January 8

How Do You View Your Fellowman?

“I BECAME so down on people and life in general that drinking and drugs were the only things I looked forward to,” said a young woman who grew up in Los Angeles. The way in which she viewed others had definitely influenced her way of life. While you may never have come to the point of being so adversely affected by other people, you doubtless appreciate that a very negative attitude toward others can rob one of joy.

To be happy, we need to feel that we are wanted, appreciated and loved by others. We need friends who deeply care about us, for they can do much to enrich our lives. However, if we have been bitterly disappointed by acquaintances who proved themselves to be disloyal and selfish, we may feel afraid to reach out in making friends. It’s natural not to want to be hurt again. Yet this provides no real solution. To protect himself from emotional hurt, the individual may draw himself into his shell and, in doing so, become isolated and lonely. Then he may try to escape from the harsh realities of life by means of alcohol or drugs.

This illustrates the importance of not letting bad experiences cause one to give up making any further efforts to find genuine friends. The fact that there are many selfish and unkind people does not mean that everyone is that way.

Of course, the likelihood of having unpleasant experiences can increase if a person tries to choose friends from a very small circle. He may confine his choice to people of a certain age group, social standing or national, racial or tribal background. Because of certain prejudices, he may refuse to extend the hand of friendship beyond this. He may view with distrust and suspicion persons outside the group that he might contemplate as deserving of his friendship. Then, when he has unpleasant experiences with those whom he thought would be good friends, he may come to look upon the “outsiders” with even greater distrust and suspicion.

Clearly, a wholesome view of our fellowmen is far better. And the Bible is most helpful in showing us what our attitude toward others should be.

From the Scriptures we learn that our Creator is not partial. We read: “God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.”​—Acts 10:34, 35.

Accordingly, we would expect to find trustworthy and loyal friends among those who are fearers of God and workers of righteousness in all tribes, nations and races. And this is exactly so. The fact that people may differ in disposition, customs and habits should, therefore, not cause one to shy away from them. At times contrasts in personality can strike a complementary balance, bringing out the better qualities of both. Thinking may be stimulated, new horizons may be opened up, and a greater awareness of other people’s needs may result.

When a person is guided in his choice of companions by God’s impartial view of people, he will not try to make friends on the basis of what people have. Rather, he will look at what they are as persons. Are they kind, considerate, understanding and sympathetic? Do they build others up by word and action? Qualities of this kind are a far better basis for friendship than what a person might have in the way of possessions or influence.

The Christian disciple James pointed out that assessing the worth of a person by outward appearances is actually wicked. This was a trap that certain Christians had fallen into and, therefore, James told them: “If a man with gold rings on his fingers and in splendid clothing enters into a gathering of you, but a poor man in filthy clothing also enters, yet you look with favor upon the one wearing the splendid clothing and say: ‘You take this seat here in a fine place,’ and you say to the poor one: ‘You keep standing,’ or: ‘Take that seat there under my footstool,’ you have class distinctions among yourselves and you have become judges rendering wicked decisions.”​—Jas. 2:2-4.

To favor others merely on the basis of prominence, superior educational background or financial standing would be out of harmony with this excellent counsel. Besides, could a relationship stemming from such factors really endure the test of time? What if the individual came into disgrace or lost his riches? What if he also were just interested in what he could get out of a particular friendship? A Bible proverb states frankly: “Even to his fellowman one who is of little means is an object of hatred, but many are the friends of the rich person.” (Prov. 14:20) Yes, friendships based on material considerations can quickly dissolve.

Another factor that should not be overlooked is that a harsh, unloving attitude is often common among many rich and influential persons. Surely they do not deserve special attention merely on the basis of what they have. On the other hand, if such persons show themselves to be kind and loving as fearers of God, they should be treated considerately like any other godly man or woman.

The person who looks at fellow humans from the standpoint of what he can do for them, instead of what he can get from them, will be far less likely to experience disappointment. A basic reason for this is that “there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”​—Acts 20:35.

Hence, the individual who is actively concerned about others, regardless of what they may or may not be able to do for him, does not become bitter. He also has satisfaction in knowing that his real reward will come, not from man, but from God. Jesus Christ gave this assurance: “When you spread a feast, invite poor people, crippled, lame, blind; and you will be happy, because they have nothing with which to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous ones.”​—Luke 14:13, 14.

In time, the embittered woman who grew up in Los Angeles came to appreciate that following the Bible’s guidelines can change one’s view of fellow humans for the better. Now she is no longer unduly upset with other people but is doing what she can to help them to come into an approved relationship with Jehovah God. This woman rejoices at having found genuine friends among those who are trying to live in harmony with God’s Word.

Has this been your experience? If not, why not check into what the Bible says and see for yourself whether your life can become richer and more meaningful?

The Dilemma Facing Single People

HUSBAND WANTED​—Seek loving, marriage-minded man, even-tempered, good provider, age 27-40, please send photo. Sincere and lonely. #312456

While few have run a “want ad” such as the above, many can sympathize with the painful dilemma here described. In more subtle ways, they too have “advertised,” and found that seeking a mate in today’s world is often a frustrating and complex process.

Elaine, a lonely woman in her thirties, speaks of a point of desperation that she reached: “There was no one I could really talk to. I stopped eating and would begin to cry for no reason. And I couldn’t confide in anyone because my feelings were so intense that I was ashamed. . . . I think people have given up on me as far as getting married.”​—New York Post.

Although concerned, the thousands of men and women like Elaine usually have not studied the why of their circumstances. They frequently are unaware of sociologists’ studies pointing to the increasing difficulty of finding a good marriage mate. They do not know that this research blames such factors as the massive population shift from rural to city life and the accompanying “moral revolution” that has questioned just about every aspect of the male-female relationship.

However, most are aware of the fast rise of total marital failure, politely called “divorce.” They know that many people today cruelly and abruptly drop one lover for another. They are conscious of the flood of conflicting advice that they receive and of the drastically different approaches that their single friends take in seeking a companion. They sense the confusion.

Is there a way out of all of this? Choice of a marriage mate is of an intensely personal nature, but are there guidelines or principles that both the youth and the older one can follow? Are there definite pitfalls to be avoided?

Facing the ‘Marriage Myths’

Naturally the circumstances and needs of a widow with small children, an older divorced man and a young adult differ greatly. Yet single persons of all ages are faced with certain popular “myths” about matrimony that greatly add to their dilemma. Investigating the value of some of these should help to clear away part of the confusion.

One common myth is that since ‘opposites attract,’ someone who is very different from you will add interest to a marriage match. There is, of course, much curiosity about someone from a contrasting environment, religion or nationality. Nevertheless, scientific study to date overwhelmingly indicates that such unions have a higher incidence of divorce. For example, Dr. Dominian in the book Marital Breakdown notes: “The conclusion of all major studies appears to indicate that [religiously] mixed marriages . . . do run a higher risk of marital breakdown.”

Is this hard to believe? Really, does not common sense tell you that your friends are those with whom you share similar interests? How will you fare with someone who constantly pulls in another direction or who may disdain those things that you enjoy? The Bible, in Genesis chapter two, refers to the creation of woman for the purpose of being man’s “helper.” Now if you and your helper are to get along in happy harmony, should you two not have similar interests, goals and moral standards?

Actually, the more a couple agree on what they commonly hold to be the most important aspects of life, the smoother their daily life will be. That which is different may be initially exciting but in a short time can become a source of strain.

As to other marriage myths, undoubtedly the greater number surround infatuation. Infatuation has been defined as “foolish admiration,” an idealizing of a person whom you really do not know. The ‘one and only’ myth, and the ‘love at first sight’ myth, are both symptoms of infatuation.

When one seeks a mate in terms of a Mr. Right or a Miss Perfect, there is the expectation that suddenly the tailor-made marriage partner will appear. Of course, a person is naturally more attracted to some people initially than to others​—their appearance, manner, one’s own mood at the time all affect this. What is so dangerous is assigning such a person the mystical qualities of Prince (or, Princess) Charming, quickly forming a longing for that one, and then expecting to ‘live happily ever after.’

But, you might say, although such may be the case at first, surely in the process of courting, the infatuated one will eventually see the ‘real person.’ Sadly, this is not always true. Infatuation can continue right into wedlock. How so? When a relationship is so emotionally “charged” right from the start, it frequently leads to a very physical relationship. Such infatuated ones often smooth over differences with passion by petting. The disastrous result is two virtual strangers entering life’s most intimate bond.

“The idea that there is somewhere in the universe a ‘one and only’ for everyone is deeply rooted in fiction and tradition,” says the book Making the Most of Marriage. It continues: “A more practical view is that the well-adjusted person can marry any one of a number of people and be happy, whereas the maladjusted, unhappy person can be successfully married to no one.” The truth of this would seem to be supported by widows and widowers who have eventually remarried and found happiness.

Singleness “Abnormal”?

