October 8

Page Two

During World War I, leaders saw the need to establish an international peace organization. Woodrow Wilson, president of the United States, became the leading spokesman for the concept of a League of Nations. It became the central point of his life. It led to glory and to frustration. Our opening series discusses one man’s vision for world peace

A Man With A Vision 3

The Vision for Peace 4

A Vision Rejected 7

The End of a Vision 9

A Man With a Vision

HE WAS born in Staunton, Virginia, U.S.A., on December 28, 1856. Although he did not begin his formal schooling until he was nine years of age, he went on to a career in education at Princeton University. Then he moved into politics. It was a decision that was to lead him to his greatest glory and to his greatest anguish.

He had a vision of how to bring peace to mankind. Woodrow Wilson’s shadow as a peacemaker still falls across our war-torn earth. On the basis of his plan for peace, some politicians and diplomats are still striving to bring peace to our world.

What happened to Wilson’s vision? Did he have an answer to our problems of hatred, war, and bloodshed?

In 1913 Woodrow Wilson became the 28th president of the United States. The following year the Great War broke out in Europe. It was a war of death and violence in the mud and slime of stagnating trenches, to the accompaniment of nerve-shattering artillery, machine guns, and gas attacks. It was slaughter on a massive scale.

At first, sentiment in America was strongly against involvement in the European conflagration. Americans wanted to remain free of the struggle between Europe’s great powers. Neutrality was the nation’s keynote.

President Wilson, a Presbyterian, was a very religious and idealistic man. He earnestly wanted to preserve America’s neutrality and isolationism. But there were events that he could not control. A German submarine sank the liner Lusitania in 1915, killing 128 Americans in the process. But Wilson refused to declare war on Germany. In 1916 he was reelected president of the United States on the slogan, “He kept us out of war.”

“The World Must Be Made Safe for Democracy”

The following year the Germans announced that all shipping, whether belligerent or neutral, would be fair game to their submarines. This meant that American ships were no longer safe on the high seas. Seemingly, it left Wilson with no alternative. He reluctantly declared war on Germany, stating: “It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance.”

In his speech to Congress, he said that the United States would be fighting “for the ultimate peace of the world and for the liberation of its peoples.” Then he uttered his famous phrase, “The world must be made safe for democracy.” Congress approved his decision on April 6, 1917. He was cheered by his peers in the Capitol and by the public outside. But he was not jubilant. “Think of what it was they were applauding,” he later said to one of his aides. “My message today was a message of death for our young men. How strange it seems to applaud that.” A few minutes later, he “wiped away great tears that stood in his eyes, and then laying his head on the cabinet table, sobbed as if he had been a child.”​—Mr. Wilson’s War, by John Dos Passos.

Neutrality was over. His country was now embroiled in the worst war that man had known until then.

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U.S. National Archives

The Vision for Peace

IN 1916, before the United States even entered the war, Wilson began to promote his vision of a permanent arrangement to ensure peace on earth. According to biographer Gene Smith, he envisioned “the establishment of a League of Nations which would be a forum for the dispensation of justice for all men and wipe out the threat of war forever.” Then in 1917, and with the United States at war, he became the great crusader for what he hoped would be an everlasting peace and the culminating glory of his career.

He now devoted his energies to spreading his gospel of the League of Nations, as he conceived it. He aimed for a “peace without victory” in which there would not be a vanquished German people but, rather, overthrown militaristic, autocratic rulers.

As the basis for peace negotiations, he established his famous Fourteen Points. These consisted of five general ideals for all the contending nations to respect, plus eight points that dealt with specific political and territorial problems. The 14th point was the most vital, since it represented the very core of Wilson’s crusade​—the establishment of a League of Nations.

“The Greatest Success or the Supremest Tragedy”

He was so convinced of having God’s backing in his project that he insisted on attending the Paris Peace Conference in 1919​—this in spite of the fact that many political friends thought that the president of the United States should remain independent of the peace negotiations. He believed that he had the people of the world behind him even if he did not have all the politicians. He was convinced that he was God’s instrument for peace. He, more than anyone else, had to go to Paris.

He confided to his private secretary, Tumulty: “This trip will either be the greatest success or the supremest tragedy in all history; but I believe in a Divine Providence . . . It is my faith that no body of men, however they concert their power or their influence, can defeat this great world enterprise.” (Italics ours.) As one authority states: “The President was determined to use his power and prestige to have the final peace settlement include a plan for a League of Nations.”

Back in November 1918, the German armies were at the point of defeat. They were offered an armistice that would bring the war to a halt. Negotiations were started that involved Britain’s Welsh Prime Minister Lloyd George, rugged French Premier Georges Clemenceau, cultured Italian Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando, and the inscrutable Japanese representative, Count Nobuaki Makino. Wilson was determined to convince them that his League was the only answer to Europe’s problems as well as the world’s.

“The Star of Bethlehem Rising Again”

Wilson was the people’s hero as he toured Europe prior to the Peace Conference in Paris. As Herbert Hoover later wrote: “He was received everywhere with almost religious fervor . . . The ovations were greater than had ever come before to a mortal man.” His peace initiative and vision had stirred the masses. During his tour of Italy, the crowds shouted, “Viva Wilson, God of Peace.” Almost supernatural powers were attributed to him. Hoover adds: “To them, no such man of moral and political power and no such an evangel of peace had appeared since Christ preached the Sermon on the Mount. . . . It was the star of Bethlehem rising again.”

Evidently Wilson believed with evangelistic fervor in his mission to establish peace on earth. Writer Charles L. Mee states: “At one point he amazed Lloyd George and Clemenceau by explaining how the league would establish a brotherhood of man where Christianity had not been able to do so. ‘Why,’ Lloyd George recalled Wilson as saying, ‘has Jesus Christ so far not succeeded in inducing the world to follow His teachings in these matters? It is because He taught the ideal without devising any practical means of attaining it. That is the reason why I am proposing a practical scheme to carry out His aims.’”​—The End of Order, Versailles 1919.

Certainly, Wilson got encouragement from many quarters. The U.S. secretary of the Navy, Josephus Daniels, greeted the publication of the draft of the Covenant of the League of Nations with this eulogy: “The draft of the League of Peace is almost as simple as one of the Parables of Jesus and almost as illuminating and as uplifting. It is time for church bells to peal, for preachers to fall upon their knees, for statesmen to rejoice, and for the angels to sing, ‘Glory to God in the Highest!’”

The League and the Catholic Church

Did preachers fall on their knees? Some were certainly quick to hail the League as God’s answer to mankind’s problems. Pope Benedict XV had nearly upstaged Wilson in August 1917 when, according to writer John Dos Passos, he appealed to the warring nations “to negotiate a peace without victory, on approximately the terms laid down in Woodrow Wilson’s speeches before America’s entrance into the war.” However, Wilson felt he was too busy waging war to pay attention to the pope​—that is, until he received a significant letter from Colonel House, his personal aide. It stated:

“I am so impressed with the importance of the situation that I am troubling you again . . . I believe that you have an opportunity to take the peace negotiations out of the hands of the Pope and hold them in your own.”

Wilson took swift action to make sure that he did not lose the initiative. The League of Nations vision was his, not the pope’s. And he was the man to see it through.

Nevertheless, the Catholic Church lent its support to the League. Cardinal Bourne, the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster until the end of 1934, stated: “Remember that the League of Nations, whatever imperfections it may have, is carrying out the desire of the Catholic Church for Peace, and carrying out the wishes of our Holy Father, the Pope.”

“The League of Nations Is Rooted in the Gospel”

The Protestant clergy were not reticent in their support of the League either. The New York Times for January 11, 1920, reported: “The London church bells this evening have been pealing in celebration of the conclusion of peace with Germany and the official coming into existence of the League of Nations.”

