The Watchtower, August 1, 1955
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The WATCHTOWER
Announcing
JEHOVAH'S
KINGDOM
AUGUST 1, 1955
Semimonthly
BE SATISFIED BY WORK
"BE RICH IN RIGHT WORKS"
NO "GIFT OF TONGUES" TODAY
VISITING JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
IN CENTRAL AMERICA
PRIEST ADVISES EINSTEIN
©WTB&TS
"YOU ARE MY WITNESSES," SAYS JEHOVAH.—Isa. 43:12 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 Brooklyn 1, N. Y., U. S. A.
N. H. KNORR, President
GRANT SUITER, Secretary
"They will all be taught by Jehovah."—John 6:45, NW; Isaiah 54:13
CONTENTS
<tr><th>CONTENTS
Priest Advises Einstein
No “Gift of Tongues” Today
Visiting Jehovah’s Witnesses in Central America (Part 3)
Modern History of Jehovah’s Witnesses<br>Part 15: Foreign Activities Under Fascist-Nazi Persecution
Be Satisfied by Work
“Be Rich in Right Works”
Questions from Readers
Recognizing the Theocratic Organization for Life
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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
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PRIEST ADVISES EINSTEIN
AN associated Press dispatch of April 13 from Atlantic City said: "A top Catholic educator today urged scientists, including Albert Einstein, to tend to their neutrons and stop 'philosophizing.' The Rev. Robert Henle, dean of the St. Louis University Graduate School, said the nation was 'getting a lot of scientists' who start 'philosophizing at the age of 40.' Most, he said, are 'not trained to do so.' In a news conference at the annual convention of the National Catholic Educational Assn., Henle said Einstein in recent years has philosophized about the 'nature and existence of God.' 'I object to his making an authoritative statement about an absolute,' said Henle. 'He has no training to talk about the existence or non-existence of God.'"—New York Post, April 13, 1955.
The late Albert Einstein said, according to Life magazine of May 2,1955: "I do not believe in the God of theology who rewards good and punishes evil. . . I cannot accept any concept of God based on the fear of life or the fear of death, or blind faith." From all reports Einstein was of gentle disposition, and it is understandable that he could not believe in the God of theology, a God that eternally tortures souls in a fiery hell, or burns them for centuries in a flaming purgatory until priests on earth are paid enough to pray enough to get these souls released.
This same issue of Life reported that Einstein said: "The presence of a superior reasoning power . . . revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God." Because the God of theology taught by orthodox religions was unacceptable, Einstein groped for another God. He did believe in a supreme spirit or intelligence in back of all the created wonders and was impressed with the order in the universe, as Time magazine of May 2, 1955, shows. It quoted him: "I cannot believe that God plays dice with the cosmos." The magazine continued: "Albert Einstein, who often said he could not accept the doctrine of immortality of the soul, traveled the rim of mystery and at times, he admitted, it made him feel close to God. 'I assert,' he once said, 'that the cosmic religious experience is the strongest and the noblest driving force . . . My religion consists of a humble admiration for the illimitable superior spirit who reveals Himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble minds.'" The Bible agrees with Einstein when "he could not accept the doctrine of immortality of the soul," for it states, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die," and reports that even the sinless Jesus "poured out his soul unto death."—Ezek. 18:4; Isa. 53:12.
Einstein said he could not accept any concept of God based on "blind faith." A Biblical faith in Jehovah God is not blind in the sense of having absolutely no basis for it.
Faith is "the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld." (Heb. 11:1, NW) Without seeing electricity or gravitation Einstein believed in their existence because he had seen evidence demonstrating their reality. Without seeing "the illimitable superior spirit" Einstein believed in his existence because of the majesty and power and orderliness he had seen in the universe. The Bible points to these created wonders as evidence of the invisible Creator: "His invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world's creation onward, because they are understood by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship." (Rom. 1:20, NW) That knowledge and understanding of the reports in the Bible are necessary for faith in the God of the Bible is shown by Romans 10:17 (NW): "So faith follows the report." But faith in the God of orthodox theology is a blind faith because it is not based on Bible truths, but rather in the pagan imaginings of ancient priests or in the opinionated philosophizations of modern ministers. No reasoning person should accept such a concept of God based on blind faith. However, they should not let the false concept of God that orthodox religions teach turn them away from the God of the Bible. They should
study the Bible to learn of the God that created the universe, not being prejudiced against him by religious falsehoods.
If orthodox religions had stuck to the Bible perhaps Einstein would have stuck to his neutrons. If these religions had taught the God of the Bible, and not some repulsive pagan deity that supposedly tortures imaginary souls in nonexistent purgatories and hells of fire and brimstone, perhaps Einstein would not have felt the need of looking for another concept of God. Perhaps Henle should remove the rafter from his own eye before fretting about the straw in Einstein's. He might try sticking to the God of the Bible he claims to serve, and drop pagan doctrines and human traditions, forego the flattering titles of Reverend and Father that the Bible limits to Jehovah God, and give up the unscriptural money-making schemes of purgatorial prayers and bingo gambling. (Job 32:21, 22; Matt. 7:1-5; 21:13; 23:9) Henle accuses Einstein of not sticking to his business of science, but he himself is guilty of straying from his claimed work of serving God. Pointedly Romans 2:1 (NW) says: "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are, if you judge; for in the thing in which you judge another, you condemn yourself, inasmuch as you that judge practice the same things."
