The Watchtower, February 15, 1953
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WATCHTOWER
FEBRUARY 15,1953 Semimonthly
WHEN WILL GOD'S KINGDOM COME?
DELIGHTING TO DO GOD'S WILL
Announcing JEHOVAH'S KINGDOM
AFRICAN TOUR—SIERRA LEONE FIRST STOP
EXPANSION OF TRUE WORSHIP IN NIGERIA
"HOW DO YOU MAKE A CONVERT?" CWTB&TS THE PURPOSE OF "THE WATCHTOWER"
Literal towers in Bible times were elevated vantage points from which watchmen could observe happenings, warn of danger, or announce good news. Our magazine figuratively occupies such a vantage point, for it is founded on the very pinnacle of wisdom, God's Word. That elevates it above racial, national and political propagandas and prejudices, frees it from selfish bias. It is not bound by any traditional creed, but its message advances as the light on God's purposes and works increases.—Habakkuk 2:1-3.
It sees things Scripturally. When it observes this generation afflicted with greed, delinquency, hypocrisy, atheism, war, famine, pestilence, perplexity and fear, and persecution of unpopular minorities, it does not parrot the old fable about history repeating itself. Informed by Bible prophecy, it sees in these things the sign of the world's time of the end. But with bright hope it also sees opening up for us just beyond these woes the portals of a new world.
Thus viewed, "The Watchtower" stands as a watchman atop a tower, alert to what is going on, awake to note signs of danger, faithful to point out the way of escape. It announces Jehovah's kingdom established by Christ's enthronement in heaven, feeds his kingdom joint-heirs with spiritual food, cheers men of good will with glorious prospects of eternal life in a paradise earth, comforts us with the resurrection promise for the dead.
It is not dogmatic, but has a confident ring in its voice, because it is based on God's Word. It does not privately interpret prophecy, but calls attention to physical facts, sets them alongside prophecy, and you see for yourself how well the two match, how accurately Jehovah interprets his own prophecy. In the interests of our salvation, it keeps sharp and faithful focus on Bible truth, and views religious news generally.
'Be watchful in these perilous times,' God admonishes. So keep on the watch by regularly reading "The Watchtower".
PUBLISHED BY THE WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY
117 Adams Street
N. H. KNORR, President
GRANT SUITER, Secretary
"They will all be taught by Jehovah."—John 6:45, NW; Isaiah 54:13
CONTENTS
"How Do You Make a Convert?" 99
'Like a Mighty Army' 100
Delighting to Do God's Will 101
African Tour—Sierra Leone First Stop 105
Expansion of True Worship in Nigeria 109
The Bible, an Ornament or a Light? 112
When Will God's Kingdom Come? 113
Questions from Readers 126
Announcements 128
Abbreviations used in "The Watchtower" for the following Bible versions
AS - American Standard Version LXX - The Septuagint Version
AT - An American Translation Mo - James Moffatt's version
Da - J. N. Darby's version NW - New World Trans. (2nd Ed.)
Dy - Catholic Douay version Ro - J. B. Rotherham's version
ED - The Emphatic Diaglott RS - Revised Standard Version
Le - Isaac Leeser's version Yg - Robert Young's version
Unless otherwise indicated, the Bible used is the King James Version
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"HOW DO YOU MAKE A CONVERT?"
OUR Sunday Visitor, a Roman Catholic weekly, of July 6, 1952, under the above heading, among other things, stated: "BEST ARGUMENT. Our biggest asset, of course, is the good example of our own living. People just can't help admiring honesty, and purity, and truthfulness, and compassion, and all the Christian virtues. There's something essentially charming and attractive about virtue. It's God shining through the soul. More than once I've had a young fellow walk into my office and say, Father, I want to become a Catholic. My girl's a Catholic, and any Faith that can make a person so darned good—well, that's the Church for me! So each of us has our own little 'circle of influence'-people who respect us, ask our advice, and watch our comings and goings with great interest. They see us going to confession and Holy Mass on week ends. They see us on Fridays munching our way through cheese and cold fried-egg sandwiches."
It may not be amiss to observe that not all persons will agree with the sentimental swains who visit the "Rev." Bonaventure Fitzgerald, O.F.M. Cap. Among those failing to agree is none other than the founding editor of Our Sunday Visitor, Bishop John F. Noll himself. In an address to the National Catholic Conference on Family Life, back in 1947 (March 12), he stated: "Nearly all the evils of society prevail most where we and not where Protestants live." It is in areas where the population is eighty
per cent Protestant that "family life is most wholesome, and where the divorce rate is low", he asserted. "On the other hand, where the bulk of Catholics live, one half of the marriages end in divorce," he contrasted.
How much more important and effective to present reasons and Scriptural proof for one's beliefs than being content with letting people see us 'munching cheese or cold fried-egg sandwiches on Fridays'; as if there were any merit in not eating meat on Friday when the Bible plainly tells us: "The kingdom of God does not mean eating and drinking, but means righteousness and peace and joy with holy spirit."—Romans 14:17, New World Trans.
Continuing his advice to the Catholic "laity" on "How Do You Make a Convert?" Fitzgerald states: "There's at least one point on which we priests are up on laypeople. We're filled to the ears with information on religion. Our education and reading have us soaked in it. It practically comes out of our pores. It's pretty hard to stump any priest on a question of religion, after his years of philosophy and theology, his reading of Church history and the writings of the Fathers. From the thousands of hours spent instructing converts in the parlor, he's heard practically every question and difficulty that can be thrown at a man. You haven't. You're kept busy with other things. You feel that you're doing pretty well if you've mastered the catechism and a few elementary notions in Bible History."
As to how thoroughly priests are acquainted with their Bible, regardless of how much they may know about theology, philosophy, church history, etc., can be gathered from the errors appearing in the section "Bible Class Studies" of Our Sunday Visitor of May 25,1952. This article stated: "Later Abraham had another son named Ishmael." As if Ishmael were born after Isaac, when all should know that Ishmael was the result of impatience for a seed by Abraham through Sarah. It also went on to state: "It was after the deliverance of Lot from the fire which destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah that God
promised Abraham a son." In Genesis, chapter 15, we first read of God's promise of a son. Chapter 18 gives the warning regarding Sodom and Gomorrah, whereas it is first in the following chapter (19) that we are told of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The magazine published corrections in its July 6 issue.
