May 8

Page Two

Are you depressed by many of the news reports that you read or hear about these days? We are told of senseless violence, increasing crime, wars, earthquakes and other calamities. What does it all mean? There is a definite pattern behind the news of our time, one that you should know about

5 WHAT’S THIS WORLD COMING TO?

7 UNDERSTANDING EVENTS SINCE 1914

Have You Ever Wondered—

How Do We Know that God Exists?

TODAY more and more people are putting belief in God into the background. In fact, not a few question even the existence of God. In today’s age of materialism many feel: How can I believe in someone I’ve never seen?

IS IT LOGICAL TO BELIEVE ONLY WHAT YOU CAN SEE?

Many persons say, ‘Yes.’ However, have you ever seen the wind? Because of what you see it do, whether it causes the branches of a tree to wave gently or sends them twisting and breaking to the ground, you are convinced that the wind exists. The same is true of electricity. You can see what it does​—it lights your house or keeps your milk cold in the refrigerator—​yet it is invisible.

There are many things that we cannot see. But the existence of these is not denied, because we can see, feel and hear the activity or the results of these things.

BUT HOW DO WE KNOW THAT GOD REALLY EXISTS?

Since God cannot be seen, we must reason on his existence by looking at things around us that we can see. Consider our own bodies.

Our BRAIN is a supercomputer without equal in all the earth. “The brain,” reports one authority, “sorts one hundred million bits of data from the eyes, ears, nose and other sensory outposts each second . . . A computer capable of handling a single brain’s output would cover the entire earth.”

Our EYES have been described as natural cameras. They are perfect self-cleaning, self-focusing “cameras” that take three-dimensional pictures in living color.

Our VOCAL CORDS can produce not only speech but some of the most beautiful music to delight the human ear. The melodies that the human voice can produce have a beauty far excelling that of a finely tooled violin.

The electrical wiring of an automobile is most primitive when compared with our NERVOUS SYSTEM. This vast network transmits information to and from scores of our vital organs with an efficiency that dazzles scientists.

You personally may not have seen the maker of a computer, a camera, a violin or the electrical system of a car, yet you know that the designer of each did exist. His handiwork testifies to his existence and skill. Since no one will hesitate to say that each of these fine inventions had a designer and maker, is it not obvious that no less could be said of our body? “In a fear-inspiring way I am wonderfully made,” observed a wise king over 3,000 years ago.​—Ps. 139:14.

Yes, there is a loving Designer of our bodies who is also the Creator of the entire universe. However, in spite of such logical reasoning, some persons will still say that there is no God.

WHY DO SOME STILL DENY THE EXISTENCE OF GOD?

There is a variety of reasons. The majority have doubts because of the following questions:

◻ How could God exist when there is so much wickedness on earth?

◻ Would belief in God restrict my lifestyle and take all the fun out of living?

◻ What about the hypocrisy among those who profess to believe in God?

◻ Is not such belief unscientific and old-fashioned?

Such questions need answering.

WHERE CAN REASONABLE ANSWERS BE FOUND?

A Nobel Prize winner in the field of science stated: “An orderly unfolding universe testifies to the truth of the most majestic statement ever uttered​—‘In the beginning God’.” He was quoting the opening words of the “world’s best-seller,” the Bible​—Gen. 1:1.

Though it is not a textbook on science, the Bible contains scientific knowledge far superior to what was known during the period of its writing. Because of this, and for other reasons,a many persons are convinced that this book was inspired by God and therefore is his communication to mankind.​—2 Tim. 3:16.

The Bible gives satisfying answers to the aforementioned questions. Its answers reflect a wise and loving Creator who has in mind the lasting good of his creatures. From time to time, “Awake!” magazine discusses these and shows why the Bible’s answers draw a person to God and give hope and meaning to life.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are eager to help you to find these answers in your Bible. Free of charge, they will help you to build your confidence not only in God’s existence but also in his ability to solve permanently the many problems that now distress our earth. Gladly they will show you why they are convinced that God is the Rewarder of all “those earnestly seeking him.”​—Heb. 11:6.

[Footnotes]

[Pictures on page 4]

brain

eyes

vocal cords

What’s This World Coming To?

THE speaker was a high-ranking Los Angeles police official. “It used to be that when someone killed someone else it was for a reason,” he said, adding: “Today there is a bigger percentage of killings for no reason, thrill killings.”

Across the country, the police commissioner of New York city made a similar point. “The kid today who has a .357 magnum and takes 42 cents off another kid or an old lady and because he doesn’t like the kid’s looks or the old lady’s tears, kills that person and then smiles when he’s arrested . . . Nobody can understand that. That’s scary.”

Senseless murders, wars, hostage-taking violence, all these are becoming commonplace in today’s world, driving terrorized citizens and victims to ask ‘What’s this world coming to?’

The Los Angeles police official had a theory. “History shows a society must maintain a certain level of morality to exist,” he pointed out to his listeners, “and I think we may be reaching a point where we are dipping below that level.”

Becoming desensitized

Some people would maintain that the police official overstated his case. In reality, they say, things are not all that much worse than they have always been. Are they right? Or have they simply been numbed by the steady barrage of shocking headlines?

Consider what is happening to schoolteachers in New York city. “Crime against New York City’s public school teachers has become so common that, for many of them, its existence no longer shocks,” stated the New York Times recently. A teacher who had been shoved, threatened, cursed and robbed on different occasions was quoted as saying: “You have to desensitize yourself, develop tunnel vision.”

As world conditions worsen, are people in general ‘desensitizing’ themselves, losing their perspective?

After all, most of us have grown up reading in our daily papers about wars, atrocities and deteriorating social conditions. We have never really known anything different. But some older ones still remember another age.

“The whole thing came to an end”

In a recent lecture, Harold Macmillan, former British prime minister, recalled the world of his youth. During the age of Queen Victoria people looked forward to “automatic progress,” he said. “Everything would get better and better.” Instead, “suddenly, unexpectedly, one morning in 1914 the whole thing came to an end.”

Average citizens have made similar observations. “Nobody expected World War I,” points out George Hannan, an American who was born in 1899. “It was a tremendous shock. People had been saying that the world had become too civilized for war. But world war came out of nowhere, like a bolt from the blue.”

Interestingly, a popular book in 1914 was Norman Angell’s The Great Illusion, which attempted to prove that war was unthinkable because of the damage it would cause to international finance.

Ewart Chitty was 16 and in his native England when the war broke out. “It was a different world before 1914,” he recalls. “There was a general sense of security that is lacking today. You took security for granted.” How many people take security for granted today?

“I was in Vienna, Austria, when the war began,” says Maxwell Friend, now 90. “People were changed by it. They became very patriotic and nationalistic. Many were hardened. I remember the refugees streaming into Vienna from the east, fleeing before the Russian army. They had lost everything, even their tears. They had wept until there were no more tears.”

War and religion

Imagine the scars left on those who survived World War I, a war unlike anything in human history. As The World Book Encyclopedia put it: “In World War I, for the first time in history, mankind came to know total war. Entire populations of the fighting nations worked in the war effort. Millions of men, women, and children were killed.”

“England was bled white,” says Ewart Chitty, who was in London at the time. In Austria, “the whole country was filled with blood and tears,” as Maxwell Friend puts it. How were the survivors affected?

“I think that during World War I a lot of the soldiers saw the hypocrisy of the clergy. It changed them. Many of them lost their respect for religion. Some turned against God altogether,” remembers Ewart Chitty, who adds: “When I was a boy, people in general were interested in God’s Word, the Bible. People respected the Bible. You could talk to anyone about it. That began to change after the war. Today people seem to have forgotten about the Bible altogether.”

John Booth, 78, recalls something similar happening in the United States. “The churches got very involved in the war effort,” he says. “All the preachers would talk about the atrocities of the Germans and they would preach that the war was necessary to ‘make the world safe for democracy.’

“All that patriotic fervor used to bother my dad, who was the sexton of our little country church. I recall Dad’s being saddened because a preacher in a nearby church had been removed from his pulpit for refusing to preach war.”

Honest-hearted people all over the world made similar observations. The result of such global warfare? “The war of 1914-1918 broke Europe’s waning self-confidence in the merits of its own civilization. Since it was fought between Christian nations, it weakened worldwide Christianity.”​—Encyclopædia Britannica.

