June 22

Page Two

In June 1988 the Roman Catholic Church had its first schism, or division, in over a century. Traditionalist archbishop Lefebvre was excommunicated. A year after the split, the rebel prelate claimed a 10- to 20-​percent increase in the number of his adherents.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Catholic theologians signed a declaration protesting what they consider to be the pope’s abuse of power in the appointment of new bishops and in doctrinal matters, such as birth control.

Politically, Catholics are deeply divided, some being ultraconservative, others advocating social reforms and even armed revolution. The average Catholic may be bewildered by these divisions.

A New Schism

By Awake! correspondent in France

JUNE 30, 1988, will be a marked date in the annals of the Roman Catholic Church. On that day, French archbishop Marcel Lefebvre defied the Vatican. He consecrated four bishops at his traditionalist Catholic seminary in Switzerland. This action brought about the excommunication of Lefebvre and the four new bishops. It created the first schism in the Catholic Church since 1870. That year the so-​called Old Catholics broke away from the mother church over the question of papal infallibility.

The Roots of the Split

The rift between the Vatican and Archbishop Lefebvre’s right-​wing conservative Catholic movement had been widening for some time. The roots of the schism go back to the Second Vatican Council, held from 1962 to 1965. Pope John XXIII, who convened the council, set two objectives for the gathering. One was called aggiornamento (updating), and the other was the reuniting of all the so-​called Christian churches.

Although Archbishop Lefebvre, as a Catholic prelate, took part in Vatican II, he was not in agreement with either of these objectives. As a dyed-​in-​the-​wool traditionalist, it is his opinion that the Catholic Church does not need to be brought up-​to-​date. Subscribing wholeheartedly to the traditional Catholic view that “outside the Church there is no salvation,” Lefebvre is convinced that the only way “Christians” could possibly become reunited would be for all non-​Catholics to adhere to the Roman Catholic faith.

Against Religious Freedom

A year after his excommunication, Archbishop Lefebvre, speaking on behalf of conservative Catholics who support his movement, declared: “We are categorically against the idea of religious liberty and its consequences, especially ecumenism, which I find personally unacceptable.”

He was not innovating. He was faithfully following Catholic tradition. On August 15, 1832, Pope Gregory XVI published the encyclical Mirari vos, in which he condemned freedom of conscience as a “mistaken view, or rather madness.” Thirty-two years later, Pope Pius IX published his Syllabus of Errors, in which he condemned the idea that “every man is free to embrace and to profess the religion which, by the light of reason, he believes to be true.”

By rejecting ecumenism, Archbishop Lefebvre was merely showing his attachment to what Catholic dogma calls the “unicity of the Church,” that is, that there is but “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic” church.

Incensed by “Protestant” Mass

The reforms in the traditional Catholic liturgy brought about by Vatican II are a particularly sore subject to Archbishop Lefebvre and his followers. The rebel prelate considers such reforms to have “Protestantized” the Mass. It is not just the question of using modern languages instead of Latin; Lefebvre feels that too much has been modified with a view to attracting the Protestants and that even in Latin the liturgy approved by Pope Paul VI is “heretical.”

To ensure the continuity of the traditional Latin Mass, Archbishop Lefebvre set up a seminary at Ecône, Switzerland, in 1970. It was administered by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X, which Lefebvre founded the same year. As his movement gathered momentum, he established other conservative Catholic seminaries in Europe and the Americas. There hundreds of young men receive ultraconservative training for the priesthood.

The rebel prelate has ordained well over 200 traditionalist priests, although forbidden to do so by Pope Paul VI in 1976. These celebrate Latin Mass in priories and illegally occupied Catholic churches.a The Vatican admits that Lefebvre has about a hundred thousand militant traditionalist followers throughout the world, but other church officials concede that the number is closer to half a million. Lefebvre himself claims that millions of Catholics share his views.

The Need for a Successor

In the Catholic Church, a bishop can ordain priests. However, only the pope can approve the ordination of a bishop. For want of a bishop to ordain new priests, the elderly Lefebvre realized that his Priestly Fraternity risked dying out after his death. Apparently hoping that this would happen, the Vatican entered into protracted negotiations with him, eventually issuing an ultimatum. Either he would accept the ordination of a Vatican-approved bishop or if he proceeded to ordain a bishop himself, he would be excommunicated.

On June 30, 1988, at a ceremony attended by thousands of his followers, the rebel prelate consecrated four traditionalist bishops. The Paris daily International Herald Tribune reported: “Archbishop Lefebvre’s consecration of the four bishops cast a shadow over a Vatican consistory in which the pope elevated 24 bishops to the College of Cardinals. The Vatican canceled a special concert in order to register its ‘deep pain’ over Archbishop Lefebvre’s action. ‘It is a day of mourning,’ [French] Cardinal Decourtray said.”

Not only has this schism within the Catholic Church caused pain in the Vatican but it has left millions of sincere Catholics throughout the world perplexed and confused.

[Footnotes]

Centuries of Schisms

THE word “schism” (variously pronounced sizm, skizm, or shizm) has been defined as “the process by which a religious body divides to become two or more distinct, independent bodies.”

330 C.E. “The schism between Greek and Latin Christendom. . . . The founding of Constantinople, the ‘new Rome’ (330), displacing the ‘old Rome’ as imperial capital, sowed the seeds of a future ecclesiastical rivalry between the Greek East and the Latin West.”​—The Encyclopedia of Religion.

330-867 C.E. “From the beginning of the See of Constantinople to the great schism in 867 the list of these temporary breaches of communion is a formidable one. . . . Of these 544 years (323-867) no less than 203 were spent by Constantinople in a state of schism [with Rome over Trinity-related theological disputes and the worship of images].”​—The Catholic Encyclopedia.

867 C.E. “The see of Constantinople maintained its position against Rome during the so-​called Photian Schism. When Pope Nicholas I challenged Photius’ elevation to the patriarchate, . . . the Byzantine patriarch refused to bow. . . . Nicholas . . . excommunicated Photius; a council at Constantinople responded (867) by excommunicating Nicholas in turn. The immediate issues between the two sees were matters of ecclesiastical supremacy, the liturgy, and clerical discipline.”​—The New Encyclopædia Britannica.

1054 C.E. “EAST-​WEST SCHISM, event that precipitated the final separation between the Eastern [Orthodox] Christian churches . . . and the Western [Roman Catholic] Church.”​—The New Encyclopædia Britannica.

1378-1417 C.E. “[GREAT] WESTERN SCHISM​—The period . . . in which Western Christendom was divided between two, and later three, papal obediences [with rival popes located in Rome, Avignon (France), and Pisa (Italy)].”​—New Catholic Encyclopedia.

16th century C.E. “As regards the Protestant Reformation, . . . the Catholic Church mostly uses the term heresy rather than schism.”​—Théo—​Nouvelle encyclopédie catholique.

1870 C.E. “The First Vatican Council, which advocated the ‘infallibility’ of the pope, brought about the schism of the ‘Old Catholics.’”​—La Croix (Paris daily, Catholic).

1988: Schism of Archbishop Lefebvre, who “initiated schism in the Catholic Church by his defiance of the Pope and the spirit of the second Vatican Council . . . who regards Protestants as heretical, who sees ecumenism as the work of the devil, and who is willing to die excommunicate rather than be reconciled to a ‘modernist’ Church.”​—Catholic Herald.

Why the “Deep Anxiety”?

POPE JOHN PAUL II expressed “despair” at the schism of Archbishop Lefebvre’s traditionalist Catholic movement. The church, he said, reacted with “great distress.”

Catholic priest Joaquín Ortega, deputy secretary of the Roman Catholic bishops conference in Spain, deplored the situation: “We have fallen into a ‘supermarket Catholicism.’ People are picking and choosing among what suits them as if our doctrines were cans of vegetables.”

