October 22

What Has Modern Man Accomplished?

DOES modern man really need God? Many persons today say, in effect, ‘No, I can get along without God. He’s not really necessary to my life and happiness.’

Many feel this way because of modern man’s stupendous technical and scientific achievements. These achievements, it is felt, make God unnecessary.

Also, many people, seeing the terrible conditions in the world, feel that they can get along without a God who would allow these things to exist.

Are these valid reasons for believing that we do not need God?

Well, it is true that many of man’s modern achievements equal what people in earlier times believed only God could do. Using modern technology, man can erect skyscrapers, dam mighty rivers and light entire cities. Persons on opposite sides of the globe can pick up telephones and talk with each other. In fact, as events occur anywhere on earth, man can watch them on TV in the comfort of his living room.

In many places the average person lives better than some kings of ancient times. He enjoys the benefits of central heating, air conditioning, electric stoves, refrigerators and other such conveniences. Automobiles and airplanes move persons in quick order to distant places. Man can even travel to the moon!

These and other achievements have caused many persons to conclude that, whereas in former times man may have needed God, modern man can get along without him.

But is man alone to be credited for his achievements? Where did man get his wonderful brain to figure out how to do things? And where did he obtain the raw materials with which to make refrigerators, automobiles and other modern inventions? Did man create them? This is something to consider.

There is also something else to consider. Though man has accomplished remarkable things in the fields of science and technology, why has he been such a failure in bringing about lasting peace in human affairs?

Just look around you today. There are increasing divorce rates, broken homes, sexual immorality and venereal disease. Family life and morality are breaking down. In some schools it is estimated that half the student body will contract a venereal disease!

Also, cities are deteriorating. In fact, crime and violence in the streets make it dangerous for millions of persons even to walk to the corner store for a loaf of bread. “Fear stalks the streets. . . . People flee the streets at dark and, more and more, even in daylight,” noted United States Senator Mike Mansfield. The New York Times reported: “In almost every corner of the earth a spirit of internal lawlessness is manifested.”

On a larger scale wars, revolutions and disruptions constantly erupt in the earth. Many people are fearful of the threat of nuclear destruction, and with good reason.

Do these conditions really indicate that we do not need God? Or is the problem that man has tried to solve his difficulties without considering God’s purposes? And could it be that one reason why God has permitted these troubles for a time is to show man that he actually does need God?

Does Man Have Any Need of God?

ON JULY 20, 1969, as tens of millions of persons watched on television, two men stepped from their spacecraft onto the moon’s surface. It was a crowning technological achievement.

Surely this marvelous feat of traveling about 240,000 miles in space demonstrated man’s intelligence and ingenuity. And some may observe, ‘It was accomplished without any need of God.’

But was it really? How did man get to the moon?

Knowledge of Laws Required

Years of preparation were involved, yes, centuries. How so? World Book Encyclopedia observes:

“In the early 1600’s, Johannes Kepler, a German scientist, developed the laws of planetary motion that describe the orbits of bodies in space. Today, these laws are used to determine the orbits of artificial satellites and to plan the flights of spacecraft.

“In 1687, Sir Isaac Newton published his ‘Laws of Motion,’ which used Kepler’s work as a base. Newton’s laws, like Kepler’s, form a cornerstone of spaceflight planning.”

Kepler and Newton did not make the above-mentioned laws. They simply discovered them, or provided an explanation of their operation. But why is space flight dependent on these laws?

It is because bodies in space adhere strictly to them. Thus when man understands these laws, he can determine by mathematical calculations where a particular body in space will be at a given time. Such calculations are made possible by the orderly, consistent movement of heavenly bodies.

The moon, for example, speeds along in an ever-predictable orbit around the earth at an average of 2,300 miles per hour. It makes one trip around the earth every 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 2.8 seconds. Similarly, the earth hurtles around the sun at some 66,600 miles per hour. It completes one trip around the sun every 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes and 9.54 seconds.

Thus in flights to the moon, man on the earth aims his spacecraft at a point in space 165,000 miles ahead of the orbiting moon. By various calculations man knows that the moon is certain to be at that spot at the predetermined time. And if the spacecraft is provided proper direction and power it will be at that spot too, making a moon landing possible.

Origin of Law and Order

What is responsible for the precision movements of heavenly bodies that make space flight possible? Have you ever given this thought? The first American astronaut to orbit the earth, John Glenn, was moved to exclaim:

“It is the orderliness of the whole universe about us . . . galaxies millions of light-years across, all traveling in prescribed orbits in relation to one another.

“Could this have just happened? Was it an accident that a bunch of flotsam and jetsam suddenly started making these orbits of its own accord? I can’t believe that. . . . Some Power put all this into orbit and keeps it there.”

Space scientist Dr. Wernher Von Braun also was impressed by “the presence of a superior rationality behind the existence of the universe.” He explained:

“Manned space flight is an amazing achievement. But it has opened for us thus far only a tiny door for viewing the awesome reaches of space. Our outlook through this peephole at the vast mysteries of the universe only confirms our belief in its creator.”

Yes, a vast complex of heavenly bodies governed by fantastic mathematical precision has been discovered in space. A professor of mathematics from the University of Cambridge, P. Dirac, wrote in the Scientific American: “One could perhaps describe the situation by saying that God is a mathematician of a very high order, and He used very advanced mathematics in constructing the universe.”

Is it not obvious that the laws responsible for such orderly movement of the earth, moon and stars had to have a Lawgiver? Without the existence of these laws, space travel would be impossible because the heavenly bodies would be in chaos! Is it not apparent, then, that without God, who created and upholds these laws, man’s moon landings would also be impossible?

But is man dependent on God only when traveling in space?

Providing Food

Recently, glowing reports have been telling of the so-called “Green Revolution” that has been brought about by man’s development of “wonder” wheats and “miracle” rice varieties. Thus, some authorities say that, through man’s ingenuity, plenty of food will be provided earth’s growing population.

But can man be credited with providing this food? Is its growth, in fact, dependent on his efforts and technology?

Actually the so-called “miracle” grains were not created by man. It was simply by selective breeding of existing types of wheat and rice that more productive varieties were developed. True, man worked hard to plant and water the seed, and then toiled to harvest its fruitage. But man did not make it grow, did he? No, the plants make the food.

They do this by means of the remarkable process known as photosynthesis. Several years ago a professor of biology, Frits W. Went, wrote about it:

“In terms of energy, there is nothing to compare with it: It makes green plants grow​—all green plants, all over the world . . . And in terms of tonnage its production makes man’s industries seem trifling. Every year the world’s steel mills turn out 350 million tons of steel, the world’s cement factories 325 million tons of cement. The world’s green plants, however, produce 150 billion tons of sugar every year.”

So can you see why photosynthesis has been called “the most important single chemical process in the world”? All life on earth in one way or another depends on it! But what is responsible for photosynthesis? Could it have just happened by itself?

It is well known what green plants use to make food​—carbon dioxide from the air, water from the soil and light from the sun. These all penetrate to the interior of plant cells, where the remarkable substance called chlorophyll exists. The stage is now set for the amazing process of photosynthesis. Science News Letter explains:

“It is here that the ‘deities’ perform their miracle. Sunlight provides energy for the great chemical change, and chlorophyll acts as the ‘switchboard’ that controls the reaction. Under the influence of these two, the carbon dioxide and water now combine to create the basis of all food, a simple sugar.” Using this sugar, green plants also make more complex carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and vitamins.

Why does the above science magazine say the ‘deities’ perform this remarkable transformation? It is because only a supreme intelligence could conceive and create such an amazing process. It is “a process that no one yet has been able to reproduce in a test tube,” explains Professor Went.

In fact, not only is photosynthesis beyond man’s ability to duplicate, he does not even understand how it works! Science writer John Pfeiffer said: “Researchers often allude to the photosynthesis reactions as ‘the black box’​—indicating that they know what goes in and what comes out but are not sure about everything that goes on inside.”

Surely it is inconceivable to believe that such a complex process, one beyond human comprehension, could have happened by chance. A powerful ‘Deity’ was indeed responsible! Is it not obvious that we are dependent upon him for our food supply?

Interdependent Web of Life

Did you know that photosynthesis also provides us life-sustaining oxygen? When plant cells break apart water molecules composed of hydrogen and oxygen, they utilize the hydrogen in making food, and expel oxygen as waste. But man takes in the oxygen. He needs it to live.

On the other hand, plants are dependent on the energy-producing process within our body cells. How so? Because carbon dioxide is produced as a waste product in this energy-making process of man and animals. And green plants need this carbon dioxide to carry on photosynthesis, which is the source of all earth’s food!

Truly, life is dependent on the astonishing carbon-dioxide–oxygen exchange between living things! Should it somehow be disrupted, man would die off the earth.

