June 8

Page Two

Nazism and Hitler’s Third Reich have left an unenviable mark on modern history. How could such a thing happen? Could it happen again? The following articles will help to answer these questions and show how one can avoid falling victim to evil political systems

Hitler​—Gone but Not Forgotten 3

How Did It Happen? 4

Could It Happen Again? 6

Nazism Rejected​—By Whom? 8

What Nazism Meant 10

Hitler​—Gone but Not Forgotten

FRIDAY, September 26, 1980, had been warm and sunny in southern Germany. By about 10:15 p.m., however, there was a chill in the air. Crowds of people were spilling out of the enormous beer tents at Munich’s famous Oktoberfest and were heading for the exits. Suddenly there was a tremendous flash of light near one of the main gates, and a gigantic explosion ripped the air, leaving over 200 persons injured and 13 dead.

Investigation later revealed that the person responsible for this terrorist attack had neo-Nazi connections. Just eight weeks earlier, a similar right-wing attack had taken over 80 lives in Bologna, Italy, when a train station was bombed. And during the same period, France was experiencing its most severe wave of anti-Semitic violence since World War II.

To most people, Nazism (or neo-Nazism) and Hitler are almost synonymous. So events like these have kept Hitler alive over the years, at least in the news media. And these new Nazi atrocities have been taking place before the old ones have even been forgotten. In fact, the German newspaper Nürnberger Nachrichten points out that as of December 1983, a staff of 35, including 10 judges and public prosecutors, was “still busy collecting, collating, evaluating and referring to the courts all available material on Nazi crimes [committed during the Hitler era].” It added that “129 cases are still pending, while over 1,700 trials are still in progress.”

All of that may go largely unnoticed by the general public. But other events have been quite effective in reviving the memories of Nazism that millions of people have tried to forget. Consider, for example, Holocaust​—a television program of a few years ago—​or the sensational report in 1983 that a popular German magazine had obtained copies of Hitler’s personal diaries. That news, greeted by some with skepticism, became notorious when the diaries were found to be fakes. One German, clearly disgusted as well as frustrated, asked: “Will Hitler never stop making fools of us?”

No wonder that Canada’s Toronto Star noted: “We continue to be horrified but at the same time fascinated and even mesmerized by both the Fuhrer and the state he led.” This seems to be the case because, according to a German source, “the flood of published work on the Third Reich seems to be increasing as the period recedes into the past. Over 20,000 publications have appeared, and even experts cannot hope to have heard of them all.”

Why this global fascination with Hitler and his Third Reich? Could it, together with the neo-Nazi groups that the magazine Der Spiegel said are becoming “increasingly militant,” be the harbinger of history repeating itself? Some neo-Nazi publications boast: “We are not the leftovers of yesterday but the vanguard of tomorrow.” Not without reason, then, and not without cause are some people asking: ‘Nazism​—could it happen again?’

How Did It Happen?

“HOW was it possible for such a barbaric regime as the Nazi Third Reich to gain power in one of the most economically advanced and culturally sophisticated countries in the world?” This thought-provoking question was posed by historian J. Noakes, writing in the magazine History Today. It can perhaps be answered with a little background information.

The Nazi Party was not founded by Adolf Hitler. In 1919 Anton Drexler, a Munich locksmith, founded the Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (German Workers’ Party). A year later its name was changed to Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (National Socialist German Workers’ Party), and in 1921 Hitler became its leader. Drexler later withdrew from the party out of opposition to Hitler. The word “Nazi” was derived from the first word of the party name.

In 1923 Hitler and the party failed in an attempt to overthrow the government and Hitler was imprisoned. During that time he wrote his book Mein Kampf (My Struggle). In it he set out the party’s main goals and teachings, calling its supreme goal “the nationalization of the masses.” In order to reach this goal, he declared that “no social sacrifice is too great.” The State must prove itself to be “the defender of a thousand-year future,” he wrote.

At first, Hitler and his party were not taken seriously. His bombastic style of speaking led German writer Kurt Tucholsky to say at the time: “The man does not exist; he is only the noise that he generates.” Tucholsky no doubt spoke for many. But the man did exist, and he was due to generate much more than noise.

Factors in Nazi Takeover

The Germans were disillusioned after their defeat in World War I. They viewed the heavy sanctions imposed upon them by the Treaty of Versailles as being overly burdensome and unjust. Strong political leadership was lacking. The economic situation worsened from week to week. A global depression helped put millions out of work. A heavy atmosphere of despair and a feeling of insecurity stifled the joy of living.

Through a skillful propaganda campaign, the Nazi movement succeeded in forming the masses into a willing instrument to carry out its political goals. Its grandiose promises concerning the future appealed to the nation. It exploited for its own purposes the fear the populace had of communism. It provided Prussian militarism with a new outlet. The party offered young people excitement, adventure, comradeship, and the heady feeling of personal involvement in the rebirth of a mightier German nation.

Only six years after coming to power, Hitler, in a speech delivered on April 28, 1939, spoke about his successes. These included restoring order, increasing production, putting an end to unemployment, and casting off the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles. He then added: “The provinces of which we were robbed in 1919 I have given back to the Reich . . . I have restored the thousand-year historical unity of the German people and I have . . . achieved this without the shedding of blood and therefore without subjecting my people or others to the miseries of war.”

Sebastian Haffner, in his book Anmerkungen zu Hitler (Remarks About Hitler), explains that for the Germans “Hitler was a wonder​—‘someone sent by God.’” Thus Hitler’s successes, plus clever propaganda, allowed the Nazi Party to gain such control over the people that the movement began taking on religious overtones. Support of the party’s goals soon became a “sacred” duty.

This helps us to understand better what William L. Shirer wrote in his book The Nightmare Years: “The frenzy of the crowds fascinated me even more than my first glimpse of the dictator . . . When he appeared on the balcony for a moment and waved, they went mad. Several women swooned. Some, men and women, were trampled as the crowd surged to get a closer look at their messiah. For such he appeared to be to them.”

[Blurb on page 5]

The Nazis formed the masses into a willing instrument

[Picture on page 5]

For many, Hitler was “sent by God,” says a German writer

Could It Happen Again?

EXACT figures as to the total number of neo-Nazis in Germany today are difficult to come by. However, an agency monitoring political extremism in the Federal Republic estimates that there may well be over 20,000 members of what it calls extreme right-wing organizations. These are divided into many groups, few of which have a membership reaching the hundreds.

This would seem to speak against a powerful resurgence of Nazism, for what would Nazism be without a Hitlerlike leader capable of uniting all these differing factions under his leadership? Until now, no such new political messiah has arisen, not even Michael Kühnen, who is one of Germany’s more noted neo-Nazis. Kühnen was described by another neo-Nazi as “the Führer Adolf Hitler’s right hand on earth.” And of Hitler he said: “The Führer is as holy to us as Jesus is to the Christians.”

Then, too, the circumstances in Germany today are quite unlike those of the pre-Hitler era. Unemployment is high but nothing like the 30 percent it reached in the early 1930’s. Inflation at present is modest compared to the 1920’s, when within two years an article went up in price from 35 marks to 1,200,400,000,000! Patriotism and militarism are today practically nonexistent. And the present German constitution contains safeguards against the reestablishment of a dictatorship.

Still, many feel that neo-Nazism must not be underestimated. Bonn University historian Karl-Dietrich Bracher warns: “In the 1920s too there was a situation in which only small groups existed, not a large organization.” And as terrorist attacks have shown in country after country, it takes only a few highly dedicated individuals to pose a danger far out of proportion to their numbers.

The Dangers Elsewhere

Early this year Kühnen was sentenced to over three years in prison for his neo-Nazi activities. Before being taken into custody, he reportedly had used his time, after fleeing Germany, “to polish up the radical right” in Switzerland. A Swiss newspaper reports: “With satisfaction he could perceive that here in this country his ideology ‘is being most capably represented by several groups.’”

Also, Hitler’s homeland, Austria, which he incorporated into his Third Reich in March of 1938, is not without such groups. Some older Austrians look back with a certain longing to that period in history when the Nazis ruled their country. Such older ones are upset over today’s promiscuous youths with their sloppy clothing and drug culture, and the older ones are prone to complain that “such a thing could never have happened under Hitler.” They may even reminisce about the Hitler days when “you could walk the streets at night without fear.” Some may choose to overlook the regime’s excesses and declare: “What we need today is just a little Hitler.”

But neo-Nazism is to be found in places other than Europe. According to a Frankfurter Rundschau report, almost 10,000 Nazis escaped to various South American countries at the end of World War II. Could they pose a threat? About the danger of a resurgence of Nazism in Paraguay, the magazine ABC revista published a series of interviews with prominent authorities. It quoted Doctor of Law Jaime S. Edan as having said that “Nazism is alive but lying dormant.” A noted politician agreed, saying: “National Socialism has not died.”