Archbishop Lefebvre maintains that the Second Vatican Council betrayed the traditional Catholic Church, opening the church to changes. Thus, he feels, the council shook the belief of Catholics that they belong to the one true church.

Summing up the arguments of Lefebvre and his followers, the International Herald Tribune wrote: “The traditionalists argue that either the church was in error before the council, or it is in error now, but cannot have it both ways. If it erred before the council, they say, then it may have been wrong about other doctrines. ‘We are here to manifest our attachment to the church of all times,’ the archbishop said.”

However, many sincere Catholics are wondering whether what the pre-​Vatican-​II church taught and practiced was the truth or it was error.

Liberal Catholics Are Worried

Many liberal-​minded Catholics are worried that what they consider to be progressive steps taken at Vatican II are being sabotaged because of the Lefebvre affair. They are frightened by recent official Vatican statements, such as those by Cardinal Ratzinger, the watchdog of Catholic orthodoxy. He is the head of the Vatican agency that for four centuries was known as the Congregation for the Holy Inquisition.

Cardinal Ratzinger, prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in Rome, stated: “Schisms come about only when people have stopped living and loving certain truths and values of the Christian faith.” Progressive Catholics are afraid that the cardinal had in mind “truths and values” that characterized the Roman Catholic Church in pre-​Vatican-​II days.

Voicing such fears, an article entitled “The Price of a Schism,” published in the French newspaper Le Monde, stated: “Who knows if the Vatican is not​—unknowingly or unadmittedly—​starting to practice ‘traditionalism without Lefebvre’? . . . Is [the Vatican] not now trying to win back the traditionalist-​inclined clergy and laity and above all reasserting Catholic authority and values where they are the most openly challenged, particularly Western Europe and North America?”

Dissident Theologians

In January 1989, 163 Catholic theologians from West Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and Switzerland issued a statement now known as the Cologne Declaration. In the ensuing weeks, they were joined by hundreds of Catholic theologians from other countries, including Italy. The wave of dissent was triggered by the arbitrary Vatican appointment of a conservative prelate as Catholic archbishop of Cologne, Germany, against the wishes of the local hierarchy. But the protest went beyond the appointment of right-​wing bishops. It included Vatican disciplinary measures to silence theologians who reflected “the theological thinking which the Second Vatican Council emphasized.” The theologians also questioned the pope’s right to impose his views “in the field of doctrinal teaching,” particularly concerning birth control.

Reacting to this declaration, Cardinal Ratzinger stated bluntly that those who reject the Vatican’s position on birth control and divorce are giving an erroneous interpretation of “conscience” and “freedom” and are violating the traditional teaching of the church. He recently reminded U.S. prelates that they should not let their teaching be influenced by the “discordant concert” of theologians.

Many Catholics Are Perplexed

A French Catholic theologian declared in an interview with Le Monde: “It would be a mistake to claim . . . that this crisis affects only the theologians. They are merely expressing the deep anxiety of a great many Catholics.”

Many sincere Catholics are wondering if rebel archbishop Lefebvre, although excommunicated, may not have ‘lost a battle but won the war.’ In fact, concessions are being made to Lefebvre’s followers in an effort to win them back into the fold. Mass is again being said in Latin in many Catholic churches, and conservative bishops are being appointed to positions. Interestingly, traditionalist Catholics are asking: ‘Why was Monsignor Lefebvre excommunicated when Catholic priests in Holland who bless homosexual “marriages” and South American priests who advocate revolutionary liberation theology are still a part of the church?’

All of this leaves many Catholics confused. A French Catholic wrote to Catholic daily La Croix (The Cross): “Simple Christians, like myself, are suffering because those involved [in the church’s dissensions] are not discussing things and coming to an agreement. Some people are tiptoeing away from religious practice, if not the Church.”

Doubtless, such people cannot understand why what they consider to be the one true church is so divided. Even Catholic priest René Laurentin asked: “Why these divisions among Christians?” Let us briefly consider some reasons for them.

[Blurb on page 7]

“The traditionalists argue that either the church was in error before the council, or it is in error now, but cannot have it both ways.”​—International Herald Tribune.

Why the Divisions?

THE underlying cause for religious divisions, or schisms, is outlined in one encyclopedia of religion as being threefold: doctrinal, organizational, and political. Let us see if this analysis fits the situation in the Catholic Church.

Theology or Bible Truth?

In his own analysis of the reason for the current divisions in the Catholic Church, priest René Laurentin wrote: “The determining cause seems clear to me. It is different ideologies.” He speaks of progressive ideology. This is opposed to tradition, that is, the conservatism personified by Archbishop Lefebvre. Dominican prior Jean-​Pierre Lintanf states: “The faith is one, theologies are diverse.”

Different ideologies, responsible for divisions within the church, could be avoided if the church adhered to the Bible as the source of its teachings. Indeed, the Second Vatican Council decreed: “The sacred Word is a precious instrument in the mighty hand of God for attaining to that unity which the Saviour holds out to all men.” Yet, undermining the unifying value of the Bible, that same Vatican Council stated: “The Church does not draw her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Hence, both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal feelings of devotion and reverence.” And again: “Sacred theology relies on the written Word of God, taken together with sacred Tradition.”

Jesus’ words to the Pharisees might well be applied to the magisterium of the Catholic Church: “You have made God’s word ineffective by means of your tradition.” (Matthew 15:6, The New Jerusalem Bible) A sincere Catholic woman wrote to a Catholic periodical in France: “If the clergy are no longer motivated to preach the Good Word, is it surprising that the faithful are fewer in numbers, or seek elsewhere? (As for Jehovah’s Witnesses and the traditionalists, their faith makes them different.)”

A Divided Hierarchy

Consider now the organizational cause for divisions within the church. The schism brought about by Archbishop Lefebvre was directly related to the Catholic dogmas of “Apostolic Succession” and the primacy of the pope. Lefebvre claims that the “power to teach, rule, and sanctify that Christ conferred on His Apostles is . . . perpetuated in the Church’s college of bishops.” On the other hand, it is claimed that the bishop of Rome, the pope, is the “first of all the bishops, not only in rank or dignity, but in pastoral authority.”​—New Catholic Encyclopedia.

But are these dogmas based on the Bible? This same Catholic encyclopedia admits that “one does not find in the New Testament any words of Christ indicating how the apostolic mandate was to be handed on.” And it also confesses that “papal primacy” was not “clearly understood or explicitly professed” in the “Western [Latin] Church” until the fifth century C.E.

At present the hierarchical system of the Catholic Church is being challenged from top to bottom. It is a factor in the divisions, as bishops, theologians, priests, and laymen openly express their disagreement with the pope on matters of faith, morals, and church government. The “Cologne Declaration” stated: “If the pope does what does not belong to his office, he cannot demand obedience in the name of Catholicism.”

Divided Politically

Britain’s Economist wrote: “As Lefebvrists see it, their church has fallen victim to a conspiracy which has delivered it into the hands of Marxists, modernists and Protestants. Monsignor Lefebvre believes the French Revolution introduced lamentable modernism and liberalism into the world, and that Vatican II introduced the French Revolution . . . into the church.” Many right-​wing Catholics share this view. On the other hand, left-​wing Catholics are for social reforms, some going so far as to accept the principle of armed revolution. Thus, politics is another divisive factor among Catholics.

Concluding his article on “Why These Divisions Among Christians?” priest Laurentin stated that the credibility of the Catholic Church would depend on its conforming to Jesus’ words: “It is by your love for one another, that everyone will recognise you as my disciples.”​—John 13:35, NJB.

Using that touchstone, many sincere Catholics all over the world have come to the conclusion that the Catholic Church’s claim to be the one true church is not credible. Realizing, as Jesus also stated, that “no household divided against itself can last,” many have “tiptoed” out of the church.​—Matthew 12:25, NJB.