But man is also dependent upon many other marvelous processes that are continuously going on around him. The lowly earthworm, for example, makes fertile soil. In a year, it is estimated, earthworms in an acre of land may pass through their bodies ten tons of earth, building up life-sustaining topsoil that plants need in order to grow.

Also, without honeybees that fertilize flowers, “many fruits and vegetables would die,” explains an encyclopedia. Everywhere one looks on earth there is a complex web of relationships that cooperate marvelously. Is it not apparent that we are dependent upon God for life?​—Acts 14:16, 17.

Origin of Life

Yet some persons may question whether we really need God for life. They may say: “I have seen newspaper headlines proclaiming, ‘LIFE CREATED IN THE TEST TUBE.’” Is it true that man has created life?

No, it is not. All man has done is make a few substances that are components of substances that make up the basic unit of life, the living cell. Scientists have only produced in their laboratories molecules such as amino acids, made up at most of a few atoms. But there may be thousands of amino acids in a single protein composed of millions of atoms! And yet a living cell has hundreds of proteins, as well as other complex substances!

The living cell is indeed a mystery of complexity. J. A. V. Butler explained in his recent book The Life Process: “Even the simplest complete organisms we know of today are almost unbelievably complex. It is difficult to visualize the steps by which they may have originated.” Thus the 1971 Encyclopedia Americana notes: “Scientists are far from being able to synthesize life in the laboratory.”

It is obvious that a living cell is so complex that scientists are unable to come close to making one, and, yet, man and other multicelled living creatures are far more complex than single-cell organisms.

The Producing of a Human

A single fertilized cell in a woman develops according to an orderly plan into a human baby. “It is, quite simply, a miracle,” said Newsweek, October 25, 1965, adding: “No technique can pinpoint the momentous time of conception. No scientist can tell what wondrous forces then take over to develop the organs and myriad nerve networks of a human embryo.”

In the tiny original fertilized cell are found all the instructions and know-how to create a full-grown person! These instructions, if spelled out in English, would require several twenty-four-volume sets of the Encyclopedia Britannica! And yet each succeeding one of the billions of cells the body produces contains all these instructions!

Somehow, however, all other instructions within each cell are suppressed, except the ones which that particular cell requires for its specialized development. Thus some become muscle cells, others nerve cells, still others bone cells, and so forth. Then these hundreds of different types of cells are organized by some amazing directive force into a human baby so wonderfully constructed that it staggers imagination.

The complexity of a human is perhaps best appreciated by noting how intricate are even lowly animals. Pointing, for example, to the marvels of the ant, computer-scientist Dr. Warren S. McCullock said: “Actually, computers are clumsy, stupid beasts . . . They haven’t the brains of a retarded ant.” Also, Natural History observed: “The nervous system of a single starfish, with all its various nerve ganglia and fibers, is more complex than London’s telephone exchange.”

Does not the amazing complexity of lowly ants and starfish emphasize the magnificence of God’s creation of the much superior human organism? Why, the human nervous system records some 100 million sensations a second, its eyes take perfectly coordinated motion pictures in three-dimensional color, its liver carries on hundreds of life-sustaining chemical conversions, and its many other organs perform similarly amazing functions! Do you not agree with the Bible writer who exclaimed, “in a fear-inspiring way I am wonderfully made”?​—Ps. 139:14.

Hence, we cannot escape the conclusion that we are now as dependent upon God for life and the processes that sustain life as man has ever been. God’s marvelous creations indeed win admiration because of their order and perfection.

On the other hand, human affairs are so disorderly and imperfect! There are suffering, distress and wickedness practically everywhere. ‘Why?’ you may ask. ‘Why does God not do something about these things? Does his permission of wickedness indicate that he does not care, or that he has forgotten man?’

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Man’s space travel depends on the laws governing movements of heavenly bodies. Who is the originator of these laws?

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Light from the sun, carbon dioxide from the air and water from soil combine miraculously to produce food for man

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Humans and animals take in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide; plants take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. Man did not devise that cycle

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‘The making of a baby is quite simply a miracle. No scientist can understand the wondrous forces involved’

Has God Forgotten Man?

DESPITE man’s efforts to solve world troubles, conditions continue to grow worse. It is understandable, therefore, that persons might ask: ‘Has God forgotten man?’ Do you ever wonder?

Many persons today believe that God has forgotten. They apparently think that God started humans on earth and then abandoned them, somewhat like a man who fathers illegitimate children and then leaves them. It is understandable that a person would feel no need for a God like that!

But has our Creator really, in effect, done this? Are you sincerely interested in knowing?

Some persons only pretend to want to know. True, they may ask: ‘If there is a God, why does he allow man to suffer so much?’ But instead of searching for an answer, they prefer to believe that there is no God, or, if there is, that he has forgotten man. And such ones often are too proud even to consider the evidence.

In ancient times there were persons like that too. They held personal ideas about God, but they proudly refused to check whether these were correct. King David of Israel said of such ones: “The wicked one according to his superciliousness makes no search; all his ideas are: ‘There is no God.’ He has said in his heart: ‘God has forgotten.’”​—Ps. 10:4, 11.

Since some make this same charge against God today, it is proper that we examine it.

Really, Has God Forgotten?

Is the way in which our bodies function, without human control or direction, not an indication that God still sustains our life processes? We still benefit from the wonderfully complex healing process that soon repairs damage if we should cut ourselves. And what about the marvelous process that transforms the many kinds of foods we eat into flesh, bones, hair, nails and other building materials? Do these processes, which continue to function for our benefit, really indicate that God has forgotten man?

Examine further: Consider how we enjoy the exquisite beauty that has been provided on earth​—the glorious sunsets, snowcapped mountains, sandy beaches, green valleys, rushing rivers and colorful, fragrant flowers. Observe, too, how tiny seeds grow to produce the amazing varieties of delicious foods. Is God not still maintaining the laws that make possible sunsets and pounding surf, food-making processes of plants? And would you not say that all of this is evidence that God remembers man?

Additional search reveals that God has cared for man in more than material ways. He has also provided humans with moral guidance and advice in his Word the Bible. So fine is God’s law contained in the Scriptures that the famous English judge Blackstone once said: “No human laws are of any validity, if contrary to this; and such of them as are valid derive all their force and all their authority, mediately or immediately, from this original.”

Experience has shown that when humans live in harmony with God’s law it brings satisfaction and improvement to their lives. The early American president Thomas Jefferson wrote: “The studious perusal of the Sacred Volume will make better citizens, better fathers, better husbands . . . The Bible makes the best people in the world.” This provision of his Word the Bible is also clear evidence that God has not forgotten man!

The Question of Human Suffering

Yet human suffering has been so prevalent that even a righteous man was once moved to ask: “Has God forgotten to be favorable?” This man, however, rather than jumping to a conclusion, made a careful search, which led him to exclaim: “O God, your way is in the holy place. . . . You are the true God, doing marvelously. . . . You have led your people just like a flock.”​—Ps. 77:9-14, 20.

But in the face of all the wickedness and human suffering on earth, some persons may wonder how anyone could reach such a conclusion. ‘How could a good God who is Almighty allow this suffering?’ they ask.

Think about that for a moment. If God really has irresponsibly abandoned his earthly children, he is no longer good, is he? Yet it is obvious, as we have seen, that God has done and continues to do tremendous good for man! So, does this not indicate that God has very good reasons for temporarily permitting human suffering?

One may at first think that nothing could warrant permission of the suffering that mankind has experienced over the centuries. But is it right to jump to such a conclusion? Why, circumstances can arise where a good parent may permit a beloved child to undergo suffering temporarily. A painful operation, for instance, may be permitted because it is considered necessary.

Reasons for Permission of Suffering

First, we need to identify how human troubles actually began. Was it due to some neglect or oversight on God’s part?

To the contrary, God’s Word shows that mankind’s troubles had their start due to the abandoning of God by the first human pair, Adam and Eve. Created as free moral agents, these two deliberately ignored God’s laws, being influenced to do so by the angelic rebel Satan. Thus a number of vital issues or questions were raised. These included:

Was man made with the ability successfully to govern his affairs independent of God? In short, does he really need God’s guidance and direction? And there was the related question of whether any of the offspring of the first couple would be obedient and loyal to their Creator.

So the issues were moral ones, involving the rightness of God’s way of ruling, and whether man’s success and happiness really depend upon submitting to God’s rule. The issues did not concern whether God had greater strength or power. And they were not just local issues, affecting only humans, but they are ones in which even the heavenly angels are interested.

God, of course, could have immediately destroyed Adam and Eve, as well as Satan. That would have wiped out all opposition to Him; it also would have put an end to the human family, of which you are a member. But it would not have really settled the issues.

