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Bible Truth Triumphs Amid Tradition

ONE hundred years ago, the Bible had a prime place in most British households. The King James Version of 1611, an established part of the nation’s Protestant tradition, was greatly loved and respected. Thus, when Charles T. Russell, the first president of the Watch Tower Society, visited the British Isles for the first time in 1891, he was impressed by the “religious fervor” of the people. He described the country as “fields ready and waiting to be harvested,” and saw the urgent need to bring this interest together and to distribute more Bible literature in the country.

To meet this need, Russell opened a book depot in London, and by 1898 there were nine congregations of Bible Students (as Jehovah’s Witnesses were then known) meeting in Britain. Two years later, in 1900, the first branch office of the Watch Tower Society was organized in London, and in 1911 it became located at 34 Craven Terrace. The nearby London Tabernacle became the center for many historic assemblies. The evangelizing work prospered throughout the country.

With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, however, the scene was set for change. Support for traditional religion began to wane, the erosion continuing to our day. Who would then have thought it possible that 70 years later the Anglican Church, steeped in tradition with its ancient churches and cathedrals, customs and celebrations, would be losing 75 percent of its congregation before they reach the age of 20? Or that the Church of Scotland’s membership would tumble to less than a million, or about 18 percent of the population? Or that many Welsh chapels would end up as garages, supermarkets, or recreational centers? But such is the picture today.

On the other hand, who would ever have dreamed that Jehovah’s Witnesses in Britain would, in 1984, number over 95,000 active preachers? Or that their 1,170 congregations would be engaged in an unprecedented program of Kingdom Hall construction? Yet, the facts are there for all to see. How are we to account for this seemingly paradoxical development? Why are Jehovah’s Witnesses prospering in Britain? And what challenges are they facing today?

Power of Bible Truth

Traditions die hard, as the saying goes. Even so, love of Bible truth has enabled many who had long been staunch church supporters to break free from the grip of such traditions. Others, too, have allowed the power of Bible truth to transform their life. Indeed, in the following experiences, we can clearly see how Bible truth triumphs amid tradition in Britain.

One elderly lady who had been a stalwart member of the Church of England all her life was well known for her love of the Bible. Although she knew and admired a number of Witnesses in her community, she never allowed herself to get involved too deeply when it came to discussing religion with them. But when the book You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth was scheduled to be considered at a nearby Bible study group, she accepted the invitation to attend and was deeply impressed by what was being discussed. From that first meeting, she became a regular attender there and at the congregation’s Kingdom Hall. When the vicar called to inquire about her absence from church, she told him frankly that she would never be going back as she had learned more about the Bible during the past few weeks than she had learned during her 86 years as a member of his church.

“Confession followed talk with Witnesses” was the headline given to the following story by The West Wales Guardian. A 30-year-old man was arrested for stealing. He instructed his lawyer to enter a plea of “Not Guilty.” Before the court hearing, however, he started to study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. The outcome? A statement to the court and a last-minute change of plea to “Guilty”! In summarizing the case, the chairman of the magistrates declared: “We are delighted that you have decided to live by the law of the land.” The man’s wife, appreciating the profound changes her husband had already made in his life, exclaimed: “This really is the best way of life!”

Bible Truth Benefits Children

For years, a bone of contention in households where only one of the parents is a Witness has been that the children are deprived, particularly when it comes to traditional religious celebrations. A recent High Court judgment, however, puts this emotional topic in a different perspective by saying, in part:

“There is nothing immoral or socially obnoxious in the beliefs and practice of [Jehovah’s Witnesses]. There is a great risk, because we are dealing with an unpopular sect, in overplaying the dangers to the welfare of these children inherent in the possibility that they may follow their mother and become Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

Rather than being deprived, children of Jehovah’s Witnesses often receive commendation because of their Christian training and upbringing. For example, one teacher in Glasgow, Scotland, noted that they “do well in school, not because they are more intelligent, but because, from an early age, they are taught how to sit and listen and how to apply what they learn.” He also observed that Witness teenagers tend to be more balanced and therefore, in his opinion, better able to cope with the problems peculiar to the adolescent years.

‘Seek First the Kingdom’

What happens when the children grow up? Does the training they receive when young result in any advantage in later life? With three and a half million unemployed people in Britain now, putting spiritual things first in life can be a real test. Yet, as Jesus promised, “seeking first the kingdom” does lead to rich dividends, as borne out by the following experience.​—Matthew 6:33.

While trying to decide between the full-time ministry and a secular profession, a young Witness was offered a promising job with an engineering firm with the stipulation that he enroll for special study courses on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. The young man, however, decided to make it clear that as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses he attended congregation meetings on those two evenings. “Which will you put first?” the manager wanted to know. Unwilling to compromise, the young man turned down the offer but took part-time employment to support himself and started in the full-time ministry.