Christianity or Christendom?

Actually, the outbreak of World War I did not shock everyone. For years, a small group of zealous Christians had been predicting that dramatic world events would occur in 1914. The group was called the International Bible Students, known today as Jehovah’s Witnesses.

“The Bible Students were very well known for their views on 1914,” recalls George Hannan, “and they were taking quite a bit of ridicule in the first half of the year, when everything seemed so peaceful. Folks were saying that the Bible Students were going to have to ‘pull up their date stake’ and plant it somewhere else.”

The sudden beginning of war caused many to recall the predictions of the International Bible Students. In its magazine section, the New York World of August 30, 1914, devoted an article to the Bible Students. The article stated that “the terrific war outbreak in Europe has fulfilled an extraordinary prophecy.”

Why was this small group of Christians expecting trouble when the major denominations of Christendom were caught by surprise? Because these witnesses of Jehovah were keen students of Bible prophecy. Bible prophecy has a great deal to say about conditions in this 20th century.

Understanding Events Since 1914

“WHEN World War I began, it caught me completely by surprise,” says George Gangas, who was 18 and living in Turkey at the time. “I was scared. I didn’t know what would happen next. I went to Greece, where I thought I would be safe. But the Allies blockaded the country and caused a terrible food shortage. We had almost nothing to eat except carob pods, or a rough bread made from them. I can still remember spotting a piece of bread in the street and running to get it before someone else could.

“Later I was taken to Paris to build fortifications for the French. I was in Paris when the Spanish influenza struck and people died like flies. Nobody knew what it was. There was no remedy. Everyone was terrified.

“At the time, I didn’t understand the meaning of the war, famine and pestilence that I was seeing. Later, someone showed me from the Bible what it all meant.”

If you will open your Bible to Matthew chapter 24 you can see what George Gangas and many others have been shown. Matthew chapter 24 contains a lengthy prophecy spoken by Jesus Christ himself, a prophecy that enables us to put world events since 1914 into focus.

As Mt 24 verse three indicates, Jesus is talking about events that will mark the time of his presence (or, “coming,” Authorized Version) and the end of this system of things (“world,” AV). Farfetched? Why should it be, when newspapers and magazines constantly write about mankind’s destroying all life on earth in World War III?

Notice the first clear sign that this system of things is nearing its end. “You are going to hear of wars and reports of wars; see that you are not terrified. For these things must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another. All these things are a beginning of pangs of distress.”​—Matt. 24:6-8.

Global war

‘But there have been many wars since Jesus’ day,’ someone might object. True, and it should be noted that those that occurred during the decades immediately following Jesus’ prophecy were not without significance; they led on to the devastation of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. But Jesus was also pointing ahead to another “tribulation,” one that would have no equal. (Matt. 24:22) As part of the “pangs of distress” leading on to that event, wars have been fought that affect all the earth.​—Compare Revelation 6:1-4.

Historians widely agree that World War I was the first war on a global scale. Comparing World War I with previous major wars, cultural historian Jacques Barzun observes that in previous wars, “the absence of large industry had precluded the involvement, physical and mental, of every adult citizen simultaneously throughout Europe.” In World War I it was different. “In 1914 Beethoven, Hegel, and Goethe would have been in the trenches.”

Yes, the world really changed in 1914! What began then was of great significance.

Food shortages, earthquakes

When World War I ended in 1918, much of the farmland of Europe was devastated, causing severe food shortages. Meanwhile, China had suffered a famine in 1916. An estimated three million people died in a famine that struck Russia in 1921. Food shortages have continued to be a tragic fact of 20th-century life, with millions dying recently in places like Biafra, Cambodia and Bangladesh. The World Food Council estimates that 50 million people starved to death in 1979 alone.

Since 1914 men have been shaken by at least 46 major earthquakes, most of which have killed thousands of people. Interestingly, 21 of these quakes have occurred since 1970, with very bad ones just last year in Algeria and Italy.

Could it be mere coincidence that Jesus predicted food shortages and earthquakes to follow a world war? Even if Jesus could have guessed that world war would be followed by famine, how could he have guessed that earthquakes would increase in frequency? How could he have foreseen the total wars that technology would make possible only in our century?

Increasing of lawlessness

“When I came to New York in 1928, you didn’t have to be afraid to get in the elevator with a stranger,” says George Gangas. “Now it’s different. People are terrified of crime. I see signs on apartment doors that say ‘Don’t bother to break in​—they already got everything.”’

Increasing crime is not just a problem for New York city. The People’s Republic of China, which once claimed to have largely eliminated crime, recently admitted that crime throughout the country had reached serious proportions. A London newspaper reports that “the 1970s were marked in England and Wales by a steady rise in crimes of violence.”

This, too, was forecast for the period following World War I. Jesus said that “because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off.”​—Matt. 24:12.

“People have lost much of their neighbor love,” observes Ewart Chitty, “but even worse than that, in recent years they seem to have utterly lost their love for God.” Have you noticed the same thing?

Reason for hope

Of course, just knowing that our 20th-century woes were predicted does not make them any easier to bear. But Jesus was not interested in depressing his listeners with bad news about the future. No, he had a positive message. What was it?

“When you see all these things,” Jesus said, referring to world wars, food shortages, earthquakes and lawlessness, “know that he is near at the doors.” (Matt. 24:33) Who is near? Jesus was talking about himself, “the Son of man.” (Mt 24 Vs. 30) How near? “Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.”​—Mt 24 Verse 34.

The generation that saw the outbreak of World War I is getting older even as world conditions rapidly get worse. But as Jesus foretold, that generation has ‘by no means passed away.’ In the United States alone there are still over 10 million people who are old enough to have been in school when World War I began. Some of them will still be here when this system’s end arrives.​—Matt. 24:3.

Why is the impending “conclusion of the system of things” reason for hope? Because our war-wracked, famine-stricken, crime-ridden 20th century has proved for all time that this system of things does not work. Even with the advantage of technology undreamed of in 1914, man has shown himself totally incompetent to rule the earth. Indeed, more and more people agree that if the present nationalistic world system is not ended somehow, man will incinerate the earth in nuclear war.

With what is this system of things going to be replaced? Notice what Jesus promised that he will say to his faithful followers “when the Son of man arrives in his glory.” “Come,” he will say to them, “you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world.”​—Matt. 25:31-34.

Yes, God has prepared a kingdom, in the hands of his Son, to rule this earth properly for the first time since Adam and Eve turned against God in the garden of Eden. Appropriately, that kingdom will return earth to the paradise state that was lost in that first rebellion.​—Gen. 2:15-17; 3:1-24.

Prophetically the psalmist tells us:

“In his days the righteous one will sprout, and the abundance of peace until the moon is no more. For he will deliver the poor one crying for help, also the afflicted one and whoever has no helper. There will come to be plenty of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountains there will be an overflow.”​—Ps. 72:7, 12, 16.

So the answer to the anguished question ‘What is this world coming to?’ is an encouraging one. This world is coming to the brink of a new order that will be ruled by God’s kingdom! It is fast approaching a time when wars, famines, earthquakes, crime and lack of love, both for God and for neighbor, will be a fading memory.

If you want to know more about God’s wonderful promises for the near future, why not ask any of Jehovah’s Witnesses? There is much more good news that they will be happy to share with you!

[Chart on page 8]

War

Back in 1978 it was calculated that 150 wars have been fought since the end of World War II, with 25 million lives lost. Here are a few of the better known wars. As this partial list indicates, peace has truly been ‘taken away from the earth’ in the 20th century, as predicted in Revelation 6:4.

1945-54 Vietnam War (French involvement)

1955-75 Vietnam War (American involvement)

1948-57 Guerrilla war in Malaya

1950-51 Korea

1954-62 Algeria

1956 Hungary

1956 Suez

1957 Tibet

1959 Laos

1959 Chinese-Indian border

1960 Congo

1962-75 Iraq

1962 Yemen

1965 India-Pakistan border

1967 Arab-Israeli “Six-Day War”

1967-69 Biafra (Nigeria)

1968 Czechoslovakia

1969-present Ireland

1969 Russian-Chinese border

1969-75 Angola

1971 Bangladesh

1973 Sinai

1975 Lebanon

1976-79 Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)

1977 Ethiopia

1978 Zaire

1979 Cambodia, Vietnam

1979 Chad

1979 Iran

1979 Yemen

1979 Uganda

1979 Nicaragua

1980 Afghanistan

1980 Iran, Iraq

[Chart on page 9]

Earthquakes

Here are a few of the major earthquakes since 1914. Only those killing 3,000 or more are listed. Of course, casualty estimates vary in some cases.