For example, it would not have answered the question as to whether any of Adam and Eve’s offspring would choose to remain loyal to God’s rulership. Nor would it answer whether any of these offspring could remain faithful to God if subjected to tests by Satan. Wiping out opposition immediately, therefore, might have left doubts in the minds of onlookers as to whether there was any truth to the charges by Satan.

So since the issues are of such importance, challenging God’s way of ruling and affecting the confidence of his creatures in him, God decided that they should be settled once and for all.

What has been the outcome? Have Satan’s charges against God been upheld, or proved false?

Settling the Issues

Well, what would you say? Have the past 6,000 years of human history indicated that man has been successful in governing his affairs by himself, apart from God? Has man provided good government for the blessing and happiness of all? Or does the record of history indicate that man needs God’s guidance, as God said he does?​—Jer. 10:23.

The evidence should be clear to all. Man’s record of governing himself independent of God has been a dismal failure! It has resulted in untold human suffering. “Man has dominated man to his injury,” as the Bible says.​—Eccl. 8:9.

How opposite human endeavors have been to the order and precision found in the universe guided by God’s laws! Clearly, man needs God’s guidance in governing his affairs, because ignoring God’s laws has resulted in chaos. Yes, man was created with this need to depend upon God’s laws just as surely as fish were made with a need for water and other creatures were made with a need for air to breathe.

And what about Satan’s charge that, if given the opportunity, he could successfully turn all human creatures away from God? This claim too has been proved a lie, for down through history there have always been some persons who have remained loyal to God, regardless of the circumstances.​—Job chapters 1 and 2.

Why So Long?

However, a person might ask, Why has God permitted so much time, nearly 6,000 years now, to settle these issues? Could they not have been settled satisfactorily long ago?

If God had intervened long ago, the charge could have been made that man was not given enough time to develop a workable government and the necessary technology to bring prosperity to all. But now man has had the time to try every conceivable form of human rule and make tremendous technological advances, including harnessing the atom and traveling to the moon. What has been the result? A grand new system for the blessing of humanity?

Far from it! Instead there are more unhappiness and trouble on earth than ever before. In fact, crime, pollution, war, family breakdown and other problems have reached such a crisis stage that scientists believe man’s very existence is threatened! Science magazine of November 28, 1969, observed:

“In the continued absence of better ways of heading off these multiple crises, our half-life may no longer be 10 or 20 years, but more like 5 to 10 years, or less. We may have even less than a 50-50 chance of living until 1980.

“This statement may seem uncertain and excessively dramatic. But is there any scientist who would make a much more optimistic estimate after considering all the different sources of danger and how they are increasing? The shortness of the time is due to the exponential and multiplying character of our problems.”

Yes, after nearly 6,000 years of experience in self-rule and after reaching the ultimate in scientific “progress” mankind is on the brink of catastrophe! How clear it is that man cannot successfully govern himself, apart from God! Nor can anyone now complain that God did not allow enough time to settle these issues.

Yet during these past 6,000 years, what has God been doing to bring an end to man’s troubles? Has he just been sitting idly by, watching mankind flounder and suffer? True, God has wonderfully sustained the laws and processes that make life on earth possible. But will he do anything to satisfy man’s need for peace, health and happiness?

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The provision of God’s Word the Bible is clear evidence that God has not forgotten man. The Bible gives wise guidance that brings satisfaction and improvement to humans, young and old

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A parent with good reason will permit a beloved child to undergo an operation despite some suffering; God also has good reasons for temporarily permitting suffering

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As fish were created with the need for water, and land animals with a need for air, so man was created with a need for God’s guidance

How God Satisfies Man’s Needs

ALMOST daily now we are reminded of man’s need of help in solving his problems. “The problems of the day,” observed U.S. News & World Report, “seem at present to be beyond the power of any government to solve.”

Pointing to the desperateness of the world situation, medical editor Dr. Frank J. Ayd said: “It is frightening that so many foresighted people believe we may not survive to see the 21st century,” less than thirty years away.

Mankind’s plight has been Compared to that of passengers on a floundering ship in a stormy sea. “We’re directionless, rudderless and not sure where we’re going,” lamented Dr. Wilson Head, Canadian social science professor. The editor of Intelligence Digest said: “Only God can settle world affairs.”

But can God be depended upon to solve the problems that men have been unable to solve? Is there reason to expect him to?

What God Has Been Doing

Well, what would you expect of a good God, one who has provided the sun and rain and all the beautiful living things that make this earth such a delightful place to live? Would you not expect him to do something to satisfy man’s needs for lasting peace and happiness? Has he been making any preparations to do this?

The Bible shows that he has. It was God’s original purpose for humans to live in perfect health and happiness on a paradise earth, and he has never changed this purpose. Thus, immediately after Satan turned Adam and Eve away from God, God promised to raise up a deliverer or seed to annihilate Satan and establish a righteous new order of peace for the benefit of all of Adam and Eve’s offspring who would choose to be loyal to God. God explained in prophetic language how this Deliverer would destroy Satan, saying: “He [the seed] will bruise you [Satan] in the head.”​—Gen. 3:15.

In time God revealed through which family line the “Seed” would come, telling his faithful servant Abraham: “By means of your seed all nations of the earth will certainly bless themselves.” (Gen. 22:18) Later, God promised regarding King David of Israel: “I shall certainly set up his seed forever and his throne as the days of heaven. His seed itself will prove to be even to time indefinite, and his throne as the sun in front of me.”​—Ps. 89:29, 36.

Over the centuries God also indicated in his Word many of the blessings the righteous rule of this promised “seed” would bring to mankind. He foretold, for example, that all evildoers would be cut off, that only righteous ones would get to live forever on earth, and that humans would enjoy perfect health and peace in the restored earthly paradise. (Ps. 37:9-11, 29; Isa. 11:1-9; 25:6-8) So rather than forgetting man, God was for all those years making preparations for the eternal blessing of mankind.

However, a necessary step in the development of God’s purposes was the sending to the earth of his promised Deliverer and Ruler. Why?

The Promised One Arrives

When he arrived, this one was properly identified as the “‘seed,’ who is Christ.” (Gal. 3:16; 4:4) At his birth an announcement was made: “This one will be great and will be called Son of the Most High . . . and he will rule as king . . . and there will be no end of his kingdom.”​—Luke 1:30-33.

Yet this one, Jesus Christ, did not take up his rulership while he was on earth. Was he supposed to? No, not then. What he did was to demonstrate what a desirable ruler he would be by providing the needs of people in miraculous ways. For example, on two occasions he fed thousands of hungry persons with just a few loaves of bread and some fishes.​—Matt. 14:19-21; 15:34-37.

Also, Jesus miraculously cured the sick. In fact, he healed all those that were brought to him! (Matt. 15:30, 31) Even more remarkable was Jesus’ raising to life of the dead! For example, there was a widow who was mourning at the funeral of her only child. Jesus happened to come upon this pathetic scene, and told her: “Stop weeping.” Then he went over to her son’s dead body and said: “Young man, I say to you, Get up!” And the man did come to life, and Jesus “gave him to his mother.”​—Luke 7:11-16.

However, Jesus brought more than material benefits to people. He also showed them how to live together in peace and happiness, demonstrating to them how to exercise genuine love. He said: “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”​—John 13:34, 35.

Then Jesus was killed by opposers. But his death served a vital purpose, providing a means of deliverance from death for Adam’s offspring. How so?

Well, humans die because of inheriting sin and death from their forefather Adam. (Rom. 5:12) Jesus, however, did not have his life transmitted to him from sinner Adam, since Jesus had been an angel in heaven, and his life force was transferred from there to earth. Thus Jesus’ perfect human life could be given as a ransom to purchase the life right lost for all Adam’s descendants by his sin against God.​—Matt. 20:28; John 3:16.

So, then, Jesus’ death was not something really unexpected. In fact, God’s prophecy had foretold that the “seed” would be bruised in the heel. (Gen. 3:15) Like a heel wound, Jesus’ death was painful but not permanently disabling. This is because God raised him to life again. Many eyewitnesses testified to his resurrection.​—Matt. 28:1-10; Acts 1:8-11; 2:32.

Significance Today

‘But how do all those things said in the Bible help me?’ someone may ask. ‘Even if Jesus really did those miracles and God did resurrect him, how does it benefit the hungry, sick and dying today?’

We and the rest of mankind can benefit in a very important way. How so? Well, since Jesus did all those wonderful things for people in times past on a limited scale, this is God’s assurance to us that Jesus can do them on a larger, earth-wide scale now that he has been raised to heavenly life! And God promises us that he will do all these things for mankind!