Unfortunately, some marriage myths put much pressure on single persons. Two of these myths, often advocated by relatives and friends, are that ‘something is wrong with anyone who doesn’t marry’ and that ‘someone is better than no one.’ Such sayings thus proclaim that singleness is inherently bad. The individual is made to feel “abnormal” or, perhaps, even latently homosexual.

It is one thing if a person needs to marry but doesn’t because he fears matrimony. It is quite another matter for a single person simply to recognize that he does not need to marry. Says educator Dr. Henry Bowman: “If [a person] feels that remaining single is the way to greater happiness in life, he [or she] should by all means remain single. . . . There are well-adjusted single persons; there are married ‘old maids’ and ‘old bachelors.’”

Yes, rather than being fearfully “stampeded” into an unwanted marriage, it is better to recognize what the wise teacher, Jesus Christ, knew about people. He said that some have the “gift” or ability to be happy in staying single and encouraged Christians who had this “gift” to hold on to it and use it in serving God.​—Matt. 19:10-12.

A myth is a fantasy, a popular lie. And we can certainly see where following any of the myths that we have discussed would add to the confusion of one contemplating the marriage-singleness question. However, many young moderns would tell us that there is nothing to fear from any fantasy. Let your emotions go, they say. Don’t worry about making a mistake. Rather, just live together for a while and then if you ‘stay in love,’ marry. Now, is “trial marriage” a way out of the dilemma or is it yet another myth?

“Trial Marriage”​—A Satisfying Solution?

Of course, there is nothing new in the idea of two people living together without first marrying. What is new is the number openly doing so. In the United States, a government report indicated that between 1960 and 1970 there was a 700-percent increase in unwed couples. More recent reports show an even greater jump.

Besides the obvious conflict for a Christian conscience, the question is: Are these couples enjoying “marriage”? Does this cohabitation lead them out of the confusion and into a meaningful, permanent relationship?

The truth is that, though some unwed couples may live together for a lifetime, generally these liaisons are short-lived. The fruitage is as bitter and often as emotionally disastrous as divorce. Why?

Reflect honestly for a moment. What kind of relationship is it that values the ‘freedom to leave’ above a real commitment to one another? Although a couple may claim that they are not just selfishly ‘taking’ but are ‘sharing’ pleasure, is it reasonable to give something so precious and intimate without a commitment?

One definition of “trial” is “experiment.” Can anyone afford an experimental marriage? After all, we are not discussing sharing a piece of clothing. If it is torn in half or discarded, one simply goes out and buys another garment. But the emotional ‘scar tissue’ of a broken intimate relationship is far-reaching; it has brought some to the point of suicide.

Even those couples who genuinely care for each other face an emotion-jarring problem: insecurity. As one unwed couple replied to a relative who asked why they were now marrying: “Because we want to​—we want the commitment.”

Still, what about the argument that ‘you really don’t know for sure what marriage to that person would be like until you try it out’? One author wisely noted concerning unwed couples: “Marriage adjustment cannot be tested in a state of singleness. Those who attempt a test, even when it seems to be successful, have not proved that they can live together happily in marriage.” And people who have lived in unwed sexual relationship with several others do not come to a new relationship with any great insight. For what little they have learned, the emotional price has usually left them less capable of facing problems, less ready to give of themselves and less ready to trust.

Of course, the old-fashioned virtue of “self-control” is not popular today. It is considered repressive, inhibiting, damaging to the personality. Yet in reply to the question, “Is sexual restraint dangerous?” the book Marriage for Moderns declares: “Sexual control before marriage is fraught with fewer physiological, psychological, and social risks than is sexual gratification.”

Thus “trial marriage,” as with the other marriage myths, is a dangerous and shaky foundation on which to try to build. “Well,” one might reason, “that helps me to know some views to avoid, but do any ‘positive’ principles then remain? How can I know if I am ready for marriage? How can I wisely select a mate?”

There are no simple ‘slogan answers’ to these hard questions. However, reliable guidelines do exist for the benefit of those with the insight to ‘look before they leap.’ Let’s explore them in the following article.

Finding a Marriage Mate

“IF YOU would marry wisely, marry your equal,” said a poet. ‘But who is my equal?’ you might well ask. And so the answer starts not with a look across the dance floor, but with an honest look at yourself. You too have faults, personality flaws; you do not offer perfection. On the other hand, you have certain beliefs, talents, likes and needs. Try hard to see them.

Further, you need to determine your own preparedness for marriage. You cannot just be willing to say “I do.” You must be ready and able to “love, honor and cherish,” as wedlock demands. Do you have a fair understanding of what the roles of husband and wife involve? Do you have a realistic view of life, including matrimony?

In fact, being able honestly to appraise yourself is a good sign of emotional maturity. And it is this quality that you must see both in yourself and in anyone you wish to marry. When you think of a small child married to an adult it is ludicrous, laughable. Yet how sad to marry someone and find that inside an adult body the mind and emotions are those of a child.

How do you evaluate the emotional level of another? Here is where the key to finding a good mate comes in. Call it thinking ability, common sense, or discernment​—it means being able to observe others objectively without letting your emotions ‘color over’ the truth. For example, if you see that someone always wants his own way, is easily discouraged and quits, strives to be the center of attention, of whom are you reminded? Yes, a child. “Oh, but he (or, she) is so good-looking!” you may exclaim. Then the individual is but a very attractive child. Think about it some more.

Many would scoff at this emphasis on thinking ability. They claim that the basis for liking another is sheer sexual attraction​—‘that is real life.’ There is no doubt that sexual attraction is usually a big factor. Nevertheless, real life, daily living, involves much more than sex. In fact, how you get along all day is going to play a major role in your sexual compatibility. Too, emotionally “grown-up” people recognize that you can be sexually attracted to many, even simultaneously, but that there are comparatively few with whom you can be happily matched.

So, for those who seek a permanent, happy relationship, thinking ability and emotional maturity are essential. Because of this, youths face a particularly difficult barrier. Consider why.

“Emotional Adulthood”​—When?

Really there is no set age at which one can be declared emotionally mature. Some never grow up. However, of one thing you can be sure, marrying someone will not instantly make that one grow up. Thus, youths who wish to marry must consider a serious question: What is the likelihood of your prospective partner’s being sufficiently adult emotionally? Would you want to face circumstances like these . . . ?

“I don’t understand what happened to us, but I just don’t love Bill any more. I can’t help it. He’s not the man I married.”

“I’ve outgrown my wife. She can’t give me what I need. She doesn’t have it and never will. I wish I had seen that before we got married.”​—The Marriage Gap.

What has happened here? There are, no doubt, several elements. But likely, when they got married, one or both were still having what are called mental and emotional ‘growth spurts.’ Many psychologists agree with Dr. Bowman (Marriage for Moderns), that while humans normally stop growing physically by the late teens, “sometimes even during the early twenties, many individuals are still in the process of rather rapid change in attitudes, tastes, and choices. In many instances, what seems at the time like a permanent choice proves later to have been a tentative one.”

Now think of the impact on two teenagers in an early marriage. In a very real sense, the two persons may each change so much that they bring to the marriage personalities different from those expected. Of course, the couple can work to overcome this obstacle. They do not have to take the negative attitude of those quoted above. However, all of this illustrates the wisdom of the Bible when it discusses making a decision on marriage when one is “past the bloom of youth”​—thus more emotionally settled.​—1 Cor. 7:36.

Still, even among those emotionally full grown there are many areas that demand discernment of one seeking a mate. One of these is your circle of friends.

Your Relationships with Others

Everyone needs friends. Yet especially if you want to marry do you need to exercise care in your associations. Why? Because, unless you live where marriages are “arranged,” you will probably marry someone met through mutual friends. And your social group will dictate the caliber of people that you are constantly around. Thus, before you are romantically involved, assess your friends.

Are you their “friend” because you financially offer them something? Do you have meaningful relationships with them? Do you really share with them the same beliefs and interests? Has their influence made you a better person? Looking at this circle may seem irrelevant, but it is not. You may see the need to make adjustments in your associations, either dropping some or cautiously ‘widening out’ the circle.

Too, you will find that one of the best ways to get to know a new acquaintance better is to invite the “newcomer” to spend an evening with you along with your friends. This is much safer than immediately dating someone, isolating the relationship and allowing emotion to distort the realities.

At this point, however, some may be thinking: “What circle of friends?” For many it is truly difficult to form friendships and thus even get to know a possible mate. The problem may be shyness and insecurity. Sometimes it is being overly sensitive. With others, there is the feeling that no one is good enough​—an attitude of superiority.

In any case, be honest with yourself about the problem and work on it. If you need to, get mature counsel. But do not isolate yourself. A Bible proverb says that “one isolating himself will seek his own selfish longing.” (Prov. 18:1) Whatever the cause, the more you turn inward, the more self-centered you become, the less you offer to others as a basis for friendship.