A booklet published in England under the title The Christian Church and the League of Nations stated: “The Christian Church in Great Britain supports the League of Nations. Here is an Affirmation made by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, thirty-five English Diocesan Bishops, the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, and official representatives of all the Free Churches in England:

“We are convinced:

“(1) That God at this time is calling the nations of the world to learn to live as one family;

“(2) That the machinery of international cooperation provided by the League of Nations . . . affords the best available means of applying the principles of the Gospel of Christ to stop war, to provide justice, and to organise peace.”

Prior to the above, in December of 1918, the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America issued a declaration that said in part: “As Christians we urge the establishment of a League of Free Nations at the coming Peace Conference. Such a League is not a mere political expedient; it is rather the political expression of the Kingdom of God on earth.” (Italics ours.) It then went on to say: “The Church has much to give and much to gain. It can give a powerful sanction by imparting to the new international order something of the prophetic glory of the Kingdom of God. . . . The League of Nations is rooted in the Gospel.”

If the League was truly “rooted in the Gospel” and was truly an “expression of the Kingdom of God,” then the League’s fate was going to reflect on both the Gospel and the Kingdom. Was Wilson presumptuous in believing that he was God’s instrument to bring permanent peace to the nations? And an even more fundamental question is, Did the League of Nations really have God’s backing?

[Box on page 6]

Opposing Sides in Europe​—World War I (1914-18)

Central Powers Allied Powers

Germany Great Britain

Austria-Hungary France

Bulgaria Russia (until 1917)

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Wilson was especially popular in Europe

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U.S. National Archives

A Vision Rejected

“THE League exists, but what is it to be? Is it to be the real thing or an imposture?” That question was raised by British Lord Robert Cecil, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the League of Nations Union. Yes, although many people were led to believe that the League would guarantee peace, others expressed serious doubts.

Noted English author Jerome K. Jerome wrote: “The League of Nations has come into the world stillborn. . . . Its sponsors . . . invite us to the christening. . . . They hoped for a new Messiah. They seem to have persuaded themselves that by much shouting and prostrating of themselves they can raise it from the dead.” The London Standard stated: “A League of Nations in which no one believes, but to which lip service is paid by everybody, is simply a sham, and a most dangerous sham.”

A Dissenting Voice

On the other hand, we have seen how the clergy welcomed the League. But in the midst of the religious clamor in its favor, in May 1920 the Watch Tower magazine published an unequivocal denunciation of the League, stating: “This has been heralded abroad as the great emancipator of mankind . . . But of necessity it must fail.”

Why was the League destined to failure? Was it for purely political reasons, because the United States had failed to join? No, the whole issue of the League of Nations was seen by Jehovah’s Witnesses as merely an incident against the backdrop of a much greater drama​—the universal conflict between the Sovereign Lord, Jehovah, and the founder of universal rebellion, Satan. (Job, chapters 1 and 2; John 8:44) Thus the League, promoted by politicians and praised by the clergy, was really Satan’s counterfeit remedy to turn attention away from the only true solution for mankind’s ills​—God’s Kingdom by Christ. From God’s standpoint the League was truly a “sham” and an “imposture.”​—Compare Psalm 2.

Therefore the above-quoted Watch Tower continued: “Even had the United States adopted the League of Nations, joining with the other countries of the world, it could not have accomplished the purpose expressed, for the reason that it is man-made, formulated by selfish men; and for the further reason that it is contrary to God’s way.”

An even stronger denouncement was made at a convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses at Cedar Point, Ohio, September 10, 1922. There they stated in a public resolution:

“That all international conferences and all agreements or treaties resulting therefrom, including the League of Nations compact and all like compacts, must fail, because God has decreed it thus.”

They also denounced the clergy’s support of the League, stating “that they [the clergy] further repudiated the Lord and His kingdom and showed their disloyalty by voluntarily uniting themselves with Satan’s organization and boldly announcing to the world that the League of Nations is the political expression of God’s kingdom on earth, which announcement so made by them was in utter disregard of the words of Jesus and the apostles.”

Why did the Witnesses take such a strong stand against the League at such an early date? Because they had concluded from their study of the Bible “that 1914 marked the legal ending of the old world and there Christ the rightful King took unto Himself His power as king;

“That the Lord Jesus Christ is now present, invisible to man, and proceeding with the work of establishing His kingdom, for which kingdom He taught His followers to pray.”​—Matthew 6:9, 10.

Therefore the Witnesses saw the League as a man-made substitute for the Kingdom of God. As such, it had to fail. (Jeremiah 10:23; Daniel 2:44) What, in fact, happened to Woodrow Wilson’s League? For the answer, let us review events from 1920 to 1946.

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The hopes of the world were centered on the League of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland

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United Nations

U.S. National Archives

The End of a Vision

THE League of Nations was created and held its second meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1920. In spite of failing health and long and strenuous negotiations in Paris, Woodrow Wilson’s efforts seemed to have been crowned with success.

Through the League, Wilson was going to spread his “truth of justice and of liberty and of peace.” In one of his speeches, he stated: “We have accepted that truth and we are going to be led by it, and it is going to lead us [the American people], and through us the world, out into pastures of quietness and peace such as the world never dreamed of before.” Such was the stuff of his vision.

To the U.S. Senate he said: “The stage is set, the destiny disclosed. It has come about by no plan of our conceiving, but by the hand of God who led us into this way. . . . We can only go forward, with lifted eyes and freshened spirit, to follow the vision.” (Italics ours.) The visionary had spoken again. He still believed he was God’s tool to bring peace to mankind.

Rejected at Home

In Europe, Wilson had been heralded as a savior president. But even before he had gone to the Peace Conference, warning salvos had been fired across his bow in the United States. Author Elmer Bendiner reports: “Theodore Roosevelt handed down the verdict [of the U.S. Congress]: ‘Our Allies and our enemies and Mr. Wilson himself should all understand that Mr. Wilson has no authority whatever to speak for the American people at this time . . . Mr. Wilson and his fourteen points . . . have ceased to have any shadow of right to be accepted as expressive of the will of the American people.’”

Woodrow Wilson made the mistake of selling his vision in Europe while neglecting the doubters in his own country. In March 1920 the U.S. Congress voted to stay out of the League.

Blinded by his cause, Wilson plowed on regardless. In his last public speech, his conviction rang out loud and clear but in vain: “I have seen fools resist Providence before, and I have seen their destruction, as will come upon these again, utter destruction and contempt. That we shall prevail is as sure as that God reigns.”

With his health recently shattered by a stroke, the negative vote from his own countrymen only made things worse. His League vision became blurred and incomplete. On February 3, 1924, Woodrow Wilson died. His last words were: “I am a broken piece of machinery. When the machinery is broken​—I am ready.” He was physically broken and so was his vision of a world-embracing League of Nations.

“The Treaty of Versailles No Longer Exists”!

Although for 15 years no official war was declared again in the world, the League was in its death throes even from its birth. It proved to be impotent to stop Bolivia and Paraguay from going to war in 1933. It failed to impede Mussolini’s rape of Ethiopia in 1935. By destruction and conquest Italy removed Ethiopia from the League’s roster of nations and then abandoned the League itself in December 1937. The following year seven Latin-American nations quit the League. The vision was crumbling.

In 1936 civil war broke out in Spain. The members of the League opted for official nonintervention in that war. However, Germany, which had quit the League in 1933, and Italy both lent material support to General Franco’s rebellion against the Republican government in Madrid. The League was impotent to stop the slaughter on Spanish soil. The Spanish Civil War was the rehearsal for what would be the death knell of the League of Nations​—World War II.