Date Location Approximate number of deaths

1915 Italy 29,900

1920 China 180,000

1923 Japan 143,000

1927 China 200,000

1932 China 70,000

1934 India 10,700

1935 India 60,000

1939 Chile 30,000

1939 Turkey 23,000

1948 Japan 5,100

1949 Ecuador 6,000

1960 Chile 5,700

1960 Morocco 12,000

1962 Iran 10,000

1968 Iran 11,500

1970 Peru 66,700

1972 Iran 5,000

1972 Nicaragua 6,000

1974 Pakistan 5,200

1976 Guatemala 23,000

1976 China 655,000

1976 Philippines 3,300

1976 Turkey 3,700

1978 Iran 25,000

1980 Algeria 20,000

1980 Italy 3,000

“Awake!” Readers Save Lives

IN ITS issue of February 8, 1979, “Awake!” carried a series of articles about the heart. One of the articles discussed how to administer external heart massage and artificial respiration (cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR for short) to an unconscious person. A group of “Awake!” readers in Italy report that this information enabled them to save someone’s life. One of the rescuers explains what happened:

“That day a group of Jehovah’s Witnesses, including myself, decided to go for a walk in the mountains. . . . It was a lovely day and the summer heat could be felt even under the shade of the towering pine trees on the mountainside. We all agreed on the idea of cooling off in the swimming pool of a nearby Sports Centre, and there we let ourselves go, diving into the pool and swimming around. . . .

“All of a sudden tragedy struck! A middle-aged man, with a child of five or six in his arms, was also in the pool. At a certain point, the man unwittingly left the area where nonswimmers are advised to stay. It was a critical moment. Realizing he was in difficulty, the man summoned the last ounce of his strength to throw the child to shallow water, and then he sank out of sight to the bottom of the pool. He really seemed lost. In the general lull that followed, a sturdy member of our group dived in to save the unfortunate bather. We finally succeeded in dragging him out of the water. . . . Those standing around thought that he was dead and that there was no use in trying to revive him. In fact, he was not breathing and his heart was not beating. While all present felt like giving way to desperation, one of our company cried out, ‘“Awake!” suggested giving artificial respiration in these cases!’ Immediately the man was laid out by our robust friend who . . . began to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation according to the instructions he remembered reading in ‘Awake!’ of February 8, 1979. Still, the man’s heart did not start beating. So another member of the group started pressing with determination on the dying man’s chest. What joy and unimaginable emotion were felt when we saw the man’s face begin to take on a normal color. His eyes became expressive once again and he could speak! . . .

“What would have happened if no one had known what to do in the emergency can only be imagined. I do not wish to say that ‘Awake!’ is the only magazine giving such useful suggestions, but I do wish to emphasize its characteristic manner of explaining things simply and in a practical way.”

A similar experience was had by an “Awake!” reader in Ohio. She writes:

“I just wanted to thank you for the article about drowning that was in ‘Awake!’ . . . Today, my nephew almost drowned in my swimming pool. The first thing I thought about was the article. It brought out the value of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, even when [the situation] looks hopeless. I thought my nephew was dead, but I decided to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until help arrived. Truly, if I hadn’t read the article, I would not have been able to help him.

“I just wanted to thank you because you helped me save a life today.”

Safeguard Your Children’s Health

MALNUTRITION

◻ Is the main problem in low-income groups

◻ Kills one child a minute in Latin America

◻ Killed 12 million children under one year in 1978

◻ Opens wide the door to disease

WHAT causes malnutrition? What are some other enemies of a child’s health? How are they related? What can you do to safeguard the health of your children against them?

Multiple Causes of Malnutrition

One basic cause of inadequate nourishment is, of course, economic. A recent UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) report on one country stated, “40 percent of the people are undernourished simply because they cannot afford to buy enough food.”

On the other hand, the same report observed that the 12 million children under one year of age who died in 1978 from malnutrition in developing countries “could have been saved if only 5 percent of the $400 billion spent annually on the purchases of weapons had been spent on the purchase of food to supplement their diet.” The words of Dwight D. Eisenhower, reportedly spoken in 1953, are still true today: “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed. . . . This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending . . . the hopes of its children.”

At the same time, it must be kept in mind that malnutrition does not always imply a lack of food. Millions are undernourished because their diet too often includes food of little nutritional value, so-called junk food. The child appears well fed and healthy but may suffer from a protein or vitamin deficiency. Therefore, it could be said that undernourishment results from not having enough of the right food at the right time.

Parental neglect is also a serious factor. Such neglect could stem from unemployment, an oversized family, or simply an indifferent attitude on the part of the parents. In many cases, mothers are obliged to leave smaller children at home under the care of an older, but inexperienced, child, while they work outside the home to provide the basic necessities for the family. Or young children may simply be abandoned. It is reported of one South American city: ‘An average of 100 children under three years are abandoned each month.’

It has been stated, too, that “malnutrition opens wide the door to disease.” A sickly child often is unable to digest food properly, even when it is available. And a major cause of disease is the lack of a safe water supply. Without it, ‘dirt accumulates, germs breed, and flies spread diarrheal disease, which, when linked with malnutrition, is the single most common source of sickness and death among children of the developing world,’ says UNICEF. The World Health Organization estimated that the problem of infectious disease could be reduced worldwide by 80 percent if every family on earth had access to safe water supplies and sanitation. A dream, you say? Well, a report by UNICEF claims that ‘proper community water supplies and sanitation could be provided for all by 1990 for just $9 billion a year,’ whereas ‘the industrialized world spends over $100 billion a year just on alcoholic drinks.’ The resources are available. But will society use them in a way that results in the greatest good?

Health Safeguards

In spite of tremendous odds, well-meaning groups have taken steps to bring relief to those suffering from malnutrition. In 1976, the General Assembly of the United Nations resolved that 1979 be designated the International Year of the Child. An all-out effort was to be made to bring to the fore, worldwide, the terrible plight of the millions of undernourished children. Even though much was done, it is admitted that the results were insignificant compared with the needs of the children​—so much so, it was stated, that, despite good intentions, it was all “no more than a reminder, an invitation.”

Irrespective of what others may have done, have you considered what you could do to safeguard your children’s health? Think for a moment about their food. If their diet is mainly one of white rice, manioc or fish, with few vegetables or fruits, or if they fill up with “junk” food, there is a possibility that they suffer from malnutrition. You can safeguard their health by providing them with a balanced diet, including regularly some of the following:

PROTEINS: meat, beans, eggs, milk and milk products

Vitamin A: cod-liver oil, liver, eggs

Vitamin B: meat, vegetables, whole wheat, unpolished rice

Vitamin C: citrus fruits, tomatoes

Vitamin D: fish, milk and milk products, eggs

Vitamin E: soybean oil, peanut oil

Vitamin H: cauliflower, carrots, spinach

Vitamin K: spinach, cabbage, tomatoes

(list is by no means complete)

Such a diet will help stave off malnutrition.

In order to supplement the family budget, could you grow a few vegetables or raise a few chickens in your own yard? Do not underestimate what can be grown on a small plot of ground. A single tomato plant has been known to produce over 100 tomatoes. You do not have any ground? It may be that you could rent some. The inspired proverb is encouraging: “He that is cultivating his own ground will have his sufficiency of bread.”​—Prov. 28:19.

As a further safeguard, look at your water supply. Is it safe, free from pollution? Do not be deceived just because the water is crystal clear. Disease-spreading bacteria are invisible to the human eye. So, if you are not sure that your water is suitable for drinking, boil it for 10 minutes before using, then store in a covered container. Or, if toxic wastes are the problem, you may need to distill it or to use a filter designed for the purpose.

Moreover, a few precautions with regard to sanitation could mean the difference between sickness and health for your children. Unsanitary conditions attract flies, which transmit to food the filth and disease they pick up with their feet. So, as a safeguard, keep chickens and animals away from your water supply and from the house. Clean up their refuse regularly. Kitchen garbage, if not used as compost for fertilizer, should be disposed of properly. Screens on doors and windows will help to keep out flies and mosquitoes.