Looking back over four years of happy, fruitful activity, the young man, now with foreign missionary service as his goal, has seen many of his contemporaries who went to universities still without employment. Others have become dropouts from society. What of the company that made the offer? Soon thereafter it went into liquidation and is no more.

The full-time ministry, or pioneering, is not just for the young. One Witness, a family man in the north of England, sold his prosperous business and took part-time work in order to pioneer regularly. With his fine lead, three of his four children pioneered straight from school, leaving the remaining daughter keen to join them when her turn comes. The mother also sets a fine example by serving as an auxiliary pioneer, spending 60 hours or more a month in the preaching work whenever she can.

The auxiliary pioneer work has caught on well in Britain. In May 1984, a peak of 12,108 Witnesses volunteered for this privilege of service. Imagine the enthusiasm in one Scottish congregation when a 23-year-old brother who had been a thalidomide baby born with no arms and only one leg, took the lead and enrolled. With the kind help of the congregation, he is able to witness from door to door.

The Challenge of a Mixed Community

Although Britain is a small country, it is not without its challenges as far as varying traditions, languages, and dialects are concerned. In Wales, for example, most people, though English speaking, are still conversant with their native tongue, Welsh. A few, in more remote areas of the Principality, are solely Welsh speaking. To help them, the Society has recently printed some Bible study aids in the Welsh language, and initial reports indicate that they are being very well received.

Since World War II, there has been a steady influx of British citizens from former colonies. Besides large numbers of West Indians, reports show that over one million Asians from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh now live in Britain. Their languages have presented a most interesting challenge to Jehovah’s Witnesses. Though Bible literature is available in both Gujarati and Punjabi​—the two main tongues involved—​initial breakthrough is not easy. Witnesses who set their minds to learn the languages and to understand the social and religious traditions of these people are warmly welcomed by the communities.

As a result, the London newspaper Garavi Gujarat reports: “Many Gujaratis have broken away from the traditional Hindu Caste System and have now become Jehovah’s Witnesses.” A similar headline in the Wembley Midweek proclaims: “Bible breaking caste barriers.” Those who break away, however, are faced with considerable family pressure, especially regarding the tradition of arranged marriage. Confronted with this situation, one young Indian girl witnessed at length to the men who were introduced to her as prospective husbands. Each in turn decided that he did not want to marry her in view of her strong religious faith. Eventually, with her parents’ consent, she married an Indian Witness. They are now a united family in Jehovah’s service. Today, over 500 Witnesses of Asian background are active across the country, among them 35 full-time preachers!

Building for the Future

In the months just prior to the second world war, the first Kingdom Halls were built in London, in the suburbs of Harrow and Ilford. Now, there are 140 congregations in London alone, including 4 Greek, 2 Italian, and one Spanish, along with Chinese, Gujarati, Japanese, Portuguese, and Punjabi groups. The challenge to acquire new Kingdom Halls, in the face of the wildly escalating cost of property, is greater than ever.

Speeding things up, however, is the new two-day Kingdom Hall building program. The first such hall in Europe was erected in 1983 in the Midlands town of Northampton. Witnesses experienced in this unique field of construction came from the United States and Canada to oversee the project. At a nearby school, the headmaster gave permission for the pupils to visit the building site at regular intervals to see firsthand what he called “a challenging view of a great community undertaking.” But it was more than that. It was an international project, with about 500 volunteers from as far afield as Japan, India, France, and Germany.

This spirit of unity is now a source of much comment in Britain. No longer are Jehovah’s Witnesses looked upon as an insignificant minority. They are seen as a people with a purpose, building for the future with, as one Church of England clergyman put it, “an efficient organisation as well as burning enthusiasm.” He further observed: “They show a detailed knowledge of the Bible. They can quote it and find their way easily about it. Their ordinary members seem to be extraordinarily well trained.” Herein lies the reason for their unity and strength: Jehovah’s Witnesses use the Bible as sole authority for all that they believe and preach, a fact readily acknowledged today.

In Britain in the 1980’s, the Bible is still a best-seller, and respect for it remains. True, there may no longer be the “religious fervor” so readily apparent one hundred years ago. But by holding high the truth of the Bible, Jehovah’s Witnesses there are gathering a bountiful harvest. A total of 187,709 persons gathered with them for the 1984 annual commemoration of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ​—a peak attendance! With good reason, therefore, they remain confident that in this land of tradition thousands more will yet embrace Bible truth to become worshipers of Jehovah, the God of truth, as this system of things draws to its close.​—Matthew 24:3, 14.

[Map/​Picture on page 27]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

BRITAIN

SCOTLAND

Glasgow

ENGLAND

Northhampton

London

WALES

[Picture on page 29]

Quickly built Kingdom Hall at Northampton, England