In the meantime Hitler had come to power in Germany and was swiftly dismantling the shackles of the Treaty of Versailles, imposed on Germany after the Great War. He wanted Lebensraum (living space) for the German nation. He expanded Germany’s borders by taking over the Saar, the Rhineland, and Austria. In 1939 he completed his occupation of Czechoslovakia. In all these moves, the League was virtually impotent to take action.

Hitler had long been annoyed by the concession to Poland of a corridor through Germany to the Baltic port of Danzig. In August 1939 he brought an end to that. His representative delivered a message to the High Commissioner of the League of Nations in Danzig, stating: “You represent the Treaty of Versailles; the Treaty of Versailles no longer exists. In two hours the Swastika [Nazi flag] will be hoisted above this house.”

On September 1, 1939, Hitler’s armies invaded Poland. Britain and France retaliated by declaring war on Germany. World War II had started.

The Vision Fades and Dies

Woodrow Wilson made a prediction to the people of Omaha back in 1919 that was to prove that his League was a failure. According to biographer Ishbel Ross, he had said: “‘I can predict with absolute certainty, that within another generation there will be another world war if the nations do not concert the method [the League] by which to prevent it.’ And at San Diego he sounded another prophetic note when he said, ‘What the Germans used were toys as compared with what would be used in the next war.’” Despite the League, World War II became a reality, and the weapons used were no toys.

Why did the League fail? In his book A Time for Angels, writer Elmer Bendiner comments: “The League’s birth arose out of a series of political fantasies: that the cease-fire of 1919 was a peace and not merely a truce; that national interests could be subordinated to world interests; that a government can espouse a cause other than its own.” And the Bible points up one more fantasy​—that men can establish through political agencies that which only God’s promised Kingdom rule can bring—​true peace and happiness for all mankind.​—Revelation 21:1-4.

With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the League lay like a cadaver, awaiting burial. In 1946 “its properties and its heritage of hope and folly,” as writer Bendiner puts it, were handed over to a successor, the United Nations. Would that organization be more successful than the League? Would it turn visions into reality? And what did the Bible predict on that? Our next issue of Awake! will consider those and related questions.

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The outbreak of World War II in 1939 was the death knell of the League

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U.S. Army photos

A Pine Tree and Your Fuel

The Jeffrey pine is a big, reddish-barked California mountain pine tree that usually grows between 6,000 and 9,000 feet (1,800 and 2,700 m) above sea level. While it is an excellent lumber tree, it is also the source of an ingredient that is vital to the grading of fuel.

The book Discovering Sierra Trees explains: “The first intimation that Jeffrey pine contained a peculiar petroleum-based chemical came in 1867 when a turpentine distiller . . . unwittingly charged his still with pitch from Jeffrey pine rather than the usual ponderosa [pine] pitch. In the middle of the operation his still exploded. Later, a chemical called abietin was isolated in Jeffrey pine pitch. Abietin contains 96% normal heptane, a hydrocarbon also found in petroleum, and it was discovered that a purer and cheaper heptane could be produced from Jeffrey pine than by any other method. Heptane thus derived was used as a permanent and dependable ‘yardstick’ for grading fuels under a system called ‘octane rating.’”

So the next time you check the octane rating of your fuel, remember the role of the California Jeffrey pine.

Young People Ask . . .

How Can I Say No to Drugs?

ONE cool summer evening, two young men got together to listen to music. They were cousins and also close friends. “Let’s make a pact,” suggested Joe, the younger of the two. Frank’s curiosity was aroused. “No matter what anyone else does,” Joe continued, “let’s never fool around with drugs.” Frank was delighted at his cousin’s suggestion and expressed his full agreement, saying, “Let’s shake on it!”

It would be nice to report a happy ending to this real-life experience, but, sad to say, there isn’t one. Just five years later, Joe was found dead in his car due to a drug-related accident. And Frank was severely addicted to drugs.

What went wrong? Why would two young men who were so determined to stay free from drugs fail in their endeavor? The answer lies in this urgent warning found in the Bible: “Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits.” (1 Corinthians 15:33) Both Joe and Frank got in with the wrong crowd. As they associated more and more with those who used drugs, their resistance weakened. They began experimenting with drugs.

Peer Pressure

The Bible’s reference to association can be applied to your peer group, that is, those in your age group with whom you have close fellowship. This peer group will have a very definite influence on you. In what ways? According to one study by the University of Minnesota, “Teenagers most strongly influence each other regarding dress and appearance, choice of leisure-time activities, language, and use of alcohol and drugs.”​—Italics ours.

Thus, if drugs are used in your group of friends, you are more likely to follow suit. “Peer pressure to me was one of the hardest things to deal with,” says Mike, a young man with a long history of drug-related problems. “The first time I smoked marijuana, I did it because all the kids I was with did it, and I wanted to fit in.”

As a young person, have you at times felt pressured to “fit in” with your peer group? It’s interesting to note that your desire to fit in is a normal one. Explains the book Adolescent Peer Pressure: “Strong peer interaction and influence is a normal, necessary, and healthy part of adolescent development.” Thus as you grow up and develop close personal friendships, you may begin to depend more and more on these friends as a source of comfort, understanding, and information.

However, this could easily develop into a negative situation. How so? Well, if the young people that you have developed such a trusting relationship with start using drugs, you will be under strong emotional pressure to conform, to fit in. No matter how honorable your intentions, unless you change your circle of friends, in all probability you, too, will become a drug user.

‘But that’s impossible!’ you may say. You may feel that your convictions are so strong that nothing could change them. However, this in itself can be a snare. How so? Well, remember, in the scripture quoted earlier the warning about bad associations was preceded by the words, “Do not be misled.” So the Bible implies that when it comes to bad associations we may have a tendency to minimize the danger, to mislead ourselves into thinking, ‘My friends can’t influence me!’

And that’s what Frank and Joe thought. Yet, despite their good intentions, they fell victim to negative peer pressure, and one of them paid with his life. So if you really want to say no to drugs, it is vital to avoid association with those who use drugs.

“Walking With Wise Persons”

For the past few years, Mike has managed to stay free from drugs. What has helped him? For one thing, he changed his circle of friends. He explains: “Drug abuse is looked down upon by the people I now stay with. So there’s never any pressure to take drugs; it’s never suggested or brought up.”

So how is Mike helped by his friends to say no to drugs? Once again, we might say, it’s peer pressure​—not the negative kind that comes from bad associations but the positive type that results from good associations. A Bible proverb says: “By iron, iron itself is sharpened. So one man sharpens the face of another.” (Proverbs 27:17) So a friendship supplying mutual encouragement can sharpen your ability to resist the temptation to take drugs.​—Compare Hebrews 10:24; 1 Samuel 23:15, 16.

Why is this true? Well, as stated earlier, it’s normal for you to want to fit in with your peers. That’s why it’s essential that you choose the very best peers possible. As the Bible explains: “He that is walking with wise persons will become wise, but he that is having dealings with the stupid ones will fare badly.”​—Proverbs 13:20.

To illustrate the point, consider some precautions you might take to avoid catching a cold. You might watch what you eat, get proper rest, and avoid close contact with infected people. “In a similar way,” states the book Adolescent Peer Pressure, “if we are to prevent . . . drug abuse . . . , we need to maintain healthy balanced conditions and reduce exposure to harmful influences.”​—Italics ours.

So, do you really want to say no to drugs? Then watch your associations! Seek out the positive peer pressure that results from good associations.

“The Peace of God”

As important as good associations may be in preventing drug abuse, it alone may not be enough. There may still be times when you’re offered drugs. So it’s important that you be firm in your resolve. Don’t be apologetic about refusing drugs. Say no with conviction! It’s also helpful to understand why many young people turn to drugs in the first place. Consider.