If such obvious and striking errors can be penned by a Catholic priest writing Bible class studies for an official Roman Catholic publication, and its own staff does not notice them, then what can be said about the average Catholic priest? Their Scriptural literacy must be of the same quality as that of the writer of the article.
'LIKE A MIGHTY ARMY'
ACH issue of The Christian Century has a humorous letter from "Simeon Stylites", frequently showing considerable insight. In the February 6 issue he recounted meeting the pastor of "St. John's-by-the-Gas-Station", who was all lit up over his "guest artist" on Layman's Sunday—a day which usually "brings joy like a visit to the dentist". But this time the guest was "Jimmy Mitchell, just back from two years in the army in Korea". Jimmy insisted that the service start with "Onward, Christian Soldiers", then waded right in with, "You have been singing 'Like a mighty army moves the church of God'. That might have been all right once," but the army, he said, "doesn't move the way a lot of you folks at St. John's do—or do not. Suppose the army accepted the lame excuses that many of you people think are good enough to serve as an alibi for not attending Church Parade.
"I imagine this, if you can. Reveille seven a.m. Squads on the parade ground. The sergeant barks out, 'Count fours.' One! Two! Three! Number Four missing. Where's Private Smith? 'Oh,' pipes up a chap by the vacant place, 'Mr. Smith was too sleepy to get up this morning. He was out late last night and needed the sleep. He said to tell you that he would be with you in spirit.'
"That's fine,' says the sergeant. 'Remember me to him.'
"Where's Brown?' asks the sergeant. 'Oh,' puts in another chap, he's out playing golf. He gets only one day a week for recreation, and you know how important that is.'
"'Sure, sure,' is the sergeant's cheerful answer. 'Hope he has a good game. Where's Robinson?' 'Robinson,' explains a buddy, 'is sorry not to greet you in person, but he is entertaining guests today and of course couldn't come. Besides, he was at drill last week.' 'Thank you,' says the sergeant, smiling. 'Tell him he is welcome any time he is able to drop in.'"
Jimmy commented, "If any G.I. tried to pull that stuff he would get 20 days in the brig. Yet you hear stuff like that every week in church, and said with a straight face, too. Like a mighty army! Why, if St. John's really moved like a mighty army, a lot of you folks would be court-martialed!" "Too bad," Stylites told the parson, "the stay-aways didn't hear it." The response: "Don't worry. I have it on a tape recorder, and I am going to spring it on them next Easter, instead of the Second Lesson."
Like a mighty army, yes—like the one that lost!
Delighting to Do God's Will
TO DELIGHT to do God's will means to have keen enjoyment, great pleasure and real satisfaction in doing it. It means doing God's will not only willingly, but eagerly, enthusiastically. Doing God's will in a perfunctory,
negative or grumbling manner will never win us his approval and his reward of everlasting life in the new world; for only if we delight in doing that will shall we be able to do it in the best possible manner, to the fullest extent, and be able to persevere in doing it in spite of all the temptations the Devil and his agents may bring.
There was a time when all God's intelligent creatures delighted to do his will. Then a covering cherub let selfish ambition rob him of that delight and he succeeded in inducing our first parents to lose their delight in doing God's will. Many have followed their example, such as Lot's wife, the murmuring multitude of Israelites in the wilderness and King Saul.
In striking contrast with all such is the example given to us by Christ Jesus. In his prehuman existence, from his very creation, he brought daily delight to his Father because of always rejoicing before him as he served as a "master workman" and Logos or "Word". (Prov. 8:22-30, AS; John 1:1-3; Rev. 3:14, NW) And when God's will for the Logos indicated leaving his glorious spirit existence and coming to earth to live as a human among imperfect, unfavorable and even antagonistic surroundings, the Logos did not lose his delight in doing God's will. When, as the man Jesus, he came to Jordan to dedicate himself to the doing of God's will the
disposition of his heart still was the same: "Lo, I am come; in the roll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart."—Ps. 40:7,8, AS; Heb. 10:7-9, NW.
Jesus eagerly and zealously pushed forward in doing his Father's will. It was his very food for him. "My food is for me to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work." (John 4:34, NW) Ever alert, he preached early and late; he had a consuming zeal for his Father's cause.—Mark 6:30-34; Luke 21:38; John 2:17; 3:2, NW.
What gave Jesus that delight in doing God's will? It was 'having God's law within his heart'. That law consists primarily of the two great commandments: "You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind and with your whole strength," and, "you must love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:30, 31, NW) Having those commandments in his heart meant not only that he was familiar with them but that he was concerned about obeying them.
Having that love for his heavenly Father Jesus considered it a real joy to be able to vindicate his Father's name by keeping integrity under test, and that is why he gladly gave up all he had to become the head of the kingdom that will completely vindicate Jehovah's name by destroying all his enemies. (Job, chapters 1 and 2; Prov. 27:11; Matt. 13:45, 46; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 12:2, NW) So, even though God's will meant physical and mental suffering and a criminal's death, Jesus continued to do it with delight.
Never did he grumble, complain, find fault or feel sorry for himself.
LOVE CAUSES DELIGHT
Are we imitating the example Jesus set of continuing to do God's will with delight? No doubt about it, when we first heard of the truth, it was so wonderful, so beautiful, so comforting, so satisfying, so new, so different, so just and reasonable, we literally fell in love with it, did we not? Under the impulse of that first love (not the fear of torment nor the desire for selfish gain) we dedicated ourselves to the doing of God's will, saying as did Jesus, "I delight to do thy will, O my God."
But the question arises as time goes on, Are we still having that same warm first love, that same keen appreciation, that same enthusiasm, that same delight in doing God's will? Or are we losing our appreciation, is our first love cooling off? To guard against this danger Paul wrote the Hebrew Christians: "Keep on remembering the former days in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great contest under sufferings."—Heb. 10:32, NW.