But when? When will the promised “seed” crush Satan and bless obedient mankind? It has been nearly 6,000 years since Satan induced the first human pair to rebel against God. How do we know that God’s time for ending Satan’s wicked system is finally near?

For one reason, it is because the unusually troublous conditions now existing were foretold by Jesus to mark the ‘conclusion of the system of things.’ He said that there would be widespread food shortages, pestilences, wars, lawlessness and other conditions that are now clearly in evidence.​—Matt. 24:3-14.

And for another reason, by now sufficient time has been allowed for settling all the issues raised by the rebellion. It has been shown clearly that Satan has been unable to turn all mankind away from God, as he evidently claimed he could. (Job chapters 1 and 2) The past 6,000 years of history have also shown that humans, independent of God, have been completely incapable of establishing a government to bring peace and happiness to its subjects.

Time to Satisfy Man’s Needs

Thus the time has arrived for God’s promised “seed” to deliver the fatal “head” blow to Satan, and clear out this corrupt system of things. (Gen. 3:15) Is not a corruption-free world something mankind so much needs? Yet it is now generally acknowledged that man cannot create such a government. Editorial writer David Lawrence observed: “The more we search for an alibi, the more we discover that unhappiness on earth is man-made. Our key weakness is that we have not solved the problem of self-government.”

Should we not rejoice, then, that God will satisfy this need of man for a desirable government? Under the rule of His appointed King, Jesus Christ, the whole earth really will enjoy a righteous administration of its affairs. A prophecy concerning the promised “seed” says:

“He must judge the lowly ones, and with uprightness he must give reproof in behalf of the meek ones of the earth. And he must strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the spirit of his lips he will put the wicked one to death. And righteousness must prove to be the belt of his hips, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.”​—Isa. 11:1-5.

Today even the basic needs of hundreds of millions of persons go unfulfilled under unjust human rule. For example, governments pay farmers to plow crops under and store food away in granaries while daily thousands starve to death. The situation is so critical that Dr. G. Borgstrom, food expert at Michigan State University, said: “We simply don’t realize the dimensions of our difficulties. Because of our attitude, with more than half the human family desperately short of life’s necessities, I think we’re already in a disaster.”

At the same time, people the world over also are in desperate need of a decent place to live. This is true even under the most ‘advanced’ human governments. Saturday Review observed: “In 1972, at least ten million American families​—one out of every six in the nation—​are still living in housing that is badly deteriorating, grossly unhealthy, or utterly wretched.”

Also, disease, aging and death continue to plague the human family. There is an utter helplessness to satisfy man’s need for health and youthful vigor. Dr. Nathan W. Shock admitted: “We do not have the faintest idea what causes aging.” And it is even a greater mystery to man how to cure or prevent aging and death.

Is it not obvious, then, that modern man needs God? We depend upon Him to sustain the life processes of our bodies, for the miraculous food making of green plants and for all the earth’s other resources. But we also need God’s guidance on how to use these things properly. And especially do we need God to adjust our bodies so that they do not become sick, grow old and die.

Yet can we be sure that God will do these things for man? Well, what would you expect of a good God? If you had the power, would you not satisfy man’s needs, blessing him with life in peace and happiness? Then should we expect that the loving Creator of man will do any less?

In his Word God promises to create a “new heavens,” that is, a righteous government with Christ at its head, and a “new earth,” or a completely righteous new earthly society. After speaking of that new system as though it were already operating, God’s spokesman says:

“Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.

Do such promises sound too good to be true? Yet you can trust them. Almighty God assures that we can, for he himself goes on to say: “Look! I am making all things new. . . . Write, because these words are faithful and true.”​—Rev. 21:1-5.

Is it not marvelous how God purposes to satisfy man’s need for genuine peace, health and happiness? Do you feel grateful for his provisions? Jesus showed how we can show God our appreciation. In his Sermon on the Mount he said: “Keep on, then, seeking first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness.”​—Matt. 6:33.

God’s kingdom is the government in the hands of his promised “seed.” This is God’s instrument for satisfying man’s needs. We seek that kingdom government of God by doing all that we can to inform ourselves of it. We thus develop confidence in its reality. And then we advocate that kingdom to others, advertising it as man’s only hope for peace and happiness, as Jesus did when he was on earth.

This is the work that Jehovah’s witnesses are doing by going to the homes of people and freely discussing the Bible with them. Also, they regularly meet to study about God’s provisions in their Kingdom Halls. They there consider information that builds faith in God and his kingdom. You are cordially invited to attend their meetings and enjoy this valuable instruction with them.

[Picture on page 16]

Soon God will fulfill his promise to create a completely righteous human society

Assemblies That Acclaim “Divine Rulership”

DO YOU desire a righteous government, one that can satisfy man’s need for peace, security and happiness? Surely all of us do!

It is understandable, therefore, that man’s inability to create such a government has caused many persons to be deeply disappointed. Yet in marked contrast, at this summer’s 163 district assemblies of Jehovah’s witnesses in Europe and North America, there was overflowing optimism regarding the prospects of good government. Why?

It is because the delegates to these assemblies look to Jehovah God, and not man, to satisfy earth’s need for a righteous government. They are whole-souled for Divine Rulership, which is the only rule that can bring lasting peace and security to mankind. In the keynote address, “Divine Rulership​—Are We for It or Against It?” the speaker at each of the assemblies exclaimed:

“With all of Jehovah’s angels, mighty in power, with all his heavenly armies, with all his ministers, doing his will, we firmly answer, We are for Divine Rulership both now and forevermore!”

But rulership by God was given more than audible acclaim at these assemblies. By their genuine efforts to obey God’s laws Jehovah’s witnesses show that they are for God’s kingdom​—his government.

A Pleasing Difference

Visitors frequently observe that there is a pleasing difference between assemblies of Jehovah’s witnesses and gatherings of other groups. It is so striking that new reporters even write about it.

In Austria a five-day multilingual assembly was held in Vienna’s large Prater Stadium and the nearby Trotter Race Track. A total of 31,363 was present to hear the public talk, “Divine Rulership​—the Only Hope of All Mankind.” The Arbeiter-Zeitung newspaper noted:

“What attendants at an international football [soccer] match fail to achieve even by shouting and bawling, these functionaries get done with a friendly wave of hand. In its quiet and meditative atmosphere the stadium makes an unusual impression: Cleaned up [by the Witnesses] of dust and cigarette butts, the rows of seats are filled with colorful umbrellas and, under them, people radiating contentment. And there is inobstrusive music.​—A huge family party.”​—August 8, 1972.

Yet, despite the good reputation of the Witnesses, some of the Catholic clergy urged that rooms not be rented to visiting delegates. This opposition backfired, for one of Vienna’s leading newspapers wrote: “The church authorities have thus committed a disgraceful and deplorable act of religious intolerance.”​—Kurier, August 11, 1972.

Even greater opposition has been experienced from the Catholic clergy in Spain. In fact, prior to this year Jehovah’s witnesses were unable to hold assemblies in Spain due to opposition of the Roman Catholic Church. Indicative of the change, however, is what happened at the assembly held this August in Palma de Mallorca. The secret police visited the assembly to check whether priests had tried to cause any disturbance. The police said to call them at once if the priests tried to start anything. It seems that the priests had been to the police station and had been trying to stir up trouble for the Witnesses.

As it was, all six Divine Rulership assemblies in Spain were a grand success. It was indeed a special treat for the Spanish Witnesses and their friends, 24,000 of them in all, to meet openly in Christian association. Here, too, observers noted how pleasantly different the gatherings were. The newspaper ABC said of the assembly held in Seville:

Jehovah’s witnesses “performed a voluntary and unselfish task of cleaning, repairing and putting in order all the kiosks and stands that they occupied during the holding of their district assembly. Apart from electrical installations, replacement of broken tiles, sweeping the streets and sidewalks [of the Fair], putting the stands in condition to use, [Jehovah’s witnesses] have even cleaned the great columns of the central vestibule of the Exhibition Casino.

“According to one of the Fair watchmen this is something that has never been done by anyone who has used the Fair and Casino until now. And all of these improvements and arrangements that the Witnesses carry out remain as a benefit for the Fair Grounds and the Casino.”​—“ABC,” August 5, 1972, Andalusian Edition.

There were similar words of commendation for the way the twelve Divine Rulership District Assemblies in Germany were conducted. There a combined total of 93,369 persons attended the public talk. The internationally distributed Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung commented:

“On this weekend nothing can be felt of the hectic atmosphere that prevails in other meetings at the fairgrounds. The realization of having the only true faith unites them and separates them from the world of ‘others.’

“The audience in the auditorium continues to listen attentively to the presentation; when a quotation is mentioned a rustling sweeps through the rows. In the Bibles that have been brought along the respective passages are looked up as if intent on checking on the speaker.”

