began to be built on Christ the Rock at Pentecost, the city of Jerusalem served as the headquarters city of the Christian congregation, whose governing body was located there and was made up of the twelve apostles and other older disciples. They used the temple courts as a convenient place to meet crowds of people and preach to them. But when the year 67 (A.D.) came, the Christian governing body and all other disciples of Jesus fled from Jerusalem and from all the province of Judea. Why did they not stay on and keep preaching? They fled in obedience to the prophetic command of Christ when he foretold the destruction of the abandoned temple. It was the wise preservation of their lives, that they might continue preaching elsewhere. W 9/15 6
Friday, August 6
Thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah; for Jehovah detighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.
—Isa. 62:4, AS.
As the New World society see Gog mustering his forces should they get on the run? Eventually, when they see Gog’s forces moving in to the attack, like a growling, heavens-blackening storm cloud of living demons and human hordes, should they flee, at least, then? No! Never should they and never will the faithful remnant and their goodwill companions abandon the newborn theocratic land of the New World society. This is the Beulah land to which the reninant are married, and never under any stress will they break their marriage ties, and their loyal companions will stick with them. They will stand their ground, continuing to dwell in their theocratic land, trusting in Jehovah alone for security. Steadfastly doing so, they will witness his victory over his combined foes, the profaners of his holy name. They will glory in his triumph by Jesus Christ. W 10/1 39a
Saturday, August 7
He that has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me.
—Matt. 10:37, NW.
We should not consider Jesus’ words strange, for all families are now outcasts from God’s own great family because of Adam, and it is not reasonable to expect that all in a family would desire to remain outcasts. Yet if some wish to come into God’s family it would not be reasonable to expect that all others would thereby be acceptable. So it means separation. But it is to be noted that God does not indiscriminately divide family groups. Rather, it is the unwillingness of some in the home to meet the necessary requirements and to join with those who are “taken along” into harmony with Jehovah. Since God is not partial and recognizes no class distinctions, he has made provision for those “taken along” to enter his own select family group and there find peace. This emphasizes the importance of recognizing and appreciating relationship to God, that it supersedes all closest human ties and is the only way to salvation. W 7/1 6a
Sunday, August 8
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all gener
ations.—Ps. 145:13, AS.
Alongside God’s enduring government all governments of human origin would eventually have to perish. To avoid trouble with it the governments of men would have to recognize it and peacefully yield over their sovereignty to it. The issue today is Jehovah’s kingdom and dominion, his universal sovereignty. Satan wants to rule co-existently with God or to the total exclusion of Jehovah, but he will not succeed. God’s government will persist without a rival in heaven or on earth. By his help we have made his kingdom known to many sons of men, and we have so many sons of good will talking about his kingdom of glorious majesty that the enemies will never be able to stop all their mouths. We are determined to keep preaching the Kingdom in order to move countless more sons of men of good will to talk about it as witnesses of Jehovah. W 12/15 28, 29
Monday, August 9
From henceforth you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.
—Matt. 26: 64, AW.
It is not necessary for Christ to give up his glorious heavenly throne in order to be present as regards this earth. Certainly it was not necessary for God to come to the earth in times past in order to “visit” his people. (Jer. 5:9,29) Rather, he ‘turned his attention’ or set his mind to accomplish something and it was done. (Compare Acts 15 : 14, AT; NW; with KJ and AS.) Just so with Christ’s “coming.” He was given all power in the heavens, and it is affronting to such majestic power to hold that he cannot direct the affairs of his servants on earth while seated on his glorious throne. He is “sitting at the right hand” of God and is directing the work by this “power.” He is therefore present in this way and so comes “on the clouds of heaven,” that is, with an invisible presence. We behold his invisible presence through means of fulfillment of prophecy. W 2/15 31
Tuesday, August 10
Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics to give them their food at the proper time?—Matt. 24:45, NW.
In view of Jesus’ prophecy at Matthew 24: 45-47, it was no mere occurrence when devoted men and women began to be gathered out of faithless Christendom from and after 1870. God purposed to use them as an organization to do a twofold work. First, they must proclaim that the Gentile times that began in 607 B.C. were due to come to an end A.D. 1914, at which time Jehovah would take to himself his official power and begin to reign in the heavens by his anointed King. So for some thirty-seven years prior to 1914 this proclamation was sounded. Thereafter, following the Lord’s coming into regal power, this same faithful and approved organization was and has been used to preach the good news of the established Kingdom to the far ends of the earth. That Jehovah still has sueh a service organization at the present time, recognized for what it is, there cannot be the slightest doubt. W 4/1 2a
That one was a manslayer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him.
—John 8:tf, NW.
By spreading his lying report, Satan planted doubt, distrust and disbelief in the first human minds, and thereby dragged down the matchless, illustrious and praiseworthy name of Jehovah to the level of an exploiting racketeer. lie charged God with being a deliberate deceiver, interested in keeping man as an underdog, and for that reason wholly untrustworthy. Did the human children of their heavenly Father, surrounded by so many expressions of his love, kindness and care, resent such false accusations? The record does not allow us to think so. The deceiver’s work was so deftly done and their personal interests were so appealed to that they forgot and turned their backs on their best Friend, although having no grounds to doubt him in the least. Being free moral agents, we today by our course of action can choose to support either of these two masters, Jehovah God or Satan the Devil. W 6/15 6, 7
Thursday, August 12
For he was awaiting the city having real foundations and the builder and creator of which is God.—Ileb. 11:10, NW.
There is no need of official buildings of brick, stone, concrete and steel made by man’s hands in order to prove the existence of a government. The universal government of Jehovah can function without material buildings on this earth. In the paradise of Eden the perfect human couple had no man-made buildings to symbolize Jehovah’s theocratic government over them. Much later the holy city of Jerusalem had a material temple dedicated to Jehovah and marked by his name; but since Christ the true Christians who worship with spirit and truth have not had to build such an earthly temple to practice pure worship or to symbolize its existence. We walk by faith as Abraham did. However, we are in a far better position than he was, for we see that the Kingdom, the city having real foundations, built and created by God, has been put in power and is ruling. W 8/15 19, 21
Friday, August 13
Let us not sleep on as the rest do, but let us stay awake and keep our senses. ... let us .. . have on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet the hope of salvation; because God assigned us, not to wrath, but to the acquiring of salvation.—1 Thess. 5: 6, 8, 9, A’W.
When men say, “The Bible is only visionary,” they are identifying themselves as men without vision, and persons remaining without vision of those things pertaining to the Creator and his purposes respecting men are going to die. This is true because those without vision through God's Word cast off its restraining guidance. (Prov. 29:18, AS) Is it not practical to stay awake in a time of crisis and keep our senses? Is it not practical to have our hearts and heads protected by faith and love and the hope of everlasting life? Of course it is! The passing of time since the recording of God’s Word until the day of decision in which we are privileged to live underscores Paul’s injunction above to stay awake. W 11/1 13,14a
For we have as high priest, not one who cannot sympathize ivith our weaknesses, hut one who has been tested in all respects like ourselves, but without sin.—Heb. 4-' 15, Jiff.
During the thousand years of the reign of Christ all seeking eternal life will be taught to know that the bride of Christ is composed of those who were formerly condemned children of Adam, but by Jehovah’s undeserved kindness they fought the good fight against Satan and his demons and proved themselves worthy of their calling. Therefore, they in turn, that is, those on earth, can be assured that these sympathize with all who desire to do God’s will in the new world. Jehovah’s purpose to have Christ’s associates in the Kingdom government taken from among the condemned descendants of Adam shows his wisdom, justice and love. As the anointed Christians can say regarding Christ now, so men during the reign of Christ will be able to say regarding the priestly company: ‘They are able to understand our weaknesses, because they were at one time as we are now. They can and will be patient with us.’ W 7/15 31
Sunday, August 15
So, then, because we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, ... let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.—Heb. 12:1,
NW.
Can we expect that all must go through a test as severe as Job’s in order to gain Jehovah’s favor and life? No, not that; but that whatever the test that comes upon us, we must maintain our integrity if we are to gain life. We must endure in complete faithfulness to the Most High God. In Hebrews 11 we find a list of faithful men who endured. Not all of them had the same trials, but all of them worked for the preservation of pure worship and kept integrity. With every one it was a case of endurance. There were others also. The Bible speaks well of them. It shows they endured through many trials, different kinds of trials, not all the same, but they endured whatever trials came and kept their integrity. They serve as a great cloud of witnesses to help us to endure in integrity keeping. W 3/1 13, 14, 25a
Monday, August 16
Who is adequately qualified for these things? We are; for we are not peddlers of the word of God as many men are, but as out of sincerity, yes, as sent from God, under God’s view, in company with Christ, we are speaking.—2 Cor. 2: 16,17, NW.
Some raise the objection that they could not possibly share in the ministerial work because they are not qualified to do so. However, Jehovah has never chosen the self-wise and intellectual ones of the world, but rather he uses those who are humble and meek to carry out his service. If we devote ourselves to gaining an understanding of the Word of God and then speak boldly and freely concerning it to others, we shall be qualified, because Jehovah himself is our teacher through his Word. He sends his spirit for our guidance and strengthening, and by his organization today he instructs and prepares his ministers. Those who share in the ministry of reconciliation can explain their qualifications as being of God.—2 Cor. 3 : 5, 6, NW. W 12/1 34,35
But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are happy. However, do not become afraid of what they are afraid of, neither beeome agitated.—1 Pet. 3: H, KW.
Remember that God is directing his organization, and he is going to have this gospel of the Kingdom preached in all the world for a witness. So no matter where we go, no matter what we have to do, we must stand firm to continue in that preaching work. It is a work that must be done. We do not want to become com-plainers, for then we are apt to stop preaching the truth; and once we stop giving out the truth to others we shall lose our happiness. Many faithful witnesses today are happy even in prisons and concentration camps, and even in such places they keep busy by preaching the gospel to other inmates. Jehovah’s witnesses are happy in countries where the message of the Kingdom has been banned. They keep on talking about the truth even though they have hard times with opposition and persecution. W 1/15 8a
Wednesday, August 18
So I shall indeed let Pharaoh’s heart become obstinate and he will certainly chase after them.
—Ex. U:4, NW.
Jehovah draws Gog to his destruction as with hooks in his jaws. (Ezek. 38:4) How? By letting Gog harden his heart against Jehovah, just as Pharaoh did after Jehovah had poured out the tenth plague. Some days later Pharaoh learned that the Israelites were apparently trapped unarmed in the entangling wilderness and with the Red Sea blocking the escape route. Forgetting the lessons he should have learned from the ten plagues, he went in pursuit, to drag the Israelites back to his slavepen. Against Pharaoh’s horsemen and chariots the Israelites were militarily helpless. By this fact Jehovah deluded Pharaoh and maneuvered him without any injustice to him, letting him harden his heart to make a desperate assault upon Jehovah’s people. Seeing that Pharaoh was already a human vessel fitted to destruction because of his unchangeably wicked heart, Jehovah let him ride at top speed to his own destruction. W 10/1 28a
Thursday, August 19
When you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation standing where it ought not . . . , then let those in Judea begin fleeing.
—Mark 13:lJf, NW.
The revolt of the Jews against their friend Caesar came in 66 (A.D.) for the outrages done them by his governors. That same year the armies of the political part of the disgusting thing turned against them and made a preliminary assault against their holy city Jerusalem. That was the sight of the disgusting thing with its armies surrounding Jerusalem that the Christians were to look for as notification that it was high time for them to flee to the mountains outside Judea for safety. Promptly the Christian governing body and other obedient Christians moved out without having to do it on any inconvenient Jewish sabbath day or in wintertime. In 70 (A.D.) the Roman armies came back. During the spring of that year the siege began. Complete destruction followed. By prompt obedient action the Christians bad escaped sharing in that horrible desolation. W 9/15 15
I will shake all nations. —Hag. 2:7, AS.
The nations did not desire Jehovah’s King and they raged against Jehovah’s anointed witnesses who were publishing the Scriptural meaning of the year 1914. The nations thus displayed their own rage against God’s established kingdom and against any interference of his King in their affairs. This declaring of Armageddon’s approach was shaking news to all the nations. But the unexpected emergence of the New World society in 1919 and their phenomenal growth afterward served to shake the nations still more, not only with amazement but with fear, for this was concrete evidence that there was something to this message and that here was an unconquerable movement, whose preaching, if it came true, would mean the end of all nations. Truly, preliminary to Armageddon and its violent removal of all nations, there has been a great unsettlement, commotion and shaking of all parts of Satan’s world. W 10/15 20, 21
Saturday, August 21
All . . . have agreed in council that the king should . . . pass a strict interdict, to the effect that whosoever shall offer a petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, 0 king, shall be cast into the den
of lions.—Dan. 6: 7, AT.
Knowing the sincerity and the fear of Jehovah that Daniel possessed, the conspirators chose to make an attack against Daniel because of his worship of Jehovah. They were certain Daniel would put God first in his life; so this would be their way of making him appear a wrongdoer. The plan to “legally” execute Daniel was based on an attack against pure worship of God. Freedom of worship had to be stamped out in order to effect success for their plan. Daniel would not be allowed to pray to Jehovah as was his custom according to God’s command. Likewise, Jehovah’s witnesses are today found under attack by men of wicked intent who adopt drastic measures against Jehovah’s witnesses in hope of ending the Kingdom announcement. They cloak these overt acts in “legal attire” and thus fool many unsuspecting people. W 11/15 14,15
Sunday, August 22
Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.
—Ps. 145; 3, AS.
Jehovah’s real greatness is in being the kind of God he is. This is beyond our power to search out or fathom. In his ability to do things he is of such boundless proportions. And how grandly he conducts himself! Surely he is to be praised to the limit; his praise should exceed that of all others. Every day adds up reasons to praise him. This is so in our personal life, but is specially so in God’s dealings with his people with whom we are privileged to be associated. Read his Word and take note of what he has done for his prominent servants and for his people as a whole. Today, too, he has his people, and his dealings with them run parallel with those of the ancient prototypes who performed many prophetic dramas. What we are today as his people, as a New World society, is due to what He, not any man or men, has done for us. It is good and spiritually healthful to praise Jehovah, for our expressing of his praises deepens our appreciation of him. W 12/15 10,9
But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell.—2 Pet. 3:13, AW.
From the very time of rebellion in Eden Jehovah has purposed to have a world that is wholly righteous, and that purpose shall be accomplished. That world will consist of the “heavens,” invisible to human eyes, and the “earth,” which is visible. The “new heavens” part of that new world consists of Christ Jesus and his 144,000 joint heirs of heavenly glory, all being righteous and fully loyal to God and faithful in their devotion to him and supported by the angels of heaven. The “new earth” will consist of righteous men demonstrating themselves before and after Armageddon to be other sheep of the Lord Jesus, “the Right Shepherd.” (John 10:16; Heb. 2:5,6, AW) It will also include the offspring of many such other sheep in the post-Armageddon world. Every creature dwelling in the “new earth” must be righteous, and the righteous will never die. W 2/1 14,15
Tuesday, August 24
The spirit and the bride keep on saying, “Come!” And let anyone hearing say, “Come!” And let anyone thirsting come; let anyone that wishes take life’s water free.—Rev. 22: 17,
NW.