If, like Jesus, we have the law of God in our hearts, are concerned about obeying the two great commandments, our appreciation will not lessen, our love will not cool off. And if we appreciate who God Jehovah really is, what he has done for us, is doing for us and will yet do for us, our gratitude will cause us to do God's will with delight. Why, the very fact that we have the opportunity of expressing our appreciation and gratitude by doing God's will should bring us delight! What he requires of us is not burdensome. 1 John 5:3, NW.
Appreciation of what doing God's will accomplishes will also help us to do it with delight. Just think of it! The great
Jehovah, the Almighty One, the Most High, the King of Eternity, the Creator of all things and the Fountain of life, says to us, each one of us, imperfect creatures of clay, mere specks on a speck: "My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me." Prov. 27:11.
Love for our neighbor likewise gives us delight in doing God's will, for having love for our neighbor we will delight to bring him the comfort he so much needs. And when we consider that by working hard and long, with tact and patience, we can put our neighbor in the way of living forever in the wonderful and beautiful new world of righteousness, how can we help having delight in helping him?
Not only will love cause us to delight to help our neighbors, who are persons of good will not yet dedicated to Jehovah God, by giving them an understanding of Jehovah God and his purposes, but it will also make us delight in doing God's will regarding our neighbor who is working in the harness with us, as it were, making known the good news of the Kingdom. To the extent that we show mercy, to the extent that we try to be truly helpful to our brothers, to that extent our delight in doing God's will will increase. But the unloving harboring of a grudge against our brother will rob us of our delight in doing God's will and may also diminish the delight of another.—Lev. 19:18; Prov. 11:17; Heb. 12:15, NW.
FAITH ALSO REQUIRED
Jesus' delight in doing his Father's will was based, not only upon his perfect love for God and his neighbor, but also upon strong faith. At all times he had an abiding confidence in his heavenly Father. He knew that God would sustain him and reward him for his faithfulness. (Heb. 5:7) And so with us. To have delight in doing God's will we must also have strong faith.
The murmuring multitude in the wilderness lacked faith. Ostensibly they were doing God's will, but the bad report of the ten spies revealed that they had no delight in doing it. Their lack of delight was due to their lack of faith in the power of Jehovah God. Joshua and Caleb, on the other hand, had faith that God was with them and that they could take the land. They delighted to do God's will. (Num. 13:21 to 14:38) David, having faith in God, manifested a delight in doing God's will, both in going out against Goliath and later in warring against the Philistines. How different was his course from that of faithless King Saul! (1 Sam. 13:8-15; 15:4-35; 17:1-54; 1 Chron. 14:8-17) Only if we have strong faith that Jehovah God will sustain us and reward us shall we be able to do his will with delight.—Isa. 54:17; 1 Cor. 10:13; 15:58; Heb. 11:6, NW.
Yes, if our faith in Jehovah's vindication and his new world is strong we will delight to do his will. Then we will not look back longingly to the things left behind. Remember that no one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is well fitted for the Kingdom. Looking back may prove fatal, as in the case of Lot's wife. She started fleeing Sodom and Gomorrah with her family, but she had no delight in thus obeying God's command, for in spite of his warning she looked back, to her eternal destruction.—Luke 9:62; 17:32,NW.
Why look back? What has the world to offer? It even admits that with it "familiarity breeds contempt" and that "anticipation is greater than realization". Those who follow its course are doomed to disappointment; and no question about it, the more one becomes acquainted with its commerce, religion and politics, the more contempt one has for these. Motivated by fear or desire for selfish gain it has no true
delight in its work, and so seeks to escape reality by pursuing pleasures. It ridicules the Bible as impractical, but its worries and cares catch up with its pleasure seekers, landing ever more of them in mental institutions or in untimely graves.
But those proverbs do not apply to the Theocracy, to the truths, the associations and the organization that are in line with God's principles of truth and righteousness as found in the Bible. Serving God brings even now a hundredfold reward, while the new world blessings awaiting those delighting to do God's will simply cannot be exaggerated; realization will far outstrip anticipation. (Isa. 65:17-25; Mark 10:29,30,NW) And the better we become acquainted with the truth, with our fellow servants and with God's organization, the greater our respect, our appreciation, our love for these. So let us not manifest weak faith by taking our eyes off the worth-while things of the Theocracy and fastening them on the worthless things of Satan's system and thus lose our delight in doing God's will.—2 Cor. 4:4, NW.
We must also exercise faith in God's merciful provision of Christ's ransom for the covering of our sins and shortcomings if we would have delight in doing God's will. We cannot continually be looking back on the mistakes we made and be whipping ourselves by going over these again and again and expect to have delight in doing God's will. If we fall, let us rise again, asking God's forgiveness through Christ's merit; and then, forgetting the past, let us press on with the work at hand. (1 John 2:1-3, NW) Dismiss wounded pride and vanity, let stumbling stones become steppingstones, and exercise faith in God's mercy.
RESULTS OF DELIGHT
The extent to which we engage in God's service will depend in no small degree upon our delight in doing God's will.
Continually opportunities of service present themselves to God's ministers today, even as they did to Christ Jesus when he was on earth, some great, some small. However, unless we delight to do God's will we shall fail to see many of them or will take a disparaging view of the smaller opportunities. Delight in doing God's will enables us to be faithful in that also which is least. Luke 16:10, NW.
Delight in doing God's will results in increasing not only the quantity of our service but also its quality. An artist, doctor or lawyer that delights in his chosen profession will be ever seeking to improve his skills and abilities, resulting in his getting still more delight therefrom. The same will also be true of us. If we delight in doing God's will we will be on the alert to improve our ministry by taking advantage of all the means provided by Jehovah God through his "faithful and discreet slave" so that we can give good comments at the study meetings, bear witness effectively in the field and take care of platform assignments in a way that will bring honor to Jehovah's name and will edify the listeners.