Everywhere in Europe that Jehovah’s witnesses met, the delegates were noted to be neat, orderly and well behaved.

Assemblies in North America

In the United States and Canada eighty-five Divine Rulership assemblies were held, and the combined attendance for the public talk was 807,307. So, for just Europe and North America the total public talk attendance was 1,280,690! That is enough people to fill a stadium the size of huge Yankee Stadium in New York city nearly twenty times!

Yet, despite holding truly large conventions that packed out facilities, the meetings of Jehovah’s witnesses left a pleasant impression on others. Robert B. Sears, staff writer for the Roanoke Times, after visiting the Divine Rulership assembly in his city, wrote:

“Jehovah’s Witnesses have to be seen to be believed. . . .

“Three features of that gathering stand out:

​—No litter in the arena or passageways.

​—Most everybody looked happy; nobody was rude.

​—Nobody was smoking.

“This reporter spent more than two hours at the coliseum Thursday and during that time saw only two cigarettes.

“The smokers were not Jehovah’s Witnesses.”​—Roanoke “Times,”—​July 14, 1972.

But what visitors especially find remarkable about assemblies of Jehovah’s witnesses is the family spirit that exists​—there is genuine brotherly love regardless of race, nationality or social background. Writing her observation of the assembly in Montgomery, Alabama, reporter Mary Glass said: “Inside, the convention-goers mingled about as if in a sovereign state of their own, one where no age, sex, color or religion barriers were existent.”​—Montgomery Journal, July 7, 1972.

Cliff Moore, photographer for the Montana Standard, while visiting the Divine Rulership assembly in Butte, exclaimed: “If everybody acted like Jehovah’s witnesses we could forget war.”

What accounts for this difference between Jehovah’s witnesses and others​—this peace, unity and orderliness—​that so amaze visitors to these assemblies.? The answer is simple. It is achieved by accepting God’s guidance and giving allegiance to His rulership. In this regard the Toledo Blade said:

“What amounts to a mammoth four-day family reunion began Thursday at Toledo Raceway Park . . .

“The men, women, and children are really spiritual brothers and sisters, all members of Jehovah’s witnesses, a denomination which proclaims that its members owe their allegiance to a divine king, rather than to any earthly ruler.”​—August 4, 1972.

Yes, it is to Jehovah the Almighty God, the Divine King, that Jehovah’s witnesses give their allegiance. Jesus Christ himself said: “It is to him alone you must render sacred service.”​—Matt. 4:10; Ps. 83:18.

Program Adheres to God’s Word

Since the Bible contains the laws that subjects of God’s government are required to obey, that Book was the source of all assembly instruction. News reporters often noted the prominence given to God’s Word. For example, two of them said:

“The affair was strictly religious, with the speakers sticking to the Bible and ignoring social and political issues.”​—Montgomery “Advertiser,” July 7, 1972.

“Jehovah’s Witnesses are invariably armed with a Bible, and are constantly riffling pages to find a biblical reference, guiding them specifically in how to deal with one of life’s questions.”​—Miami “Herald,” July 21, 1972.

Two dramas with settings in early Bible times were among the highlights of the assembly program. One emphasized the need to be merciful, even as Jehovah is, but showed that for a wrongdoer to receive mercy it is necessary that he be genuinely repentant. This two-hour drama portrayed the Bible account concerning the selling of Joseph into slavery by his ten half brothers, and his later extension of mercy to them when he saw that they had repented of their wrongdoing.— See Genesis chapters 37, 39-45.

The other drama was about a little captive Israelite girl and the mighty Syrian military leader Naaman. Amazingly, Naaman heeded the little girl when she told him that he could be cured of his leprosy if he would visit Jehovah’s prophet in Israel. Thus the drama impressed upon all present the importance of boldly speaking about the wonderful works of God, as the little Israelite girl did; and to be humble as Naaman was.​—See 2 Kings chapter 5.

Featured, too, on the program was information stressing the need to adhere closely to the organizational pattern of first-century Christianity. The early Christian congregation evidently had some kind of rotation arrangement whereby “elders,” the spiritually older men, took turns in caring for various responsibilities of oversight in the congregation. So at this summer’s assemblies arrangements were discussed for congregations to adhere more closely to this pattern.

The new adjustments in organizational operations are described in the 192-page book Organization for Kingdom-preaching and Disciple-making, released on the first day of the assemblies. Many appreciative comments were heard regarding these organizational adjustments, which bring the congregations into closer harmony with the divine rule. Typical of such comments was the one of a Christian elder, who said: “I’ve known almost all my life that this is a Theocratic organization, but this assembly has moved out of the way obstacles that would cause us to be sidetracked from truly feeling that Christ is the Head of the congregation. It is as if Jehovah is dealing more directly with his people.”

Delegates also were happy to receive, in English, the new 416-page book Paradise Restored to Mankind​—By Theocracy! It contains a verse-by-verse discussion of the Bible books of Haggai and Zechariah as they relate to our day. Also released was a new Bible translation​—The Bible in Living English—​by Steven T. Byington. Byington, who died in 1957, was not one of Jehovah’s witnesses. Yet he had a keen desire faithfully to render the Bible in easy-to-read English. One of Jehovah’s witnesses said of this Bible: “I want you to know that it delights me. . . . I can forget I’m reading and just live alongside the characters, and so absorb more of the background.”

The desire of Jehovah’s witnesses to live under God’s rulership was also manifested in the way the assemblies championed the Bible’s moral standards, which the world and its religions have abandoned in favor of the so-called “new morality.” Regarding this the Charleston Daily Mail observed:

“Speakers at the ‘Divine Rulership’ district convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses are pulling no punches as they discuss the so-called ‘new morality’ with delegates assembled at the Civic Center in Charleston.

“The Witnesses do not believe that the ‘new morality’ is new but old.

“They stress that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah practiced it nearly two thousand years before the birth of Christ. They point to histories of the Roman Empire for examples of moral behavior as it is seen today in modern society.”

But will submitting to God’s rule by following closely His guidance really have beneficial results? Will it cause people to be industrious and to have genuine love for one another? Consider the activity and attitude of those who worked at the Divine Rulership assemblies.

All Volunteer Workers

The work involved in putting on these many assemblies was truly stupendous. Securing meeting places and providing an instructive program was only part of the work. The stadiums, racetracks, auditoriums and other facilities used needed to be cleaned, stages needed to be constructed and some twenty convention departments set up in each assembly city. Tens of thousands of helpers were required for this work. The cost of their labor would have been many millions of dollars, but they all freely volunteered their services.

Weeks in advance volunteer workers in the rooming department were busy locating low-cost accommodations for visiting delegates. Thousands of these accommodations were obtained in private homes. Also, many of the assemblies operated a cafeteria that, because all help was freely volunteered, could serve breakfast for only 35 cents; lunch and dinner for 70 cents each. Commenting on this arrangement, the Rochester Times Union said:

In the kitchen 36 cooks are working . . .

“The do-it-yourself approach to conventioneering permits families to attend the Witnesses’ conventions who otherwise might not be able to afford it.”​—July 8, 1972.

The Pawtucket Times told of the arrival of some 13,000 assembly delegates there:

“While the prospect of a gathering of this size might ordinarily suggest mammoth problems, the Jehovah’s Witnesses pre-convention preparations are a model of efficiency. . . .

“. . . scores of electricians, electronic engineers, plumbers, carpenters, sign painters and other craftsmen [were] preparing convention headquarters on Wednesday . . . almost all of the volunteers were professional in their field.”​—June 29, 1972.

At times even government officials have come to Witnesses’ assemblies to watch and learn. This year the Portland Press Herald of June 26, 1972, noted regarding the assembly at Scarborough Downs: “The feeding and seating arrangements were so complex that both the Army and Civil Defense sent observers to see how it was handled.”

What occurred at Roanoke, Virginia, was amazing to onlookers. A mix-up in scheduling prevented the Witnesses from getting into the Coliseum until 5 a.m. Thursday, the very day the program was to begin. But at that hour more than 200 volunteers were ready to go to work. Exclaimed the Coliseum’s night-shift foreman: “I have never seen people converge on a building like this before. This is the most amazing thing I have ever seen!” Everything was set up and ready when the assembly program began at 1:40 p.m.

In Duluth, the Herald noted:

“The estimated 8,500 Jehovah’s Witnesses, attending their district convention through Sunday at the Duluth Arena-Auditorium, most certainly have an impact on the city. . . .

“Unlike most conventions, their hundreds of preparations included scrubbing down of all convention facilities at the Arena-Auditorium. A Duluth resident was heard to say, ‘The Arena’s kitchen never looked so clean.’”​—July 21, 1972.

