March 8

Page Two

The magazine The Nation states that Africa “is a rich and steady source of crops consumed daily in the advanced nations.” During the recent Ethiopian famine, citizens of Britain were shocked to learn that they were eating Ethiopian fruits and vegetables. Besides cotton, Africa exports tea, coffee, sugar, cocoa, groundnuts, fresh flowers, meat, palm oil, wood, and many other agricultural products.

Why, then, can’t Africa feed itself? Could more be done to help Africa utilize its agricultural potential? What hope is there for the victims of famine? The following articles will consider these questions and direct your attention to a successful program that will end hunger not only in Africa but throughout the earth.

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The World Comes to the Rescue

By Awake! correspondent in South Africa

“ONE of the world’s greatest disasters.” “The biggest disaster to strike the planet since World War Two devastated Europe.” That is how different authors describe Africa’s recent famine.

“In one year,” claims the magazine Newsweek, “as many as 1 million Ethiopian peasants and 500,000 Sudanese children died.” In Mozambique a hundred thousand people are reported to have perished, and for a time, a thousand died each month in Chad.

The world came to the rescue, but for countless Africans it was too late. In some cases the delay was caused by officials who concealed the true extent of the famine. The ignoring of hungry citizens contributed to the overthrow of the Sudanese government in 1985.

In March 1984, Ethiopia appealed to the world for 450,000 tons of emergency grain. This was no exaggeration, for the actual need was twice that amount. Yet the United Nations and its member states paid little heed. Less than 100,000 tons of grain was offered, at a time when world grain surpluses approached 190,000,000 tons! To make matters worse, the small supplies of food took months to arrive. Meanwhile, people were starving. The death toll in one relief camp reached a hundred per day.

Then in October 1984 a British television crew was delayed while waiting for a change of planes in Ethiopia. They used the time to visit relief camps and filmed humans starving to death. “I cried when I was editing this film,” said cameraman Mohammed Amin. “I actually broke down and cried.”

A Dramatic Response

The film was shown on BBC television news and repeated on 425 networks throughout the world. Its effect was dramatic. An angry public demanded government action. Pop musicians turned their lucrative trade into appeals for charity and, to date, have raised over a hundred million dollars! All this publicity resulted in one of the greatest relief programs the world has ever seen.

Shipments of surplus grain began pouring into Africa. Governments of Europe cooperated in an airlift of food deep into Sudan. Even more remarkable was the joint operation to get food to the highlands of Ethiopia. In his book Ethiopia: The Challenge of Hunger, Graham Hancock described the scene at Addis Ababa’s Bole Airport: “Aircraft with Russian, American, East German, British and a medley of other markings were lined up on the apron loading emergency food supplies . . . It was like a vision of all the lofty principles that the United Nations stands for suddenly brought to life, and I could almost hear the swords being beaten into ploughshares.”

Though late, the world’s response to Africa’s need is said to have saved over three million lives! But, sadly, Africa is still short of food. According to recent reports, millions in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Mozambique face starvation. ‘Why,’ you may wonder, ‘is Africa unable to feed itself?’ And even more important, ‘What is the real solution?’

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Why Can’t Africa Feed Itself?

“I PLANTED . . . but there was no rain,” explained Idris, an Ethiopian farmer. All his seeds rotted in the ground, forcing him to leave his farm for a new life in a relief camp. “Once,” he added, “I had four oxen for ploughing and of these, when there was no food left to eat, I sold two and slaughtered two for meat. . . . I have eaten my future.”​—From the book Ethiopia: The Challenge of Hunger.

Like Idris, many African farmers find it difficult to produce enough food. Once self-sufficient, the continent now depends on large food imports. Why is this? Why do so many Africans go to bed hungry?

Drought

Africa is notorious for treacherous droughts. Particularly vulnerable are countries on the southern border of the Sahara Desert. Since 1960 rainfall in this region has steadily declined in what the magazine Ceres calls a “prolonged Sahelian drought.” Yet, many farmers manage to survive.

In the 1983-84 season, though hit by drought five Sahelian countries produced record crops of cotton. The clothes you now wear may be made from this cotton. While cotton earns valuable foreign exchange from exports, there is a price to pay. In 1984 the countries of the Sahel had to import a record 1.77 million tons of cereals. “The fact that cotton can be grown but grain cannot has more to do with government and aid agency policies than with rainfall,” states Lloyd Timberlake in his book Africa in Crisis.

Besides cotton, Africa exports tea, coffee, sugar, cocoa, groundnuts, fresh flowers, meat, palm oil, wood, and many other agricultural products. “Africa,” states the U.S. magazine The Nation, “is a rich and steady source of crops consumed daily in the advanced nations.” During the recent famine, British citizens were shocked to learn that they were eating Ethiopian fruits and vegetables. Apparently, then, drought alone is not the reason Africa cannot feed itself.

Population Growth

Some Africans refuse to limit the size of their families. To them, having many children is viewed as a sign of prestige. Not surprisingly, Africa has the highest population growth rate in the world. Undeniably, this aggravates the problem of hunger. Some estimate the present population to be 553 million. By the year 2000, according to current trends, there could be an additional 324 million mouths to feed!

Does this mean that Africa is too small to grow enough food? No. Much suitable land is not being cultivated. India, with an even larger population and a fraction of the land, produces huge grain surpluses. “China,” adds The Star, a newspaper of South Africa, “has 1000 million people and yet, year after year, it produces a food surplus. . . . We suggest that Africa is starving because of misguided advice.”

Wrong Advice?

Advice is one thing Africa is not short of. “If the hungry could eat words,” said a BBC television commentary, “Africa would recover.” Some 80,000 foreigners provide this service. “Advising Africa,” states Timberlake, “has become a major industry, with European and North American consulting firms charging as much as $180,000 for a year of an expert’s time.”

These experts promote expensive farming methods that require high-yield seeds, chemicals, and heavy machinery. This has meant good business for overseas suppliers but has brought little benefit to Africa’s rural poor. Attention is given first to farms that produce cash crops for export and then to farms that produce food that is sold in Africa’s more affluent cities. Many of these projects have proved inefficient, and some have failed. Africa’s climate, explains Newsweek magazine, “is often far too harsh for the high-yield seeds put to such good use in Asia.” Also, Africa’s soil is fragile, and crops are sometimes damaged by new farming methods.

Development Aid?

Overseas governments and aid agencies promote other expensive schemes. These likewise bring “benefits to their own companies and consultants and economies,” states the development journal People. The schemes are attractive because they make African countries look modern, and they are backed by large loans of money. This helps some African governments to satisfy rich city dwellers whose support they need to stay in power. Thus, impressive hotels, universities, airports, highways, cars, and luxuries are seen in African cities while the countryside is neglected. Africa’s rural peasants have a name for their rich city neighbors. In Swahili they call them the Wabenzi, meaning “the Mercedes-Benz tribe.”

The humanitarian motive behind development aid is questioned by many. “Far from aid being charity,” state the authors of the book Famine: A Man-Made Disaster?, “donor countries are getting a bargain. . . . The influence and economic opportunities that both West and East get from aid is cheap at the price.” Development aid has contributed to Africa’s staggering $175,000,000,000 debt.

“Two decades of ‘development’ brought Africa to the precipice in 1984,” states Peter Gill in his book A Year in the Death of Africa. Development aid, according to Gill, has been “a sham.” The ones who really need it, Africa’s peasant farmers, have had little share. “Yet,” explains the journal The Ecologist, “peasant farmers make up 75-80 per cent of the population of most African countries,” being “the backbone of Africa’s food production.”