Adolescence is a time marked by rapid changes. For instance, you may be undergoing physical changes that cause you to be anxious or confused. And your social relationships may be changing too. At the same time, perhaps more is expected of you by your parents or your teachers. The result? Answers the book Adolescent Peer Pressure: “When all of these adjustments are superimposed on one period of life​—one that is still wobbly in terms of coping skills—​it is a major crossroads of development. The wonder is that so many early adolescents do so well and actually survive.”

Yes, the adolescent years can indeed be difficult. This may tempt you to turn to the temporary relief that drugs may bring. But there is something better. The Bible explains: “Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God; and the peace of God that excels all thought will guard your hearts and your mental powers.”​—Philippians 4:6, 7.

This “peace of God,” Paul says, can stand like a sentinel to guarda your heart and mind. How can you have this “peace of God”? By coming into a close personal relationship with God. By learning about him and coming to love him, you will find a peace of mind that cannot be obtained by any artificial means such as drugs. Thus, no matter how stressful your life may be, you can confidently turn to God for help and experience the warm sense of security that only faith in God can bring.

[Footnotes]

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To Say No to Drugs . . .

Avoid associating with those who use drugs

Refuse any offer of drugs! Do so in a way that reflects your firm determination not to use drugs

Search out good associates who will strengthen you in your resolve to stay free from drugs

Talk out your problems. Discuss them with your parents or other responsible adults who can help you to sort out things

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Don’t be apologetic about refusing drugs. Say no with conviction!

From Grief to Hope

“This board of directors, on behalf of all its members and associates, desires to express deep sympathy on the death of your mother. The qualities she possessed, her intense conviction and faith, impel us to offer you with all our heart our feelings of solidarity.”

THESE kind words were part of a letter of condolence I received after my mother died. It was from a group of Catholic gentlemen of the parish of St. John the Evangelist, Casa Verde, São Paulo, Brazil. Yet, Mother was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses right down to her death in May 1966. Even those Catholic gentlemen had to acknowledge the untiring zeal with which Mother served her Creator.

Fleeing for Their Lives

Mother was Armenian. Even though under Turkish domination for many centuries, the Armenians kept themselves separate, for they are professed Christians. But the Turks are Muslim.

In Stanoz, a town near Ankara, Turkey, Mother and her family had lived a peaceful life. But overnight, in 1915, things changed for the Armenian people. A sudden decree of the Turkish government ordered Armenians to turn in all instruments that could be used as weapons, such as knives and planting implements. Next, Turkish soldiers were sent to take all the able-bodied men away from their homes. Many of the menfolk in Mother’s family were taken away, including her father, never to return home again. It was learned later that they were decapitated or bludgeoned to death.

This left my grandmother alone with her elderly mother and her five children, including my mother. Then came the day when all had to flee, for gasoline was poured on their homes and the whole town burned. People ran for their lives, leaving almost everything behind. In the confusion, Mother said they forgot to let their cow loose and could hear her agonized cries for a long time. For several days the sky was overcast with black clouds of fumes.

As refugees, they moved from one country to another, ending up in France. There Mother eventually met my father, and in 1925 they were married. During the years that followed, they had a son and four daughters. Father was also Armenian, from Caesaria (Kayseri), Asia Minor. His family had suffered even more horrible experiences, for they were exiled, compelled to leave their homes, or as they called it, aksor (forced exodus). So people had to leave everything and head for the wilderness, where many of them died of hunger or disease, or were massacred.

Time magazine of August 23, 1982, declared: “The decision to undertake the genocide was communicated to the local leaders by the Interior Minister, Talaat Pasha, in 1915. One of his edicts stated that the government had decided to ‘destroy completely all Armenians living in Turkey. An end must be put to their existence, however criminal the measures taken may be, and no regard must be paid to age, or sex, or to scruples of conscience.’”

How wonderful it will be when under God’s Kingdom there will be no more hatred or wars, and Paradise will be restored over the whole earth! Then Armenians, Turks, and people of all nations will live together in peace forever.

But let me tell you how my family and I learned about such a wonderful hope.

When a Dear One Dies

In 1938, when I was only eight years old, our family moved to Brazil. Our family chose to live in the city of São Paulo, a big commercial center. Here we began to prosper materially by producing torrão, a candy made of peanuts, which was in great demand.

Our plans were to enlarge the factory. Then suddenly my brother, then 20 years old, got sick with bacterial endocarditis. The doctors told him he had only a few months to live, but they said they could experiment with penicillin, which was new then. However, his fever persisted. Soon streptomycin was developed. We thought this would be the miracle drug. Unfortunately, my brother was apparently allergic to it; his temperature went up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40° C.) and his head ached terribly.

We contacted a doctor in the United States, and he told us of a new medicine that could be used in combination with penicillin. It was sent to us by airmail. As we were about to rush off with it to the hospital, a telephone call came through informing us that my brother had died. He was 22 years old. We wept day and night, and there was no one to comfort us.

A Bright Light of Hope

In utter despair Mother started reading the Bible and the Watch Tower publications that Father had obtained over the years. She pleaded with us girls to read them also. Father had done so, and he said there would be a resurrection of the dead. That aroused our interest. My three sisters started to read those publications. As for me, I wanted to read only the Bible, since I didn’t want to be influenced by any religion.

I recalled a conversation I had had with my brother before he died. He said that if there was life after death, he would contact me. Yet, following his death, he had never given any sign of being alive anywhere. So when I read in Ecclesiastes 9:5 that ‘the dead are conscious of nothing at all,’ I knew that my brother was not alive in any place. And how comforting it was to read Jesus’ words: “All those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out.” (John 5:28, 29) But when I got to Revelation 20:5, I wondered about the meaning of it. It says: “The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.”

“It doesn’t mean that the dead will not come out of the tombs before the thousand years have ended,” said my elder sister.

“Where did you learn that?” I asked.

“In those books you didn’t want to read.”

“Which one?”

She could not remember. So I started to read them one by one, and we had more than a dozen! Sometimes I would read all night long in order to find some explanation of Revelation 20:5. How many things I had missed by not wanting to read those Watch Tower books!

We were about to mail a letter to order the second volume of the book Light, on Revelation, and other publications, when a Witness came to our house. He said we could get those books at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses and invited us there. We decided to go. After the meeting the Witnesses lovingly took time to talk to us until midnight and answer our questions on the resurrection.

They explained that the dead mentioned in Revelation 20:5 will come to life during the Thousand Year Reign of Christ, but they will not be granted everlasting life until they have proved faithful in the final test at the end of the thousand years. The resurrection promise was now like a bright light of hope.

“You Are Getting Too Deep”

That very same weekend, still in mourning over the death of our brother, we started preaching from house to house. Grandmother had survived World War II and had come from France to live with us. She was a Protestant. When I showed her how different the Bible was from her religion, she said, “Why don’t you speak to the pastor in my church?” The pastor agreed to speak to us, making an appointment for us to visit him at his house.

“In what sense is Jesus our Savior?” I asked him first.

“He saves us from our sins, and we go to heaven after death,” was his reply.

“And what about those that are not saved?”

“They go to hell.”

“Where did the faithful people go who lived before Jesus came to earth, such as Abraham and David?”

“To heaven.”

“And where did the unfaithful ones go before Jesus’ death?”

“To hell.”

“Then in what sense is Jesus a Savior if before his death good people went to heaven and bad people to hell, and after his sacrificial death it is the same thing? And where did the people that never heard of Jesus go? Can they go to heaven without Christ? If so, then why preach Christ to them? Or did they go to the fiery hell without even having heard Jesus’ name? If so, then Jesus did not come to save them too. Is not Jesus the Savior of the world?”

“You are getting too deep,” the pastor replied. “You don’t need to study the Bible that deeply. I myself don’t study it that much. All you have to do is be honest, lead a good life, and be respectful. Then you will have your reward, wherever that may be.”

“You mean the Bible is only a book of good morals and good manners?” I asked. “Even people that don’t believe in God know they should behave that way!”