Quite a number of Catholics are now seeking a “household” made up of true Christians, who are united by real brotherly love and who are not divided either by unbiblical dogmas, a disunited hierarchy, or by opposing political opinions. Thousands have found what they were seeking when they began to associate with Jehovah’s Witnesses.

[Picture on page 9]

Jesus condemned the Pharisees for putting their traditions above God’s Word

Meet the Tapir

By Awake! correspondent in Brazil

MOST likely you have not met the tapir, for this gentle animal is found only in isolated places in Central and South America and in the southern part of Asia. The tapir is about the size of a donkey, but with its short legs, it looks more like a pig. The young have been described by one zoologist as resembling “banded watermelons with legs.”

Tapirs attain a length of from 6 feet [1.8 m] to 8 feet [2.4 m] and a height of from 2 1/2 feet [0.8 m] to a little over 3 feet [0.9 m], and they weigh from 500 pounds [230 kg] to 650 pounds [290 kg]. Their stout bodies have a thick neck and a short tail. The eyes are small and their sight is poor. The snout is drawn out to form a short movable trunk that is put to good use when the tapirs are browsing for food. “Of all the large animals of the world,” says The International Wildlife Encyclopedia, “they are probably the most completely defenceless.”

Normally, the timid beast will stay in the thickest parts of the forest, thus avoiding potential enemies, such as the jaguar or the tiger. When a jaguar pounces on a tapir, the tapir is said to run immediately into the thick brush of the jungle. The jaguar is thereby swept off by the dense jungle undergrowth. Because of its thick skin, which heals quickly, the tapir is generally not critically wounded.

Tapirs always live near a river or a lake, and much of their time is spent swimming and splashing in the water, as well as wallowing in the mud. This refreshes them from the heat and protects them against the irritating insects common in the tropics. Despite their heavy body, they can, when necessary, run swiftly. Their strong compact body with its short neck is perfectly suited to their environment, permitting them to penetrate easily into the dense vegetation.

Three species of tapirs​—Baird’s, Brazilian, and mountain—​are found in South and Central America, while the Malayan tapir makes its home in Southeast Asia. Fossils found in Europe, China, and the United States confirm that at one time tapirs existed around the world.

Tapirs are generally unsocial animals. They live alone or in pairs, and more than three of them are rarely seen together except in zoos. Even there they pay scant attention to one another. They are vegetarians, feeding exclusively on low-​growing plants on land or on aquatic vegetation. They have a special fondness for salt and will travel long distances to reach a salt lick. These mainly nocturnal animals may live as long as 30 years.

Tapirs seem to breed at any season, and the young are born singly after about 13 months of gestation. The young tapirs have a reddish-​brown coat that is spotted and striped lengthwise in yellow and white, providing an excellent camouflage in the dim light of tropical forests. This coloring usually disappears before the end of the first year; after that the Malayan tapir is black with a broad band of white around its flanks, while the South American tapirs are dark gray or brown.

Existence Endangered

Tapirs have been hunted by man for food, often at night when the animals are most active. Sometimes salt is spread in order to attract the animal. After licking the salt, the tapir heads for the nearest stream of water. To make it an easier target, the hunters flash a light in its eyes, blinding it temporarily.

The meat, which does not contain much fat, is often barbecued and is said to be tasty. The strong, tough hide is valuable too; it is used for whips, lassos, and bridles. At times Brazilian Indians have kept the tapir as a pet.

Because man has hunted them for food or sport, and especially because he has cut down their forest habitat, tapirs have become rare in many areas where they once abounded. Thus, mountain, Baird’s, and Malayan tapirs are now listed as endangered species.

Although a person’s chance of meeting a tapir in the wild has been considerably lessened, why not make it a point to see one the next time you visit a zoo?

We Have Learned to Live With Epilepsy

I awoke to a guttural scream. I jumped out of bed before I realized that it came from my wife, Sandra. She was jerking all over the bed, her eyes were rolled back in her head, and she wasn’t breathing. Her lips turned blue, and a bloody froth came from her mouth. I thought she was dying. I slapped her face, thinking that it would bring her back to consciousness. The spastic movements continued, so I ran to the phone and called our doctor. My wife will explain what happened.

WHEN I awoke that morning, I heard hushed voices, and I wasn’t in my own bed. I just kept my eyes closed, listening. I heard my husband’s voice, as well as my mother’s and the doctor’s. What had happened?

I opened my eyes and noticed their concern. When I tried to sit up, a splitting headache told me that their worry was over me. So began our family’s introduction to epilepsy, or what is today called a seizure disorder. At the time, in 1969, my husband, David, and I were only 23.

Our Life Goals Are Altered

I was reared as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and started sharing with my parents in the public preaching work when I was five. While watching one of my Bible students get baptized, I set the goal of becoming a missionary. During school vacations, I would pioneer, as we call the full-​time ministry. Upon graduating from high school in 1964, I immediately began pioneering.

When I heard David give such good Bible talks and learned that he also wanted a career of special service to Jehovah, you can guess what happened. We married, and together we have enjoyed very good success at helping others to learn Jehovah’s ways.

Can you imagine our excitement when in April 1970 we received invitations to the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead for missionaries? We filled out the applications. In a note attached to mine, I mentioned that although I didn’t feel it was of concern, I had suffered two seizures during the past year. We soon received a kind letter telling us that until I could go three years without a seizure, it would be unwise to send us to a foreign country. Within a few days, I had my third seizure.

Being unable to go to Gilead, we hoped to work at the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses in New York. We applied later that summer at a meeting conducted by the then president of the Watch Tower Society, Nathan Knorr. During his interview with us, he kindly explained why the work at Bethel would be difficult for me. He explained that I would have to be free of seizures for three years before we could be accepted for Bethel service. However, he took our applications and put them in his pocket. In six weeks we had a special-​pioneer assignment to serve in Pennsylvania.

Coping With Epilepsy Difficult

In the beginning the seizures were months apart, but then they became more and more frequent. I have never seen anyone have a grand mal seizure; I know only what one feels like. First there is an aura​—a fleeting, disoriented feeling that might be compared to the sensation experienced when speeding by a stand of trees with sunshine flickering through them. This lasts briefly, and then I lose consciousness.

I wake up with a headache; I can think, but the thoughts can’t be spoken​—it’s all garbled. I can’t understand speech either. These effects wear off over the next few hours. However, it is disheartening and sometimes embarrassing to wake up in a different place and to be told that I had another convulsion, especially if we have been at a Christian assembly.

If an inexperienced person cares for me or if I am alone while having a seizure, I bite the side of my mouth and often put my teeth through my tongue. It then takes days for my mouth to heal. David has become skilled at taking care of me, so it is much better if he is with me. He knows that he needs to get something into my mouth to protect it. Otherwise I will be sore for days, or worse yet, I could choke.

A safe mouth protector is needed. David discovered early on that small books, such as The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, are the perfect size and are always readily available. We have quite a collection of small books with my teeth marks across a corner.

What Is the Cause?

Seizures may be symptoms of many health problems. Concerned friends would clip articles about convulsions and how they can be caused by a misaligned spine, by an imbalance of vitamins or minerals, by hormone imbalance or hypoglycemia, even by parasites. I faithfully tried all the remedies offered. I went to many kinds of doctors and had many tests. We only learned that I was unusually healthy, yet the seizures continued.

When I would have another seizure, family and friends would often say: “You should take better care of yourself.” Eventually this hurt my feelings. It made it seem as if I was doing something to cause the seizures; yet I was trying my best to care for my health. Looking back, I realize theirs was a natural reaction. They, like us, were having a difficult time accepting epilepsy. Like the apostle Paul, I had difficulty dealing with my “thorn in the flesh.”​—2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

After our first baby was born in 1971, I went off the pioneer list, and we decided that I see a neurologist. The tests were routine. First, I had a brain scan to determine if there was a brain tumor. There was not. Then an electroencephalograph measured my brain waves. To me, there was a comical side to the test.