If we are lacking in delight in doing God's will we will find ourselves ever ready to pounce on an excuse for not doing it. Then we will, as it were, let the wind keep us from sowing, the clouds keep us from reaping, and the fear of a lion in the streets keep us indolently indoors. (Prov. 22:13; Eccl. 11:4) Then, like the murmuring multitude of Israelites in the wilderness, we will magnify every obstacle that comes our way.
But if we delight in doing God's will we will ever be on the alert to overcome such obstacles. Note our brothers in totalitarian lands. They are not easily discouraged. Hard circumstances may tax
their ingenuity, may try their faith and test their love, but find a way they will to keep on giving the witness. As time goes on we may expect such unfavorable circumstances to become more widespread; unless we delight to do the will of God we shall surely lose out.
A wife and mother who does her household duties in a cheerless, reluctant or negative manner, or who feels sorry for herself, is actually casting reproach upon her husband. If we lack in delight in doing God's will, if we grumble or complain, if we feel sorry for ourselves, if we are inclined to make unfavorable comparisons between our lot and that of another, then we likewise are casting reproach upon our Caretaker and Provider, Jehovah God. It will help us in this respect if we appreciate that we dedicated ourselves to Jehovah God, that we are in a personal relationship with him, that he took notice of our dedication; that he knows and understands, and that if he permits a certain situation to continue he has wise and loving reasons for doing so and therefore we should delight to serve in spite of such.
We dedicated ourselves to serve Jehovah of our own free will. We were not compelled, nor coerced, no, not even coaxed or urged. We went on record as delighting to do God's will. Only if we continue to delight in doing it shall we be able to do it to the fullest extent, in the most effective manner and keep on doing it in spite of temptations and persecutions. A keen appreciation of what doing God's will accomplishes, based upon love for God and our neighbor, will enable us to keep that delight. Having entered God's service by saying, 'I delight to do your will,' let us continue therein with delight, for only if we delight in doing God's will now will God give us the privilege of doing his will throughout eternity.
AFRICAN TOUR
A thick fog was hovering over New
Account by N.H. Knorr, Watch Tower Society's president, of service tour by him and his secretary, M.G. Henschel
AFRICA is very much in the news these days, from the top—Tunisia Morocco and Egypt; to the bottom—The Union of South Africa. Unrest, riots, violence and uprisings lend emphasis to the facts showing we are living in the last days of Satan's system of things. With desire for self-government constantly in the minds of the people in the colonies and protectorates, the ruling element worries far into the night over keeping them satisfied and in check. More troops have been rushed to Africa. More police have been enlisted. The situation has become tense.
There are thousands of Africans who know that "self-rule" is not the solution to the world's problems nor to the problems of Africa. They know that the only hope is in God's way of cleansing the earth of wickedness and establishing the righteous rule of his Son. They are Jehovah's witnesses.
Late in 1947 the president of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, N. H. Knorr, and his secretary, M.G. Henschel, had visited the publishers of God's kingdom in Africa. Almost five years had passed when on November 17 they emplaned again at New York International airport for their next visit to Africa. Brother Knorr was going to Liberia first, Brother Henschel first to Sierra Leone.
York that day. But even if the sun had been shining brightly in New York, a dark spot was to
be seen on the African horizon, for our travelers were going to miss seeing thousands of their friends in the Gold Coast and Nigeria. Officials in those two British territories emphatically denied entry to them.
The week prior to their departure had been filled with extra activities at the Society's offices. Cablegrams were sent to representatives in the British territories to seek reconsideration. The state department and the British embassy at Washington were contacted and investigations were initiated by them with their representatives in the African territories. The visa office in New York also sent cablegrams. But the authorities in Africa found themselves unable to "vary the decision".
It was clear that religious prejudice was responsible, for one of Jehovah's witnesses and his family from America, who were making a round-the-world trip as tourists, were refused visas simply because they happened to know of the Society's representative in the Gold Coast. The thousands of witnesses in the Gold Coast and Nigeria would, of course, be disappointed; but by their being stirred to greater preaching activity than ever before, persecution would be thereby defeated. With this thought in mind our travelers pressed on in their African journey.
After picking up some passengers at Boston, we winged our way across the Atlantic toward Lisbon, where we landed in the bright sunlight. While the plane was refueling we had the pleasure of spending an hour with some Watchtower missionaries. From Lisbon to Dakar the Sahara Desert had almost lone possession of most of the territory over which we flew. It was dusk when the plane landed at Yoff airport. A police guard, colorfully attired in red and evidently Moslems, stood at attention. This was where Brother Henschel took leave of me, his destination being Sierra Leone. His experiences during the week were gratifying, and his account of them follows.
ARRIVING AT FREETOWN
"Before sunrise the Air France plane for Freetown, Sierra Leone, took off. The coastline of the Guinea coast is very green and many rivers wind their way to the sea. The rainy season had just ended. After arriving at the Lungi airport, which serves Freetown and is quite some distance from that city, a bus took me to the customs building, where I met a Watchtower missionary now serving in Sierra Leone. Entry through the customs was quickly effected.
"As the bus bumped along the narrow dirt road to the jetty or wharf, Freetown lying on the other side of the river, it was very apparent that I was in Africa. Men and women, stripped to the waist, were busy clearing land and tying bundles of sticks together while others were marching down the road with bundles balanced neatly upon their heads. Occasionally one would see cassava farms; the cassava, by the way, is the shrub from whose roots tapioca is derived. Mud houses with thatched roofs dotted the scene.
"A launch was waiting at the jetty. We headed out across the wide Sierra
Leone river toward Freetown and in fifteen minutes we reached the city at the foot of the mountains. It did not seem that long, for there were many things to watch: a river cascading down the side of a mountain; white birds diving for fish; ships anchored offshore loading cargo onto lighters, etc. We disembarked at a small jetty and as we climbed up the stairs, with a native boy balancing my baggage on his head, some Watchtower missionaries came down to meet us.
