The Watchtower — June 1, 1966

Intellectual Freedom or Captivity to the Christ?

AROUND the world today the cry is for more and still more freedom: freedom of thought, of speech and of action. In schools and universities the human philosophies expounded during the past fifty years are reaping a harvest of atheistic thinkers. And the effects of all this emphasis on individual self-determination are to be noted in the loud demands for independence by all kinds of splinter groups, social and political. Discipline and respect for authority are dwindling. Discontent is rife. Peace has been taken from the earth.

Having permitted youth to be indoctrinated with the idea that human thinking should not be restricted by a belief in a Supreme God, governing authorities are now faced with a rebel generation that is challenging social and moral principles and that insists on deciding for itself as between right and wrong. Young men and women, teen-agers, who frequently have no more than a superficial knowledge of the issues involved, join in strikes and protest marches as though they had fully examined all the facts and reached a mature decision. Open rebellion against adult rule is, in fact, very evident in our times.

How very different all this from the teaching the Bible and the words of Jesus Christ! True, Jesus did declare: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) But free from what and for what? Surely it must be clear that he was not encouraging people to become a law unto themselves! He would free them from the dogmas and superstitions of false religious leaders, but at the same time he invited: “Take my yoke upon you and become my disciples.” (Matt. 11:29) Those who came to him must come under his discipline, must listen and obey. Failure to yield such submission to the One sent by God would be prime evidence that the minds of such ones were still in captivity to the evil influence referred to by the apostle Paul: “The god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ . . . might not shine through.”—2 Cor. 4:4.

Make no mistake. Those who insist on exercising unfettered mental freedom sooner or later find themselves in opposition to God and his Word, the Bible. They idolatrously put the human intellect ahead of the great Creator, and so, because ‘they render sacred service to the creation rather than the One who created,’ God ‘gives them up to a disapproved mental state, to do the things not fitting.’ (Rom. 1:25, 28) Pride blinds them to the fact that imperfect humans today have to choose between two masters. They must be slaves either to righteousness or to sin.—Romans, chap. 6.

The apostle Paul even foretold today’s multiplying evidences of enslavement to sin, for he wrote: “In the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, . . . blasphemers, disobedient to parents, . . . not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God.” (2 Tim. 3:1-5) Thus multitudes have taken leave of “their proper senses” and have been caught in “the snare of the Devil,” who employs them in his evil purposes.—2 Tim. 2:26.

True Christians, on the other hand, have been liberated by accurate knowledge of the Bible, and, not content with enjoying such freedom from erroneous thinking only for themselves, they engage in a spiritual warfare to liberate other captive minds, to combat ideas that have been raised up against the knowledge of God. The apostle Paul describes this warfare, declaring: “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage warfare according to what we are in the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful by God for overturning strongly entrenched things. For we are overturning reasonings and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God; and we are bringing every thought into captivity to make it obedient to the Christ.”—2 Cor. 10:3-5.

It seems that some in association with the early Corinthian congregation were disregarding Paul’s authority, looking at him according to what he appeared to be in the flesh, and neglecting to take into account his special commission from Christ. Today, too, there are those who, by their independent thinking, question Christ’s ability to have and use on the earth a specially appointed governing body of imperfect humans, to whom he has entrusted all the Kingdom interests or “belongings” on earth. (Matt. 24:45-47) When such independent thinkers receive counsel and direction based on the Bible, they incline to the thought, ‘This is only from fleshly men, so it is up to me to decide whether to accept it or not.’

On this very subject, E. A. Dunlap, Registrar of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead, speaking to a class of missionary students, recently inquired: “Do you look at it that way?” Then he continued: “If you do, then you are being infected by that spirit of independence with which Satan is infecting the whole world. So, to overcome this attitude, the thing to do, as the apostle Paul intimates, is to think, ‘Now, am I “bringing every thought into captivity to make it obedient to the Christ”?’”

If this proper course is followed, the Christian will refuse to entertain any thoughts that fail to harmonize with the truth he has learned from the teaching of Christ. He will keenly appreciate as applying to himself the reminder by the apostle Paul: “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) Again, he will have in mind the earnest exhortation by the apostle Peter: “Be as free people, and yet holding your freedom, not as a blind for moral badness, but as slaves of God.” (1 Pet. 2:16) Selfish insistence upon intellectual freedom leads one into slavery to sin. Being in captivity to the Christ means peace with God, safety and wise direction for our lives.