Food Aid?

Food surpluses have become a heavy burden to rich nations. Storage costs are high. In the article “A World Awash in Grain,” the U.S. magazine Foreign Affairs lamented: “This is a strange and painful year to talk about grain. Our televisions bring us pictures of starving African children, but world grain stocks exceed 190 million tons​—a record surplus.”

Cheap surplus grain does not always benefit hungry Africans. Sometimes it ends up in the hands of greedy merchants, or recipient governments sell it at a profit to help balance their budgets. Dumping surplus grain in Africa has also weakened the position of rural farmers. “How can a local producer compete against free foreign food?” ask the authors of the book Famine: A Man-Made Disaster?

Traditional African-grown foods, such as millet and sorghum, are fast losing their popularity. Yet these withstand drought much better than other types of grain. City dwellers have developed a taste for wheat and rice​—grains that are hard to grow in much of Africa’s harsh climate. Some advisers promote a liking for overseas foods and thereby increase Africa’s dependence on food imports.

Neglecting Peasant Farmers

Farmers like Idris, the Ethiopian quoted earlier, need seeds and simple farming equipment. Food aid alone is of limited value. As the Chinese proverb says: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” Generally, African peasants are not helped to succeed as farmers, though there are exceptions in some African countries.

Since colonial times, Africa’s best land has been devoted to the production of cash crops for export. In addition, large farming projects have been developed to provide food for the more affluent cities. Thus peasant farmers have often been pushed off good land and forced to subsist on land that is less productive. Left to fend for themselves, Africa’s peasants have degraded fragile land by overcultivation and overgrazing, and by cutting down too many trees. Large portions of Africa are turning into desert.

Their position has also been undermined by price-fixing. To please city dwellers, many African governments keep the price of farm produce very low. This policy, according to the scientific journal Nature, has “contributed powerfully to the decline of agriculture, the hunger of the same urban populations and the dependence of potentially fertile Africa on food imports.”

War

“Half a million Angolans have fled from their farms, driven off by the civil war,” an African newspaper stated recently. Angola, unlike some other parts of Africa, enjoys good rainfall. Yet, in the fertile highlands tens of thousands depend on having a regular supply of emergency food flown to them.

It is no coincidence that African countries that suffer the most from famine are also involved in civil war. Though rains brought some relief to Ethiopia, Sudan, and Mozambique, civil war in those countries continues to disrupt food production, and millions are starving.

Recently, the Independent Commission on International Humanitarian Issues, whose 25 members include representatives of five African countries, made this strong statement: “Armed conflicts and violence, in certain parts of Africa, add unnecessary bloodshed and turmoil to a tragic situation. . . . Priority is given to weapons of destruction, when people need hoes and seeds to grow food, clean water to drink and simple, low-cost preventive health programmes.”

Africa is not solely to blame for this. In his book A Year in the Death of Africa, Peter Gill refers to the part outside governments play in “the militarization of Africa” and asks: “Whose arms manufacturers benefit from African arms races?” Nations of the East and the West promote African wars and benefit financially from them.

Needed​—A Superhuman Aid Program

The question “Why can’t Africa feed itself?” is controversial, and the answer is complex. Drought, the population explosion, aid policies, greed, the neglect of rural farmers, the degradation of land, and war are all among the causes, as cited by authorities. Of these, only drought can be called natural; the rest are man-made.

Actually, Africa’s drought has served to highlight human limitations and selfishness. Man’s inability to administer earth’s affairs independently of his Creator, Jehovah God, is clear for all to see. As an ancient prophet said: “I well know, O Jehovah, that to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.”​—Jeremiah 10:23.

This indisputable fact is recorded in the Bible. The Bible also foretold the present-day “food shortages,” accompanied by war and human mismanagement of the earth. Happily, all of this points to the nearness of a superhuman aid program that will succeed in ending hunger not only in Africa but throughout the whole earth.​—Luke 21:10, 11, 28-31; Revelation 6:3-8; 11:18; 21:1-5.

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Generally, African peasants are not helped to succeed as farmers

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Hope for Victims of Famine

“MOST major famines since World War I have been caused in part by war and revolution,” state Drs. Brown and Anderson in the book Historical Catastrophes: Famines.

This fact brings to mind an old prophetic vision popularly called the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Picking up this theme, an African newspaper reported: “The Four Horsemen are on the rampage in the unhappy land of Ethiopia.” Few, though, realize the marvelous hope this vision contains.

Causes of Premature Death

The third horseman of the Apocalypse pictures famine. He rides with “a pair of scales in his hand,” and a voice calls out: “A whole day’s wage for a loaf of bread.” (Revelation 6:6, Weymouth). Ahead of him gallops a horseman picturing war​—war so widespread and prolonged that he is said “to take peace away from the earth.” These horsemen show the close connection between famine and war.​—Revelation 6:3-6.

As to this connection, the book Historical Catastrophes: Famines comments: “Often food production is reduced because of a shortage of manpower . . . The fighting may cause the destruction of valuable crops. Trees and other plants that take many years to replace may be destroyed. Transportation and trade may be disrupted so that one region starves while another nearby region has surpluses of food.” This was the tragic experience of millions during World Wars I and II, as well as between those wars, and it continues to affect millions today.

The two horsemen described above are followed by another named “Death.” He pictures the premature deaths that have struck millions since the critical year 1914. War and “food shortage” top the list of foretold causes. (Revelation 6:7, 8) Wars have claimed over 100,000,000 victims since 1914 and “food shortage” even more. “More people have died of hunger in the past five years than have been killed in all wars, revolutions and murders in the past 150 years,” states the book The Hunger Primer.

Hope for the Dead

Closely following horseman “Death” is something that spells hope. It is “Hades.” Apparently, then, many victims of premature death are in Hades. What is meant by the word “Hades”? It is a transliteration of the Greek word haiʹdes used in the Bible, and it corresponds to the Hebrew transliteration “Sheol.” (Compare Psalm 16:10 with Acts 2:31.) These terms refer to a place of unconscious rest, the common grave of mankind from which there is hope of a resurrection.​—Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10; John 11:11-14.

Later, this assurance was recorded in the book of Revelation: “And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne . . . And the sea gave up those dead in it, and death and Hades gave up those dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds.” (Revelation 20:12, 13) Thus a marvelous future awaits many who have suffered death because of famine. If, after their resurrection, genuine appreciation is shown for God’s provision for salvation, such ones will be “judged” worthy of everlasting life on earth.​—Psalm 37:29; John 5:28, 29; 1 John 2:1, 2.

But when will this resurrection take place? After the first horseman of the Apocalypse, who pictures the Lord Jesus Christ, ‘completes his conquest.’ (Revelation 6:2) Jehovah God has enthroned his Son, Jesus Christ, as King over all mankind. (Revelation 11:15) He “is the One decreed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.”​—Acts 10:42.

Hope for the Living

Soon the earth will be cleansed of all who oppose Christ’s rule. Selfish man-made governments will be removed. (Daniel 2:44) “As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth,” but those who submit to earth’s heavenly King “will be left over in it.” (Proverbs 2:21, 22) For such survivors, hunger will become a thing of the past.​—Isaiah 25:6; 65:21, 22.

