The Watchtower — January 1, 1952

Happiness in an Unstable World

“THINGS have changed since I was young,” laments the sage who regrets the passing of the “good old days”. Many experts would agree and some of them point out that the world’s last year of normalcy was in 1913. Since then, multiplied wars and upheavals have driven would-be world builders from one frantic scheme to another in search of a workable “new order of things”. Their continued failures bring to mind the wisdom of Solomon, who, even in his ancient and peaceful times, was able to discern this folly.

“Men may say of something, ‘Ah, this is new!’—but it existed long ago before our time. I have seen all that goes on in this world; it is a vain, futile business. You cannot straighten what is twisted, nor can you count up the defects in life. I went in for great works, I built mansions, planted vineyards, laid out gardens and parks . . . Richer and richer I grew, . . . But when I turned to look at all I had achieved and at my toil and trouble, then it was all vain and futile. Nothing in this world is worth while. For what can he do who succeeds the king? Nothing but what the king has done already.”—Eccl. 1:10, 14, 15; 2:4, 5, 9, 11, 12, Mo.

Since A.D. 1914 Solomon’s logic relative to world conversion takes on more meaning than ever. For now we witness fulfillment of the global wars, catastrophes, upheavals and fears Jesus said to look out for as a sure sign of his appearance in Kingdom power. (Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21) It would be paralleled by war in heaven and Satan’s ouster there, the Devil and associate demons being hurtled earthward to roar about in anger and await his now early finish at Armageddon. (Rev. 12:7-12) How futile indeed to now seek lasting happiness through this old system of things and its devil-inspired woes!

It does no good for pseudo optimists to prophesy fairer tomorrows for these governments. Even while they boast, wars and civil strife rip the Orient. Russia’s bear, in constant fear of insurrection, growls and throws out disloyal satellite leaders. And the West fares no better. France shuffles her cabinets like playing cards and picks premiers from a political grab bag. England’s labor government labored in vain to even keep alive. And the United States, most influential power on earth, has been convicted of corruption in the highest offices and was labeled “intellectually dishonest” by her former president.

But surely in the West’s prized “Christian religion” a moral force for world stability will be found. So her well-paid clergy and hangers-on would like to believe. But where is such force?

Have such faiths stood in rocky firmness for true Christianity? If so, why the trend by Protestant and Catholic alike to embrace God-defying evolution while still professing to believe the Bible? And why do the pincers of communism stab through Catholic central and western Europe, imperiling even the Vatican itself and promoting speculation of a possible papal abdication and retreat by the college of cardinals to a refuge in the Western Hemisphere? Why, in the face of all this, does Christendom keep praying and praying and praying without result? James answers:

“You desire, and yet you do not have. You go on murdering and coveting, and yet you are not able to obtain. You go on fighting and waging war. You do not have because of your not asking. You do ask, and yet you do not receive, because you are asking for a wrong purpose, that you may expend it upon your cravings for sensual pleasure.”—Jas. 4:2, 3, NW.

Yes, God knows rebellious Christendom, knows how she would only use his favor toward her for selfish, sensual pleasure. So he withholds it and warns that her hypocrisy will plunge her to destruction at Armageddon at the hands of the very political princes she has tricked. But her heavy and dulled eyes and ears cannot note this. Christendom is dazed and reeling.—Rev. 17; Isa. 29:9-11, Mo.

Then who in the world is happy in these times? In his sermon on the mount Jesus described the class of persons that would be joyful. Unlike pompous, boastful Christendom, he said these people would be “hungering and thirsting for righteousness” and “conscious of their spiritual need”. He said they would be the ones mourning over conditions of the old system so that they could be made glad by news of the new, of Christ’s kingdom. They would be the mild-tempered ones, willing to learn. They would be merciful to others and pure in heart concerning their intentions, willing to use God’s Word rightly. He links these happy ones up with the world-wide preachers of his kingdom mentioned in Matthew 24:14 by the description common to both classes, they would be hated for his name and for righteousness’ sake. Here he tells them to leap for joy on that account and, “Let your light shine before mankind, that they may see your right works and give glory to your Father who is in the heavens.”—Matt. 5:3-16, NW.

What proof do we have that such happiness is alive in the world in 1952? Shaky, unsteady Europe received a unique testimony of it last summer. Amid the very instability of those many governments and confused peoples just related, a chain of international conventions was held across that continent’s western portion. Rather than political or sectarian, these assemblies met to equip Jehovah’s Christian ministers, his modern-day witnesses, for their work of preaching the good news of God’s kingdom by Christ.

These assemblies radiated confidence. The bearers of the Kingdom announcement have the confidence of God’s Word that the universal war of Armageddon will throw open the portals on a glorious new world for mankind. This is a confidence possible only by those now representing the kingdom of the heavens. Their king, Christ Jesus, has already won the initial victory over Satan the Devil, the founder of the “iron curtain” idea. Through censorship, prejudice, wrong religious teachings and persisting world instability, that great dictator tries to keep all mankind preoccupied behind an iron curtain and away from the liberating Kingdom message.

Be glad to know that the Devil will fail! Even now the Kingdom announcement penetrates through all nations and all kinds of government. Its joyful bearers are determined to keep on, increasing their witness to the kingdom of God and its stability and blessings. Their happiness and right works remain like great lights in a dark world. What a joy to say to more and more listeners, “Be glad, you nations, with his people.”—Rom. 15:10, NW.

The Unity of God’s Visible Organization

“From him all the body, by being harmoniously joined together and being made to cooperate through every joint which gives what is needed, according to the functioning of each respective member in due measure, makes for the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”—Eph. 4:16, NW.

1. What has Jehovah shown the least of humanity, and how did Paul feel about it?

JEHOVAH, the great Sovereign Ruler of the universe, has shown undeserved kindness to the least of humanity, men and women just like us. Paul was a recipient of this undeserved kindness. He appreciated it so much, he just had to express it in words as well as in works. The gratitude to Jehovah that was Paul’s he wanted all other persons to feel too. That is why he wrote so fervently to Timothy, saying: “I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who delegated power to me, because he considered me trustworthy by assigning me to a ministry, although formerly I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an insolent man. Nevertheless, I was shown mercy, because I was ignorant and acted with a lack of faith. But the undeserved kindness of our Lord abounded exceedingly along with faith and love that is in connection with Christ Jesus. Trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance is the saying that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am foremost. Nevertheless, the reason why I was shown mercy was that by means of me as the foremost case Christ Jesus might demonstrate all his longsuffering for a sample of those who are going to rest their faith on him for everlasting life.”—1 Tim. 1:12-16, NW.

2. Over what was Paul’s abounding joy in this connection?

² It was so fine of Paul to speak frankly to this young man Timothy, who also wanted to gain life and who could gain it, too, because of the undeserved kindness of Jehovah. Acknowledging his insolent disposition in times past, Paul tells Timothy of the undeserved kindness God showed toward him even though he was a blasphemer. He appreciated this love. The abounding joy in Paul’s expression to Timothy was over the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ had considered him trustworthy and had delegated him to be a minister. What an assignment! What a privilege! Paul certainly appreciated his ministry, and in the book of Acts the account of his life of service shows that.

3. In this regard, how did Paul express himself to the Ephesians?

³ When, on another occasion, Paul wrote to the Ephesians he also had this same thought—the ministry—in mind. He told the congregation at Ephesus that God had extended to him a kindness that was undeserved. Certainly neither Paul nor the Ephesians nor any other of the human family deserved kindness from God. But still Paul was shown such love and was given the opportunity to declare good news to the nations concerning God’s love and to make known the majesty, the power and the wonderfulness of the Creator and his Son. Paul stated it this way, when he wrote to the Ephesians: “To me, a man less than the least of all holy ones, this undeserved kindness was given, that I should declare to the nations the good news about the unfathomable riches of the Christ and should make men see how the sacred secret is administered which has from past eternity been concealed in God, who created all things.”—Eph. 3:8, 9, NW.

4. What freeness did Paul now enjoy, and how did he manifest his faith?

⁴ Jehovah did something for Paul, he was now a free man in line for everlasting life. He came away from the bondage of that old system of things in which he had lived, and now for the first time he had freeness of speech that comes to God’s people through knowledge of Jehovah. What Paul learned about God’s revealed purposes through Christ Jesus gave him confidence to do his work, through his faith. This faith was never shaken. He proved this by doing good works now in the role of a persecuted man, not the persecutor he had once been. His trials, tribulations and buffetings were many; still he was faithful unto death. He was a man of integrity. He knew God’s will and he was ‘resting his faith in Christ for everlasting life’. Paul must have been an inspiration and a good example for others to follow, because he himself was following in the footsteps of Christ Jesus.

5, 6. How had Jehovah’s undeserved kindness been displayed to the Gentiles as a result of the revealing of his sacred secret?

⁵ But what about other Christians? Were they faithfully following Christ? Did God’s undeserved kindness have the same effect on them as it did on Paul? Yes, it did. Consider the early Christians: The Jews had failed as a nation to keep their covenant with Jehovah God. They were once chosen to be God’s name-people, but now when Jehovah had revealed the sacred secret, his Son Christ Jesus as the Messiah, they would not accept him. So the call went forth to the Gentile nations in order to take out from them a people for God’s name. The sacred secret that had been concealed for generations, that is, how Jehovah God would bless all the families of the earth, was now revealed in Christ Jesus. According to it Jehovah had now shown mercy and undeserved kindness toward the Gentiles as well as the Jews. Both kinds of “nations”, or all kinds of men, could now accept the Messiah and get in line for everlasting life. Truly, Jehovah God knew from the foundation of the world how he was going to work out his purposes for the blessing of all the families of the earth and the vindication of his name, even though he had not revealed this to the fullest extent in times past.