THE FOUNDATION OF EDUCATION
Time never outdates the Bible; it is always modern because it is the very basis for education. Germany's great writer, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, talked about education and the Bible. Goethe, one of the most eminent in all world literature, said: "I am convinced that the Bible becomes even more beautiful the more one understands it. Let culture and science go on advancing, and the mind progress as it may, it will never go beyond the elevation and moral culture of Christianity, as it glistens and shines forth in the Gospels. It is to the intrinsic value that the Bible owes the extraordinary veneration in which it is held by so many nations and generations. It is not only a popular book, it is the book of the people. The greater the intellectual progress of ages, the more fully possible will it also become to employ the Bible both as the foundation and as the instrument of education—of that education by which not pedants but truly wise men are formed." The Supremacy of the Bible, p. xxviii.
What purposes were served by the Pentecostal gift of tongues? Does God's holy spirit still impart the gift of tongues, and must we be able to speak in tongues to prove we have received the holy spirit? What does the Bible say?
THE location was an upper chamber in Jerusalem. Present were 120 of Christ's followers including his apostles, his half brothers and his mother.
The time was the day of Pentecost, A.D. 33, about May 20, according to our calendar. Ten days had passed since Christ was seen ascending into heaven. "Suddenly there occurred from heaven a noise just like that of a rushing stiff breeze, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting. And tongues as if of fire became visible and were distributed to them, and one sat upon each one of them, and they all became filled with holy spirit and started to speak with different tongues."—Acts 2:1-4, NW.
At the time, because of the feast of Pentecost, there "were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, reverent men, from every nation of those under heaven. So, when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language" "the magnificent things of God." Peter, as the spokesman, explained to the awe-stricken Jews the meaning of this miracle, that it was a fulfillment of Joel 2:28, 29 regarding Jehovah's pouring out his spirit upon all kinds of flesh.—Acts 2:5-18, NW.
About three and a half years later speaking with tongues accompanied the pouring
out of the holy spirit upon Cornelius and his household while Peter was preaching to them. Years later a similar incident took place after Paul had preached to some at Ephesus. Do these three
instances, the only ones mentioned in the Scriptures, where the gift of tongues accompanied the receiving of the holy spirit, establish a hard and fast rule that all who have received the holy spirit will be able to speak in tongues?
Among a considerable number of the smaller sects of the United States, particularly those termed "Pentecostal," there is a strong emphasis on speaking with tongues. Thus regarding the General Assemblies of God, whose membership is upward of a quarter of a million in the United States, we are told that "they are especially insistent upon the teaching of the gift of tongues following spirit baptism; no minister doubting that gift could hold credentials in this group."—Handbook of Denominations.
Jehovah God had empowered Moses to perform miracles in order to establish his authenticity as God's prophet. On the same basis Christ Jesus had proved himself as Jehovah's prophet, even as he said to his critics.
"Even though you do not believe me, believe the works." What, then, could be more logical than that Jesus' immediate followers should be able to do the same? And so they also performed miracles, cured the sick, raised the dead, etc. The gift of tongues was just one of the many gifts of the spirit possessed by the apostles and early disciples, helping them to demonstrate that they were indeed true followers of the Son of God and that they had the right, the true, religion.—John 10:38, NW.
The gift of tongues, however, served another purpose, a most practical purpose. Especially on the day of Pentecost, by means of this gift of tongues they were able to witness to Jews coming from many different lands and who did not understand Aramaic, the native tongue. No wonder that three thousand of them embraced Christianity on that day!
Today, however, neither of these two reasons holds. Christianity having demonstrated its divine origin, there is no further need for miracles. Incidentally, let us note that while some claim to possess the gift of healing there is absolutely no similarity between the healing done by Jesus and his apostles and that professed to be done today. Back there everyone that came to Jesus or the apostles was cured, today only an exceptional few can claim to have been helped. Besides, back there even the dead were raised. And then also, today we have the Bible in 1,125 and more languages and "this good news of the kingdom" is being preached in upward of a hundred different tongues.
The fact is that speaking in tongues played a very minor role in the early Christian ministry. Not a word do we read about Jesus himself speaking in tongues, nor of his followers being commanded to do so or doing so while he was with them. Their ministry being primarily to the Jews, there
was no need of tongues. So speaking in tongues is not included in Jesus' parting instructions: "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 you."—Matt. 28:19, 20, NW.
"But," asks a Pentecostal, "what about Mark 16:17, which says: 'These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.' Doesn't that prove that all Christ's followers should be able to speak with tongues?" But let us note the context. According to it believers should not only be able to talk with tongues but also be able to cast out demons, able to handle poisonous snakes without injury and drink deadly potions without harm.
True, there are some few who hold that the holy spirit will enable one to handle poisonous snakes without harm; that is why the United States press periodically tells of some of these misguided ones' being bitten and even dying from snake bites under such conditions. Such as W. J. Palmer of Johnson City, Tennessee, who died of snake bites October 4, 1953; J. Thomas of Trenton, Georgia, who died of such snake bites June 15, 1954, and C. E. Canada, of Greenville, South Carolina, who in August, 1953, survived a snake bite only because he accepted massive injections of serum that the other two who died had refused.
The fact is that modern Bible scholars are agreed that the last twelve verses that speak about tongues and not being injured by snakes were not written by Mark but added by another. According to Goodspeed, Mark's account "stops abruptly at the end of 16:8 in the two best and oldest manuscripts, the Sinaitic and the Vatican, and a few others."—The Goodspeed Parallel New Testament.