Also, the manager of the Butte Civic Center exclaimed: “If everyone would leave the convention facilities as clean as Jehovah’s witnesses this would be paradise on earth.”

Honesty, Good Behavior

Another way the Witnesses show that they are for Divine Rulership is by conforming to God’s standard of honesty and decent behavior. This standard is so different from that of the world that others often are astounded when they see persons living by it. This was the case in Richmond, Virginia, where there are privately owned parking lots used with the Coliseum.

Some parking-lot owners, however, failed to make arrangements to have attendants on hand during the assembly. Thus on a Sunday morning, a Witness finally noted a man collecting parking fees, and told him that he owed for several days of parking. It turned out that the man owned the lot, and was a local attorney. He said that because his telephone number was on the sign in the parking lot he had been getting calls from Witnesses wanting to pay their parking fees. He said: “It is almost impossible to believe that there are such honest people in the world. I want to know more about Jehovah’s witnesses.”

Is it not true that if everyone acclaimed God’s rule by obeying his laws this earth would be a wonderful place in which to live? In Cologne, Germany, a police chief said: “There are no policemen necessary here. If all meetings would proceed so peacefully and considerately we would have many less worries, because at other meetings entire detachments of a hundred officers have to be dispatched.”

After the assembly in Fargo, North Dakota, a local resident wrote a letter-to the city’s television station, WDAY, which said, in part:

“I have lived here in Fargo for over fifty years and conventions have come and gone, but after they have ‘gone’​—what a mess . . .

“Not so, however, with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. First, they literally scrubbed the auditorium, and that they had scrubbed themselves was evident in their dress and appearance. None of the male members bedecked themselves in long hair, whiskers or patched and threadbare jeans. Amongst the ladies there was no evidence of ‘mini’ skirts, shorts or other distasteful or lustful appearance. The children were all neatly dressed, combed and well behaved. . . . Their conduct was unreproachable.”

Would you like to live under a government whose citizens all abide by the fine moral standards of God’s Word? The Bible explains that soon God’s kingdom will destroy all present earthly governments, and will be the only government controlling earth’s affairs. (Matt. 6:9, 10; Dan. 2:44) Only those who truly love righteousness and give allegiance to God’s rule will then be permitted by God to live on earth.

New Ones Acclaiming God’s Rule

At the Divine Rulership assemblies in just North America and Europe this summer, 29,043 persons, who had recently dedicated themselves to God, by a public ceremony revealed that they are loyal supporters of Divine Rule.

This public ceremony was water baptism. It signifies that a person has made a personal dedication to serve God. This dedication is made on the basis of the person’s knowledge and love for God, which he has acquired as a result of careful Bible study. Thus water baptism is the Scriptural way of proclaiming that one is for God’s rule and has brought one’s life into harmony with its standards.

Among those baptized this summer were persons young and old, rich and poor, healthy and sick, as well as ones from practically every walk of life. These included a ninety-six-year-old man in Santa Rosa, California; a woman who spent seventeen years as a nun was baptized in Queens, New York; a former go-go dancer and prostitute was baptized in Toledo, Ohio; members of former rock ’n’ roll bands were immersed at assemblies in Columbia, South Carolina, and Pleasanton, California; and former drug addicts were baptized at many assemblies. These all made changes in their lives and are now loyal supporters of Divine Rulership.

Where do you personally stand on this matter of rulership of the earth? Are you for Divine Rule, or are you against it? Do you believe that man needs God?

It should be obvious that humans have been a failure in providing righteous government. So why not join with Jehovah’s witnesses earth wide in acclaiming Divine Rulership? Is it not apparent from their district assemblies this summer that when people live in harmony with God’s requirements they enjoy peace, unity and happiness?

You are cordially invited to see for yourself that this is true. Attend their international assemblies scheduled for next summer. But before then, visit their weekly meetings at the Kingdom Hall in your community. You will be most welcome.

[Chart on page 23]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

NORTH AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES

Country Public Talk Attendance Baptized

Austria 31,363 733

Belgium 19,826 676

British Isles 92,589 1,199

Canada 95,054 1,703

Denmark 21,242 405

Finland 18,021 452

France 58,042 2,391

Germany, West 93,369 1,380

Italy 36,884 1,601

Luxembourg 2,721 40

Netherlands 36,096 726

Norway 7,877 254

Spain 24,000 1,291

Sweden 18,325 427

Switzerland 13,028 253

United States 712,253 15,512

TOTAL 1,280,690 29,043

[Picture on page 18]

Divine Rulership was the principal topic of discussion at conventions, with attendances totaling 1,280,690 during the past summer

[Picture on page 19]

A public baptism was held at each assembly. 29,043 presented themselves for immersion

[Picture on page 20]

Over 500 German delegates arrived in Austria by riverboat

[Picture on page 20]

31,363 attended in Vienna; sessions were held in German, Greek, Turkish and Serbo-Croatian

[Picture on page 21]

Work at the assemblies was done by volunteers, including young folks who helped with refreshments

[Picture on page 22]

Conventioners in politically divided Berlin learn about Divine Rulership

The Thrill of Horseback Riding

‘HOW exhilarating it is to ride a horse through an open countryside! There out in the fresh air with the cool breeze pressing against your face, you experience a sense of freedom that invigorates your spirit. Under you there is that rhythmic, pulsating sensation of your horse’s moving muscles as he gallops across fields and over hills. And as this powerful animal carries you along and does your bidding, you feel a delightful sense of oneness with him.’ This is the way many persons around the world would describe the thrill of horseback riding.

Some who have never ridden a horse might think that the experience is similar to riding in a convertible, an open-top automobile. But lovers of horses are quick to point out the differences. First, there is the rhythmic galloping motion of the animal. Another one, which they feel is an advantage over the car, is that the horse is not confined to set roadways. In a moment, he can turn sharply and dash away through a flower-strewn meadow, prance across a stream, trot through a forest, swim across a river or scramble up a hillside.

No doubt you have seen motion pictures with men riding on horses. And, most likely, you were thrilled to watch them charge across an open plain and to hear the pounding hoofbeats of their horses. From these movies it may seem that horseback riding is rather easy; all you have to do is sit on a horse and let him take you for a ride. But it is not all that simple.

Riding a horse is an art that requires training and plenty of know-how. Men have spent much time in learning how to control this powerful creature and in training him to do things by responding to certain signals.

Further, by means of crossbreeding over the years, there now exist various types of horses, each having specific abilities, qualities and traits. Such a variety presents to man many opportunities to enjoy these galloping gifts from God.

A Pleasure Enjoyed for Centuries

If you look into the Holy Bible or consult other ancient documents, you will find that man has long enjoyed the thrilling pleasure of riding on the backs of horses. Many ancient people found that using horses in some of the sports they developed added immeasurably to their enjoyment of them. How exciting it was to play games astride the backs of spirited mares! And it was thrilling, both to spectators and to participants, to race the horses for speed.

Of course, in those early times, man did not ride horses just for pleasure. He found it most practical to use the speed and strength of these animals in his travels, when hunting for food and for farming work. Alas! he also found that horses could be an important factor in fighting his wars. So he formed contingents of horsemen as part of his armies.

You could just imagine how people back there felt when they watched a large cavalry sally forth to a battle or saw many gilded chariots pulled by powerful horses trot in a triumphal procession with trumpets blaring and drums beating. Their emotions were stirred up and the tangible display of physical strength gave them a feeling of confidence.

But did you know that ancient Israel was specifically forbidden by God’s law to multiply horses or to form huge chariot divisions? (Deut. 17:16) Why? Because Jehovah did not want his people putting their trust in mere flesh for salvation. (Ps. 33:16-21; 61:3; Isa. 31:1, 3) Nor were they to fear their enemies because they had numerous horsemen and chariots. (Jer. 51:21) Instead, they needed to exercise implicit faith and confidence in God.​—Ps. 20:7, 8.

Down to the latter part of the nineteenth century the clippety-clop of horses’ hooves was a common sound in most places. People, in general, traveled by horse. If you were living then you would have seen blacksmith shops as well as horse watering troughs and fountains in practically every community. But when the “horseless carriage,” the automobile, came on the scene in 1895, the pleasurable practice of riding horses began to decline. And so today relatively few people ride horseback. Nevertheless, stables in many cities, cattle ranches, farms, racetracks, polo fields and circuses are places where horseback riding still brings pleasure to persons of all ages.

The Thrills That Certain Horses Bring

If you travel out west in the United States you will find that a favorite among horse enthusiasts is the quarter horse. Those who ride this horse experience some thrilling moments. Why, just watching him in action can be exciting! From a standstill, he can jump into lightning action, gallop away, stop short, turn and be off like a shot in another direction. All this in a matter of seconds.