"As we walked through the streets toward the Kingdom Hall and missionary home I was quite amazed to see a modern city much cleaner than many in most parts of the world. Was this the 'white man's graveyard' they all talk about? Paved streets, busy shops, new cars and an endless stream of people passed by. There was the big cotton tree, an ancient, huge landmark for which Freetown is famous. It was to this tree that slaves had been chained in olden times when chiefs sold into slavery captives or people of their own tribes they did not like. Not a fly or mosquito did I see.
"The sun was hot and I was glad we had only two blocks to walk from the cotton tree to the home. The missionaries prepared a fine lunch. Then we met together to talk over their problems and the progress of the work in Sierra Leone. They told of the continued growth in the Freetown congregation after some troublemakers withdrew and how a new company had sprung up at Waterloo, some twenty miles away, through the hard work of two pioneers. Six others had taken up the fulltime pioneer ministry. A large group was meeting at Kissy, just outside Freetown. Another group held meetings in Wellington, a few miles away. In the protectorate there were groups ready to be organized for Bible study. Sierra Leone seemed ready for expansion. All that was necessary was organization, an organized effort at taking the lead.
The missionaries were delighted to hear that Brother Knorr had seen the need for it and had sent a letter with me appointing one of the missionaries as branch servant for the country. Now they would have their own office and the work would be given close attention.
"Two of the missionaries had just come up from Nigeria, where they acquired much experience in pushing expansion in Africa, having spent months back in the bush, living in the native villages and preaching God's Word. This experience would be invaluable for the advancement of the work in Sierra Leone.
"I attended their weekly service meeting on Thursday, November 20, and was asked to speak to the local congregation, a nice group of all ages. It was doing good work in the field, the chart showing a new peak of 76 ministers for the month of October. All were looking forward to the assembly on Saturday and Sunday, for it was the first time they had a representative of the Society from headquarters in their midst, as well as their first assembly.
FIRST SIERRA LEONE ASSEMBLY
"On Saturday morning we all came to Wilberforce Memorial Hall, a big red building on the hill above the customs docks. A friendly breeze cooled the conventioners as they worked to decorate the stage with flowers and palm branches. They were braiding palm branches together and in among the braids they inserted red and blue flowers and bright leaves. These added a great deal to the somewhat worn stage.
"When the assembly for service was called there were 80 present, including ministers from Freetown, Kissy and Waterloo. They listened to the information on the field service activities and then considered baptism. Some were not sure, so
they thought it best to wait until a later time. Of course, they were right. It would be a mistake to be baptized if one were not certain that he had made a dedication of his life to Jehovah's service.
"The baptism was held at Scotland's farm, bordering White Man's Bay, which was reached by city bus. A group of brothers looked on and rejoiced as a brother and a sister were immersed in the salty waters. As we stood in the shade of a big tree waiting for a bus to take us back we watched natives a few yards away going about their business of cleaning rice. Five young women and a girl were working while a man sat nearby on a big rock. As usual in Africa, the women were doing the work. In a tall slim stone mortar, about three feet high, one woman and a girl poured some rice and then pounded down on it with a four-foot wooden pestle. It was warm and the sweat poured off their bare backs. Nearby another woman carried a baby on her back as she pounded rice. It seemed incredible that the baby could sleep, but sleep it did. After watching for about fifteen minutes our bus came along and we had to leave this interesting scene.
"Local brothers opened the afternoon program. Six of them were assigned and they all did well in speaking the Word of God. Although this was their first assembly, those taking part in the demonstrations and pantomimes also did well. These features were both instructive and entertaining, showing ministers why they should regularly take part in the ministry and why they should attend the congregational meetings. New and weak ones were assisted by the more mature and experienced ones. We closed the day with the afternoon sessions, because Saturday evening was always taken up with shows at the hall. The first day brought joy to 82 ministers.
They were looking forward to the morrow.
"Many people in Freetown take their Sundays seriously, and so on our way to the assembly that morning we passed many people dressed in their Sunday best, some men wearing tails, striped trousers and stiff winged collars. Heat or no heat, they must dress in fashion.
"There were 93 assembled at the convention hall for a morning of spiritual feasting. One local full-time minister did a fine job talking on love. Two Watchtower missionaries spoke on doing God's will and on not missing the purpose of God's undeserved kindness.
CLIMAX OF THE ASSEMBLY
"The public meeting was on the subject that Brother Knorr planned to use all through Africa. Since he was not present, I was glad for the privilege of delivering the lecture. The question was, How many would come to hear it? for three o'clock was an early hour for the tropics. The hall began to fill up at that hour and the lecture began. There are a considerable number of Moslems in Sierra Leone and many of them came to listen. When the hall was filled, others listened outside under the trees by means of a public-address system. The attention paid was exceptional and each evidence of the time in which we live was understood by them. Their interest in the message of the Kingdom was definitely aroused; for after the public lecture ended and the chairman had announced the intermission to be followed by other talks, to the surprise of everyone, out of the 400 persons who had come 253 remained.
"The assembly reached its climax for the ministers when announcements were made concerning the expansion program in Sierra Leone: a new branch office opened, a circuit servant appointed, circuit assemblies to be held, a new congregation to be formed at Kissy, expansion into the protectorate, the interior, being planned. The co-operation of all in the house-to-house ministry, followed by calling back and conducting home Bible studies would provide the ministers necessary for the expansion program. Their joy was unbounded. They saw clearly, as never before, how Jehovah's organization is one around the world and that the Society is just as interested in them as in the brothers in larger countries. They expressed their determination to do their part in the expansion work. They saw assembled about them many who might take up the work. And they also had heard the reports of the marvelous expansion in Nigeria as given by the two missionaries from there, to spur them on. Thus ended a great feast for God's ministers in Sierra Leone.
"They kept saying kusheh, a very expressive word having the meaning of 'well done'. Their spirits were high. Groups departed from the hall in the evening darkness, and as we went down Westmoreland street to the missionary home we could hear some conventioners singing songs in the distance as they walked beside the road. With such happiness they would surely go on to many good works in preaching the good news in the days ahead.