And what about Nazism in the United States? The founder of the American Nazi Party, George Lincoln Rockwell, was assassinated in 1967. But his ideology still exists in a number of neo-Nazi groups. Ten years after Rockwell’s death, Time magazine pointed out that although “the whole Nazi cult is politically impotent and dwindling in numbers, its potential for stirring hatred and creating violence remains high.”

So Could It Happen Again?

Speaking of neo-Nazism in Germany, the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung concluded: “In view of Germany’s historical background and the criminal Nazi regime, right-wing activities may not present an acute danger, but in any case they are a disgrace.” And the newspaper Die Zeit was even more definite in declaring: “A revival of the Nazi movement in West Germany is an absurd notion, primarily because the circumstances that paved the way for the rise of Nazism no longer exist.”

Thus the danger of a “little” Hitler​—or a “big” one, for that matter—​arising to restore Nazism to the position it had under Hitler seems at the moment quite remote. A 17-year-old German student asserts: “We have been sufficiently warned. We will see to it that such a thing never happens again.”

Perhaps it never will. But Nazism has no monopoly on oppression or on ruthlessness. And time has shown that Hitler was not the world’s last dictator. As people continue experimenting with various kinds of governments, oppressive regimes arise. How can we guard against falling victim to them? An answer can be found by once again casting a glance at Hitler’s Third Reich.

[Blurb on page 6]

A neo-Nazi said, Hitler “is as holy to us as Jesus is to the Christians”

[Blurb on page 7]

Nazism has no monopoly on oppression

Nazism Rejected​—By Whom?

“HEIL Hitler!” was the required form of greeting during Hitler’s Third Reich. But, according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, many people “combined mythical, even religious, conceptions with the person of the Führer.” Thus the greeting took on a meaning far beyond that of the respect properly shown a ruler.​—See Romans 13:7.

Also, Hitler boasted that “the National Socialist Reich will endure a thousand years.” He thereby put himself into competition with the Messiah about whom the Bible speaks, for Jesus Christ had promised a government that would rule the earth for a thousand years.​—See Revelation 20:4, 6.

In Hitler’s police state it was dangerous to express disagreement with Nazi goals publicly. Only when the regime’s policies and excesses became apparent, and especially when it became obvious that the war was lost, did disagreement turn into opposition.

That opposition climaxed on July 20, 1944, with an attempt on Hitler’s life. Some of those involved had originally sympathized with Nazism or had actively supported it. Exactly 40 years later, on July 20, 1984, Hitler was once again thrust into the headlines when the chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany spoke at a ceremony honoring those executed or otherwise victimized after the unsuccessful assassination attempt.

What About Clergy Opposition?

What about the religious leaders in Germany at that time? Did they oppose Hitler and Nazism? What was the attitude of the Catholic clergy? Regarding Catholic Bishop Konrad Graf Preysing of Berlin, newspaperman Klaus Scholder explains: “Graf Preysing, at that time still bishop in Eichstätt, was one of the very few who, from its very beginning, saw in the Third Reich a disastrous and criminal regime.” (Italics ours.) His opposition was open. But others in the German Conference of Catholic Bishops, including its president, cardinal Bertram, were unwilling to speak out against Nazism. Instead, they gave it their support. Thus, Scholder continues: “In retrospect, a person may find this loyalty [to Hitler and Nazism] unexplainable, yes, even intolerable.”

Among Protestants, pastor Martin Niemöller is often pointed to as a staunch opponent of the Nazi regime. But author H. S. Brebeck says that “the single question separating him from Hitler’s political goals was: ‘Who governs the Church? The Church itself or the Party?’ Politically, however, his support was without reservation.” On the occasion of Niemöller’s death in 1984, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung commented: “Like almost all Protestant leaders in Germany, he originally welcomed the German rebirth yearned for under Hitler’s leadership.”

Equally enlightening is a report by the Deutsches Allgemeines Sonntagsblatt (reprinted in English in The German Tribune) about the conference of the European Baptists Federation held in Hamburg, Germany, in 1984. It states: “For the first time words of clarification were spoken on the behaviour of the Baptist Church during the Third Reich. Up to now, the parishes had been unwilling to tackle this sensitive problem. At the congress, however, the head of the national section had a ‘confession’ to make . . . : ‘We did not publicly join in the struggle [against Nazism] . . . and thus failed to unambiguously resist the violations of God’s commandments. We are ashamed that our German section succumbed to the ideological temptation of the day and did not demonstrate greater courage to fight for truth and justice.’”

The facts prove that only a small minority of clergymen came out in rejection of Hitler’s regime. And even those who did were usually motivated by disillusionment or by ecclesiastical politics rather than by purely Biblical reasons. The truth is that the majority of them saw no contradiction in trying to adhere to the Messiahship of Jesus Christ on the one hand and shouting “Heil” to a counterfeit political messiah and his “thousand-year reign” on the other. The miserable, ungodly, and unscriptural example they gave was followed by their parishioners​—to their common sorrow.​—Compare Matthew 15:14.

Those Who Did Not Compromise

However, there was one group in Germany that courageously championed Christian principles. That group was Jehovah’s Witnesses. Unlike the clergy and their followers, the Witnesses refused to compromise with Hitler and the Nazis. They refused to violate God’s commandments. They would not break their Christian neutrality in political affairs. (See Isaiah 2:2-4; John 17:16; James 4:4.) They did not attribute Heil, or salvation, to Hitler, as did the overwhelming majority of the clergy and their flocks.

Instead, Jehovah’s Witnesses joined with the apostle Peter in saying of Jesus Christ: “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; see also Psalm 118:8, 9; 146:3.) None of them bloodied their hands in military action for Hitler, since they refused to serve in his armed forces.​—John 13:35; 1 John 3:10-12.

Because of their uncompromising stand against Hitler and Nazism, Jehovah’s Witnesses were persecuted and sent by the thousands to the concentration camps. Their strong faith and integrity in the face of inhuman brutality is commented on by Anna Pawełczyńska, Polish sociologist and survivor of the infamous Auschwitz death camp. Writing in her book Values and Violence in Auschwitz, she stated that Jehovah’s Witnesses were “a solid ideological force and they won their battle against Nazism.” She called them an “island of unflagging resistance existing in the bosom of a terrorized nation.” She added: “In that same undismayed spirit they functioned in the camp at Auschwitz. They managed to win the respect of their fellow-prisoners . . . , of prisoner-functionaries, and even of the SS officers. Everyone knew that no Jehovah’s Witness would perform a command contrary to his religious belief and convictions.” She concluded: “Jehovah’s Witnesses waged passive resistance for their belief, which opposed all war and violence.”

No, Jehovah’s Witnesses did not compromise with Hitler and his Third Reich. They did not put their trust and hope in Nazism or in any other political system of this world. They rejected man-rule for something better. Thus, unlike the clergy and their followers, they did not become the spiritual victims of Nazism.

Something Far Better

Likewise today, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not put their trust and hope in political ideologies of any kind. They reject these ideologies for something far better that God has promised: a government of his making that will usher in a righteous new system, one that will solve all mankind’s problems. That one government for all the earth is God’s Kingdom, already established in the heavens under his Messiah, Christ Jesus.​—Matthew 6:9, 10; 2 Peter 3:13.

On February 1, 1933, Hitler delivered his first radio address. Boasting about how he would change Germany, he concluded by appealing to his listeners to give him and his party time and then judge them by the results. Twelve years later, his “thousand-year reign” ended in disgrace. Judgment had been passed against his rule: It was a disaster, for by the end of the war it had left his people, his country, and the world deeply scarred, almost beyond recognition.

How different from the Thousand Year Reign of the Bible’s Messiah, Christ Jesus! At its end, humans and the earth​—when compared to their degenerate condition today—​will be hard to recognize. Read for yourself the description of it in the Bible at Revelation 21:4, 5. Then picture in your mind perfect people enjoying life to the full on a paradise earth, completely free from any terrorist attack, war, hurtful ideology, or anything else that could mar their happiness! Then realize that you, too, can be one of those in that wonderful scene!​—Isaiah 35:1-7; 65:17-25; 1 John 2:17.

[Blurb on page 9]

Most Catholic and Protestant clergymen were unwilling to speak out against Nazism

[Blurb on page 12]

The true Thousand Year Reign will be by God’s Kingdom

[Pictures on page 9]

The clergy bloodied their hands in support of Hitler

[Pictures on page 11]

Thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses (including Johannes Harms, shown above) were sent to concentration camps for not compromising with Nazism, and many died, as evidenced by this death certificate

Chief Attorney of the Reich’s Military Court

Johannes Harms . . . was on 11/7/1940 tried by the Military Court of the Reich for demoralization of the Armed Forces and sentenced to death . . . The sentence was executed on 1/8/1941.