⁶ For centuries Jehovah God had no dealings with the Gentiles, but now the way was open for them to become Christians, God’s chosen servants, Jehovah’s witnesses. In writing to the Romans about their being shown so much mercy and so much kindness not deserved (for they had done nothing to honor Jehovah), Paul exclaimed: “Oh the depth of God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How unsearchable his judgments are and past tracing out his ways are! For ‘who has come to know Jehovah’s mind, or who has become his counselor?’” (Rom. 11:33, 34, NW) It is incomprehensible, but still Jehovah’s undeserved kindness was extended to the Gentiles; and those who dedicated themselves to the Most High and came into the congregation or visible organization became spectacles before men and angels.

7. Into what were those who received this undeserved kindness taken, and what were they to be?

⁷ It was about nineteen hundred years ago that this visible organization, the congregation of God’s people, was brought into existence. The recipients of this undeserved kindness were taken into a new covenant with God, not the old law covenant. The old one mediated by Moses had been abolished with the impaling of Christ Jesus. This new covenant was the law of God written in the hearts of the covenanters, not on tablets of stone. These New Covenant persons were to be “a people for his name”. These were the ones like Christ Jesus, namely, Paul and all the early faithful followers of Christ, the proclaimers of the kingdom of God.

8. What made the new organization that was started of such vital importance?

⁸ A new system of things, a new organization, was starting, and it was of vital importance. The selection of the bride of Christ had begun and it was to be made up of 144,000 faithful followers of the Lord Jesus. At that time this selection of the bride and the forming of this visible organization wherein each individual must be faithful unto death was a very serious matter; and so the members appreciated to the full that they must work together in unity, because in God’s undeserved kindness he had brought them together for a special purpose. Eventually the eyes of the world would be upon them and certainly the angels in heaven were watching the outworkings of God’s marvelous arrangements. Here were the announcers of Jehovah’s kingdom, which is the only hope of the world. Could anything be more vital or important than the Kingdom?

“FREENESS OF SPEECH”

9. What had God purposed for men to see, and toward what end were things now moving forward?

⁹ Jehovah had purposed that men should “see how the sacred secret is administered”, and hence that which had been concealed in God was now being revealed, and “this was to the end that now to the governments and the authorities in the heavenly places there might be made known through the congregation the greatly diversified wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he formed in connection with the Christ, Jesus our Lord, by means of whom we have this freeness of speech and an approach with confidence through our faith in him. Wherefore I ask you not to give up on account of these tribulations of mine in your behalf, for these mean glory for you”. (Eph. 3:10-13, NW) Yes, “the eternal purpose which he [Jehovah] formed in connection with the Christ” was now being accomplished. Things were moving ahead to the vindication of Jehovah’s name and word. The congregation of God was now his visible organization making known the good news about Christ and heralding the glad tidings of the kingdom of the heavens. A true foundation was laid with Christ Jesus, the faithful and true witness, and, come what may, whether tribulations to any individual member of the congregation or the dispersing of the companies of Jehovah’s witnesses, all would still “rest their faith on him for everlasting life” and speak with the wonderful freeness of speech Christ Jesus had given them.

10. During his ministry what did Jesus introduce and demonstrate, and why?

¹⁰ You see, during his ministry Jesus introduced a freeness of thought and speech that had vanished from the earth by his time. It was he who said: “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3, NW) The world’s religions had a powerful hold on the people. Millions of persons of all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues were in a definite rut. The truths Jehovah had set forth centuries before Jesus’ time were till then hidden. The Israelites were just as bad off as all the other nations, for they had forsaken Jehovah’s teachings for the traditions of men. When Christ Jesus came he demonstrated by his words and actions a freeness of speech that cheered the hearts of men.

11. What contributed to his freeness of speech?

¹¹ His sayings were not based on any old false religious tradition. What he taught he did not learn in the schools of his day. He learned it by studying the Hebrew Scriptures, by communicating with God in prayer and by dedicating himself to doing his Father’s will. It was this anointed One, the Master, who said: “The truth will set you free.” (John 8:32, NW) Certainly Jesus was free from this old world. He was no part of it even though he was in it. He was a man free to say the things that were true and righteous and an honor to Jehovah’s name. He was free to do the things that would bring praise to his heavenly Father. He restored pure worship of the Most High God. He condemned hypocrites and false religions with their idol worship.

12. Why does Kingdom preaching mean freeness of speech?

¹² Paul recognized these priceless and fearless qualities in Christ Jesus, and it was through Christ Jesus that he himself received his freeness of speech. To speak the truth concerning Jehovah and his Son and God’s kingdom was certainly speaking freely, for all nations and their rulers were and still are against Jehovah God’s kingdom and its rule by Christ Jesus.

13. How did Jesus secure for all the congregation this freeness of speech?

¹³ All the persons in the congregation of God must have this same freeness of thought and expression and must no longer be tied down to the oppressive thinking of the world. They must not be caged up or hemmed in; they must come forth free from this world’s prison houses. Jehovah made provision for this freedom through his Son Christ Jesus. It was Christ who said in the synagogue in Nazareth one sabbath day: “Jehovah’s spirit is upon me, because he anointed me to declare good news to the poor, he sent me forth to preach a release to the captives and a recovery of sight to the blind, to send the crushed ones away with a release, to preach Jehovah’s acceptable year.” (Luke 4:18, 19, NW) He was quoting from Isaiah, chapter 61, and after his anointing he went forward doing that great work of releasing the captives, or sending the crushed ones away with a release. He pointed to Jehovah’s acceptable year of freedom now from this old world. The time had now come for people to be free from the bondage of this dying old world, and Christ Jesus was showing them the way to that freedom. The congregation of God knew this!

14. How did the Jewish religious leaders try to stifle such freeness of speech?

¹⁴ Jesus had not preached this freedom message too many years before the scribes, the Pharisees and the rulers of that day had had enough of his free speech which he was talking throughout Palestine. It became the determination of these worldly mighty ones to do away with him. The record is clear as to how, time and time again, these scribes and Pharisees tried to trap Jesus and bring about some sort of false trial and a cause to silence him. Eventually they succeeded in having him impaled upon the torture stake until dead. Now he could talk no more. What relief for them! They were confident that freedom of speech had been stifled. No longer would people be trying to free themselves from the influence of the scribes and Pharisees and be listening to this man. They thought they could hold their people in their prison houses. But how wrong they were! Consider Jesus’ prayer and note his request to his heavenly Father for those he was leaving behind as free people:

15. To the disciples he left behind what did Jesus give for their freeness of speech?

¹⁵ “I have made your name manifest to the men you gave me out of the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have observed your word. They have now come to know that all the things you gave me are from you; because the sayings that you gave me I have given to them, and they have received them and have certainly come to know that I came out as your representative, and they have believed that you sent me forth. Also I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world and I am coming to you. Holy Father, watch over them out of respect for your own name which you have given me, in order that they may be one just as we are. I have given your word to them, but the world has hated them, because they are no part of the world just as I am no part of the world.” (John 17:6-8, 11, 14, NW) Jesus’ disciples had the truth and they must speak it. They did.

16. What did Jesus promise to send them, and, what would it help them to remember?

¹⁶ It was shortly after the resurrection of Christ Jesus that he organized his followers so as to accomplish the great work to be done. When talking with his disciples he had told them that they would remember the things he had spoken to them and that he would send them a helper, God’s spirit, to remember these important things. “I have many things yet to say to you, but you are not able to bear them at present. However, when that one arrives, the spirit of the truth, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak of his own impulse, but what things he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things coming. That one will glorify me, because he will receive from what is mine and will declare it to you.”—John 16:12-14, NW.

17. When did he send this, and what did they then exercise despite hard experiences?

¹⁷ The spirit was poured out upon them at Pentecost, as Jesus had said. “And while he was meeting with them he gave them the orders: ‘Do not withdraw from Jerusalem, but keep waiting for what the Father has promised, about which you heard from me; because John, indeed, baptized with water, but you will be baptized in holy spirit not many days after this.’” (Acts 1:4, 5, NW) Their minds were then filled with the truths that Jesus had taught them and they moved forward fearlessly preaching the kingdom of the heavens to all men. (John 14:25, 26) All the persecutions, trials and difficulties they endured; their being jeered by mobs of incensed people and even imprisoned never halted them. Freedom of speech they had gained through Christ Jesus, by Jehovah’s undeserved kindness, and it was theirs to keep. No, they were not going to be prisoners again, for Christ Jesus had released them. The prophet Isaiah had declared: “Say to the prisoners, Go forth.” (Isa. 49:9) Jesus did just that to the prisoners. His disciples were free men now and they went forth making proper use of their freedom by preaching the truth.

18. Over what area did they exercise this, and so what took place?

¹⁸ They traveled to the lands near Palestine, Peter to the east as far as Babylon and Paul west probably as far as Spain. They practiced God-given freeness of speech. They said to those in prison, ‘Go forth! Listen to this good news! Have confidence and faith through Christ Jesus in Jehovah God the Creator of the universe. Trust in his precious promises and seek the way to eternal life.’ The gathering together of those who loved truth and righteousness began and God’s visible organization was made manifest.

19, 20. How were the Christians to walk worthily of the things to which they were called, and what would doing so do to the organization?

¹⁹ Paul, of course, was one of the outstanding missionaries and evangelists of his day. He said to those whom he met and taught the truth that they should walk worthily of the things whereunto they were called. They should no longer live in a proud, austere manner, as the peoples of the world lived. Rather, they should be humble and show lowliness of mind. They should be mild and long-suffering, “putting up with one another in love.”

²⁰ Accomplishing this loving attitude means the making of a strong organization of brothers, and then great work can be done in the interest of God’s kingdom.