I was only 18 years old then, and he was a white-haired, elderly Armenian pastor. Grandmother never went back to the Protestant church after that. She became a Witness, and we were baptized together on August 22, 1948, thus symbolizing the dedication of our lives to Jehovah.

From Mourning to Hope

Mother, my sisters, and I, who used to weep remembering the sad happenings in our family, were now joyfully telling others about the New Order and the resurrection hope. With such an incomparable hope, what should we do? Go back to secular work, taking care of our candy business? Should I become a concert pianist, as had been my goal? Or should I become a full-time proclaimer of the good news of God’s Kingdom?

There was no doubt about it. One month after attending my first large assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1948, I became a regular pioneer (full-time evangelizer), and shortly afterward my three sisters also became pioneers. What a rewarding way of life this has been!

A new privilege was extended to me in 1953, when I received an invitation to attend the 22nd class of the Gilead School where Jehovah’s Witnesses are trained to be missionaries. But Mother’s health was not very good. One day when the two of us were alone, I said to her: “Mother, if Jehovah asked you to do what he asked Abraham to do, to offer his only son Isaac as a sacrifice, what would you say?”

She paused, and after a while she replied: “I couldn’t say no to Jehovah.”

“Suppose he asked something much easier,” I continued, “that is, to let one of your daughters be a missionary in any part of this world. Would you let her go?”

She said yes. Then I told her I was leaving to be trained as a missionary. My oldest sister, Siranouche, stayed behind to care for our parents.

Being assigned back to Brazil after Gilead, I served for less than two years in Lages, Santa Catarina, where there were only two Witnesses, and I saw the forming of a new congregation. Then in 1956 I was offered a privilege that I have cherished very dearly, that of working in the Brazil branch office of the Watch Tower Society, where I have been serving ever since. Mother never asked me to return home, even when she became a widow in 1962 and had little with which to support herself. She was satisfied with little, and she would write me the most encouraging letters.

After I had been working 20 years in the branch, one of my sisters, Vehanouch, who had attended the 33rd class of Gilead, came to work in the branch too. Now we both work on translation and proofreading.

My other two sisters have also continued in the full-time ministry. Gulemia, the youngest, began as a regular pioneer in 1949 when she was 14 years old, and since 1960 she has been a special pioneer (devoting 140 hours a month to the preaching work). In 1966, after my mother died, my oldest sister, Siranouche, became Gulemia’s partner as a special pioneer. They currently serve in a small town called Caconde, in the heart of the mountains, in the state of São Paulo.

No other work could have given us more joy than proclaiming God’s Kingdom. We thank Jehovah and Christ for using us like the ‘four daughters of Philip.’ (Acts 21:9) The four of us have had the privilege of helping some 400 persons to find this same joy. We have seen the number of Witnesses here in Brazil grow from 1,300 to over 170,000.

Of very special interest to us was what we saw in the Olympic Stadium in Munich, Germany, in 1978, in the Turkish section of the “Victorious Faith” International Convention. It was something that deeply touched our hearts​—Armenians and Turks seated together in peace and true love, listening to Bible counsel! After the day’s session was over, who do you think offered to take us in his car to our lodgings? Why, a Turkish Witness! Indeed, Jehovah works miracles!

How many more joys we can have if we remain faithful to our loving Creator! Then we will see the triumph of his Kingdom and be on hand to welcome back our dear ones in the resurrection!​—As told by Hosa Yazedjian.

[Blurb on page 16]

Many of the menfolk in Mother’s family were taken away, never to be heard from again

[Blurb on page 17]

‘An end must be put to their existence and no regard paid to scruples of conscience’

[Blurb on page 17]

Since I didn’t want to be influenced by any religion, I refused to read the literature of Jehovah’s Witnesses

[Blurb on page 20]

Armenians and Turks were seated together in peace and love, listening to Bible counsel!

[Pictures on page 18]

Hosa Yazedjian at the Watch Tower headquarters in Brazil where she works

Crossword Puzzle

Clues Across

1. Ancient land originally called Shinar (Daniel 1:1, 2)

7. A head of a forefather’s house in Benjamin, mentioned in connection with the building of the cities of Ono and Lod (1 Chronicles 8:1, 12, 13)

8. High Assyrian official (Isaiah 20:1)

10. The Mosaic Law proscribed muzzling a bull while it was doing this (Deuteronomy 25:4)

11. Haman’s bad one came back against him (Esther 9:24, 25)

13. The psalmist chose to stand here “rather than to move around in the tents of wickedness” (Psalm 84:10)

16. A letter in the ancient Greek alphabet that became the numeral for six (Aid to Bible Understanding, page 449)

17. Christ desired the congregation not to have one (Ephesians 5:25-27)

20. One of the few individuals that Paul personally baptized (1 Corinthians 1:14-16)

24. Benefit (Philemon 20)

26. All of it is inspired of God (2 Timothy 3:16)

27. Language based on an Aramaic dialect (Isaiah 36:11)

28. Twelve silver ones were used as part of the inauguration offering of the tabernacle’s altar (Numbers 7:84)

29. There is more in giving than in receiving (Acts 20:35)

Clues Down

1. Philip, Andrew, and Peter were all from this city (John 1:44)

2. Esau despised his (Genesis 25:29-34)

3. Possess (Ecclesiastes 5:11)

4. The man “clothed with linen” had one at his hips (Ezekiel 9:2)

5. Moses’ father-in-law (Exodus 18:5)

6. A saying

7. Those of the mustard plant were regarded as the tiniest (Mark 4:31)

9. Jehovah’s is strong (Deuteronomy 3:24)

12. Samson dwelt here for a while after slaughtering the Philistines (Judges 15:8)

14. It represents eternal destruction [3 words] (Revelation 20:14)

15. The third book of the Bible canon

18. Scrape

19. Resistance to motion, action, or change

21. He was bald (2 Kings 2:22, 23)

22. Loathes (John 15:23)

23. Away (Acts 7:39)

25. Beam of light (Luke 11:36)

27. Fluid part of a plant (Job 8:16)

CROSSWORD SOLUTIONS PAGE 27

Answers Across

1. BABYLONIA

7. SHEMED

8. TARTAN

10. THRESHING

11. SCHEME

13. THRESHOLD

16. DIGAMMA

17. WRINKLE

20. STEPHANAS

24. PROFIT

26. SCRIPTURE

27. SYRIAC

28. DISHES

29. HAPPINESS

Answers Down

1. BETHSAIDA

2. BIRTHRIGHT

3. OWN

4. INKHORN

5. JETHRO

6. ADAGE

7. SEEDS

9. ARM

12. ETAM

14. LAKE OF FIRE

15. LEVITICUS

18. RASP

19. INERTIA

21. ELISHA

22. HATES

23. ASIDE

25. RAY

27. SAP

The Bible’s Viewpoint

Creeds​—Any Place in True Worship?

“I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ . . .”

Do you recognize those words? Millions of Catholics and Protestants recite them, or slight variations thereof, as a declaration or statement of their religious beliefs. Commonly called the Apostles’ Creed, this as well as other creeds, such as the Athanasian and the Nicene creeds, has occupied an important place in public worship in the churches of Christendom.

In view of this, the questions come up: Are creeds essential to Christian faith and unity? Did Jesus Christ and the apostles recite creeds? Does the Bible mention them?

Standard reference works, such as Hastings’ Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics and McClintock & Strong’s Cyclopedia, tell us that church creeds as we know them today had their origin in the baptismal confessions used in the early churches. Candidates had to demonstrate that they had accepted at least the fundamental beliefs by reciting some formal summary of them. There existed many such confessions, and churches in different areas had their own versions. It was not until the fourth century that certain creeds came to prominence over others.