Happiness comes from giving of yourself, from extending yourself to others. Communicating well with other people, thinking in terms of how to help and love other people are valuable assets to bring to a marriage. Drawing off to yourself in a dream world, even if you do marry, will not prepare you for daily life with another imperfect human.

When you are invited somewhere, let it be known that you really appreciate it. In turn, just because you are single, do not develop the attitude that others should always entertain you. Be ready to extend hospitality, no matter how modest.

A word of caution here, however. It is not wise to convey to others the idea that your only aim in life is to enjoy a party and ‘have fun.’ Strive to develop practical, mind-improving interests. Take care of yourself physically, for your appearance does reflect what you think of yourself. Also, displaying an attractive personality is so often a matter of balance. Try not to be so withdrawn that you contribute nothing to a conversation or group activity, while avoiding the opposite extreme of being overbearing, constantly talking.

If you do decide to date, it is extremely unwise to date several different people at one time. You will be so emotionally confused that an intelligent choice is virtually impossible. Not only that, you are really perpetrating a fraud since you can only marry one. And besides hurting another you may acquire the reputation of a “flirt” or ‘insincere cheat.’ If you are so uncertain about a person’s being what you desire, why keep close company?

Now, suppose you find a mutual attraction growing between you and a ‘special friend.’ How can thinking ability and emotional maturity guide you through courtship?

A Realistic Courtship

Courtship should be a time of happiness. Yet if the flowering tree of spring brings forth bad fruitage later, the remembered blossoms are small compensation.

It is good to be able to laugh and have fun together. To walk by the seashore and just “talk and talk” can be very meaningful. Still, you need to remember that courtship has another purpose​—preparation for marriage. If your courtship includes such practical things as shopping together or studying together, you are better prepared for the crucial transition to matrimony.

And while there is a great desire to please your boyfriend or girl friend, try hard not to put on “airs” or be someone you are not. Many, in fear of losing a prospective mate, end up virtually acting out a role. The question is, How long can you keep acting? This is one reason that a sufficiently long period of courtship is advisable.

Yet even if a courtship goes along smoothly, how can you really be sure of your feelings and the “rightness” of the match? Often when young people ask this question of married persons they get an answer such as “You just know.” Know what?

Well, you realize that besides wanting each other, you come to a point of mutual trust. You want to do things for each other, to give to each other. You clearly see the many beliefs and interests that you share in common. And you recognize not only the present depth of relationship but also its potential. All of this is part of genuine love.

Frequently today youths go their own way and suddenly bring home to their family a stranger to whom they are “engaged.” But there is much wisdom in the “old-fashioned” approach of talking to older persons about the individual that you are contemplating marrying and about your own feelings. Often those not emotionally involved can help you to make a more realistic decision.

The sincere Christian also recognizes the need to go to the greatest source of wisdom, the Creator of marriage. A servant of God realizes that such a far-reaching decision deserves much prayer and meditation. He remembers the Bible proverb: ‘Have you found a good wife (or, husband)? You have found a good thing, and you get goodwill from Jehovah.’ (Prov. 18:22) Considering the obstacles to a successful marriage, certainly God’s “goodwill” should be fervently sought.

Once a firm commitment has been made to wed, you cannot afford to lessen your efforts to get to know your fiancé or fiancée. In one college study the conclusion was drawn that “most engaged couples today spend much of their engagement time worrying about their weddings​—and not enough planning about the kind of married life they’ll have after the wedding.” Really, on into marriage, an attitude of being eager to know and adjust to your partner is vital. It’s an “investment” in harmony and happiness.

However, some may read with despair these guidelines on finding a mate. They have tried many of these suggestions and they are still alone.

“I Can’t Find Anyone”

Today many single people face a most difficult reality. Because of circumstance​—handicap, age, family responsibilities—​they know that the opportunities for them to marry are few, if any. As one elderly widow expressed it: “There are fewer men at my age than women, and many of them are interested in younger women.” If you are in such a situation, what can you do?

Well, you may consider most of what we have stated as not applying in your case. But reflect for a moment. We have encouraged an honest appraisal of yourself, a careful widening out in your friendships. We have urged you to form meaningful relationships with others rather than to draw off to yourself in a dream world. You will find it true that there is more happiness in giving and whether you eventually marry or not you will not regret having a positive view of life. It offers so much more.

Sadly, some have allowed themselves to get into such a state of mind that when an unexpected opportunity to have a good marriage comes along, they are not prepared. On the other hand, to be obsessed with what you do not have is emotionally unhealthy. It is just as dangerous as when a married person constantly dwells on the freedoms he or she would have if single. It will not bring happiness.

Many lonely people have experienced that their way to happiness is in forming a deep relationship with their Creator. Realizing that there is a loving God, discovering how much he cares and what a purposeful life they can lead in serving him has brought them a contentment that they thought they would never find.​—Ps. 55:22; 73:28.

It has also led them to enjoyable association with others who could help them. As one woman expressed it: “One of the things that attracted me most to Jehovah’s Witnesses was the warmth and genuine spirit of kindness that they showed. And the reception I received at the Kingdom Hall was very impressive. I was a very self-centered person, caring only for myself. The Bible truth helped me to see that it is better to give than to receive.” And certainly among such trustworthy Christians a person has a much better opportunity of finding an honest, balanced marriage mate.

So while the road to wedlock today has its difficulties and dangers, you can use thinking ability to avoid the modern “singles” trend, which so often is simply a series of disasters. By rejecting the myths and emotionally damaging practices of the majority, by following Bible principles, you do have a much better chance for finding a good marital match. Solid unions continue to be formed. This is because there remain people who will give of themselves within this God-arranged institution of marriage, which still contains every possibility for lasting joy.

When Quake and Tide Combine

By “Awake!” correspondent in the Philippines

“SUDDENLY, we felt a jolt, and our room swayed gently, the swaying getting stronger every second until the tossing went like mad.

“We were speechless as the room spun before our terrified eyes. The lights suddenly went out, followed by rumbling sounds of cracking walls and glass raining down the whole building. . . . Yells of anguish reverberated in the dark.”

This was related by a survivor of a two-minute-long earthquake that jarred the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on Tuesday, August 17, 1976, at 12:13 a.m.

Registered at 7.8 on the Richter scale, this was the most powerful, most destructive and nightmarish quake to hit the Philippines in all of recorded history. It was of tectonic origin, that is, caused by the movement or deformation of the earth’s crust. American earthquake-monitoring stations placed the epicenter in the Moro Gulf, an arm of the Celebes Sea, some 652 miles (1,049 kilometers) south-southeast of Manila.

Hardest hit were Cotabato City (with a population of 80,000) and the coastal towns of Zamboanga. A large percentage of the commercial buildings in Cotabato City collapsed, either totally or partially. Entire families were entombed in buildings that crumbled. Farmlands were submerged in seawater. Fishermen lost their means of livelihood as surging waters swept away their fishing boats.

According to a newspaper entitled “Bulletin Today,” the earthquake and the following seismic waves left 3,373 dead, 9,149 injured, 2,938 missing and more than 119,000 homeless. Initial damage was estimated at $100 million to $135 million.

The Toll of Seismic Waves

The quake was followed by seismic waves, often called “tidal waves.” Some of these reached heights of thirty feet (9 meters) and traveled at speeds! up to 447 miles (719 kilometers) per hour. The toll was heavy indeed. A surviving fisherman reports:

“My house was located by the sea. I usually do my fishing in the evening. It was past midnight of August 16, while I was working on my net, that our house began to quiver and creak vigorously. Then the earth movement let up momentarily.

“Suddenly I heard another sound, as if of thunder, rushing toward us. Our family, now awake, started to run frantically to a nearby hill. The foaming waters overtook us. We swam as never before. Though gulping down a quantity of seawater in the process, we made it to safety.”

From the hill where they found refuge, this family watched their house being dragged out to sea just like a floating matchbox. Not everyone was so fortunate. Standing stupefied at the onrushing wall of water, many were swept away.

Near the island of Sacol, in the vicinity of Zamboanga City, a fisherman, in a boat more than 325 feet (about 100 meters) offshore, saw some fifty houses collapse at one harsh stroke of giant waves. When the waters receded, he found himself atop a coconut tree. A woman in another area told of seeing her father swept out to sea, then swept back in again with the next wave, still alive. Another individual told of his neighbor’s child, who drifted to sea holding fast to a wooden brace. The child, too, was washed back to shore alive.

In some cases, desire to salvage material goods led to loss of lives. One person left a child in the care of a maid as he went back to the house to get a suitcase. The child died. Another man lost his life when he returned to bolt his doors in anticipation of looters. The looters never came.

A survivor from the island of Olutanga in the Moro Gulf recalls: “When the earthquake stopped, I went over to the wharf and saw four houses caved in. Then I noticed someone pointing toward the sea and shouting: ‘Tidal wave!’ I ran as fast as I could for a hill. Houses left standing by the earthquake were torn to shreds by the colossal waves. As the billows crashed to the shore, chickens flew sky-high, dogs howled, pigs squealed, people screamed and yelled. There were frantic calls to many gods. It was a hair-raising, heartrending sight.”