TAKEN CAPTIVE BY CHRIST

21. Whose purchased property are Christians, and what was Paul happy to be?

²¹ Paul was explaining the proper attitude of mind Christians must have. No longer were they under the oppressive rule of Satan’s world as subjects of that old system of things, but Christ had purchased them with his blood. They were his possession. Paul says: “What! Do you not know that the body of you people is the temple of the holy spirit within you which you have from God? Also, you do not belong to yourselves, for you were bought with a price. By all means, glorify God in the body of you people.” (1 Cor. 6:19, 20, NW) Paul was certainly happy to be such a bought one, a prisoner in the Lord, one led captive by Christ. He told the Ephesians he was a “prisoner in the Lord” and said: “Now to each one of us undeserved kindness was given according to how the Christ measured out the free gift. Wherefore he says: ‘When he ascended on high he led captive a multitude; he gave gifts in men.’” (Eph. 4:7, 8, NW) In order to free those followers of his who had been held in bondage Jesus had to capture them and take them to himself into his organization. So the thousands who heard the truths that Jesus had expressed were led to him and were made to think as he thought. They thus had the mind of Christ. They were freed from this old dying world. To all these free people “he gave gifts in men”.

22. What were those “gifts in men”? And what purpose were they meant to serve as exemplified by Paul?

²² These “gifts in men” were apostles, prophets and evangelists, men who went about from congregation to congregation serving them. They were able to speak in tongues, to interpret and to heal. They were given the gifts of the spirit, which were in effect in Paul’s day. (1 Corinthians 12, NW) These men helped the young congregation, the visible organization of the Lord, to get strong and bind themselves in unity so as to be used in his praise and worship. Paul, who was one of those “gifts in men”, appreciated that he had been freed from the old system of things, and he was grateful for this undeserved kindness on the part of God. Whether as a prisoner in chains at Rome or as one taken captive by the Lord Jesus Christ, he was glad to be made a prisoner of the Lord, as he stated in Ephesians 4:1-3 (NW): “I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, entreat you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, with complete lowliness of mind and mildness, with long-suffering, putting up with one another in love, earnestly endeavoring to observe the oneness of the spirit in the uniting bond of peace.” Paul the prisoner wanted the visible organization of the Lord to be at unity, at oneness with one another. The “gifts in men” had been given to the new visible organization for that very purpose.

23. How were those “gifts in men” to conduct themselves

²³ The congregation of God was to be made up, not of individuals who were striving for prominent positions, but of servants. (Jas. 2:1-4, NW) Jesus was the example for the congregation and he said that he who was greatest among his brothers was to be their slave. Jesus showed his lowliness of mind by washing the feet of the disciples on the night of the last passover and at the introduction of the memorial of his death. (John 13, NW) Here he was showing how they must humble themselves and be slaves to their brothers. These apostles were the principal ones who were called to be “gifts in men”, evangelists, shepherds and teachers, and they were not to lord it over the flock, but they were to be shepherds and care for the visible organization. (1 Pet. 5:2-4, NW) These special representatives were to help all the individuals in the congregation to see their responsibility to be ministers.

24. What like responsibility did the sheep and the shepherds have?

²⁴ Having been called to the Lord’s organization and given the freeness of speech, then every individual in the visible organization should walk worthily of the calling with which he was called. All, shepherds and flock alike, had the same responsibility. Faithfulness in service as ministers was required.

ONENESS AS A BODY

25. How must they all work, and to what end?

²⁵ So then, the congregation must see alike and have the same positive views in mind. All must realize that the purpose for gathering together these servants of the Most High was to preach this good news of the Kingdom in all the world for a witness, to magnify Jehovah’s name, to announce the Son Christ Jesus and to make public expression concerning the sacred secrets that God has revealed through his Word. All those within the Lord’s visible organization must work together to this one end. They could not work against one another, for the members that compose the body certainly do not work against other members. That is why Paul went on to say at Ephesians 4:4-6, NW: “One body there is, and one spirit, even as you were called in the one hope to which you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all persons, who is over all and through all and in all.” Jehovah was dealing with all the body members through His Word and His visible organization, and, what is more, he is doing the same in this our day for our oneness as a body.

26. What was the composition of the congregation back there, and so to be successful as an organization what must they do?

²⁶ Look at the situation as it existed back there in Paul’s day: Jews were coming into the truth, some of whom had been taught under the Pharisees, others under the Sadducees. Paul himself was formerly a Pharisee. There were Egyptians, people from Asia Minor, Greece, Babylon and other far-flung parts of the world—all of them mixed together in the one congregation of the Lord. At one time all had different ways of life, different religions and teachings, but now they were to live together under one God with one Bible, the Word of God, as their guide. They were to make up his visible organization, having freeness of speech and a determination to do the Lord’s will. If this organization was to be successful, then they must work together just as the members of the human body work together: the head, the arms, the organs—all must function to the best interests of the whole body.

27. Why should there be no difference in viewpoint or in work?

²⁷ Paul was impressing upon the minds of the Ephesians that there is just one body and that governing this one body is one spirit, God’s spirit. They were all called in the one hope, the hope of being joint heirs with Christ Jesus in the heavenly kingdom and of living eternally. All had the same faith based on God’s infallible Word, the same baptism and the same Father in heaven. Therefore there should be no difference in viewpoint as far as the members of the body were concerned, but they should all be striving to accomplish the great work of carrying on the clean worship of the Most High God, sharing in the vindication of His name and Word and aiding all people of good will to get the knowledge of Jehovah’s purposes. It was done in Paul’s day; it can be done in our day, too.

28. Where do we find such a visible, working organization today, and who may be in it and how?

²⁸ Then do Paul’s wise words that Jehovah would have an active, working visible organization find fulfillment today? Where is there an organization today like the congregation about which Paul was talking? Could there possibly be a group of people today who have one Father, the Father of all the persons in the congregation, a Father who is over all, through all and in all, a Father who is caring for his children and keeping them together in the pure way of worship? What a privilege and pleasure it is to answer Yes, yes, there is such an organization. In the apostles’ day you could find such a visible organization in the early congregation of Christ. In this year of 1952 you will find it in a group of Christian people known as Jehovah’s witnesses. They make up Jehovah’s visible organization. What is more, YOU can be in that organization if you think like Paul and have faith like his.

29. How are Jehovah’s witnesses today like the early congregation?

²⁹ Note how Jehovah’s witnesses today are like the early congregations of Jehovah’s faithful witnesses: Jehovah’s witnesses are firm believers in God’s Word. They study it, they preach it, and they live it. They are “putting up with one another in love”, even though their customs and habits of life and the tongues they speak in their daily conversation are different in all parts of the world. They ARE fulfilling the command to preach the Kingdom in all the world for a witness. (Matt. 24:14, NW) Thus in all parts of the earth they demonstrate the unity of God’s visible organization.

Organizing for the Ministry

1. What did Jehovah teach his Son to do, and so what did the Son arrange for?

JEHOVAH is the greatest organizer and he taught his Son Christ Jesus how to organize. When on earth Christ selected disciples and taught them how to gather more workers who loved truth and righteousness. At that time it meant a “little flock”; now it means the gathering of a “great crowd” of “other sheep”. So as to assemble the “little flock” Jesus arranged for organizing the congregation and developed that into a strong working unit, with competent servants. Hence the apostle Paul quotes Psalm 68:18 and says: “He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as missionaries, some as shepherds and teachers, with a view to the training of the holy ones for ministerial work, for the building up of the body of the Christ, until we all attain to the oneness in the faith and in the accurate knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of growth that belongs to the fullness of the Christ; in order that we should no longer be babes, tossed about as by waves and carried hither and thither by every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men, by means of craftiness in contriving error.”—Eph. 4:11-14, NW.

2. What was the purpose of all this organizing, and accordingly, whom is the congregation aiding today?

² Jehovah God was very much interested in the proper organization and care of the early congregation. The Son Christ Jesus meted out the gifts of the spirit to his followers so that some could act as apostles, others as prophets and missionaries and still others as able teachers. But what was the purpose of all this in the body of Christ? This: “The training of the holy ones for ministerial work, for the building up of the body of the Christ, until we all attain to the oneness in the faith.” Today this visible organization is also being used to aid the “great crowd” of “other sheep”. These are not of the “little flock”, but they must be brought to maturity in the accurate knowledge of the Son of God. These are not the ones to be joint heirs with him in the heavenly kingdom, but they will gain life under it in the new world of righteousness.

3. How must all view the organization, and how do they become mature?

³ Everyone who ever comes to the Lord’s organization, having studied the Lord’s Word, must see it only one way. God never purposed that there would be hundreds of different denominations throughout the world, each having a different faith, a different doctrine, etc. There could be only “one faith, one baptism; one God and Father”. Jehovah is desirous that everyone who seeks salvation come to an accurate knowledge of these truths. (Rom. 10:11-13, NW) He wants them to become full-grown, mature men. The only way a person can become full-grown is to gain knowledge, and this comes through education. The false religions are not disseminating this accurate knowledge from God’s Word. On the other hand, Jehovah’s witnesses want all kinds of men to be well acquainted with their Bibles and have this one faith. If they have this faith they will manifest themselves as Christ’s “other sheep”.

4. The purpose of all the training and instruction was to make all members what, and why?

⁴ The education that was being brought to the “little flock” members in the days of the apostles was for the training of the holy ones for ministerial work. The whole apostolic organization was an organization of ministers. It was not a laity class, with one or two clergymen over each congregation. All this training and instruction then being given the “little flock” was to make every member of that flock a fully competent ordained minister. There were not to be any spiritual babes in the organization for long. New ones would be coming in all the time, that is true, but they would not remain babes in the Word, “tossed about as by waves and carried hither and thither by every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men.” There was not to be a division of ideas, with part of a congregation believing one thing and the other part another. By study all were to become mature, full-grown men. There must be unity in God’s visible organization. As it was then with the “little flock”, so it must be now with the “other sheep”.

5. For what splitting up was there no arrangement, and why not?

⁵ There was to be no stunting of growth, no relaxing. All were to watch for the trickery of men. There was no arrangement to branch off into a little Methodist group, or Baptist group, or some other religious organization and be content with one man’s teaching. Jehovah’s Word points out that one person may plant, another person may water, but it is Jehovah God who gives the increase. They all belong to God, not someone else.—1 Cor. 3:6-9.