Viewed against this background, it is clear that creeds were used as a means to define the beliefs of a church to distinguish it from other churches. Various creeds developed as doctrinal changes were adopted. For example, at the Council of Nicaea, the statement that the Son was ‘of one substance’ with the Father was added to an earlier baptismal creed. And at the Council of Constantinople the further statement that the holy spirit is ‘adored and glorified together with the Father and the Son’ was added.

Interestingly, even though creeds developed over a long period of time, according to Avery Dulles of the Catholic University of America, “probably no period in history has seen such a burgeoning of new credal formulas as our own.” Today, among the churches of Christendom, “there are over 150 officially recognized creeds and confessions,” says the Encyclopædia Britannica.

Did Jesus and the Apostles Use Creeds?

On the night before he suffered, Jesus Christ prayed to his heavenly Father regarding his disciples: “Sanctify them by means of the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17) He was praying for his disciples to be sanctified, or set apart. But did he refer to any written code or creed? No! Rather, he showed that what God has said, as recorded in the Bible, set them apart from others.

When discussing the matter of prayer, Jesus said: “Do not say the same things over and over again.” (Matthew 6:7) Since Jesus disapproved of repeating written or memorized prayers, does it not stand to reason that he also would disapprove of reciting creeds in public worship? The fact is that nowhere in the Bible can we find any reference to Jesus’ using or instructing anyone to use creeds in worship. “God is a Spirit,” he said, “and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth.”​—John 4:24.

What, then, about the Apostles’ Creed? Because of its name, many people believe that it was actually drawn up by the apostles of Jesus Christ. In fact, some even claim that each of the apostles contributed a sentence in composing this creed.

On this point, Professor G. C. Stead wrote in The Expository Times: “Anyone who has read at all extensively in early Christian literature is bound to come to a different conclusion.” He argued that if there was in existence a creed formally designed and approved by the apostles, it would be difficult to explain why there were so many different ‘confessions’ and ‘statements of faith’ in existence among the early churches. The fact is that “a statement of Christian belief which approximately agrees in wording with the Apostles’ Creed cannot be found in any surviving writing earlier than A.D. 340.”

The Bible, in Acts chapter 15, does speak of a council of the apostles and older men in Jerusalem. But the purpose of that meeting was not to draw up or to amend a creed but to consider whether it was necessary for Gentile Christians to be circumcised.

How to Prove “I Believe”

The opening words of a creed invariably are, “I believe” or, “We believe.” This expression is translated from the Latin word “credo,” from which comes the word “creed.” But does the repetition of such words prove that one really believes?

In the famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus stated: “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will.” He also condemned the religionists of his day for holding on to traditions of men.​—Matthew 7:21; 15:8.

What do we learn from Jesus’ words? That it is valueless in God’s eyes for one merely to repeat what one claims to believe. Rather, it is “doing the will of [Jesus’] Father” that will bring God’s approval.

To know what God’s will is, one must turn to the Bible and diligently study it. Thus, rather than memorizing or repeating creeds, we must do what Jesus said in prayer to his Father: “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.”​—John 17:3.

[Picture on page 23]

I believe . . . I believe . . .

Diabetes​—How to Live With It

KATHY is a young woman. She watches her diet and her weight, gets plenty of exercise, and follows her doctor’s instructions. She also gives herself insulin injections every day. Kathy is one of many millions of people who have diabetes.

In spite of all her precautions, Kathy admits: “I never can tell what my blood sugar will be. One afternoon it may be 300. The next day, on the same schedule, it may be 50 and I’m going into insulin shock.” Not long ago she developed a nonhealing infection and spent weeks in a hospital.

Mae is an older woman. She does not watch her diet and, as a result, is 50 pounds (23 kg) overweight. She admits that she does not follow her doctor’s orders very well. She shrugs off the fact that her blood sugar often hovers above 300, and she refuses to take insulin. Though she does take a diabetes pill daily, she seems surprisingly unconcerned about her disease.

Although they seem so different, both these women have the same disease. It is called diabetes mellitus. Why is there such a difference in the two of them? More importantly, what can they do to enable them to live with their diabetes?

Diabetes​—What Is It?

First, we need to understand what diabetes is. A key factor in the disease has to do with the body’s production of insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas. Insulin enables the body to pick sugar out of the bloodstream and to get it inside the cells where it is used for energy or is stored.

However, if the body does not produce enough insulin, little of the sugar will get to the cells to produce energy or be stored. Instead, sugar builds to high levels in the blood and begins to cause problems. Simply put, that is diabetes. And there are two main types, as illustrated in the cases of Kathy and Mae.

In Kathy’s case, the disease is called Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, or Type I diabetes. The problem here lies in the inability of the pancreas to make insulin. Recent evidence indicates that this type of diabetes may be caused, at least sometimes, by viral infections. The person with this type usually contracts it at a young age (under 30), is usually thin, and needs insulin shots to live.

In Mae’s case, the disease is called Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, or Type II diabetes. It is often referred to as adult onset diabetes and is different from Type I. Here the problem is not that the pancreas makes no insulin but that it does not make enough. Much of the insulin it makes is soaked up by fat cells. The pancreas cannot make enough insulin to cope, and the blood sugar goes up. People with this type of diabetes are usually over 30, are overweight, and can sometimes get along without insulin shots. They also seem more likely to inherit their diabetes.

Treating Type I Diabetes

Kathy’s diabetes, Type I, is much more serious, though less common. It would seem that the solution to Type I is simple​—just replace the insulin. However, though insulin shots can keep a diabetic alive, they cannot account for the minute-to-minute fluctuation of insulin level that the body needs.

In order to minimize the complications of diabetes, such as blindness and kidney trouble, it is important to reduce the amount of sugar in the blood and in the urine. The need is to imitate the body’s normal and frequent fluctuations of insulin. But the question is just how to do that. The treatment is two-fold: (1) preventive maintenance and (2) insulin replacement.

With preventive maintenance, steps must be taken to minimize the daily fluctuations in the body’s need for insulin. A vital factor is the food that the person eats, for this is what the digestive system turns into blood sugar. The prudent person with Type I diabetes soon learns that he must have a well-regulated diet. This includes the more complex carbohydrates, as well as fats and proteins. This diet avoids sugar, honey, pastries, sugar-laden soft drinks, and similar sweets. These carbohydrates swiftly find their way into the bloodstream.

This diet must be presented to the body at regular intervals. If the diabetic becomes careless, eating whatever appeals to him at any time, the levels of insulin and blood sugar quickly get out of balance. This leaves the person open to quick and severe illness or to the long-term complications of the disease.

Exercise lowers blood sugar. So the conscientious Type I diabetic includes exercise in the daily routine, being careful to have available a quick source of sugar (such as hard candy) in case the exercise drives the blood sugar too low. That can lead to diabetic shock. Emotions, too, can wreak havoc with the blood sugar and may be a cause of poor self-control regarding the diet. Infection and illness must be quickly treated, since they can cause blood-sugar levels to swing widely.

Yet, in spite of taking all these factors into account, the patient with Type I diabetes, like Kathy, may still have trouble stabilizing blood sugar. What then?

The second main aspect of treatment is the use of insulin injections. When insulin was developed over 60 years ago, it was lifesaving for many diabetics. And later development of one-a-day shots was initially perceived as a great advantage.

Though the daily injections are more convenient, there is some concern about possible long-term complications, such as hardening of the arteries. Thus, some are recommending more frequent injections of short-acting insulin to control the blood sugar more tightly during the course of the day. Several recent developments have made this not only possible but also practical.

One advance for home monitoring of blood sugar has been labeled “the first truly significant therapeutic advance since the discovery of insulin.” Using a simple portable machine, the diabetic may check his own blood sugar several times a day. Thus he can make his own frequent adjustment of insulin dosage and can come closer to constant normal blood-sugar levels.