It may be that you are one of millions of people without proper sewage disposal. If this is true, safeguard your children’s health by installing a proper septic tank or, if this is not possible, be sure that all human wastes are buried or covered with quicklime. God considered this so important that he included it in his law to the nation of Israel, as a protection for their army when at war. The law stated: “A private place should be at your service outside the camp, and you must go out there. And a peg should be at your service along with your implements, and it must occur that when you squat outside, you must also dig a hole with it and turn and cover your excrement.” (Deut. 23:12, 13) This sanitary measure spared the Israelites from disease epidemics, which were a scourge to other armies.

Finally, do not overlook properly training your children to keep their bodies clean. A daily bath and a clean change of clothing contribute much to a child’s health and general well-being. Train your children to wash their hands after using the toilet and also before meals​—no, not merely dipping hands in water, but washing thoroughly with soap and water and drying the hands on a clean towel.

The Real Solution

There is undoubtedly much that can be done to safeguard the health of children today. Nevertheless, it must be admitted that even if everyone did his share, all mankind, children as well as adults, would still be subject to sickness and eventual death. But the situation is not as hopeless as it might appear.

The day will come when all children will have enough to eat and clean water to drink. How? Not by human plans or efforts, no matter how sincere. But it will come by the hand of the One who created man and gave him the power to produce children. His purpose is to restore to this earth a paradise condition wherein “the earth itself will certainly give its produce” and, with proper distribution of food throughout the earth, “the meek ones will eat and be satisfied.” (Ps. 67:6; 22:26) That time is so near at hand that you and your children may well be living when those benefits begin. So, as you continue to safeguard your children’s health now, why not take time to learn of this real hope for the future? Jehovah’s Witnesses in your own neighborhood will be glad to help you to do so.

[Picture on page 13]

Grow a few vegetables or raise some chickens in your yard

[Pictures on page 14]

If your drinking water is unsuitable, you can boil it, distill it or use a filter

Keep animals away from your water supply and house

[Picture on page 15]

Train children to wash hands thoroughly after using the toilet, and also before meals

Attractiveness Is​—Good Looks or Good Nature?

What makes a person appear attractive and pleasing to others? Many people put the emphasis on looks, grooming and style. But several independent studies have found that personality and behavior far outweigh physical appearance or features, such as the mouth, eyes, nose, hair, and so forth. People generally associate attractiveness with warmth and kindness, the studies found. If such qualities are apparent, even ordinary-looking individuals are perceived by others as good-looking.

So far better than plastic surgery or high fashion is the Bible’s advice: “Do not let your adornment be that of the external braiding of the hair and of the putting on of gold ornaments or the wearing of outer garments, but let it be the secret person of the heart in the incorruptible apparel of the quiet and mild spirit.” (1 Pet. 3:3, 4; see also Proverbs 31:30.) Surely, attention to one’s physical appearance has its place. But to cultivate and express spiritual qualities in one’s daily life is a far more positive approach to becoming attractive and pleasing to others.

“We Enjoy Our Work!”

By “Awake!” correspondent in Japan

I WOULD like to tell you about a most unusual construction project in Japan. It is located at a place called Ebina, not far from Tokyo. What makes it so unusual? For one thing, all the several hundred workers on the project are unsalaried, volunteer help.

In spite of the hardships of living on a construction site and the heavy work load, these workers obviously find their work satisfying. When I interviewed them, time and again the comment was made: “I enjoy my work!”

For example, I said to one worker: “My, you’re working hard, and such tedious work too! You must be glad when the day is done.” He responded: “It’s true that I’m tired, and I do look forward to my rest at night. But I enjoy my work here. And so do all the 342 people you see here who have volunteered to work on this project.”

Another worker said: “Yes, we work long hours, in all kinds of weather, and receive no paycheck, just our room, board and a small allowance. Yet we really do find a great deal of delight in what we are doing.”

As I interviewed the workers, it became immediately apparent that their joy was related to the purpose of the work. Said one worker: “My enjoyment stems from the fact that the work is directly related to my purpose in life. Knowing that what you do each day is contributing to that overall purpose is very satisfying.”

To get a clear view of what is involved here, I asked the following questions, and these are some of the answers the workers gave:

Q. “Why did you volunteer to work on this project?”

A. (Yoshinobu Futakuchi): “When I heard that Jehovah’s Witnesses were going to build a printing factory in Ebina, Japan, I was thrilled. It was announced that a factory, an office building and living quarters for over 300 workers were planned. This was necessary in order to handle the increased printing in Japan of the Awake! and Watchtower magazines, which now have a total printing of over 1,700,000 copies each month in Japan alone. Also, hardbound books explaining the Bible will be produced in the new plant. All this literature will be used by the 55,872 of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Japan, who spent over 20 million hours last year in their public ministry.

“It was stated that the entire building project would be carried out with volunteer help. This made me recall how in ancient times willing workers shared in the construction of the tabernacle. (Ex. 35:1, 2) I felt that I wanted to have a part in the Ebina project, too, because of the fine purpose to which the factory will be put, that is, producing literature that helps people to learn about God and his purposes. My fellow workers feel the same way.”

Q. “Would you like to tell us why you enjoy your work so much?”

A. (Haruyuki Zenetani): “Well, until two years ago I worked for a firm where it was normal to pursue a dog-eat-dog course. Everyone was interested in getting ahead, and to do so they stepped on people to make themselves look good.

“I see the greatest of contrasts here. All work together as a family. The work, not the individual’s advancement, is of utmost importance. There is a unity of purpose. No one pushes himself forward. People here don’t worry about their position being endangered by an up-and-coming rival.

“It’s evident to me that the Bible principle ‘love does not look for its own interests’ is a practical one. (1 Cor. 13:4, 5) The fact that we have peace and harmony, plus high productivity, shows how effective it is.”

I noticed that much training of newer ones was going on. But I wondered how those who had not yet developed skills to high efficiency were viewed. So I asked a former policeman about it.

Q. “What appeals to you about the working relationships among the workers here?”

A. (Katsuyuki Kamakura): “In particular I appreciate the operation of a system based on the principle of love. In the world of law enforcement, everything from training to position is oriented toward the strong. That is probably necessary due to the nature of law enforcement, but under a system based on love we all benefit in two ways.

“For example, those not so strong are given consideration, and as a result of their efforts they benefit the entire organization. If a person is not so quick to learn, he is not left behind to feel miserable. He is patiently taught, and often becomes the more industrious worker.

“Many of the workers were unskilled when they came here. The fact that now, after two years, there are many skilled carpenters, plumbers, electricians and draftsmen where there were few before says a lot for the willingness of those who are experienced to teach the inexperienced, doesn’t it?”

Another thing that impressed me was that I did not notice a lot of “bosses” shouting orders all the time. I asked a cook about this.

Q. “What kind of supervision do the worker have?”

A. (Keiichi Nakamura): “Let me give you an example. There are 20 of us cooking for 550 persons every day. That includes the construction workers, and those from the former branch office in Numazu who have already moved in. And it seems that all of them have healthy appetites!

“Well, as anyone who has ever worked in a kitchen knows, it can be pretty hectic around mealtime. We’re under pressure. But the fact that we’re all trying to practice Christian principles in our speech and conduct adds to our unity. Too, it helps that we are well organized.

“The overseers work as hard as anyone else or harder. No one just gives orders. The principle of overseers taking the lead in the work is one of the things that attracted me to Jehovah’s Witnesses in the first place.”

Q. “In what way?”

A. “Let me explain. Before I studied the Bible, my thinking was very anarchistic. I felt that mankind would be better off without any organized governments or social groups. That’s one reason I became a cook, so I wouldn’t have to work in organized business. I felt that mankind was on a course of self-destruction and that the organizations of the world were just helping them along that road.

“Through my study of the Bible, I recognized that it is necessary to have organized activity for accomplishing God’s purpose. But it was after coming to work here that I have come to appreciate more deeply how really different this organization is. Because it has unselfish motives and kind and hardworking overseers, it certainly works for the good of people.”