The Aftermath

“When the first light of dawn slowly filtered through a graying sky,” recalled a survivor, the coastal area “was a field of leveled houses, crying children. The dead were all around. Those who survived could not believe what they saw and experienced. The wailing of those whose loved ones perished blended into the stillness that followed. Slowly they got up and, in a daze, started walking around looking for something and for nothing.”

Soon after the disaster subsided, civilian and military agencies launched an all-out rescue, relief and rehabilitation effort. Help, both technical and material, began pouring in. One newsman noted that, in the stricken areas, those who were able “worked shoulder to shoulder digging out the living and the dead from the fallen debris.”

Post-Disaster Activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses

There are more than 76,000 of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Philippines. Naturally all were interested in how their fellow Christians fared. As soon as possible after the earth tremors and flooding, elders of congregations throughout the affected area set out to find all fellow Witnesses. A special representative of the Watch Tower Society writes:

“We thought of several families of Jehovah’s Witnesses living in a log pond by the sea. We did not wait for light of day, but as soon as possible headed into that area. Upon arrival we rubbed our eyes in disbelief. The once thickly populated, bustling community was gone!” Happily, however, none of Jehovah’s Witnesses there suffered death or serious injury, though all of them lost their houses and furnishings.

In Malangas debris of all sorts was strewn about. A few houses were still intact, but most had been leveled. Some persons were busy using motorboats to tow their houses back to shore. An elder from a congregation in that area reports: “I succeeded in towing back my house; only our clothes were lost. But many lives were lost, among both humans and animals. However, though Jehovah’s Witnesses here sustained considerable loss and damage to property, not one of them died.”

After the lifting of the curfew in Cotabato City at four o’clock in the morning following the catastrophe, a ministerial servant of Jehovah’s Witnesses obtained the use of a jeep and made rounds, visiting homes of fellow Witnesses. Here, too, all of Jehovah’s Witnesses had survived and escaped serious injury. Large-scale loss of property, however, made it necessary for some of them to stay at evacuation centers arranged by the government. Others pitched tents or erected shanties a short distance from home in anticipation of expected numerous aftershocks.:

“Earthquakes in One Place After Another”

This earthquake was one of three that jolted Asia during the same week. Commissioner Gregorio Andal of the Commission on Volcanology said: “The earth’s crust at this point is in a turbulent condition and earthquakes can happen anywhere in the world, anytime.” Another group of scientists believes that some seismic process, not fully understood at this time, may be taking place.

In this regard, Jesus foretold an interesting feature of a “sign” that would identify the “conclusion” of the present system of things. In addition to wars, persecution of Christians, increasing lawlessness and other woes, Jesus predicted: “There will be . . . earthquakes in one place after another.” (Matt. 24:3-8; Mark 13:4-8) The Bible historian Luke adds that Jesus said: “There will be great earthquakes.”​—Luke 21:11.

During the past sixty-two years Jehovah’s Witnesses have pointed out to their neighbors that all the facets of the sign that Jesus gave have seen fulfillment since 1914. Regarding earthquakes as a feature of that sign, more than 900,000 persons have died because of earthquakes since that year. Counting from about 1,000 years ago, the average yearly death rate from earthquakes was 3,000 before 1914; but since then that average has leaped to 15,000 per year. Jesus’ prophecies about earthquakes apply now!

Thus, Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Philippines are busy visiting survivors of their most devastating earthquake. They are comforting them with the gladsome message that a new system, where people will never again suffer accidental deaths in natural disasters, is now near at hand.​—2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:3-5.

[Map on page 13]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

MINDANAO ISLAND

SULU SEA

Olutanga Island

Cotabato

Zamboanga

Sacol Island

MORO GULF

EPICENTER

CELEBES SEA

[Picture on page 14]

‘The coastal area was a field of leveled houses and crying children’

The Night the Killers Burned Their Home

“THE crash of window glass and a roar jolted me straight up in bed,” Jeannette Thomas was saying.

“The door to the hall was open and I saw that wall of light bursting from the living room. I screamed and struck out so hard that James sprang up shouting out of his deep sleep. We ran into the hall and the smoke struck us​—so hot and black it gagged and smothered . . .”

“It was acrid,” her husband James broke in. “Must have been the cheapest gasoline​—maybe mixed with kerosene. The children couldn’t live two seconds if they breathed it.”

The killers had hurled three five-gallon cans of fuel into the living room. That’s where the Thomas’ eighteen-year-old daughter had been watching television; the four younger children already had gone to bed.

There wasn’t a sound from the living room, and there was no possible way to get there through the smoke and fumes. “We headed for the stairs​—the three young girls were up there,” James explained.

However, the heat and the smoke were already boiling down, driving them back. They ran down the hall, and, at the turn, Jeannette went left into the kitchen and James went right into the oldest daughter’s room, hoping that maybe she was there​—but no. “I could feel my hair singeing and my eyes felt on fire,” James remembers, “and I knew that one deep breath would be my last.”

At that moment James crashed a window with his fist and dived head first into an explosion of fumes. Immediately he was on his feet and running toward the rear of the house.

In the kitchen, Jeannette was holding her breath, wrenching at the doorknob, forgetting the latch bolt. “I heaved against the door,” she said, “and it was so hot that it peeled the skin off my arm.” At the last desperate moment she fumbled the latch open and, as the door exploded open, something whooshed by her​—one of the dogs.

James: “I saw her staggering across the back porch. I grabbed her. She was screaming the children’s names. I was too. But there was no way to climb to the upper story. You could hear fire crackling and the house was ablaze all over.”

“Get Steven out through the garage!” Jeannette cried.

As they rushed into the garage, James stumbled over a gasoline can, still full. “Someone is burning us out!” he shouted.

Already he was throwing his weight against the locked door to Steven’s room, and his wife was throwing her weight against him. It collapsed, but a wall of flame and smoke hurled them back. It was not possible for a mortal to enter.

Outside at the back window, James clawed the metal jalousies out of their casings with his bare hands. He reached inside and felt the smoldering bedcovers, but twelve-year-old Steven was not there.

In absolute hysteria they circled the house, screaming the children’s names​—Jeannette, Cynthia, Steven, Karen, Allison. The arsonists had drenched the front of the house, even their Cadillac sitting in front​—everything was a waving sheet of flame.

“I saw car lights coming up the driveway,” James recalls. “‘Our children are burning up inside,’ I screamed. The man said that they would go for help.”

The holocaust continued roaring. Nothing was to escape alive except the two of them and the one dog. “They found him crying in the woods a day later,” Jeannette said. “They were good dogs, all three. It had rained and turned cool that day, and I said, ‘Bring the dogs inside.’ If I hadn’t done that, they would have warned us.”

The Monroe, Georgia, fire department had arrived, as well as the sheriff. Firemen were milling. A deputy was moaning, “Oh, my God!” An ambulance came, and James and Jeannette were led away.

Who Did This and Why?

Ten days later Jeannette was still in Athens General Hospital. The first-degree burns covering her face left the skin dotted with tiny blisters. Her left upper arm wore a huge poultice of emollients through which new skin was surfacing from the second-degree burns. James had escaped physical injury.

Walton County was still shaken by the tragedy. News media, local and state officials were asking, ‘Who did this and why?’

“They Left New York City to Avoid All the Crime,” read a headline in the Gwinnett Daily News. “James Thomas Sr. moved his family here in June to escape crime in New York City and to improve the health of his wife. Friday he buried five of his children, the innocent victims in an apparent gangland arson.”

The Atlanta Journal reported: “The Thomases are black people who rented a house about three miles east of Monroe with a fair number of rural white folks living around them. But there was no antagonism toward the family, Thomas said. The investigators agreed.”

The paper added: “What interested the investigators . . . was that the owner of the house owned another house, a vacant one, that burned two hours later in adjacent Barrow County.”

Both houses were owned by a woman whose husband sometime previously had been murdered after he was issued a subpoena to testify in a case. Another member of her family was said to be a convicted moonshiner. Apparently it was to come as a shock to newcomers like the Thomases that gang-style crime flourished even in the rurals of northern Georgia.

So evidently the Thomas family had fallen victims to some feuding faction. As one writer observed: “They had only lived in the wrong house at the wrong time.”

“I Don’t​—I Won’t Hate”

One of the hardest ordeals that night was to notify the three older married children back in New York. Twenty-two-year-old James, Jr., recalls: “You are awakened in midmorning and told that five members of your family are burned to death​—at first I went wild. Then I thought of my sister Helene, eight months pregnant, and how to tell her.”

Next day a county sheriff and members of the press watched James, Jr., as he viewed the ruins. John York of the Atlanta Journal wrote:

“Though it had been about 12 hours since the fire was first reported, tiny flames still leaped into the sunlight where a section of wall still stood. Occasionally, the distinct odor of burnt flesh wafted through the breeze and down toward the road where bystanders stood through the day.”