Imagine yourself in his saddle trying to round up a cantankerous steer that dodges and runs in all directions, refusing to get back in the herd. It would not take you long to appreciate this horse’s quick responses. His excellent reflexes are vital in a chase after a steer that is running an erratic course.

Perhaps the most surprising quality of this well-muscled horse is his calm disposition. When not at work he will stand very still. Some horsemen feel that this is one of his most admirable characteristics.

The polo horse, like the quarter horse, faces tough challenges. But his ability to meet them thrills polo enthusiasts. He plays in a game where he must gallop away at full speed in any direction, stop short, make a complete turn and then charge again. His master is trying to hit a ball three and a quarter inches in diameter with his long-handled mallet and drive it through his opponents’ goalposts. Or he may be trying to prevent the ball from being driven through his own goalposts.

Audiences watching polo teams in action are often treated to some thrilling moments as the players try to gain possession of the ball. One cannot help but be stirred by the courage, speed and stamina of their ponies as they race back and forth across the field.

And speaking of racing, who has not seen or heard of that star of the racetrack, the thoroughbred. His swiftness, with great striding action, has thrilled countless people. Did you ever notice the way the jockey or rider sits perched like a monkey close to this horse’s neck? By experience jockeys have learned that this helps the horse to make the best use of his powerful legs, so that he gets a better start and can attain greater speed as he pushes hard toward the finish.

Young and old have thrilled to watch circus leapers and somersaulters perform breathtaking deeds on the broad backs of the Percheron horses known as rosin-backs. And they have been delightfully entertained by the jumping and dancing stunts of the Lippizan horses from Austria.

Certainly, many horses display abilities thrilling to man. There are also many others that perform less glamorous duties. Yet they are appreciated by their masters for their dependability and strength.

Horseback Riding​—the Need for Caution

Perhaps you would like to experience the thrill of riding a horse. If you would, it would be beneficial to remember always that the horse was not born with a knowledge of what you want him to do. He has to be trained to respond to certain signals that tell him whether he is to walk, trot, gallop or stop. Even if he has been trained, if you do not know what the signals are, then the horse will become confused when you are on his back. And this can be dangerous.

Further, experienced horsemen will tell you that a horse senses if the person seated on him knows how to ride him. If the person does not know how to ride, then the animal may take advantage of him. How? He may refuse to move, or he may stop and eat grass or drink water or just go where he pleases. Worst of all, some horses have learned that a low branch or a little bucking often gets rid of an unwanted passenger. Therefore, it would be very foolish and dangerous for a novice to go horseback riding without an experienced horseman along. He might accidentally fall off the horse and be severely injured or even lose his life.

In some areas there are riding stables where you can rent a horse for a few hours. Generally, you will find that these places will not let you go out alone but will have a guide who knows horses accompany you. If you have never ridden before, be sure to mention it, should you ask to hire a horse. Some stables provide basic instruction on how to ride a horse. They will teach you the proper way to mount the animal at its left side and the correct steps involved in dismounting. And you will be shown how to hold the reins as well as basic foot signals to make your horse walk or trot.

Of course, you will not learn everything about handling a horse in just one short riding trip. So, do not expect to be galloping away on your first venture in horseback riding. But by heeding all the suggestions given by knowledgeable riders and with practice, perhaps you too will experience the exhilarating pleasure and thrill of riding one of these galloping gifts of God!

Building Material of the Sea

BY “AWAKE!” CORRESPONDENT IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

NOW, is this not a wonderful way to relax? Sitting here on the white sand, a huge umbrella sheltering us from the sun, watching the waves trying to crawl up on the beach.

By the way, did you know that there is a big building project going on out there where the waves are piling up that white foam? No, there is no heavy construction equipment, no steel beams, cement blocks nor bricks. But out there the marvelous building material​—coral—​is being produced.

The underwater world of coral is a strange and beautiful world​—strange in form and shape, beautiful in color and variety. There are brain corals of all sizes, so named because that is just what they resemble. There are flowerlike star corals, and those that look like staghorns or antlers. Also, there are lettuce coral, stinging coral and many other strange forms. Fascinating, too, are its colors​—brown, yellow, orange, pink, purple and red.

Where the Material Is Found

Where could you go to investigate this marvelous building material, coral? To many places. You could visit the smooth turquoise waters of Montego Bay on Jamaica’s north coast, or travel elsewhere in the western Atlantic from Bermuda to Brazil. Another viewing area is the Indo-Pacific region, from the east coast of Africa, through the islands of the west Pacific to Hawaii. In this area one can see the Great Barrier Reef, a mass of coral extending some 1,250 miles along the northeastern coast of Australia.

In places one may be able to view the amazing building material of the sea through a glass-bottomed boat. Or one may choose to don flippers, a mask and air tank and go below to take a closer look. When entering the water, though, a person will want to accustom himself to the motion around him, for it seems that the seascape rises and falls in unison with the movement of the sea itself. One should also be careful, for cuts sustained on coral are very slow to heal.

How Coral Is Produced

The animals that make coral are called coral polyps. They are related to jellyfish and the flowerlike sea anemone. After a very brief free-swimming, larval state, these very tiny creatures settle down to a completely sedentary life, attaching themselves firmly on the skeletons of other coral animals.

Once rigidly settled, the polyps grow into a small fleshy tube, ranging in size from an inch to more than a foot in diameter. At their upper end is the mouth, surrounded by small tentacles. At night these extend out and capture microscopic planktonic animals for food.

At the same time, these little creatures are busy building. They take calcium from the water and secrete a calcium carbonate (limestone). Using this secretion, they build around themselves a hard, cuplike formation. This constitutes a coral house or skeleton into which they can retract for protection.

As many polyps build their coral houses, these fuse together to form a colorful, hard mass. The polyps die, but others attach themselves to their skeletons and continue to build. As a result, unbelievably tremendous edifices are raised, larger than anything man has ever produced.

What Is Built

Coral reefs are produced by tiny polyps. Some reefs extend from the shore into the sea. These are called fringing reefs. A barrier reef, on the other hand, is separated from the shore by water, but it follows the shoreline.

The world’s second-longest coral reef, after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, extends 130 miles along the coast of British Honduras. Between the reef and the shore, water is from three to fifteen feet deep.

Coral makers also form atolls. These are ring-shaped coral islands in the open sea that encircle a body of water called a lagoon. An atoll may be formed as the coral builds up on the rim of the crater of a sunken volcano. Some of these atolls are inhabited. One in the Indian Ocean has an emergency landing field for jet airliners.

Thus the building of islands is not too ambitious a project for these tiny polyps to accomplish. The island of Barbados in the Caribbean, for example, is composed chiefly of coral. Gradual disintegration by water and weather has covered the coral of the island with a red clay soil.

Coral formations may grow in any ocean, but the reef-building coral polyps are confined to waters where the coldest temperatures do not drop below 65° F. Thus the remains of ancient coral reefs in Arctic waters indicate that a tropical climate prevailed in these northern seas at one time in the past.

While coral makers continue their prodigious task of building in the sea, other organisms such as parrot fish and angelfish bore into the structure or nibble at it, to weaken and crumble it. Sponges, seaweed and algae come to the rescue, cementing pieces together to prevent total disintegration. The result is a porous limestone with tunnels, caves and nooks.

History and Use of Coral

The Phoenician seaport of Tyre at one time was noted for her trade in coral. From the Mediterranean Sea a highly prized red coral was, and still is, harvested. It grows in small bushy formations and has a hard core that can be polished to bring out hues of red, rose or pink. It is then made into necklaces, bracelets and other adornments.

In Barbados and Bermuda coral is used in the construction of homes. It is easy to cut, and becomes hard and durable when exposed to air.

Possibly coral’s most important function, however, is the protection it affords coastlines from sea swells, tidal waves and hurricanes. Many a sea voyager has found safe anchorage during a tempest behind a coral reef.

As one reflects on the wonderful construction feats of such insignificant creatures, the handiwork of God, one cannot help but marvel.​—Ps. 104:24.

Watching the World

Catholic Bible Preaching

◆ Roman Catholic clergy in the United States, along with some lay people, recently announced what was said to be the first major Catholic assembly ever to focus on preaching the Bible. It is evidently an attempt to cope with the widely discussed crisis of faith afflicting the churches today. Coordinator of the assembly, John Burke, said: “In our church, the problem is that the word of God is not being preached.” Explaining why more Roman Catholics are not attending Mass, he noted that “when they come, they are not given the feeling that they have something to be thankful for.”

Protestantism Declining

◆ The Associated Press reports that nine Protestant denominations suffered a combined decline of 226,750 in their membership. Contributions were claimed to be up by $63 million. But if one figures in the inflationary erosion, a news report noted, total contributions actually fell $47 million.