With his God-given superhuman power, Jesus Christ will ensure that earth’s ecology is restored to perfect balance. (See Mark 4:37-41.) Africa’s Sahara and other advancing deserts will be driven back. God’s original purpose for an earth-wide paradise will become reality. (Genesis 1:28; 2:7, 8; Luke 23:43) As foretold, “the desert plain will . . . blossom as the saffron. . . . For in the wilderness waters will have burst out, and torrents in the desert plain.”​—Isaiah 35:1, 6.

The Bible describes Christ’s rule in this moving way: “He will feel sorry for the lowly one and the poor one, and the souls of the poor ones he will save. From oppression and from violence he will redeem their soul . . . There will come to be plenty of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountains there will be an overflow.”​—Psalm 72:8, 13, 14, 16.

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Famine, the third horseman of Revelation, rides today in much of Africa

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Soon there will be a time of plenty for Africa and all the world

The World Since 1914

Part 1​—1920-1928 The Roaring Twenties—​Lull Before a Storm

In 1983 Awake! published three articles dealing with World War I. We now undertake to cover in a series of eight articles some of the major events that have occurred since that war. These events have affected everyone alive, and they are of greater significance than many of us might imagine. We are sure you will enjoy reading THE WORLD SINCE 1914, part one of which follows.

MOST people “did not realize they were witnessing the turning point in modern history,” says historian Hans Kohn about the effect of the first total war in mankind’s history, World War I. He explains that even after the war was over, “few were aware of the profound revolution that had taken place in the minds of peoples all over the globe, or that this revolution would express itself one day soon in the reordering of national and international society.” And why should they be? After all, the 1910’s appeared to be ending on such a positive note.

Had there not been a formal end to the war with the signing in 1919 of the Treaty of Versailles at the Paris Peace Conference? Had this conference not provided for the establishment of a League of Nations designed to unite the world in peace? Was not its formal inauguration on January 16, 1920, reason enough to believe that another world war could now be avoided?

The Roaring Twenties​—An Appropriate Name

The carefree world of the Gay Nineties (the name given the 1890’s) was destroyed at the latest by the global nightmare that started in 1914. Now that the war was over, disillusioned people wanted to forget it as soon as possible. Particularly in Europe, the situation was marked by political confusion and economic chaos. Historian R. B. Gruver says that “many of the young saw themselves as survivors of a purposeless war to which they had been condemned by their elders. Because of this perspective, they began to regard the values of the older generation as highly suspect. . . . They became preoccupied with material success and physical comfort.”

And in the United States? “Most Americans,” says Gruver, “seemed to believe that the value of goods and property would increase indefinitely and that the individual who bought something today could sell it tomorrow at a profit. . . . Speculation in stocks became widespread [as] barbers, stenographers, and elevator boys seized their opportunity to make money in an expanding economy.”

On both sides of the Atlantic, the happy-go-lucky, materialistic spirit of the period was mirrored in its morals and attitudes, as well as in its music, of which Gruver says: “The popular music of the 1920s also expressed a rejection of tradition and a new emphasis on spontaneity, individualism, and sensuality.” Jazz, the United States’ contribution to 20th-century music, now came of age. It was a “music that represented a generation’s disdain for restraint and respectability.” This rejection of long-accepted standards of conduct and values caused author F. Scott Fitzgerald to refer to the 1920’s as the Jazz Age. And as jazz rapidly gained worldwide acceptance, so did the pleasure-seeking attitude it represented.

There may be disagreement about who it was that first dubbed this postwar period the Roaring Twenties. But there can be little disagreement about the appropriateness of the name. One definition of “roaring” is: “Marked by prosperity . . . esp[ecially] of a temporary nature.” That certainly fits the 1920’s. They were years marked by prosperity and were characterized by an uninhibited search for pleasure, riches, and gratification. Long before the decade was over, however, danger signals indicated that the “good times” were of only temporary nature.

Gathering Clouds of Political Tension

Throughout the 1920’s the League of Nations went about its delicate task of preserving peace. This was extremely difficult. Gerhard Schulz, Professor of Modern History at Germany’s University of Tübingen, explains: “The initial political, moral and economic burdens of peace were aggravated by the fact that nationalism had survived the world war, in fact had even been rekindled.” In Italy nationalism was rekindled in the form of fascism under Benito Mussolini, whereas in Japan it was in the form of increased military influence. In China communism was making inroads, after having consolidated its power in Russia following the October 1917 revolution. All this nationalism worked contrary to the interests of the League of Nations.

Meanwhile, in Germany the National Socialists, later to become known by the originally taunting nickname “Nazis,” were gaining support. In 1928 their flamboyant leader, Adolf Hitler, spoke out for the rekindling of nationalism when he declared: “Our people must first of all be liberated from the hopeless confusion of internationalism, and be deliberately and systematically trained in fanatical nationalism. . . . There is only one right in the world, and this right lies in one’s own strength.”

In the United States nationalism appeared in the form of isolationism. More and more Americans were in favor of letting Europe stew in its own juice. They were also opposed to membership in “the evil thing with a holy name,” as some called the League of Nations. Despite President Wilson’s pleas, Congress bowed to the prevalent spirit of the times and voted in 1920 against U.S. membership.

The intrinsic dangers hidden in these gathering clouds of political tension were magnified by the fact that they went largely unnoticed, or they were simply ignored. Nevertheless, they were building the basis for a storm more terrifying and destructive than any ever experienced before.

Stormy Winds of Social Change

The threatening political clouds were accompanied by stormy winds of social change. Attitudes and standards changed as people were caught up in a consumer market hitherto unknown. For the first time, modern conveniences like automobiles, radios, and refrigerators could be produced in sufficient quantities to supply everyone. To promote their sale the advertising industry rapidly developed into a billion-dollar business. It introduced easy credit and installment-plan buying and strove to convince people to buy things they possibly did not need, perhaps did not even want, and to do so with money they probably did not have.a In the radio it saw a powerful medium for achieving its goals, and it used it to the full.

All the newfangled contraptions now available, although saving time and energy, were not always appreciated; neither were the lazy, easygoing, spoiled tendencies that some people felt they fostered. One elderly lady, for example, was highly distressed upon discovering sliced bread at her grocery store for the first time. Shaking her head in disbelief, she muttered: “When people get too lazy to cut their own bread, you really wonder what the world is coming to.” What would she think today?

But the situation was actually more serious than this. The ready availability of products that the advertising world made so appealing caused people’s attention to shift slowly away from spiritual needs and values and to focus more upon material things. Organized religion had long failed to supply needed spiritual guidance and was helpless in preventing this drift away from God. An increasing number of people began promoting human theories and philosophies. For example, as Gruver tells us, Sigmund Freud’s “new science of psychoanalysis fascinated a generation that had become supremely interested in itself and in its own experiences.”

Darwin’s theory of evolution also helped erode belief in God and the Bible. Its effects upon world history should not be underestimated, as the book Europa zwischen den Kriegen (Europe Between the Wars) tells us. It calls Hitler a “genuine social Darwinist” who firmly believed that survival of the fittest is a law of nature. “His concept of war,” explains its author, Hermann Graml, was that it “was a completely normal form of national intercourse necessary for strengthening ones own people, and which the true statesman would repeatedly try to bring about himself.”

Of course, not everyone allowed the stormy winds of social change to weaken their faith in God and his Word. Some took advantage of new technology, for example the radio, to help defend their Creator. This was in sharp contrast with those who were using the radio waves solely in the pursuit of selfish commercial interests. In 1924 a group of Christians associated with the Watch Tower Society inaugurated WBBR, New York City’s first noncommercial radio station. They continued to use it until 1957, at which time it was sold, after having served its purpose and the interests of God’s Kingdom for over three decades.