Once young Thomas struck out at the charred timbers. “They saw me do it and thought I was a New Yorker who had come down for revenge,” young James explained. “But later, in the sheriff’s office, I told them that I had struck out, not in anger, but in frustration. I don’t​—I won’t hate people who did this.” His mother concurred.

Faith and Brotherhood That Astonishes

Funeral spectators stood in a kind of awe when James, Sr., and his remaining children did not break down in hysterical grief and despair. The hysteria had ceased after that first hour of the holocaust. “They could not understand that our faith is real,” the father explained. It was like the incredulity of the people in the apostle Paul’s day when he exclaimed: “Why is it judged unbelievable among you men that God raises up the dead?”​—Acts 26:8.

James, Jr., wondered, “If people in the churches who say they believe their children who die are in heaven​—if they really believe that—​why do they despair in grief?”

The mother nodded in full agreement. “The tears I shed now are from human emotion, not from the sorrow others would suffer who have no hope. By drawing close to Jehovah I receive the assurance He gives in his Word the Bible. I know now how great my family really is. Not just children and grandchildren, but hundreds and thousands of Christian brothers and sisters. They come and they call and they write. They let me know that they feel hurt as we feel hurt.”

Her husband added: “It is true what Jesus said about gaining brothers and sisters by the hundredfold.”​—Mark 10:30.

Even in the early morning hours following the fire, a constant stream of Jehovah’s Witnesses from near and far began trickling into the corridors of the hospital. The management had never seen anything like it. A reporter marveled: “Half are black, half are white, it makes no difference, it is no concern, except that some of their own have suffered.” The astonished hospital authorities made an unprecedented allowance for visitors to call at any hour around the clock. “It seems the best therapy for Mrs. Thomas,” a head nurse explained.

People Poured Out Their Hearts

“My doctor stood here with tears in his eyes,” Jeannette explained. “He was thinking of his own children sleeping upstairs in their Cape Cod house. He arranged for a second bed to be brought in so my husband could stay here throughout. He said not to worry if our hospitalization insurance does not cover everything​—he would take care of it himself.”

An apartment near other Witnesses in Monroe was arranged for the Thomases. Within the first week so much clothing and furniture was brought in that there was no place to put it all. Local church and charity organizations asked if they could help. The Pilot Club of Monroe had its members on the streets collecting a fund for the family. Teachers and students in schools where the Thomas children attended raised funds. A Fund for the Thomas family was set up at the National Bank of Walton County in Monroe. Contributions poured in from as far away as Kansas and New Mexico.

Feeling of Loss, but a Sure Hope

Of course, there have to be the low moments. “Nighttime is the hardest,” Jeannette confessed. “When I start to go to sleep I begin to live the horror over again. I won’t take narcotics. But a Witness brought in a tape recorder and a whole briefcase full of tapes. I go to sleep listening to talks from our Christian assemblies.’’

Sleep was not her husband’s problem. “It’s at mealtimes that I get low. At that house our children were the happiest they ever were in their lives. It was the first house we ever lived in. They mowed the hay all around and turned it into a lawn. But at mealtimes, that’s when the children were the most beautiful. You never heard such a hubbub.”

The Thomases look forward to such happy times again, right here on earth, when their children are brought back to life again. Jesus Christ said: “The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out.” (John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15) And the Bible describes what life will be like at that time: “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.” (Rev. 21:3, 4) These are Bible promises in which the Thomases have complete confidence.

Such a sure hope is what makes possible a wholesome adjustment in the face of tragedy.

The “Third World” Speaks Out

By “Awake!” correspondent in Sri Lanka

MOST nations in the world today are relatively poor. Of the 145 countries making up the United Nations Organization, more than 100 are in that category. World leaders tactfully call such poorer lands the “underdeveloped” or “developing” or “emerging” nations.

They are also referred to as the “third world.” Why? Originally that phrase was used to describe the nations that were neutral, nonaligned politically. That is, they were not committed to supporting either the Communist bloc of nations or the Western bloc. Hence, they were considered to be a “third world.”

But in recent years, the Communist and Western blocs have become fragmented. Also, some of the nations that are Communist, and some that are Western, are poor too. So now the term “third world” generally has come to be applied to those countries not highly developed economically, nor to any considerable degree otherwise. And most of them still regard themselves as being nonaligned.

Political Influence

While these lands may be underdeveloped in an economic sense, they have developed a measure of political influence. Often the vast majority of the third world sees things similarly, as a group. So they vote together on various issues brought before the United Nations General Assembly. And they vote independently of what the developed countries may wish. No longer do they simply follow the dictates of the more powerful industrial nations or those that once had colonial empires.

Hence, on many issues the Western countries find themselves being opposed by this “new majority” in the United Nations. And often the third world’s views are supported by the Communist countries.

This has resulted in a completely different situation when compared to the early years of the United Nations. Then, the Western countries led by the United States dominated the voting pattern in the General Assembly of the world body.

But that is now a thing of the past. As U.S. News & World Report states: “The greatest source of antagonism in the [U.N. General Assembly] stems from a collision of political and economic interests between the ‘third world’​—the less-developed countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America—​and the industrialized West. Using its so-called tyranny of the majority, the third world can, and does, ram through Assembly resolutions over objections of more-developed nations.”

This publication notes that the voting pattern of the majority in the U.N. now “almost automatically lines up alongside Moscow’s” views on anti-colonialism, anti-imperialism and anti-racism. And it adds: “The fact that the United States winds up on the losing side of almost every such U.N. argument is a welcome bonus to the leaders in the Kremlin.”

Summit Meetings Spell Out Problems

In recent years, the third-world nations have had a number of summit conferences to talk about their problems. Last summer, for instance, eighty-six of these nations met here in Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon. This was their fifth such meeting as a group. Earlier summit conferences had been held in Belgrade (1961), Cairo (1964), Lusaka (1970) and Algiers (1973).

Also, in the spring of 1974, the third world sponsored a special session of the United Nations General Assembly. For three weeks this session concentrated on the plight of the poorer nations.

At all such meetings, a basic grievance appears. It has to do with the economic difficulties of these nations in relation to the richer countries. The third world feels that the raw materials they produce are bought at too-low prices by the industrial nations and that the industrial products sold back to the poorer nations are priced too high. The dilemma is especially acute for those poor countries that are agricultural lands and have little or no surplus food to sell and no raw-material resources of any consequence for export.

In addition, the third world points out that the gap between the rich nations and the poor ones is not being closed. It is widening. The total number of people who are hungry, poorly clothed, improperly housed and unemployed is increasing, not decreasing.

Where it is possible, and the demand for the raw materials by the industrial countries large enough, the nations with exportable natural resources are raising the prices of their products. An example is the sixfold increase in the price of oil by the oil-producing countries.

However, at present not many raw materials produced by the poor countries are in such high demand that prices can be raised as dramatically. Indeed, in recent years, the prices of many raw materials of the third world, including some agricultural products, have declined. Yet, the prices of finished industrial products sold by the wealthier countries have continued to rise due to inflation.

Preparing for the Summit

Such problems were the focus of this most recent summit conference held here in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Thousands of delegates and many heads of states attended. The scope of the conference could be seen by the fact that the eighty-six nations attending represented more than half the countries in the world.

But before the sessions took place, other problems had to be met in preparing for the meeting. Overcoming them was a mammoth undertaking for this small, developing country just over 25,000 square miles (64,750 square kilometers) in size, about half the size of New York State.

For instance, security was a big problem. In view of the many hijackings, kidnappings, bombings and assassinations in recent years, strict attention had to be paid to the weeding out of all possible undesirable elements.

Regular tourist traffic was severely restricted in the periods before and during the conference. All foreign nationals had to leave the country if their visas were not renewed.

More than a year in advance, trained personnel of the intelligence service were out in the field screening all persons who might in some way be connected with the forthcoming meeting. This included employees of hotels, the airport, and all institutions involved with the summit. Those employees who were in any way suspect were given leaves of absence to get them away from the area. Even residents who lived on the route from the airport to the conference hall were screened.

In addition, over 10,000 criminals, petty thieves and other ‘undesirables’ were photographed and fingerprinted. A close watch was kept on their activities. Some of the ‘big time’ criminals who were not already behind bars were taken into custody for the period of the conference.

Also, hundreds of vehicles were imported from several countries to be used by the delegates and security personnel. Roads had to be widened or newly constructed. More hotels were built to accommodate the delegates. Finally, all was in readiness. And the entire nation was well aware that an important event was being held in their small land.

Delegates Speak Out

The opening address was given by the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike. She had previously been elected chairman of the conference. Her name had been proposed by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and seconded by Indian Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi and the President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios.

In her address, in what she called “a message to the developed nations,” Prime Minister Bandaranaike affirmed that “the nonaligned do not consider any nation or any people as their enemy. Their fight has always been against injustice, intolerance, and inequity.”