Seal of the Military Court of the Reich

What Nazism Meant

In his book The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, William L. Shirer shows what Nazism meant to conquered lands: plunder, exploitation​—and worse. Among other things, Shirer stated: “The Jews and the Slavic peoples were the Untermenschen​—subhumans. To Hitler they had no right to live, except as some of them, among the Slavs, might be needed to toil in the fields and the mines as slaves . . . The culture of the Russians and Poles and other Slavs was to be stamped out and formal education denied them.”

After mentioning the enormous material plunder the Nazis took from occupied lands, Shirer commented that “it was [for] the plunder not of material goods but of human lives” that the mercifully short-lived Nazi regime would be longest remembered. He said: “Here Nazi degradation sank to a level seldom experienced by man in all his time on earth. Millions of decent, innocent men and women were driven into forced labor, millions more tortured and tormented in the concentration camps and millions more still . . . were massacred in cold blood or deliberately starved to death.” Shirer concludes: “This incredible story of horror would be unbelievable were it not fully documented and testified to by the perpetrators themselves.” Of course, the victims, too, have fully documented and testified to the horrors.

Accurately the Bible says of human rule: “Man has dominated man to his injury.” Also: “It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step. Correct me, O Jehovah.” Thus the Bible counsels: “Do not put your trust in nobles, nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs.”​—Ecclesiastes 8:9; Jeremiah 10:23, 24; Psalm 146:3.

Young People Ask . . .

Can a Boy and a Girl ‘Just Be Friends’?

SCOTT and Kelly say that they are not romantically involved. Yet Kelly, a teenage girl, says: ‘Scott definitely is my best friend​—the person I choose to spend my time with and the one I confide in. I tell him things that are important to me.’

Male-female friendships are not at all uncommon. Seventeen magazine conducted a recent survey in which 65 percent of the teenage girls polled said that they had male friends. In fact, a group of 625 teenagers in another survey considered “having friendships with members of the opposite sex” more important than “being very romantically involved with someone.”

Why, though, are opposite-sex friendships in vogue? Observes the book Adolescence: “Throughout the early stages of adolescence, boys and girls are more likely to choose friends of their own sex. But as they feel more secure with the bodily changes brought about by sexual maturation, they choose friends of both sexes.”

Some youths, however, go beyond learning to be friendly and comfortable with the opposite sex. They develop close friendships with the opposite sex​—relationships that they often claim are merely “platonic.”a Why is this? Claims 17-year-old Gregory: “It’s easier for me to talk to girls because they’re usually more sympathetic and sensitive. If they see a weakness in you, they don’t run you into the ground.” Seventeen-year-old Cyndi similarly says about her male friend: “I can tell him everything. With a girl friend you can tell her things, but somehow everyone finds out about it.” Other youngsters claim that such friendships help them develop a more rounded-out personality.

But is the desire for a rounded-out personality or for a trusted confidant the primary force in boy-girl friendships?

“More Treacherous Than Anything”

Says the Bible at Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate. Who can know it?” Yes, it is often difficult really to understand our own feelings or know why we do certain things. So while youths may claim innocent motives for having close boy-girl friendships, it is evident that youths are often oblivious to their true motives for pursuing these relationships. “When I have problems,” confessed Birgit, a teenage girl, “I really want to cry on someone’s shoulder, someone who understands me in another way than my parents do, and someone with whom I can have physical contact.” “It’s important to have someone I can be close to,” said 17-year-old Scott. “It helps you to feel cared for,” admitted Debbie. And said one young man, ‘Everyone else has someone, and I feel alone.’

Many so-called friendships are therefore really disguised romances or ways to get attention from someone of the opposite sex without commitment.

But Is It Wrong to Have Friends?

Not necessarily. Proverbs 18:24 says that “there exist companions disposed to break one another to pieces, but there exists a friend sticking closer than a brother.” The Hebrew word here translated as “companions” can include a personal friend with whom one shares confidences and to whom one feels very close. No wonder that the Bible says: “A true companion is loving all the time, and is a brother that is born for when there is distress.”​—Proverbs 17:17.

But did God’s people in Bible times search for such companions among members of the opposite sex? Consider the daughter of Jephthah. When she was grieved because of a vow her father made, did she cry on the shoulder of some close male companion? To the contrary, she told her father: “Let me go . . . and let me weep . . . , I and my girl companions.” (Judges 11:37) Remember, too, Jesus’ parable of the lost drachma coin. With whom would the housewife who finally found it share her joy? Said Jesus: “And when she has found it she calls the women who are her friends.” (Luke 15:9) Likewise with King David. It was a man named Hushai that became known as “David’s companion.”​—2 Samuel 15:37.

This is not to say that friendships with the opposite sex were off limits. The apostle Paul, for example, was a single man who enjoyed a number of friendships with Christian women. (See Romans 16:1, 3, 6, 12.) In fact, when writing to the Philippians, he speaks of two “women who have striven side by side with me in the good news.” (Philippians 4:3) Jesus Christ also enjoyed balanced, wholesome relationships with the opposite sex. Says the Bible at John 11:5: “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister.” On numerous occasions he enjoyed the hospitality and conversation of these women.​—Luke 10:38, 39.

Nevertheless, can you picture Jesus taking long, romantic strolls with Mary or Martha? Not at all. Though there was genuine affection between Jesus and these women, their relationship was kept at a safe distance. Further, both Jesus and Paul were grown men, in control of their feelings and emotions. They were not vulnerable youths that needed someone to “hold their hand.”

“Fraught With Difficulties”

A book called The Challenge of Being Single claims: “Contrary to popular mythology, platonic friendships are indeed possible.” Of course, it is also “possible” to survive a plane crash. The question is, how practical or wise is it to cultivate a close companionship with someone of the opposite sex? Not very wise at all. One Soviet study observed that male-female friendships are “fraught with difficulties.” Why so?

For one thing, the sexual drive is a very potent force. As a young person, you are just learning to cope with it. So while sex may not seem a factor in a boy-girl friendship now, what about later? Interestingly, in the above study, youths were asked, “In your opinion is true friendship between boys and girls possible without being in love?” Seventy-five percent said yes. “With age, however,” noted the researchers, “doubts in this regard increase so that more than half of the [older males] answered negatively.” Perhaps some youths learned from experience the wisdom embodied in Proverbs 6:27: “Can a man rake together fire into his bosom and yet his very garments not be burned?”

For example, a youth named Wayne observes: “Some of the people I know have ‘going places’ partners. These are two young people that dance or look good together. They start off just being good friends, someone to confide in. But then they start spending more and more time together. People conclude that they are ‘going together,’ and eventually they are.” But “going together” when you are not ready to get married is a surefire way to get “burned.” It can arouse powerful emotions and desires that cannot be satisfied. The result? Frustration or fornication.

Other youths get “burned” when one-sided romantic feelings develop. The Bible tells of a young man named Amnon who fell “in love” with his half sister Tamar, but she did not feel the same way about him. Says the Bible: “And it was so distressing to Amnon that he felt sick on account of Tamar.” (2 Samuel 13:1, 2) True, there is no evidence that Tamar encouraged Amnon in any way. Nevertheless, would you want to be responsible for​—or want to experience—​such emotional turmoil? Too close a friendship with a person of the opposite sex leaves you wide open for disaster.

“Remove Vexation”

Solomon advised young people: “Remove vexation from your heart, and ward off calamity from your flesh.” (Ecclesiastes 11:10) Be friendly with ones of the opposite sex, but exercise due caution. Keep such relationships within reasonable limits. To do otherwise is to invite vexation.

But are there other dangers? And how is a youth to find true friendship? A future issue will explore these questions.

[Footnotes]

[Picture on page 14]

Jesus enjoyed friendships with women but was careful not to get involved romantically

[Picture on page 15]

So-called platonic relationships often end in heartbreak

A Productive Life Despite My Handicap

MY HUSBAND, Gary, and I were raised in Iowa, U.S.A. We were very young when we got married, not yet out of our teenage years. Naturally, like most young people, we felt that we had a good life ahead of us and were rather carefree about it. One evidence of this was that we both liked to ride motorcycles.

One day, as Gary and I were riding on the same motorcycle, we hit another vehicle. The accident was a very serious one. Gary was injured but recovered fully. However, my injury was far more severe. I broke my back.

The accident left me paralyzed from just below the arms down. Now I could get around only in a wheelchair. Yes, my entire life, as well as that of my husband and my son, changed in an instant.

Unanswered Questions

Even before my accident, I had great difficulty understanding questions such as: Why is there so much suffering? Why are there so many injustices in the world? I knew that religious leaders generally taught that God was in charge of this world and that what happened was according to his will. But this seemed to be saying that God is really responsible for injustice and suffering. Thus, I felt that if there was a God and all of that was true, then he would not get any of my worship. My handicap seemed only to reinforce that view.

Later, when I sent our son to a religious camp, I got to thinking even more about religious questions. And the more I thought about the meaning of life and about injustice and suffering, the more I felt that there probably was no God. So the best thing for us, it seemed, was not to have any religion at all. Thus Gary and I were practically atheists.