6. How must each one become full-grown and stay in place?

⁶ Being recipients of Jehovah’s undeserved kindness now and belonging to Jehovah, the “other sheep” should work hard to become full-grown and to stay in God’s visible organization. To do this everyone must have the same mind. Study the truth!

7. By speaking what and by exercising what must they grow up? Why?

⁷ Paul went on to say, in his argument to the congregation of God: “But speaking the truth, let us by love grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ.” (Eph. 4:15, NW) Yes, the vital thing was the speaking of the truth. The only place the apostles, evangelists and the missionaries of that day got the truth was from God’s Word. It is the same now. Jehovah’s witnesses today regularly receive visits from mature brothers, special representatives of the Watch Tower Society, and all of these are required to speak and live the truth as set forth in God’s Word. Not only these mature brothers, but the whole congregation of God, his visible organization, must look at things from God’s Word, seeing harmoniously and having God’s mind on matters along with his spirit. By closely associating one with another and by showing love for Jehovah and our brothers, “let us by love grow up.” If we did not have love in God’s visible organization there certainly would be a standing still and a retarding of growth. When there is discord and strife, there is no advancement. When there is peace, love and joy, things grow.

8. Like what organism must they be, as described by Paul?

⁸ The growing human body is a wonderful example of harmonious movement, function and co-ordination. A body can do things, can get work done; and while it is made up of many members, still there is no opposition on the part of any member of the body in accomplishing the desired purpose. This is why Paul went on to argue concerning the “body of the Christ”, that “from him all the body, by being harmoniously joined together and being made to cooperate through every joint which gives what is needed, according to the functioning of each respective member in due measure, makes for the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love”.—Eph. 4:16, NW.

9. How is this the way Jehovah’s witnesses function today world-wide?

⁹ When every tissue, every organ, every joint, every muscle of the human body responds to the instruction of the mind, what unity of action there is! This is a picture of how to achieve the oneness of God’s visible organization under the Head Christ Jesus. Things can be done by a person who is not awkward or clumsy and who has a well-formed and balanced body, one under full control. That is exactly the way it is with Jehovah’s witnesses today throughout the world. They are under control and receive instruction from the greatest instructor, Jehovah, through Jesus Christ. They study God’s Word and have his spirit. THEY GET THINGS DONE. Co-operation is received from every part of the organization, every department, every company, every branch, every missionary home. They all function unitedly as respective members of the whole organization, the body; and this makes for the growth of the organization in love.

10. What is the reason for their unusual growth?

¹⁰ When we review the work of Jehovah’s witnesses during the year 1951, it is again seen how they are working at unity. No doubt about it, Jehovah’s spirit is upon them in the work. They have not done the work in their own strength. They have “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father”, and all the Lord’s people are associated in one visible organization built up in love; first, love for Jehovah, the Giver of every good and perfect gift, and, secondly, love for one’s neighbor. This is the answer to the unusual growth of the organization of Jehovah’s witnesses.

LIBERATION FOR THE MINISTRY

11. In what are they interested, and how are they working for the liberation of others?

¹¹ Jehovah’s witnesses today are interested in one thing no one else is interested in, and that is the preaching of the good news of the Kingdom in all the world for a witness. Not only are they interested in doing this themselves, but they have interest in training others for ministerial work. They know this means the salvation of others; as it is written: “Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching. Stay by these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.” (1 Tim. 4:16, NW) The witnesses of Jehovah are going to the ends of the earth, saying to the prisoners of modern Babylon, “Go forth!” Hundreds of thousands of all kinds of persons are ‘going forth’ from this Babylonish world. They are desirous of preaching the good news of the Kingdom. All they need is the necessary help and instruction.

12. How have people failed to get instruction from Babylonish religious systems?

¹² One thing is certain: men of good will certainly have not received proper instruction from this old world’s Babylonish religions. Millions of people go to churches every Sunday and listen to their pastors, but after a ten- or fifteen-minute sermon and the religious ceremonies for the day the people leave with no good news to preach to the world. They have heard a little about some popular book which was reviewed, or they have listened to something on politics. Maybe the pastor did discuss some abstract thought from the Bible or use a Scripture text and then wander off into some easy-listening philosophy. But where is “the one hope”? Where “the one faith”? Where the accurate knowledge of the Son of God? Where the growth to the full-grown man? Where is there interest in God’s kingdom? Where is the one visible organization built on love?

13. With right instruction what would church members all be? Why?

¹³ If the so-called “Christian” churches were being taught the Word of God and the truths presented in the Bible, then all the members of the congregations would be trained to be ministers. Did we not find in our study (page 13, ¶ 4) that the reason teachers were given was “with a view to the training of the holy ones for ministerial work”? Yes. Hence, to engage in pure, undefiled worship means you must be a preacher, a minister, a servant of the Most High, Jehovah. Christendom has failed in this respect.

14. How do the witnesses work to make the interested ones ministers?

¹⁴ In contrast with the indifferent way taken by false religion, Jehovah’s witnesses diligently work to make everyone who shows interest in the truth a competent minister of God’s kingdom. They try to bring all immature ones to a mature knowledge of God’s Word. Jehovah’s witnesses go into the homes of the people when invited and study with them. These ministers of Jehovah will spend all the time the people of good will desire so as to help them to know what God’s Word has in store for them. After these interested persons study the Bible and the publications that are used as study aids, it is not long before they start talking to their neighbors. It is not much longer until they come to the Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s witnesses, to which all lovers of righteousness are invited, there to study deeper things pertaining to God’s Word. A little more time and they are ready to go from door to door preaching the good news of the Kingdom. Next, they dedicate themselves to God in imitation of Jesus, who said: ‘I come, as in the volume of the book it is written of me, to do your will.’ (Ps. 40:7, 8; Heb. 10:5-9) They believe that God’s Word contains instruction for them to follow, sets forth his purposes, and clearly indicates to them their responsibility to God now to be ministers to “declare to the nations the good news”.—Eph. 3:8, NW.

15. Despite some being special representatives of the Society, what are all of Jehovah’s witnesses, and why?

¹⁵ The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society does send out missionaries, teachers and special representatives who are trained in aiding others to gain a better knowledge of the Lord’s Word. Everyone needs building up in the most holy faith. Still, ALL of Jehovah’s witnesses are ministers, because that is why God has been and is gathering together his “other sheep”, to train them for ministerial work. In this organization of ministers we see a new world society working at unity. Jehovah’s witnesses make up Jehovah’s visible organization today. Seek them out. Study with them. Hundreds of thousands are already doing so.

16. How many such have been active monthly on the average, and how?

¹⁶ During the past year many have heard the call, ‘Come forth from the prison houses of Babylon!’ They have left Catholic churches, Protestant churches, Jewish synagogues and heathen temples. Since their coming forth they have studied and prepared themselves for the intensive preaching of Jehovah’s witnesses worldwide. During the year the organization of Jehovah’s witnesses has had a monthly average of 384,694 ministers who were engaging in the preaching work every month, comforting people from door to door, making back-calls and conducting home Bible studies with the interested. These zealous publishers have accomplished a tremendous amount of work during the service year of 1951.

GENERAL SURVEY OF WORK DONE

17. What peak of publishers was reached, and what does the Society want them to continue to be?

¹⁷ These 384,694 publishers were not alone in their work. They were taking along and training some “babes”. Some who had been prisoners in devilish organizations heard the good news of God’s kingdom and began to pull away from the old world and its way of thinking, and they associated themselves with these publishers for the new world. They too went out and preached, 57,686 of them, for the first time. Combined, that means 442,380 ministers—a new all-time peak for Jehovah’s witnesses! The Society is interested in the welfare of every one of these 442,380 persons and it wants to see them continue as ordained ministers. This is the way Paul felt. He wanted to help the members of the early church to become qualified, fully grown, mature ordained ministers. Paul knew why he was called; he said: “I should declare to the nations the good news.” He said we should imitate him as he imitated Christ. If it was his responsibility to declare the good news, then it is the responsibility of everyone who comes to this knowledge to declare the good news. That is why Jesus said he gives “gifts in men”, namely, “with a view to the training of the holy ones for ministerial work.”

18. How must the spiritual babes be helped, and to what end?

¹⁸ Many of these 442,380 persons who are preaching need to be brought to maturity. They are babes not a year old and they cannot remain babes the rest of their lives, in danger of being tossed about by waves and carried hither and thither by every wind of teaching. They have to be well trained. They need constant attention and help. Bible studies must continue in their homes. They must come to service meetings, participate in the theocratic ministry school and attend the Watchtower studies that Jehovah’s witnesses conduct in their Kingdom Halls. They will go out in the field with seasoned publishers. Circuit servants will visit their companies and take them out in the preaching work and give them advanced training. Questions on the Bible which may be bothering them will be answered. They must study diligently the publications of the Society along with their Bibles. They cannot afford to remain babes; they must become full-grown and appreciate the visible organization God has set up and be an active part of this body that functions all to the honor and glory of Jehovah’s name. Their keeping busy in the preaching activity and keeping up with their studies “makes for the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love”.

19. Why will not this training work let up?

¹⁹ This training work will not let up either, because Jehovah’s witnesses will continue to “say to the prisoners, Go forth”. (Isa. 49:9) Why should lovers of righteousness stay in the old world and go down with it at Armageddon and die for an eternity, when they have the opportunity of pulling away from this system of things and of enjoying life in a new world of righteousness?

20. What distribution of literature was there in 1951, and how many hours were spent?

²⁰ A most wonderful work is going on. People are hearing this good news and heeding it. They see the unity of God’s visible organization and they flee to it for safety. Of course, it means a big change in their lives, but it is all for their benefit. It is interesting to observe that during the 1951 service year 17,732,323 books, booklets and Bibles were distributed by Jehovah’s witnesses world-wide. It took a lot of time to distribute these publications along with the 20,046,485 copies of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines that were placed with the people. This was certainly planting seed. These witnesses of Jehovah devoted 62,854,483 hours to talking the Kingdom and doing this planting and watering. But just why did they do this? For the simple reason that Christ Jesus, the Pattern they are following, preached the good news continually, saying that the kingdom of the heavens is at hand. He also gave a command to the effect that this good news of the Kingdom shall be preached now in all the world for a witness. Jehovah’s witnesses are glad for this command and are zealous in doing their ministerial work.