"When early on Wednesday morning, November 26, I left the Freetown dock on the way to Lungi airport, a number of local brothers and missionaries were on hand to say good-by. They all once again expressed a keen appreciation for the assembly and all the provisions made for them and their work by the Society. They hoped it would not be a long time before the Society's president would visit them and they would have a bigger assembly. It will be interesting to watch the progress of the work now in Sierra Leone."
FEBRUARY 15, 1953
The WATCHTOWER
While Brother Henschel was thus serving the brothers in Sierra Leone, I was with the brothers in the neighboring coun-
try, the Republic of Liberia. A succeeding issue of The Watchtower will carry this report.
EXPANSION of Pure Worship in Nigeria
THE work of Jehovah's witnesses has been very fruitful in the Gold Coast and Nigeria, and leaders of the many missionary organizations in those colonies are feeling the pressure as thousands are forsaking them to become Jehovah's witnesses. Without doubt this was why the Watchtower Society learned through Washington that it "seemed to be" the policy that no representative of the Watchtower would be admitted in those territories. Just to what extent the work has been fruitful
Jehovah's witnesses are seen in every part of
Nigeria and even in the British Cameroons.
"One thing that has helped the brothers to advance to maturity as God's ministers is the holding of assemblies. These require much work, since everything must be built by the brothers, there being no halls. Assembly time sees all the brothers on the move, by lorry (bus), cycle and foot. Some walk for two days others pull a canoe
in one of these places, Nigeria, will appear from a perusal of the following experiences, which were related at the assembly of Jehovah's witnesses in Freetown, Sierra Leone, by two Watchtower missionaries who had worked in Nigeria, as reported by M. G. Henschel, secretary to the president of the Society.
"Jehovah's witnesses in Nigeria have zeal and determination. The majority of them are poor and have but few material possessions. They live in mud huts. Their diet is simple-cassava and vams,with ocon a river for three days to get there.
On Sunday morning while everyone is still asleep they use Gideon's method of converging into the village from all sides, announcing the public lecture as they come. Very few people have watches, so the early morning announcement must be followed up by a final announcement just before the meeting is about to begin. A group of brothers sing songs and go in one direction and then in another, telling the people the talk is about to start. How effective this method is can be seen from
casional bits of fish or meat. But they have the truth and they love it. They know they must preach it and they love to preach. They have faithfully preached and let their light shine. Result: the truth has spread into over 400 towns and villages, where congregations have been organized as well as into scores of isolated places There are over 12,600 ministers there now.
what took place at Abiriba. There, although only three hundred brothers were present,the final announcement was so stirring that the entire population of 1,734 streamed down to the assembly grounds!
"To illustrate the effect the holding of an assembly has on a village, let us turn to Akwete, a town where there were none of Jehovah's witnesses. From twenty miles away the witnesses came to make preparations.
The people were unfriendly and unco-operative. The brothers experienced much difficulty in trying to rent a piece of land for their assembly and then had to pay others to build the assembly booth, instead of being permitted to build it themselves, and that at the price set by the villagers. The Society's special representative arrived and spent two days visiting chiefs, building up good will and removing fear.
"On Friday morning the witnesses began to stream into town, nearly 400 strong. Their happy faces quickly filled the village with gladness and transformed the scene immediately. The village people took on a cheerful attitude. Before they had refused to have anything to do with Jehovah's witnesses, but now they were offering rooms free of charge. The price of the booth was reduced. The chiefs themselves began hurrying around finding benches. Akwete was humming with theocratic activity. The result was that hundreds from the village attended the assembly and two of them were immersed and took part in the preaching work. Eight months later a congregation of 22 ministers was found in Akwete. Dozens of similar experiences could be related.
"At Adagbrasa the European Catholic priest organized his flock for noisemaking. They created such a din that Friday's sessions at the circuit assembly were practically drowned out. This angered the chiefs and the majority of the village people so much that early Saturday morning a proclamation was made all over the village by the elders that if anyone disturbed Jehovah's witnesses he would be severely dealt with, fined five shillings and a bottle of gin. Before the assembly there were no Jehovah's witnesses in the village. Immediately thereafter a Bible study was organized with sixteen in attendance. Soon the number doubled.
"Many times the clergy tell their complaining people: 'Well, if you are not satisfied you can leave and go to Jehovah's witnesses.' And that is exactly what many are doing, whether the clergy tell them to leave or not; and the clergy are helpless to do anything about it. Honest truth seekers are glad to associate with Jehovah's servants in the true worship.
"This is what happened during the assembly at Ode Irele. In united harmony the brothers built a beautiful booth. This activity set the town alight. No one had ever witnessed such a booth, nor the willing and enthusiastic work on the part of the brothers erecting it. The local Methodist people got together at a special meeting to consider what they should do. No, not to oppose, but rather to join up with Jehovah's witnesses. It was decided to collect five shillings from each member and then hand the money to Jehovah's witnesses as membership dues. However, they were told what really was required—learn the truth and become a dedicated proclaimer of Jehovah's kingdom. Money could not do that! On the opening day 811 were present. Of these only 400 were brothers. The second day 937 jammed every corner in and about the booth for the evening meeting. The villagers showed the same enthusiasm as the brothers. On Sunday 75 symbolized their dedication by water immersion and of these four were local villagers.
"An illiterate brother moved to Emu some two years ago where there were no witnesses of Jehovah. His Catholic employer would not listen to the message until one day he said, 'This must be the truth.' Quickly a group of five gathered for the study of the Bible. Soon they were telling others about it. As the word spread in this Catholic and juju area, persecution came. But then one of the opposing chiefs accepted the truth. A full-time minister was sent into the area and a congregation was started.
The work continued to expand. Recently a special representative of the Society visited the congregation of over fifty ministers and found an attendance of 130 at the study of The Watchtower. Of the Catholic Church only one member remains, and he is studying with Jehovah's witnesses. Now the only opposition is from the juju society, and it also sees the handwriting on the wall.
