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“Peace on Earth” Assemblies Come to Europe

FOLLOWING eight international gatherings of Jehovah’s witnesses in the United States and Canada, the first of six in Europe began in London, July 29. What a thrill to see 55,390 present on the opening day, despite an all-day rain!

Where did so many come from and where did they stay? Besides delegates from Britain over one hundred planes brought more than 4,000 from many other lands. Residents of London, in turn, opened their homes to thousands. One householder, already accommodating eight Witnesses, thought they were such ‘nice people,’ she asked if it were possible to send her five more.

During the assembly 2,215 were baptized in symbol of their dedication to Jehovah. Excellent! This figure is not far from some recent yearly totals for all of Britain.

The climax came on Sunday, August 3. Wembley Stadium was overflowing, tier upon tier, and even the cinder racetrack with its extra seats was filled. Present in and about the Stadium, 82,416! They had come to hear the Watch Tower Society’s president, N. H. Knorr, deliver the talk “The Approaching Peace of a Thousand Years.”

If all the Witnesses in Britain (some 58,000) were in attendance, plus the 4,000 overseas delegates, still there were at least 20,000 of the public also present!

With only a one-day interval following this London assembly, thousands gathered simultaneously at Copenhagen and Paris. By cable it was reported that 42,073 attended the public talk in Copenhagen, with 1,407 being baptized. In Paris, where 47,480 attended the public talk, there was an unprecedented percentage baptized, 3,619!

So, while tens of thousands were converging on Nuremberg and Rome for similar assemblies, already at these three European gatherings 171,969 had learned how they can enjoy the approaching peace of a thousand years.