The Roaring Twenties and “a Roaring Lion”

“Lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, . . . lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power.” A description of the Roaring Twenties? Yes, although the Christian apostle Paul wrote these words almost two thousand years ago. That the human weaknesses mentioned here became more pronounced in the money-oriented, pleasure-mad, spiritually weak society of the Roaring Twenties is no coincidence. It is an unmistakable indication that the world had moved into the period of time called by Paul “the last days.” It also indicates that “the Devil . . . like a roaring lion” was stepping up his activity to turn people away from their Creator.​—2 Timothy 3:1-5; 1 Peter 5:8.

To counteract this, Christians associated with the Watch Tower Society began stepping up their own activity in defense of true religion. In 1922 they intensified an advertising campaign designed to publicize God’s incoming Kingdom. In 1927, to facilitate the printing of Bible literature, they constructed their own factory in Brooklyn. The number of “advertisers” was still small, yet during 1928, as the Roaring Twenties were reaching their end, 44,080 of them were preaching God’s Kingdom in 32 countries around the world. The “roaring lion” was powerless to prevent this.

Their message was everywhere the same: the folly of placing one’s trust in materialism, human theories, or political schemes, like the League of Nations, instead of in God’s Kingdom. The Watch Tower of July 15, 1926, boldly declared the League of Nations to be against God, saying: “Its approval by the clergymen, as a substitute for Messiah’s kingdom, has caused gross darkness to settle down upon the peoples of the world. . . . The Lord foretold its birth, its short existence, and its everlasting end.​—Revelation 17:10, 11; Isaiah 8:9, 10.”

These Christians were convinced that the storm of God’s judgment day was fast approaching. But first, the Roaring Twenties were destined to end with another kind of storm, a financial storm, one that would strike with unexpected suddenness. It in turn would pave the way for a political storm that would give new meaning to the word “war.” Read part two of this series in the next Awake!: “Worldwide Depression and On to War Again.”

[Footnotes]

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Other Items That Made the News

1921​—Insulin for treating sugar diabetes is discovered

Ireland divided into Irish Free State and Northern Ireland

1923​—Over a hundred thousand killed in Tokyo earthquake

1924​—Ten millionth Ford rolls from Detroit assembly line; its Model T selling for less than $300, U.S.

Belgian astronomer Georges Lemaître formulates big bang theory of expanding universe

First Hollywood talkies produced

1928​—Penicillin discovered

Walt Disney’s first Mickey Mouse film

Kingsford Smith and companions make first trans-Pacific flight

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Gaiety and wild antics characterized the Roaring Twenties

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The Bettmann Archive

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J. F. Rutherford, president of the Watch Tower Society, used the radio from 1922 onward to announce God’s Kingdom

Gilead Students​—United Though Diverse

THEY come from seven nations as diverse as Finland, Italy, and Australia​—24 people with 24 different personal histories. Yet, a common goal unites them​—that of serving God in the foreign missionary field.

But how could such a diverse group of individuals be so united in purpose? For the answer, let’s get better acquainted with some of the students of the 82nd class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead​—a school devoted to training Jehovah’s Witnesses for foreign missionary work.

‘I Learned to Mistrust Religion’

Although several of the students were raised as Witnesses, others became such more recently. Alvin describes his turbulent urban life as a black youth growing up in Chicago, U.S.A., this way: “I left home at 13 to live with my sister. Since I had more freedom away from home, I associated with young people involved with alcohol and drugs. For protection my friends and I formed a gang and experienced the violence and hard drugs that go along with such a life-style. Since adults, including a Baptist clergyman, sold the illegal drugs to us, I learned to mistrust older people and religion. So when my sister began studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses, I didn’t trust them either.

“A turning point in my thinking came when I got involved with a racist organization. They realized that we needed better government. They tried to organize all black people and to unite all the gangs against white people. Of course, this would be accomplished through violent means. I began to realize that this was not the answer to man’s problems.

“So I looked to religion for the answer. I tried the Seventh-Day Adventists, to my disappointment. I finally agreed to study the Bible with the Witnesses. A year later I was baptized.”

Alvin recalls an experience he had while preaching from house to house: “I called at the house of two gang leaders who were former enemies of mine. Before learning the truth, I had fought with them. Our gang had returned to their neighborhood and had shot out the windows of their house with guns. Later they had retaliated by shooting two of my partners as we were coming out of a store. Now here I was standing at their door with the Kingdom message. On seeing me, they began laughing in disbelief. I was relieved that they no longer viewed me as a threat.

“I’m thankful that Jehovah has a teaching program that reached even into my neighborhood and into my heart. Now, my wife Betty and I can devote our lives to Jehovah’s service and use that teaching program in the missionary field to help others.”

‘This Is the Life for Us’

Martin traveled around the world twice with the British Merchant Navy before settling again in England, his native country. What did his experience teach him? “I had my eyes opened to reality. I wondered if the world’s problems could ever be worked out. I discussed with my prospective wife Elvira ways in which we might be able to do something.” He continues: “Then, one rainy afternoon, a young Witness called at my door. He showed me from the Bible that we are living in the last days. I was astounded. I started studying the Bible and attending Christian meetings at once. Eventually, we were both baptized. It was the best thing we ever did!”

But why choose the full-time ministry rather than pursue a full-time secular career? Elvira answers: “We realized soon enough that money doesn’t bring happiness. Martin is a skilled baker, so he could work part-time. There was no doubt about it​—the ministry was the life for us.”

Heikki, from Finland, relates a similar experience: “I was 16 years old when my classmate told me what he had learned from the Bible. So I began studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses too. However, my father arranged for several Lutheran ministers to try to readjust my thinking. After various meetings with these clergymen, they became frustrated. I was more proficient at explaining the Scriptures than they were. They never once opened the Bible.”

A few years later Heikki began serving Jehovah as a full-time pioneer minister. There were some difficult decisions for him to make. He explains: “Studying architecture in college made me go into debt. After two years I quit the studies and eventually began pioneering. I had no job, no training for work but debts to be paid. However, Jehovah always provided the necessities.”

But why did Heikki and his wife Anne choose the missionary work? Anne replies: “As we pioneered we learned that it was good to let Jehovah choose our assignment. Moreover, we have good health, and we have no family responsibilities that prevent us.”

Before Mats learned about the truth from God’s Word, he was an atheist and had strong communist leanings in his native country of Sweden. Mats explains: “Religion presented to me a greedy and cruel god because of its hellfire teaching and blessing of wars. I didn’t want to be in contact with such a god, so politics was the only hope in my mind. However, my uncle repeatedly invited me to his home. I was reluctant to go because I knew he was some kind of Christian.

“However, on one occasion while visiting him, I preached to him about my political ideals. He calmly listened and then showed me evidence of Bible truth. He began an organized study of the Bible with me. Soon I made the decision to resign from the army. My army superiors were shocked. They even sent a minister to talk to me. I asked the minister if he felt my decision was Scriptural. After a long pause he said, ‘Yes.’ Ten months later I was baptized.”

Mats spent six years in northern Sweden near the Arctic Circle in the pioneer work. And how does he feel about the full-time ministry and the missionary work? “I have never had any thought of quitting. I am completely free to move anywhere in the world. It was only natural for me to apply for Gilead School.”