Time Is Running Out!

These are urgent times! What should you do about them?

TIME is running out! Running out for what? Running out for the present generation, for the present wicked system of things, for the way things are being done today. In other words, time is running out for the rule of this planet by selfishness, wickedness, injustice and violence. Why can we be certain of this?

We can be certain of it because the Creator, Jehovah God, is a just, wise and loving God. Although he has seen fit to tolerate these unrighteous conditions for more than 4,000 years, he will not always tolerate them, for “there is an appointed time, even a time for every affair under the heavens.” There is a time for him to tolerate such conditions and a time for him to put an end to them, and that time will be soon, even as we read: “Just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more.”—Eccl. 3:1; Ps. 37:10.

What will that mean? It will mean a cataclysm as destructive as the global flood of Noah’s day, concerning which the apostle Peter wrote: “By the same word the heavens and the earth that are now are stored up for fire and are being reserved to the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men.” That will mean the end of the world empire of false religion, known as “Babylon the great” in the Scriptures, and the end of all its supporters. It will mean the end of national entities with their militarism and corrupt politics and the end of ruthless and greedy commercialism. Will there be any human survivors? Yes, but comparatively few, even as was the case in Noah’s day.—2 Pet. 3:6, 7; Rev. 18:2.

But perhaps someone will object, saying, Those words about a little while and then the wicked being no more were written about three thousand years ago, so how do we know that the end of this wicked system of things is at hand? We can be certain of this because of the fulfillment of certain Bible prophecies; for example, the prophecy by Jesus Christ concerning the end of this very system of things.

LAST GENERATION FOR THIS SYSTEM OF THINGS

Yes, Jesus Christ, in replying to questions as to when he would return and when this present system of things would end, told that this very generation would be the last under this present system of things. In this prophecy he foretold the outbreak of world wars. He also told of famines, of earthquakes, of the increase of lawlessness and the preaching of the good news of God’s established kingdom, all of which have taken place on an unprecedented scale only since 1914, clearly marking that year as the beginning of the fulfillment of his words. He further said that “this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen.”—Mark 13:30; Matt. 24:7-14.

To what generation was Jesus referring? Not to the one living in his day but, rather, to the one that would experience the things he foretold, which, we have seen, began in 1914. They will come to a climax, Jesus tells us, in the “great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.”—Matt. 24:21.

True, fifty-two years have flown by since these things began to occur and because of this some have allowed themselves to be complacently lulled to sleep, feeling that the time is yet many years away. But the passing of the years has not made the foretold destruction of this wicked system of things more remote; it has brought it closer, much closer. According to Jesus’ words, at least a representative number, and perhaps many, of the generation living when his great prophecy began to be fulfilled in 1914 will see “all these things happen,” including the destruction of false religion and the political systems of this world, with all their friends and supporters.—Jas. 4:4; Dan. 2:44.

URGENCY AN ESSENCE OF CHRISTIANITY

The fact is that Christianity from its very start was an urgent religion; there was nothing complacent about it. Jesus felt an urgency about his commission. He knew that his time to get his work done was limited: “We must work the works of him that sent me while it is day; the night is coming when no man can work.”—John 9:4.

In his great prophecy concerning our own day he forcefully illustrated this, saying: “It is like a man traveling abroad that left his house and gave the authority to his slaves, to each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to keep on the watch. Therefore keep on the watch, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether late in the day or at midnight or at cock-crowing or early in the morning; in order that when he arrives suddenly, he does not find you sleeping. But what I say to you I say to all, Keep on the watch.”—Mark 13:33-37.

That Christians were to be ever on the watch, alert, with a sense of urgency, with expectancy, can be seen from the writings of Jesus’ apostles. Note the words of Paul: “You people know the season, that it is already the hour for you to awake from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than at the time when we became believers. The night is well along; the day has drawn near. Let us therefore put off the works belonging to darkness and let us put on the weapons of the light.”—Rom. 13:11, 12.