Jehovah is not trying to force his Son upon the world of mankind. He does not threaten with theories of hellfire or purgatory, nor does he use inquisition methods to force people into his congregation. He clearly states that whoever voluntarily believes on him shall have everlasting life, but those who do not believe will not be forced to live in the new world under Christ Jesus. (John 3:35,36) Jehovah has something to give to mankind. It is a gift of life-giving truth that Jehovah’s witnesses are bringing to all nations, peoples, kindreds and tongues. Those who have ears to hear will gladly and gratefully aeecpt the truth and thank Jehovah for bringing the knowledge to them. They will gain great happiness, for in a short time they also will share in the service of giving this truth, this water of life, to others. W 1/1 4a
Wednesday, August 25
I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who delegated power to me, because he considered me trustworthy by assigning me to a ministry.
—1 Tim. 1:12, AW.
Humility and gratitude are essential to keeping in tune with one another in singing Jehovah’s praises. Additionally, humility and gratitude will help us to bear adversities and persecutions, whether small or severe, from those we are forced to associate with in the world, whether some member of our family or our employer or workmates. We will not mind so much, remembering it is really a privilege to suffer as a Christian and that Jesus warned that we would be persecuted, as he was. (John 15:20; 1 Pet. 2:21, AW) But, still keeping grateful, we will be alert to sing Jehovah’s praise even in the most unlikely and adverse circumstances, and thus perhaps be able to turn Satan’s attacks to good advantage. In this way we will be able to keep on the top side of things and to come to Jehovah at the close of each day with a song in our hearts. W 3/15 14-16a
Let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
—Mark 13:l!h RS.
Those in Christendom cannot go out of it in a physical way. To go to the lands of “heathendom,” steeped just as much in Babylonish, demon religion, would be no greater safeguard. But we can flee from Christendom spiritually by abandoning her worldly, un-theocratic system of things and thus get out of her danger zone, leaving her to her fate and having no part with her in her adulterous connections with the United Nations and other parts of this old world. Only then can we be free to declare God’s vengeance against Christendom and all the rest of the Babylonish world. There is only one place to go for safe refuge, and that is under Jehovah’s theocratic system of things in company with his New World society. From God’s standpoint those of his New World society are no longer in the land of the condemned and doomed but are in the land of his approval. He has founded a “new earth” to flee to 1 W 9/15 2a
Friday, August 27
From the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall lie great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall lie offered unto my name, . . .
saith Jehovah of hosts.
—Mal. 1:11, AS.
Modern Pharisees say, ‘This “Jehovah” is just the little, local, bloodthirsty, tribal god of the ancient Hebrews.’ Such is a wicked falsehood, whether stated ignorantly or knowingly. He is the God of Jesus Christ, the true God, the universal King. True, in their time the Jews worshiped Jehovah in Israel; he was their God. They, and the nonIsraelites who associated with Israel, were the only people who did then. But if his enemies insist on labeling Jehovah as merely the tribal God of the Jews because at one time the nation of Israel worshiped him, then, by the same token, since the building up of the temple and the gathering of the children of Zion including the “other sheep,” Jehovah is the God of the whole earth, because now, for the first time, his praises are sung earth-wide, by “all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues” I W 5/1 18a
Saturday, August 28
As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep.—J'l~ek. 34:12, AS.
The very quality of tenderness and fondness that a lowly shepherd feels for trusting, obedient, harmless sheep was implanted in the human heart from the time the Creator made the perfect man and gave him dominion over the lower animals. It is in mankind’s favor that God likens men to sheep, for that discloses the tender feeling that he has for his human creatures. If they are like sheep to him, then it must be that he views himself as their Shepherd. He also appreciates the responsibility that becomes his as their Shepherd when they arc in perilous conditions, for then it becomes his part to go out, make a search and try to recover the poor sheep at any cost. Although it called for great condescension on his part, the loving Creator, faithful to his creatures, has not held back from doing this in discharge of his responsibility as mankind’s Shepherd. W 8/1 3
Sunday, August 29
If you know these things, happy you are if you do them.
—John 13:17, NW.
Jehovah’s servants are happy today because they have faith in God’s Word and in Jehovah himself. They do not expect any miracles to be performed in their behalf in these days nor any outward sign to help keep them in Jehovah’s organization. Jehovah’s Word is sufficient for his people to follow. It has made us free from the Devil’s organization, and we propose to remain free. Our God is a happy God, and since we are made in his image and likeness there is no reason why we should not be happy also. His happiness came through giving, and he has given us so much that we have plenty to give to others. We love life and we want to get the best out of it. The one thing we want most from life is happiness, for life without happiness would be dull and uninteresting. Receiving a knowledge and understanding of the truth has brought us happiness, but to gain the greatest happiness we must imitate our happy God by giving the truth to others. W 1/15 22, 23a
Monday, August 30
On that day shall thoughts come into your mind, and you shall plan a mischievous scheme.—Ezek. 38:10, AT.
Out of his own wicked heart, Gog proceeds to “plan a mischievous scheme” against a peaceable, God-fearing people, to vent his spleen against Jehovah. So he chooses his own course of self-destruction. Jehovah has set his sanctuary in the midst of his remnant by restoring them to his pure worship. Gog would like to despoil this temple and break up this temple worship, which is now being rendered by even a “great crowd” of people of good will from all nations. Gog’s attack is therefore nothing less than a low-down, premeditated outrage against Jehovah, a violent expression of disesteem for Jehovah’s name and of sneering contempt for those who bear that sacred name and try to live up to it. Gog’s attack displays no respectful dread of Jehovah, but, instead, a putting of him to the test just too far, beyond the point of further toleration. W 10/1 25, 26a
Tuesday, August 31
There was no king in Israel. What was right in his own eyes was what each one was accustomed to do.
—Judg. 21:25, NW.
Before the Kingdom was set up the situation among Jehovah’s faithful people was very much like that among the Israelites before getting their Davidic kingdom: Christians were accustomed to doing what was right in their own eyes. Thinking that the democratic system was the best way for congregations to be organized and operate, they tried to interweave democracy with the instructions of God’s Word. This resulted in a widespread variety of private Scripture interpretations and personal predictions of the future, and a great deal of local rule, party spirit, strife and rivalries for official positions. But now this way of things will not be followed by anyone loyal to Jehovah’s kingdom. It is no longer as in the days of Israel’s judges. There is now a King over us! He is not a mere figurehead, but an absolute monarch under his God Jehovah. For the sake of our lives we must respect that fact! W 8/15 23, 24
Wednesday, September 1
However, we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the power beyond what is normal may be Clod’s and not that out of ourselves.—2 Cor. 4:1, All.
Whether we are congregation publishers or pioneers we certainly should work with serious care and caution and with that energetic zeal peculiar to Jehovah and his organization. Let us push ahead with the work and, as we do, remember that the effort made is not everything. Results are what ultimately count, and results are obtained by applying effort in an efficient manner. Hence we must plan our work consistently ; be steady and show endurance, persistence, putting the Kingdom interests first in our lives, not second, not last, but first. By preaching the good news to the people, comforting those that mourn, binding up broken hearts, opening the eyes of blind ones, showing prisoners the way to freedom, and declaring the day of vengeance of our God, the work assigned to the “faithful and discreet slave” is accomplished. What a grand privilege ! What a glorious treasure of service! W 4/1 24a
Thursday, September 2
0 Gog, ... I will turn you round, and put hooks in your jaws; and I will lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, ... all of them wielding the sword.
—Ezel:. 38:3,4, AT.
When Jehovah holds out the hooks of delusion, by letting his people dwell in security in open villages with no city walls, bars or gates or other military defense, Gog yawns open his jaws wide and clamps them shut on the hooks and willingly, yes, even eagerly, submits to being led with all his army, horses and horsemen in full armor to the attack upon the New World society, to enrich himself at the expense of Jehovah’s people. By hooking Gog through this delusion and maneuvering him to an attack that merits having his head crushed, Jehovah does Gog no wrong. Gog is already a criminal with a long-deferred sentence of destruction dangling over his head, and Jehovah does this long-condemned criminal no injustice by leading him with hooks to the execution to which he is justly sentenced. W 10/1 31a
Friday, September 3
I—Yahweh . . . , with the shadow of my hand have I covered thee, to plant the heavens and to lay the foundations of the earth.—Isa. 51:15,16, Ro.
The Creator’s laying of the foundation of the new earth began in 1919 with the ransoming of the remnant from Babylonish restraints and the reinstatement of them in the divine favor, service and worship. The birth of this land of the New World society is truly the founding of the new earth, for the spiritual remnant will be preserved through Armageddon and their theocratic earthly organization will eventually blend into the permanent new earth of the new world, inhabited exclusively by earthly people of good will. This newborn land is the place of security. It corresponds with the mountains to which Jesus warned his followers to flee at the sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, and especially at the ominous sight of its armies surrounding Christendom, which claims to be holy and indestructible by man. W 9/15 Ila
Those who had been scattered went through the land declaring the good news of the word.
—Acts 8:4, NW.
Jehovah's witnesses fight against mischief framed through legal channels. If a fair hearing can be had, they will always be shown to be blameless and right and adhering closely to the high principles and teachings of the Bible. But where justice cannot be had, then God's people must endure faithfully. They do not take the law into their own hands. That would be wrong. They do not engage in subversive activities against the established governments. That too would be wrong. Regardless of the outcome of their fights to preserve freedom of worship for themselves, they keep right on preaching God’s kingdom hope. Christians in the early days were scattered by those who falsely accused them and who sought to break down true worship, and yet the enemies did not succeed. They did scatter God’s servants, but wherever God’s servants went they kept on preaching the good news of the Kingdom. W 11/15 23
Sunday, September 5
On Christ’s behalf I beg you to be reconciled to God.
—2 Cor. 5: 20, AT.
The knowledge of the reconciliation arrangement and the peace of mind it brings to God’s people now through faith, they will enjoy in completion at the end of the thousandyear reign of Christ. In view of this hope, even though we may have persecution for the present because of keeping a firm grasp on the word of truth, we should never faint or get weary in well-doing. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning”; and that certainly will be true for all those who are privileged to enter the new world under Christ’s enduring rule. This is the dark period of human history under the control of Satan, but even now the darkness is fading to make way for the dawn of the new world of righteousness. Will you be privileged to see and enjoy these tremendous changes in human history? If you have this hope, then share in the world-wide ministry of reconciliation, entreating men to be reconciled to God. W 12/1 39,40
Monday, September 6
Indeed, what do you have that you did not receive? If, now, you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?—1 Cor. 4:1, Iff.
Those who have dedicated themselves to serve God must look to the interests of God’s kingdom and the vindication of his name. They should never get puffed up or high-minded because of having the truth or because of knowing the way to life. This knowledge does not make them better than anyone else. But they have sense enough to take in this knowledge of truth, to get the understanding that is available to them, and to work in Jehovah’s interests. They are grateful to Jehovah. They are not trying to find fault with the people they teach, as though they were better than others. Rather they are happy for the opportunity to come to the homes of the people and share with them the good things they have received. They want to give the truth to all who have an ear to hear, whether it be in the morning, afternoon, evening— any time convenient to the hearer. W 1/15 la
The wisdom -from above is . . . not making partial distinctions, not hypocritical.—Jas. 3:77, A'W.
Acts of favoritism may not be shown toward some who may have a certain social prominence in the community. It must not be overlooked that the problems of such entering the truth are no greater to them than those being experienced by many others whose presence in the organization means just as much to Jehovah and whose need for the loving attention of the brothers is just as acute. Dissension over congregational matters may cause groups to form, creating a sectarian spirit, which has no place in the theocratic structure. Occasionally, too, some who are of a certain age in the congregation may, by constant association together, become somewhat intolerant of the viewpoint of those differing considerably in age and perhaps even begin to exclude such from their friendship. This again should be avoided by sharing field experiences or by working together in the service. W 7/1 14a
Wednesday, September 8
Behold, God doeth loftily in his power: who is a teacher like unto him?—Job 36:22, AS.
Jehovah is the great Teacher. Exclusive education belongs to him. He has the qualities of the best teacher. lie has all knowledge, knows his purposes, has the interest of his creatures at heart, has complete patience and all ability to teach, and reflects these qualities through the One whom he has appointed as the great representative, the glorified Christ Jesus. He has not withheld proper information from his creatures at any time. He gave his word to Adam. He gave Noah his word and spirit so that Noah could be a preacher of righteousness. God gave the nation of Israel his word and law, put his spirit upon them, gave them the teaching organization of the priesthood and of the prophets to look to the welfare of the nation. His teaching is likewise shown in his dealings with and through Christ Jesus. He gave Christ Jesus his word and put his spirit upon him so that he could teach others. W i/15 12-16a
Thursday, September 9
Consider closely the one who has endured such contrary talk by sinners against their own interests, that you may not get tired and give out in your souls.
—Heb. 12: 3, NW.
The final test of integrity is on. The questions are: Who is going to live in uprightness and integrity? Who is going to resist the attacks of the Devil in these last days as he tries to wreck humanity? Who will survive this world crisis? How can we cope with Satan’s system of things and the evil pressures he brings against us? The key to victory lies in God’s Word and in recognizing the source of our tests. It is Satan who is responsible. We should never for a moment think that Almighty God is responsible for the suffering that has come upon us. The Bible shows us examples of those who in the past resisted attacks made against them by Satan and his wicked organization and how Jehovah helped them to stand faithful. By these we can see how we too can maintain integrity to God, and we must maintain integrity to God if we are going to gain everlasting life. W 3/1 9b
The word of God is full of life and power, . . . and penetrates between the joints and the marrow, and it can discern the secret thoughts and purposes of the heart.-Heb. 4:12, Wcy.
So powerful is Jehovah’s Word that it enables us to serve God persistently, consistently and faithfully, enduring year after year, progressing in the truth, maintaining joy and happiness, and this regardless of what any other creature does or seems to do, whether he is in the organization of God’s people or outside the New World society. We must serve Jehovah because of our personal relationship to him, live our own lives properly in harmony with God's Word and let other people live their lives, bearing before God their own responsibility for their course of action. We can fool other men. Men can fool us. If we refuse to permit God’s Word to penetrate us and search us out, discerning between our soul and spirit, we may accomplish self-deception, but we do not change God's Word and its judgment, nor Jehovah, nor Christ his appointed Judge. W 11/1 21
Saturday, September 11
I browbeat my body and lead it as a slave, that, after I have preached to others, I myself should not become disapproved somehow.—1 Cor. I): 27, NIV.
Once saved does not mean always saved. Conquerors with Christ must not only be called and chosen, but be “called and chosen and faithful.” Faithful for how long? “Prove yourself faithful even with the danger of death.” To remain in union with Christ, the anointed cannot grow lukewarm, for such chilled ones he will vomit out of his mouth. For them to partake of the heavenly kingdom with Christ they must endure to the end. To win, the race must be run to the finish, the fight fought to the end. Certainly the apostle Paul was of the predestinated class, redeemed, justified, elect, called and sanctified; yet he did not feel individually predestinated, beyond the possibility of becoming disapproved and cast out. It was only when death was near and the fight finished that he spoke with confidence concerning the crown.—2 Tim. 4: 6-8. W 5/15 30
Sunday, September 12
For all the peoples walk every one in the name of his god.
—Mie. 4:5, AS.
The natural Israelites, having rejected Jehovah’s name nineteen centuries ago, have been replaced as Jehovah’s name-people by the spiritual Israelites, who today are in the new covenant with God through the Mediator Jesus Christ. Now is the time of the judgment of the nations when all peoples must seal their destiny by deciding in the name of which god to walk or to order their lives. By their course of action the various people are eloquently proclaiming the god in whose name they have decided to walk. Their chosen gods will fail them in the fiery day when true godship will be put to the test and false gods will prove impotent to help the people and will perish. But Jehovah in his prophetic Word foretold the restoration of the remnant of his name-people to his favor in the latter days and said, “They shall walk up and down in his name, saith Jehovah.”—Zech. 10:12, AS. W 9/1 41,42
Monday, September 13
Saith Jehovah, . . . there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who can hinder it?—Isa. 43:12,13, AS.