21. How many return visits were reported, and how many home Bible studies conducted?

²¹ In order to help everyone they could, they made 20,438,000 back-calls on persons interested in God’s message. Just think of that! Going back to the homes of the people over 20 million times during the year, trying to help them gain a better knowledge of the Bible! And the record shows that every month throughout the year there were 260,187 Bible studies held in different individuals’ homes throughout this whole world. These studies were conducted at least once every month, but usually every week. Jehovah’s witnesses want to help these people of good will all they can. That means work. But it is joyful work.

22. What percentage of increase in publishers was there, and in how many lands?

²² This organization of Jehovah’s witnesses is not one that is standing still; it is growing rapidly: In fact, in 1951 we saw an increase of 17 per cent over the preceding year in the number of persons taking up this good news and proclaiming it. As you look at the chart, on pages 16, 17, you will be able to see the comparative work of the 121 countries that are listed. For such expansion of the work world-wide it was Jesus who said: “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations.”—Matt. 28:19, NW.

23. How about the number of those baptized, the pioneers, branch workers, and pieces of literature produced?

²³ Many people are seeing that Jehovah’s witnesses are a blessed and happy organization in the earth even though persecuted and that they have the favor of God. Many who see this are forsaking this old world and its organizations and are coming to Jehovah’s organization. One fact alone that proves this is that during 1951 there were 63,178 individuals who symbolized their dedication to do Jehovah’s will, by water immersion. These want to be at unity with God’s visible organization and share in the blessed promises of the new world. During the year many ministers entered the pioneer work and now 17,955 are spending full time in this branch of ministerial activity. Another 1,004 work at branch homes doing office work, caring for the buildings, and others of this number did the printing of 4,955,201 books, 13,604,283 booklets; 30,256,927 Watchtower and 21,422,620 Awake! magazines for subscribers and for distributors, and 278,820,411 handbills, tracts, placards and office forms.

24. For what are branch workers and headquarters workers grateful, and what is it still our blessed privilege to do?

²⁴ All of the brothers in the branch homes and the headquarters office in Brooklyn, New York, enjoy serving their brothers world-wide. They are grateful for the undeserved kindness of Jehovah toward them and all of Jehovah’s witnesses the world over. And with their brothers around the world they will continue to “say to the prisoners, Go forth”, so that all liberty lovers may enjoy the blessedness of the unity of God’s visible organization. Our blessed privilege it is to help all such liberated ones to get organized with us for the ministry.

[Chart on page 16, 17]

1951 SERVICE YEAR REPORT OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES WORLD-WIDE

(See bound volume)

Rulers of Malaya Oppose Free Worship

LOOK at a map of Asia. Jutting out into the South China sea is the long fingerlike Malay Peninsula. North of it lies Burma, Thailand and Indo-China. To the west is India, and nearby are the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. Singapore, the crossroads of the world, is at the peninsula’s southern tip. In this geographical theater great political dramas have been staged in recent years. Not so long ago the British, French and Netherlands empires of the West completely dominated this whole Asiatic area. But since the defeat of Japan in 1945 Sumatra and Borneo, along with other territories, have broken away from the Netherlands. The natives of Indo-China are struggling to oust the French. India and Burma have gained their independence, and the federated states of Malaya are clamoring to likewise free themselves of all British rule. Also, the sinister forces of communism have been very active in this area, especially so since China to the north has come under complete Communist domination.

Now with this setting and its surrounding backdrop of events in mind, it can be appreciated what a great blunder the rulers of Malaya made last July when they ousted four Christian missionaries from their country. It all started in June when four of Jehovah’s witnesses, L. Atkinson, R. J. Ward and R. G. Moffatt of England, and L. McLean of Ireland, arrived in Singapore on their way to Malaya to take up their missionary assignments. As graduates of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead in the state of New York they had come a long distance for this purpose, some twelve thousand miles, in fact.

Singapore, although a separate colony, has a common immigration permit arrangement with Malaya, and so upon arriving here the four missionaries visited the deputy controller of immigration, a Mr. Fox. He received them courteously, but granted them permission to remain only one month, pending consideration by his superiors of their request to remain indefinitely. Assured, however, that there would be no difficulty in obtaining the permission, the four missionaries proceeded to Penang, a little island port on the northwest coast of Malaya having a population of 200,000. Here they found the people unusually hospitable and anxious to know more about the Bible, of which they knew very little. True, most of the people are Buddhists, but they were ready enough to hear about a God who will make an end of all corruption, violence, and disunity in this world.

Each week the missionaries inquired at the Immigration department in Penang if permission for permanent stay had been received, but there was none. Would Malaya, now clamoring for independence and anxious to show its governmental maturity, give a decision in favor of freedom of worship? Would she go along with the free democratic policies of the United Nations? Would she permit this Bible educational work, the greatest force for combating godless communism, to be carried on in her land? Or would Malaya follow in the footsteps of the Communist countries and prohibit the entry of Jehovah’s witnesses? These questions were soon to be answered.

TRAGIC BLUNDER ON THE HIGHEST LEVEL

On July 10 the offices of the Watch Tower Society in Singapore received word from the Immigration department stating that the missionaries would have to “depart on or before the 12th of July”, but this information had not reached them when, on July 11, in response to a request, the missionaries appeared for an interview before a Mr. A. B. Roche, controller of immigration for the Federation of Malaya in Penang. Playing the part assigned to him by some higher authority, Roche brusquely asked for their passports, noted the date, and remarked: “H’m, you have left it rather late. You should be away by now.” He was reminded that no word as of that moment had been received concerning their request to remain. Whereupon, Roche declared: “Well, I can give you your answer now. I shall not grant you your request.” He then proceeded to dictate letters addressed to the missionaries in which he refused their request to remain, quoting as authority for his summary action the Federation of Malaya Emergency Regulations.

Now these Emergency Regulations were special powers granted for the express purpose of combating banditry and communism. Therefore the missionaries asked why Roche was taking this summary action, to which he curtly replied: “I don’t wish to give a reason.” What an outrage! Had they somehow fallen behind the Iron Curtain? They thought they were still in the camp of the Western world, yet they were receiving the kind of highhanded treatment dealt out by petty officials in the totalitarian lands. It is a well-known fact that Jehovah’s witnesses are neither bandits nor communists in any sense of the word, and yet an antibandit, anticommunist regulation was being used against them without cause or reason. It was therefore manifest that these low, underhanded methods were being employed to protect wicked conspirators behind the scenes.

Asked if they could appeal his decision, Roche first replied, “Well, there isn’t any appeal really.” But when pressed further on the point he unearthed a copy of the regulation which contained a clause granting the right to appeal to the chief secretary. Here was at least a ray of hope; so immediately an appeal was taken up to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaya. Possibly the chief secretary, Mr. M. V. del Tufo, was an honest, sensible man, wise enough to see that justice would be handed out in this matter.

NO RELIEF FROM COUNCIL OF THE WICKED

It was in Kuala Lumpur that the missionaries learned the real significance of Roche’s statement, “There isn’t any appeal really.” Not from pillar to post, as the saying goes, but from pawn to pawn the missionaries went seeking relief from the gross injustice committed against them. Given the run-around from one official to another they met a variety of excuses why no responsible official would grant an interview. In an effort to see the chief secretary, they got no farther than his office staff. A call on the secretary to the government, Mr. P. O. Wickens, who had something to do with the formal written appeal that was made, likewise proved fruitless. Told that Mr. Dato Onn, Member for Home Affairs, was actually the one that dealt with such matters, they made efforts to see him, but here again one could only talk to his private secretary. An interview with Dato Onn was refused on the grounds that the matter was beyond his power to reverse, the decision having been made at government level. Now what could that mean?

Dato Onn’s secretary was a kindly disposed man and so he revealed what all this dodging by the officials really meant. On July 3, this secretary explained, the Executive Council of the Federation resolved that ‘the future policy of the Federation of Malaya would be that representatives of the Watch Tower Society, that is, Jehovah’s witnesses, would be personae non gratae [persons not welcome] in the Federation, and that this would apply to the four missionaries now making application to stay’. So the matter was important, important enough to engage the attention of the whole Council in private, but not important enough for a single member to grant an interview to the ones concerned, the ones who were being grossly misrepresented, viciously charged, falsely classified as undesirables, and wickedly condemned without a hearing.

The instigators of this conspiracy sought to do a thorough job in choking out the message of God’s kingdom from the territory of Malaya. They wanted no public discussion on the matter, no appeals that might backfire and expose the plotters. They therefore struck at the highest level where they exercised influence and power in order that the decision would be final with the minimum of publicity. Even the little notice that did appear in the press was enough to call forth an expression of displeasure from more than one official. One is reminded of Jesus’ words, that they that practice vile things hate the light and avoid it if possible for fear their evil deeds will be exposed.—John 3:19-21, NW.

As matters now stood the only person in Malaya powerful enough to overrule or modify this decree of the Executive Council was the high commissioner in Council, Sir Henry Gurney, and so a formal “Petition of Appeal” was filed with him. In pleading that this stupid error be corrected, the Petition gave the following reasons:

“(i) Your Petitioners believe that the work done by them in helping those who wish to understand the Bible brings great benefits and enjoins upon all people obligations of justice, decency, morality and respect for law and order, and belief in God’s justice and the hope of the new world promised by the Bible.

“(ii) That, in their short stay in Penang, your petitioners have met many people who have expressed a real appreciation of the aid rendered by your Petitioners in helping them to understand the Bible, and would greatly regret the denial of such service to them.