The age of the workers ranged from 18 to 67, with many young men in their 20’s benefiting from on-the-job training. But what about those older workers who could be retired instead of working so hard? I asked:

Q. “Why would someone over 65 volunteer to do construction work?”

A. (Takeo Tsuji): “I have to admit that some thought that I was too old to volunteer for this project. At 65, I was retired and could have taken life easy. But I wanted to do something useful for my fellowman. I had experience in plumbing, so I volunteered, thinking my experience might be a help.

“For a while I worked in plumbing, but now I’m on the reception desk. That has really been a privilege for me. Many people my age have nothing to do, but my life is filled with rewarding activity.

“I’m a widower with no family responsibilities. But being able to work with young men who could be my grandchildren has helped to keep me young. Oh, to be sure, I’ve got my aches and pains, but I’d have them even if I were at home.”

Thinking about the older workers, I inquired as to how many men were here with their families. I learned that there were 17. So I wondered what kind of adjustments these families had to make to come here to work on this project.

Q. “Being here with your family takes some adjusting of life-style, doesn’t it? How did you manage that?”

A. (Motomu Kamata): “Since I had my own architect’s office, I could arrange my own affairs. However, when I saw the huge scope of the Ebina project I knew that it would require my full time if I were to accept a work assignment.

“I talked the prospect over with my family. They all decided to cooperate so that I could volunteer. Although my wife was pregnant with our fourth child, she didn’t hesitate to encourage me. It was her spirit of self-sacrifice that enabled me to come.

“I informed my clients that I would be closing down my office temporarily. At first, they didn’t believe me! But when they realized that I ‘meant business,’ they made it known that when I reopened they wanted me to work with them again.

“Also, we had to move out of our home and into a less expensive place near the construction site. But everyone in the family was happy to make these sacrifices. One benefit has been our appreciating more that material things are not what really make people happy, so we have been able to keep them in their relative place. We don’t want to lose that appreciation even after we go back to our previous life-style.”

I then sought out another family man and asked him similar questions.

Q. “You have a family to support, too, don’t you? Did you have any problems making the needed adjustments to move here?”

A. (Masahito Sato): “I had worked for 25 years in sewage processing and pollution control, so I thought I might be of use to the project. I resigned my position at my company with the idea that I’d even continue full time as a Bible instructor when the building project at Ebina was completed.

“My wife was happy for me to volunteer, but she didn’t want to leave our home and move our son from school. She liked her associations, and had an active share in helping neighbors to study the Bible. So for about a year, I commuted to the construction site. But it was just too far.

“So I suggested to my wife that we move here to the site. She agreed, and wouldn’t you know, she now likes it so much here that she hates the thought of leaving. It’s because we have learned what it means to serve others and gain the happiness that comes from that service. As Jesus said: ‘There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.’​—Acts 20:35.

“Others have found this to be the case. And they come from many walks of life and different family situations, but all have made the needed adjustments. For instance, among the workers we have a former motorcycle test-driver who serves as a plasterer, a chemical engineer who now works on the rod bender, and we also have a cartoonist, a former boxer, farmers, cooks, an atomic scientist and an ex-rock musician, to name a few. It’s a varied group, and our associations add to our knowledge of people and enrich our lives. So we surely have benefited by making the needed adjustments to come here.”

It has been enlightening to see the concept of building displayed here. On other jobs where the main objective is financial gain, many of the workers do not really put their heart into their jobs. When possible they will take shortcuts to lighten their own work load, and they often waste materials. Or if in a managerial position, some will cut down on quality work and materials to make their profits higher.

But that is not the case here at Ebina. The workers are encouraged to get good materials even if they cost a little more, and not to take shortcuts or to waste materials. The purpose is to erect a building complex that will be strong, durable and easy to maintain. So the equipment has to be good and well installed. That is why, as one worker said: “We can take pride in our work.”

I then asked another worker:

Q. “Speaking of the work itself, I’ve heard some of the workers here talk about ‘tests’ they face in connection with their work. Would you explain?”

A. (Takaaki Kato): “I come from an affluent family, and had a position of management in the family business before I volunteered. But I didn’t get a ‘glamour’ job here. I’m one of the 23 assigned to take care of the living quarters of the workers. We do all kinds of jobs, from delivering linen to cleaning toilets. I wasn’t used to such type of work before, and it created its own kind of test.

“Recently, however, I had a lesson in humility from a worker who was waiting for his visa to go to Taiwan as a missionary. He was assigned to work with me, and I had to give the instructions. Now, he had been working at our branch office here in Japan for many years, and had done just about everything in the line of home organization. Yet he followed my directions faithfully, even in the lowliest of tasks, though he had had much more experience than I. It was a humbling experience for me.”

Former rock musician Haruhisa Miyashita added these comments: “Many of us have had tests of one kind or another. But they benefit us. For example, I had ruined my health in a pleasure-seeking course when I was formerly in the world of rock music. I thought I was well enough when I volunteered for this work, but I wasn’t at all prepared for the physical rigors of construction work. But I kept an optimistic viewpoint and followed the suggested schedule for maintaining health. As a result, I’ve gained 6 kilos [13 pounds], learned balance, and have satisfaction I never had when seeking just pleasure.”

Thus, it is apparent that many lessons have been learned by the workers on this extraordinary building project. They have learned new trades, have made many enduring friendships and have seen examples of Christian conduct and humility. Too, their needs have been provided for abundantly both spiritually and materially.

The president of a local construction company summed up the feeling of the workers here when he visited recently. He made this observation: “Seeing over 300, for the most part inexperienced young people, working in harmony, with smiling faces and clearly having a good time, makes me wish everyone could enjoy his work like that.”

I thought to myself: Someday, in God’s new order, everyone living will do just that.​—Ps. 37:11; Isa. 65:21, 22.

[Picture on page 16]

Aerial view of the new Japanese facilities of the Watch Tower Society at Ebina, not far from Tokyo

A Tragic Accident Changed My Life

THE pop music group I was in here in New Zealand was becoming increasingly popular. In addition, I held a well-paying secondary job driving a transport truck. The combined pay gave me a high income. This was very necessary for, apart from normal expenses, I required plenty of cash for my supplies of marijuana and LSD.

I had recently separated from my wife, and divorce was pending. Meanwhile I was living with a woman and intended to marry her when the divorce went through.

Sudden Disaster

On the way home one day in a fully loaded truck, I was descending a steep hill 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Rotorua. As I rounded a bend, there were cattle on the road, oncoming cars and a truck that had stopped in front of me. I quickly applied the brakes, but my foot went straight to the floor​—complete brake failure! The next thing I knew I had smashed into the truck, my legs being crushed by the impact.

Firemen rushed to the scene and it took them an hour to cut me out of the wreckage. I was rushed to the Rotorua Public Hospital, was given massive blood transfusions and had both legs amputated above the knees.

A couple of weeks later I was weaned from morphine and just drifted from day to day in a haze of pain. I remember that sometime during that period a faith healer came and laid her hands on me and said the pain would disappear. I cannot recall much about her, but I distinctly remember that the pain did not lessen!

I received some relief when my friends were able to smuggle marijuana up to me. On these occasions I would open the window, switch on the fan and puff away contentedly. But in reality, my pop group future was very shaky; in fact, any future prospects seemed nil.

Eventually I was released from the hospital. I viewed this as a happy day because now there would be no restriction on my drug intake. But I was very depressed. So long as I had my drugs I did not care about anything else.

A Ray of Hope

When one of Jehovah’s Witnesses called at my door one day in Rotorua, I expressed only mild interest. Actually, I was a bit curious about the Witnesses, as a relative of mine had become one. I wondered what it was that caused a nice girl like her to “go religious.”

Anyway, the Witness showed me from the Bible that I could gain relief from my disabilities here on earth as a human. (Rev. 21:3, 4; Ps. 37:9-11, 29) This was entirely new to me, for I thought that one could look forward to lasting life in peace and happiness only in heaven. One thing led to another and before I knew it I was having regular Bible studies.

I was still an avid drug user, which put me in some awkward spots at times. Sometimes on “study day” I would begin heavily on drugs, and then remember what day it was. Depending on how “high” I was, I would either make a telephone call and postpone the study with some feeble excuse or, if I was too far gone, contact a “druggy” friend to take me out of the house for the afternoon. But the Witness persisted and, despite a few more ups and downs, I came to enjoy the study thoroughly.

Soon the Witness and his wife began taking me to meetings at the Kingdom Hall. Although I was quite nervous about being in a crowd, soon I felt relaxed in the friendly atmosphere. Maybe life still had something for me, I began to think.