It is not the prerogative of any persons or nations to take it upon themselves to try to change the present world for the better. Whether this attempt be by peaceful means or violence, political conspiracy or military alliances to forestall aggression, etc., matters not. God himself is the one who is going to perform deliverance for the people. He is the one to create a “new earth” and provide the way out of the present world dilemma. Any conspiracies or programs that attempt to do this job for him are beforehand doomed to failure. The atom bomb stands as no terrifying problem for him, nor does economic chaos trouble his purpose for remaking human society. Nothing unyieldingly stands in his way. His purpose moves inexorably toward its accomplishment and humans can only adapt themselves to it or profess to ignore it. They cannot supplement it, alter it, speed it up or slow it down—only conform to it or deny it. W 2/1 10a
Tuesday, September 14
The night is well along; the day has drawn near. Let us therefore put off the works belonging to darkness and let us put on the weapons of the light.
—Rom. 13:12, JiW.
We are slaves either of sin with death in view or of obedience with righteousness in view. We must choose between the enslaver and the liberator. To support Satan’s lies, to live immorally or to practice idolatry means to support kings sin and death and to receive their wage. To serve Jehovah frees us from chains now, and will assure us of the free gift of God, eternal life. Will you share in announcing that deliverance? Our fruitage in times past consisted of things of which we are now ashamed, for the finish of those things is death. To remain in the light we must walk in brotherly love, observing the new commandment as the apostle John admonishes us, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. (1 John 2: 8, NW) Continuing to walk in that light gives us the victory over king sin. W 6/15 17-19a
Wednesday, September IS
Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; for his loving-kindness endureth for ever.
—Ps. 118:1, AS.
Under inspiration David wrote the majority of the psalms, mostly based on his own experiences, and prefiguring the experiences of Jesus Christ and of his followers as a class. Not only are they beautiful songs, composed of rich, sacred poetry, but they are primarily prophecies, written aforetime for our instruction. Among these is Psalm 118, which is a song of thanksgiving, not to any creature, but to Jehovah, Israel’s real mighty Fighter and Savior. Throughout this psalm David tells how his numerous enemies tried to overwhelm him and the little kingdom of Israel. He then adds, “But Jehovah helped me.” This psalm is a remarkable confirmation of the fact that right now, before Armageddon, is the time to sing and rejoice and publicly “declare the works of Jehovah” on account of salvation already accomplished on our behalf. W 3/15 17,18
1 will bring you up from the farthest north, and lead you against the mountains of Israel.
—Ezeh. 39:2, AT.
Gog likely remembers how, in 607 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar came out of the north and assaulted Jerusalem and despoiled and destroyed the temple, and how, in our first century, the Romans repeated this performance, and they both got away with it. In fact, they were used to express Jehovah’s judgment upon the nation of Israel. So now Gog thinks he, too, can get away with it, liking to believe that his assault will serve as a divine judgment upon the restored remnant, for he also comes out of the north, “the farthest north.” So forward with his preparations for the final, all-out attack he goes. Never, now, throughout the rest of this “time of the end,” should we let out of our minds that Gog of Magog begrudges us our spiritual prosperity and covets us our wealth of influence for the new world. Consequently be now on never-relaxing guard. W 10/1 26a
Friday, September 17
Jehovah preserveth all them that love him; but all the wicked [the lawless, RoPss] will he destroy.—Ps. 145: 20,
AS.
Knowing who will survive the battle of Armageddon, we must decide in which class we propose to be then. We know the destiny of each of the two classes. We do well to act now in order to be classified then as lovers of Jehovah, not as wicked, lawless toward him. The lawless do not love him; the law-abiding ones of the New World society do love him. (1 John 5:3) The rule is simple, plain. Because of the “increasing of lawlessness” the love of many is cooling off, but the New World society must keep on loving Jehovah, doing so ever more fervently. (Matt. 24: 12, .Vli') Those lovers of his who may die now before Armageddon Jehovah will preserve, because their worthiness of life in the new world continues on and will be rewarded in the right way or at his due time, whether by a spiritual resurrection to reign with Christ in the Kingdom or by an early resurrection to life in the earthly paradise.—John 5: 28, 29; Rev. 2 :10. W 12/15 42
Saturday, September 18
That they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified.—Isa. 61: 3, AS.
Hundreds of millions have heard the message of the divine government of the new world. Thousands of readers and listeners have recognized this to be God’s life-giving message for this day. They have responded to it with joy and have dedicated their lives to him through Jesus Christ and have joined in holding aloft this bright signal of the Kingdom, until today there are Kingdom announcers organized and reporting activity on all continents and in the many islands of the sea. All together, these now hundreds of thousands form a society no part of this old world. The nations of this world will never be able to stamp out this society. It will grow and live forever, for it is the “planting of Jehovah.” Amid the fire of persecution he has welded his people together into this New World society by his Holy Word and by his spirit and by the work that he has commissioned them to do. W 8/15 7
Sunday, September 19
Furthermore, consider the patience of our Lord as salvation.
—2 Pet. 3:15, NW.
Some, who have been with God’s organization for only a short time, complain, ‘Nothing is happening. I thought Armageddon was just a little way off.’ Such have the attitude that unless God runs things their way, they will not stay with his organization. But God has not asked us to advise him. We should be grateful to Jehovah for what he has given us. We understand his truths and appreciate his promises, and we believe them. We are happy in our worship and service and have the privilege of bringing much comfort to people of good will. If Jehovah today wants to give more people the opportunity of hearing the truth so that they may learn the way to life before Armageddon strikes, then we should not complain. Rather, we should rejoice that there is more time in which to preach the gospel. Of course, some will say that God is slow; but is it not due to Jehovah’s patience in these last days that thousands of people have learned of salvation? W 1/15 17,19
Monday, September 20
These hands have attended to the needs of me and of those with me.—Acts 20: 34, 7VW.
Paul was not a burden to anyone in the congregation. He did not ask someone else to take care of him or to arrange for his travel from place to place. It would have been a great privilege to help him in any way possible, but Paul was there to give to his brothers, and it was by so doing that he received happiness. He was not asking them to give to him, nor was he giving expecting a return. Paul devoted his life to his brothers just as Jesus had set the pattern when he was upon the earth, by devoting his time and energy to his apostles and to the people of good will who listened to him. Christ Jesus gave everything he had, even his life, for his friends, and he counseled his followers to do the same. (John 15:13, 14, NW) Paul followed Jesus’ counsel by serving his friends. Are you doing as much? If you are, then from experience you can say as did Paul: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”—Acts 20:35, NW. W 1/1 14
Tuesday, September 21
The dragon . . . persecuted the woman that gave birth to the male child. And the dragon grew wrathful at the woman, and went off to wage war with the remaining ones of her seed, who observe the commandments of God and have the work of
bearing witness to Jesus. —Rev. 12:13, 11, NW.
This is an amazing thing! It shows that following the birth of God’s kingdom in 1914 and the action of the King in heaven against God’s enemy, Satan the Devil, the Dragon instigates a bitter persecution of all who would worship God and who are of the seed of God’s organization or become children of it. The facts of the past thirty-nine years prove that every man, woman and child who dares to take a stand for the worship of the true God Jehovah and for the righteous principles of his Word, and who advocates his kingdom under Christ Jesus, is absolutely certain to be the object of the hatred of the Dragon and the attacks of his organization. W 5/1 11
Why do the nations rage, and the peoples meditate a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against Jehovah, and against his anointed.—Ps. 2:1, 2, AS.
For decades before 1914 Jehovah’s witnesses had been preaching the full establishment of God’s kingdom by Christ in that year, and the mournful train of events since that year confirms their preaching as correct. As this period since 1914 is confirmed as the “time of the end,” where then is the disgusting thing that Daniel and Jesus foretold? Look! there it is in the religio-political conspiracy of today against the established kingdom of Jehovah God and his King Jesus Christ. The world alliance known as the United Nations is the chief and most powerful expression of this religio-political conspiracy against the Messianic kingdom of God. It is religio-political because the religions of this world are in on this world conspiracy against the Kingdom, especially the religions of Christendom. W 9/15 18,17
Thursday, September 23
I will rain upon him and his hordes, ... a lashing rain, accompanied by hailstones, fire, and brimstone.—Ezek. 38: 22, AT.
Shocking surprise, consternation, fright, collapse of government and management, panic, wild anarchy, tremendous upheavals of earth, landslides, falling defense and protective edifices, cloudbursts, overflowing flash floods, rain of corrosive liquid fire, terror in the air, on land, in the sea, are all written in that advance battleaccount. Horrifying and awful, too, will be the insane, selfish, fruitless fight for survival, man against man within the ranks of this world, in a mad scramble to save self, every man becoming his neighbor’s enemy. But all in vain! Those who may thus triumph will finally be executed through supernatural means by the fighting forces of Jehovah’s King of kings. None of them shall escape. (1 Thess. 5:3) What a lot it seems to require to make the nations of this world know that the living and true God is named Jehovah! W 10/1 36a
Friday, September 24
I will deliver [my sheep} out of all places whither they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them . . . into their own land.
—Ezek. 34:12, 13, AS.
Despite his remaining unseen, Jehovah led his flock of Israel up out of Egypt, through the wilderness and into their fold in Palestine, where he faithfully tended to them as his sheep as long as they showed the sheeplike traits of submissiveness, trust and loyalty to him. What was possible and historically true back there in Israel’s day can be possible and is historically true since the “cloudy and dark day” of World War I. Today, as we look at it, it is marvelous in our eyes. Jehovah’s own going in search of his sheep and his raising up his Greater David as prince to tend them means, not Jehovah’s coming out of the invisible, but his qualifying of faithful servants here on earth and his sending these forth as his pastoral representatives to all nations to do the hunting, gathering, guiding and feeding of his sheep, under divine supervision. W 8/1 13,14
Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions.
—Dan. 6:16, AS.
There is nothing in the record to indicate that Daniel was afraid. He retained full faith in his God, Jehovah. Daniel knew he was actually before true justice, which was pictured by the lions, and that when true justice was meted out he would not be hurt. And so when Daniel went into the lions’ den he was confident in Jehovah’s supreme power. As with Daniel, so with Jehovah’s witnesses today. They are not afraid. They keep on praising Jehovah. They will keep full trust in Jehovah’s supreme power. Though it may at times seem that their organization is doomed as men view matters, it will never be found to be so. Jehovah will always bring his servants through all of their trials. They are able to maintain indomitable faith in the day of salvation because of their knowledge of his Word. Therein he tells us what to expect and shows us what the outcome will be. W 11/15 28,29
Sunday, September 26
Because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off. But he that has endured to the finish is the one that will be saved.—Matt. 24 • 72, A'W.
We cannot expect the people to refrain from persecution and begin living better lives because of the enlightenment that has come into the world in our day, for we are still under Satan’s system of things. In fact, we should expect even worse things now. Why? Because we are approaching the climax, the battle of Armageddon. It is now a time of woe to the earth and the sea because the Devil, having been cast out of heaven, “has come down to you, having great anger,” knowing he has only a short period of time to live. This shows that God has limited the time of Satan’s existence and that the time for the execution of God’s righteous judgments is here. All nations and all individuals are now on trial before God’s King. Only those who maintain integrity under the test can hope to be saved to God’s righteous new world. W 8/1 7b
Monday, September 27
Jehovah is .. . slow to anger, and of great lovingkindncss. —Ps. H5: 8, AS.
Men ought to be glad that God is slow about expressing bis anger toward this generation, at least apparently slow, whereas they incline to complain that he is slow about fulfilling his good promises. When Armageddon comes, it will be soon enough for men who selfishly postpone taking the divine advice and acting. Then they will know what they were asking for, when they tauntingly asked us where this universal war was with its demonstration of God’s power and greatness. Jehovah knows what he is doing. He takes his own time to do it. He does not hurry up just to give scoffers a sign and satisfy their foolish defiance. He has in mind saving men of good will who long to know God’s grace, mercy and loving-kindness. We do well in taking Peter’s advice and considering such patience of our God as salvation for ourselves and assisting others to gain it.—2 Pet. 3:15, NW. W 12/15 21,20
I will harden Pharaoh’s heart. —Ex. 7:3.
Now Jehovah did not actually harden the heart of Pharaoh so that Pharaoh lost his free will in the matter. His heart hardened because of Jehovah’s message declared to him by Moses and Aaron, and so the account says Jehovah hardened Pharaoh’s heart. The repeated showing of mercy to him by the lifting of plague after plague did not soften Pharaoh’s heart but only made him more intolerable. At Exodus 8:15 the result is shown: “When Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart.” Yes, what actually happened was that Pharaoh himself hardened his heart. It says Jehovah did it only because that was how Pharaoh reacted to Jehovah’s dealing. Wicked men interpret Jehovah’s long-suffering as a sign of weakness and thus become more set in their evil ways, thinking the time of reckoning will never come. “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” —Eccl. 8:11. W 6/1 10a
Wednesday, September 29
I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land.—Hag. 2: 6, AS.
The kingdom that Jehovah established in 1914 cannot be shaken, but all parts of Satan’s world organization, visible and invisible, symbolized by the sea, dry land, earth and heavens, have been terribly shaken. By the “war in heaven” that began in 1914 the Devil and his invisible organization of demon angels were shaken down from God’s heavens above, which shaking transmitted violent vibrations to his earthly organization, and his nations got into commotion over the issue of world domination. While Jehovah did not directly cause the first world war, he did give all the nations a good reason to shake. How? By terminating in 1914 the “appointed times of the nations.” No sooner did those appointed times for the nations to dominate the earth unhindered by his kingdom end than Jehovah brought his kingdom into being and put its operation in the hands of the Rightful One, Jesus Christ. W 10/15 19,20
Thursday, September 30
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Pear thou not; 0 Zion, let not thy hands be slack.—Zeph. 3:16, AS.
The overwhelming evidence shows that Jehovah’s organization has heeded the divine command not to let their hands “hang down,” “droop” or “relax.” As a consequence the hands of Jehovah’s people are most active doing what he assigns them, doing it with their whole might, with sincere diligence and with dynamic energy —thanks to Jehovah who continually backs them up and sustains them with his holy spirit I Whether enjoying a measure of peace and quiet or undergoing the most fiendish opposition, whether inside or outside concentration camps, above or under ground, in front of or behind the Iron Curtain, Jehovah’s witnesses persistently push ahead with their assignment to preach the good news of the established Kingdom to the ends of the earth. Of course, this is not vain boasting, for all praise and honor and thanksgiving for what has been accomplished go to Jehovah and not to any man. W 4/1 12,13a
Shall a nation be brought forth at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.-—Isa. 66: 8, AS.
By divine action a nation has been brought forth. A new land has been born, not by means of an undersea earthquake’s pushing up a new island or continent, but by the Creator’s giving his delivered witnesses on earth the standing that no other people occupy, the standing of his restored, approved people, living and working in a theocratic domain. It has its definite boundaries beyond which they will not go to compromise and make common cause w'ith this world. It has a capital city, heavenly New Jerusalem. The travail through which God’s organization Zion passed during World War I has not been in vain, but by the power of her Husband Jehovah she has brought forth a chastened, purified, theocratic people as her visible children on earth. Thus to the surprise of all a nation was brought forth. Yes, we as Jehovah’s worshipers are in a new land. W 9/15 3, 6-8a
Saturday, October 2
This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.-John 11: 3, A'IP.