In its comment on the opening address, the New York Times said: “Welcoming the Vietnamese to membership in the nonaligned movement, she drew one of the day’s biggest rounds of applause when she said: ‘Their struggle against the military might and sophistication of one of the greatest powers, to ultimate and final victory, is a shining inspiration to all nations fighting for national liberation, against foreign intervention, domination and oppression.’”

The chairman also commented on the establishment of a new international economic order. She proposed the setting up of a bank for the third-world countries, stating: “If we really and truly want to blunt the weapons of imperialism and colonialism, we must surely fashion countervailing weapons in the form of currency backed by the immense economic potential of the nonaligned and other developing countries.” She felt that such a bank would enable the third-world countries to enter an area of international economic activity that had so far remained the monopoly of a few multinational private banks in the rich nations.

On the same day, President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia sounded a common theme: “We believe in power-sharing as an important guarantee for peace within the international community.” Other speakers also called for a new economic and social order that would give the third world a greater share of the earth’s wealth.

Statistics showing the need for a new economic order were detailed to the conference. For example, it was pointed out that in 1970 the world’s poorest billion people had an annual income of only 105 dollars per person. But those in the developed countries had an annual income of 3,100 dollars per person. By 1980, it was calculated, the same billion poor people would have increased their income by an insignificant three dollars each, compared to a 900-dollar increase for each person in the rich countries.

Further, in the poor countries, every day about 10,000 persons, on the average, die from starvation or diseases related to malnutrition. And in these countries, it was said that there are more children of school age out of school than there are in school.

In spite of all these needs, vast resources of the world are being channeled, not for constructive purposes, but for the manufacture of ever more sophisticated weapons. The world now spends about 300 billion dollars a year on such armaments.

Yet, Mr. Kurt Waldheim, secretary-general of the United Nations, acknowledged in his address to the summit conference: “No progress has been made towards genuine disarmament, which would reduce arms expenditures and permit the transfer of resources to more constructive use. The trend has been in the opposite direction.” He also observed that the “danger of nuclear proliferation not only remains, but has increased.”

Western Nations Warned

After four days of meetings, the conference came to an end. On the last day the third world adopted a stinging warning to the world’s rich nations. The message was that they must yield more of their wealth to a new economic order. The communiqué made an urgent plea for action to help to halt the widening gap between the rich and the poor.

The report noted that the economic position of third-world nations has deteriorated in the past few years. Their combined balance-of-payments deficits have tripled. Their debt to the rich countries has increased by billions of dollars. Soaring inflation often cripples their efforts to improve their economic condition.

The New York Times commented: “The nonaligned countries are firmly convinced that nothing short of a complete rearranging of international economic relations will place developing countries in a position to achieve an acceptable level of development.”

The Times also noted a general trend ‘to the left’ among many of these third-world nations. It said: “In West European and American eyes, nonalignment often seems to be primarily anti-Western and anti-American in tone.” It observed, for instance, that the final communiqué condemned the American presence in South Korea, called for the independence of Puerto Rico, condemned Israel, and hailed “the historic and total victory achieved by the people of Vietnam in their struggle against aggressive United States imperialism.”

At times, though, even the Communist nations were chastised by a few speakers for supporting subversive movements in the third world. But more often, the tone was as stated by U.S. News & World Report: “The U.S. and other industrialized nations of the West continued to take their lumps, being blamed for virtually every economic and political illness of the poor nations.”

Thus, the third world spoke out again. And once again, what it said was not favorable to the Western nations that make up the heart of what is commonly called “Christendom.”

[Picture on page 20]

“Third world” nations spoke out at their conference held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall

A Day with the Birds at Lake Nakuru

By “Awake!” correspondent in Kenya

“THE greatest bird spectacle on earth.” “An ornithologist’s paradise.” “A birdwatcher’s Serengeti.” How could I resist an opportunity to visit such an area? The place is Lake Nakuru, covering about 25 square miles (65 square kilometers) in East Africa’s Rift Valley. This shallow alkaline lake has become known internationally for its flamingos, sometimes numbering into the millions. That is a “spectacle” indeed!

A friend of mine at Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, kindly offered to take my family along for a day to see the birds at Lake Nakuru. We got an early start, and before long the 100-mile (161-kilometer) drive brought us to the lake. Birds already were soaring in the warm air currents rising from the sun-drenched land.

We made our way to a high vantage point on the western shore of the lake. From there we could view the entire body of water. It seemed incredible that a shallow basin not more than 12 feet (3.7 meters) deep could sustain such a large collection of birds.

Besides the 1,125,000 flamingos that have been counted at a time (and estimates of 2,000,000), there are hundreds of other bird species at Nakuru. Although there is a chain of soda lakes in the Rift Valley, Lake Nakuru especially enjoys chemical and physical characteristics ideally producing the blue-green algae upon which the flamingos and fish feed. This, together with a complex combination of saline and alkaline content, suspended nutrients, freshwater influx, sunlight exposure and evaporation, makes Lake Nakuru most suited to sustain this “ornithologist’s paradise.” The lake might also be considered essential to the survival of migrant species coming from as far away as the shores of the Arctic Ocean. Some of these world travelers have been known to spend more time on the lake annually than at their distant breeding grounds.

Although we cannot claim to be ornithologists, it was not difficult to identify a hawk eagle perched on an offshore pole. Viewed through binoculars, the bird appeared to be about 20 inches (51 centimeters) long from crest to tail. Predatory birds, like the eagles, have an attraction all their own, due to either their handsome appearance or their dramatic mode of flight.

No sooner had we settled ourselves to continue our drive through Lake Nakuru National Park than another bird of the eagle family came into view. Perched on a dead tree stump was a fish eagle. Its white head, chest, back and tail, chestnut-colored belly and black wings gave it a magnificent appearance. The fish eagle’s shrieking call is one of the characteristic sounds at Lake Nakuru. This bird’s unusual practice of throwing back its head when making the call seems to add to its wild gull-like cry. The fish eagle can be seen plunging from a height of some 30 feet (9 meters) into the water for a meal, or it may be seen chasing other fish-eating birds in the hope of sharing their prey. For that matter, on an alkaline lake like this the fish eagle may turn to feasting on other water birds as a staple of its diet, and flamingos are easy to catch. But the fish eagle is essentially a fish eater. The talons on its feet enable the bird to grip slippery fish in water.

As we viewed the lake from our high vantage point, it was a delight to see such a variety of water birds along the shore and wading in the water. For instance, with the naked eye we could identify the “funereal” marabou stork. He stood, undertakerlike, among the greater flamingo and the lesser flamingo, as well as the white pelicans.

When we looked through the binoculars, several of the thirty-nine species of waders common to the lake came into view. They range from the long spindle-legged stilts to the tiny five-inch-high (13-centimeter-high) stints. The little stints breed in Scandinavia and Siberia. We listened with pleasure as these tiny intercontinental travelers chirped and tweeted while basking in the African sunshine.

Overhead I counted thirty birds in a cloud of white pelicans gliding about. Among them was a Verreaux’s eagle, distinctive for its grace of flight and black plumage with white patches on the rump and wings. A bird-watching colleague indicated that this magnificent bird confines its feeding interests mainly to the hyrax, the rock badger of the Bible. (Lev. 11:5) The hyrax abounds in the cliffs of the western escarpment rising from the lakeshore. Shortly after our viewing this hunter on the wing, two rock badgers were sighted attacking a vulture in a tree on the escarpment, no doubt because that predator was getting dangerously close to their nest. Another remarkable feature about this eagle is that it has been known to breed in Kenya at altitudes of 11,000 to 13,500 feet (3,353 to 4,114 meters).

As the morning wore on, we were anxious to get a closer look at the birds on the shores of the lake. So we drove along its western shore and were rewarded with close-ups of the African darter. This bird is distinguished from the cormorant by its longer neck with a characteristic “kink.” Here and there, an African spoonbill came into view.

Our View from Pelican’s Corner

In time, we arrived at Pelican’s Corner. Appropriately named, indeed! Hundreds of white pelicans were seen there. It was a delight to watch them paddle majestically along the lake, usually in flotillas. We counted twelve in one lineup. At this “aquatic airport,” there appeared to be incessant takeoffs and landings.

A pelican’s takeoff is surprisingly efficient, even if a little cumbersome in appearance. This heavy bird rises from the water flapping its large wings, with webbed feet still splashing the surface water three, four, five or six times before it becomes truly airborne. Its appearance in flight, with head held well back, is the epitome of grace and grandeur. When they were landing, these birds reminded us of the flying boats of years gone by.

Pelicans display instinctive fishing qualities. They sometimes fish in groups, gathering in a half circle to drive a shoal of fish into the shallows.

At Pelican’s Corner we also were rewarded with a view of several hundred flamingos. Predominant in numbers were the lesser flamingos, with their pink plumage. The greater flamingos stand about 4 feet (1.2 meters) high. Mainly, they have whiter plumage, with black and bright red on the wings. As flamingos fly, they stretch their long necks forward and their stiltlike legs backward. Their diet consists chiefly of the algae in the mineral-rich waters. The bills of these birds have a network of fine, tough bristles through which water is pumped by the tongue, leaving the trapped algae to be swallowed.