A Tremendous Test

Everything seemed to be going well. But then my girl friend confronted me with the choice: Either me or that religion. I was terribly upset; I more or less assumed she would accept the Bible truths I was learning. She left that evening. Alone in my wheelchair, I cannot remember a time when I was more depressed. I did not appreciate it then, but Jehovah’s spirit gave me the strength to cope with what I know now I could never have handled on my own.

The Witnesses stepped in, surrounding me with new friends to replace the ones I had lost. I didn’t have too much trouble giving up smoking or drugs, for I could see that what I had to gain far outweighed the temporary enjoyment of these things. However, I didn’t put myself to the test; I was careful not to associate with drug users again. Instead, I kept close company with Jehovah’s Witnesses, who were a constant source of encouragement.

Another Hurdle

By this time I had been in my wheelchair for a year and my stumps were ready to be fitted with artificial limbs. I was gripped with fear, mainly fear of failure. So I decided to stay in my chair.

Again the Witnesses came to my rescue, urging me to try the artificial limbs. They helped me to realize that I could be almost totally independent, and my service to Jehovah would be far greater. So I gave it a go. It was a terrifying experience being up so high after being at almost ground level for so long, and, oh, was that ground hard when I frequently fell on it!

The legs themselves are a marvelous feat of human engineering. I do not possess any knees, so these had to be specially constructed for me. Each knee was built differently for the purpose of movement and balance.

It was very confusing at first, and I invariably put the “wrong foot forward” and seemed to spend most of my time getting up off the ground. But perseverance and persistence have been rewarded and I am now quite mobile.

Also, the artificial legs are “attached” to my stumps in different ways. One of my stumps reaches to the knee and the artificial leg has been carefully molded to fit snugly around the slight bulge at the end of the stump.

The other stump is far too short to fit an artificial limb in the same way, so a vacuum method is used. I ease my stump into the leg with the aid of a tubular sock and create a vacuum. Thus my stump is sucked onto the leg. When I want to remove the leg I simply pull out a little plug, the air rushes in and releases it.

Bright Prospects

I applied for a job as a greenstone (jade) carver, which was something completely new to me. It is a fascinating job that I really enjoy. It allows me to support myself and my family. I have applied traditional Maori designs with a modern flair, producing some very nice pendants.

So now my position has really changed. In December of 1975 I became a baptized witness of Jehovah, and I am surrounded by friends of like faith​—to one of whom I am now happily married. Yes, I am looking forward to good use of my legs again​—in God’s new order. (Isa. 35:6)​—Contributed.

Perils of “Doing Your Own Thing”

Contrary to what many may think, recent studies indicate that “doing your own thing” has contributed to frustration and disappointment among young adults today.

In the “conventional” way of life, young people grow up more or less following the path of the previous generations. They know pretty much which way they are to go. “Doing your own thing,” explains professor Angus Campbell of Michigan University, “has a lot of hazards, however, because it creates very uncertain situations. . . . This uncertainty, I suspect, has created a lot of stress and tension among young people.” The result, according to the professor, is a long list of “negative things like alcoholism, drug abuse, suicide, marital discord.”

A certain way of life may appear to be very attractive on the surface, but the risks involved may be far greater than one can foresee or accept. The lesson that all of us, young and old, can learn here is this, as stated in the Bible: “There exists a way that is upright before a man, but the ways of death are the end of it afterward.” (Prov. 16:25) Many of the heartbreaks and much bitterness can be avoided by people who are willing to follow this advice and to benefit from the experience of others.

Bible Locations Quiz

DO YOU think of the Bible as something unrelated to the real world? A lot of people feel this way.

It is noteworthy, however, that a respected scholar, George Rawlinson, M.A., pointed out that because of the factual nature of the Bible, Christianity “is in nothing more distinguished from the other religions of the world than in its objective or historical character.” Did you realize that? Now, this is not true of every doctrine taught by all the groups that claim to be Christian. But it is true that the Christianity taught in the Bible itself is based on facts, not myths. This is because the Bible tells about real people who lived at particular times in precise locations.

One such real person was Jesus Christ. The Bible mentions numerous places connected with his first-century ministry. The present-day locations of many of these sites have been agreed on by most authorities. The map across the page shows some of these locations, but they are identified here only by number. Can you fill in the names?

The clues will help you. Don’t give up too soon; some places will have more than one clue. The numbers following the clues correspond to the numbered locations on the map. The Bible references following the list of clues will also help you; these, too, are keyed by number to the map.

Here Are Some Clues

● Over 700 years in advance, the prophet Micah foretold that this small town would be the birthplace of the Messiah. (1)

● Nathanael wondered if anything good could come from this town. The people there tried to kill Jesus on one occasion. (2)

● While in this town Jesus cured a young child located in a city 16 miles (26 km) away! (3)

● Jesus spent so much time here that it came to be called “his own city.” (4)

● In his famous parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus spoke of a man who was attacked by robbers on the dangerous road between Jerusalem and this town. (5)

● In Jesus’ day this city had a beautiful temple, the stones of which excited the admiration of his disciples. (6)

● Jesus walked on the waters of this sea, where fishermen still cast their nets much as they did in his day. (7)

● A secret disciple from this town contributed the tomb in which Jesus was buried. (8)

● Jesus was baptized in this river by John the Baptizer in the year 29 C.E. (9)

Want More Clues? Try These

● Here lived an unrighteous tax collector named Zacchaeus, who was inspired by Jesus to change his conduct. (5)

● This was an important city in Jesus’ day. Simon Peter, his brother Andrew and Matthew Levi all lived here. (4)

● Jesus performed his first miracle here, turning water into wine at a wedding feast. (3)

● This is the town where Jesus grew up. Its modern name is En Nasira. (2)

Bible references: (1) Micah 5:2. (2) John 1:46; Luke 4:16, 28-30; Matthew 2:22, 23. (3) John 4:46-54; 2:1-11. (4) Matthew 9:1, 9; 8:5, 14; Mark 1:29. (5) Luke 10:30; 19:1-10. (6) Mark 11:27; 13:1. (7) John 6:1, 19; Luke 5:4; Mark 1:16. (8) Matthew 27:57-60. (9) Luke 3:1-3, 21.

How did you do? See answers on page 28.

Answers to Bible Locations Quiz

1. Bethlehem 2. Nazareth 3. Cana 4. Capernaum 5. Jericho 6. Jerusalem 7. Sea of Galilee 8. Arimathea 9. Jordan River

[Map on page 25]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

The land where Jesus Christ lived

Sidon

ABILENE

Damascus

Mt. Hermon

Tyre

Caesarea Philippi

PHOENICIA

GALILEE

ITURAEA

TRACHONITIS

4 Capernaum

7 Sea of Galilee

3 Cana

Tiberias

2 Nazareth

Nain

Gadara

DECAPOLIS

Bethany across the Jordan (?)

Caesarea

Pella

Samaria

Gerasa

SAMARIA

9 Jordan River

PEREA

Joppa

8 Arimathea

5 Jericho

6 Jerusalem

1 Bethlehem

JUDEA

Hebron

IDUMEA

ARABIA

Wilderness of Judah

Salt Sea

The Great Sea

Will Reading the Bible Improve Your Life?

“THE last place that most people go when they need advice is to the pages of the Bible,” stated a man who himself prized what he had learned from it. “I can’t understand,” he continued, “why people who have tried nearly everything else will often refuse to listen, if they know beforehand that the advice offered is from the Bible.”

This man’s words have been echoed by many sincere Bible students. But, thankfully, rejection of the Bible’s advice is not always the case, as is illustrated by the experience of a business executive who in his later years learned to appreciate God’s Word. He said: “I was college trained and literally surrounded with a house full of books offering a wealth of advice on daily living. I found out almost too late that all of them together did not amount to a tenth part in value compared to the Bible’s practical guidelines for life.” He further stated: “The improvement in my life is beyond assessment.”

A change for the better also occurred in the life of a young woman whose hopes for a happy marriage had dwindled completely. She related: “Conditions were so bad within my home that I just wanted to die.” But a short time after her neighbor, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, assisted her, the young woman stated: “A study of the Bible saved my marriage, and I am thoroughly convinced that nothing else could have even helped. Our home is now a happy one.”