Those who conform to God’s Word follow a way that destines them for life if it is continued in faithfully. Jesus spoke very forceful truths concerning the receiving of life through him, identifying himself as the bread from heaven. (John 6: 58) Not receiving these words into good and honest hearts, not getting the sense of them, many of his disciples said, “This speech is shocking.” Jesus did not back down, but stated something even more impressive : “What, therefore, if you behold the Son of man ascending to where he was before?” (John 6:6064, 2VI7) Many of his disciples then left him, and Jesus asked the twelve if they wanted to go also. Peter showed that he had received Jesus’ words into a good and honest heart and that he had really gotten their sense by replying: “Master, Whom shall we go away to? You have savings of everlasting life.” —Vs. 68. W 11/1 la
Sunday, October 3
While I lire will I praise Jehovah: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
—Ps. 146:2, AS.
Never let it happen that we come to the point where we no longer want to give to others the truth that we have received. If we ever come to such a state of mind where we do not want to tell someone else about the glorious provisions that Jehovah has made through his Son and we become ashamed of the true religion, then Jehovah will become ashamed of us. There will be no place in Jehovah’s organization for such a person. Also never let us be deceived into thinking that we have done enough now in Jehovah’s service. As long as we have breath we must praise Jehovah. Remember that we expect to live thousands of years, yes, on into the millions of years, even into time indefinite, right in Jehovah’s organization. It will be a pure and clean organization and everyone in it will continue to worship Jehovah forever. So why should we now think of stopping our worship and service because we are sixty or seventy years of age? W 1/15 24a
Monday, October 4
Now because you are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his Son into our hearts and. it cries out, “Abba, Father!” So, then, you are no longer a slave but a son; and if a son. also an heir through God.—Gal. 4: 6, 1, NW.
The individual Jews in the nation of Israel were children of God in a secondary or typical way, being children of the congregation of Israel. However, Christians, who are members of the body of Christ, the anointed Christian congregation, are children in a unique way. They are produced, not by the fiction of “universal fatherhood,” but by Jehovah’s Word, by his spirit, and by his righteous organization through Christ Jesus. With all prospects of life resting on God’s provisions, earthly Christians of good will, associated with those who are in the new covenant, properly address him as their Father, because he is to be their Grandfather through the Everlasting Father, Christ Jesus. W 4/15 9,10a
Tuesday, October 5
The joy of Jehovah is your strength.—Neh. 8:10, AS.
Sorrow and sadness and mourning are weakening, but joy is strengthening. Jehovah is most joyful at this time. His kingdom has begun ; Satan and his demons have been cast out of heaven and down to the earth; Jehovah has liberated his people from slavery to this world and made them a society of Kingdom announcers; and now the great war for vindicating his universal sovereignty once for all time draws closer, with victory certain. It is for us to get out of any sorrowful, introverted contemplation of ourselves and think what God has done, is doing and will do, to his unfading glory and the blessing of his faithful people. We are in the antitype of the ancient festival of ingathering, the most joyous festival of all the year. Away, then, with useless mourning and grief over the past. This is the time to rejoice with Jehovah as his friends and lovers. Members of the New World society should continue to be the most joyful and optimistic people on the face of the earth. W 8/15 37, 38
Wednesday, October 6
And [Daniel] kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
—Dan. 6:10, AS.
Daniel's course was prophetic, foretelling how Jehovah’s witnesses today continue to worship God in spite of decrees made by Communist dictators or any others against the worship of Jehovah. They show proper godly fear by putting Jehovah’s worship first in their lives. This will ensure them everlasting life, even if they should be murdered by evil dictators. Never for one minute do they lose faith in Jehovah’s power. They know that to be hated is nothing new, because their Master was hated and brought before rulers. He had done no wrong whatsoever, but there he stood, falsely accused. The apostles and early disciples were likewise falsely accused. (Acts 16:20, 21; 17 : 6, 7) So we see it is nothing new for true worshipers of God to have mischief framed against them by talk of patriotism and by accusations of subversion and disloyalty. W 11/15 25, 26
And I will send a fire on Magog, and on them that dwell securely in the isles; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.
—Ezek. 39:6, AS.
Yes, Magog will be consumed as with fire when Jesus Christ crushes the great Serpent and his demon seed, casting them chained into the abyss under an officially sealed cover for the thousand years of his reign. And not only Magog, but also the battle-remote coastlands, or isles, shall feel the fire of destruction. That means not only those in Gog’s attacking forces but also those making up the civilian home front will be reached by the destructive forces from on high. Their dwelling securely, easygoing and indifferently will be rudely broken up. Such civilian backers of Gog’s attack must bear tbeir community responsibility. Protest Gog’s attack? No, not they! So they are condemned as heart and soul a part of Satan’s world organization. Jehovah rightly sends his fiery destruction upon them. Thus Satan’s entire seed, seen and unseen, perish. W 10/1 37,38a
Friday, October 8
Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; . . . he delivered me, because he delighted in me. Jehovah hath rewarded me according to my righteousness.—Ps. 18:2,19, 20, AS.
King David, although himself a mighty man of war, did not fail to rely upon Jehovah to save. And even as Jehovah delivered David, he will, at the end of this world, deliver those in whom he finds delight, because of their devotion to him. He will reward them according to their righteousness demonstrated by faithful obedience and reliance in him. It is not a deliverance for the sake of deliverance alone, but for the sake of his name. It will demonstrate once and for all time to all creation that Jehovah is supreme and that everything existing owes allegiance and devotion to him as the great Deliverer and Sovereign of the universe. Only these who manifest that full measure of devotion will live in his righteous new world, for no others will be saved from his wratb coming upon this present world of the Devil’s domination. W 2/1 16-18a
Saturday, October 9
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor freeman, . . . for you are all one in union with Christ
Jesus.—Gal. 3:28, NW.
Whereas in the sight of God all have an equality of relationship in the body of Christ, still in the present wicked system of things it is recognized that certain class distinctions and divisions are made and often enforced by laws of the land. Acceptance of such legal standards does not mean a compromise with God’s law on the part of the Christian. Jehovah’s witnesses will therefore not make this the issue for contention, knowing that the righting of social wrongs is not their commission. They know that only when God crushes Satan will there be true justice and impartiality and will unity, which is now a reality within the family of God, exist throughout the earth. But while they wait upon Jehovah for this deliverance they will continue to insist that within the nucleus of this society already being formed an example be set for all sincere persons of the world. W 1/1 16,17a
For the word of God is alive. —Ueb. 4 •• 12, NW.
God’s words are powerful, living and effective: first, because they are from the Creator, Jehovah God Almighty, and are backed up by his al-mightiness and they are right; second, if received into good and honest hearts and minds they guide the servant of God in a proper course of action, which will result in lasting life to him and to the exultation of Jehovah. God’s ideas must get into our mind, and in order for them to be powerful they must have an effect upon our thinking and our course of life. Therein is their power; but simply having a book called the Bible in our possession without applying the things God has caused to be set out in it is of no benefit to us. The result of following God's Word is the worship of Jehovah and hence life for us. Simple faith in the Scriptures, based on an understanding and appreciation of them and on love for God and uprightness, is the great need respecting the Word of God. W 11/1 13
Monday, October 11
Not that we of ourselves are adequately qualified to reckon anything as issuing from ourselves, but our being adequately qualified issues from God, who has indeed adequately qualified us to be ministers.
—2 Cor. 3:5, 6, NW.
Do we show by mature service that we arc adequately qualified for the work we have to do? Can we say that the knowledge of Christ is perceptible through us because of our active ministry? Do we let our light shine, reflecting as mirrors the glory of Jehovah and using great freeness of speech? If we are sincere in saying we appreciate Jehovah’s loving provision for reconciliation, then we should be willing to prove our love by extending the living waters of truth to others. We may talk to the people as we call from door to door; we may spend a few minutes speaking the truth to our neighbors ; we may take an hour to conduct a Bible study with a person of good will. In this way men of all kinds may find and follow the pathway to a favorable standing before God. W 12/1 36
Tuesday, October 12
It is finer for you to enter oneeyed into the kingdom of God, than with two eyes to be pitched into Gehenna.
—Mark 9: 47, A'W.
Worldly persons argue for expediency in times of stress, saying that God will excuse you because things are so hard. But where is the scripture for that argument? Did Christ compromise on God’s principles when a test came? No. He advocated a farsighted viewpoint in this battle for integrity, not a shortsighted compromise for selfish gain or relief in time of test. Better to take some material loss, though it be as precious as an eye or hand, than to lose integrity. This is the time when we should evaluate things properly. This is the time to keep God first in our lives. We must not yield to efforts of any kind to turn us away from our integrity, whether by subtle offers of wealth through violating ethics or through application of cruel and painful persecution. We must take the same course of integrity as Christ did. If we love life we will be loyal to our Life-giver. W 3/1 21,22b
Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and venerated and rendered sacred service to the creation rather than the One who created.—Rom. 1: 25, NW.
The rule of king death has brought not only physical havoc upon the human race, but mental and moral havoc as well: the lack of self-control, the practice of injustice, immorality and the general unbalance of man’s attributes. Satan has caused man’s instinctive desire to worship to be turned from the Creator to the creature. Hence, according to their degree of civilization, men still worship such things as the sun, fire, images, money, property or themselves and organizations of men. In the place of unqualified love for Jehovah first, and love of neighbor second, Satan has planted selfishness, fear, greed and hate. By one master stroke, in inducing our first parents to sin, the adversary made sin to rule as king with death. From then on all have been sinners, they have fallen short of God’s glory, and missed the mark of perfect obedience.—Rom. 3 : 23, 24, 7VIF. W 6/15 la
Thursday, October 14
In those days . . . ten men shall take hold . . . of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.—Zech. 8:23, AS.
When Jehovah restored his remnant from Babylon in 1919 and set them to work in temple activity it was an evidence to the sincere-hearted people of all nations that Jehovah’s witnesses had a real God and that he was truly with them to deliver and bless them. They heard the remnant, those Jews inwardly, encouraging one another to go up to Jehovah's temple to supplicate and seek Jehovah of hosts, and they wanted to go along, and so they took hold on the remnant of spiritual Jews. The God named Jehovah, whose deeds, promises and purposes are recorded in the Holy Bible, is the great magnet of attraction, and He is the One whom they are drawn to worship in company with the remnant of spiritual Jews. This would never have happened had the anointed remnant not gone up and done temple work at Jehovah’s house. W 10/15 30
Friday, October 15
And all of us, while we with unveiled faces reflect like mirrors the glory of Jehovah, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, exactly as done by Jehovah the
spirit.—2 Cor. 3:18, A' IV.
Let us not forget that for effective singing attention must be paid, not only to that which is to be heard, but also to that which is to be seen. By this is meant our personal appearance, including dress, deportment, and particularly the expression on our faces and in our eyes. However humble our circumstances may be, we can afford to be clean and tidy, but especially can we well afford to let our faces and smiles radiate and reflect the very spirit of the Kingdom message, with its joy, peace and hope. To use a musical term, it should be “a song without words.” We realize, of course, our message is far more important than our appearance, but we must remember our hearers do not appreciate that, at least not to begin with. So we must also give attention to our appearance. W 3/15 12a
Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.—2 Cor. 9: 7, A’lF.
If you know the truth, why should you begrudge it to others? Why should you thus short-change yourself in happiness? God will not compel you to preach it, because he does not love one who is a grudging giver; rather he loves one who is cheerful in his giving. You must resolve in your own heart what you are going to do, whether you go out in the service of Jehovah and practice true worship or not. No one should serve under compulsion. Forced praise is not acceptable to the Most High God; cheerful praise is. Are you so full of the truth that it flows over, so full that you just cannot hold it in? If you are not that way, then you have not taken in enough truth for yourself. Remember, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Be a cheerful giver and abundantly reap happiness. W 1/1 6, 7a
Sunday, October 17
The form of worship that is clean and undcfiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself tcith-out spot from the world.
—Jas. 1:27, NW.
Jehovah has a true, covenantkeeping, zealous organization in the earth today made up of those who are faithfully following the pattern cut out by Christ. Coming from all walks of life these have been called out of Babylonish Christendom to form the nucleus of a new-world society. They are still in this old world, but they are no part of it. They place their hope and trust in God’s kingdom and are governed by its principles of love, truth and righteousness. They show love for Jehovah and for their neighbor, and for this twofold reason they go among the people, comforting widows and bereaved ones in their affliction and warning the wicked of impending destruction. At all times they refuse to compromise with lawless dictators and corrupt worldly rulers, and thus keep themselves unspotted from this Satanic system of things. W 7,/I 20
Monday, October 18
Fear not; for they that are with us are more than they that are with them.
—2 Ki. 6:16, AS.
God’s Word indicates that the enemy will assault Jehovah’s witnesses now in these last days. From the human viewpoint our position will be completely unrealistic. Those blinded by Satan will think there is no hope for us. But we must keep the eye of faith, view our position from God’s standpoint, recognize that Jehovah has his multitudes of heavenly hosts poised, ready for the attack, for the defense of his people. To comfort us, Jehovah, in Revelation 9:16, shows that he has more than 200,000,000 invisible fighters who are ready for the defense of Jehovah’s servants. Let men try, if they will, but no one can prove that God ever failed his people once. He is true to his word, to his promises and to his people who worship him in spirit and in truth. No matter how overwhelming the odds appear to be, Jehovah’s victory will be sure. W 11/15 35
The Lamb who was slaughtered from the world’s foundation.
—Rev. 13: 8, HW.
Was Jesus impaled on the torture stake before Adam’s creation? Certainly not, but more than four thousand years later, A.D. 33! But before the foundation of this righteous new world was laid by the death, resurrection and appearance of Christ before God, he and the Kingdom class had been predestinated. It was after Adam and Eve’s fall that Christ was promised as the Seed that would bring deliverance, and to whom would be joined faithful human creatures to become the new heavens of the new world. So when it is understood that it is the new world before whose foundation the Kingdom class was foreordained, the basis for arguing that God predestinated Adam’s fall and his offspring’s plight vanishes. If Jehovah had previously ordained Adam’s fall, the test of obedience in Eden would have been no fair test at all, but a sham, a farce! Jehovah would stage no such fiasco, with man’s eternal life hanging in the unjust balance! W 5/15 15
Wednesday, October 20
Ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill the failings; but ye feed not the sheep. . . . with force and with rigor have ye ruled over them. And they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food to all the beasts of the
field.—Ezek. 34: 3-5, AS.
The religious and political shepherds have sheared and fleeced their own claimed flocks and fattened themselves at their expense and driven them in ways ending in death and destruction. Not only that, but they have been guilty of invading the true flock of Jehovah and scattering his sheep. This occurred especially during the “cloudy and dark day,” the period of World War I, when the witnesses of Jehovah were swept by a wave of persecution throughout the world at the instigation of the religious shepherds of Christendom. To this day since that first world war Christendom has failed to produce a shepherd or an organization of shepherds able to gather men of all nations into one harmonious flock within one secure fold. W 8/1 7
Thursday, October 21
We are pressed in every way, but not cramped beyond movement.—2 Cor. 4: 8, ATW.