Their United Goal

Terry and Lori are a married couple from the United States. They exemplify the diversity of the 82nd class of Gilead. Terry learned the truth as a young man when a fellow employee witnessed to him on the job. In contrast, Lori represents the fourth generation of Witnesses in her family. Perhaps she sums up the feelings the class has for their united goal of missionary service: “I’m very sure this is where Jehovah wants us to be.”

What has caused this group of people with such diverse backgrounds to be unified in their one goal of missionary work? Each student worships the same God, Jehovah. Each benefits from the same direction from Jehovah’s Word and organization. Now all of them are willing to be sent to the ends of the earth to preach the good news of the Kingdom.​—Isaiah 6:8; Matthew 24:14.

[Pictures on page 16, 17]

Alvin Taylor (inset) as a gang member and now as a missionary student (front row) with his wife Betty, Martin and Elvira Evans

Gilead School is located in these administration buildings in Brooklyn, New York

[Picture on page 18]

Gilead library with Terry (right) and Lori (center) Gish studying at the first table and Heikki and Anne Soumalainen (behind right)

Young People Ask . . .

How Can I Be God’s Friend?

“SOME youths worship God because others around them do it,” observes a Nigerian student named Yemisi. She adds: “But they do not know him or regard him as a person.” Yemisi therefore believes that because their whole approach to the matter is wrong, people often fail to become God’s friend.

Whether you agree with her or not, many youths are skeptical about the possibility of having any relationship with God​—much less being his friend. Some have been put off by religions that make God seem distant and aloof. Yet others have tried to get close to God via drugs, transcendental meditation, or the occult​—and have failed.

It would be a mistake, though, to conclude that God is so far removed from us that there is no way of approaching him. After all, who gave birds their happy songs and the trees and flowers their delightful colors? Who made the beautiful valleys, the majestic mountains, the glorious sunlight, and your wonderful body and mind? Who is the source of the many fine abilities that people have? Is it not our Creator?

Well, then, surely this shows that he is keenly interested in us. Does it therefore seem reasonable that he would distance himself from us, make himself unapproachable? On the contrary, the Bible assures us that “he is not far off from each one of us” and invites us to seek his friendship.​—Acts 17:27.

But how can you do that? And how would having God’s friendship benefit you?

What God Requires

The Creator already has a certain link with everyone by virtue of giving “to all persons life and breath.” (Acts 17:25) However, being a friend of God is a far closer tie than merely being a creature of God. A prerequisite for enjoying such a favored relationship is making the right approach. Explains the Bible: “He that approaches God must believe that he is and that he becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.”​—Hebrews 11:6.

“Earnestly seeking” God involves getting to know him as a Person. How can you do that? With good logic, the Bible further says that “what may be known about God is manifest . . . His invisible qualities . . . [are] perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship.” (Romans 1:19-28) The things made by God​—the distant stars, the roaring sea, a butterfly, a tiny leaf—​all demonstrate and give insight into his immense power, his wisdom, his love. So contemplating his creative works is one way that will help you to appreciate the Grand Person that he is.

However, you need to know more about God than creation alone can reveal. For this reason he has provided his written Word, the Bible. In clear language this book makes known his name, Jehovah, and many facets of his excellent personality. (Exodus 3:15; 34:6, 7) Appreciating this, Yemisi’s brother Kunle says: “The Bible has been a strong influence in my life. More and more, as I read it, I find out that God has a purpose for humans and provides guidance for us to live in full harmony with his will.”

You, too, will find that simply reading the Bible is a very pleasing experience. A careful study of it will be even more rewarding, as Kunle has found. God’s Word says: “If you will receive my sayings and treasure up my own commandments with yourself, . . . you will understand the fear of Jehovah, and you will find the very knowledge of God.”​—Proverbs 2:1, 5.

Since these sayings of Jehovah are found in the Bible, it is worth your while to take the time to read it. Do not be discouraged by its size. It is really made up of 66 small books that are full of interesting history, biographies, prophecies, doctrines, and counsel on relations with fellow humans and with God. By reading for just a few minutes every day, you can dig into this wealth of knowledge that will draw you close to your Creator.

God’s Avenue of Friendship

Merely learning about God, however, is not enough. You must also avail yourself of God’s avenue of friendship with him. Jesus Christ explains: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me . . . If anyone loves me, he will observe my word, and my Father will love him.” (John 14:6, 23) Since Jesus is “the truth,” knowledge of the truth about God and his requirements can be gained by studying Jesus’ teachings. (John 1:8; 17:26) In addition, study carefully Jesus’ life course, for this provides a living demonstration of how to please God and enjoy friendship with Him.

Jesus Christ, though, is also “the life.” The Bible says: “Christ, while we were yet weak, died for ungodly men . . . God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us . . . [and] now that we have become reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:6-10) Without Christ, there could be no friendship with God, for we are born as sinners. However, Jesus’ blood, shed in sacrifice, “cleanses us from all sin” and ‘reconciles’ us, puts us back on friendly terms, with God. This, in turn, opens up for us the prospect of everlasting life! (1 John 1:7; John 17:3) Faith in Jesus Christ as “the life” is therefore essential to our enjoying God’s friendship.

Make Sure of God’s Friendship

God, through Jesus, has already taken the initiative toward friendship with you. But what should be your response? As you learn more about him and grow in appreciation of his goodness, you should be moved to love him and to want to serve him. You should delight in telling others about your heavenly Friend.​—Romans 10:10.

Remember, though: Others can point out to you the way to be God’s friend, but you yourself have to take the initiative! Jehovah does not compel you. He recognizes you as an individual and wants you to come to him freely. As a young woman named Omolara put it: “I am grateful to my parents for helping me to know Jehovah; but it is up to me to find out whether I really want to serve God and practice good or not.”

So put forth effort. As you come to know God, let your life be molded by God’s Word rather than by the world. In time you will develop a “new personality which [is] created according to God’s will.” This means that your mental inclination will now begin to harmonize with God’s thinking and will move you to conform closer to his righteous standards.​—Ephesians 4:20-24; Colossians 3:10; 1 John 2:3, 4.

All of this may sound quite difficult at first. However, one of the benefits of knowing Jehovah and being known by him is that you can approach him in prayer and experience his help and direction in your life. As Omolara says: “We know that, in times of grief or when we have weighty decisions to make, God is there to help us. He is always ready to do something for us.” (1 John 5:14, 15) Further help will come from close association with those who are already Jehovah’s friends. Say some young ones who are Jehovah’s Witnesses:

“I have found that close association with others who love Jehovah helps me to stay close to him.”​—Omolara.

“Congregation meetings have helped me to understand the Bible and how to live in harmony with Jehovah’s ways.”​—Kunle.

“Association with other Witnesses and sharing in meetings has helped me to maintain a good relationship with Jehovah.”​—Ifeyabo.

You, too, can have the happiness that these and many other young people enjoy. Yes, ‘exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.’ (Romans 5:8-11) You will receive the reward God gives to his friends​—everlasting life.​—John 3:16.

[Picture on page 19]

Studying the Bible will give you an intimate knowledge of Jehovah

What Can You Do When an Earthquake Strikes?

By Awake! correspondent in Greece

HOW long does it take for a city to be destroyed by an earthquake? Actually, an astoundingly short time. In the case of Kalamata, a city at the very south of mainland Greece, it took less than five seconds.