Does Everyone Benefit?

The Bible contains a wealth of advice helpful in daily living. It contains counsel on marriage, rearing children, love, hate, anger, self-control, quarreling, eating, drinking, borrowing, lending, sexual matters, delinquency, taxes, keeping one’s word, fraud, bribery and honor, and gives insight into many other matters. But the question arises: Can someone have a copy of God’s Word and regularly read it, yet not benefit from it?

Jesus Christ spoke to avid readers of the Bible in the first century, saying: “You are searching the Scriptures, because you think that by means of them you will have everlasting life; and these are the very ones that bear witness about me. And yet you do not want to come to me that you may have life.” (John 5:39, 40) Their reading of Scripture did not result in their discerning that Jesus was the Son of God.

Many today claim acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior, but their claim to living a Christian life in harmony with Bible requirements proves false. Within its pages God’s Word states that fornicators, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, greedy persons, drunkards, extortioners, murderers, liars and those practicing spiritism do not please God. Yet many individuals, while claiming to be Christian, continue in these practices. The Bible says that such ones will not “inherit God’s kingdom.”​—1 Cor. 6:9, 10; Rev. 21:8.

For others, their “belief” in God’s Word lacks accurate knowledge of it as a foundation. Their claimed acceptance of the Bible can quickly turn to rejection when put to the test. Note the experience of one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a full-time minister, who encountered the following:

One sunny afternoon I called on a middle-aged man who claimed to be not only a Christian but also a supporter of Bible teaching. In the midst of our friendly and pleasant conversation, I presented a Scriptural viewpoint that he chose to disagree with.

“I offered to read a Bible passage as proof for my statement, and as I was turning the pages I asked him: ‘Do you believe that the Bible is the inspired written Word of God?’ ‘I do,’ he quickly and proudly responded. I then read the scripture to him and he immediately retorted: ‘I don’t believe that!’”

Although claiming to treasure its sayings, this man, like many today, was unwilling to accept what the Bible actually said. Of persons similar to this, the apostle Paul said: “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God; but not according to accurate knowledge; for, because of not knowing the righteousness of God but seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.”​—Rom. 10:2, 3.

Also, how many professed Christians are able to turn to the pages of the Bible for help, knowing just where to find it?

An Open Mind and Honest Heart

Would you welcome sound advice concerning the problems of life? Would a secure future interest you? Are you sincerely desirous of improving your life? Then you will find that applying the Bible’s sure guidelines for life will have a real and beneficial impact.

Perhaps you are like many other persons of open mind and honest heart who have worshiped according to their upbringing. They have been sincere in their desire to worship in an approved way. They have pondered the perplexing questions encountered in daily living and have wondered just what was right and pleasing to God. Is it God’s desire for such individuals to learn the answers to these questions in harmony with his will and purposes? Of course it is! And when they do, their lives are affected for good. Consider the following true-life experience:

“I was described as a sincere Catholic and my Irish Catholic husband claimed to be one, although he did not accompany me to church regularly. Our marriage and life were happy. My husband had encouraged me in the Catholic faith and disapproved when I began a study of the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses.

“I had formerly asked the priest for help, hoping that he could answer the perplexing questions I had about life. Also, I had recently given birth to a baby boy and wondered what kind of world he would have to grow up in. The Witness had the answers and could show a scripture to support everything​—even from my Catholic Bible. I was delighted to learn of God’s purpose to end this present wicked world and replace it with a new and righteous one, without crime and fear.

“I was also delighted to share these Scriptural truths with my husband. He opposed at first and wouldn’t accept anything unless it came from the Catholic Bible. But now, after some years have passed, he not only has accepted it but serves as an elder in the local congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. We now share with great joy the truths of God’s Word as a husband-and-wife team in our community.

“We only thought our lives were happy before. My fears have been removed and my children are a pleasure. We hope our experience will encourage others to examine God’s Word carefully, as we have.”

Around the globe, thousands of persons from all walks of life have made similar expressions. How about you? Would you like to experience the benefits that a Bible discussion can bring? Or have you been hesitant?

Why Some Hesitate

Likely you are personally aware of the fact that some openly reject the Bible’s advice. They may claim that it is outdated, or point to the fact that many who have the Bible live unhappy lives. But ask yourself: Is it because of following Bible suggestions that they are unhappy? Or is it a case of not following God’s Word? The facts argue for the latter.

Merely possessing one of the millions of copies of the Bible distributed throughout the earth does not in itself prove that the possessor follows its advice. Nor is it true that those who religiously attest to its divine authorship are themselves careful followers of it. The foregoing true-life experiences of those who have found satisfying answers to the perplexing problems of life show that when the Bible’s advice is really followed, it is the best guide to happy living on earth.

But could a person read through the Bible without experiencing full benefits from it? Yes, that is possible, the reason being that something else is needed.

God Provides Needed Assistance

In the first century, Jesus Christ sent out his faithful followers who were careful students of God’s Word, taught by him. (Matt. 28:19, 20) They, in turn, were able to assist persons of honest heart truly to benefit from God’s Word. The Bible reports that God, by means of an angel, sent Philip to give needed assistance to an Ethiopian, who, although reading the Scriptures, had not been able to understand them.​—Acts 8:26-35.

This God-directed work of spreading the “good news” became a beneficial and most necessary facet of Christian living. If kneeling before an image, or before a television set or a radio during a religious program, were the only thing necessary to accept Christ and to gain favor with God, why, in this time of the end, would Jesus send out his disciples with instructions to preach in the entire earth from house to house and from door to door?

Ask yourself this: What more could God do for the people of the earth than have a qualified representative personally contact them, arrange for a convenient time, and then in the privacy of their own dwelling tutor them, free of charge, in the Word of God? This not only allows for individuals to ask questions and to learn at their own pace but also brings interested ones into association with others of like faith where the blessing and protection of God can be found.

The Bible shows that those doing this lifesaving work would be relatively few in number. (Matt. 7:13, 14; Luke 10:2) Yet they would be willing to take on the colossal task of preaching in the entire inhabited earth because they have God as their backer. (Matt. 24:14) We unhesitatingly state that those doing this work today are in association with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Why not allow them to assist you on the way to a happier life now, and to a gloriously happy future life​—one that will be everlasting! They will be delighted to do so.​—John 17:3.

Watching the World

World-shattering Year

◆ “War and Peace in the 20th Century as reported in the New York Times” is a new compilation of famous news headline pages covering the wars of our generation. The opening page offers this interesting background information:

“There had been no major international conflict for almost a century​—since the end of the Napoleonic wars in 1815. The century had seen astonishing progress in science and invention, together with the growth of vast industries that poured out useful products in wondrous abundance. Men thought perhaps they had reached the stage where peace and prosperity would be universal.

“But that vista from the early part of this century was to be shattered by an explosion that has kept the world in turmoil and ferment ever since. . . . The spark occurred on June 28, 1914, when the Archduke Francis Ferdinand​—heir-apparent to the Austro-Hungarian crown—​was assassinated at Sarajevo . . . World War I was on.”

Bible in 1,710 Languages

◆ According to the Bible Society in London, at least one book of the Bible is available in 1,710 languages. The Society reports that parts of the Bible appeared in 27 additional languages during 1980, and the complete Bible now appears in 275 languages. The Guinness Book of World Records says that an estimated 2.5 thousand million copies have been published.

No Escape

◆ Researchers have detected hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in the atmosphere of the remote Pacific Enewetak Atoll for the first time. “The chances are there’s now no place on Earth you can go without finding HCB,” said C. S. Giam, head of chemistry at Texas A&M University. “The relative constancy of the compound between sites suggests that HCB is very stable and may remain in the atmosphere a long time.” The chemical has been found to cause cancer in laboratory animals. It is a by-product of more than a dozen manufacturing processes, as, for example, rubber.

Marijuana on the Brain

◆ Physical evidence of marijuana’s damage to brain function has been observed by Dr. Robert Heath of Louisiana’s Tulane University School of Medicine. After six to eight months of moderate-to-heavy smoking, rhesus monkeys being used experimentally were found to have structural alterations in their brains. Microscopic examination revealed that the synapses, or tiny gaps across which brain neurons communicate, widened by 35 percent and became darkened. According to Heath’s report in Biological Psychiatry, even some of the neuron structure itself broke down and the brain’s electrical activity was disturbed.