When we look at Jehovah’s organization, we marvel at its prosperity and its growth despite all the pressure that has been brought against it by those who oppose the good news. Jehovah’s witnesses have seen their work stopped or hindered in many countries, but that does not discourage them. Are we now to complain to God and tell him he does not know how to run his business? We cannot dictate to God because of certain unhappy experiences that occur to Jehovah’s witnesses behind the Iron Curtain. Our brothers who are there have the same Word of God, and they are continuing to faithfully preach the good news. Sometimes Jehovah's witnesses in democratic lands do not show as much zeal in going from house to house as the publishers do who live in countries where there is continuous opposition. Let those who have greater freedom preach God’s message even more extensively and be grateful that they have the opportunity. W 1/15 6a
My mouth shall speak the praise of Jehovah; and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.—Ps. 145:21, AS; CB.
Such a personal decision signifies a determination that each of us shall preach in praise of Jehovah, for praise is due the new world’s Sovereign now and for all eternity. Appreciating him now as we do, how could we withhold such praise from him? We could not! But if we want all flesh too to bless his holy name forever and ever, we simply must preach in order to make his holy name known to all flesh, no matter what the skin color or the racial features. We may not wait upon God himself to do this merely because of our wishing and praying for it to occur. We have within ourselves the God-given capacity and now so many other means to praise him to others. Let us unitedly use all in harmony with our wish and prayer. Let us get all kinds of flesh to bless the holy name of our God now. Yes, let us take the course expressed by the psalmist: “Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever.”—Ps. 145: 2, CB. W 12/15 43-45
Saturday, October 23
Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and save every man his life.—Jer. 51:6, AS.
Those who have already fled to the mountains of safety with the New World society must unselfishly concern themselves with more than their own salvation. Countless others are threatened with destruction at Armageddon, which will begin with destruction of old-world religion. We who read the prophecy with discernment see the armies of desolation massing their camps around the present-day counterpart of unfaithful Jerusalem. We read the sinister meaning of the situation. It is a sign that the worldly religious system that has taken the name of God's Son but has blasphemed it and heaped reproach upon Jehovah’s name is near its devastation and hence near the start of Armageddon. Those will be the days of vengeance for vindicating Jehovah and his Messianic kingdom. It is mandatory upon the remnant to act as a watchman class and cry the warning to the people of good will of all nations to flee to the mountains. W 9/15 14a
Sunday, October 24
For “anyone that calls upon the name of Jehovah will be saved".—liom. 10: IS, NW.
The good news of the Kingdom arrangement for deliverance is now being preached by Jehovah’s visible organization, and through it has come a wonderfully full understanding of Jehovah’s arrangement for deliverance. It includes the understanding of the opportunity for serving Jehovah in this time of the end, the making by each individual of a continual confession of public praise of God, which leads to deliverance. (Rom. 10: 10) That this would be necessary to deliverance is shown by Paul, who, after quoting part of Joel’s prophecy and showing the need of faith, of knowledge and of preachers, goes on to say: “How, in turn, will they preach unless they have been sent forth?” (Rom. 10:15, NW) This is organization just as surely as Jesus organized to send forth preachers; and association with this organization that calls upon the name of Jehovah is the way of deliverance. W 2/1 21
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they . . . convert, and he healed.
-—Isa. 6:10.
God did not mean for Isaiah to go and actually fatten their hearts, stop up their ears and close their eyes to forestall any repentance; but he was predicting that that would be the effect of the message that Isaiah had been commanded to tell the people, that the people themselves would show closed eyes, unhearing ears and fatty hearts, that they would not repent and turn to Jehovah for healing spiritually. The message declared made these rebellious ones unrecep-tive because it did not please them, and since Isaiah delivered it he was said to have done these things to them. But that they did it to themselves is shown by Jesus, for in quoting this prophecy as having fulfillment in his day he said : “The heart of this people has grown thick, and with their ears they have heard with annoyance, and they have shut their eyes.’’—Matt. 13:15, W. W 6/1 11a
Tuesday, October 26
Sheba and Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all her magnates, shall say to you, “Was it to despoil them that you came?”-lilzek. 38:13, A.T.
At that time Sheba and Tarshish were at the ends of the inhabited earth. This denotes that in our day all nations will know of Gog's planned attack and will be interested in it because of the selfish gain they hope to make out of it. They want to see the remnant reduced to poverty, not that they have a commercial competition with them but because these do not represent nor speak bright prospects for the commercialism of this world, but warn that it will perish. It is not pleasant to hear that the world organization of Gog will be bankrupted and that their partnership with him and his system of things will be dissolved. Because they have such selfish sympathy with Gog’s policy of aggression and against the life interests of Christ’s brothers, they are “goats” and they will perish with the Devil and his angels.—Matt. 25 : Side. IF 10/1 23, 24a
Wednesday, October 27
Well, here is the time of favour, here is the day of salvation.—2 Cor. 6:2, Mo.
The great day of Jehovah is the day for saving believers. Its completion is the time looked for and hoped for in Christian hearts for centuries. This day in complete fulfillment had its beginning in the autumn of 1914, when Christ began to rule in the midst of his enemies, and it continues until the destruction of Satan and his wicked organization is completed. The start of this rule marks the beginning of sorrows upon Satan’s organization, and it is also a time of trouble for the inhabitants of the earth. Seeing that the kingdom of God was set up in 1914, some have wondered why God has permitted wickedness to continue for these many years thereafter. Why have the wicked ones been allowed to dominate the earth if Christ reigns? Jehovah shows us his way of dealing with wicked Satan through his dealings with wicked Pharaoh of Egypt. (Rom. 9:17, A’TF) In this way Jehovah has followed in this day set aside by him following 1914 for his vindication. IF 11/15 1,2
The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the perverse month, do 1 hate.—Prov. 8:13,
AS.
Man operates, not automatically along fixed lines, as does the inanimate creation, nor through instinct, as do the lower animals. Man is higher, as indicated by the prophecy concerning Jesus, who was made a man: “Thou makest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet.” (Ps. 8: 6, AS) Each individual has the opportunity of choosing for himself for or against Jehovah God, and it must ever be borne in mind that the love of Jehovah requires of the creature love of righteousness, because Jehovah is completely righteous. In fact, Jehovah repudiates the claimed support of all who love unrighteousness. As men, we are faced with the issue on the basis of our heart’s desire. If we have the fear of Jehovah we will hate that which is evil and become, not only hearers of his Word, but also doers of it to the saving of our souls.—Jas. 1:14, 15, 21, 22, NW. W 4/15 11,12
Friday, October 29
Wherefore, now that you have put away falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are members belonging to one another.
—Eph. 4:25, NW.
We must insist on speaking the truth. That means we must rid ourselves of the old-world lies and the practice of falsehood for any selfish reason. It means we must get free from the lies of false religion, which blaspheme God’s name and distort his purpose and way of salvation, and which lead mankind into destruction at Armageddon. “The truth will set you free,” said Jesus, and that truth we find in God’s Word. It is this truth that we must speak to one another in the New World society to build one another up on our most holy faith. It is the truth that we should publish abroad, that others who are hungry for truth and righteousness may enter the society and be filled and set free. By such persistent speaking of theocratic truth to our neighbors far and near, the New World society will indeed get known as an organization of truth. W 8/15 31
Saturday, October 30
You must not bow down to another god, because Jehovah is exclusively devoted to his name. He is a God exacting exclusive devotion.—Ex. 34 • 14> NW.
What Jehovah is called is what he called himself when Moses asked who he should say had sent him to the sons of Israel. Now, in these “latter days” before Armageddon, God has vindicated what he then called himself by now producing a name-people for himself just as he did in the days of the apostles. He has restored this people for his name’s sake. (Ezek. 39:25-28, AS) The everlasting God is jealous in this respect. (Ex. 34:14, Fenton) Since he is jealous of his name or exclusively devoted to it and will tolerate no rivalry by the name of another god among his people, then it would surely bring down upon us divine indignation if we gave prominence to the names of false gods and of notable men and women and at the same time scorned the name of the true God who is jealous for it, exclusively devoted to it. W 9/1 20, 21
Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me: lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is Jehovah? or lest I be poor, and steal, and use profanely the name of my
God.—Prov. SO: 8, 9, AS.
It is in the abundance of knowledge that we want to be rich. We want to be far removed from falsehoods and lies. We never want to deny our God Jehovah. Because they do uot take Jehovah’s name in vain, Jehovah’s witnesses are the happiest people in the world. They do not have the burden or the responsibility of trying to patch up this old world. However, they do have the answer for today’s problems, the message of God’s kingdom and the blessings it will bring to all lovers of righteousness. They will keep on giving this message, for they know there is more happiness in giving than in receiving. So, regardless of where you may be serving in Jehovah’s organization, hold to your position faithfully. Continue to give out the good news, worshiping Jehovah in holy array. W 1/15 27a
Monday, November 1
Of the glorious splendor of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works, I will meditate [soliloquize}.—Ps. 145:5,
RS; RoPss.
Oftentimes, before endeavoring to talk to others about God and his qualities and deeds, we have to talk to ourselves, or soliloquize, to impress things first upon our minds for the guidance of our tongues. Such meditation and self-preparation is good and serves a fine purpose. When we set our minds to meditating about Jehovah as Sovereign, we begin to discern the glorious splendor of his majesty. To meditate on such, we must do some private, personal study. We need to do so for our own information and for deepening our own impression and self-conviction, so as to be able to talk to others properly. During Jesus’ fortyday fast and isolation in the wilderness he meditated and endeavored to take in the full meaning of the things that the heavens had bared to his view. It fortified him against the Tempter and his assaults. After that he talked publicly, and he got others to talking. W12/15 14
Tuesday, November 2
Your enemies will build around you a fortification . . . and they will not leave a stone upon a stone in you.
—Luke 19:43, 44, NW.
In November, A.D. 66, the Roman armies under Gaius Cestius Gallus, the governor of Syria, arrived before the city that was in revolt against Rome. After five days of fighting that put the full capture of the city within his grasp he withdrew his forces for no accountable reason. The Christians, taking this as the cue given by Jesus, fled from Jerusalem. They did not stop in any part of the province of Judea; Jesus’ command was for those in Judea to flee from it to the mountains. Hence they and their children crossed the Jordan into the mountainous region of Gilead, settling principally at Pella. There they kept up their Christian activities and carried on their preaching, safe when the Romans came back in the early part of A.D. 70 and when terrible desolation came upon Jerusalem in fulfillment of Jesus’ tearful words addressed to her. W 9/15 8
Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd.—Ps. 49: H, US.
All men are like sheep, from many standpoints. The way men perish without an understanding of their Creatqr and in such vast numbers, as victims of murderous slaughter or of death in general, they could be sheep. Like sheep they have been prone to follow a leader en masse, but to their sorrow and destruction they have followed and entrusted themselves to wrong leaders. Ambitious men have assumed to be shepherds of humanity, just to take advantage of them and serve themselves, and then abandon them in danger. Mankind have gone astray and been subjected to all kinds of hardships without any comforter. They have been in need of a right shepherd, a genuine one with tender feeling for the sheep, one to whom they could be loyal and submissive with perfect safety to themselves. Who could be expected to care for these poor human sheep more than does the Creator himself? Therefore he has promised: “I myself, even I, will search for my sheep.” —Ezck. 34: 11, AS. W 8/1 2-4
Thursday, November 4
And I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations shall come in, and
I mil fill this house with splendor.—Hag. 2: 7, AT.
In 1919 Jehovah commanded his woman to ‘arise and shine,’ and that command also applied to her remnant, and, oh, how grand are the results that have accrued from their obeying his command! (Isa. 60:1, AS) Today they see the desirable things, the precious things, the treasures, the choicest things of all the nations come in. How so? In that they see the tens upon tens of thousands of people of good will from all nations and languages that have associated themselves with Jehovah’s remnant. Yes, Jehovah has shaken all nations by the preaching of the good news of the Kingdom and the desirable things of the nations have come in already, and an untold number of them will yet come in before Jehovah consummates the great shaking in fighting the battle of Armageddon and totally removing the quaking heavens and earth of the Devil’s world organization. W 1Q/15 31, 32
Friday, November 5
“In an acceptable season I heard you, and in the day for salvation I came to your help." . . . Look! Note is the day for salvation.—2 Cor. 6:2, fflF.
During the years that will yet pdss before Armageddon begins we may expect much opposition to the carrying on of pure worship. But with complete calmness, inward serenity and joy, whether we are persecuted or not, let us stand firm. We certainly are not fair-weather Christians. We are serving Jehovah in favorable season and in troublesome season. In this day of salvation of Jehovah, persecutors of Jehovah’s witnesses are going to find out that they cannot overthrow Jehovah’s servants. So let us then keep on living up to the name, be Jehovah’s witnesses right down to the end—the end of the persecutors, the end of the men who reproach the name of Jehovah, and the end of the great adversary of God, Satan. Our hope is to see retributive justice executed, and it is near now because this is the day for our salvation, W 11/15 47, 48
The word, of God . . . is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of the soul and spirit, and of the joints and their marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the
heart.-—Heb. 1^:12, A'W.
The soul and the spirit are not synonymous. The living creature is the soul, but his spirit is his motivating force. It moves him. A man may have a good spirit or a bad spirit. Sometimes we say: “I can’t be there in person, but I’ll be there in spirit,” and that is a proper expression, justified by the Scriptures. (Col. 2:5, .VW) So searching and piercing is the Word of God in the lives of his people that it distinguishes and even enables each one to distinguish between that which he actually does, which can be seen by other persons as well, and the spirit in which he does it, that is, his motive, his moving force. Self-examination in the light of God’s Word enables us to determine whether we are doing what we do because of love •for God. W 11/1 20
Sunday, November 7
But as to this, he that sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he that sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
—2 Cor. 9:6, NW.
Are you sowing sparingly, just a little bit now and then, never watering what you do sow, never looking after it? Are you afraid to go out and scatter seed abundantly in territory near your home or anywhere else? Do you do it grudgingly or under compulsion? How do you feel about your service to Jehovah? Is it satisfactory? If not, then why complain because you never have any good experiences? For just as your knowledge and understanding of God’s Word is determined by the time and effort you put into study, similarly your fruitage and harvest in the field service will be according to the effort you put forth. If you sow sparingly, if you do not want to plant the seed of truth by preaching the good news of the Kingdom, then you will not reap bountifully. If you sow plentifully by doing much preaching, then you will reap plentifully. W 1/1 8, 7a
Monday, November 8
Happy is the man that keeps on enduring trial.—Jas. 1:12, NW.
What would you do if your government told you that you could not worship Jehovah any longer and that you could not put your God ahead of the state? Where would you find happiness? Would it be by changing your mind over to worship according to the decree of the state? Or would your happiness come only in worshiping Jehovah as he directs? Would you quit preaching to others if you encountered opposition? Or would you stand firm to preach the gospel as you had the opportunity ? A true Christian servant of Jehovah could not give up his preaching of the good news of God’s kingdom. Oh, there are many things we could complain about, but if we have the right heart condition, we will be grateful to God for the opportunity to serve wherever he sends us or wherever we may be, because we know that this gospel of the Kingdom must be preached everywhere. People are people no matter where we find them, and if there are sheep among them we want to find them. W 1/16 7a
Tuesday, November 9
Jehovah gave Job twice as much as he had before. lie had also seven sons and three daughters.—Job 42:10,13, AS.