GIFTS VERSUS FRUITAGE OF SPIRIT
Because the gift of tongues fascinated the Corinthian Christians all out of proportion to its value, Paul had to set them straight on the matter, which he did in his first letter to them, chapters 12 to 14 being the only other references to tongues aside from Acts. Even back there not all had the gift of tongues, for Paul wrote: "Not all are apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? Not all are teachers, are they? Not all perform powerful works, do they? Not all have gifts of healings, do they? Not all speak in tongues, do they? Not all are translators, are they?" And note the order, from the most important, apostles, to the least important, tongues and their interpretation.—1 Cor. 12:27-30, NW.
Continuing his argument in chapter 13, Paul shows what really is important: "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but do not have love, I have become a sounding piece of brass or a clashing cymbal." And, relegating the gift of tongues to its proper place, Paul states in the following chapter: "He that speaks in a tongue upbuilds himself, but he that prophesies upbuilds a congregation. Now I would like for all of you to speak in tongues, but I prefer that you prophesy. Indeed, he that prophesies is greater than he that speaks in tongues, unless, in fact, he translates, that the congregation may receive upbuilding." "I thank God, I speak in more tongues than all of you do. Nevertheless, in a congregation I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might also instruct others verbally, than ten thousand words in a tongue. Brothers, do not become young children in powers of understanding." "Tongues are for a sign,
not to the believers, but to the unbelievers."—1 Cor. 14:4-25, NW.
No question about it, Paul did not attach great importance to the gift of tongues. He showed that it profited little unless what was said was translated, and that to prophesy, here meaning to expound publicly, was far more helpful than any gift of tongues.
Today the Christian congregation no longer needs the gift of tongues but it does need the fruit of the spirit, even as Paul shows: "Love never fails. But whether there are gifts of prophesying, they will be done away with; WHETHER THERE ARE TONGUES, THEY WILL CEASE." "When I was a babe, I used to speak as a babe, to think as a babe, to reason as a babe; but now that I have become a man, I have done away with the traits of a babe." Clearly, the miraculous gifts that served the Christian congregation in its babyhood would no longer be necessary upon its maturity. What appears as speaking in tongues today, termed glossolalia, if not the product of emotionalism or mental unbalance, is an instance in which "Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light" to deceive.—1 Cor. 13:8, 11; 2 Cor. 11:14, NW.
Jesus said, "By their fruits you will recognize them." The fruits his true followers bear today are those of preaching "this good news of the kingdom," keeping "one-self without spot from the world," and "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control." These, and not the speaking with tongues, identify the true Christian minister and show whether he has the holy spirit or not. Matt. 7:16; 24:14; Jas. 1:27; Gal. 5:22, 23, NW. Visiting
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
PART 3
WHAT a pleasant surprise in arriving at El Salvador, for on walking out of customs there were over 200 brothers to greet the president of the Society! They formed a human corridor, which made it possible for Brother Knorr to walk between the two columns and speak personally to everyone. What smiles! all radiating joy, which only people of the New World society can express. The convention was already going on in San Salvador, but two radio interviews had been arranged for that afternoon. So the branch servant, Brother Beedle, and his wife, along with Sisters Bowin and Clogston, who arranged for the interviews and broadcasts, took their visitor directly to the radio stations. The group drove past the building site for the new branch home and Brother Knorr surprised his companions by accurately pointing out some of the details of the future building from memory of the floor plan sent to him several months previously for his approval. When the party arrived at the radio station they found out that they were offered twice as much time as they had expected, so they spoke extemporaneously about The Watchtower, Awake! the New World society and their expansion work.
That evening Brother Knorr sat in the audience along with the Spanish-speaking brothers of El Salvador and he enjoyed the analytical discussion of the Bible study work and magazine distribution. From time to time he would ask the branch servant just what certain expressions meant, but he was able to follow along fairly well
because of the charts, which depicted nine years of progress in these two important features of the work in El Salvador.
That night twenty-two missionaries stayed up quite late examining the new Yearbook and calendar brought along for them from Brooklyn. Overjoyed, they all engaged in a pleasant discussion. Even though all got to bed late that night there was no sleeping in on Sunday morning. The baptismal talk was the first event on the program and thirty-two persons declared to the great congregation that they had dedicated their lives to serve Jehovah God. The immersion took place at a mountain lake, secluded amid rare beauty. Then all sped to the site of the new branch home, where Brother Knorr dedicated the building, 150 attending. Using pointed, forceful words, he explained extemporaneously that the stone and brick of the new structure would not be able to do the speaking, but those who would use the new Kingdom Hall could and would make the building speak by means of their lips. Pointing to the steel girders that had been put in place, he expressed the hope that the hall (70 feet long and 30 feet wide) would soon be too small to accommodate all persons of good will in San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador. This would become true because of the vigorous preaching that would be done by all the publishers. The audience fully appreciated that success depended on their activity. They certainly did not want the stones to do the crying out because of their silence.
That afternoon there was a very fine crowd of 572 in attendance to hear the public talk, and the entire discourse was simultaneously broadcast from the convention to an uncounted multitude. That evening Brother Knorr's closing talk included earnest, pointed remarks to all the dedicated Christian ministers. Even though they did not understand his tongue, they felt to their hearts the things he explained and none of the sincerity and personal warmth was screened out in the interpretation. He told them of Paul's advice to speak up in the congregation meetings. Their heads nodded in approval. He gave them counsel on their faith and urged them on to maturity. The assembly seemed to have a very good effect upon all of Jehovah's witnesses in the country, because in December they had 316 publishers out in the field.