I was told not to sleep much the night before and not to drink any stimulants. The next day, while I lay on a very flat, uncomfortable bed in a cold room, electrodes were attached to my face, the top of my head, and even my earlobes. Then the technician left the room, turned off the lights, and told me to go to sleep! If I wiggled even slightly, his voice came through a speaker, saying: “Lie still, please.” Even under those conditions, I did sleep! David always teased me, saying I could sleep anywhere, anytime.

The diagnosis arrived. Minimal brain damage was discovered in the front temporal lobe. The most likely cause was either a very difficult birth or a very high fever during the first few months of life. My parents were questioned, which was very painful for them. They said that both of these causes were possibilities. The kind of epilepsy I suffer from, we learned, is not hereditary.

The Fight to Control It

Now began years of what was to me a frightening form of treatment, drug therapy. I had a bad reaction to the first drug tried, and the second simply didn’t work. With the third drug, Mysolene, we had limited success in controlling the seizures. It was a mild sedative, but five tablets a day were needed. Others noticed the effects the drug had on me, but soon I could tolerate it. I wore a bracelet that identified me as an epileptic and that gave the name of the drug.

I went seizure-​free long enough to obtain a driver’s license again. Driving privileges were very precious to me, since we then lived in a rural area, and I wanted to begin pioneering again. But just when I was ready to start, in the fall of 1973, we learned that another child was on the way. So I did not pioneer, but instead we decided to move to a small congregation in Appalachian Ohio where families were needed. We settled in a small town of 4,000 where there were then no Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Soon after moving there, I went to a different neurologist. Although I didn’t have convulsions or lose consciousness, I was still having partial seizures that would leave me in a confused state. The doctor added a second drug, phenobarbital, to the one I was taking. Altogether, I was taking nine tablets a day.

The next two years are very painful for me to discuss, and because of the dreadful condition the drugs left me in, I am not too sure that I can describe things adequately. Let me just say that Philippians 4:7 became my favorite scripture. It says: “The peace of God that excels all thought will guard . . . your mental powers.”

The drugs slowed my speech and actions and affected my memory. I also experienced a personality change, being depressed and angry much of the time. David felt under attack, and it was necessary for him to pray so as not to respond in kind to my uncharacteristic behavior. Besides, we had two preschoolers to care for. The Christian elders in our local congregation were encouraging to us when we were at our lowest point.

In the spring of 1978, I decided, against David’s better judgment, to stop the medication. I desperately needed relief. Carefully, I cut back half a tablet every two weeks. It was like waking up. I felt exhilarated. The sky, I was sure, was bluer.

I continued seizure-​free, so I started pioneering September 1, 1978. David was so proud of me, and I was elated. Well, sedatives build up in the body, so it takes a while before they leave it. The second week of October, after only six weeks of pioneering, the convulsions returned worse than ever, and only three days apart! After the fifth one, we went to a new neurologist.

“It’s better to be dead than take drugs,” I told him.

“And you will be,” he replied, “if you don’t take them! Then what will happen to your daughters?”

Learning to Live With It

I started on a new drug, Tegretol, that week. It took five tablets of 250 milligrams a day to control the seizures. This drug, however, is different from the others I have taken. It doesn’t build up in the body, nor does it have mind-​altering effects.

For a while again, though, I couldn’t drive. And we lived where I was isolated from anyone who could take me in the midweek preaching work. I felt defeated. David encouraged me by saying: “Why not wait until spring to quit pioneering? Don’t make any drastic changes now.”

I was determined to see if Jehovah would bless my efforts if I put him to the test. Lamentations 3:24-30 became precious to me. I had something ‘laid on me,’ and I would “show a waiting attitude.” Also, I began to view the medication differently, as a friend.

Cara was now in school, and Esther was four. So Esther became my pioneer partner. We walked and we walked, plodding through deep snow and enduring the cold. By spring the whole town knew who we were.

At the same time, I took the medication carefully. If I took the pills too closely together, I would experience severe double vision. However, if I forgot even two or three pills, I would have a grand mal seizure. For the first year, I had a blood test every three to six weeks to make sure that the medicine was causing no serious side effects.

It is important for epileptics to keep their daily activities​—eating, sleeping, and so forth—​on a good schedule, and I was careful to do this. Right through that winter, I kept up my pioneer hours. In time, the seizures were controlled, so that I could drive again, and I’ve been able to continue pioneering until today.

Cara has graduated from high school and is now also pioneering. Ever since that winter when she accompanied me, Esther has had the pioneer spirit. One time at a district convention, the pioneers were asked to stand. When I looked around, there was four-​year-​old Esther standing on her chair. She considered herself a pioneer too!

I am so thankful still to be serving Jehovah with David and with many others with whom we have studied the Bible. My prayer that David too could begin pioneering again has been answered. He also serves as our circuit’s assembly overseer, as well as a substitute traveling overseer. Our firm conviction is that soon, in God’s righteous new world, Jesus Christ will accomplish on an earth-​wide scale the healing of all those afflicted, including epileptics. (Matthew 4:24)​—As told by Sandra White.

[Picture on page 15]

With my husband and daughters

Home Decorating​—A Rewarding Challenge

YOU enter the modest home of a host. A first glance reveals a tastefully decorated dwelling. The paint job is clean and well-​done.

Later you are surprised to learn that all the work was done by members of the family, who took up the challenge of home decorating. But there can be pitfalls to such a do-​it-​yourself project. So before you start any home-​decorating project, consider the following.

Choose Materials Carefully

The variety of materials now available offers you considerable choice when it comes to the style in which you decorate your home. What is practical in your area? Will a decorative wallpaper present a pleasing appearance? Or perhaps you prefer a veneer or a fabric wall covering? You may conclude that a simple coat of paint will provide the look you prefer. Before finally deciding, take into account the practical aspects. These include the cost, the durability of the finish, the ease of installation, and the time and effort needed to maintain and clean the walls. All of this has to be compared with what it would cost to have professionals do the work.

The color of your chosen decorative material is also important. Will it blend with other features of the room? If the room is usually cold, a warm shade of paint will create the sense of warmth. Light blue or green hues will make rooms that are on the warmer side of the house seem cooler. Dark or poorly lighted rooms can be brightened with light-​colored finishes.

Plan and Prepare Your Work

The secret of successful decorating is good preparation! Have you noticed how long professional decorators take to prepare surfaces for painting, in comparison with the time it actually takes to do the job? If you are doing it yourself, do not skimp on time and effort when getting ready. Experts suggest that you aim for a surface that is dry, smooth, and clean.

Repair damaged surfaces by filling in cracks. Then rub down the repaired surface with glasspaper or sandpaper to achieve smoothness. Before you begin to paint, wash the surface with a damp cloth to remove dust from the wall plaster, and allow to dry.

What about your plan of action? Have you arranged to include the entire family? Not only will everyone be involved but all will take pride in the finished product, and that surely encourages better care. Rather than do-​it-​yourself home decoration, make it a do-​it-​yourselves program. The rewards are great.

[Box/​Pictures on page 17]

CARE FOR YOUR BRUSHES AND ROLLERS

1. Bend and thoroughly work the bristles of a new brush to remove dust and loose bristles.

2. Avoid dipping the brush too deeply into the paint. (Cover only between one third and one half of the length of the bristles to prevent excess paint from becoming embedded in the stem.)

3. Clean the brush after use. Use mineral spirits for oil-​based paint and warm water for latex, or water-​based, paints.

4. Store clean, dry brush in clean paper to absorb remaining dampness and help keep the bristles in shape.

5. Follow a similar procedure with paint rollers, making sure to dry any metal parts completely to prevent rust and consequent paint discoloration next time you use them.

Young People Ask . . .

How Can I Use Makeup Properly?