"Ntan Udom has another good example. From time immemorial the Ekpo society, a juju organization, indulged in its traditional drunken festivities during the three to four months of the dry season. Its members mask themselves, get drunk and then masquerade through the villages with full liberty to do as they please. The law is that anyone who is not a member of this organization is not to appear in public or out of his compound when they are masquerading and dancing through the village. This law has been fearfully obeyed. But now Jehovah's witnesses have come along, who recognize only those laws that are in harmony with God's laws, and who have a command to preach in wet season and in dry season. What would happen?
"The brothers obeyed God's commands and as a result one was slashed with a machete and a dozen were arrested and fined £120. Over 500 people came to attend court, to see how the Ekpo society was going to uproot and destroy the society of Jehovah's witnesses. The minister in charge of their congregation stated that he was ready to die, but before he did he had one desire and that was to give a mighty witness.
"On the fourth day of the trial he got his opportunity to speak. So powerful was his testimony concerning the supremacy of Jehovah and his purposes that the court shook. The chiefs (judges) began to tremble. The case was dismissed. One chief
requested this brother to visit his compound and study the Bible with him. Further activities of Jehovah's witnesses have completely broken the power of the Ekpo society. During the past few years they have not carried on their traditional masquerading. Worldly people have expressed gratitude because of the freedom they now enjoy as a result of the victory of Jehovah's witnesses.
"The Church of Scotland, which likewise has had great power over the people here, is crumbling. Across from the fine Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's witnesses stands its decrepit building with one of its walls ready to collapse. 'The Church of the Lord,' which established itself in the area more than seven years ago and had regularly celebrated Christmas, stopped doing so two years ago. At that time the pastor remarked: 'There will be no Christmas celebration this year. Why not? Because Jehovah's witnesses do not observe it! What they do is right.'
"The brothers in Nigeria give a good witness wherever they go. They are an example to others around them. In some areas when a public meeting is held one can readily tell who are Jehovah's witnesses and who are the public. The brothers are clean and dressed, while the public are practically naked and rough-looking. Jehovah's witnesses do not earn greater wages than the others, but they live according to the high standards of Jehovah's Word and so they do not squander their earnings on liquor and women. They use that which they have to the honor of Jehovah's name. Despite illiteracy and other handicaps, the brothers have the truth and are advancing to maturity. Even worldly people recognize the maturity of Jehovah's witnesses and see in them the people that indeed represent the Most High God."
THE BIBLE, AN ORNAMENT OR A LIGHT?
SUPPOSE in your home you had to depend upon just one lamp for light. Would your interest be primarily in a lamp that was made of gold or silver and studded with precious jewels, even though it gave a feeble and flickering light or no light at all; or would your chief concern be for a lamp that gave the maximum light? Of course, your chief concern would be the kind of light the lamp gave, would it not?
Or to use another illustration: Suppose you were in need of a pair of spectacles. Would you go to the optician who specialized in fancy diamond-studded gold-rimmed spectacles but who ignored entirely the lens, or would you patronize the optometrist who specialized in giving the most perfectly fitted lens?
The same applies in regard to our spiritual sight. The Bible is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. (Ps. 119:105) But that is true only if it is written in language we can understand and if we comprehend what we read. The Bible's format, its typography, its binding, are not important, but its language and its contents are.
In this respect the Catholic Church has ever erred. During the Middle Ages many of her monks were employed making copies of the Bible. These, being written by hand and often on fine-grade calfskin (vellum), were very expensive. But the monks were not content with that. They spent much time and means and pains "illuminating" their Bibles with elaborate letterings and illustrations in gold, silver and other bright colors. And the covers received special attention.
To what extent this was done is apparent from the following extracts taken from a current Catholic publication, The Bible in the Middle Ages: "In the lavish magnificence in adornment of the Sacred Volume we may also trace an utterance of the veneration for the Bible which filled the hearts of the clergy and the laity. Pope Leo II gave to one church a copy of the Gospels bound in pure gold and studded with gems. . . The Emperor Charlemagne gave St. Angilbert a copy of the Gospels written in letters of gold on purple vellum. . . Hincmar, Archbishop of Rheims, caused the Gospels to be written for
his cathedral in letters of gold and silver, bound in plates of gold, resplendent with jewels." Such Bibles would weigh as much as seventeen pounds because of the elaborate ornamentation.
But does such show a real appreciation for God's Word? Or does it betray rather a love for gold, silver and precious stones? Truly one cannot help but question the motive when one considers that at that time the common people were in dire poverty and for the most part illiterate serfs. Had the Catholic Church really had an appreciation of the message of the Bible, then she would have undertaken to translate the Bible in the common tongue instead of keeping it in Latin; she would have made the greatest possible number of cheap Bibles instead of a few rare costly copies; and she would have assigned to herself the task of educating the masses to read and write so that they could read the Bible for themselves, as Jehovah's witnesses are doing not only in dark Africa but also in such Roman Catholic lands as Mexico. That would have shown real appreciation of the Bible and would have done the people immeasurable good.
In this respect the Catholic Church has not changed much through the years. Note for example the new Holy Family Bible published in 1951 by the Catholic Press, Chicago, Illinois. It was given the widest publicity in both the secular and the parochial press. Said one Catholic writer: "It is so attractive it's tempting! To thumb through its pages is truly a thrilling experience"; etc. Regarding its cost, Pathfinder, a secular weekly, stated, "The price, for which many a Catholic family will happily dig into its bank account: $27.95." Regarding its contents "Father" O'Connell stated: "We wanted a Bible for family reading. We wanted one every member could read and understand." Yet the greater part of this Bible is still according to the archaic and Latinized Douay Version.
Truly here again we have the folly of a costly lamp that gives an inadequate light, and that at a cost that few can afford; the Bible serving as an ornament instead of as a guide.
"I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and . . . there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom."—Dan. 7:13,14, AS.
EHOVAH God has created man with a mind to think with. He can use this mind to reason. He can consider opinions of others and can determine for himself what is right and wrong. This means that he can progress by learning, as well as discard old, worn-out conclusions, proved to be erroneous. However, many refuse to utilize their mind and rather permit others to think for them. When new ideas are advanced they are at first, and in many instances always, rejected. Early in the fourteenth century (A.D.) the people lived in great ignorance as compared with our present day. They depended upon their professors and theologians, who in turn relied upon the published discoveries of men who lived prior to their time, many of which discoveries were foundationless. When some new ideas were presented, the theologians of the day rejected them.