Next day there was much to do at the branch office—details for building of the new branch home and Kingdom Hall, conferring with missionaries, etc. There is a very friendly man of good will, a consulting engineer, who has greatly helped the brothers in erecting the new building. Jehovah's witnesses there appreciate his kindness and his love for their work. The new structure, of brick over a framework of welded steel, is fireproof, earthquake-proof. The brothers are very proud of their new home, and expected to move in during May.
Undoubtedly the work will advance in El Salvador with the good lead that the missionaries set before the people. A great crowd from that country should be gathered. Progress! Growth! Expansion! is the talk of the day in El Salvador.
NICARAGUA
Flying south from El Salvador one sees volcanoes, to right and left; and on landing at Managua's airport he sees Las Mercedes,
a volcano of Santiago, continually puffing off sulphuric steam. While volcanoes through their quaking can shake the very ground under man's feet, still Jehovah God at the battle of Armageddon will shake all the nations and at the same time preserve alive all members of the New World society for his new earth. Right now many of Jehovah's witnesses live amid these volcanoes, not fearful of their shaking, but happy even there to preach the good news of God's kingdom.
As is usual, the president of the Society checked over all the branch records, talked with missionaries, had the pleasure of meeting and greeting those at the convention and bringing to them Scriptural advice and information. Due to constant changes in currency values, it was necessary to reduce the subscription rate on La Atalaya and Despertad! (Spanish editions of The Watchtower and Awake!)—bringing it more into line with the current exchange rate. This, many hope, will greatly increase the distribution of these magazines in Nicaragua. When house-to-house ministers once realize the great value of these magazines they share eagerly in taking subscriptions, working regularly with them week by week. This practice was urged at the assembly, it being pointed out that there is a fertile field for sowing of the magazines in this country.
The brothers had a very hard time finding a building where they could hold a district assembly. Finally a man of good will offered his large vacant house. Its spacious corridor, opening on a patio, made a very acceptable auditorium. There Brother Knorr spoke to the audience on Psalm 112, particularly stressing the 1955 yeartext for all of Jehovah's witnesses world-wide.
On the opening night of the assembly there were 242 present and this was most encouraging, especially when in November only 160 publishers had shared in field service.
This was not the public talk—just the opening of the assembly. So surely there are many people of good will in Managua and throughout Nicaragua, and these are gathered together in a convention.
Saturday morning brought great joy to the audience, for then a discourse on dedication and baptism was being given. When those desiring to be baptized were asked to stand up there were twenty-two men and thirteen women. These candidates for immersion then drove out thirty kilometers to the shore of Lake Managua, a beautiful spot. But what was still more happifying was the faith of these people. After some years of the work's standing still in this country because of local conditions, it now appeared that advancement was being made; and the missionaries, scattered in numerous cities throughout the country, are very zealous and are giving splendid assistance to those of good will, bringing them on to maturity, helping each to be a real minister of the good news. It was indeed a pleasure to be there for a few days. Brother Knorr could not stay to give the public talk, but this the branch servant did (while Brother Knorr traveled on to Costa Rica, where another convention was in session and where he was scheduled to speak). In Managua the assembly was very successful. The brothers learned new ways of doing better work, enjoyed fellowship with one another, and encouraged and incited one another to love and right works. Jehovah's irresistible power that made these stately mountains and beautiful lakes now is operating upon His witnesses in Nicaragua, and Jehovah will give them the increase.
COSTA RICA
When the branch office learned that the president of the Society would visit Costa
Rica, the first thing to do was to arrange for a national assembly and find a hall to accommodate all the country's publishers. In previous years an indoor basketball stadium had been used, so its owner was again approached. The inquirers were told that she could not rent to Jehovah's witnesses because of the law. It turned out, however, to be ecclesiastical law. Catholics had been forbidden by the priest to rent buildings to anyone of another religion. The owner asked the branch servant to come back in a week, and in the meantime she would speak to the priest and try to obtain permission to rent the stadium. The priest refused permission, even though the owner told him that Jehovah's witnesses were the most reliable people she had ever rented to. Catholics thought that would bar the convention from San José. But the search on the part of the branch servant and others continued. They discovered that the National Baseball Federation was completing its new stadium and, while that would not be ready for baseball, the stands were finished, usable for an assembly. The baseball people did not permit religious prejudices to interfere with their renting their stadium; so a contract was signed. Jehovah's witnesses throughout all the land were invited to come to the assembly in San Jose, which began on Saturday, December 18.
To get the stadium ready meant a lot of work. They had to put in wiring, install lights, fix cafeteria equipment, build the platform, etc., but the brothers energetically went ahead, preparing everything. Just before the convention the weather was very lovely; but now a storm was brewing, cold winds and rain were coming in on San José. This could be a real obstacle for the assembly, as the grandstand was uncovered, but under the seats there was ample room for all to sit and see everything, since the stands themselves were eight feet from the ground.
So this would provide shelter in case of rain.
Eager volunteers had arranged a very attractive platform right in front of the green infield of the ball diamond. The platform was flanked on both sides by palm leaves and other plants; and two small coffee trees, with ripe red coffee berries were prominently placed. At the platform, too, more local color-a typical oxcart.
Conventioners that came from the coast understood English. Those in San Jose and other parts of Costa Rica understood Spanish. So the programs were put on in two languages. Saturday opened up with 825 in attendance, and twenty-three symbolized, by water baptism, their dedication to Jehovah God.