“DO YOU want to wear a little makeup?” Nina was surprised to hear her mother ask that question. Two years earlier, she had been refused permission to wear makeup. But on this special occasion, a wedding reception they were to attend, her mom had decided that it was time for Nina to learn the womanly art of applying makeup. “I was a little nervous,” recalls Nina. “I didn’t know how to put it on right. So Mom put on a little lipstick and blush for me.”

Perhaps your parents similarly feel that it would be appropriate for you to wear makeup.a When used properly​—and sparingly—​makeup can enhance one’s appearance. When used incorrectly, though, it has the very opposite effect. “Some girls put makeup on and it looks good,” says one teenage boy. “But some girls put gobs of that stuff on, and it makes them look horrible.”

“When they put on too bright a color, and it’s really, really bright,” adds a teenage girl, “it just makes them look like a clown!” How can you use makeup in a way that will enhance​—not detract from—​your looks?

Guidelines From God’s Word

Cosmetics are nothing new. Hidden amid Israelite ruins have been found bowls or palettes that served a surprisingly modern purpose. These “were used to prepare colors for the face” of Israelite women. According to The Biblical Archaeologist, February 1955, “the use of . . . cosmetics was very extensive” even in Bible times.​—Ezekiel 23:40.

Today, the cosmetic industry spends some two thousand million dollars a year on advertising in the United States alone. Using stunningly attractive models, they promote the latest “look,” ranging from “natural” to offbeat. This “look,” they claim, can be yours if only you purchase a battery of cosmetic products. Few girls succeed in looking like fashion models, though. And even when they do, the new “look” can become obsolete before the first tube of lipstick is finished.

The Bible helps you escape being controlled by the winds of fashion. It says: “Quit being fashioned after this system of things, but be transformed by making your mind over, that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2) In Bible times, some Christian women may have been inclined to wear the showy clothing and elaborate hairstyles that were popular back then. But the apostle Paul counseled: “I desire the women to adorn themselves in well-​arranged dress, with modesty and soundness of mind, not with styles of hair braiding and gold or pearls or very expensive garb.”​—1 Timothy 2:9.

Paul’s counsel does not rule out your looking attractive. It simply means that your appearance should be “well-​arranged,” or suitable, not showy; modest and sensible, not bizarre or faddish. The Greek word for “modesty” carries the thought of having ‘respect for the opinions of others,’ and you should particularly have respect for the opinions of your parents. Let’s therefore see how this may relate to the wearing of makeup.

Before Applying Makeup

Since makeup is supposed to enhance your looks, not create a mask or a disguise, it makes sense first to take care of your natural appearance and overall health. Maintaining a balanced diet and getting adequate rest and regular exercise may thus do more to increase your attractiveness than any makeup can.

Beauty consultant Jane Parks-​McKay further urges young girls “to start with the basics​—namely, regular, effective skin care. . . . Many people tend to neglect their skin . . . [and then] cover up their less-​than-​attractive skins with cosmetics in the hope this will make them beautiful.”

Makeup works best on well-​cared-​for skin. Explains the book A Lifetime of Beauty: “Cleansing the skin is like preparing a wall for a fresh coat of paint: no matter how pretty the color, the paint job will look slipshod if there are dirt and rough spots underneath. Poorly cleansed skin will look dull and flaky.”

A makeup artist thus told Awake!: “In the morning, a girl can wash her face with a good facial cleanser. She can follow this with a facial toner and a good moisturizer.”

Analyzing Your Needs

Now, take a good look at your face and analyze your assets and liabilities. Are you endowed with expressive eyes, a reasonably clear complexion, or healthy, even flesh tones? Then you will likely need little or no makeup. On the other hand, perhaps your skin is excessively oily (common during the teen years) and acne-​prone. Or you may have some facial feature (such as your cheekbones) you’d like to accentuate. A judicious use of makeup just might help.

In Bible times some women wore black paint to give the illusion of ‘enlarged eyes.’ (Jeremiah 4:30) Today, eye shadow, eyeliner pencils, and liquid eyeliners are used for similar effects. Foundation creams and lotions can even out a blotchy complexion. Blush can highlight your cheekbones.

What if you need some help in choosing or applying makeup? There are books available in public libraries that can help. But you may also want to consult your mother or an older friend. A teenage girl named Tina recalls: “Mom took me shopping and had a makeup clerk figure out what colors I should wear.” Beauty consultants in reputable stores can offer advice on what colors go best with your skin tones and how makeup can best be applied. But since their job is to sell you products, take care that you do not purchase products you do not really need. And because of the unique needs of your Christian life-​style, you will want to be sure that you do not purchase colors that might work well in a formal evening setting but would be inappropriate for school or Christian activities.

Makeup Tips

Styles of makeup vary from land to land. But a few general principles can be stated:

Consider Your Skin Type. Since most teenagers have oily skin, you will likely want to stick with water-​based, oil-​free makeups. These go on lighter, so you will look less made up. Many also feel that oily makeups aggravate acne.

Read Labels. Compare the ingredients of low-​price brands with the expensive versions. Perhaps the only real difference is price and packaging. Reading labels is particularly important if you have allergic reactions to makeup.

Use Bright Lighting. If the lighting is inadequate, you may put on too much makeup. Since makeup applied by fluorescent light may look harsh in sunlight, try applying your makeup near a window so you can see how it looks in natural light.

Use Makeup Sparingly. Too much of even a good thing can be harmful. (Compare Proverbs 24:13; 25:27.) If your face virtually screams “makeup!” you are wearing too much or you are wearing colors that are too strong. Makeup that is overdone cheapens your appearance and may even give the wrong impression as to your moral principles. (Compare Ezekiel 23:36-42.) So stick to subtle, not gaudy, shades. Master the techniques of makeup application so that blush does not look like a painted streak across your face or eye shadow does not make you look like a raccoon.

Cleanse Your Face Thoroughly. Says the book A Lifetime of Beauty: “Never go to sleep at night without removing every trace of makeup . . . Habitually sleeping with a layer of dirt, debris and dead skin cells stuck to your face will leave your complexion looking muddy and dull.” One dermatologist even claims that “you risk infection and irritation if you fail to clean off all makeup each night before retiring.” Use a makeup solvent, such as a cold cream, to cleanse your face.

“Prettiness may be vain,” says Proverbs 31:30, and even artfully applied makeup cannot mask a negative disposition or a shallow mind. The Bible reminds us: “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment . . . Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”​—1 Peter 3:3, 4, New International Version.

[Footnotes]

[Box on page 20]

Makeup Dangers

Consumer advocate Elaine Brumberg reports: “Many chemicals and cosmetic ingredients are capable of penetrating the skin and entering the body.” Some commonly used ingredients are suspected carcinogens.

Other ingredients (usually fragrances and preservatives) are known to cause allergic reactions ranging from itching to sneezing. True, some products claim to be hypoallergenic or “allergy tested.” But how you will react to a product can be ascertained only by experience and by carefully scrutinizing labels.

Another prevalent danger is bacteriological contamination. Mascara can become the breeding ground for microorganisms transferred there from the eyelid or fingers via the mascara applicator. This can cause eye infections if the mascara wand is allowed to scratch the eye. Contamination is particularly a problem in store samplers into which dozens of people have dipped their fingers. Some experts therefore recommend that you avoid applying store samples to your face.

[Picture on page 18]

Your mother may be able to teach you the art of applying makeup

Why Not Try a Vacation at Home?

YOU have two weeks’ vacation, and you really do need a change! But you just cannot afford the cost of travel at this time. What can you do?

Well, remember, a vacation is a respite from the routine, an interval of rest or relief. So why not try a vacation at home? There are certainly plenty of things to do there. You can paint, or take photographs, or pursue other hobbies you seldom have much time for. There are places and things right in your home area to see and enjoy. A vacation at home has many advantages. Just to name a few:

▪ No need for a passport or visas

▪ No need to exchange money

▪ No problems with another language

▪ No inconveniences at customs or immigration

▪ No packing

▪ No costly air fares or gasoline bills

▪ No precious time lost getting there

Now, don’t you feel better already? Why, you can even sleep as long as you like in your own comfortable bed that you are so used to!