One disadvantage of home monitoring is that the diabetic must prick his finger for the blood test. But there are special lancets for this, and those experienced in the procedure say it really is not bad. Another disadvantage is the cost of the machine. However, that expense should come down with improved technology.

Other advances include the development of inexpensive, disposable, very sharp insulin needles. These have rendered the insulin injections less painful. Also, the insulin available today need not be refrigerated; thus serious inconvenience is avoided on trips.

Insulin that is equivalent to human insulin has now been marketed and is often recommended for newfound Type I diabetics. New also are the pressurized, needleless insulin injector and the insulin infusion pump. The pump is a portable insulin injector that the patient wears on his belt. It constantly injects insulin through a needle in the abdominal cavity. The infusion pump, although in use today, is considered by many doctors to be somewhat dangerous and should be used only under the supervision of a specialist.

Regarding children who are Type I diabetics, a recent trend has been to be less concerned about diet. Some feel that they can eat a relatively normal diet and then cover that diet with whatever insulin is necessary. Of course, such children still should not eat many sweets. The real basis for their living a relatively normal life seems to be close blood-sugar monitoring and frequent insulin adjustment.

Treating Type II Diabetes

There have not been nearly as many advances in the treatment of the more common Type II diabetes. As noted, the problem here is not the inability of the pancreas to produce any insulin at all. It is the inability of the pancreas to keep up with the body’s escalating need for insulin, usually worsened by excess weight.

Though pills are widely used, these serve to push the pancreas to put out more insulin. But there is a limit to how much you can ‘whip a tired horse,’ in this case, a tired pancreas. A good diet that reduces weight and cuts down on the simple sugars, accompanied by sensible exercise, may be more useful.

If diet, exercise, and abstention from sweets do not lower blood-sugar levels enough, then pills may be prescribed. Here, opinions differ. Some doctors prefer to use insulin injections rather than pills even in Type II diabetics. There may be side effects to the pills, and there is some question as to whether they really help prevent long-term complications.

In each case, all factors need to be weighed by competent doctors before treatment is recommended. And the diabetic must weigh the recommendations and make the final decision as to what he will do.

Living With Your Diabetes

Thus, coping with diabetes involves different steps, depending on which type a person has. For the Type II diabetic the solution may be diet and weight loss. But one doctor stated: “Realistically, my experience has shown that the likelihood of that happening is small. I am prepared in most cases to give my patients pills or even insulin from the beginning.”

For the Type I diabetic, the solution of living with the disease is not so simple. Here, too, part of the answer may lie not in the medical treatment involved but in the individual’s attitude toward the diabetes. True, it is not a pleasant thing to look forward to daily injections, perhaps several times a day, nor to pricking the finger to check the blood sugar. Neither is it easy to make sure one’s life is organized to the extent that one eats similar foods at regular intervals at about the same time each day and that exercise and rest are properly planned.

At the same time, a realistic outlook means accepting the fact that at present there is no cure for diabetes. But there is treatment that, while requiring discipline, can keep diabetics alive and reasonably well for many more years than would be the case without treatment.

Attitudes to Avoid

One needs to avoid two extremes of attitude. On the one hand, a person who has diabetes must avoid being careless about the problem, failing to follow sound medical direction, and perhaps hoping that the problem will go away. It will not.

On the other hand, since emotions cause erratic blood-sugar levels, it could be counterproductive to become overly worried about the problem. It will not help to be in constant fear and to be wrapped up in compulsive care of the diabetes to the exclusion of normal activities. Though the life of diabetics must necessarily be regulated, the vast majority can live well-structured lives.

Will diabetes, as well as other illnesses, ever be permanently cured? God’s Word, the Bible, gives the heartening answer: Yes, without fail! And that will happen in the near future! This cure will take place here on earth under the rule of God’s Kingdom, the government that Jesus taught his followers to pray for. (Matthew 6:9, 10) At that time, “no resident will say: ‘I am sick.’”​—Isaiah 33:24.

[Blurb on page 26]

Part of the answer may lie in the individual’s attitude

[Picture on page 25]

To help control the blood sugar, a diabetic needs to discipline himself to avoid sweets

From Our Readers

Dachau Gas Chambers

In your article “From Death to Life in Dachau” (February 8, 1985), the writer made several errors. The motto on the belt buckles of the S.S. men was not “God With Us” but “My Honor Is Loyalty.” Also, she says that prisoners were ordered to the shower rooms and gassed there. Anyone visiting Dachau today is informed that no one was ever gassed there.

M. K., Federal Republic of Germany

I have been informed that children were not detained at Dachau.

Britain

The folder given to visitors to the Memorial site of the Dachau concentration camp states regarding the gas chamber installed in Dachau: “This gas chamber, camouflaged as a shower room, was not used. The prisoners selected for ‘gassing’ were transported from Dachau to the Hartheim Castle, near Linz (Austria) or to other camps.” The booklet “Dachau Concentration Camp” mentions a procedure that could have given rise to the belief among prisoners concerning gassing in Dachau. “Prisoners who were picked for transportation were forced to wait for departure in the shower room, where their clothing and shoes, if of better quality, were replaced with those of lesser quality and where their glasses and dentures were confiscated. They were then transported at night by truck to Hartheim Castle near Linz . . . There they were gassed to death . . . A gas chamber for executing people was also built at the Dachau concentration camp in 1942, but for unexplained reasons it was never put into operation.”

As to the slogan on the belt buckles, the writer, a girl of 14 years at the time of the experience, might have confused members of the S.S. with ordinary soldiers, on whose belt buckles that slogan was used. She associated the slogan “God With Us” with those responsible for her plight, and indeed those soldiers were involved. That turned her against God.

At the Memorial site of Dachau, there are various slides on sale. Slide number 23a shows a number of children in prison uniform. The caption for the slide reads: “Concentration Camp Dachau. Liberated children 1945.”​—ED.

Nazism Rejected

In your article “Nazism Rejected​—By Whom?” (June 8, 1985), you claim that no one openly opposed Nazism until it became apparent that the war was being lost. This is false. The Churches are mentioned but only as a negative example. Unmentioned go the Communists, Socialists, and anarchists who offered opposition to the Reich from its very beginning. Many more than only “thousands” were arrested, placed in concentration camps, tortured, and murdered because of offering opposition.

M. S., Federal Republic of Germany

We agree that thousands opposed Hitler’s regime from the very beginning and that they were persecuted for doing so. We limited our coverage of opposition to those who opposed Hitler on religious grounds, not political. If the churches and their flocks are mentioned as negative examples, it is simply because they failed to take the course of political neutrality the Bible clearly imposes upon Christians. This is true of them as groups, and in no way is meant to imply that sincere individuals did not oppose Hitler or did not suffer for doing so.​—ED.

Watching the World

Deadly Cocaine

Cocaine is deadlier and more addictive than heroin, a new study has found. A recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that “in rats given free access to heroin or cocaine, cocaine is three times as lethal to them as heroin.” Until quite recently, cocaine use has been considered by many to be relatively safe, but the researchers, Michael Bozarth and Roy Wise of Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, say in their report that “cocaine toxicity has been underestimated.” According to William Pollin, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse in the United States, “cocaine is now becoming widely recognized as one of the most dangerous illicit drugs in common use.” He adds that recent research leads “to the conclusion that it is powerfully addictive.”

AIDS From Mother’s Milk

According to Reuters news service, Dr. Julian Gold (of the Australian government’s national AIDS task force) said that in Sydney a baby boy has contracted AIDS. This is the deadly disease that destroys the body’s immune system. The child, now more than a year old, probably got AIDS after having been breast-fed by his mother. If so, he would be the first person on record to have contracted AIDS in this manner. The mother received the AIDS virus from a blood transfusion after giving birth.