“(iii) That your Petitioners, being dedicated to the service of God, deem it their bounden duty to respond to the call for world-wide preaching as contained in the Biblical command: ‘This good news of the kingdom shall be preached to all nations.’ (Matthew 24:14) Having freely practiced their preaching work for many years in their own country, where they were assisted by thousands of associates, your Petitioners now wish to bring this good news to the people of Malaya, that no country may be excluded from the benefits of the divine command.

“(iv) That your Petitioners believe that a sound knowledge of the Bible is the most lasting and effective bulwark against the dangerous and violent political ideologies that teach the overthrow of states and the alteration of the systems by violence.

“(v) That your Petitioners believe that the remarkable unity and peace which exists between Jehovah’s witnesses throughout the earth, regardless of race, nationality and colour, demonstrates in a practical way the benefits gained as a result of the teachings of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.”

Even as the other appeals went unheeded, so also this cry to the high commissioner in behalf of truth and justice. It fell on stony ears with the same result—no interview, no reason, no relief. All possibilities for a stay of execution of the Executive Council’s order were now exhausted. All officialdom of Malaya apparently was solidly against Jehovah God and his Kingdom witnesses. The only door open for the four missionaries was the one through which they had entered. They must leave this land where intolerance had reared its ugly head and go to one where freedom of worship exists. So on August 27 the four left narrow-minded Malaya and entered freedom-loving Thailand, and there they have continued their charitable, God-given ministerial work.

YOU TOO CAN PROTEST!

Does this mean the case is closed and the matter ended? Official Malaya may think so. And the conspirators who engineered the plot may sit back and rejoice that Jehovah’s witnesses were tossed out and the door slammed against their return. But such totalitarian treatment settles nothing. When freedom and liberty are crushed underfoot as here in Malaya, all lovers of truth and justice everywhere rise up with righteous indignation to meet the challenge.

The government gave no reason for the ousting of Jehovah’s witnesses, but one high official told the missionaries: “You are undermining and disturbing all the established religions, which are such a bulwark against communism.” This is a revealing statement when considered with other events. For example, a clergyman of the “Brethren” church in Penang told his congregation to have nothing to do with the witnesses when they called at their homes. Also the “Rev.” A. J. Bullitt, of Newcastle, commissary for the bishop of Singapore, complained that a newspaper headline, “Missionaries Asked to Leave Malaya,” was misleading since Jehovah’s witnesses were not real missionaries. He then boasted that a score of new missionaries were on their way to Malaya, ten assigned to the Church Missionary Society, six to the English Presbyterian Mission, and four to the London Missionary Society.—Singapore Free Press, August 13, 1951.

The true nature of the ouster is thus discovered—religious discrimination and bigoted intolerance! Political leaders have suppressed the Kingdom message and impaled its proclaimers at the behest of pharisaical advisers. But in listening to these blind religious guides what a stupid blunder the rulers of Malaya have made! Christendom’s leading religions are no bulwark against communism. That is why the religions of Christendom make leagues with communism in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Russia, etc., while Jehovah’s uncompromising witnesses are outlawed, banned and thrown into concentration camps in those countries. So by closing her borders to these true Christians, Malaya is playing right into the hands of the Communists. So it was too bad that those “established religions” in Malaya could not provide a sufficient “bulwark” to prevent Malaya’s high commissioner, Sir Henry Gurney, from being ambushed and killed by a hail of bullets by Communists just two and a half months later.

Through dullness of understanding men may make mistakes, but if they want to be wise they will correct their errors. Surely some of the ill-advised officials of Malaya are wise enough to reconsider the tragic mistake that was made in classifying Jehovah’s witnesses as undesirables. Let every freedom-loving person therefore write immediately to these officials. Write briefly and to the point, urging them to correct this error. Show them there are thousands upon thousands of people in this world who vigorously protest against this clergy-inspired discrimination and ruthless intolerance shown by Malaya. Names and addresses of responsible men of influence are as follows:

H. M. King George VI,

Buckingham Palace, London, S. W. 1

Prime Minister

Rt. Hon. W. L. S. Churchill, O.M., C.H., M.P.

House of Commons, London, S. W. 1

Secretary of State for the Colonies

Rt. Hon. Oliver Lyttelton, D.S.O., M.C.

Church House, Great Smith Street,

London, S. W. 1

The Hon. the Member for Home Affairs,

Dato Onn bin Jaafar, D.K., D.P.M.J.

1 Clarke Street, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya

The Hon. the Officer Administering the Government,

Mr. M. V. del Tufo, C.M.G., M.C.S.

King’s House, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya

Mr. H. L. King,

The Director of Immigration,

Havelock Road, Singapore 1

Why is it you do not know what I am speaking? Because you cannot listen to my word. You are from your father the Devil and you wish to do the desires of your father. That one was a manslayer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of the lie. Because I, on the other hand, tell the truth, you do not believe me. Who of you convicts me of sin? If I speak truth, why is it you do not believe me? He that is from God listens to the sayings of God. This is why you do not listen, because you are not from God.—John 8:43-47, NW.

[Map on page 20]

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INDIA

BURMA

CHINA

FRENCH INDO-CHINA

THAILAND

MALAYA

Periang

SUMATRA

Singapore

BORNEO

PHILIPPINE IS.

“Clean Worship” Assembly in Frankfurt

IT WAS like living in the woods in the new world for four days during the international assembly at Frankfurt am Main, August 24-26. Fourth in a series of weekly conventions that began with London and ran through France, Holland, Scandinavia, Finland and finally Austria the last week of September, it proved the largest, the most unique of them all, the outstanding convention on the European continent in 1951.

For this assembly in West Germany the Sports Stadium in Frankfurt-Niederrad was rented, an idyllic place amid the City Forest of Frankfurt, on the edge of that metropolis of 500,000 dwellers. That large football bowl with its 35,000 places for sitting and standing room was not enough for the crowd expected, and so the nearby Cycle Racing Bowl was also rented, which offered seating for 10,000 more. But to provide seating for all attending, benches were built and installed in the great oval of the stadium, their total length amounting to 10,000 meters of benches.

June 12 at a gathering of companies from Frankfurt and Offenbach the work of hunting rooming accommodations was begun. By 428 company publishers and 24 pioneers quarters for 8,731 persons were found in private homes and for 594 in the hotels. Several hundred quarters were also arranged for in Mainz and Wiesbaden, many kilometers away. All were badly bombed cities, and the quarters obtainable were insufficient. So a tent arrangement for mass housing was projected, and many thousands of square meters of grounds at the City Forest were rented for this. Frankfurter firms supplied the canvas tent covering and stakes and foremen; Jehovah’s witnesses supplied the workers, men and women who carried out instructions, dug the stake holes and did the erection work. All together, 559 workers, mostly pioneers, took part in this construction, beginning July 23. Additionally, 325 helpers from the surroundings of Frankfurt offered their services week ends. For sleeping quarters 21 tents were erected, with a total of 45,837 square meters of area. The smallest was 40 x 8 meters, and the largest tents were 220 x 40 meters, with a height of 12.7 meters. More than 27,000 slept in these tents, and still there was room for others. There were three camps, each called by a Bible name.

In front or to the north of the big tribune of the Sports Stadium stood Camp Gilgal, also the vast cafeteria tent, Barak Street dividing them. Still farther north and beyond the junction of the railroad tracks and the public highway (Moerfelder Landstrasse) lay Camp Gibeon. At this camp conventioners brought and set up 584 small tents of their own, which offered shelter to 1,968 persons. Eastward from the Sports Stadium and beyond the Cycle Racing Bowl and Moerfelder Highway lay Camp Goshen. Like the three camps, the streets were also given Biblical names, such as David St., Mizpah St., Deborah St., Watchtower St., etc. Each camp was outfitted with large washing and toilet facilities, for which the volunteer workers made excavations, erected structures including 320 meters’ length of community washbasins, and installed piping. The city fire department installed needed feed-pipes and water connections, running the supply line by twining a big firehose about a bridge built over Moerfelder Highway and thus conveying water over this thoroughfare. Brothers of ours stood constant guard at this water-supply bridge to prevent any sabotage.

For bedding in the camp tents 347 tons of clean straw was bought, and this was spread out three feet high. Of course, after being slept on for several nights this was pressed down to a nice mattress thickness. Men’s and women’s quarters were strictly separate. The interiors of the tents were sectioned off rectangularly by lanes, and sections numbered and lettered, so that sleeping places could be assigned out and each one locate where he was to sleep. The tents were fitted with loud-speakers. For the spoken word to be heard here and over all the convention site, 4,200 meters of cable were laid, 17 loud-speaker columns set up and 6 individual loud-speakers. For illumination 6,500 meters of cable were laid with 360 locations for lights. The tenters brought along their own blankets. Thus 36,026 were provided with lodging, including those who put up at hotels and elsewhere.

Nowhere in or around Frankfurt was there a kitchen adequate for providing hot food to such thousands of conventioners. So the Society built its own kitchen. For this, 51 kettles with a capacity of 300 liters each were obtained, some for gas, some for coal consumption, some for steam. But from where the steam? At a worker’s happy suggestion the National Railways were appealed to and a locomotive was rented and rolled onto a siding near the Sports Field railroad station. On the bank alongside it a big kitchen tent was set up to shelter 40 steam kettles. A large-caliber pipe was then run from the locomotive’s steam dome to the kettles connected in series. But would this system work? It was the first attempt of its kind in Germany, yet it worked! In 15 minutes each unit turned out a kettleful of cooked food. During the three days there were 49,700 servings of breakfast, 75,700 of dinner and 58,050 of supper at the cafeteria.

For baked goods, ah, they installed, too, their own bakery, in the basement of the tribune building of the Sports Stadium. A week before convention four brothers began baking. In a lent dough machine they had to work up tons of dough, to bake enough for 132,675 portions of Saxon Stolle cake, 120,855 of streusselkuchen (crumb cake), 8,050 of plum cake and 10,000 Berlin pancakes. From large bakeries in Frankfurt 230,000 rolls and 28,500 loaves of bread were supplied.