The important thing in connection with any vacation is planning it. For some people the anticipation is as exciting as the reality anyway. A vacation at home will also require good preparation so that you do something worthwhile that you really enjoy and that satisfies you.

What to Do at Home

On vacation many people take photos as mementos of the occasion. They travel thousands of miles to photograph things you may have right at home. Try taking pictures of a field of daisies, of a dandelion close up, or of a tiny creature on a twig. Perhaps you have always wanted pictures of your old school, or the house where you grew up, or Grandma’s dear old farmhouse just outside of town, but you could never seem to get around to taking them. Do it now!

And speaking of photographs, what about those boxes of family photos you intend to place in albums someday? This is an opportunity to do it. The whole family can enjoy looking through these reminders of the past. If you come across good shots of family or friends, how nice it would be to send some to them!

Travelers often collect souvenirs. Now, what could you find at home? Perhaps some unusual stones for a terrarium or just a bowlful of them as a conversation piece. You will be amazed at how entranced small children can be with mere stones! Can you think of other things? Seashells? Autumn leaves? Shrubs and plants (even weeds!) to dry for decoration?

What about those family members or friends you have been wanting to have over for a visit? Ask them over for a cup of coffee or tea. Ask older ones to relate tales of their youth for the benefit of younger ones. Why not record the stories? “Old Ben” might not be around much longer.

When on vacation, many send postcards to loved ones and friends. For a vacation at home, catch up on that bundle of letters in the desk drawer. Let your friends know you still love them and have not forgotten them.

Where to Go at Home

If you had visitors come to your town or city, where would you take them? What could they see? At first you might think that there is not much of interest, but that is often because we take our hometown for granted. Investigate what is there. See what the local tourist bureau or chamber of commerce recommends to tourists. You may be pleasantly surprised at what is available.

Is there a museum nearby? Or a factory that offers tours? Some candy or chocolate factories give not only tours but samples too! So do some wineries. A local farmer may be willing to show your children the animals​—how to gather eggs from chickens, or even how to milk a cow. It will be good for them to learn that milk does not originate in a bottle or a carton.

You may spare Mom cooking by visiting ethnic restaurants. With their particular food​—Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Greek—​and their decor, and perhaps music, you can easily imagine you are dining in a foreign land.

But what if you do not have such restaurants in your town? Then why not create the experience at home? From the library you can get information about how people dress and eat. Imagine that you are in India, for instance. A cookbook with recipes for Indian curry dishes will give you a start for a meal that is not too difficult to prepare. You could even adapt their manner of dress for the evening.

‘Ah,’ you say, ‘but camping lovers in the family would not consider it a vacation unless they go camping.’ Could you make do this year with your tent in the backyard? You might also settle for some unhurried hikes in the nearby countryside and while there collect wildflowers and watch some animals and birds.

Since holiday time is usually a good time for building family ties and doing things together, would it not perhaps be more beneficial to do so at home in familiar surroundings? Try it.

Refreshment From Catching Up

Then there are all those jobs around the house that you never seem to have the time for. But would that physical work be truly refreshing? Well, would it not be a relief to start back into your regular routine after vacation contented that at last that leak in the roof is repaired, all the knobs are on the drawers, and those squeaky hinges are silenced once and for all? You may expend no more energy doing that needed work than you would playing games, swimming, or hiking.

And who has not at times wanted to do more reading and studying? It will not be boring. Research any subject of interest to you. Take down from your library shelf a bound volume of The Watchtower or Awake! Don’t be surprised if you find yourself sidetracked and reading other delightful articles. Suddenly it is time for lunch or supper. You won’t believe how fast the time passed. But relax! Remember, you are on vacation.

Joy in Creating a Home Vacation

Be innovative, use your imagination, and maybe when this present vacation is over, you will realize: ‘I’ve really enjoyed this! I must do it again!’

So now, what about it? Perhaps you’ll want to get the family together and plan a vacation at home. Get their ideas. If you live alone, get a good friend to join you in planning for it. Then try a vacation at home. It may serve just as well as an away-​from-​home vacation to give you that desired interlude in your busy life.

[Pictures on page 23]

Walking in the countryside, visiting a farm or a museum, or even leisurely reading, can be included in stay-​at-​home vacations

Meroë​—Testimony to Forgotten Grandeur

By Awake! correspondent in Kenya

THE world has nearly forgotten the ancient city of Meroë. Situated on the eastern bank of the Nile River some 130 miles [210 km] northeast of Khartoum, Sudan, Meroë was once the proud capital of the Ethiopian Empire. But now it is only a study in decay. Its crumbling temples, vacant palaces, and fragmented artwork are but a faint echo of a glorious past. Let’s take a look at some of the ancient ruins.

Over here is the site of the temple of Amon. Once it was some 450 feet [140 m] long. Even today its remains jut out of the desert sand. Granite statues of rams, some of which can still be seen, at one time lined the broad processional way to the temple’s entrance.

In the immediate temple area, you can still see some of the statues, engravings, and paintings that richly ornamented the royal palaces. Or you may wish to admire the beautifully engraved columns surrounding a nearby swimming pool. The plumbing system that once channeled water into the pool through the open mouths of small, lion-​headed statues is ingenious even by 20th-​century standards. The ravages of time, sun, and desert sand have not completely faded the striking colors that adorn the columns that surround the pool.

At the eastern edge of Meroë stands the Sun Temple, once very prominent in the worship of this city’s inhabitants. Although not of the imposing magnitude of the temple of Amon, it is nevertheless richly adorned with blue and yellow floor and wall tiles, as well as carved scenes depicting military triumphs.

A major testament to Meroë’s grandeur is the burial ground. Across a vast desert plain, but relatively near the town, are a number of different pyramids. Although lacking the scale and majesty of the great pyramids of Egypt, these burial tombs are nonetheless imposing. There is ample evidence here of a forgotten royal life-​style. In its heyday Meroë was a city of distinction​—an ancient Paris, Washington, or Moscow.

But who lived and worked here? And what led to this city’s demise?

The People and Their History

The founders of Meroë were Cushites, or Ethiopians. Wall paintings and carvings plainly show their African features. Egyptian culture made its mark on Meroë, but toward the close of the second millennium B.C.E., Ethiopia freed itself from Egypt’s control.

In the latter part of the eighth century B.C.E., Ethiopia actually conquered Egypt and dominated it for some 60 years. So while many imagine that Egypt was the only empire to arise out of Africa, this is not true. One of Ethiopia’s rulers during the eighth century B.C.E., King Tirhakah, is even mentioned in the Bible.

According to the Bible account, Assyrian king Sennacherib was battling Libnah while at the same time preparing to attack Jerusalem. Suddenly, word came that King Tirhakah was on the way to fight the Assyrians. (2 Kings 19:8, 9; Isaiah 37:8, 9) Assyrian inscriptions, however, say that Tirhakah was defeated at Eltekeh. A half century later, Ethiopian dominance of the Nile Valley ended when Assyria completely subjugated Egypt.​—Nahum 3:8-10; Isaiah 20:3-6.

During that period the city of Napata had served as capital of Ethiopia. But in 540 B.C.E., Meroë began its 800-​year reign as capital of the empire. And although the empire declined in power and influence, Meroë was still able to exert some power.

During the period of Roman domination, an Ethiopian eunuch was helped by Philip the evangelizer to become a Christian. (Acts 8:26-29, 38) The Bible says that this man was a treasurer under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. The name Candace appears to have been a title that referred to queens who ruled from Meroë. So Meroë may have had some impact upon even the Christian congregation.