Sunday morning Brother Knorr arrived right on time. He came in by plane, speaking Sunday afternoon to the assembled 1,129. The public lecture was set for Sunday evening, but, with heavy rain and cold weather, only 1,250 came to hear the lecture, "God's Love to the Rescue in Man's Crisis"—although even that was the largest number ever to attend a public meeting in this country. Very helpful instruction was given to all of the brothers, in both English and Spanish; and at the final session, in a pouring rain, the president related some of the experiences encountered in other countries and told the large congregation of some changes in the work in Costa Rica. Another circuit servant was to be assigned, making four, and the congregations would be visited every four months instead of semiannually, to build them up more strongly and help them in their organizational work. All were noticeably glad for this additional service, and especially were they happy when the president of the Society announced that a new branch office and missionary home would be built and a Kingdom Hall constructed in the same building. Up until now the Society had been renting a home for the branch and for missionaries' quarters, and the congregation was renting a hall that was much too small for the many congregations in San Jose itself. Some months earlier the San Jose congregations had started a building fund, but now they would not have to be waiting four or five years to get enough money together to start building a Kingdom Hall of their own, for the Society had agreed to finance it and the local brothers could make contributions as usual. This was recognized as a wonderful provision from Jehovah. (By April property had been purchased, plans already having been made for the construction of the building, and everyone was pleased with the location, central to the city.)
It was a real pleasure for Brother Knorr to meet again with Brother Hardin in the missionary home. He was a graduate of the first Gilead class who had faithfully served the interests of the Kingdom in Costa Rica for many years. He had been confined to bed for quite some time, arthritis now affecting all of his limbs. His wife, with help of other missionaries, was giving him all needed care, doctors were looking after him as he required their attention, and from time to time in the past six months he had gained sufficient strength to do considerable preaching. The local congregation would not let him resign as congregation servant, because of their love for him, and while he was bedfast he continued to prepare the service meetings and direct the work of the congregation from his room in the missionary home. All of the brothers loved him for his zeal and his determination to keep on working. During all of his illness he never expressed the desire to leave his assignment. During the convention he was very happy to hear of the progress of activities and to get reports, and Brother Knorr had great delight in talking to him as he had opportunity.
However, at 3:30 Wednesday morning, December 22, Brother Hardin died. He was a missionary right up to the end. His faithfulness and service are an excellent example to all those with him in the missionary service and to the congregations round about. Brother Knorr had to leave at 11:30 a.m. to go on to Panama, but before he left he knew all about the funeral that would be held that same afternoon. In these countries it is necessary to bury the dead within twenty-four hours. So news was sent around to the brothers concerning Brother Hardin's death and announcement was given of the funeral services for that afternoon. There were 300 persons crowded into the Kingdom Hall to hear the funeral discourse.
It is wonderful to know and work with such faithful brothers and to see Brother Hardin's wife continue on there faithfully. While these are sad moments, still Jehovah's witnesses do not sorrow as do others, for they know of the hope that is set before them. Sister Hardin continues on in the missionary home along with the other missionaries and her joy will be full. One cannot help thinking of the contrast between faithful missionary service, as here exemplified, and those unfaithful.
Some missionaries have gone to Costa Rica in times past, and after working for a few years became interested in money and commercialism and in settling down to get more of the things this old world has to offer. Not only have such stopped missionary work but they have become negligent congregation publishers, thus setting a bad example for those brothers who did not even have the Gilead School training to aid them in their faith and give them the knowledge of Jehovah God. Certainly one today can rejoice with those who are faithful; and what joy it must be to those who, having been faithful for
years and sticking with the work assigned, keep right on going, even though their brothers or sisters, or husbands or wives, finish their ministry for the present! Some day, in the resurrection, they will joyously resume and continue worshiping and praising the Sovereign Ruler of the universe, whereas others who go back to the world, seeking its pleasures and its goods, never will have the opportunity of gaining everlasting life. To turn away completely from Jehovah's organization and be interested just in this old world, not bringing praise to Jehovah's name, not meeting with Jehovah's people, must bring torment to the minds of those so doing. They must convince themselves to believe a lie and the Devil is the father (sustainer) of them. People who turn back to the world must make excuses for their having failed to pursue the course on which they started and, instead, following another course, in order to try to convince themselves and others that they have taken what, in their eyes, is a right course. Those who enter and stay in full-time service, like missionaries, are happy in their work, for their work is the "joy of the Lord." As long as one's heart is fixed, trusting in Jehovah, he will have no fear of evil tidings that spread in the world, and he will not try to find security in this old world but will find true security only in the New World society.
In Costa Rica there is much more to be done. Those who have been careless with their privileges will either have to line up with Jehovah's requirements or get out. There are still many sheeplike ones to be gathered and they will be brought into Jehovah's clean organization and work with those who set the right example. By Jehovah's undeserved kindness Costa Rica will share in the prosperity of God's nation in 1955.
MODERN HISTORY of Jehovah's Witnesses
Part 15
FOREIGN ACTIVITIES UNDER FASCIST-NAZI PERSECUTION
BY THE year 1934 what was happening internationally as to Jehovah's witnesses? In forty-nine countries branch offices were being maintained by the Watch Tower Society. a Its work was advancing and developing along the pattern as reported for the United States. As Catholic Fascism was expanding in Europe increasing difficulties were coming upon the witnesses. In Italy some fifty witnesses had to operate underground, being continually hounded by the police, who arrested even persons accepting literature. b Several of these Italian associates were imprisoned by Mussolini's Fascist government.