The cafeteria covered 8,000 square meters of area, roofed with tenting. To put through 30,000 eaters in an hour there were 50 serving stations, and corresponding lines of tables, each table 50 meters long and at which we stood to eat. Conventioners were all told to bring along their own knives, forks and spoons. This made work lighter for the dishwashing department of 576 helpers.

ARRIVALS

Tuesday morning the Society’s vice-president and the Canadian branch servant landed at the Rhein-Main airport outside Frankfurt and a large group of preconvention workers from “tent city” turned out to welcome them. Next day at 12:25 p.m. the president, N. H. Knorr, and his secretary, M. G. Henschel, arrived at the airport, and German branch servant, Erich Frost, and a still larger welcoming committee of hundreds from the tent city gave them a grand reception. Brother Knorr’s arrival was announced over the airport loudspeakers and three news reporters buttonholed him for an interview, for which F. S. Hoffmann, the Gilead graduate servant of the Wiesbaden Bethel home, acted as interpreter into German. The Neue Presse, the Frankfurter Rundschau, and the Nachtausgabe thereafter reported his arrival with pictures and long accompanying articles.

From the airport Brother Knorr and his party went to the convention grounds, inspected the kitchen and its locomotive steam boiler, the bakery, the cafeteria and the camps, and then drove out to the Society’s branch office for West Germany, at Wiesbaden-Dotzheim, about 27 miles from Frankfurt. There he and other North American representatives of the Society stayed and enjoyed sweet association with the German Bethel family of 104 members. The transformation which the German brothers had wrought in the windowless, doorless, looted building for leasing which they had contracted at Brother Knorr’s last visit in 1947 was marvelous, and now a printing establishment and shipping department and branch offices were functioning there in spick-and-span quarters.

For days ahead, the rising tent city was a place of interest for early arriving foreign conventioners, news reporters and others. But on Thursday, the day before convention, the main body of the German conventioners began pouring in in their tens of thousands. There were some 100 special omnibuses with the groups from various companies. Thirty special trains of 800 to 1,000 passengers each had been arranged for with the National Railways, and from 10 a.m. till past the following midnight these arrived one after another and discharged their loads of high-spirited German brothers at the Sports Field railroad station. A large sign, in German, “Jehovah’s witnesses in the Stadium 24-26 of August,” high above and across the road met their glad eyes as they marched onto the grounds. There was a standard-bearer for each group, who held aloft on a pole the identification of the particular company he represented, such as “Jehovah’s witnesses—Munich—so-and-so group”. The whole band trooped along with their standard-bearer and got their lodgings together. This served for good order in arriving but still more so for a prompt, orderly departure without mishap or delay at the close of the convention.

Many others did not arrive by special train or bus, but came by motorcycle, bicycle, private car and on foot. From 24 different lands they came. There were witnesses of Jehovah who had risked their liberty or even their lives to cross the border secretly from Communist East Germany into the American zone of West Germany. Yes, about 500 of them got through and they reported and registered at a special tent reserved for them. Many of them arrived, weary, worn, and financially “broke”. They were given free meals and at night a straw bed. One brother and his 74-year-old mother trudged 11 days to get here, sleeping nights in the woods and parks in order to avoid Communist police. Many expressed their willingness to return, for the truth must continue to be preached in East Germany and Jehovah’s “other sheep” be gathered to his Right Shepherd. What these East zoners had endured and seen made them determined fighters, unwilling to flee or quit. In the year following that infamous night of August 30, 1950, hundreds of witnesses were arrested in East Germany and the branch there at Magdeburg was shut down. Despite this, there are now 17,256 witnesses active in that zone. The 36,500 in West Germany brings the total to over 53,000 Kingdom publishers in all of Germany.

SESSIONS

On Friday, August 24, at 5 a.m. the buzzer at the Wiesbaden Bethel aroused the family and they prepared to make the early special train for the convention. Some were able to go by car. It turns out a sunny day. For the full length of the convention grounds Moerfelder Highway has been blocked off to all public traffic to prevent conventioners from being run down, and police stand guard.

You enter the stadium and there you find the great bowl jammed with conventioners, nicely and colorfully dressed. Hundreds are even sitting out on the race track. Wonderful! to find them all there well before the hour. They are determined to miss nothing, but to get all they can out of the sessions. Out in the green football field toward the western end is the speakers’ stand in a beautiful setting of flowers and evergreen plants, and fronted by large, standing white letters in a semicircle which spell Jehovas Zeugen. Up in the tribune stands to the west of the central balcony is the orchestra, and there a large orchestra of 150 instruments performs under a skilled director. Look! there are 80 violins, 10 accordions, a guitar, together with drums and cymbals and the brass and woodwind instruments. And, as at London, a man in a white shirt out in the field directs the singing. At one end of the stadium is a large sign, in German, “Clean Worship Assembly,” and along the length of the tribune stands and opposite, across the football field, along the gallery wall are the large signs with the 1951 yeartext: “Praise Jah, you people, because Jehovah our God, the Almighty, has begun to rule as king.—Rev. 19:6, NW.” Over in the Cycle Racing Bowl (across the street and to the northeast of the stadium) there are large numbers of conventioners, to listen in on the loud-speakers. All together, there are upward of 30,000 here, and at the very start of the assembly. The tent city there on the grounds helped greatly to this end. And to facilitate travel between Frankfurt and the Sports Field the National Railways considerately offer a six-coupon card which entitles you to six trips for just one German mark (20c), and these cards are obtainable in the Traffic tent and at the railroad stations. Yes, and the German Government postoffice stamped all outgoing mail with the cancellation stamp: “FRANKFURT (MAIN) CLEAN WORSHIP ASSEMBLY OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES, 24 to 26.8.51.”

At 9 a.m. punkt! the assembly opens and the vast attendance sang full-throated in praise to the eternal God, celestial King. The entire morning was devoted to a fine array of four speakers, the second of which, branch servant Frost, gave the address of welcome as convention chairman. During the morning Brother Knorr was interviewed by eleven news reporters and men from Life and Time magazines. Radio men came, and he made a tape recording answering their questions for a six-minute broadcast, his replies being translated into German. Even a reporter from The Stars and Stripes (European edition of the U. S. armed forces) was there for an interview, and on August 28 this newspaper published a 4-paragraph report with a baptism picture.

The high point of the day was the president’s afternoon talk on “Making Your Mind Over for New World Living”, which was interpreted into German. By this talk he, together with eight other speakers who had served at the London assembly at the beginning of the month, was bringing feature talks of that international gathering to the Frankfurt assembly. The delivering of the same talks in the many lands by the Society’s representatives worked toward uniting the brothers in all these lands in a oneness of mind. Those who understood both English and German got the speeches with double blows through the force of both languages. There were 34,547 listening to Brother Knorr, a thousand of whom were over at the Cycle Racing Bowl and 5,000 in the cafeteria. When he walked off the field there was a battery of camera fans and moving-picture takers at the exit to stay his progress for some shots.

Besides the platform service-meeting demonstration in the evening, one of the speeches was a report on experiences and activities in Communist East Germany by the Society’s representative stationed in Berlin, American zone. This thrilled the listeners. Next day column one of the front page of the Abendpost announced the arrest of six witnesses of Jehovah near Treffurt while trying to cross the border from the East zone to attend this convention.

Saturday morning, August 25, the baptismal discourse was given from the platform in the Cycle Racing Bowl by assistant chairman E. Schwafert, who is also factory servant at Wiesbaden branch. Thousands were here while others were at the stadium. At his propounding of questions regarding their faith and dedication to God the baptismal candidates stood in their places on the north side (toward the large swimming pools to their rear) and answered with a firm, unanimous Ja! You could hear their Yes! in German anywhere in the bowl. There were many witnesses to the mass baptism, and among them many photographers and professional newsreel men. In less than two hours 50 baptizers immersed a grand total of 2,373, baptizing 1,545 women and 828 men, the oldest being 87 years of age and the youngest 8 years.

For those not detained by the baptism, the morning hours were devoted to field service in preaching the good news of God’s kingdom orally and by printed page and also in advertising the public address on that intriguing theme, “Will Religion Meet the World Crisis?” Badges worn on coat lapels and shirtwaists, though small in size, roused great interest and stirred up many inquiries. The workers went out by buses, special trains, etc., to Frankfurt, and places beyond, such as Wiesbaden, Mainz and Darmstadt. This same morning Brother Knorr held a pioneer meeting in the cafeteria, and this was attended by a thousand conventioners. Here about a hundred full-time workers signed applications for attending Gilead School.

For the afternoon the skies clouded over. After two preliminary speeches the convention set itself to hear Brother Knorr’s talk on “The Triumph of Clean, Undefiled Worship”. Toward the end of it there were some stray drops of rain. Some few brothers withdrew to cover and some umbrellas went up, only to come down again when the drops ceased. We must have been on the fringe of a rainfall, for in Frankfurt just two kilometers away it rained heavily this afternoon. And now Brother Knorr came to the high point in his delivery as he released the new German book, the translation of “Equipped for Every Good Work”. This was greeted with a loud cheer and applause, as was also the announcement that copies were there in quantity for distribution. There was a mass exodus from the stadium, and a swarming to the distribution places, and 18,000 were placed this afternoon. Our attendance had now climbed up to 38,226, surpassing the number at the great public meeting in London. Now came experience accounts by pioneers, Gilead graduates and circuit servants, followed by a speech in German by the registrar-instructor of Gilead School, A. D. Schroeder, and a speech by the Canadian branch servant, P. Chapman.

Now those in attendance looked forward to the final day of the assembly, and we leave our readers to look forward to a report of the same in our next issue.