Twilight of an Empire

Why, then, did Meroë fade into oblivion? Information is scanty. Further complicating matters is the fact that the ancient Cushite language has yet to be deciphered. The Meroitic cursive script visible at the entrances to temples, palaces, and other stone structures scattered throughout the ruins is unique, although an altered version of Egyptian hieroglyphics was used in an earlier period. Meroitic words can be read and pronounced but, alas, not understood. So we must rely to some extent on conjecture to determine just what took place.

Perhaps the rising kingdom of Axum stripped Meroë of its trading power, which in turn led to the empire’s decline. Whatever the case, Axum eventually attacked and destroyed Meroë about 350 C.E. Meroë, its sister cities, its civilization, and its culture thus faded from history until recent archaeological excavations brought their past glory to light.

Huge piles of slag dotting the landscape near ancient Meroë indicate that the people there knew the secret of smelting iron ore, and on a huge scale at that. Amid the ruins of Meroë, one finds farming and war implements made of iron. Meroë’s location on the main commercial route between East and West brought many traders and caravans to its domain. With access to the Indian Ocean through the Ethiopian highlands and to Africa westward south of the Sahara, Meroë could easily spread its knowledge and influence to other parts of Africa.

Nevertheless, Meroë now joins the list of countless other kingdoms that briefly tasted prominence and power and then disappeared. For all its former artistry and wealth, the city today is little more than a pile of ruins. Yet, without a doubt this Ethiopian city of forgotten grandeur made an indelible mark on the growth and spread of civilization throughout Africa.

[Picture on page 24]

Relief on pyramid tomb

[Map/​Pictures on page 25]

Top: Temple ruins at Meroë

Bottom: Pyramid tombs at Meroë

[Map]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

SUDAN

Meroë

Red Sea

EGYPT

SAUDI ARABIA

The Misunderstood Hyena

Few animals are more maligned than the hyena. And admittedly, they are not exactly endearing creatures. The beady eyes, sloping back, and stolid manner all suggest something scruffy and villainous to many human observers. Besides, the hyena laughs and giggles like a maniac. Its eerie whoop often pierces the quiet of the African night. All these qualities combined may well be enough to make you shudder!

But hyenas have received more than their fair share of negative publicity. So let’s set the record straight on a few counts. First of all, the hyena is often thought of as a dog of some sort. It is nothing of the kind. A distinct species, its resemblance to the dog is purely superficial.

Hyenas are also commonly thought of as cowards. But cowards would hardly make effective hunters. Hunters? Yes, hyenas are not simply scavengers. Having exceptionally powerful shoulders and the strongest jaws of all the African carnivores, they are quite efficient at hunting their own prey​—even animals as large as the buffalo. In fact, they are ranked among the great predators of Africa.

While studying southern Africa’s carnivores, author Chris McBride often saw hyenas actually chasing lionesses away from their own prey as they were eating it. Only the male lion could resist the onslaught of a group of hyenas. If the hyena were really a coward, would it take on such a formidable foe? Not likely.

Why Does It Laugh?

The hyena’s manic giggle may sound a bit unpleasant to you. But he is merely communicating with his fellow clan members. “Each spotted hyaena has its own whoop which can be recognised by other hyaenas,” explains one South African expert, Dr. G. Mills. In this way, widely scattered clan members let one another know where they are so that they can regroup quickly if the need arises, such as if they have to defend their territory or form a hunting party. Their excitement at making a kill or discovering carrion is voiced in high-​pitched “giggles.”

But not all hyenas laugh. The brown hyena of southern Africa is smaller and quieter than the more common spotted hyena and prefers to forage alone instead of in groups. He relies more on communication by scent.

Each individual transfers its distinct scent to grass stalks, bushes, or rocks by secreting pastes from specialized anal pouches. The hyena’s sense of smell is so acute that it can apparently deduce from the paste the sex, social status, and even the identity of fellow clan members.

Do you dislike the hyena? Granted, it is not cuddly or appealing. But not all animals are. Many creatures impress us with other qualities, such as power and cunning. In that light, there is much about the hyena to impress and fascinate us.

Watching the World

BIOLOGICAL PLASTICS

Plastic is now being produced biologically and may one day be grown as a farm crop, reports the International Herald Tribune of Paris, France. The technology for this new plastic began 65 years ago when a scientist found that certain bacteria can produce a plasticlike substance similar to polypropylene. The substance serves as the bacteria’s source of stored energy, comparable to the role of starch in plants and fat in mammals. By isolating the bacteria’s plastic-​producing genes and transferring them to certain types of plants, scientists hope in time to grow on a larger scale what they call biopolymers. Reportedly this biological plastic is fully renewable, biodegradable, and nontoxic.

NONPRACTICING CATHOLICS

A recent study revealed that “religious worship among the French continues on a free-​fall,” according to the Paris newspaper Le Figaro. The study showed that although 82 percent of the French population claims to be Catholic, only 12 percent of this number, mostly elderly women, regularly attend church services. Additionally, 44 percent of those claiming to be Catholic say they are “nonpracticing Catholics,” and 83 percent of these admit that “they never set foot inside a church.” Le Figaro notes that the French seem to be a nation of nonpracticing Catholics. Their religious affiliation appears to spring more from lingering social customs, such as baptism, marriage, and funerals, than from active faith.

VIRUS DILEMMA

“Smallpox killed 2,000 Romans a day for several years during the reign of philosopher-​emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus,” says Health magazine. “It slaughtered two million Aztecs in the 16th century, after Spanish missionaries lined up the Indians to kiss a Crucifix​—with no thought, of course, given to its cleanliness.” It also decimated a number of North American Indian tribes, and as recently as the 18th century, it caused up to 600,000 deaths a year in Europe. Since Edward Jenner’s discovery of a vaccine for smallpox in 1796, efforts have been made to eradicate the deadly disease, and the last victim died in 1978. “It was the first, and so far only, disease science can claim to have abolished completely,” says Health. But the virus still lives, under the auspices of the World Health Organization, in vials placed in secure vaults in Atlanta and Moscow, and no decision has been reached on what to do with them. Some favor destroying them completely before they are accidentally or deliberately released, while others feel that science may have a later use for the virus. Meanwhile, both the Soviet Union and the United States have resumed giving smallpox vaccinations to their armed forces.

NO CASH, PLEASE!

Customers entering the showrooms of a furniture factory in Johannesburg, South Africa, are met with the sign: “We do not accept cash. Cheques or credit cards only.” According to The Star, a newspaper in Johannesburg, the owner believes that the handling of cash attracts muggers and robbers, and he has decided to have neither cash in the safe nor money transported to the bank. Thus, all business is done by check or credit card only. The employees also receive their weekly wage by check. “They were uneasy every time a stranger walked in,” says the owner about his employees, “but are now more relaxed since the no-​cash policy.”

MILLIONS ABORTED IN BRAZIL

An article on abortion, written by Professor Carlos Alberto Di Franco in the Brazilian newspaper O Estado de S.Paulo, stated that a World Health Organization estimate “places Brazil as the world champion of abortions, with more than three million abortions annually.” The article observes: “Curiously, this information does not stir up any particular movement in favor of life.” According to Professor Di Franco, on the one hand Brazilians struggle to protect their forests and work hard to reduce infant mortality while on the other hand they continue to advocate the legalization of abortion.

SIGHT BY EARTHQUAKE

An 84-​year-​old resident of Newcastle, Australia, had her sight restored suddenly as a result of the disastrous earthquake a few months ago. For three years she had been able to see only dark shapes, but after the quake she could even read the newspaper. Her doctor suggests that the shock of the earthquake may have caused adrenaline to rush to her eyes, thus helping to restore her sight. The West Australian newspaper quotes her as saying: “I just saw clearly. It just happened like that in a few seconds. To me it seemed my eyes opened, like that, wide. Of course they didn’t but I saw, and they have remained the same ever since.”