In Spain prior to the Fascist revolution from 1936 to 1939 the work of the handful of witnesses was growing very well. Actually amid civil war in 1936 the Spanish witnesses reported placement of 105,570 pieces of Bible literature. c
In pre-Hitler Germany the witness work of the Society grew tremendously. From 1919 to 1933 the German brothers distributed into the hands of the German people 48,000,000 books and booklets and 77,000,000 copies of the German edition of The Golden Age.d In the 1930's the Society conducted what was known as "International Testimony Periods" of eight-day duration, during which all the witnesses globally would demonstrate their world unity by spending time every day that
week giving a uniformly prepared testimony and distributing the same publication. For example, 58,804 workers in 77 countries reported activity for "The Remnant's Thanksgiving Period" of April 8-16, 1933. e During this campaign the booklet Crisis was distributed. It is interesting to note that for this special period Germany reported 19,268 workers, to compare with 20,719 for the United States. Thus in 1933 workers in those two countries were about the same in number. But for this special week Germany reported distribution of 2,271,630 pieces of literature, surpassing the United States' placement of 877,194, so demonstrating the very zealous publishing activity in Germany right after Hitler became dictator. Even before his time much Catholic opposition was experienced. For example, for the years 1931 and 1932 there was reported a total of 2,335 legal actions pending against the German witnesses. f
With the advent of the Hitler dictatorship in January, 1933, the clouds of opposition immediately became pitch-black. Early in April, 1933, the police occupied the Society's large new factory and Bethel home in Magdeburg, Germany, placed its printing machines under seal and conducted an exhaustive search for evidence of subversive activity. None being found, the Society was allowed to resume control of its own premises on April 28. This enabled them to complete the compilation of their above record special-period report for April 8-16.
Amidst this trouble Judge Rutherford decided to visit Germany, which he did in June, 1933. On June 25 in Berlin 7,000 witnesses attended a specially called assembly, unanimously passing a resolution entitled "Declaration of Facts." It was a strong protest to Hitler and his government against their highhanded interferences with the witness work of the Society. In quick retaliation three days later, on June 28, 1933, for the second time the Society's property was seized and occupied, and by government decree its printing plant was closed. The 180 members of the Bethel family at Magdeburg were compelled to leave the premises within the next few weeks. Said Hitler:
"These so-called 'Earnest Bible Students' [Jehovah's witnesses] are trouble-makers; they disturb the harmonious life amongst the Germans; I consider them quacks; I do not tolerate that the German Catholics be besmirched in such a manner by this American 'Judge' Rutherford; I dissolve the 'Earnest Bible Students' in Germany; their property I dedicate to the people's welfare; I will have all their literature confiscated."g
This flagrant violation of international property rights was carried out by the Hitler government even though the American Watch Tower Society had been recognized in Germany since 1921, where, according to international law, it was allowed to own and operate property. At behest of the Society's Brooklyn headquarters the United States Department of State did take action to register its protest with the Hitler government.h
With the Society's German headquarters now closed the Hitler government proceeded to interfere with the congregational meetings of Jehovah's witnesses throughout the land, forbidding the brothers to meet together. This forced the work to go underground in 1934, when some of the
witnesses began to be imprisoned for failing to comply with the government's totalitarian orders. Because of this unwarranted persecution a world campaign of protest was arranged by the Society for October 7, 1934. Notwithstanding the government's order, every congregation in Germany did meet together on the night of October 7, when, after a solemn prayer to Jehovah, there was dispatched to the Hitler government in Berlin a resolution of protest signed by the local congregation of Jehovah's witnesses. United in spirit on this same night, congregations of Jehovah's witnesses in fifty countries met likewise in prayer to Jehovah followed by each group's sending a cable of protest addressed to the Hitler government as follows: "Your ill-treatment of Jehovah's witnesses shocks all good people of earth and dishonors God's name. Refrain from further persecuting Jehovah's witnesses; otherwise God will destroy you and your national party."
According to an eyewitness report, this world-wide demonstration caused quite a stir on October 7,1934, at Berlin in the Reich Ministry of the Interior when Hitler himself happened to visit Dr. Frick, minister of the interior, who was receiving these protest messages. The sworn account (reproduced below) says that upon Hitler's hearing of the telegrams, he jumped to his feet and with clenched fists hysterically screamed: "This brood will be exterminated in Germany!" Thus a mad national effort was embarked upon, to eliminate Jehovah's witnesses from the German national scene.
In the course of the dark years that followed thousands of witnesses were arrested, falsely convicted and put in prisons and concentration camps where many of them suffered unspeakably. Some two thousand witnesses lost their lives in this struggle to keep faithful integrity to Jehovah. But as warned in the global flood of cablegrams and telegrams of October 7, 1934, Hitler, the fighter against God, was no more in the land of the living eleven years later, when it is claimed he committed suicide in Berlin in 1945. Nevertheless, some 8,000 witnesses survived his demonized, torture-chamber concentration camps to live to take up again their preaching work and freely worship their loving God Jehovah.
Britain, too, saw an expansion of theocratic interests. In the early 1930's the field organization attained a steadiness as to size and distribution of Bible literature. By 1931 there were 365 congregations established and functioning for service with about four thousand regular workers, including 196 pioneers, distributing annually between one and a half to two million books and booklets. k However, in 1937 a special call to wakefulness was sounded
that stirred the British announcers of Jehovah's kingdom to greater efforts and growth. The report for the next year, 1938 indicated five thousand ministers participated in the field service, placing 4,308,710 pieces of literature. During 1939 this was amazingly expanded to 6,185,937 books and booklets by 6,861 ministers, 511 of which were pioneers. This expansion rolled on into 1940 with a distribution of 6,200,282 Bible publications by 9,860 publishers, including the remarkable number of 1,037 pioneers. In spite of total war conditions the increase continued to mount, 12,436 partaking in the monthly service in 1942, with 1,488 full-time ministers among them. m The British witnesses became a united solid organization, spiritually up to date to withstand the ordeals of the long dark war years.