Was it cruel for Jehovah to allow Job to suffer so much? Certainly not. It was not Jehovah who put Job to the test. Jehovah was not responsible for the suffering that came upon Job. God did allow it and Job benefited by it. We see that he ended his experience with more than he had in the beginning. He gained because he was in favor with God, a proved and tested servant of Jehovah, and so he is assured a resurrection in God’s new world of righteousness. Satan, the cruel one, was the one that caused the suffering. It should be known through this record that he is the one who brings all the trials and suffering upon all the creatures that are on the earth today. We gain by this record for our own use, for it helps us appreciate the real issue of supremacy. It also helps us to see how we should maintain integrity and shows the result to those who keep integrity. W 3/1 11, 12a
Wednesday, November 10
Everyone who practices sin is also practicing lawlessness, and so sin is lawlessness.
—1 John 3: 4, NW.
God did not execute Cain for murdering Abel, though by no means considering him guiltless, but let him live on under a curse and with destruction facing him. Not having the Mosaic law, the generations living from Adam to Moses were under no obligation to keep it. However, the eternal power and Godship of the Supreme Judge were visible to them in both earth and heaven, and hence they were inexcusable for suppressing the truth and following unrighteousness. Without a God-given code of laws these men began to make laws for their own households and their rulers for the nation. Wishing to escape divine judgment some professed ignorance of God’s will and what sin is, and so various religions arose which ignore its existence. They cannot explain its beginning, its penalty and God’s provision for removing it from the universe. Their ignorance of it does not free them from its condemnation, but only holds them tighter with its chains. W 6/15 3, 4a
Thursday, November 11
So that neither is he that plants anything nor is he that waters, but God who makes it grow. Now he that plants and he that waters are one.
—1 Cor. 3: 7, 8, NW.
That means, in practice, that if we keep in mind our own littleness and unworthiness as far as we personally are concerned, then we shall not be unduly sensitive or upset if wre do happen to get ill-treated or spoken to unkindly by someone in the congregation. But, keeping grateful to Jehovah and remembering his greatness, we shall just want to keep on publishing his name throughout our neighborhood. We shall, of course, be careful on our part not to be guilty of ill-treatment toward any of Jehovah’s little ones, lest there be a discordant note. Jesus said the singing and sounding forth of the Kingdom message in perfect harmony and unity is one of the signs to the world by which all would know who are the true disciples chosen by God to be his witnesses. —John 17:23, NW. W 3/15 14a
Friday, November 12
The harvest, indeed, is great, but the workers are few. . . . Go forth.—Luke 10: 2, 3, NW.
Jesus knew that in the years ahead the pure worship of Jehovah would be expanded to the ends of the earth. This would require an efficient theocratic organization, and so at the outset of his ministry Jesus gathered about him a body of disciples to whom he gave special training and instruction for the work ahead. He picked as his close associates, not the lazy aristocrats or the indolent Pharisees, but for the most part the ones he chose were from among the working class of people, rugged fishermen and hard-working tax collectors, men and women of action who could be depended upon to get things done. And it was good that they were ambitious and energetic individuals, for much work was required of them. Like Jesus they also had to be witnesses and teachers among the nations, preachers and proclaim-ers of the good news of the Kingdom. They also had to work hard in the wheat harvest together with the “Master of the harvest.” W 4/1 8
Saturday, November 13
Sadness in a godly way makes for repentance to salvation which is not to be regretted; but the sadness of the world produces death.—2 Cor. 7:10,
NW.
Today the dying world mourns for its sufferings, its losses, its disappointments, but it is not saddened in a godly way that makes for repentance to salvation. We cannot afford to take the world’s mental attitude. To share with the world in its selfish sadness is not healthful for us. As individuals we have been sinners in the past. We made our mistakes and transgressed God’s law or even opposed him and persecuted his people. But why mourn any more over the dead past? God has now delivered his remnant and with them also the “great crowd” and has formed them into a New World society. Sorrow that led to repentance, and repentance that led to this deliverance, are now things of the past. Now it is the time for us, not to sorrow further and be saddened overmuch to our discouragement, but to rejoice at the present salvation we enjoy by Jehovah’s mercy. W 8/15 36
Sunday, November 14
I will preserve thee, ... to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages; saying to them that are botmd, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show your
selves.—Isa. 49 • 8, 9, AS.
Jehovah raised up the land by causing his anointed witnesses to inherit the formerly desolated heritages, telling them to go forth from their bondage to this Babylonish world and not to linger in its darkness but to come forth into the light of Jehovah’s day. Thus he caused the birth of a land for them by restoring them to his favor and putting them under his theocratic control, free from bondage to the foes of the Kingdom. As at the end of Jerusalem’s seventy-year desolation, this newborn land of today lies no longer under a divine interdict; the restriction is lifted, and the land is thrown wide open. It is time for Jehovah’s people to flock into the newborn land and to take up each one his theocratic assignment in it. Let now the people of good will stream into this land ! W 9/15 10a
Monday, November 15
He that trustcth in his own heart is a fool; but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.—Prov. 28:26, AS.
Deliverance requires faith, and faith requires works to give meaning to it. Every person of note m Bible history in behalf of whom Jehovah showed himself strong as a Deliverer did first show his own faith in the delivering power of the Almighty. The fact that there will be a deliverance for some men from this evil world at its end means also that others will not make it into the righteous new world. At every period of divine judgment it has been the same: some were delivered, others failed. Jesus’ parable of the “sheep and goats” indicates that a like situation would exist now at the consummation of this system of things. The reason then is plain for the preaching of the good news, namely, that men may know who is the real Deliverer and know of his kingdom arrangement for deliverance. To ignore that message is to despise God’s ability as a Deliverer and to prove to be a fool. W 2/1 ll-13a
Tuesday, November 16
And they continued devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to association together, to taking of meals and to prayers.—Acts 2: 1^2,
NW.
In respect to an organization, the association together of the individuals involved is one of the main factors. Take away the individuals and there is no organization. Associate individuals together with a common cause or common moving spirit, and an organization results. Thus immediately following the outpouring of the holy spirit at Pentecost three thousand others heartily embraced the word, were baptized and associated themselves with the members of the Christian congregation or organization. And that the Christian congregation is not a man-made organization, but that it is God who organizes it through the Lord Jesus and through the operation of his spirit, is apparent from the apostle’s illustration : “But now God has set the members in the body, each one of them, just as he pleased.” —1 Cor. 12: 18, AW. W 4/16 15, 19
Wednesday, November 17
And I have other sheep, which are not of this [Kingdom] fold; those also I must bring, and they will listen to my voice, and they icill become one flock, one shepherd.—John 10:16, AW.
Jesus the Right Shepherd died for more than the “little flock” of those inheriting the heavenly kingdom with him. Ue died also for those who will attain to perfect human life in the earthly paradise of the new world. These he must begin to gather now before the end of this old world. In view of the oncoming world destruction they must be marked for preservation. It is only because there is the one shepherd that the unity of the flock can be created, earth-wide unity, regardless of the great variety of nations from which the members of the flock are gathered. In glaring contradistinction to this hopelessly and destructively divided old world Jehovah has successfully accomplished this unification of his one flock under his “one shepherd,” his reigning King. There is no attractive, unifying force in the universe like the one living and true God and his one Shepherd-King. W 8/1 18
The future splendor of this house shall he greeter than the past.—Hag. 2:9, AT.
How true that is already today ! Through the incoming of the desirable ones with their treasures of loving devotion and of theocratic service, Jehovah’s house has been filled with a glory that eclipses not only Solomon’s temple but also what occurred during all the time Jehovah has been gathering living stones for the erection of his “spiritual house.” True, the number of the remnant will get smaller, but, oh, the throngs of hundreds of thousands of the choicest class of people out of all nations that now crowd the house of Jehovah’s worship, and these being added to by the thousands from year to year! What glory, what impressive weight this gives to Jehovah’s house, a glory ever increasing until Armageddon ! Truly all nations must now know that Jehovah has a house of worship and that it is teeming with worshipers. His worship is a reality that cannot be stamped out any more than men could stamp out his temple of “living stones.” W 10/15 36
Friday, November 19
/ [Gop] will fall upon these quiet people who live in security, . . . peacefully acquiring cattle and goods, as they live at the center of the earth.
—Ezek. 38:11,12, AT.
As Jehovah says, the restored remnant of the New World society “live at the center of the earth,” or, dwell at the navel of the earth. Spread out though they are all over the earth in their preaching activities, yet the restored remnant in their theocratic organization are the nucleus from which the New World society on earth finally spreads out to encircle all the globe. All the theocratic human society of the new world revolves around them, and in restoring them from mystic Babylon the foundations of the “new earth” were laid by Jehovah. (Isa. 51: 16) They are the most interesting, worth-while thing God has on earth, and his attention is focused upon them. So, too, the malicious attention of Gog is centered upon them. He despises the idea of a “new earth” in a perpetual new world! W 10/1 22a
Saturday, November 20
They brought those men that had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, . . . and the lions had the mastery of them.—Dan. 6: 24, AS.
Because of Daniel's innocen-cy and trust in his God, Jehovah did not permit the lions to harm him. This deliverance was a vindication of Jehovah’s name. Jehovah preserved Daniel because he showed that he was not afraid to worship Jehovah. Then, by a sudden turning of tables on the conspirators, justice was satisfied. They had been certain that Daniel was finished. But God’s righteousness demanded justice. The lions represented God’s justice and they finished off the wicked ones. And so today with Jehovah’s servant class at Armageddon. They will gain strength from Jehovah, from faith and from pure and united worship. Jehovah’s great power will preserve them. Yes, justice will be certain, for Jehovah is in charge of everything, and he will see that the evil ones receive justice. He will also see that his servants are treated justly by giving them everlasting life. W 11/15 36, 37, 41
Happy are you when people reproach you and persecute you . . . Rejoice and leap for joy, since your reward is great in the heavens.—Matt. 5:11,12, NW.
The great trouble to hinder our preaching work will not come from within God's organization, but it will be by pressure from the Devil’s organization outside. We can be happy under reproach and persecution ; so happy that we leap for joy. That is an expression of happiness! It is because we know that we are on the right side and that we have the truth. We can be happy even though people lie about us; and even though persecution is great we will keep right on talking to others, not to the persecutors, but to onlookers, and even to those who may be imprisoned with us. Having learned that there is more happiness in giving the truth to others than in just receiving it, we will keep on giving it even though every kind of wicked action is brought against us. We know our doing so brings honor to Jehovah and his Son Christ Jesus. W 1/15 18a
Monday, November 22
But God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but along with the temptation he will also make the way out in order for you to be able to endure it.
—1 Cor. 10:13, NW.
Today Jehovah’s servants in all parts of the world are maintaining integrity under powerful tests. God’s Word gives assurance that it is possible for Christians to resist all the trials and temptations that come upon us. God knows those who are his own, and he never abandons them. Though conditions go from bad to worse, that is no reason for us to give up hope, r. member, Jehovah is supreme and almighty. Soon he_ will destroy all workers of iniquity and cause his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Those who now maintain integrity even until death have the hope of an early resurrection. Together with those who live through Armageddon, these will enter the new world of real joy, righteousness and everlasting life. There is a great reward for keeping integrity. Integrity leads to life! W 3/1 24-26a
Tuesday, November 23
You must choose life in order that you may keep alive, . . . by loving Jehovah your God, by listening to his voice and by sticking to him, for he is your life.—Deut. 30:19,20, NW.
Today, since our deliverance from modern Babylon in 1919 and before our entering the new world after Armageddon, we arc having Jehovah’s theocratic law and requirements restated to us as never before in Christian history. The whole Bible is being opened up. This is the work of Jehovah’s Greater Moses, Jesus Christ. We are being drilled in the requirements of the New World society, that we may know how to choose life and keep living in God’s favor and blessing now; it may be we shall even be preserved through Armageddon into the new world at its start. The decision is ours to make now, in the light of the revealed theocratic law. The present is the favorable time for us as members of the New World society to make our final choice between the two courses that the Greater Moses sets before us. His urgent advice is, “You must choose life.” W 8/15 34, 35
Love one another; just as I have loved you.—John 13: 34, NW.
In direct contrast with the class distinction of the scribes and Pharisees was the first congregation of Christian witnesses of Jehovah that Christ began in Jerusalem. Certainly Christ’s words above quoted would be brought to mind by the refreshing power of God’s active force just poured out. That this principle did exist and was emphasized in the early congregation is shown by the admonition of the apostle Peter: “Shepherd the flock of God in your care, not under compulsion, but willingly, . . . neither as lording it over those who are God’s inheritance, but becoming examples to the flock.” What a difference, indeed, this must have been to the honest-hearted Jews, separating themselves from the arrogance and pride of the then caste-ridden Jewish nation ! In their new-formed relationship there was no class distinction, no partiality or favoritism. The principles of justice and impartiality were firmly implanted in this early beginning, the true body of Christ. W 7/1 9a
Thursday, November 25
And the choicest things of all the nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory.
—Hag. 2:7, Cohen.
By the Kingdom witness preached by his anointed remnant, Jehovah has drawn out of all the nations those whom he desires and whom his remnant properly desire, the people who are of such good will toward Jehovah that they dedicate themselves to him through Christ, the reigning King. Poor, humble and ordinary these may be, and the nations may not prize these as of much account and may now turn to hate them; yet in Jehovah’s sight they are the choicest things that the nations have, because they respond to the Kingdom witness, they also take it up and they join the remnant in heralding it to still others. To Jehovah their lives are precious and he will protect them from his execution al forces at Armageddon and will confer upon them life and its sweet privileges in the new world. They are real treasures to him, comparable to his faithful witnesses of ancient times. W 10/15 34
Friday, November 26
[Jc.s'w.s] went journeying from city to city . . . preaching and declaring the good netes of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him.
—Luke 8:1, NW.
Jesus took his disciples along with him in the witness work in order that they might learn by practical observation how to handle their assignment to preach efficiently and how to be thorough in covering their territory. And from time to time he sent them out on their own so that they could gain valuable experience through practicing in the field what they had been taught in class. Although training these disciples placed an extra burden on Jesus, he did not complain. And because Jesus was so diligent in looking after every detail he was successful in laying the foundation for a good service organization, a society of Christian ministers who not only were hard workers but were governed by theocratic principles, persons who recognized that Christ Jesus by divine appointment was directing the organization’s activity even down to the consummation of this system of things. W 4/1 10
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
—Isa. 65:17, AS.
In the seventh chapter of Revelation, in addition to the limited number of the church, a great crowd is shown serving also. Where is it they serve? In the temple; on earth in the time the temple is built up! This is accompanied by God’s judgment, the gathering of the nations before Christ Jesus and the separating of them as sheep and goats, to use the illustration he himself pointed out. (Matt. 25:31-46) All of these persons, numbering now in the hundreds of thousands, are, throughout the earth, worshiping Jehovah God. The remnant, or “remaining ones” of the temple class, and the “other sheep,” all devoted to the new world of promise, together constitute a “New World society” of Jehovah's worshipers, feeding at God’s table of spiritual truth, making such temple teaching available to others. W 5/1 12a
Sunday, November 28
Jehovah is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works.—Ps. H5: 9, AS.
Most men do not appreciate that Jehovah has a good heart. Tender mercies, compassions— Jehovah has exercised these for thousands of years. When Satan forced a challenging situation upon God by rebelling and then leading mankind’s first parents into rebelling, God was not thrown into unbalance so as to destroy all three rebels at one time. Not only did he allow time for Satan to try to prove his boast against Jehovah, but by this he also allowed time for the human family to grow and for us to come alive, that he might show his tender mercies to those who wish to take their stand on his side and prove Satan a liar. And in this “time of the end” Jehovah’s goodness has widened out to all kinds of men, markedly so since 19311935, when the salvation of a “great crowd” of other sheep was revealed as part of the divine program and when Revelation 22:17 (Vli') took on a wider application: “And let anyone hearing say, ‘Cornel’ And let anyone thirsting come.” W 12/15 22
Monday, November 29
Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.—Matt. 5: 5, A’W.