A Change in Thinking

After a few years, we moved to Colorado, to the mountains. When we got settled there, we discovered that our neighbor had moved in at about the same time that we did. Then I heard that she was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I felt that I could tell her a thing or two about religion, since I had spent so much time thinking, reading, and talking about the subject.

One day this neighbor came to visit me. I thought: ‘Now is the time. I’ll just give it to her on a few of her beliefs to show her how wrong she is.’ But when she came over, I found out that she was not yet one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. She was studying the Bible with them. So when I asked her a difficult question, she replied: ‘Oh, I’ve just started studying the Bible, and I don’t know the answer myself. But why don’t you come over when I have my study, and you can ask the Witnesses yourself?’

That’s just what I did. Soon I was telling Gary about the many things I was learning and how so many of my difficult questions were being answered. After a few months he began studying too.

It was thrilling for me to learn about God’s purpose to put an end to this present system of things that is so filled with wickedness and suffering and to replace it with a new system of things, including “a new earth,” as the Bible calls it. (2 Peter 3:13) I learned the Bible’s heartwarming promise: “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.”​—Psalm 37:29.

It was also very wonderful to me to learn this promise about the near future: “[God] 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.”​—Revelation 21:4.

Soon I could readily understand what Jesus meant when he said: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) For the first time in my life, I was freed from being in mental bondage to unanswered questions, doubts, false ideas, and from blaming God for wickedness and suffering. And I was freed from having no real hope for the future.

Included in the promise of a righteous New Order is what the prophet Isaiah said about the handicapped: “At that time the eyes of the blind ones will be opened, and the very ears of the deaf ones will be unstopped. At that time the lame one will climb up just as a stag does, and the tongue of the speechless one will cry out in gladness.”​—Isaiah 35:5, 6.

How that appeals to me! I long for the day when I can ‘climb as a stag does’!

What Could I Do?

When I went next door to attend the Bible study my neighbor was having, it was a challenge to wheel myself there. But my neighbor came to help. Also, I wanted to attend the meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses to take in more knowledge. In this I was aided greatly by others in the congregation.

At first, before Gary began to study, they came and took me in their cars. I used my arms to slide over onto the car seat, and then the driver or others put my wheelchair in the trunk of the car. When we got to the Kingdom Hall, they helped me to get back into the wheelchair.

Then we got a car that had special hand controls for driving. When Gary was working a night shift and could not go with me to the meeting, I used to get into the car and put the chair in behind me. Or my son would do it for me. In fact, he’s always been a great help with the chair, as has Gary. In this way I have been able to drive myself where I wanted to go.

As I attended meetings and learned more about our Creator and his purposes, I wanted to share those good things with others. The Witnesses regularly called on their neighbors to help them learn about the Bible, and I wanted to join in that upbuilding work. But how could I, when I was confined to a wheelchair? Well, I was determined that this was not going to stop me. Gary felt the same way I did, so we both began to participate in the ministry. He would accompany me to the homes of others, pushing me in the wheelchair.

Wanting to Do More

In 1967, Gary and I got baptized together, and the desire grew in us to become even more productive in helping others to learn what we had learned. Hundreds of thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses all over the earth engage in the full-time ministry. They make that their main occupation. I had that same desire. But with my handicap, I felt that it was not for me.

One day I was accompanied by a Witness who was in this full-time work. I said to him: “Oh, how I wish I could do this work full time just as you do!” He answered: “Then why don’t you?” I thought to myself: ‘Well, for obvious reasons!’ But he was just so positive about it!

Then, at a large assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Denver, a woman in a wheelchair gave her experience from the platform. She was able to engage in the full-time preaching work in spite of her handicap. I thought: ‘I can do it too, with God’s help!’ And I have​—for the past 14 years! For the last ten years Gary has been in the full-time work with me.

What has helped me immensely is the special van that we have. It is a regular-size van, but it has special controls designed by another handicapped Witness. It includes a lift that enables me to hoist myself up into the van. Then I move myself from my wheelchair over to the driver’s seat. Of course, when I’m with others and they drive, then all I have to do is stay in the wheelchair, and I can hoist myself in and out. The hoist is something like a trapeze bar that swings out from the van. I latch my chair on to it with hooks and then press a button “up” or “down.” In this way I have been able to go out and call regularly on people at their homes, and I am usually able to conduct a number of Bible studies.

Meeting the Challenges

In Colorado, and later in Idaho where we moved to, the winters were a real challenge, with freezing cold days and weeks. Eventually we were invited to move to Alaska where we are now. Talk about cold, ice, and snow​—for most of the year! Yet, all of that can be overcome.

For one thing, we put on extra clothing. Gary even bought me the traditional mukluks, which are very warm boots that are worn over wool socks. And with warm outerwear, I cope with the cold temperatures. In fact, the first month that we were in Alaska​—that was December—​the temperature averaged 30 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (-34° C.)! Nevertheless, we had a very productive month in the ministry.

I’m not saying that all of this is easy. On ice, especially, the traction of my wheelchair is not good. I recall when I was on an embankment talking to a person about the Bible, and my wheelchair began to slide. Down the embankment I went! I came to a sudden stop at the bottom and fell out on my hands and knees with the wheelchair coming over on top of me! But I was helped to get back up, and there was no damage. However, in Anchorage, on the city sidewalks, it is much easier than it was in the mountains of Colorado and Idaho.

Rewarding Years

Often I am asked what motivates me to continue calling on others in spite of my handicap. For one thing, all these years of effort have been very rewarding. My husband and I have met and assisted many people to know the Creator and his will.

Also, I’ve been very gratified to see the number of people who have been encouraged to do more in their own lives when they see what I have been able to do with this handicap. That, in turn, encourages me even more.

Yet, I would have to say that the main thing that keeps me going is my love for God. Anything other than that would be the wrong reason. Before I had any accurate knowledge of God, I tended to blame him for all the suffering on earth. But after learning the truth about the Creator, I wanted to praise him. And the more I have done this, and helped others to do the same, the closer I have been drawn to God. So I don’t ever want to give up my main purpose in life. It’s a real privilege. Too, when I’m busy helping others, I don’t have much time for self-pity!

Keeping the Right Attitude

I know that it is very important for me to keep the right attitude toward what I do and toward the hope for the future. As of now, I am able to continue my work of helping others from my wheelchair. But I will have to admit that my condition has deteriorated somewhat. That often happens to wheelchair victims.

Yet, if the time comes when I become more confined, I’ll still do what I can. Other Witnesses who are unable to get out at all help people by telephone or by letter writing. At times, Bible students come to their homes for study. Maybe someday I will have to do that. But as long as I am able, I’m going to talk face to face with people in their own homes. That’s what I really love.

No matter what the immediate future brings, I know that in God’s New Order I’ll be physically sound. Then I’ll be able to do much more. In fact, I’m looking forward very much to that wonderful time the Bible speaks about when it says that “there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Acts 24:15) Think of all the people who will come back from the dead and have to be taught about God and his purposes! I surely want to have a share in that, with a body that is whole.

No, don’t feel sorry for me! I’ve had a very productive and enjoyable life. And I look forward to having a far more productive and enjoyable life soon when God begins the restoration of Paradise here on earth. (Luke 23:43)​—As told by Harriet Beckwith.

[Blurb on page 18]

“I thought: ‘I can do it too, with God’s help!’”

[Blurb on page 19]

“When I’m busy helping others, I don’t have much time for self-pity!”

[Picture on page 17]

Harriet and her specially adapted van

Who Said It Was an Apple?

The Hebrew word tap·puʹach, commonly translated “apple,” appears a number of times in the Bible. But it is not used in describing “the tree of the knowledge of good and bad.” (Genesis 2:9, 17; 3:6) Where, then, did the tradition that the apple was the forbidden fruit come from?

According to Plants of the Bible, by H. N. Moldenke, this idea was “due, no doubt, to the influence of Medieval and Renaissance artists who so depicted it.” For example, about the famous painting The Garden of Paradise by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), now in the Hague Gallery, Moldenke observed: “The fruit on the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, with the serpent coiling among its branches, seems definitely to be apples. This painting is probably one of those to which we owe the presently widely held misconception that the apple is a Bible plant.”

Regarding the painting Adam and Eve (see above) by the German court painter Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553), in which the apple is depicted, Moldenke commented that the Renaissance painters “loved retaining their right to rely on their imagination when they chose.” Other artists of the time, such as Tintoretto and Titian, did the same in their paintings on the same theme.

Probably among the first to put the idea down in writing, however, was the famous English poet John Milton. In his Paradise Lost (1667), Milton wrote of the temptation of Eve by the serpent:

“On a day, roving the field, I climbed

A goodly tree far distant to behold,

Loaden with fruit of fairest colours mixed,

Ruddy and gold. . . .

To satisfy the sharp desire I had

Of tasting those fair Apples, I resolved

Not to defer; hunger and thirst at once—

Powerful persuaders​—quickened at the scent

Of that alluring fruit, urged me so keen.”