British activities were not conducted without opposition. Theirs as well was the experience of opposition from Catholic-inspired sources as was their brothers' in other parts of the world, but not to the same extent. Several Catholic-Fascist attacks were withstood in 1938 and 1939 at such points as London, Glasgow, Clydebank, Oldham, Newbridge, Hebburn on Tyne, Folkestone, Camberley, Leicester, Dundee, Ebbw Vale and Northwich, where, in some cases, priest-led mobs assaulted the witnesses and in other instances meetings were interfered with. There were 71 cases of assault reported for 1940. o The London Catholic Herald on October 14, 1938, published a libelous attack on the witnesses and Judge Rutherford, falsely charging that their activities were subversive. The Catholic Herald was promptly compelled to publish a humiliating retraction on the front page of its issue for November 25. p In 1938, too, on September 10 and 11, London was the key city for the Watch Tower Society's first multicity convention.
Fifty assemblies of Jehovah's witnesses met simultaneously in England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the United States and Australia. All fifty cities were tied together by radio-telephone public-address facilities so that the two principal addresses delivered at London's Royal Albert Hall by Judge Rutherford were excellently heard by all the overseas audiences as well as audiences at the other cities in the British Isles. On Saturday the hour's talk was on the striking subject "Fill the Earth." On Sunday (September 11), for the public talk, at the fifty-city convention 150,000 persons heard Rutherford's direct original delivery of his stirring lecture "Face the Facts," warning the democratic peoples of the approaching Catholic-Fascist bid for world control. This was a remarkable assembly. q Within twelve
months thereafter World War II had started, with the Nazis and Fascists feverishly making an all-out effort for world domination, as warned.
In advertising the "Face the Facts" public lecture extensive sandwich-sign parades were used in the convention cities in both hemispheres. Later, when this and other lectures were reproduced by recordings at smaller public gatherings, single-file lines of publishers with such advertising signs suspended over their shoulders would march along heavily traveled streets handing out leaflets to advertise such meetings. This spectacular feature of street witnessing became known as 'information marching.' Subsequently 12,000,000 copies of this lecture "Face the Facts" in booklet form were distributed in all the earth. s A mighty prewar testimony was this.
(To be continued)
More Evidence of the Bible's Accuracy
An American archaeologist, Dr. Nelson Glueck, has uncovered an enormous amount of evidence confirming the historical accuracy of the Bible. Of the many scriptures that he has shed archaeological light on, one of the most interesting is the verse that tells of the Jordan Valley in ancient times as follows: "So Lot raised his eyes and saw the whole district of the Jordan, that all of it was a well-watered region before Jehovah destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Jehovah."—Genesis 13:10, New World Trans.
Critics said this was imaginary writing. They said all evidence leads to the conclusion that at the time of Lot, about 2,000 B.C., the Jordan district was an uninhabited desert. No civilization, they said; no irrigation; no farming. "The Valley," announced George Adam Smith in his famed Historical Geography of the
Holy Land, "has never been populous. It has deserved the name of wilderness."
Along came Dr. Glueck, who refused to believe what the so-called authorities said, because his past discoveries had all confirmed the Bible. Into the wilderness to study the wastelands went the archaeologist. There he found shattered pottery and other items that shed light on the wilderness. When he returned he had scientific evidence that startled the critics, evidence that changed the maps of ancient Palestine.
Again his discoveries confirmed the Bible's accuracy. Declared the archaeologist: "The Jordan Valley was not only one of the first settled sections of the country, but it was also one of the richest parts of all ancient Palestine and Transjordan . . . truly, a Garden of God." —Coronet, March, 1955.
Be Satisfied By Work
"It is God's gift to man that every one should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil."—Eccl. 3:13, RS.
EHOVAH is supreme in all the universe. There is no head over him. He takes orders from no one. He is accountable to no one. He has absolute freedom to do as he pleases, to do either this or that or something else. He chooses the course that makes him happy and he is known as the happy God. The happifying course he chooses is to work. He is not wearied by work: "The everlasting God, Jehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary." Hence it could not be in the sense of needing to recuperate that he refreshed himself at the end of the sixth creative day: "In six days Jehovah made the heavens and the earth and on the seventh day he desisted and proceeded to refresh himself." Jehovah did not desist or rest from all work, but just from this particular creative work, and upon its completion he contemplated it and noted that it was very good, up to his standard of perfection, and he was refreshed and satisfied by the accomplishment of this work of highest quality. To see this fine work completed was a joy and a satisfaction and a refreshment to Jehovah the Creator.—Isa. 40:28, AS; Ex. 31:17, NW, margin.
2 Proving Jehovah continues working during the sabbath or seventh day of the
creative week are Jesus' words: "My Father has kept working until now, and I keep working." These words also show Jesus works. He does the work Jehovah assigns to him. He willingly and voluntarily does God's work, and expressed delight in doing Jehovah's will. He found it as nourishing and as satisfying and as refreshing as food; more so, in fact, for on one occasion when his disciples urged him to eat he responded: "My food is for me to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work." The joy of accomplishment would refresh him at the end of the work, dissipating any tiredness and leaving him satisfied and exhilarated.—John 5:17; 4:34, NW.