One does not have to be hardhearted and domineering to gain a place in Jehovah’s new world. Jesus' words show that just the opposite is essential. The study of Jehovah's Word will make one mild-tempered. Those in the old world who are not of a gruff but of a peaceful disposition are the ones who seek after truth and righteousness. Hungering and thirsting after righteousness, they are going to be filled and also be made happy. Can you think of any greater joy to come to a person than for him to receive a knowledge of the truth and establish his faith to such firmness that he preaches the good news he has learned? Think of how filled with the truth such a person is, even to the point of overflowing! Yes, the truth makes them merciful toward others in sharing the truth with them. The knowledge of the truth changes their lives, and they become mild-tempered and generous. So this is expressed in their giving, and they are happy. W 1/1 12a
The word of God . . . exerts power.—Heb. 4:12, NW.
How powerful is the Word of God in our lives? As far as we individually are concerned, that depends measurably on whether we get the sense of it or not. This is shown many times by Jesus, who on one occasion referred to “the one hearing the word and getting the sense of it, who really does bear fruit and produces, this one a hundredfold, that one sixty, the other thirty.” (Matt. 13:23, NW) What does it mean to get the sense of the Word of God? To get the sense of it means to hear it with real perception and appreciation, to appreciate its signification, the purport, drift, the meaning that is rational, intelligible and in accord with all the rest of God's Word and with Jehovah’s righteousness. It takes a right and good heart to do that, and such heart will retain the word. The power of God’s living Word is manifested as being in the heart of such a person by the fact that he bears fruit and has endurance through his service to Jehovah’s praise. W 11/1 15
Wednesday, December 1
The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith Jehovah of hosts.
—Hag. 2:8, AS.
Right on into the temple Jehovah brings the men of good will, ‘the choicest things of all the nations,’ that they may worship in pure, undefiled religion beside the anointed remnant there, for there is where their hearts are. They appreciate that all the silver and gold are Jehovah’s, and so when coming into his house of worship they come bringing their treasures of silver and gold, for they include all such treasures when they dedicate themselves and all they have to God through Christ. They gladly expend themselves financially and otherwise in order to carry on world-wide Kingdompreaching until the world’s end comes at Armageddon. Thus with the coming in of the desirable things of all nations the promise of Jehovah to fill his house with glory has been fulfilled, and the big results that he guaranteed are manifest: “The future splendor of this house shall be greater than the past.” W 10/15 35
Thursday, December 2
Nevertheless toe, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth.
Is the New World society rightly called a “society”? Yes, for it is a group of people, Christian people, organized and working together in a common work, meeting together regularly and worshiping Jehovah, and striving to live according to a common standard, God’s standard. This society is not incorporated under any political state and its code of laws. No such state can charter such a society as this. Its members spread beyond the bounds of any one nation or empire and its power of control. A manmade charter could not hold such a society together and keep it running. It is of God’s creation by means of his truth and his spirit. After Armageddon obliterates this old world the New World, society will continue on, for it will be approved and authorized by the only government then in power, God’s. It will form the base, the nucleus, around which the population of the “new earth” will grow and fill all this planet. W 8/15 8
It is for discipline you are enduring. God is dealing with you as with sons. . . . True, no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but grievous; yet afterward to those who have been trained by it it yields peaceable fruit, namely, right-eousness.-Heb. 12; 7,11, AW.
We have already received much correction, especially at the time we came into the truth. We received correction in our understanding of God’s Word through Bible studies. All this correction was given to us in a very kindly manner and there is no reason why servants in the congregation or elder brothers should not still admonish us in a kindly way. It may be that some who have been in the truth ten or twenty years feel they do not need any correction. But remember, the children of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years, and they needed correction continually. Reproof and instruction are the way to life; so take the correction and profit by it. You will be happier for it. W 1/15 13a
Saturday, December 4
But when you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, then you must understand that her devastation is at hand.
—Luke 21: 20, AT.
The year of the United Nations’ emergence, 1945, marks particularly the time when those who read Daniel’s prophecy and Jesus’ warning with discernment could see armies encamping to surround Jerusalem’s modern counterpart in order eventually to make her desolate and naked as a spiritual prostitute. She has been frieudlily carrying on loose conduct with the worldly United Nations. So now at Armageddon she deserves the punishment of a spiritual harlot according to God’s law. The sign of the nearer approach of Armageddon is now before our eyes. When this adulterous, religio-political combine finally cracks up and the symbolic beast and its ten horns turn against the harlot system of organized religion it will denote that the “war of the great day of God the Almighty” has begun by which he will execute all the foes of his Messianic kingdom. W 9/15 27, 28
Sunday, December 5
Jehovah is righteous in all his ways, and gracious in all his works.-—Ps. H5:17, AS.
After this world lies in ruins and we enter the new world, we shall not be in want. Jehovah through his King will open his hand and we shall not suffer while we may have to carry on for some time amid the ruins of the old world, till these are cleared away. We shall be supremely glad to be alive then and will continue to look to Jehovah's hand. This divine openhandedness and satisfying of creature desires will carry on through all the new world, endlessly. So earth’s permanent inhabitants have no grounds for fear at any time, as if the universe were to run down and things were to get out of control, interfering with man’s continued happiness. Nothing will be subject to accident. No carelessness, no neglect, no oversight can possibly occur. Jehovah will do right and justly by us. His inherent graciousness and kindness will always come to the surface. What a God, what a King, to have like this always! W12/15 36,37
Monday, December 6
In the last days there will come ridiculers with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires and saying: “ . . . Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as from creation’s beginning.”—2 Pet. 3:3, i, NW.
The evidence of Jehovah's ability to deliver is overwhelming. The proof that he is proceeding to create a new system of things in this world to which he will deliver those who love righteousness abounds in the Scriptures. Under close examination no doubts can exist that there will shortly take place for men now living the greatest deliverance of human history, and that in the greatest destruction ever to come upon the human race. So do not be abashed by those who may assume to ridicule the idea of a near-at-hand great deliverance from this evil world, or at those who mock at the prospect of Jehovah's deliverance of dead ones from the tombs. Rather, arouse your clear thinking faculties to keep foremost in mind, against a great tide of disbelief, the profound truths concerning God’s deliverance. W 2/1 15,14
Tuesday, December 7
Judge me, 0 Jehovah, for I have walked in mine integrity: . . . be merciful unto me.
—Ps. 26:1,11, AS.
The judgment is in Jehovah’s hands; we must keep our integrity to him. We must therefore count on Jehovah to grant us help. We must look to him in prayer. It is admittedly good for us to be people of integrity to employers, marriage partners or friends, but these acts alone are not sufficient to bring us life. Living what is generally called “a good life” by the people of the world cannot bring everlasting life. We must go beyond that. We must keep integrity to Jehovah God and believe in his Son. That must be done because we have a love of righteousness, because we want to do what is right. Keeping integrity or putting on a show of integrity because of pride or because of what the neighbors will think will certainly not gain us God’s approval. We must love God and his righteous principles. By pleasing him we can gain everlasting life. W 3/1 10b
Wednesday, December 8
Dike a child with a father he slaved with me in furtherance of the good news.-—Phil. 2: 22, NW.
In the congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses today many close associations exist apart from association together as fellow witnesses. Are such to be condemned as cliques or as a violation of God’s principles? Those who have the unity of the congregation at heart will be slow to make accusation in this regard as in any other matter relative to judging. They will recognize that longtime friendships are certain to exist among those who have been mature Christians together for many years, no doubt having had many theocratic experiences together. Such experiences bind them together and such intimate relation enables them to understand one another better and so be of more loving assistance to one another. Is it not reasonable, then, that although a sincere love exists in their hearts for the rest of the congregation they still feel especially drawn to these intimate associates? W 7/1 12a
Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and my servant whom I have chosen.—Isa. 43:10, AS.
The sheep of the “little flock” knew the voice of the Greater David and responded. From the ends of the earth they flocked together in their thousands into a unity of organization under his care. While thus safe against the approaching end of the world they have not been idle. They have copied their Leader and gone out searching for the strayed and scattered sheep and have served them the needed spiritual food and guided their steps to the fold of divine care and protection. As acknowledgment that Jehovah had regathered them and as a confession that they were his flock, the remnant of the little flock embraced the name distinguishing them as the witnesses of Jehovah. That was in 1931, but to this day they have lived up to the name. It is beside the point for their enemies to ask who made them His witnesses. Rather, let the enemies point out where they have failed to do what the name calls for—bear witness to Jehovah. W 8/1 16
Friday, December 10
They shall pour forth the fame of thy abundant goodness, and shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.—Ps. 145:1, US.
Jehovah has made a reputation for his goodness and it has made him famous with his people. It is so abundant that they must just let the fame of it gush forth in grateful expression, that others may learn how good God is toward those who dedicate themselves to him. All who long to know, worship and live in relation with such a good God are attracted to him by his fame as such. As Jehovah’s people we should keep his abundant goodness in memory, always bringing it to mind and talking about it with appreciation. It was this kindly quality that led us to repentance toward him in the first place, and it can likewise lead others to repentance. It is hurtful to forget it, as Israel’s experience shows. (Ps. 106:13-43) We can avoid their mistakes by remembering and then pouring out the fame of God’s goodness in great volume and thus keeping humble, trembling lest we become unworthy of his further goodness. W 12/15 17
Saturday, December 11
Apollos, . . . aglow with the spirit, . . . with intensity . . . demonstrated publicly by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.—Acts 18: 24, 25, 28, NW.
When giving a public talk quickly get down to the Scriptural argument, clearly explaining the meaning of the Scriptures and their fulfillment. This was Paul’s method. “He reasoned with them from the Scriptures,” and Apollos profited from such training. (Acts 17:2, 3, NW) But above all, let us never overlook the importance of the proper heart attitude. Do not worry if you feel you are somewhat slow in grasping things and in expressing yourself. If you are of a ready heart, you may well become a more reliable and effective singer than your brother who is conscious of being quick-witted. Remember, it is because those in Zion sing "with all the heart” that it brings such rejoicing to Jehovah’s own heart that he, too, ‘joys over thee with singing.’ What a marvelous favor to dwell in this glorious city, Zion, where Jehovah himself dwells, a city filled with such singing! W 3/15 19, 20a
No, rather, Happy are those hearing the word of God and keeping it!—Lake 11: 28, NW.
Each person must stand on his own feet to obtain happiness. For Mary it was not merely being Jesus’ mother that brought her happiness. The real thing, as Jesus pointed out, is hearing the Word of God and keeping it. It is not the position in God’s organization that gives one happiness, but what he is doing in that position. Has he heard the Word of God and is he keeping it? If he is, and if he is serving his brothers well, giving of what he has to help his brothers and the people of good will, then he will be happy. The truth is what is important, not the position. So while many in Jehovah’s organization have different positions, these are not to be glorified or worshiped or honored, but the work that is done is what is pleasing to God. And, of course, anyone who pleases Jehovah is certain to please his brothers in the truth. If the truth is in us and we live according to the truth, then we shall be happy. W 1/15 19,20a
Monday, December 13
And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it . . . ; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
—Dan. 6:17, AS.
The regal authority was used against Daniel. At this point the wicked conspirators were certain that they were delivered of Daniel and his superior way of living, his pure worship of God. To make sure that Daniel would not escape from the hungry lions they had the den officially sealed. What does this foretell? The world.in general views Jehovah’s witnesses as an insignificant group. They could not gain the upper hand in any contest of force with the men of this world. Evidently, according to this prophecy, Jehovah’s “slave” class throughout the earth are destined to come very close to being overcome as man views matters. Satan and his organization will assault and seek the destruction of Jehovah’s anointed witnesses as well as their good-will companions just before the end comes. But this will not make them afraid. —Rev. 12: 17. W 11/15 27
Tuesday, December 14
Older men . . . [become] examples to the flock.
—1 Pet. 5:1, 3, NW.
The activity and accomplishments of God’s organization are merely the sum total of what the individual members do, and to a large extent this depends on the example set by their overseers and servants. In the typical theocratic arrangement the Levites and certain others were appointed to oversee various duties, and to the extent that they individually looked well to these the nation prospered; but when they became indolent and slothful the nation as a whole suffered setbacks. So also it is today. If each servant in the congregation looks well to his job, works at it with zeal and efficiency, with an eye single toward pleasing Jehovah, then God prospers the congregation. If, on the other hand, the servants in the congregation are indifferent or so tied up in the affairs of this world that they have little or no time for Jehovah’s business, then the congregation as a whole languishes in a limp state of stagnation. W 4/1 17,18a
Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.-—2 Pet. 3:9, NW.
There is an urgency in this message, because Jehovah has set a limit to the ministry of reconciliation. We know that the destruction of those who have no faith in God is not slumbering, for Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise. Therefore, let us not close our eyes to the signs of the times in which we are living or draw back our hands from the work that has been given us to do. Do not take the attitude of those who say, “If there is a God, why doesn’t he do something?” Be assured that he has done something! He has provided his Son for the redemption of men of faith and will shortly complete the carrying out of his purposes with regard to the earth by wiping out the old system of things at Armageddon, to make way for the new heavens and new earth wherein dwells righteousness. W 12/1 37, 38
Thursday, December 16
You must not do .. . each one whatever is right in his own eyes.—Dcut. 12: 8, NW.
While it was true of Christians from apostolic days down to 1914 that ‘the Father transplanted them into the kingdom of his Son,’ yet now that Son has more than a spiritual kingdom over his followers. (Col. 1: 12, 13, NW) He has been enthroned to rule now in the midst of his enemies in heaven and earth and to dash the nations to pieces at Armageddon and take over the literal control of the whole earth. He enforces theocracy, applies Godrule, toward this earth. He is a swift punisher of what is un-theocratic. So watch out for him at Armageddon. We dare not act independently of him in religious matters. We may not do what we please. We must be theocratic in thought, deed, worship and organization, putting God’s rule before people’s rule. We may not be isolationists, individualists, squirming under the obligations and restrictions of organization, objecting to being organized, with God on top and us below. W 8/15 26
Friday, December 17
The eyes of all look to thee, and thou givest them their food in due season.—Ps. 155:15, RS.
Spiritually speaking, those of the New World society are the best-fed people on earth. Why? Because they look to the right source for food, Jehovah. Those who give their full time and energy to Jehovah’s service especially trust his care for them, for they know they are of more worth than the beasts and birds for whom he does not fail to show care. He has sent his royal Son to the temple of worship, who has designated the loyal remnant of his Body as a “faithful and discreet slave” class to “give them their food at the proper time.” (Matt. 24:45-47, NW) Now not only the anointed domestics partake of it but also the “other sheep” who crave spiritual food that satisfies and leads to life. As long as this slave class remains on earth, be that also after Armageddon, Jehovah will not discharge them, not even when he raises the faithful witnesses of au-cient times from the dead, but will always give this slave class something to serve as seasonable food. W12/15 33,34
Saturday, December 18
Prepare war, arouse the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, . . . Beat your ploughshares into swords, and your pruning-knives into spears.—Joel 3: 9,10, Da.