Thus, not from God’s Word, the Bible, but from the fanciful, yet misguided, imagination of artists and poets has come one of the most popular myths of Christendom. What was the fruit? The Bible simply does not say, for the vital point is not the fruit but man’s disobedience.​—Romans 5:12.

Crossword Puzzle

Clues Across

2. Mentioned only by Luke, it was a region administered by the Roman ruler Philip (Luke 3:1)

8. Father of Shimei, one of Solomon’s 12 food-supplying deputies (1 Kings 4:7, 18)

9. The king of Assyria who entered Palestine and received tribute from wicked King Menahem (2 Kings 15:19)

10. The first in order of the so-called minor prophets in common English Bibles [3 words] (Romans 9:25)

11. A division of a Bible chapter

14. Joshua’s father (Joshua 1:1)

15. Gems (Numbers 31:51)

16. A city conquered by the Assyrians (2 Kings 19:13)

18. A long narrative poem

20. Where Nehemiah served as royal cupbearer to Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 1:1, 11)

23. Wither (Psalm 37:2)

24. One of four things that have not said: “Enough!” (Proverbs 30:15, 16)

25. A prophet, contemporary with Jeremiah, who fled to Egypt in fear (Jeremiah 26:20-23)

27. To deprive of something due (Malachi 3:8)

29. Begin (1 Peter 4:17)

31. He loyally supported Paul, not being ashamed of Paul’s prison bonds (2 Timothy 1:16-18)

32. Part of selfishness (Philippians 2:3)

33. Female sheep (Isaiah 53:7)

34. Handwritten copies

Clues Down

1. Commanding our deep respect, this expression connotes God’s power [3 words] (Isaiah 1:24)

2. The mountain where Barak and his men annihilated Sisera’s forces (Judges 4:12-16)

3. Only (Luke 4:8)

4. Colorful bird with unclean habits (Leviticus 11:13, 19)

5. To ascertain the flavor of (Job 12:11)

6. Believed to be ancient Tarshish (Romans 15:28)

7. Brought forth during fifth creative day [2 words] (Genesis 1:20)

12. It will give up its dead (Revelation 20:13)

13. A measure equal to one third of an ephah (Genesis 18:6)

15. Shortened form of the name Jehovah (Psalm 104:35)

17. What you do when you are sleepy (Matthew 25:5)

19. Twenty-first letter of the Greek alphabet

21. Used together with the Thummim (Ezra 2:63)

22. A tree said to contribute to the “glory of Lebanon” (Isaiah 60:13)

24. Used metaphorically for the best part (Genesis 45:18)

25. Out of sight (Genesis 31:49)

26. A strong basis (Hebrews 6:19)

28. Youthful freshness (1 Corinthians 7:36)

29. Take off (Colossians 3:9)

30. Nebuchadnezzar dwelt with these when he lost his sanity (Daniel 5:18, 20, 21)

CROSSWORD SOLUTIONS PAGE 27

Answers Across

2. TRACHONITIS

8. ELA

9. PUL

10. BOOK OF HOSEA

11. VERSE

14. NUN

15. JEWELS

16. HENA

18. EPIC

20. SHUSHAN

23. FADE

24. FIRE

25. URIJAH

27. ROB

29. START

31. ONESIPHORUS

32. EGO

33. EWE

34. MANUSCRIPTS

Answers Down

1. JEHOVAH OF ARMIES

2. TABOR

3. ALONE

4. HOOPOE

5. TASTES

6. SPAIN

7. FLYING CREATURES

12. SEA

13. SE

15. JAH

17. NOD

19. PHI

21. URIM

22. ASH

24. FAT

25. UNSEEN

26. ANCHOR

28. BLOOM

29. STRIP

30. ASSES

Quebec’s Sweet Treat

By “Awake!” correspondent in Canada

IT’S a mild, sunny morning in early spring as we tramp along an old logging trail. Under our feet the earth is still partially frozen and covered with patches of snow. Along the way to the cabane à sucre (sugarhouse), we notice numerous shining tin buckets, loaded with maple sap, dangling against the gray bark of stately trees. It isn’t long before we see smoke and steam ascending through the leafless branches. The air becomes filled with the unforgettable aroma of maple syrup mixed with that of burning wood, and our mouths water.

As we approach the sugarhouse, we are greeted by Henri, whose swarthy face is covered with one big smile. “You’re just in time,” Henri tells us. “Come with me as I bring in another load of maple sap,” he says. “Then I’ll have you savor a fresh batch of new maple syrup and other sweets.”

Collecting the Sap

The trail takes us farther into the sugar bush where the dignified stature of the bare maples impresses us. Why, some are as tall as 130 feet (40 m) with a diameter of 5 feet (1.5 m)! Henri, noting our gaze at the trees, says: “Although there are more than a hundred species of maple trees growing in North America, China, and Japan, maple syrup is made almost exclusively in the eastern part of the United States and Canada. Of the 13 species in North America, only 3 give superior quality syrup.”

We notice that certain maples have several buckets hanging on them, while others have none at all. We ask Henri why. “One tap is made for every eight inches (20 cm) in diameter,” he says, directing our attention to the size of the trees. “Those under eight inches in diameter are not tapped on this farm.”

“To collect the sap,” he continues, “I drill small holes a few feet above the base of the trunk, about one or two inches (3-5 cm) deep. Then I insert plastic spouts in the holes to allow the sap to drip into the buckets.”

“Do the bored holes damage the trees?” we ask. “Not if they’re tapped properly,” he quickly responds. “Most sugar makers are very conscious of taking good care of their groves, because it takes from 35 to 40 years before the maple can be tapped. After that, with proper care, the maple can produce sap for over a hundred years.”

As we arrive at a nearby brook, Henri hands us a large pail and snowshoes, and says: “Help me empty the sap from the buckets hanging on those trees into these large containers I have fastened to the sleighs behind my tractor.”

We are amazed! Henri moves swiftly and quietly over the soft spring snow, collecting the sap. But as we endeavor to keep up with him, we noisily stumble along, trying not to trip. It’s not easy to walk with a contraption that looks like a tennis racket strapped to each of your feet.

With buckets filled to the brim with what looks like water, we anxiously taste it to see how sweet it is. To our surprise, it is bland. Noticing our disappointed expressions, Henri chuckles: “The sap is 97.5 percent water and only 2.5 percent sugar and minerals.”

“What causes the sap to flow?”

“The weather,” Henri begins his answer. “For the sap to start running, nights must be below freezing, followed by warm and sunny days with temperatures from 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit (4-7° C.). This unique, short time period occurs anywhere between the last week of February and the middle or end of April. Storms, direction and temperature of winds, and frost in the ground are also major factors controlling yield.”

Background of Syrup Making

As we relax in the warm sunshine with birds chirping in the background, we ask Henri how and when maple-syrup making got started. “The American Indians discovered how to use maple syrup,” he tells us, “just as they did sweet potatoes and corn.”

Now he gives us a little history lesson. “Early French and English explorers wrote of the ‘sweet water’ that the Indians drew from trees and heated to make syrup. The Indians used a tomahawk to slash a ‘V’ in the trunk of the maple,” he says gesturing with his hand in a slashing motion, “and then they collected the sap in bark or wood containers and boiled it down in clay pots. Though crude by today’s standards, that procedure for making syrup has really not changed over the years.”

Now, sounding more like a history professor than a sugar maker, Henri continues: “The sugar industry in Quebec started around 1705, with the first official sugar maker. Now it is an important industry bringing in between $30 million and $37 million (Canadian) yearly to its 9,000 producers in Quebec.”

Our curiosity stirred, we ask: “How much of the world’s maple sugar comes from Quebec?”

Henri pauses in thought before responding. “Quebec is responsible for about 90 percent of the total Canadian production and more than 70 percent of the world’s. The rest is supplied by the northeastern states, notably Vermont.”

Return to the Sugarhouse

It’s time to return to the sugarhouse. On our arrival, the sap we collected is emptied into a large metal storage tank. Now we are ready to witness the most important part of sugaring​—boiling the sap into syrup.

Entering the cabin, we see a rectangular, shallow pan called an evaporator. It occupies most of the room. Underneath the pan sits the furnace, its roaring wood fire being stoked by one of the helpers. The sap enters the evaporator, and as it flows through the length of the pan, the water slowly evaporates and the sugar becomes concentrated.

“How much sap is needed to make syrup?” we wonder out loud.

Henri’s answer surprises us. “It takes as much as 40 gallons (150 L) of sap to make just one gallon (4 L) of syrup!”

“How does it turn into syrup?” is our next question.

“When the temperature of the sap reaches 219 degrees Fahrenheit (104° C.), it becomes maple syrup containing 66 percent sugar. The syrup is then drawn off, filtered, and canned while still hot.”