A quake with a magnitude of 6.8 on the Richter scale turned this coastal city into a ruin. Of 21,000 buildings affected by the quake, 6,930 could be repaired, 13,440 were declared to be uninhabitable, and 630 were total ruins. The nearby village of Eleochori was almost totally destroyed, with 117 of its 125 houses collapsed or severely damaged. The number of injured ran into the hundreds, yet only some 20 persons died. Why was that? What saved so many lives?

Survivors Tell Their Story

“It was like an explosion, as if dynamite was exploding under the house. And I heard a curious roar,” one eyewitness told Awake! She added: “I felt as if I were falling into a gulf. I called out to my husband, ‘George, hurry, take the children out!’ Then the lights went out. I grabbed one child, and George grabbed the other, and we rushed down the stairs to the street. There was dust everywhere. Almost all the houses in our neighborhood crumbled. Yet no one was killed because most people were in the streets.”

That last remark is a clue to safety during an earthquake​—get out of the buildings and into open areas. In Kalamata the quake struck on Saturday at about 8:20 p.m. At that time many of the people were already in the streets. In fact, crowds were down at the docks watching the inauguration of a new ferry service to Crete. Without a doubt that fortuitous circumstance saved many lives.

Another eyewitness, Mr. Karalekas, explained: “I have lived through many earthquakes, but this was something altogether different. It was terrible. It was like being on a ship in a storm, and the rolling motion hindered your walking. As soon as I felt it, I went to stand beneath the doorframe and shouted to the children to do the same. For the moment, that would provide some protection. Then, as soon as I could, I rushed the family downstairs into the courtyard. Fortunately, my house did not crumble.”

As a temporary safety measure, a solid doorframe can be a lifesaver. But as in this case, a quick exit to an open area is the best policy.

Government Aid​—Rapid and Good

Official reaction to the disaster was immediate, and massive aid was sent to the region. Thousands of field tents were soon erected in open areas to shelter the homeless families. Improvised plumbing installations were set up to supply water to the tent “towns.” According to one newspaper report, the defense minister, Ioannis Haralambopoulos, was on the scene directing the rescue work. Aid was also offered by foreign governments. One Greek shipping magnate brought his luxury cruiser Marianna to Kalamata harbor and offered shelter and provisions to more than a thousand people.

Jehovah’s Witnesses also took immediate steps to cover the needs of their brothers and other interested persons in Kalamata. Provisions were sent from nearby congregations and from Athens by train. Although some of the Witnesses lost their homes and other property, they showed that they had not lost their appreciation for spiritual values. It was too dangerous to use their meeting place in town, so they set up a tent “Kingdom Hall” a few miles out of town for their Sunday meetings. In addition four smaller tents were erected in town for the mid-week Bible study meetings. In spite of the inconvenience, the attendance exceeded 100 percent of the congregation.

The Witnesses suffered no injuries or deaths during this disaster. However, we recognize that “time and unforeseen occurrence” affect people indiscriminately. (Ecclesiastes 9:11; Acts 27:13-20, 41-44) On other occasions, Witnesses have been injured and killed in disasters and accidents. Therefore, it is always wise to be prepared to the degree possible for those natural disasters​—such as floods and earthquakes—​that might be common to certain areas. Knowing how to act in such circumstances is the course of wisdom. As the Bible counsels: “A shrewd man sees trouble coming and lies low; the simple walk into it and pay the penalty.”​—Proverbs 27:12, The New English Bible.

[Pictures on page 23]

Seven persons died here, but a ten-day-old baby was rescued

A temporary tent installation to house the homeless

The tent “Kingdom Hall” set up outside Kalamata

Fast Work Far North!

By Awake! correspondent in Norway

“JUST fantastic. That is the only expression we can find that describes what Jehovah’s Witnesses did last weekend.”

Thus the Norwegian newspaper Finnmarken begins a report on the building of a Kingdom Hall, a meeting place for the congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, in the small town of Kirkenes up in northern Norway last summer. What was so fantastic about it?

The 2,258-square-foot (210 sq m) building, seating some 100 persons, was constructed in three days by over 200 volunteer workers from five nations. The building had to be carefully put together and well insulated because Kirkenes is situated in the cold area about 217 miles (349 km) north of the Arctic Circle where the borders of Norway, Finland, and Russia meet. How did this building work come about?

It began with the small congregation of about 30 members inquiring of the local authorities about the possibility of purchasing a lot. First they were told that no area was available for such a purpose. But being favorably inclined toward the project, the authorities rezoned a whole area for the building of meeting places, and the like. The three-day construction schedule was set for Friday, June 27, through Sunday, June 29, 1986.

International Cooperation

The foundation walls were already completed, and the evening before the work was to be started the materials were on hand at the site. But what about the workers? In addition to members from the local congregation, fellow Witnesses had arrived from far and near. Entire families had come by car, bringing their trailers. A busload of volunteers had come from the Oslo area in southern Norway. It included Witnesses from Denmark, the United States, and Canada. A bus with 44 Finnish friends had also arrived. Altogether over 200 were there.

The same evening all the workers gathered for an information meeting in the nearby Sports House, which the congregation had rented for the construction period. All information given was translated into Finnish and English. The loving and cooperative spirit that would characterize the whole construction work was already felt.

Friday at 7:00 a.m. a Bible text for the day was discussed in Norwegian and Finnish. After prayer and breakfast everybody got ready for work. At eight o’clock sharp, the first hammer strokes were heard. By 9:45 a.m. five of the six walls were up. Then the scaffolding started. One hour later the first roof truss was put into place.

That morning a man in the neighborhood had noticed the crowd outside his window. He went into the kitchen, made himself a cup of coffee and a sandwich, returned to the window, and almost dropped his cup when he saw a building already taking form.

Under the direction of craftsmen​—each assigned a certain task—​the work progressed rapidly. Some worked till late in the night finishing the roof boarding. So far north the sun is up 24 hours a day that time of year, guaranteeing sufficient light. Inside, the work of putting plaster boards on the walls and ceiling was finished.

Sign language solved most of the language problems. It was found that a lot can be said that way. And when insufficient, those of the Finnish friends who knew English or Swedish​—similar to Norwegian—​acted as interpreters. Thus breaking through the language barriers added to the feeling of unity.

Helpful Townspeople

Helpful townspeople contributed to the speeding up of the work. When, for example, the Witnesses asked at a lumber merchant’s and at an electrical supply store if somebody would mind opening if supplies were needed during the weekend, they were given the keys and told to list whatever they took and return supplies not used.

The town gardener was asked on Saturday evening if flowers could be bought for the flower beds. Although having guests, the gardener​—wearing a suit and tie—​came over and planted the flowers himself. “This is the town’s gift to your building,” he said.

The electrical inspector came on Saturday. He astounded the workers by asking if he could come back the next day to connect the power. It usually takes weeks to get this done, and prior to this, it had never been done on a Sunday. After the power was on and the Witnesses had thanked the people from the power company for coming, the inspector said: “I would have come at five this morning if necessary. Something would be wrong with a person who would not want to help with a project like this. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Completing the Work

When Sunday arrived, the exterior of the building was almost finished and the trees were planted. By 9:00 a.m. the grass for the lawn was sown. Inside, the workers painted, papered, laid floor covering, and did other finishing work. Commenting on the tidiness of the site, a newspaper wrote: “We all know what a building site looks like​—plastic, stubs, lots of trash lying around. But when Jehovah’s Witnesses were building their Kingdom Hall, not one single piece of wood or plastic messed up the place.”

At 6:00 p.m. the hall was finished, except for some plumbing and electrical installations. In addition to the main hall, the building contained a multipurpose room, a library, a storage room, a lounge, and rest rooms.