Politicians in Clerical Clothing

◆ Recent international events have exposed just how far churchmen are involved in day-to-day politics:

After a strike by members of Poland’s new Solidarity union was settled, the New York Times reports: “The significance of the event . . . lay in the role of the church.” The article points out that Bishop Bronislaw Dabrowski, often regarded as the voice of Poland’s Cardinal Wyszynski, “made no attempt to disguise his involvement” in negotiations with the government. “Heading a special five-man mediation group from the Catholic Church,” reports the Times, “he popped in and out of the back room where the talks were going on, and he even announced the final agreement to the strikers, wearing a Solidarity badge an inch from his gold cross. . . . he conceded to reporters that he had engineered the agreement.”

The National Catholic Reporter says that “ten Catholic institutions in El Salvador published a statement which approves the current revolt against that country’s government as a ‘situation in which the church admits the right of legitimate insurrection.”’ The statement claims that the revolution is the people’s “last means to obtain justice and peace.” Thousands have died in the revolution. The Catholic paper notes that “the document was translated and distributed in the U.S. by Jesuit Father Simon Smith, Washington, D.C.​—based director of the Jesuit Missions.”

In neighboring Guatemala during 1980, according to the Associated Press, at least “five clerics have been killed and several others, including the bishop of Quiche, narrowly escaped assassination.” “Blamed for Indian unrest, accused of harboring guerrillas and labeled ‘communists,’ 50 priests have fled the country, some have gone underground and at least one reportedly has picked up a gun to fight with guerrillas, church sources say.” Guatemala’s president Fernando Romeo Lucas Garcia has declared: “If the priests and clerics don’t attend to the business of saving souls, we will throw them out.”

Getting Perspective

◆ Iran’s holding of 52 American hostages for over a year consumed the attention of much of the world. Great publicity also surrounded charges of mistreatment that came after their release in January. However, a guest editorial writer in the New York Times put the matter in a more realistic perspective, observing: “These 52 people have indeed had a very bad time. But it would be easy to find 52,000 people, 52,000,000 people, who have fared worse all their lives. And unlike the hostages, these multitudes of thousands and millions have no prospect of release. . . . consider the ‘boat people,’ both in the China Sea and half a world away in the Caribbean. In the past 14 months, it has been a good day when fewer than 52 of them have been drowned, starved, frozen, beaten, or raped to death.”

Sewage Fertilizer for Sale

◆ Tokyo authorities are now marketing a fertilizer made at the government-run Minami-Tama Sewage Disposal Plant. Not only is the product claimed to be more effective than chemical fertilizers, based on growth tests, but it also is about half the price of commercial fertilizers. At a “taste test” in Tokyo, “sixty percent of the participants declared the waste fertilizer-grown cabbages to be delicious,” reports the Daily Yomiuri, “while only 40 percent said the same about cabbages which had been treated with chemical fertilizers.”

Precolored Cotton

◆ All cotton is not white, at least in northern Peru, where a University of Texas anthropology student went to study the local Indians. He returned with samples of cotton in five natural colors​—white, beige, brown, purple and gray. The plants also seem quite hardy. Scientists plan to return to Peru for study of the unusual cotton and its commercial possibilities.

Religion Outlawed

◆ Albania’s government reportedly has outlawed all forms of religion in an effort to end its influence completely. Believers who have operated underground are said to be suffering a new wave of arrests for possessing Bibles or religious literature.

‘Deafening Silence’

◆ In its review of The Terrible Secret, a book based on newly available documents about Hitler’s slaughter of the Jews, The Wall Street Journal observed: ‘The Vatican, better informed than anyone else by its priests and its faithful throughout Central and Eastern Europe, knew [about the holocaust] beyond a shadow of doubt in the summer, even in the spring, of 1942. Where was the fiery papal encyclical that might have created a crisis of conscience among the Catholics in the German nation and the German army? Pius XII maintained a deafening diplomatic silence while the furnaces continued to work full blast.”

Violent Smokers

◆ After a Chinese bus conductor in Beijing stopped some youths from smoking, he was killed by the angered juveniles. According to The Beijing Evening News, when the conductor got off his bus to check tickets as passengers left, 11 youths also got off and surrounded him. They hit him on the head with a brick, then punched, kicked and finally stabbed him to death. Apparently they, like many others, felt very strongly about “smokers’ rights.” All were caught by the police.

Overeating Disorder

◆ ‘What could become the eating disorder of the ’80s,” states Parade magazine, is bulimia. Persons with this tendency alternately gorge themselves on food and then purge themselves of it, either by inducing vomiting or by using laxatives, diuretics or diet pills. According to Vivian Meehan of the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders in the United States, the typical bulimarectic gorges and purges from once every few weeks to several times a day. The majority of such persons are women, and at one sitting they can consume as much as 40,000 calories before trying to clean out the digestive system. This destructive cycle can result in heart, kidney and digestive disorders and can lead eventually to death.

Thefts Alarm Clergy

◆ “Even churches in staunchly Roman Catholic Spain have not escaped the country’s rapidly rising crime rate,” observe Reuters news service. It notes that valuable statues and other religious articles are being stolen from churches at the rate of more than one a day. Many of these objects are valuable because of their gold and jewelry. It has been suggested that the churches turn such relics over to museums where they would be safer, but religious authorities are reluctant to do so because “that could cut off the congregations from objects of worship.” However, a bishop acknowledged: “Protecting these objects is very difficult, given the present deterioration of social attitudes.”

Schools’ Toll on Teachers

◆ Fear of students is becoming commonplace among teachers in many parts of the world. The chief of psychiatry at Ontario’s York-Finch Hospital in Canada calls some teachers “shell-shock” cases. “They come to us for treatment,” he explained. “They’re in a constant state of acute anxiety, they feel completely inadequate. They can’t control their classes anymore. They were good, sensitive teachers once . . . and eventually they’ll just leave teaching.”

TV Affects Grades

◆ A survey of over half a million California public school students found a “strong statistical relationship” between hours of TV watching and test scores. One example was the steady decline of mathematics test scores between 12th graders who said they watched an hour or less a day and those who watched six hours or more. Those who watched the least television scored about 24 percent higher than those who watched the most.

A Tokyo elementary school that urged parents to reduce their children’s TV viewing had similar results. “TV Viewing Down; Students’ Scores UP,” headlined an article on the subject in Mainichi Daily News. The results of the efforts so far have been impressive,” observed the article, noting also that “with the decrease in TV viewing, the attitudes of the pupils toward their lives have improved remarkably.”

Safer in the Air

◆ Large and small U.S. airlines set a new safety record in 1980: 13 fatalities in one crash incident. The previous record low was in 1933, when 17 were killed. The year 1980 also was the first full calendar year during which no fatal crash of a large passenger jet occurred. Yet enough passenger miles were covered to fly everyone in the United States on a trip of over 1,000 miles.

Can You Read the Future?

It can really be done. The future can be an open book, if you have the key. The Watchtower and Awake! can help you to find it.

Read these magazines regularly, and learn why we can be confident that a better world is at hand. Send only $5 and you will receive both magazines (four copies a month) for one year.

Please send a year’s subscription for The Watchtower and Awake! I enclose $5 (U.S.). For mailing this coupon I am to receive free six booklets.

A Bible for Only $2.50

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

The “New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures,” the complete Bible, is printed in clear, legible type. It makes the Bible come alive in easy-to-understand modern-day language. Yet it faithfully adheres to the original-language Bible text.

It has over 1,400 pages and a hard cover. Complete with concordance, appendix and maps, it is available in seven languages​—Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.

Other Bibles available for just $2.50:

Authorized (King James) Version. It has marginal references, maps and a concordance of key Bible words. Handsomely bound in maroon leatherette. Size: 7 5/16ʺ × 4 7/8ʺ × 1 1/8ʺ. In English only.

American Standard Version. It has valuable footnotes, a 95-page cyclopedic concordance and four maps. Bound in light-brown leatherette, it measures 7 3/8ʺ × 5 1/8ʺ × 1 3/8ʺ. In English only.

Please send me, postpaid, the following Bible(s) that I have checked. I enclose $‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ (U.S.):

American Standard Version ◻

Authorized (King James) Version ◻

Also send the free booklet Is There a God Who Cares?