Christ Jesus does not speak peace to the nations of this world. He wields the iron scepter to smash all the nations to pieces like mere potter’s vessels at Armageddon. He defies all nations to fight him there. Under command to make this war proclamation to all nations, Jehovah’s witnesses can not and will not join in with any pacifist organization in urging the national governments to cease from war in the name of Christianity. Jehovah’s witnesses will not lend any support to the Disarmament Resolution passed on April 18, 1953, by the General Assembly of the United Nations. To do such a thing would, for one thing, be useless. For another thing, and that more important, it would be contrary to Jehovah’s command to his witnesses. W 10/15 39
Sunday, December 19
These twelve Jesus sent forth, giving them these orders: “ . . . As you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.’ ”—Matt. 10: 5, 7,
NW.
Jesus sent out twelve apostles as ambassadors to preach. Their message was to show the Israelites how necessary it was for them to draw near to God and to repent of their wrong ways, and to listen to the Messiah and to acknowledge the kingdom of the heavens that was at hand. The apostles were to give these life-sustaining truths to their hearers, teaching them of the superior government that would bring blessings and life. The things that would be accomplished by this new government were illustrated in a miniature way; for the apostles had power to cure the sick, to raise the dead, to make lepers clean and to expel demons. All these blessings they gave freely to the people who would hear. (Matt. 10: 1-15, NW) The days of their ministry must have been happy ones for them. They gave so much. We likewise can make our ministry of the truth a most happy one by giving all we can. W 1/1 la
Monday, December 20
I will shake all the nations, and the noblest of all peoples shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, saith Yahweh of hosts.—Hag. 2:7, Ro, margin.
The house to be filled with glory was a temple dedicated to Jehovah of hosts. His promise to fill it with glory was part of a prophecy uttered to stir up the restored Jewish remnant to renew the work of rebuilding the temple at Jerusalem that had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, and for which very purpose they had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. That prophecy is of the greatest import to us now. How so? Because today Jehovah has filled his spiritual house with glory and gifted it with divine peace. Blessed are those witnessing this sight in vindication of Jehovah’s Word. Blessed shall we be to abide in his house worshiping him purely, “in holy array,” and tirelessly working for the filling of his house with yet greater glory by helping all the remaining desirable ones of all the nations to come in. W 10/15 1-3, 43
Let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains. Let the man on the housetop not come down to take the goods out of his house.—Matt. ?.j:l(>, IT, NW.
The founding and building of the new and lasting things go forward successfully wrhile the condemning and destroying of the old things proceed. When the demolishing of the old is completed shortly, there will be no chaotic beginning for the new, but the way will be fully cleared for the developing of the new to the grandeur of a paradise. It is a time of increasing peril. It is also a time of great opportunity. The peril steadily increases for those who hang on to the old in defiance of its being condemned. Mankind’s only safety lies in speedy flight to the new, and that without delay. It is with the new that the opportunity lies for men to survive the end of the old and enjoy a future of enduring happiness, peace and love. Happy are those people who see the new things being constructed and who flee to them. W 11/15 1
Wednesday, December 22
Noah went in, and Shern and IIam and Japheth, Noah’s sons, and the wife of Noah and the three wives of his sons with him, into the ark.—Gen. 7:13, NW.
If we have faith in the Kingdom, if we are lovingly loyal to God’s anointed King, we shall be glad to obey his instructions and arrangements through his visible theocratic organization. The Kingdom means tighter organization for God’s people on earth. This is vitally necessary if we are to stand up against the combined forces of the enemy and overcome this world. No one can go it alone, and the King will not go it alone with such an individualist. He goes with his flock, his organized subjects. If we avoid organization and its obligations, where could we go after Armageddon? For anyone to forsake the organized congregation of those who are destined to survive Armageddon means for that one never to get past Armageddon into the New World and its theocratic system. Like Noah’s family we must now get into the ark all together! W 8/15 27
Thursday, December 23
They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glory of the majesty of his kingdom. —Ps. H5:11, 12, AS.
In setting up the Kingdom in 1914 Jehovah’s power was manifested, and since 1919 further divine power has been manifested in having its establishment proclaimed despite opposition. In loving devotion these proclaimers, Jehovah's witnesses, talk of its power that is to be fully manifested at Armageddon for Jehovah’s vindication. The kingdom must be described and explained to men, that those who hunger for a righteous, God-fearing government may know that this is it and may tender their unconditional allegiance to it. The prophecies of what God's kingdom is doing and must yet do clothe it with a glory of majesty that no other kingdom has ever had or could display. This is the worth-while Government for us to assemble to in unqualified support. We must make God’s kingdom our only hope. It is our only hope. W 12/15 25-27
He also will hear their cry, and will save them.
—Ps. 145:19, AS.
We want to remember Jehovah’s nearness when sore distress arises for us, either individually or as a new-world society. Our initial fear of him was what led to the divine wisdom we now possess. Jehovah’s vindication as rightful Sovereign of the universe, our chief desire, will straighten out everything and put it on a right basis. First of all he must be accorded his rightful place and must be acknowledged according to what is right and true, and all that misrepresents him in any respect must be cleared away. Our desire for this we shall have completely fulfilled. This is the time when Jehovah’s ability to save is being put to a crucial test. We cry to him now. But under enemy attack, especially under Gog’s final attack, we are yet going to cry to Jehovah. (Ezek. 38 :1-39 :16) When we show we do not compromise or look to this world but look to Him as Savior, he will hear our cry for help and save us for his glory in the new world. W 12/15 40, 41
Saturday, December 25
The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, saith Jehovah of hosts; and in this place will I give peace.—Hag. 2:9, AS.
The conflicts of nations outside will never invade Jehovah’s house of worship. Internal discord will never break up the worship of the anointed remnant and their good-will companions, and thus rob Jehovah’s house of its allsurpassing glory. Not the United Nations, but Jehovah’s house of worship is the only place of peace on earth today, and the nations of this world cannot take it away. It is the gift of God to us. At times Israel, divided under Ephraim and Jerusalem, engaged in fratricidal warfare with each other, but eventually Jehovah united them as one people and cut off the war weapons from use against each other. Likewise with the remnant of his spiritual Israelites: No matter of what loyalties they formerly were, Jehovah by his King unites them as one nation and he helps them by his holy spirit to worship and serve him in peace. IF 10/15 37, 38
Sunday, December 26
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will we not fear.
—Ps. 46:1,2, AS.
If we keep trusting in Jehovah and proving our trust by holding loyal to his theocratic government and to the proclaiming of the good news of his kingdom, we have no need to fear, neither from Gog's mob nor from Armageddon, for Jehovah is with us! Cowardly flight could, but Gog will never, dislodge us from our God-given land. During this "time of the end” we have been witnesses to Jehovah’s name and kingdom. Shortly now we are to be made eyewitnesses to the most magnificent spectacle when Jehovah reveals his glory at Armageddon in vindication of his creation-wide sovereignty. As beholders of this the New World society can serve as an everlasting witness to Jehovah’s vindication victory by relating it to all the children born in the new world, yes, to all those resurrected from the dead. God grant us to maintain our stand immovable by ceaseless activity and a vigilant guard until this sublime victory over Gog of Magog. IF 10/1 42a
As for a righteous man walking in his integrity, how happy are his children after him!
—Prop. 20:7, Ro.
Jehovah’s witnesses fully appreciate the need of God’s spirit in order to walk in integrity and keep faithful to God. We want to see the children of Jehovah’s witnesses grow up in the truth and stand firm too. It is not pleasant to see children act obstreperously. Sometimes it appears that the parents do not care how their children act. When we look at the younger generation, even among those who are dissatisfied with conditions and who have turned to the truth, we sometimes find that they have a saucy, indifferent attitude. Of course, that is the way the world trains its children, to be tough. But when a person begins to study God’s Word and to make his mind over, he should see that people can get along much better by following the principle of love. We must drop old attitudes, for our ways are not God’s ways and his thoughts are much higher than our thoughts. W 1/15 14a
Tuesday, December 28
This hook of the law . . . take care to do according to all that is written in it, for then you will make your way successful and then you will act wisely.
—Josh. 1:8, NW.
God’s Word is practicable; it may be practiced and performed. It is capable of being put into practice. Its requirements for Jehovah’s service upon earth are capable of being accomplished. If this living Word is practical it can actually be turned to account and it is not merely theoretical, nor merely an impractical idea that sounds nice. It is utilitarian. If it is practical it is valuable in practice and is available, and those who utilize it are actually working with it. The shoddy contention of self-centered men that God’s Word is neither practical nor practicable falls flat in the light of the internal and external evidence pertaining to the Bible. When men say, “It won’t work,” they identify themselves as men who have never tried the Bible and have never put it to practice. W 11/1 13a
Wednesday, December 29
God setteth the solitary in families.—Ps. 68: 6.
Family life plays an important part in the theocratic structure of the Christian congregation. That is because God has ordered the family arrangement just as he did in the beginning with Adam and later in the nation of Israel. While on the one hand it was true that the Israelites were Jews by birth and on the other it is true that Christians today are Jehovah’s witnesses by choice and association, still the family order prevails throughout the entire organization. As one leaves the old-world society and separates himself from the dying family that is under Adam’s condemnation he must, to receive life, associate with the New World society and become a member of the family of God. This he does by accepting Jesus Christ as his father in the place of Adam and, if he is received by God, he is justified and made God’s own spiritual son or he is reserved for life everlasting on the earth and given this righteous standing at the end of the thousandyear reign of Christ. W 7/1 la
A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; righteous and upright is he.
—Deut. 32NW.
How right our God is! Whenever he is judged, he always wins and comes off vindicated as to what he said and did. So it is always good to let God be found true, although it proves every man a liar. (Rom. 3: 4) Not only when compared with men but also when compared with those whom men worship as gods, how righteous Jehovah is! The false gods, as these are reflected in the thoughts, deeds, words and religions of their worshipers, are so unrighteous, so repulsive. But Jehovah never oversteps righteousness. Even when he declares sinners righteous he still remains righteous ; having made provision through Christ’s ransom whereby he can cancel the sins of those who repent and turn from their sins and dedicate themselves to him through Christ. This justice or righteousness of his is a grand theme for us to sing about. Yes, let others know that there is no iniquity in our God. W 12/15 18
The new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith Jehovah.—Isa. 66: 22, AS.
We are now on the threshold of a new world that will never perish or grow old. What an unspeakable privilege it is now to live in the land of safety with the New World society and take part in the preparations for that world of calm and contentment with godliness, where nothing may harm us or make us afraid 1 It is Jehovah who builds the righteous new world by his King, and so our preparations for it are principally with ourselves as a new-world society, learning how to work together in love, getting organized theocratically and keeping so. Amid the destructions during Armageddon our various physical properties, homes, Kingdom Halls, etc., may be destroyed, but under heavenly protection from Jehovah’s executional hosts we shall survive with what we need, chief of all of which will be his approval for holding fast our integrity to him and his kingdom. W 9/15 17a
Chief Office and Official Address of
WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY, INC. INTERNATIONAL BIBLE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION is
124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn 1, New York, U. S. A.
Addresses of Branch offices:
America (U.S.), 117 Adams St., Brooklyn 1, N. Y. **Australia, 11 Beresford Road, Strathfield, N.S.W. **Austria, Liechten-steinstr. 24, Vienna IX. ^Bahamas, Box 1247, Nassau, N.P. ♦♦Belgium, 28 Ave. Gen. Eisenhower, Schaerbeek-Brussels. ♦♦Bolivia, Casilla No. 1440, La Paz. **Brazil, Rua Licfnio Cardoso 330, Rio de Janeiro. **Bntish Guiana, 50 Brickdam, Georgetown. **British Honduras, Box 257, Belize. **Brit-ish West Indies, 21 Taylor St., Woodbrook, Port of Spain, Trinidad. **Burma, P.O. Box 62, Rangoon **Canada, 40 Irwin Ave., Toronto 5, Ontario. **Ceylon, 10/1 Vidyala Place, Colombo 10. **Chile, Moneda 1710, Santiago. **Colombia, Carrera 24, 16-23, Bogota. **Costa Rica, Apartado 2043, San Jose. **Cuba, Calle D No. 206, Almendares, Marianao, Havana. **Cyprus, Box 196, Famagusta. **Denmark, Sondre Fasanvej 54, Copenhagen-Valby. **Ecuador, Casilla 4512, Guayaquil **Egypt, Post Box 387, Cairo. **Eire, 86 Lindsay Road, Glasnevin, Dublin. **EI Salvador, Apartado 401, San Salvador. **Eng!and, 34 Craven Terrace, London, W. 2. **Ethiopia, Box 1781, Addis Ababa ♦♦Fiji, Box 23, Suva. **Finland, Vainamoisenkatu 27, Helsinki ♦♦France, 3 Villa Guibert, Paris 16*. **Germany (Western), Am Kohlheck, (16) Wiesbaden-Dotzheim. **Gold Coast, B.W.A., Box 760, Accra. **Greece, 16 Tenedou St., Athens 8. **Guate-mala, 11 Avenida Norte No. 5-67, Guatemala. **Haiti, Post Box B-185, Port-au-Prince. **Hawari, 1228 Pensacola St., Honolulu 14. **Honduras, Apartado 147, Tegucigalpa. **Hong Kong, 232 Tai Po Rd., 2d Floor, Kowloon. **lndia, 167 Love Lane, Bombay 27. ♦♦Indonesia, Postbox 105, Djakarta. **lsrael, P.O. Box 385, Jerusalem. **Italy, Via Monte Maloia 10, Monte Sacro, Rome 742. ♦♦Jamaica, 151 King St., Kingston. **Japan, 1 Toyooka-Cho, Shiba-Mita, Minato-Ku, Tokyo. **Korea, P.O. Box 7, Sodaemun-ku P.O., Seoul. **Lebanon, P.O. Box 1122, Beirut. **Liberia. P.O. Box 171, Monrovia. **Luxembourg, 66 Boulevard General Patton, Luxembourg. **Mexico, Calzada Melchor Ocampo 71, Mexico 4, D.F ♦♦Netherlands, Konmgslaan 1, Amsterdam-Z. **Netherlands West Indies, Breedestraat 12, Otrabanda, Curasao. **Newfound-land, Canada, Post Box 521, St. John’s. **New Zealand, G.P.O. Box 30, Wellington, C. 1. **Nicaragua, Apartado 183, Managua, D.N. **Nigeria, West Africa, P.O. Box 695, Lagos. **Northern Rhodesia, Box 5, Lusaka. **Norway, Inkognitogaten 28 B., Oslo. ♦♦Nyasaland, Box 83, Blantyre. **Pakistan, Post Box 7227, Karachi 3. **Panama, Box 274, Ancon, C.Z. **Paraguay, Ayolas 394, Asuncion. **Peru, Pasaje Velarde 165, Lima. **Philippine Republic, 104 Roosevelt Rd., San Francisco del Monte, Quezon City. ♦♦Puerto Rico, 704 Calle Lafayette, Pda. 21, Urb. Hip., Santurce 34. **Sierra Leone, Box 136, Freetown. **Singapore 15, 33 Poole Road. **South Africa, Private Bag, P.O. Elandsfontein, Transvaal. **Southern Rhodesia, P.O. Box 1462, Salisbury. **Surinam, Zwartenhovenbrugstraat 181 Boven, Paramaribo. **Sweden, Luntmakaregatan 94, Stockholm Va. **Switzerland, Allmendstrasse 39, Berne 22. ♦♦Thailand, Box 67, Bangkok. **Uruguay, Joaquin de Salterain 1264, Montevideo. **Venezuela, Ave. JosS A. P&ez 27, Quinta Savtepaul, Parafso, Caracas.