At 7:00 p.m. the first meeting was held, with 250 present. A Bible study based on a Watchtower article was held, and a video recording of the work was shown. All expressed appreciation for the privilege of working together in helping their Christian brothers to build a place of worship so fast in the far north.

[Map on page 24]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

ARCTIC CIRCLE

[Pictures on page 25]

Different stages of the Kingdom Hall construction from Friday to Saturday

The Bible’s Viewpoint

What Happens to the Soul After Death?

JAMES KIDD, a recluse miner, often puzzled over the subject: ‘Do I really have a soul living as part of me?’ Obsessed with proving his lifelong suspicion, Mr. Kidd left behind a small fortune of nearly $300,000, stating in his will that the money was to be used in “research for some scientific proof of a soul of a human body which leaves at death.”

Unlike Mr. Kidd, you may not be very interested in actually proving that you have a soul that will survive your death. But in the back of your mind, you may believe it. Millions today do because of religious teachings, reports of so-called life-after-death experiences, or their own personal feelings.

Interestingly, though, an Awake! survey of those who believe in the immortality of the soul revealed that all answered the following question in the same way: “Do you think the soul breathes to stay alive?” “No,” they said.

A Soul Breathes

In Genesis chapter 2, verse 7, the thrilling account of the creation of man begins: “And Jehovah God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground.”

Picture the miracle taking place! From the elements of the very earth are formed 206 bones, complex organs, over 600 muscles, and the amazing brain, all surrounded by a garment of skin, to form a perfect specimen of a man. Yet, one more “ingredient” is needed to complete the fascinating act of creation: something to animate and bring this body to life. God then began “to blow into his nostrils the breath of life.” At this point, introducing air (with its oxygen), God simultaneously animated millions of cells in the physical body with spirit, or life force. Now alive, this man named Adam inhaled and exhaled about 14 times a minute, or over 20,000 times a day! Concluding Ge 2 verse 7, notice that the now breathing, living man is called “a living soul.”

This outcome may be likened to the magazine you are now reading. Paper, inks, and glue make up this journal. But separately these items are uninteresting. Only if they are combined will you have a magazine. So the physical body, the breath, and the life-force are of little value without one another. But combined, they make up a living soul. Thus, Adam “came to be” a living soul.

Since nothing is said to imply that the first man was implanted with a soul or received it, we must ask: If the soul “came to be” only after breathing began, why conclude that it continues to live when a person stops breathing and dies? There is no mistaking this fact: Breathing is of do-or-die importance to a soul.

Thus, Bible writers often use the word “soul” as a synonym for a breathing person. For example, notice what happened to the enemies of God’s people in the land of Canaan. God’s people “went striking every soul that was in it [the land] with the edge of the sword, devoting them to destruction. No breathing thing at all was left over.” (Joshua 11:11) Every soul was a breathing thing. Likewise, every breathing thing was a soul. It was a fleshly, visible, breathing human that died, not an unseen spirit entity.

Are All Living Creatures Souls?

While man is distinct from animals, it is not because of his being a soul. When God let loose devastating floodwaters in Noah’s day, ‘all flesh, flying creatures, domestic animals, wild beasts, all the swarms, and mankind, everything in which the breath of the force of life was active in its nostrils died.’ Those same kinds of animals are called “living souls” in the creation account.​—Genesis 7:21, 22; 1:24.

As the Bible shows, ‘all flesh, all the swarms, and mankind’ need air and depend on the function of their varied respiratory systems to continue living on as souls. When this life-sustaining process stops, a soul returns to the dust. The soul​—person or animal—​becomes unconscious and nonexistent.​—Genesis 3:19; Psalm 146:4.

A Soul Can Live Forever!

Since the belief that a soul lives after death is so widespread, it is evident that humans instinctively feel that there must be more to life than what they now experience. These feelings are quite natural, for the Bible says that God “has put eternity into man’s mind.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11, Revised Standard Version) For many, that desire for “eternity,” or living forever, will actually be realized. First, something needs to be corrected​—the imperfection and sin that cause the human soul to die. (Romans 5:12) Once these are eliminated, the human body sustained by God can live forever.​—Revelation 21:3, 4.

But what hope is there for those already dead? The research society named as beneficiary of Mr. Kidd’s fortune did not find the answer. After four years of study, they could not prove that a human soul is a separate part of a human that leaves the body at death. But how positive the hope in the Bible! The promise of dead souls being brought back to human life on earth, yes resurrected, is assured.​—John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15; Hebrews 6:18.

God’s purpose for the human soul will then be learned by those resurrected individuals. And for those now applying God’s Word, who are “the sort that have faith to the preserving alive of the soul,” the breathing process need never stop!​—Hebrews 10:39.

[Pictures on page 26]

All of these are souls

From Our Readers

Cancer​—Can You Beat It?

I would like to thank you for your articles on “Cancer​—Can You Beat It?” (October 8, 1986) I had no idea when I received that magazine that two weeks later I would be diagnosed as having this “fearful” disease. But I am young and had an early diagnosis, all of which accounts for my 90% chance of complete recovery. Thanks to your articles, I understood a lot more about cancer than I probably ever would have, and I even knew what questions to ask my doctors.

L. F., United States

Thank you so much for your articles on cancer. I’m sure there are many who are suffering from this terrible disease who will find the articles encouraging. It’s nice to read correct information on the subject for a change. The newspapers hardly ever print success stories of the thousands who have beaten cancer, but the odd celebrity who becomes its victim makes headline news. This is very damaging to sufferers because we live on hope.

J. W., England

How refreshing and sustaining the article was on cancer. When I got the magazine, it was only two days after visiting a dear friend in the hospital who had to have a leg amputated because of cancer. I wanted to have some encouraging words when I visited him again. Your articles had all that I needed, and I recorded them on tape so that he could listen to it in bed. All the material is interesting, but I was particularly impressed with the material on page 12 under the heading “Facing Up to Cancer Treatment.”

A. M., Dominican Republic

Overcoming Stuttering

I can only heartily agree with the comments made in the article “Understanding the Stutterer’s Challenge.” (November 8, 1986) I myself have long had to struggle with this speech defect. I would like to add that stutterers should always be allowed to finish saying what they have started to say, regardless of how long it takes. It has always made me angry when the person I was speaking to finished my sentences for me, more often than not ending up saying things for me that I had not meant to say. This is particularly important when the stutterer is a child. Since becoming one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I have made great progress in overcoming stuttering. Speaking to others in the preaching work forces me to concentrate on their problems and their thoughts, and I have no time to worry about my speech problem. This has been helpful.

B. Z., Federal Republic of Germany

I have benefited greatly from the article “Understanding the Stutterer’s Challenge.” It helped me to understand my child, who has been stuttering since the age of six. I hope that all parents of such children will read this article because it really helps us to communicate with our children. I do encourage other parents not to stop their children when they are trying to speak.

J. K., Malta

I want to thank you for the article on stuttering. It has helped me to see that other people also have this problem. It seems unbelievable, but I am recovering from my stuttering by following a treatment that is called “Rhythm against stuttering.” A device is used that transmits pulsations by means of an earphone. These serve as a guide for pronouncing the words, syllable by syllable.