The flamingo really is the glory of Lake Nakuru. When birds congregate in an area a few hundred yards wide and probably a half mile (.8 kilometer) long, individual takeoff is impossible and there has to be a maneuver in mass formation to get airborne. After feeding all day, the birds are known to take flight en masse in the evening, heading for another part of the lake or for a nearby body of water. This event is the sight that has drawn bird lovers from all over the world.

Other Treats Await Us

Reluctant as we were to leave Pelican’s Corner, we realized that we had traveled only halfway around Lake Nakuru. Along the south shore, we had another treat awaiting us. There was a steppe eagle perched supremely on an upper branch of a tree. As we viewed it through a telescope, we noted that the bird’s bluish-purple beak was accentuated by bright-yellow markings on either side curving around the lower parts of the eyes. Otherwise, the bird was dark brown. As the name implies, the steppe eagle breeds on the steppes of Asia.

Stalking a secretary bird, but being no match for its long-legged gait through the grassland, I raised my camera to photograph another, perched in a tree. Just then, two yellow-billed storks flew into view and I snapped a picture of them instead. Such are the frequent surprises of bird-watching at Lake Nakuru.

Proceeding along the eastern side of the lake, we left the water’s edge and traversed forest and bushland. Once we stopped to allow four Jackson’s francolins to cross the road. In a hollow near Lion Hill, we spotted a family of three ground hornbills. Their red skin markings on face and throat gave them the appearance of domestic turkeys. Now and then the attractive hoopoe would fly past and we recalled that the Mosaic law termed it an unclean bird.​—Lev. 11:13, 19; Deut. 14:11, 12, 18.

No bird sanctuary is complete without a place of concealment called a “hide.” At Lake Nakuru this facility also is provided for visitors. What a treat it was for us to see the glamorous pied kingfisher perched just a few yards away! It hovers over the water before dropping like a stone to catch a fish. There, too, were the “sacred” ibis and the Egyptian goose. The picture framed by the covering of the “hide” was delightfully enhanced by the presence of a small herd of docile-looking defassa waterbuck, browsing in the grassy areas near the water.

This brought to an end our day among the birds at Lake Nakuru. We had identified some thirty different species. It is claimed, however, that ornithologists have little difficulty spotting some 120 species of birds in a good day’s viewing in this area.

Brief though our bird-watching excursion had been, it brightened our hope for the time, near at hand, when the whole earth will be a restored paradise. Then these delightful examples of our Creator’s handiwork will grace the earth in great profusion and wing their way through clear, clean, untroubled skies.

What Is the Bible’s View?

Will All People Be Saved?

THE Almighty God is keenly interested in the eternal welfare of all humankind. His Word, the Bible, tells us: “This is fine and acceptable in the sight of our Savior, God, whose will is that all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.” (1 Tim. 2:3, 4) “He does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:9) But does this mean that all people will eventually be saved, that is, gain eternal life as approved servants of God?

The Scriptures reveal that the Most High does not force life upon anyone. He makes all the provisions necessary for humans to gain his approval, but, then, it is up to them to accept or to reject his provisions. This is evident from the words of Moses to the nation of Israel: “I have put life and death before you, the blessing and the malediction; and you must choose life in order that you may keep alive, you and your offspring, by loving Jehovah your God, by listening to his voice and by sticking to him; for he is your life and the length of your days.”​—Deut. 30:19, 20.

Since Jehovah God is its source, salvation can only be gained by acting on his terms. This means accepting Jesus Christ as the Son of God through whose sacrificial death salvation from sin and death was made possible. The apostle Peter made this clear when he told the Sanhedrin, the Jewish supreme court: “There is no salvation in anyone else, for there is not another name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved.” (Acts 4:12) Also, the apostle John drew attention to this when stating the purpose of his Gospel: “To be sure, Jesus performed many other signs also before the disciples, which are not written down in this scroll. But these have been written down that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that, because of believing, you may have life by means of his name.”​—John 20:30, 31.

But why is this the only way for people to gain salvation? Why is it not possible to acquire it simply by leading an upright life?

Actually, no human can prove himself absolutely righteous by the kind of life he leads. All of us make mistakes in word and deed. Who can say that he has never been inconsiderate, unkind, selfish or harsh? The Christian apostle John put it this way: “If we make the statement: ‘We have no sin,’ we are misleading ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8) Since the first man Adam ruined his perfection by disobeying God, all of us have been born imperfect. (Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12) So there is nothing that any of us can do on our own to free ourselves from sin.

Being born in sin, we do not automatically have before us the prospect of salvation. The Bible says: “The wages sin pays is death.” (Rom. 6:23) So if no provision existed for having our sins atoned for, we could not be saved from remaining forever in the grip of death. Regardless of how hard we tried, our life record would still show us up to be imperfect humans, subject to the wages of sin.

Hence, we are in need of a provision for covering over our sins. The sole means that God has furnished to accomplish this is the sacrifice of his Son. Wrote the apostle John: “He [Jesus Christ] is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world’s.”​—1 John 2:2.

To benefit from this propitiatory sacrifice, however, we must accept it, acknowledge our sinful state, repent of our sins, be converted or turn around from a wrong course to do God’s will. Any person who deliberately refuses to do this will not gain salvation. His situation is comparable to that of a drowning man to whom a life preserver is thrown but who rejects it.

Yes, the person who turns down God’s means of salvation cannot hope to escape adverse judgment. Should he be alive at the time when the Lord Jesus Christ reveals himself in glory, he will perish. This is confirmed at 2 Thessalonians 1:8, where we read of Jesus Christ’s bringing “vengeance upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus.” Verse 9 continues: “These very ones will undergo . . . everlasting destruction.”

Likewise, persons who accept God’s provision of salvation through Jesus Christ but who later become unrepentant sinners will not be saved. Hebrew Christians in the first century C.E. were told: “If we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left, but there is a certain fearful expectation of judgment and there is a fiery jealousy that is going to consume those in opposition. Any man that has disregarded the law of Moses dies without compassion, upon the testimony of two or three. Of how much more severe a punishment, do you think, will the man be counted worthy who has trampled upon the Son of God and who has esteemed as of ordinary value the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and who has outraged the spirit of undeserved kindness with contempt? For we know him that said: ‘Vengeance is mine; I will recompense’; and again: ‘Jehovah will judge his people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”​—Heb. 10:26-31.

Deliberate, unrepentant wrongdoers, by their course of action, reject the application of Jesus’ sacrifice in their behalf. They treat the blood of the Son of God as having “ordinary value,” that is, as having no more value than that of any other man. For this reason their record of sin stands against them, condemning them. No other sacrifice is available to cover it over, shielding them from the execution of God’s vengeance. This being the case, they must pay the full penalty for their sins​—everlasting death.

There is simply no way to help those who reject the ransom provision to repent and regain an approved standing with Jehovah God. “It is impossible,” the Bible says, “as regards those who have once for all been enlightened, and who have tasted the heavenly free gift, and who have become partakers of holy spirit, and who have tasted the fine word of God and powers of the coming system of things, but who have fallen away [apostatized], to revive them again to repentance, because they impale the Son of God afresh for themselves.”​—Heb. 6:4-6.

Thus we can see that, although the Most High wants all to be saved, not all will be. Many will continue to refuse to accept the only means of salvation; others, after accepting it, may become unrepentant practicers of sin and thereby lose the atoning benefits of Christ’s sacrifice. In this there is a warning for all who desire salvation from sin and death. We must exercise care not to presume on God’s mercy, yielding to the cravings of the sinful flesh and thereby perhaps going to the point where repentance is impossible.

Watching the World

Dictating Doctrine

◆ The Soviet digest Sputnik recently asserted that there is freedom of religion in Russia, except that “demands for complete freedom from public control have been coming more and more frequently from the Jehovah’s Witnesses” and other suppressed groups. Explaining why some are “punished as criminal offenders,” the Soviet magazine declares that “there is a ban on fanatical rites and deceitful actions provoking superstitions (for instance, the rumours about the ‘end of the world’ . . . )” Hence, a Christian cannot believe in something spoken of scores of times in the Bible and still meet with the approval of the State. On the other hand, says Sputnik, “The bulk of the Soviet clergy makes no such statements.”

Who’s Got the Moon Rocks?

◆ What has happened to the 382,042 grams (842 pounds) of moon material brought back by U.S. astronauts? The curator of moon rocks, geochemist Michael G. Duke, says that 336,455 grams (742 pounds) are still in sealed containers at a Texas air base. The remaining 45,587 grams (101 pounds) are distributed among researchers in fifteen nations and hundreds of political figures world wide. However, space officials say that the astronauts who risked their lives to get the moon rocks are not among the recipients.