Olympic Games’ Tragedy

◆ The world looked on in horror at the violence at the recent Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. An editorial of the New York Times pointed to some of the reasons for it: “Perhaps the whole concept of the Olympics needs re-examination. No one can doubt now that the idea of an ‘Olympic peace’ is a mockery. Far from increasing friendship among nations, the games all too often reflect and deepen nationalistic and other animosities. Furthermore, the commercialism that surrounds the games is but thinly veiled.”

Christendom Bloodguilty

◆ Radio station WBBM in Chicago, Illinois, recently broadcast an editorial on Northern Ireland. What were its views as to who is really responsible for the Catholic-Protestant hostilities there? “They say it is not a religious war. It’s merely a coincidence that Protestants are killing Catholics and Catholics are killing Protestants in Northern Ireland. It’s a matter of minority versus majority, say the religious leaders of both sides. But how long can they fool the public? . . . Religion’s hands are blood red in Ireland, just as they were in the Crusades in days long past and in world wars of more recent vintage. To be sure, politics plays a part in the confusion that is Northern Ireland today. But the more reprehensible group of all is the clergy, and let no one tell you differently.”

No “Christmas Vacation”

◆ The use of the expression “Christmas vacation” is to be banned in the public schools of Madison, Wisconsin, it has been announced. “Mid-Winter Recess” will take its place. Further, Christmas, Hanukkah and Easter celebrations, religious pageants and programs, prayers and art projects aimed at producing religious art will all be prohibited. So will the Easter bunny, Santa Claus, nativity scenes and Rudolf the red-nosed Reindeer. Why such a move? It is an effort to establish and maintain complete religious neutrality in all of Madison’s public schools. Also, it is meant to prevent the schools from undermining the beliefs of any child.

Evolution Theory Under Fire

◆ Schoolteachers in British Columbia, Canada, are being urged by a group of prominent Canadian scientists to stop teaching evolution as a fact. A group spokesman declared: “We believe that modern science not only has failed to prove the evolution theory, but in fact has disproved it.” A manifesto to this effect is being mailed to every teacher in the Vancouver area. It demands that children be given full opportunity to hear the creation teaching alternative. They feel that evolution should be taught as a theory and that textbooks teaching it as a fact should be replaced.

Fuel Shortage Ahead

◆ United States gasoline and heating oil supplies, once quite plentiful, are now diminishing faster than expected. Authorities say that there is not much that can be done about it. Perhaps this winter, but almost surely by next summer, people will feel the effects of the shortage. Homes may be cold and many service stations may have no gasoline to pump.

Italy’s Vipers Increasing

◆ Vipers are invading many sections of Italy, a sign that the environmental balance is upset. Even Italy’s 1.7 million licensed hunters are being asked by ecologists to spare birds that prey on poisonous snakes. The number of snakebites has doubled during the last five years. Further, not only are the snakes growing in numbers but they seem to be getting more aggressive. One snake expert said that poisonous snakes that once would strike a man only when he came within four inches, now do so at a “critical minimum distance” of 16 inches.

Clog-Shoe Hazard

◆ Dr. Monroe Jacobs, president of the Podiatry Association of the State of New York, warns that “the platform shoe is supremely dangerous.” He holds that “the normal reflex pattern of walking is interrupted by the rigidity of such a thick sole and the shape of the platform, which is not conducive to the normal function of walking.” Also, the open back of many clog shoes gives even greater instability to the foot. And the high heels can easily be caught on a curb or step. The sudden stop is like that of a skiing accident. One popular singer broke two bones in her foot from such a sudden stop. A Manhattan podiatrist reports treating three fractures and four badly torn ligaments directly related to these shoes. But many women prefer style to safety.

Hair Spray Effects

◆ Dr. John M. Gowdy, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration doctor, claims that hair spray may be responsible for lung disorders. He observed that some users have shortness of breath, minor cough and diminished lung capacity. Chest X rays show shadows, suggesting that lacquer from spray evidently collects in the lungs. Beauty operators in one section of the country had lung abnormalities 10 to 20 percent greater than the general population. Dr. Gowdy’s advice to hair-spray users is that they avoid inhaling the spray.

Hazards of Aspirin

◆ Biochemist Dr. K. D. Rainsford points out that aspirin can cause damage to one’s stomach lining possibly resulting in ulcers. This is minimized by dissolving aspirin in water with a small amount of bicarbonate of soda. He also declares that aspirin can damage the fetus of pregnant women, especially if taken during the first few months of pregnancy. Dr. John T. Collins, Jr., at Tripler Army Medical Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii, warns about the hazards of aspirin in connection with blood transfusion. A blood donor who has taken aspirin within 24 hours prior to his donation may risk the life of one who receives his blood. Aspirin tends to slow the clotting time of blood. This could prove lethal to persons with clotting problems due to disease or severe hemorrhaging. And the effect of aspirin continues in the blood for up to twenty-three days.

Delusions and Sleeping Pills

◆ Tests by two psychiatrists reveal that scopolamine, an ingredient used in most sleeping pills, can cause paranoid delusions and hallucinations. Usually, massive dosages bring on such reactions. Easily available sedatives with scopolamine are used increasingly in suicide attempts, but the result is often terrible emotional reactions rather than death. Scopolamine also causes persons to forget who and where they are. Further, scopolamine is traded on the illegal drug market as LSD. Persons taking drugs to counteract the effect of what they think is LSD may actually increase the activity of scopolamine.

Saving Poison Victims

◆ Certain first-aid manuals recommend using table salt to induce victims of accidental poisoning to vomit. Now Canadian pediatricians warn that this can be fatal. One teaspoon of salt may cause salt poisoning in a child. Three teaspoons could kill an adult. They recommend a bit of dry mustard, ipecac syrup or loading the victim with liquids and forcing him to gag with his head held below his waist. Additionally, American researchers recently found that activated charcoal is the single most valuable antidote for poisons and overdoses of drugs. In fine powder form it can adsorb ingested kerosene, strychnine, arsenic, barbiturates, aspirin and antidepressants. This allows time for further emergency care to be administered. It is not a substitute for that care nor is it effective against lye, mineral acids, cyanide, alcohol and other caustic alkalis.

Children Need Love

◆ New York pediatrician, Dr. Lytt I. Gardner, speaks of the affliction that kills most children in orphanages as ‘deprivation dwarfism.’ Lack of love, he claims, stunts growth and retards intellectual development. If not caught in time, a child so emotionally injured never catches up mentally and physically. Certain children taken from homes where they were shown no love were cured when the needed attention was given. Thus parental love can affect a child’s health.

Teen-Age Immorality

◆ Between 1960 and 1970, the number of illegitimate births among youths aged 15 to 19 in Oklahoma shot up 58 percent. Dr. S. DePersio, a director of the Health Department, pointed out that people who do not work in a hospital, clinic or doctor’s office have no idea of the amount of illicit sexual activity now taking place. State health commissioner Dr. LeRoy Carpenter explained: “Bikinis, short shorts and sexually oriented movies, television and advertising are part of our society that stimulate earlier sexual activity.”

VD Still Rising

◆ Venereal disease is reaching such epidemic proportions in Connecticut that authorities consider giving it priority in all health programs. A task force investigating the problem asks that routine blood tests for syphilis be given all admitted to hospitals and clinics, even outpatients. Gonorrhea has been rising at the average rate of 36 percent a year since 1962. Syphilis rose 37 percent last year. The task force reported: “The alarming increase in the incidence of venereal disease in Connecticut, specifically syphilis and gonorrhea, is a direct result of increased sexual promiscuity, ignorance and professional and public apathy.”

Herbal Remedies from China

◆ Dr. E. Grey Dimond, Kansas City cardiologist, predicts that, after acupuncture, herbal remedies will be China’s next medicinal export to the West. He observed that Chinese physicians use herbs effectively in treating heart disease and other ailments. He was impressed by “the tremendous amount of information on the herbs the Chinese use,” adding, “this is not a cult​—a lady with tea leaves—​they have had 4,000 years of a pragmatic human laboratory.” He reported many patients had Western-style physicians employing both synthesized medicine and botanical remedies. “I have case histories of heart disease with herbal medicines being extremely effective,” he declared.

Science Wars Against Rats

◆ A small town in Oklahoma is the site for a scientific test of rat control. It involves introducing sterile male rats into the rat community there. These male rats seem to compete more vigorously in mating than do normal wild rats. Also, a false pregnancy is produced in the females but no offspring. This keeps a female from mating for at least 17 days.

Improving the Egg

◆ An Australian chicken farmer is trying to help eggs to get a better reputation. Because of high cholesterol, eggs are often shunned by persons following special diets. A medical journal reports that, by having his hens eat only greens and grain, this farmer claims the eggs are larger, have more vitamin E and less saturated fatty acids.

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