2 In the year 1543 Copernicus published a work in which he refuted the old idea that the sun and all the stars revolved around the earth as a center, as was then taught in all the universities. Though he was right, his theory was rejected. Galileo proved that Aristotle was pitiably wrong on a number of things, but still this would not do. His works gave offense to those who pinned their faith on Aristotle, which included the theologians, and though Galileo was right, he was summoned before the Inquisition and some of his theories were condemned by the church authorities. He was then sentenced to incarceration and observation, and so remained until his death. The people followed suit, and they, as well as those before them, lived and died, rejecting the proved works and clinging to the old, worn-out, false ideas.
Strange as it seems, we are living in a similar condition today. Many people do not use their minds, but rather let others think for them. When sound reasoning is presented that disproves a popular conception or what someone has taught them, they refuse it. They live and die, still clinging to what is false.
4 Today when we look about us we can clearly see the general condition of mankind. In every nation there is evidence of fear, unrest and a craving desire to live in peaceful surroundings. In Christendom they are taught from birth about a kingdom to come, a better form of rule, yes, God's kingdom. The end of the world was foretold generations ago, in many ways. Various would-be prophets heralded that the end of the world was soon to come, and many people left their homes to seek refuge.
5 The general attitude and understanding relative to God's kingdom is indeed very confusing.
It is something abstract. They know about a "kingdom" but that is about as far as it goes. For instance, some individuals when thinking about God's kingdom expect to go to heaven and in that way realize it. Some expect man to set up the Kingdom on earth and many expect the world to be converted to the gospel and then God's kingdom will be established. Still others will contend that Christ will appear in visible form and then set up God's kingdom on the earth. Yet these very same ones believe that they are going to heaven. Some even think God's kingdom is within human creatures. A confused and unsettled picture indeed, with each person having his own opinion. They will live and die with their own conclusions, but that does not make them right. It does not mean that the Kingdom does not exist, nor does it mean that there will be no such thing as a Kingdom.
For example, you may be an observer at a trial and hear the testimony of several witnesses regarding an accident. One says that he saw the lady that was hurt getting on the bus. Another says that he also saw the lady get hurt, but she was not getting on the bus but was getting off. A third person swears that he saw the whole thing and no lady got on or off a bus; it was not even a lady at all but was an old man. All claim that they saw the accident, but each gives a different picture. Nevertheless, because the picture is confusing it does not mean that the accident never happened. It did. There are indications that it did take place. The individual is hurt. Obviously, the difficulty lies in the several individuals' interpretations of the event. But how can the differences be settled? By considering all the evidence; by investigating in order
to reach a logical conclusion. Someone is wrong, maybe all the witnesses are testifying inaccurately, but it is up to the judge to find out. He can do it.
7 So it is with God's kingdom. Christendom's picture relative to it is confusing. But does that mean there is no such thing as the Kingdom? Does the confused picture Christendom's spokesmen portray mean that God's Word, the Bible, is not true or that God's kingdom has not taken place? No! Someone is wrong, maybe all of Christendom's spokesmen, but you must be the judge. You can do it. How? By investigating the various claims. By weighing the evidence with a sane outlook. By going to the information source, the Bible, and thus coming to an accurate, logical conclusion.
Going then to the Bible, we find that many people are praying the Lord's prayer without proper understanding. But how about you? Do you pray with understanding? Are you a merchant, or maybe a farmer or statesman, an executive or laborer? Whatever may be your course in life, what does God's kingdom mean to you? When will it come? What is God's purpose respecting it? What is your outlook respecting the Kingdom? How do you fit in in God's purpose respecting his kingdom? What is your understanding?
9 Upon examination of the Scriptures we find that man was created and placed in the garden of Eden. It was God's purpose that man live under perfect conditions forever. However, man sinned and as a result death came upon all men and all are born in sin. (Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12, NW) It was God's purpose to have mankind redeemed from such a condition. But how was he going to do this?
Through the Kingdom arrangement. And so it is that at Genesis 3:15 God speaks of this kingdom and foretells the coming of a "seed" to accomplish this and to bring peace to all mankind. It is also referred to in Genesis 12:3,7 (AS), which says: "And I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And Jehovah appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land." The "seed" referred to was later identified in Romans 1:1,3 and Galatians 3:16, NW, as Christ Jesus, "who sprang from the seed of David according to the flesh." This Son of God obediently laid down his life in the flesh and was resurrected in the spirit.
10 That Christ was resurrected in the spirit the Bible makes clear. At this point suffice it to say concerning Christ's resurrection that there are many contentions relative to it. Many point to his various appearances in visible form. Yet these very ones fail to understand that if he was raised in the flesh why the need for materializing a body? Note the account that states that "eight days later his disciples were again indoors, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and he stood in their midst". (John 20:26, NW) How, pray, tell us, did Jesus get through the locked doors if he had been resurrected in the flesh? The fact that he appeared in a room after going through closed, locked doors indicates that he was a spirit and he merely clothed such spirit form with a fleshly body for the purpose of showing his disciples that he was alive.
materialized before but we do not refer to them at that time as human creatures, but as spirit creatures. (Gen. 19:1-11; 32:1,2; John 20:12, NW) This must be the case; otherwise what flesh did Jesus sacrifice? If he had been resurrected in the flesh there would be no flesh that was sacrificed. Remember that by Christ's sacrifice of his flesh he provided for mankind's ransom. But where would such ransom benefit be if Christ took that life back, and if he were now in fleshly form? But that he was resurrected in the spirit we are informed at 1 Peter 3:18 (NW), which says: "Why, even Christ died once for all time concerning sins, a righteous person for unrighteous ones, that he might lead you to God, he being put to death in the flesh, but being made alive in the spirit." Furthermore, 1 Corinthians 15:50 (NW) says that "flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom". No higher learning or philosophical teachings from our religious critics can explain away from God's Word such simple truths that a child can understand.
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