BABY SURVIVAL

According to Demos, a bulletin published by the Dutch Demographic Institute, an average of 381,000 babies are born worldwide each day. Their life prospects, however, depend greatly on where they are born. Japan boasts the world’s lowest infant-​mortality rate with only 5 out of 1,000 babies dying within their first year. The infant-​mortality rate is considerably higher in other countries, such as in Brazil where 71 out of 1,000 die within their first year and in East and West Africa where 110 out of 1,000 die. Survival chances for babies in Afghanistan are worse, with 194 deaths per 1,000 babies. Worldwide, nearly 31,000 infants die each day.

COUNTERFEIT COINS

In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of Emperor Hirohito’s reign, Japan minted a special gold coin four years ago. According to Asiaweek magazine, now “investigators believe there are at least 103,000 fakes in circulation, some of them in vaults at the Bank of Japan, the top monetary authority. Officials reckon it is the country’s worst case of counterfeiting this century.” Both the genuine and the counterfeit coins contain 20 grams of 24-​karat gold, worth about $270 at the recent price of gold. However, considering the commemorative coin’s face value of ¥100,000 ($690), counterfeiters “saw a quick way to market gold at twice the buying price” notes Asiaweek.

KOALAS ENDANGERED

The furry koala, the lovable symbol of Australia, is now at risk of becoming an endangered species, says The New York Times. The species has dwindled from several million 50 years ago to some 400,000 now and continues to decline. While disease plays a part, the greatest reason for the decline lies with man. Almost 80 percent of the koala’s food supply and natural habitat have been eradicated by human development. The two-​foot-​long [0.6 m] koalas subsist almost exclusively on leaves and shoots of the eucalyptus tree, and thousands of these trees have been cut down to make room for homes, farmland, and resorts along Australia’s east coast. Additionally, a study has shown that most koalas now die because of being struck by automobiles.

‘MIND-​BOGGLING REGULARITY’

In the fall of 1989, astronomers were astonished to discover the vast sheet of galaxies they named the Great Wall; they did not expect the universe to contain such a large structure. But since then, two teams of astronomers have announced their conclusion that the Great Wall may be just one of the closest of more than a dozen vast concentrations of galaxies. What surprises them even more is that these structures seem to occur at evenly spaced intervals, suggesting, according to The New York Times, “a structure to the universe so regular and immense that it defies current theories of cosmic creation and evolution.” One astronomer calls the regularity of the spacing between these structures mind-​boggling, while another asserts that if these findings are confirmed, “it is safe to say we understand less than zero about the early universe.”

POOR LITTLE SOULS?

Ticks in Japan had both good times and bad times last year. Reveling in a particularly humid summer, they descended in droves on Japanese households. Manufacturers leapt into action. They enterprisingly produced vacuum cleaners designed to exterminate bugs. Sales soared. One Osaka-based company alone sold 800,000 cleaners, which killed an estimated 160 thousand million ticks. However, the destruction of so much life evidently awakened the manufacturer’s Buddhist conscience. Asahi Evening News quoted a spokesman of the company as saying: “Even though they were vermin, we felt a bit sorry for them.” So, at a Buddhist temple, his company held a memorial service “to pray for the repose of these ticks’ souls.”

From Our Readers

Hearing Loss I read your item about hearing loss in “Watching the World.” (October 22, 1989) It is true that turning music up to high decibels damages the hearing. I didn’t listen when people told me to turn my music down. Now I am paying the price for not listening. I am 19 years old and going deaf very painfully.

K. G., United States

Astrology Your article on astrology (November 22, 1989) claimed that Eastern and Western astrology both divide the zodiac into 12 regions and name each month after an animal. This is incorrect. Western astrology assigns one sign of the zodiac per month. But in the East, the signs apply to the whole year.

C. B., France

It is true that a cycle of 12 animals (each animal representing one year) is commonly used among the Chinese to designate the year of one’s birth. It is thus popular custom for a Chinese person to speak of himself as belonging to the ‘year of the ox’ or whatever symbol was current the year he was born. However, as stated in our article, these same 12 animals are also used to designate astrological cycles of 12 hours, days, and months.​—ED.

Reader Reactions to “Satanism” Issue In the February 22, 1990, issue, a reader expressed shock over the cover for the magazine on Satanism. (October 22, 1989) When I was a child, my parents involved us in Satanism in its worst and most violent aspects. That memory was buried, repressed in me until this year, and I’m only now coming to grips with it. That magazine really helped me. And I appreciated the cover. Awake! is supposed to wake people up! When offering the magazine in our preaching work, we found no one who turned that issue down. We could have placed hundreds more!

L. H., United States

I am very grateful for the information you published on Satanism. I too was involved in Satanism as a child. The horrors I have lived through are unspeakable. But it is comforting to know that I do not need to deny my past as a victim of ritual abuse and that I am not beyond gaining God’s approval. The articles did not gloss over reality. Children are being tortured, raped, and murdered. People need to know this is out there!

P. M., United States

Puberty Thank you for the article “Young People Ask . . . What Is Happening to My Body?” (January 22, 1990) My mother died when I was two, and when my menstrual cycle started, I didn’t have anyone to talk to about it. My father was too shy, and I was too proud to listen to my big sister. I’m a little older now, but I still don’t know a lot. Your article explained it to me better than most books. Thank you for understanding what we go through.

D., United States

In-​Laws Since my husband and I married over ten years ago, it’s been one battle after another with my in-​laws. As Jesus predicted, the problems increased after my dedication to Jehovah nearly five years ago. (Matthew 10:35) In the past month, the friction increased to the point where I felt ill at times. But words cannot express my appreciation for the articles on in-​laws. (February 22, 1990) So much insight was provided regarding the mother-​in-​law’s feelings and fears that I am beginning to understand why some things were said and done in the past. With much more hard work on my part, perhaps we can all be friends someday.

J. P., United States

Babies, Blood, and AIDS

RECENTLY The New York Times carried this tragic front-​page report: “Romania is threatened by an unusual pediatric epidemic of AIDS, concentrated in crowded orphanages and clinics, spread by an old-​fashioned practice of giving blood transfusions to newborn infants.”​—February 8, 1990.

Apparently some Romanian doctors would customarily inject small amounts of blood into the umbilical cord of newborn infants in the hopes that this “micro-​transfusion” would stimulate the child’s growth. The practice proved to be an appallingly efficient way to spread AIDS; a single pint of contaminated blood carries enough doses for many babies.

The World Health Organization, which sent an emergency team of doctors to Romania, estimates that 700 Romanian children have already been found to carry the AIDS virus, with an additional 50 suffering from full-​blown AIDS. The head of the organization’s AIDS program told the Times that the rate of AIDS infection among these children is among the world’s highest.

Under the recently overthrown Ceausescu regime, Romania did not officially have an AIDS threat. Any news of the spread of the disease was tightly controlled as a state secret. Blood donors were not even screened for AIDS. Now that has changed. But during the year and a half before the revolution, many Romanian doctors never even thought of AIDS when they began to see more and more children with infections that just wouldn’t go away. As one of them said: “If you are told there is no such virus in Romania, why study it?”

Help in Growing Up

GROWING up in these troubled times is not easy. Youths face many new situations and must make weighty decisions. Should I smoke? Accept drugs? What conduct is proper with one of the opposite sex? What about masturbation and homosexuality? One youth wrote:

“I am now almost 13 years old, and I just wanted to thank you for the Youth book. This book has helped me so much through these hard times of growing up. I just wish all kids my age or older knew about this book.”

This book, which considers all the above questions and many more, is Your Youth​—Getting the Best out of It. If you wish to receive a copy, please fill in and mail the coupon.

This is part of a worldwide Bible educational work that is supported by voluntary donations.

I would like to receive the 192-​page, hardcover book Your Youth​—Getting the Best out of It. (Outside the U.S.A., write to local Watch Tower branch for information. See page 4.)