D. C., Spain

Watching the World

Heart-Disease Risk

In an eight-year study, involving more than 350,000 men between the ages of 35 and 57, cholesterol was found to increase the risk of premature death of middle-aged men by 80 percent. A report published in a special issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that four out of five middle-aged American men could suffer heart disease and die prematurely because of even moderate levels of cholesterol in the blood. Such danger was said to be present even in men who do not have high blood pressure and who do not smoke. After the data was analyzed, Dr. Jeremiah Stamler, a cardiologist affiliated with Northwestern University, explained that “the numbers speak rather clearly for themselves. The optimal level is 180, and 80 percent of this population is over 180.” Previous studies estimated that each percentage point of cholesterol reduction will result in a 2-percent drop in heart disease.

Teenage Victims

A U.S. Justice Department study has revealed that teenagers are twice as likely to be victimized by violent crimes as are adults. From 1982 through 1984, youths between the ages of 12 and 19 were victims of approximately 1.8 million violent crimes and 3.7 million thefts each year. The Bureau of Justice Statistics director, Steven Schlesinger, pointed out that roughly one third of all violent crimes and 83 percent of the thefts affecting those in their early teens took place at school. Similarly, 42 percent of the thefts and 14 percent of the violent crimes experienced by older teenagers occurred at school. The study revealed that relatives or casual acquaintances were usually responsible for the attacks.

Better Use for Rice

The leaders of the Lutheran Church parish in Kirchenlamitz, Bavaria, recently forbade the scattering of rice at weddings. According to the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, they gave three reasons for the prohibition: First, a Christian church is no place to practice a fertility rite stemming from the Far East. Second, in view of widespread hunger in the world, food should not be thoughtlessly wasted on the ground. Third, the church lady, who has to sweep up all the rice, is 80 years of age.

‘Super Glued’ Retinas

Using a “medical-grade variation of commercial ‘super glues,’” scientists have been able to reattach loose or torn retinas successfully, reports The Times of London. By adding a chemical that slows the hardening process, scientists have modified the adhesive so that it does not cause the retina to stick to the injector. Speaking at a recent seminar sponsored by Research to Prevent Blindness, Dr. Brooks McCuen claimed success for 12 out of 17 blind patients treated by this new technique. Although the technique is still experimental, half the successful operations restored enough vision “for normal life.” Compared with laser spot-welding and the use of freezing probes, reattaching the retina with ‘super glue’ produces bonds to the eye that are twice as strong.

Bicycle Dangers

Facial injuries caused by bicycle accidents send more children in the United States to the hospital emergency room than any other sport, reports American Health. A study by the Consumer Product Safety Commission has confirmed that facial injuries in one year amounted to 67,075 from the use of bikes, followed by 46,527 due to falls from stairs, 30,063 from playing baseball, and 5,696 from playing football. After the age of five, knocked-out teeth as well as injuries to the cheek, eye sockets, upper jaw, and nose increase. The use of protection for the head and face is recommended for reducing the number of such injuries.

Drinking and Driving

Since 1980, automobile accidents have caused the majority of deaths in Mexico City, claims Raúl Carrillo Silva, director of accident prevention and health attention during disasters. He said that in 1973, auto accidents caused 28,313 deaths, but in 1983, more than 50,000 such accident-related deaths were registered. Only 5 percent of the tragedies were due to environmental problems, such as fog, rain, hail, lack of proper road signs, and roads under repair. Fifteen percent were due to mechanical failure. However, 80 percent were due to human error, basically caused by drunk driving, according to Mexico City’s El Universal.

Killer Fleas

Leading authorities on fleas claim that common cat fleas are potential killers. New research suggests that their ability to carry and transmit disease has been seriously underestimated, notes The Times of London. The rodent diseases of bubonic plague and murine typhus are believed to be passed on to humans by fleas from infected animals, claims Dr. Bernice Williams of the Medical Entomology Centre at Cambridge University. Also, contrary to the belief that an infested cat or dog is not significantly affected by the fleas, Williams indicates that numerous ills are caused by them. Until American scientists discovered the flea’s ability to absorb dangerous microorganisms, fleas were believed to be relatively harmless.

Heading for a Fall

Pisa’s famous bell tower has been leaning for most of its 813 years. During that time it has withstood numerous vibrations and earthquake tremors with “considerable elasticity,” reports Professor Geri Gero of the University of Pisa. Will it ever fall? According to Gero, nobody can be sure​—but if it does, it will hardly come as a great surprise. The leaning tower is now 5.1 meters (16.7 ft) from perpendicular, and the average tilt rate of one millimeter (0.04 in.) a year increased to two millimeters (0.08 in.) during the past 12 months, notes Singapore’s Straits Times.

“Bloodless Apocalypse”

Figures relating to the first five months of 1986 reveal that, for the first time, the population growth in Italy is below zero. The reason? More people are dying than are being born. From January to May 1986, 10.4 persons per thousand died, while only 9.5 babies per thousand were born​—a growth rate of -0.9. This means that for every 10 couples 14 babies were born​—6 persons fewer than the 20 parents who generated them. Commenting on the phenomenon, Il Corriere della Sera, a Milan daily, stated: “Our small, bloodless apocalypse is already under way: we are becoming fewer and older, not because of the Bomb or the [Space] Shield, but because of our own free will. Because we don’t want children.” Some of the reasons suggested for the population decrease, according to Il Messaggero, a Rome newspaper, were difficulties of modern living and “not enough faith in ourselves and in our future.”

Shocked Tigers

An increasing number of tiger attacks on humans have prompted authorities in India to find a more effective means of protection against the dangerous man-eaters. In a 1,600 square mile (4,100 sq km) area known as the Sunderbans, officials have been testing lifelike dummies that have been charged with 230 volts of electricity, reports The Economist. When a tiger attacks a dummy dressed to appear like a local villager, it receives a convulsive shock. Mr. Pranabes Sanyal, field director of the Sunderbans tiger reserve, says that the experiment is intended to cause the tigers to associate pain with a human being and transmit their fears to one another. More than 400 people have been killed by tigers in the Sunderbans over the past ten years. Nine out of 20 dummies have been attacked thus far.

A Multipurpose Animal

CAN you think of an animal that can be used for transportation, food, clothing, shelter, tools, and decoration? Certainly the arctic reindeer fits the description.

From time immemorial this stockily built animal​—standing as much as four and a half feet (1.4 m) at the shoulder—​has been one of the most valuable resources in the Arctic region of Europe. It has provided the Lapps with almost all their material necessities.

The agile and large-hoofed reindeer can pull a heavily loaded sledge at 12 to 15 miles per hour (20 to 25 km/​hr) over cold, snowy wasteland. It can easily swim across lakes and rivers and readily finds its way through a snowstorm. In Siberia it has even been used for riding.

Reindeer milk is four times richer in butter fat than is cow’s milk. A few drops can turn a cup of coffee white. The Lapps usually either jerk (sun dry) or smoke the animal’s strongly flavored meat. They make clothing, shoes, bedding, and tents of its soft hide. They use its hair for mattresses, its sinews for thread, its intestines and six stomachs for food containers, and its bones and antlers for tools, buttons, and ornaments. A vest of its fur makes a good life jacket, since reindeer hair is hollow and filled with air.

Almost every part of this creature can be utilized. You can hardly think of a more useful animal.

Peace In Our Time

Read about the birth and career of the One who will make it happen.

How will that One bring the peace that so far has eluded the world?

What identifies this generation as the generation that will see it happen?

Please send, postpaid, the hardcover, 192-page book Worldwide Security Under the “Prince of Peace.” Enclosed please find $1 to cover the cost and mailing.