“Moreover,” he continues in a cautious tone, “it must be canned at a proper temperature: not hot enough, it spoils; too hot, the syrup crystallizes. The finished product, though, can be stored for years. However, once a container is opened, the syrup must be refrigerated to prevent spoiling.”

Another question pops out: “What type of syrup is the best?”

“Though many prefer a darker, stronger syrup, the lighter-colored variety is considered to be the best quality. This delicate-tasting type is rated ‘fancy’ or ‘extra clear.’ The darker the color, the lower the value. Consequently, the dark, or ‘commercial,’ syrup is used mainly for sugar and candy.”

We are puzzled. Why different colors? “Several factors are involved,” Henri patiently explains. “The finest sap comes from the early flow. If it stays in the evaporator too long, it darkens; thus, the speed, skill, and technique of the sugar maker is important. Occasionally, bacteria, which are destroyed by boiling, will also darken the syrup.”

Tasting Syrup Treats

Now comes the delightful part of sugar making​—tasting! Henri heats some of the syrup to 240 degrees Fahrenheit (116° C.). Next he pours it onto some clean, hard-packed snow. Almost immediately it hardens to a taffylike consistency. “Roll it up with those wooden spatulas and lick it like a lollipop,” Henri instructs. We are also tempted with creamy maple butter and soft maple sugar, which are made at a slightly lower temperature.

We begin dreaming of other ways to enjoy maple syrup. Syrup by itself is delightful with crepes, waffles, and pancakes. It can also be used on fruits, yogurt, ice cream, and baked beans, and as a glaze on ham and chicken. Many enjoy eggs lightly poached in maple syrup. “Most sugar farmers,” says Henri, “put syrup on just about everything! And once the sap starts running, we have sugaring-off meals and parties, with fiddle and accordion music accompanying our dancing, sipping, and sapping.”

“After many years of making syrup, I am still impressed by God’s provision of the beautiful maple,” Henri says. “To me the maple’s versatility in furnishing shade in summer, high quality lumber, and especially delightful sweet treats is evidence of Jehovah God’s wisdom and generosity.”

[Blurb on page 23]

“The American Indians discovered how to use maple syrup, just as they did sweet potatoes and corn”

[Blurb on page 24]

“It takes as much as 40 gallons of sap to make just one gallon of syrup!”

Gilead Missionary School​—‘Making Our Steps Ready’

THEY are from six different countries and various backgrounds. Among them are former carpenters, engineers, schoolteachers, commercial artists, musicians, truck drivers, and even a plumber. Yet, they have a common goal: to preach the “good news of the kingdom” in a foreign land.​—Matthew 24:14.

This goal brought them together for five months of intensive Bible study and training at the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead located in Brooklyn, New York. And their schooling culminated in delightful graduation exercises on March 3, 1985.

Leaving their accustomed way of life in their homelands in order to preach the “good news” to people in foreign lands obviously required major adjustments. Imagine some of the sacrifices these future missionaries are making: leaving family and friends, learning a new language, and getting acclimatized to a new country, a new home, and different foods. Not small changes!

But can five months of instruction really equip them for such an abrupt shift in life-style? What do the students think about it?

“Ready to Go”

Cindy, assigned with her husband to Zaire, Africa, feels she is more prepared now than ever before. “I’ve wanted to be a missionary ever since I was a little girl. After being with the other students for five months, I’m really ready to go.” David and Charmaine, assigned to Ecuador, similarly expressed, “We feel that now we will better be able to blend with the different customs and life-styles in our assignment.”

The training, of course, is designed specifically with this in mind. The curriculum includes (1) four Scripture study courses covering the entire Bible, chapter by chapter, (2) a course entitled Theocratic Organization, and (3) a course called Missionary Service.

Missionary Service is a practical course in how to view a foreign assignment realistically. One student, Glen, noted: “I found the Missionary Service course particularly helpful. It made me repeatedly search my motive and ask myself, ‘Why am I here?’” He and his wife, Gaylene, now feel qualified for their assignment in Papua New Guinea.

Another student, Pam, appreciated how practical the instructors were. “They helped me see that no matter where we are assigned, it is going to be vastly different from home.” Saipan, a tiny island in the western Pacific, will be the new home for Pam and her husband Peter.

Gordon has spent the last 12 years at the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Brooklyn and has seen many missionaries sent out from Gilead School. Now he, too, has benefited from Gilead training and will be serving as a missionary in Hong Kong. Does he feel that Gilead has conditioned him well for his new assignment? “The practical aspects of missionary life that have been emphasized throughout the course have helped me to look at it realistically,” answered Gordon. “Knowing what to expect is a big help.”

Receiving Their Assignments

It was not until about halfway through the five-month course, on the morning of January 3, 1985, that the 78th class learned what their foreign assignments would be. At first, the prospect of going to distant lands caused some apprehension among them. ‘How far away from my family will I be? Will I be able to deal with the different people, customs, and foods? How long will it take to make new friends?’

However, these questions soon faded from their minds as they meditated on what Jehovah had already done to prepare them. After receiving the news that she would be going to the Dominican Republic, Sharon felt this way: “I thank Jehovah for considering me faithful for this assignment. I will be in a beautiful and challenging territory.” Ed and Lynda will be missionaries in Zaire, Africa. They are so determined to make their assignment their home that they exclaimed: “If we were told now that we couldn’t go to Zaire, we would sit down and cry, since our hearts are already there!”

To the Field

Looking ahead, Wolfgang expressed what he and his classmates strongly felt: “I am convinced that all of us see the importance of our goal​—to preach the good news of God’s Kingdom without turning away from our assignments and to work in unity with our brothers in the congregations for Kingdom increase.” Virginia, who is accompanying her husband Tim to Africa, adds: “The only training left for us is the actual experience.”

But do seasoned missionaries feel that the training received at Gilead School benefits them in actual practice? A former graduate, Kathryn, who has served for some years in the jungles of Papua New Guinea with her husband, a traveling minister, explains: “Deep study takes a bit of maneuvering, as we have to arrange to spend some time where someone has a library. We go all out in our study of The Watchtower.a Gilead really brought home to us how much we can learn from each issue.”

Through the education Gilead School offers, it can be said that ‘by Jehovah the very steps of these able-bodied men and women have been made ready.’ Yes, they are ready to make a drastic change in life-style, and they are prepared to carry the Bible’s life-giving message to the ends of the earth.​—Psalm 37:23.

78th Class Profile

Total number of students ___________ 42

Number of countries represented _____ 6

Number of countries assigned to ____ 14

Number of single women ______________ 4

Number of single men ________________ 8

Number of married couples __________ 15

Average age ______________________ 32.1

Average years baptized ___________ 14.2

Average years in full-time ministry 9.9

[Footnotes]

[Picture on page 26]

Seventy-eighth Class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead

In the list below, rows are numbered from front to back, and names are listed from left to right in each row.

1– Donaldson, C.; Savoniemi, I.; Van Loo, R.; Ross, G.; Kenyon, L.; Loucks, C.; Mickelson, C.; Koch, M. 2– Wortley, L.; Wondratsch, W.; Seneca, P.; Gleaves, C.; Sierra, N.; Gracia, Y.; Gracia, J.; Crouch, V. 3– Seneca, P.; Hobson, C.; Ellis, G.; Grant, G.; Fields, L.; Norman, S.; Thompson, S.; Singleton, C. 4– Savoniemi, H.; Gleaves, Jr., K.; Koch, F.; Steiner, M.; Crouch, T.; Donaldson, R.; Björck, M.; Mathewson, F.; Kenyon, E. 5– Fields, D.; Björck, R.; Loucks, D.; Ross, G.; Hobson, G.; Van Loo, F.; Mundt, B.; Mickelson, C.; Sensenig, T.

From Our Readers

Watching Television

I would like to thank you for the article “Young People Ask . . . How Can I Stop Watching So Much TV?” (February 22, 1985) I am 14 years old, and I am a TV-aholic. I watch TV six hours a day. But after I read your article, I decided to cut down because it stopped me from doing my homework and my Bible reading. Thanks again.

M. L., Canada

Your Voice

My voice has always been troublesome. An operation carried out three years ago on my vocal cords produced but little results. I am always being told that deep breathing is what I need to do, but no one has ever explained to me how to go about it. The fine article “That Marvelous Gift​—Your Voice” (August 22, 1984) is an answer to my prayers. Now I understand how my respiratory system works and what I need to do in order to bring about some improvement in my voice.

M. L. S., Brazil

An Unborn Child

“I became pregnant and resigned myself to the fact that there was no alternative but to give birth in the normal way. I even regretted getting pregnant. Today I cried. I will take care of the child inside of me and be happy to give birth to it. Thank you very much.” These are the words of a young mother who approached me at the close of my lecture at the university. I had read the “Diary of an Unborn Child” (July 22, 1984) during the lecture. I was deeply moved by this serious article and give thanks for it. Since it came out I have used it in public places more times than I can count.