“March to Literacy”

◆ Nigeria has begun what it calls a “march to literacy” for its people, who are now estimated to be only about 25 percent literate. All six-year-olds gained the right to free education this semester. As they move to the next grade each year, free education is scheduled to cover that class until the entire primary system is free by the end of five years, when primary education will become compulsory. If all goes as planned, the number of children in the primary system will rise from 4.8 million last year to about 18 million at the end of the five-year development program. Meanwhile, the teaching program of Jehovah’s Witnesses has made almost 8,000 Nigerians literate during the past five years alone.

For the Boys

◆ In the family tradition, wrote a former Boy Scout to the Washington Post, he planned to have his eight-year-old son also join that organization. However, the bicentennial issue of the Scout magazine, Boys’ Life, changed his mind. “It is full of ads for firearms and air rifles,” he complained. “On page 35, it’s ‘the gun’ and ‘the son of the gun’ [large and small rifles], . . . The inside front cover is a full page ad for air rifles which says boys can learn ‘what a great friend a gun can be.’ . . . Page 52 offers the young boy an opportunity to spend $21.95 for a World War II helmet, apparently a real Nazi type, as well as ‘Uniforms, Bayonets, etc.’ . . . This entire magazine teaches boys to be exactly the sort of person we don’t need in a crowded world. We don’t need a lot of killing and swashbuckling attitudes in a world which needs builders rather than destroyers.”

Sodom and Gomorrah Revisited?

◆ Translation work continues on thousands of clay tablets from the ancient kingdom of Ebla found in what is now northern Syria. A surprising number of Bible names never before found in non-Biblical writings have appeared. Recently, an Eblaite business document was translated that records goods sold to Sodom and Gomorrah. Reference also is made to Ur and Haran, locations associated with Abraham. Scholars caution that there is no proof that these are the same places mentioned in the Bible, but the fact that such names are used during the Biblical period is significant. One scholar wisely noted that “the Tell Mardikh discoveries, to be sure, do not ‘prove the Bible.’ Nor can any archeological discovery.”

Stepping out of Depression

◆ A ten-week running program proved more beneficial to a group of abnormally depressed persons than traditional psychotherapy sessions were to another comparison group, according to a recent University of Wisconsin study. Most of the joggers were said to have recovered from their depression after three weeks and have remained stable in the months since.

Meanwhile, a U.S. Public Health Service official told the American College of Surgeons that “both health and the joy of living would be enhanced” if people spent a few hours daily going barefoot around the house or outside.

Gold Atoms Photographed

◆ Neatly aligned rows of doughnut-shaped objects appeared on a photograph recently presented to the Japan Society of Physical Science. Professor Hatsujiro Hashimoto of Osaka University claimed it to be the first photo ever to reveal the structure of gold atoms. The electron microscope picture, he said, shows the nucleus of the atoms as a black center in the doughnut-like objects, while the white surrounding material is the electrons.

Civilization Takes Toll

◆ A Brazilian Indian tribe has decided to die out rather than face the impact of modern “civilization,” according to anthropologist Paulo Lucena. The 2,000 Mayurunas Indians living in dense jungle along the Peru-Brazil border in 1972 are now reduced to about 400. “Civilized” illnesses, including venereal disease brought in by oil workers, quickly overwhelmed them. The Indians recently began killing newborn girls in an attempt to finish what civilization had started. Lucena says that the oil workers ‘aggravated the situation by luring the Indian women into adultery,’ considered by the Mayurunas to be the most serious of sins.

“Most Multilingual Money”

◆ The Swiss are issuing new paper money to replace their old currency. The new bills “will be the world’s most multilingual money,” reports the Associated Press. Not only is it printed in all four national languages​—German, French, Italian and Romansh—​but it is also embossed so that blind persons can determine the note’s value.

Bad “Marriage”

◆ The first same-sex couple to get a marriage license in the state of Colorado did not make it to their first “wedding” anniversary. One of the pair petitioned Colorado Springs District Court for an annulment. His attorney says that he “just wants to straighten up his life.” Colorado courts have not yet ruled on the legal status of homosexual “marriages.”

“Close” Call

◆ An asteroid about .4 kilometers (1/4 mile) across passed within 1.2 million kilometers (750,000 miles) of earth on October 20. The distance, only three times as far as the moon, is considered close. Since 1932, when the first such object was detected, only 20 others have been observed whose orbits around the sun take them inside earth’s orbit. The only asteroid known to have come closer is Hermes, which passed earth at about 800,000 kilometers (500,000 miles) in 1937.

Paying the Price

◆ Those who engage in immoral sexual activity are paying an increasing higher price for their pleasure.

● A rare form of throat VD, “pharyngeal gonorrhea is on the rise and it is coming from increased oral contact,” says the head of the infectious diseases department at New York’s Columbia University. “It’s a particular problem in the gay [homosexual] community,” notes a New York Health Department official. The rare gonorrhea is also resistant to drugs normally used to treat VD.

● The new strain of gonorrhea recently reported as actually being able to deactivate penicillin is spreading in the U.S. A researcher at the Atlanta, Georgia, national Center for Disease Control says that the cost of treating it “could go from about 50 cents for a shot of penicillin to 3 to 5 dollars and as much as $10” for treatment with other antibiotics.

● The World Health Organization reports that a wide section of sub-Sahara Africa is now suffering from a tragic wave of infertility, causing one tribe’s numbers to decline by more than a third. Tribe members have taken to raiding nearby tribes for fertile wives. The organization cites gonorrhea in both sexes as a major cause of the infertility problem.

Moving Around

◆ Where do families change residences most often? The Irish, on an average, move only about four times during their lifetime; the Taiwanese, six; the Japanese, seven; the British, eight; Australians, Canadians and Americans, twelve each. The U.S. Census Bureau study suggests that the “high mobility” of the latter countries may be due to “an immigrant background” and the very large land areas in which to move around.

Hair Dye Danger?

◆ Modern Medicine magazine reports that “a review of 100 women with breast cancer showed that 87% were longtime users of hair coloring agents, while a study of women in the same age bracket who did not have breast cancer showed that only 25% were regular users of hair dyes.” The report also notes that hair dyes are derived “from the same compounds as are many potent proved carcinogens [cancer-causing agents].” These compounds are not listed on the labels.

Unemployment $ to Prostitutes

◆ “Prostitutes are entitled to compensation for income lost because of a temporary inability to work,” according to a ruling by the German Federal Court of Justice, as reported in Süddeutsche Zeitung of Munich. However, “for moral reasons [they] cannot receive full compensation,” said the court. The compensation should “be limited to around the wage level of the average worker,” rather than the $109 per day that the prostitute usually took in, as awarded previously by the Munich Provincial Court.

Space-Age Door Lock

◆ Doors that open to voice command​—once seen only in science-fiction stories—​are now reportedly a reality. A U.S. Air Force development center in Rome, New York, has been testing such a system. A computer compares the person’s recorded voice with words he utters when he wants entrance to a protected area. “If the first comparison doesn’t suit the computer,” reports the Detroit News, “it will ask for another phrase, saying the words it wants to hear.” The test device gave entrance with 99.7 percent accuracy, even among persons with colds and laryngitis.

Upside-Down World

◆ A fifteen-year-old American girl recently asked a syndicated advice columnist: “What kind of a crazy, mixed-up country are we living in anyway?” It seems that a doctor had refused to pierce her ears without parental permission, yet “the Supreme Court has ruled that a minor girl can have an abortion without getting permission from her parents.”

Paperwork versus Research

◆ “We have one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical research organizations, and we spend more man hours filling out government forms or reports than we do on research for cancer and heart disease combined,” declared the chairman of a giant U.S. drug company to the President’s Commission on Federal Paperwork. He estimated that the total cost of government-required paperwork added an average of about 50 cents to the price of each prescription for his company’s medicines in the U.S.A.

Immune from Punishment

◆ The FBI reports that serious crime rose 10 percent in the United States during 1975. An official noted that “the biggest volume of crime is in the mass of middle America, the average sized towns and cities.” With all their efforts, “law enforcement agencies do not clear or solve most crimes,” said the report. “Only one-fifth of the serious crimes committed during 1975 were solved by arrest.” Of this one fifth, few are punished.

Could the World’s End Be Near?

Over 2,500 years ago God inspired his prophet Ezekiel to write down future events. His writings definitely point to the near end of this entire system of things. What will follow this end? Many persons would like to know.

Read the startling answers in the book “The Nations Shall Know that I Am Jehovah”​—How? This hard-covered book of 416 pages contains a detailed consideration of the Bible book of Ezekiel. Only 50 cents (U.S.), postpaid.

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Opening Up the Way to Life for the Peoples of India

Read the thrilling story about it.

This story is featured in the 1977 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses. There you will find the absorbing account of Christianity’s beginning and development in India.

Also included in this 384-page book are similar reports about Liberia, Norway and Panama. Get your copy. Only 50 cents (U.S.), postpaid.

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