3 Man was created in the image and likeness of God and Christ, with a measure of their attributes of wisdom, power, justice and love. By his wisdom man could know how to do things, by his power he would be able to do them, by his sense of justice he could use the fruits of his labor fairly, and by his quality of love he could go even beyond justice in dealing generously and unselfishly. He was made with the capacity to do good work and he was given work to do. When man was created, "Jehovah God proceeded to take the man and settle him in the garden of Eden to cultivate it and to take care of it."
Man and his wife were told to "be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is creeping upon the earth." What a wonderful privilege of work was given the first human pair when the earth with its plant and animal life was placed under their care and they were to fill it with their offspring, and Jehovah had given them the mental and physical capacities to enable them to accomplish the assignment perfectly!—Gen. 2:15; 1:28, NW.
4 Jehovah did not give man this work to do to get out of doing it himself. He did it for man's good, because man was equipped to work and would find happiness in doing this work that was within his capacities. It was for man's pleasure and enjoyment and satisfaction that Jehovah assigned him suitable work. The work would fill his life, rout any possibility of boredom or dull monotony, and give him the satisfying feeling of being useful. Rather than the divine attributes' being repressed or frustrated or stagnated by inactivity, they could find a proper outlet for full expression in the work assigned by Jehovah. Recent scientific studies confirm the Scriptural truth that man was made to work. They have shown that the majority of elderly persons in good health do not want to retire, that retirement more often brings boredom instead of happiness, and that investigators believe it makes bored and idle persons lose the will to live and actually cuts down on their life span. Hobbies do not satisfactorily replace work in the lives of retired persons. Enjoyed a few hours a week as a change and relaxation from regular work, they become tiresome when pursued full time. Also, hobbies usually fall short of this requirement, as stated in one article: "To maintain mental health a man must feel that he is doing work which serves a useful purpose." To retire from good work is more of a blight than a blessing. So Jehovah acted for man's good when he gave man an assignment of work.
Jehovah does not want man deprived of the fruits of his labor. "The hard-working farmer," wrote the apostle Paul, "must be the first to partake of the fruits." Previously he had expounded this divine principle at greater length, saying: "Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not eat some of the milk of the flock? Am I speaking these things by human standards? Or does not the Law also say these things? For in the law of Moses it is written: 'You must not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.' Is it oxen God is caring for? Or is it altogether for our sakes he says it? Really for our sakes it was written, because the man who plows ought to plow in hope and the man who threshes ought to do so in hope of being a partaker." Even the oxen were to partake of the fruits of their labor. But are oxen the primary concern? If Jehovah safeguards the interests of the working brute, how much more so will he champion the welfare of working men! Paul is not here nullifying the divine rule of consideration for oxen, but by a forceful rhetorical construction he is showing that in comparison with men oxen are as nothing, and if the humane principle applies to oxen it applies with incomparably greater force to mankind, and especially to those laboring in Jehovah's service and sowing spiritual things in the interests of others.—2 Tim. 2:6; 1 Cor. 9:7-11, NW. The law concerning oxen that Paul quoted is found at Deuteronomy 25:4, and in that same book Jehovah directly concerns himself with men and their right to enjoy the results of their labors.
The setting is important. The nation of Israel had just finished its wilderness sojourn and was poised on the plains of Moab for entry into the Promised Land. This land was oc-
bor. Then, later on, he would respond to the call to war when it came and be able to fight with undivided attention, not plagued by thoughts that he would never enjoy the house he built, for then he would already have experienced that joy. The same was true with regard to the man who had planted a vineyard. He was to eat of its fruit before he went to war. This might
cupied by fighting hordes of demon worshipers. The entry of Israel would precipitate war and in battle Israel would find itself outnumbered: "In case you should go out to the battle against your enemies and you have seen horses and war chariots, a people more numerous than you, you must not be afraid of them, for Jehovah your God is with you." Nevertheless, notwithstanding the urgency of theocratic warfare and the pressing need for every able-bodied man in the fighting ranks, note these exemptions to military duty: "Who is the man that has built a new house and
mean an exemption of several years, since the law stipulated no fruitage was to be used the first three years, the fourth year's produce was to be an offering to Jehovah, and not until the fifth year was the fruitage permitted for common or general use. Nevertheless, exemption held until the planter had partaken of the harvest.—Lev. 19:23-25.
By an illustration Jesus showed that work gives its own reward in joyfulness. A man was going on a trip, but before leaving he summoned his slaves and left them in charge of his interests, distributing his
is the man that has built a new house and has not inaugurated it? Let him go and return to his house, for fear he may die in the battle and another man should inaugurate it. And who is the man that has planted a vineyard and not begun to use it? Let him go and return to his house, for fear he may die in the battle and another man should begin to use it."—Deut. 20:1, 5, 6, NW.
7 Jehovah holds that a man should enjoy the fruits of his labor, that his work should not be in vain, without the reward of enjoying its good. This was to hold true
goods according to the varying abilities of his slaves. After a long absence he returned and called for an accounting. By diligent work the one caring for five talents doubled them, and the one caring for two talents doubled them, but the one left in charge of one talent was sluggish and did nothing with it and so gained nothing. Now, how were the two industrious workers rewarded? Were they told to take a vacation at the seashore or in the mountains? Was that their reward? No, their reward for hard work was, not a vacation, but, of all
even in the emergency of war, when every able man was sorely needed. He was to have the satisfaction of enjoying his work and not go to the battle front wondering whether he would return to enjoy living in his house or not, or whether some other man would live in it. The builder was to be the first to enjoy the results of that la-
things, more work! To each of them in turn the master said: "Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master." The master's joy was in this work, and by getting more of this work to do the diligent slaves entered more fully into their master's joy. But what about the lazy slave that would not work?
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