H. W., Japan

Religious Tolerance

I would like to thank you for your varied, well-chosen, and upbuilding articles. As a schoolteacher and mother, I particularly appreciate the “Young People Ask . . . ” series. Your scientific articles also provide interesting information that I do not hesitate to pass on to my pupils, for I am sure that your articles are objective and honest. The only thing that upsets me a little (although I understand your reasons) is the way you constantly tear down other religions. Although I am neither a Catholic nor a Buddhist, I feel ill at ease with such articles and avoid them.

F. S., France

We try to follow Jesus’ example. He stated that the way to life was through a narrow gate and urged his disciples to avoid the broad way to destruction. He exposed forms of religion that would be in vain, and this in no uncertain terms, as Matthew chapter 23 clearly illustrates. Moved by genuine interest in the welfare of all men, we try to point out religious practices that are contrary to Bible teaching and would hinder the one practicing such things from getting onto the way of everlasting life. (Matthew 7:13, 14; 15:8, 9; 16:6, 12) With the aid of the Bible, we try to follow the example of the apostle Paul, who wrote: “We are overturning reasonings and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God.”​—2 Corinthians 10:5.​—ED.

Watching the World

UN 40 Years Old

● This year marks the 40th anniversary of the United Nations. Anniversary speeches will pay tribute to the UN’s role in “the maintenance of peace and security,” reports the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. “The United Nations may not have saved succeeding generations from the scourge of all small wars, but it has so far helped avoid a third and possibly last World War,” says the Bulletin, “ . . . by providing a place for diplomats to meet informally and share ideas . . . despite the hostility manifested by government representatives across the Security Council table.” An accurate appraisal of the UN, the magazine says, is “to see it as the place where the international political scene is made tangible by diplomats who, wearing their countries’ colors, charge into battle to defend their government’s interests and perhaps, while doing so, occasionally defend the interests of the world.” Diplomats are predicting that the organization “will probably be around for another 40 years​—provided the world is.”

Drug Crops Increase

● “The [U.S.] State Department’s annual report on worldwide narcotics production shows that in most of the major drug-producing countries, marijuana, coca and opium-poppy crops were larger in 1984 than the year before,” states The New York Times. Coca production, for example, increased by more than a third in the countries of Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia, while Ecuador emerged as a fourth major coca-producing nation. “The trend is clearly up on cocaine and at best we are holding our own on marijuana,” said Dante B. Fascell, chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. “The bottom line is that, despite some encouraging developments, . . . the war is being lost.” So much illicit coca leaf, opium, and cannabis is being grown, says the report, that worldwide production is “many times the amount currently consumed” by drug users.

Pesticide Problems

● In Third World countries, some 500,000 people are poisoned each year by pesticides, reports South magazine, and 10,000 of them die because of it. The risk is also spreading to consumers through pesticide residues in foods and animal fodder. According to Dr. Jan Huismans, director of IRPTC (International Register of Potentially Toxic Chemicals), half the countries of the world lack effective controls over pesticide use and do not have the facilities to assess potential hazards of the products used. The problem is compounded when pesticide manufacturers, protecting their product from competitors, withhold important information​—particularly on new chemicals. In addition to the insufficient information listed by the IRPTC, there are other problems. “We come up almost every day with examples of old pesticides that are only now causing concern, either because we know more about them or because some effects only surface after 10 or 20 years of use,” Huismans said. Although some chemicals, such as DDT, have been banned in Europe and the United States, they are still being used to fight pests in Third World countries.

Repelling Mosquitoes

● Warmer weather signals not only the end of winter but also the advent of mosquitoes. While no foolproof method of keeping them from biting exists, states The New York Times, authorities suggest the following: Bathe often to prevent the buildup of lactic acid on the skin, as it attracts mosquitoes. Eat foods containing garlic, which acts as a repellent. If chemical repellents are used, spray some on your clothing as well as on your skin. Avoid heavy use of suntan products, which not only diminish the repellent’s effectiveness but can also increase your chances of being bitten. Many hair sprays, perfumes, shaving lotions, and deodorants also attract mosquitoes and are best avoided. And if bitten, applying a cold compress or an ice cube, or using calamine lotion or rubbing alcohol, may relieve itching.

Airline Safety

● Australia has the safest airline system in the world, both on international and on domestic flights, according to a recent ten-year study of airline accident records published in Flight International. The fatal-accident rate, based on statistics of 25 leading aircraft nations between 1973 and 1984, was 1.8 for every million landings, whereas the figure for Australia was only 0.06. “Scandinavia, Japan, the US, France, Britain and West Germany followed Australia on the air safety table,” reports The Sydney Morning Herald. “The least safe were Colombia, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia and the Soviet Union.” A leading airline safety specialist Mike Ramsden cited “discipline with individualism and respect for authority without fear” as the main reasons for Australia’s being “indisputably the world’s safest major airline country for more than 20 years.”

Worthless Potions

● Those hair restorers​—mostly creams, lotions, and oils—​advertised in newspapers and in the back of men’s magazines just do not work, warns the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). “These products do not prevent hair loss or grow hair,” said Edward R. Nida, speaking for the agency. “How you lose or keep your hair depends on how wisely you choose your parents. For the most part, it is hereditary.”

The FDA also warns that nonprescription aphrodisiacs (products to stimulate or intensify sexual desire) have not proved to be safe or effective and that some ingredients in them may even pose serious health risks. “There is no conclusive scientific evidence demonstrating the effectiveness or safety of any plant materials that have been used historically for aphrodisiac purposes,” said Mr. Nida. The agency is moving to ban all such items.

Preservative Danger

● A preservative commonly found in wine, beer, tomato catsup, artificial orange beverages, and other foods “can cause a life-threatening reaction in people sensitive to it, particularly asthmatics,” reports The Globe and Mail of Canada. Speaking to the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Dr. William H. Yang, an allergy specialist, said that metabisulfite and other forms of sulfite thus used can cause severe reactions within half an hour after ingestion​—sometimes within seconds or minutes. Care must also be exercised away from home, as restaurants use it on salads to keep them looking fresh. People who get headaches after drinking wine or eating in restaurants may actually be reacting to the sulfite preservatives, said Dr. Yang, rather than to the food or the wine.

Spaniards​—Smoking Champions

● According to statistics, an average of 2,647 cigarettes were smoked per person in Spain in 1980. This placed them at the top of the list of tobacco users in Europe. While Spain’s population has grown 22 percent during the past 20 years, tobacco use has increased 146 percent. According to the newspaper El País, this will result in one sixth of all deaths during 1985 being tobacco related​—constituting “the single most important cause of sickness and early death in Spain today.” Moreover, the habit is much more common among Spanish doctors than among members of other professions, such as lawyers, engineers, or business managers. Polls show that 80 percent of Spain’s tobacco users say they would quit smoking if their doctor recommended it, but only 10 percent have ever received such medical advice.

Hole-in-One Insurance

● A hole in one in Japan can cost the golfer anything from ¥300,000 to ¥500,000 ($1,200 to $2,000, U.S.) in celebration costs. Besides buying a round of drinks when the game is over, he is expected, among other things, to wine and dine his friends, buy gifts for all of them, and tip his caddie. Many golfers, therefore, carry hole-in-one insurance, because the ¥3,000 ($12, U.S.) premium “is well worth it,” states the Asahi Evening News. “Golf is mainly for business entertainment,” one lawyer said. “This is one reason for the hole-in-one gift-giving custom. It provides a superb chance to give an important banker or government official a generous gift.”

Unreported Crimes

● “Almost a million crimes a year, some of them violent sexual assaults and robberies, are not reported by Canadians,” says The Globe and Mail, “and one of the main reasons is that the victims distrust the ability of the police to solve them.” A federal study of seven Canadian cities showed victims to be more willing to absorb crime than to report it. Poor people were more reluctant than the rich to report household thefts and burglaries. Reports of stolen cars and home burglaries​—most likely for insurance purposes—​outstripped reports of assaults, thefts, or muggings. “The large proportion of unreported sexual assaults and other serious incidents which never find their way into police statistics raises important questions for police managers and law enforcement policy makers,” the study said.

Plastic Money

● Plastic banknotes are already in use in Haiti and on the Isle of Man. The more durable banknotes were introduced in Haiti because of the local custom of carrying money inside shoes. Now the United States is considering using plastic currency in their drive to thwart forgers. The reason, reports New Scientist, is that holograms (three-dimensional pictures) will be appearing on the banknotes, and use of plastic material will extend the life of the bills threefold. The easily noticeable holograms cannot be reproduced by ordinary printing equipment. American currency, says one expert, is “probably the easiest in the world to forge.”

“Foolproof Identification”

● How to make sure “a person is who he or she claims to be is big business and a matter of growing concern,” says U.S.News & World Report. The traditional devices​—identification cards, badges, passwords—​can be found by accident, stolen, or falsified. Being pursued now are systems using biometrics (the statistical study of the body) that will make possible “foolproof identification.” Already in use are devices that “read” the shape and pressure of the hand and its fingers, the blood vessels within the eye, or a person’s voice. Other unique physical characteristics are also being explored as means of positive identification. One method seeks to detect forging of a signature by measuring how one writes​—the pressure, speed, and direction.