Dr. Martha Rogers from the Centers for Disease Control, United States, told Awake! that “three-quarters of the babies who have AIDS get it from their mother, either while developing in the womb or by coming in contact with the mother’s blood during the birthing process.” She also said that it is possible for AIDS to be transmitted through mother’s milk.

Chinese Rat Control

Eating rat steaks and wearing rat shoes are popular in some parts of rural China and are good ways to control rats, reports the English-language newspaper China Daily. “In Fujian Province, local people hail rat steak as the best steak in the world,” adds the Chinese-language newspaper Economic Information. According to China Daily, a factory in southwestern China is producing children’s shoes out of rat skins, “an ideal material for shoes because of its fine grain and flexible, glossy texture.” Rats are said to consume 15 million tons of grain in China each year.

Teenage Bulimia

The eating disorder bulimia also afflicts high school girls, concludes a study by Mary D. VanThorre and Francis X. Vogel published in Adolescence. People suffering from bulimia go on extreme food binges, usually followed by purging​—either by self-induced vomiting or by the use of large amounts of laxatives. The potential for this appetite disorder, previously thought to be a problem mostly with young women in college, has been found in females of all ethnic groups aged 14-18. “Another important finding,” says the report, “has to do with race.” It was thought that the disease affected primarily white, upper-class females, but the study suggests that “middle-class black females manifest the symptoms of bulimia in the same proportion as their white counterparts.”

“Bitter Fruitage”

The German newspaper Offenbach-Post reports that the Frankfurt police committee formed to look into violent youth groups found that youths who riot do so neither because of need nor because of difficult circumstances at home. Rather, “the 15-to-19-year-olds who were arrested today in street riots are predominantly the children of 1968 protesters who dragged their children along to all the demonstrations,” said the report. “These children were fed an attitude of protest right along with their mother’s milk. The experiment was a success. . . . The young fathers and mothers of 1968 were proud of the antiauthoritarian upbringing they bestowed upon their children. Today, these same parents, if honest with themselves, cannot but be surprised when their children provide them with a taste of their own medicine in the form of this upbringing’s bitter fruitage.”

Dentists’ Paradise?

Brazil is said to have the highest incidence of tooth decay in the world among persons 18 to 25 years of age​—18 caries per person. Moreover, 90 percent of the population do not have access to the most elementary dental service, according to José Paulo Gouveia de Toledo, president of the Dental Surgeons Association in Campinas, Brazil. What makes this situation worse, he says, is the fact that Brazil is recognized as “being among the principal [nations] of the world” in technological advances in dentistry.

Clergy’s View of Sex

Two attorneys, G. Sidney Buchanan and Mark Johnson, from the University Park Law Center of the University of Houston in the United States, asked 469 religious teachers and pastors about sexual practices. Only 40 percent of the clergymen responding believe that fornication is a sin. Buchanan and Johnson stated in Psychology Today that their poll found that it was easier for the clergyman to preach that “fornication is immoral than to say the same thing to John and Mary who engage periodically in fornication and have come to you for counseling and moral guidance.”

Licking Stamp Laundering

“Right now, there are people in their cellars washing postage stamps, and it’s only going to get bigger,” says store owner David A. Schmidt, who used to sell washed postage stamps​—until the government caught up with him. “Welcome to the latest crime wave​—stamp laundering,” proclaims The Wall Street Journal. Launderers usually obtain used stamps from trash bins or from retirement homes and charities willing to sell to them. Typically, launderers soak envelopes in hot water to remove the stamps and soak the stamps in bleach to remove the postage-cancellation marks. Uncanceled stamps​—a by-product of faulty postal machines—​makes laundering even easier. But selling and using these stamps is a federal offense. Since late 1983, the postal authorities have seized more than $13 million dollars’ worth of contraband stamps.

Women as Clergy

The exclusively male bastion of priesthood in the Church of England may be about to collapse. The Church’s General Synod has voted to allow the ordination of women to the lowest rank of the Anglican clergy​—deacon. In the Anglican hierarchy, a deacon is one step away from being a priest. “Women deacons will become members of the clergy, be styled ‘reverend’ and be able to perform marriages and baptisms, but they will still not be able to perform holy communion,” says Archdeacon Michael Perry of Durham. The Anglican Communion has already ordained women as priests in Uganda, Kenya, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Canada, and in the Episcopal Church in the United States.

TV and Obesity

Watching too much television contributes to youthful obesity, reports a Harvard team of researchers who studied television watchers 6 to 11 years old. The incidence of obesity among these children​—normally 15 percent—​increased 2 percent for each additional hour they spent in front of a television set per day. Why? Because youngsters glued to the tube snack more and exercise less. Says Dr. William H. Dietz, Jr., one of the researchers: “Kids are watching about 25 hours of television a week, and that’s 25 hours that they are not doing other, potentially more active things.”

Japan’s “Useful Shops”

Affluence has given birth to another growth industry in Japan​—benri-ya, or “useful shops.” These small, family-run businesses provide clients with personal services for a fee. With more and more Japanese women working outside the home and thereby lacking the time or energy for housework, the demand for benri-ya is rising 40 percent a year, says The Daily Yomiuri. What will the benri-ya do? They will clean your house ($24 [U.S.] for two hours), place a wake-up telephone call ($4), pull out gray hair ($12 per hour), look after a pet (up to $24 per hour), or check if the front door is locked ($40).

Should I Spank My Child?

While most child-care experts disapprove of spanking, 88 percent of parents in the United States spank their children, according to a poll by the Family Research Laboratory of the University of New Hampshire. A growing number of psychologists suggest that parents use alternative disciplinary measures. “Spanking is never a good substitute for communication between parent and child,” maintains Dr. Kenneth Kaye, an associate professor of clinical psychology at Northwestern University Medical School. Disagreeing with these psychologists is a mother of three children, aged 4 to 8, who feels spanking makes for good communication: “Other forms of punishment just don’t seem to make much of an impression on them.”

‘Copper From Stone’

Representatives of the German Mining Museum in Bochum, Germany, spent two months last year investigating the ancient production of copper in and around Fenan, Jordan. During the eighth to fifth centuries B.C.E., Fenan bustled with copper production. “The scientists from Bochum discovered batteries of twelve melting furnaces that at one time were used simultaneously. They looked like pears and had a capacity of 25 liters [26 qt],” reports the Austrian newspaper Salzburger Nachrichten. “At that time copper production must have amounted to several thousand tons.” Some 200,000 tons of copper slag are to be found in Fenan. Interestingly, the Bible at Job 28:2-4 refers to such a method of producing copper, explaining that “from stone copper is being poured out.”

Now You Can Hear the Psalms on Tape​—Morning . . . Noon . . . or Night

What an inspiring way to start the day, or to take a break, or to conclude the day before going to sleep.

The majestic, moving thoughts expressed by the writers of the Bible psalms are now on cassette. They are recited in a manner that gives the poetry clarity and even greater meaning.

They will be a fine addition to your family library. Five tapes, recited from the New World Translation, almost six hours’ playing time, only $7.50, postpaid.

Enclosed please find $7.50 (U.S.) for the five cassette tapes of all 150 psalms of the Bible. (Outside the U.S.A., write to local Watch Tower branch for information.)

A Youth Comforted

Late one summer, Denise became acquainted with a fellow lifeguard whose mother died when she was young and who had recently lost her father in death. “I sent her a six-month gift subscription to the Awake! magazine,” Denise explained. A couple of months later, Denise received the following letter from her:

“I read the first two issues of Awake! and two of the articles really helped me. One was on finding comfort after losing someone close, and the other was on ways to overcome depression. I can’t tell you how much they have helped me. The latter quoted Philippians 4:7, ‘The peace of God that excels all thought will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus.’ Reading that immediately gave me new hope. Thank you so much for making me a subscriber to Awake!”

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