Tell the People “Until Cities Be Waste Without Inhabitant”

WHY have Jehovah’s witnesses become increasingly prominent and active since 1918? Who commissioned them and gave them their message? Is their activity accomplishing its purpose or must it be classed as a failure? For how long must they continue to witness?a

What makes Jehovah’s witnesses ever more prominent is that their message is so different from that of all others professing to be Christians. Jehovah’s witnesses, like the others, were at one time contaminated with the errors that marked the great apostasy foretold by the apostle Paul. (2 Thess. 2:3) However, due to their loyalty to Bible truth, God purified their message even as he cleansed the lips of his prophet Isaiah.—Prov. 4:18; Isa. 6:6, 7.

As a result of that purifying work Jehovah’s witnesses have a striking message, uncompromising, pure, free from the fear of man, religious traditions and human philosophies and creature worship. And this message fires them with zeal so that when they hear the call of Jehovah: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” they eagerly respond: “Here am I; send me.” (Isa. 6:8) Without first inquiring whether or not such have had seminary training and whether or not they are single, Jehovah God accepts the services of such and sends them forth. They have the needed knowledge of Jehovah God and his purposes and the desire to tell others.

Are Jehovah’s witnesses converting the world? No, they are not. In fact, they are not even trying to do so; that is not the purpose of their activity. Their purpose is to warn the wicked and point the lovers of righteousness to the place of safety, and that purpose they are accomplishing. To compromise their message for the sake of popularity would not fulfill prophecy, for Jehovah foretold that their message would be rejected.—Isa. 6:9, 10.

If not until the world is converted, then for how long are they to continue to give the witness? Jehovah answers through his prophet Isaiah: “Until cities be waste without inhabitant, and houses without man, and the land become utterly waste, and Jehovah have removed men far away, and the forsaken places be many in the midst of the land.”—Isa. 6:11, 12, AS.

Thus we see that, without setting a specific date, Jehovah does set the practical limits of the work his witnesses must do among the people of unhealed Christendom, until it is totally desolated. That desolation will be accomplished by the ten “horns” of the beast which will turn on Christendom’s whorish system of Babylonish religion and wreck it. All of her religious systems will be affected, none will escape. Their adherents will be taken captive or destroyed by the worldly elements that fight against religion and God’s kingdom, thus making organized religion completely desolate, this marking the beginning of Armageddon.—Rev. 17:16-18.

However, in spite of such conditions in Christendom, Jehovah’s witnesses will continue to proclaim the Kingdom message and declare the “day of vengeance of our God”. They will continue to do so until Christ Jesus, Jehovah’s chief Executioner, destroys all the ungodly elements, religious, political, social and commercial in the “war of the great day of God the Almighty”, thus completely vindicating Jehovah’s universal sovereignty.

Therefore, you Christian witnesses of Jehovah, do not relax your efforts, do not become weary in well-doing, warn the wicked and comfort men of good will “until cities be waste without inhabitant”!

[Footnotes]

Questions From Readers

● The April 15, 1951, Watchtower, page 233, said: “Fornicators are unmarried persons who commit immorality. Adulterers are married persons who willingly have sex relations with someone of the opposite sex not their legal marriage mate.” Yet Matthew 19:9 refers to the immorality of a married woman as fornication. Why?—E. W., Texas.

Legally and generally the distinction is made between the two terms as The Watchtower presents it, though sometimes fornication is used in a broader sense to take in all sexual immorality. Webster’s unabridged dictionary of 1950 defines fornication: “Illicit sexual intercourse on the part of an unmarried person; the act of such illicit sexual intercourse between a man and a woman as does not by law amount to adultery (which see). Fornication is sometimes, esp. in the Bible, used to include all sexual intercourse except between husband and wife or concubine; but it is usually distinguished from adultery, and sometimes from incest.” See Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21, 22; 1 Corinthians 6:9, NW; Galatians 5:19; Hebrews 13:4, NW. Under “Adultery” this dictionary states: “Sexual unfaithfulness of a married person; voluntary sexual intercourse by a married man with another than his wife or by a married woman with another than her husband.”

● Did Jesus, during his childhood, know that he was to be Messiah and realize that he had existed formerly as a spirit creature, the Logos?—C.R., Pennsylvania.

“Jehovah’s angel appeared to him in a dream, saying: ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife home, for that which has been begotten in her is by holy spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you must call his name “Jesus”, for he will save his people from their sins.’” (Matt. 1:20, 21, NW) From this Joseph would know that Jesus was God’s Son and destined to be the means of salvation.

To Mary the angel Gabriel said: “You will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you are to call his name Jesus. This one will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will be king over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of his kingdom. . . . Holy spirit will come upon you, and power of the Most High will overshadow you. For that reason also what is born will be called holy, God’s Son.” (Luke 1:30-35, NW) So Mary would know that Jesus was God’s Son and was also to be the promised Messiah to reign as king over an everlasting kingdom; though she, like the rest of the Jews, thought this kingdom would be earthly.

Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, knew Jesus was to be Lord, greeting Mary under inspiration: “How is it that this privilege is mine, to have the mother of my Lord come to me?” (Luke 1:41-43, NW) Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, was aware that a Savior had been provided, and that his son John was to prepare the way before Him. (Luke 1:67-79, NW) At the time of Jesus’ birth a number of shepherds knew he was to be the Messiah, Christ the Lord, for Jehovah’s angel said to them: “There was born to you today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” They publicized this fact. (Luke 2:8-20, NW) One Simeon had received a divine promise that “he would not see death before he had seen the Christ of Jehovah”, and when he saw the young child Jesus at the temple he acknowledged fulfillment of the promise and said: “My eyes have seen your means of saving.” (Luke 2:25-32, NW) Also at the temple was Anna, a prophetess, who acknowledged the child Jesus as the coming Deliverer.—Luke 2:36-38, NW.

Certainly these momentous things were made known to the lad Jesus, and it may be that he had this special relationship and obligation to Jehovah in mind when as a twelve-year old he said to his earthly parents: “Did you not know that I must be in the house of my Father?” (Luke 2:49, NW) John the Baptist also seemed aware of these things, as indicated by his hesitancy to immerse Jesus on the grounds that Jesus was far superior to him. (Matt. 3:11-15) So there seems to be no doubt that Jesus, during his childhood, knew he was to be the promised Messiah. But he very likely viewed his Messiahship as being over an earthly, theocratic kingdom. That was the accepted understanding of the Jews at that time concerning Messiah’s reign.

As Jesus neared thirty years of age and his knowledge of the prophecies increased he may have gradually received inklings that Messiahship was more than that, but it was probably not until his immersion and the holy spirit’s descent upon him that he appreciated that it was a heavenly kingdom he was to possess, and that he had previously existed as the Logos. The natural man Jesus did not discern these things of the spirit, but when the spirit came upon him the spirit revealed them to him. “The heavens were opened up” for him and heavenly things were discernible to him. (Matt. 3:16, 17, NW) John the Baptist apparently knew of Jesus’ prehuman existence, saying: “The one coming behind me has advanced in front of me, because he existed before me.” Since Jesus did not exist before John as a human creature, prehuman existence must have been here meant. But there is no indication that John said this before Jesus’ baptism; he probably said it afterward, possibly around the time when he said of the anointed Jesus, “That one must go on increasing, but I must go on decreasing,” since there is some similarity of thought between the two expressions.—John 1:15; 3:30, NW.

It was after Jesus’ anointing that he definitely knew of his prior existence as a spirit creature, and he testified to it. At John 8:58 (NW) he said: “Before Abraham came into existence, I have been.” Just before his death Jesus said: “Father, glorify me alongside yourself with the glory which I had alongside you before the world was.” (John 17:5, NW) So because of spirit begettal Jesus knew of his former existence as a spirit creature, but his disciples were often puzzled by such references and did not comprehend such spiritual things until their minds were likewise illuminated by holy spirit, at Pentecost. Hence since it seems that such understanding came by holy spirit, Jesus did not know about his prehuman existence until his anointing at Jordan river, though he did understand during his childhood that he was to be the promised Messiah.

Announcements

TELL THE PEOPLE “UNTIL CITIES BE WASTE WITHOUT INHABITANT”

When the Almighty Creator, Jehovah, commissioned his servant Isaiah to “Go, and tell this people, . . . Until cities be waste without inhabitant”, Jehovah did not force Isaiah to obey. (Isa. 6:9, 11, AS) No, Isaiah volunteered gladly; obediently he responded and offered himself. Today, as in Israel, when a like condition exists in Christendom that calls’ for a similar message, there are persons who willingly follow Jehovah’s commands, and these give the warning message from God’s Word. Whatever may be the response, their kindly purpose is to announce the kingdom of salvation and to give advance warning of the evil to follow a rejection of that kingdom. Why not associate with an organization so engaged, abandon doomed Christendom and turn to Jehovah? In view of the divine command, there is no need to hesitate or wait. The time is limited. So take the wise and profitable course, engage in this telling work, with Jehovah’s witnesses and offer the Watchtower magazine on a subscription basis of $1 per year. Share in this world-wide work starting in the month of January. Then report your activity to the local company of Jehovah’s witnesses, or send it in to us.

1952 YEARBOOK AND CALENDAR

Now released are the 1952 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Calendar. Both serve a very practical and helpful purpose in the home of every sincere, God-loving family that wants to serve Him more acceptably. The Yearbook presents for consideration a Bible text, with appropriate explanatory comment that will supply food for thought, for every day in the year. Besides, the Yearbook gives extensive space to an absorbing report detailing the thrilling experiences of Jehovah’s witnesses in their teaching and preaching activities throughout the earth during the past year. The calendar keeps before the eye stimulating Bible texts and themes, in addition to a striking portrayal of the yeartext in beautiful colors. The contribution accepted for the Yearbook is 50c, and the calendars are 25c each, or five or more copies of the calendar to one address at the rate of 20c each. Send for your copies now and enjoy their use to the full.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES

Week of February 3: The Unity of God’s Visible Organization.

Week of February 10: Organizing for the Ministry.