Caffeine Cure

● It is well known that the caffeine found in beverages such as coffee and tea acts as a stimulant to those who drink them, but what function does it have in the plants from which it comes? “Recent research suggests that they [caffeine and theophylline] may defend plants against insect predation,” says New Scientist. When fed to insect larvae, “the levels of caffeine found naturally in undried tea leaves or coffee beans were sufficient to kill most of the larvae,” the magazine reports.

Good News to Make You Happy

Would you like such news? The book with the above title shows where you can find happiness and warns of pitfalls that lead to unhappiness. Its chapters include “Superstitions Can Lead to Unhappiness,” “A Practical Guide to True Happiness,” and “A Way of Life That Leads to Happiness.”

Receive this valuable publication by filling in and mailing the accompanying coupon along with only $1.

Please send, postpaid, the hardcover, 192-page book Good News to Make You Happy. I enclose $1 (U.S.).

Do Not Miss The Four-Day “Integrity Keepers” Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses

It begins this month. All sessions are free. The convention program will feature helpful Bible discussions on practical matters of life, and two instructive Bible dramas. Attend a convention near you at any location listed below:

United States

June 13-16, 1985: AMARILLO, TX, Civic Center Coliseum. BATON ROUGE, LA (Sign language also), Assembly Center, Louisiana State University. CICERO, IL, Hawthorne Race Course. GREENVILLE, SC, Greenville Memorial Auditorium. JACKSONVILLE, FL, Memorial Coliseum, Gator Bowl Sports Complex. MONROE, LA, Civic Center Arena. NEW HAVEN, CT, Veterans Memorial Coliseum. OGDEN, UT, Dee Events Center. SAN DIEGO, CA, Jack Murphy Stadium. TUCSON, AZ, Community Center. WHEELING, WV, Civic Center.

June 20-23, 1985: BIRMINGHAM, AL, Civic Center Coliseum. CICERO, IL, Hawthorne Race Course. DENVER, CO, McNichols Sports Arena. FRESNO, CA, Convention Center. GREENVILLE, SC, Greenville Memorial Auditorium. LANDOVER, MD, Capital Centre. MIDLAND, TX, Chaparral Center, Midland College. MONROE, LA, Civic Center Arena. NEW HAVEN, CT, Veterans Memorial Coliseum. OGDEN, UT, Dee Events Center. RICHFIELD, OH, The Coliseum. ST. LOUIS, MO, The Arena. SOUTH BEND, IN, N.D.U. Athletic Center. TACOMA, WA, Tacoma Dome. TUCSON, AZ (Sign language also), Community Center. WEST PALM BEACH, FL, West Palm Beach Auditorium. WHEELING, WV, Civic Center. WICHITA, KS, Kansas Coliseum.

June 27-30, 1985: CICERO, IL (Sign language also), Hawthorne Race Course. DENVER, CO (Sign language also), McNichols Sports Arena. ERIE, PA, Convention Center Arena. FRESNO, CA, Convention Center. GREENSBORO, NC, Greensboro Coliseum. GREENVILLE, SC, Greenville Memorial Auditorium. LANDOVER, MD, Capital Centre. MADISON, WI, Dane County Memorial Coliseum. RICHFIELD, OH (Sign language also), The Coliseum. ROCHESTER, NY, Memorial Auditorium. ST. LOUIS, MO, The Arena. ST. PETERSBURG, FL, Bayfront Center. SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Cow Palace. SAVANNAH, GA, Civic Center Arena. SOUTH BEND, IN, N.D.U. Athletic Center. TACOMA, WA (Spanish and sign language also), Tacoma Dome. WEST PALM BEACH, FL, West Palm Beach Auditorium. WHEELING, WV, Civic Center.

July 4-7, 1985: ALBANY, GA, Albany Civic Center. BEAUMONT, TX, Civic Center Assembly Hall. BILLINGS, MT, Yellowstone Metra. CHATTANOOGA, TN, U.T.C. Arena. CICERO, IL (Spanish only), Hawthorne Race Course. DULUTH, MN, Duluth Arena-Auditorium. FRESNO, CA (Spanish only), Convention Center. GREENSBORO, NC, Greensboro Coliseum. HAMPTON, VA, Hampton Coliseum. LANDOVER, MD (Sign language also), Capital Centre. LOS ANGELES, CA (Sign language also), Dodger Stadium. LOUISVILLE, KY, Coliseum, Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center. MADISON, WI, Dane County Memorial Coliseum. MONROE, LA, Civic Center Arena. OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, Myriad. RICHFIELD, OH, The Coliseum. ROCHESTER, NY, Memorial Auditorium. ST. PETERSBURG, FL, Bayfront Center. SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Cow Palace. SAVANNAH, GA, Civic Center Arena. WEST PALM BEACH, FL, West Palm Beach Auditorium.

July 11-14, 1985: ALBANY, GA (Sign language also), Albany Civic Center. BISMARCK, ND, Bismarck Civic Center Arena. CHATTANOOGA, TN, U.T.C. Arena. DULUTH, MN, Duluth Arena-Auditorium. EL PASO, TX (Spanish only), Special Events Center. FT. WORTH, TX, Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum. FRESNO, CA (Spanish only), Convention Center. HAMPTON, VA, Hampton Coliseum. LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (French only), Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall, 44-17 Greenpoint Ave. LOS ANGELES, CA (Spanish only), Dodger Stadium. LOUISVILLE, KY (Sign language also), Coliseum, Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center. MOBILE, AL, Municipal Auditorium. PHILADELPHIA, PA, Veterans Stadium. PROVIDENCE, RI, Providence Civic Center. RENO, NV, Centennial Coliseum. ST. PETERSBURG, FL (Sign language also), Bayfront Center. SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Sign language also), Cow Palace. SPRINGFIELD, IL, Convention Center Arena.

July 18-21, 1985: BILOXI, MS, Mississippi Coast Coliseum. CHARLESTON, WV, Charleston Civic Center Coliseum. DES MOINES, IA, Veterans Memorial Auditorium. FT. LAUDERDALE, FL (French only), Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall, 20850 Griffin Rd. FT. WORTH, TX (Sign language also), Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum. GREEN BAY, WI, Memorial Arena. HIALEAH, FL (Spanish only), Hialeah Park Race Track. LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (French only), Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall, 44-17 Greenpoint Ave. PHILADELPHIA, PA (Sign language also), Veterans Stadium. PROVIDENCE, RI, Providence Civic Center. RENO, NV, Centennial Coliseum. ST. PETERSBURG, FL, Bayfront Center. SAN ANTONIO, TX (Spanish only), Convention Center Arena. SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Chinese, Japanese, and Korean also), Cow Palace.

July 25-28, 1985: FT. WORTH, TX, Will Rogers Memorial Arena. HIALEAH, FL (Spanish only), Hialeah Park Race Track. HOUSTON, TX, Astrodome. KNOXVILLE, TN, Civic Auditorium. LINCOLN, NE (Sign language also), Devaney Sports Center. RENO, NV, Centennial Coliseum. SAN ANTONIO, TX (Spanish only), Convention Center Arena. SPRINGFIELD, MA (Sign language also), Civic Center.

August 1-4, 1985: PHILADELPHIA, PA (Spanish only), Veterans Stadium. PONTIAC, MI, Silverdome. RENO, NV, Centennial Coliseum.

Alaska

June 20-23, 1985: ANCHORAGE, AK, Sullivan Arena.

Canada

July 4-7, 1985: EDMONTON, ALTA. (Ukrainian sessions also), Edmonton Northlands Coliseum. KAMLOOPS, B.C., Kamloops Exhibition Association. PRINCE GEORGE, B.C., Kin Centre, Arenas I & II. SASKATOON, SASK., Saskatoon Arena. VANCOUVER, B.C. (Portuguese also), Pacific Coliseum. WINNIPEG, MAN. (Ukrainian sessions also), Winnipeg Convention Centre.

July 11-14, 1985: MONTREAL, QUE. (French, Chinese, and Korean also; Hungarian and Ukrainian sessions also), Olympic Stadium; Arabic and Italian: Velodrome; Greek and Portuguese: Centre Pierre Charbonneau; Spanish: Arena Maurice-Richard. REGINA, SASK. (Ukrainian sessions also), The Agridome, Exhibition Grounds. VICTORIA, B.C., Victoria Memorial Arena.

July 18-21, 1985: LETHBRIDGE, ALTA., The Sportsplex. PENTICTON, B.C., Peach Bowl Convention Centre. ST. JOHN’S, NFLD., Feildian Gardens.

July 25-28, 1985: CASTLEGAR, B.C., Castlegar & District Community Complex. LONDON, ONT., Grandstand Western Fairgrounds.