The apostle Paul made a similar reference in his counsel on singleness and marriage: “The time left is reduced. Henceforth let those who have wives be as though they had none, . . . for the scene of this world is changing.” And so also in counseling Christians not to forsake the gathering of themselves together as some have the custom, but to encourage one another, he adds, “and all the more so as you behold the day drawing near.”—1 Cor. 7:29, 31; Heb. 10:24, 25.

No question about it: If Christians were ever to be in a state of urgency, expectancy, if they were ever to be watchful, awake and alert, which the above scriptures show that they were, then they should today feel an even greater urgency in view of where we are on the stream of time, as seen from the fulfillment of Bible prophecies.

LIKE THE DAYS OF NOAH AND OF LOT

Helping us to appreciate this added urgency and that time is running out for this generation are the words of Jesus likening our times to the days of Noah: “For as they were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark; and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be.” Not that there was or is anything wrong with marrying and building houses, but the point Jesus was making was that people were and would be so absorbed in these things that they take no note of the times in which they are living until it is too late!—Matt. 24:38, 39.

Jesus also likened our urgent days in which time is running out to those of Lot, the nephew of the patriarch Abraham. When the time came for Jehovah God to destroy the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, he sent his angels to hurry Lot and his family out of them: “When the dawn ascended, then the angels became urgent with Lot, saying: ‘Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are found here, for fear you may be swept away in the error of the city!’” When Lot lingered, they took him and his family by the hand and hurried them out, saying further: “Escape for your soul! Do not look behind you and do not stand still in all the District! Escape to the mountainous region for fear you may be swept away!” And remember, Jesus said that the present time would be as the days of Lot, just that urgent!—Gen. 19:15-17; Luke 17:28-30.

Further underscoring the need for urgency in these times are Jesus’ commands to Christians living today: “Let the man on the housetop not come down to take the goods out of his house; and let the man in the field not return to the house to pick up his outer garment. . . . Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime, nor on the sabbath day.” (Matt. 24:16-20) How forcefully these illustrations likewise emphasize the urgency of our times! We are living in times as urgent as those of Noah and of Lot.

Do not be like the two prospective sons-in-law of Lot. When Lot was told about the coming destruction of the cities of the plain he went to his sons-in-law and urged them: “Get up! Get out of this place, because Jehovah is bringing the city to ruin!” However, “in the eyes of his sons-in-law [Lot] seemed like a man who was joking,” and so they perished with the rest of the wicked inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah.—Gen. 19:12-14.

Yes, let those who will, ridicule the urgency of our times, even as did the sons-in-law of Lot. Their ridicule does not prove that they are right but, rather, proves that they are mistaken, for even such ridicule was foretold to occur in our day: “In the last days there will come ridiculers with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires and saying: ‘Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as from creation’s beginning.’” But all things have not always gone “exactly” the same since the beginning of creation, even as we have just seen.—2 Pet. 3:3-7.

GUARD AGAINST COMPLACENCY

Clearly, today is no time for complacency, but a time to be watchful, alert, and to that end practicing self-discipline, even as Jesus further said in warning about our day: “But pay attention to yourselves that your hearts never become weighed down with overeating and heavy drinking and anxieties of life, and suddenly that day be instantly upon you as a snare. For it will come in upon all those dwelling upon the face of all the earth. Keep awake, then, all the time making supplication that you may succeed in escaping all these things that are destined to occur, and in standing before the Son of man.”—Luke 21:34-36.

How timely are these words of Jesus in view of the material prosperity of the Western world! With it does indeed come the temptation to indulge in overeating and heavy drinking and worries about money. Some may be inclined to devote much time to acquiring material possessions, as if the present system of things were going to be here for many years to come. But Jesus warned against being overly concerned with material things: “Guard against every sort of covetousness, because even when a person has an abundance his life does not result from the things he possesses.” “For the soul [life] is worth more than food and the body than clothing.” These words have more force today than ever before because of our living so close to the end of this system of things. More than ever it is sheer folly to go against Jesus’ words!—Luke 12:15, 23; Matt. 6:19-21.

Truly more than ever before it is the course of wisdom to ‘keep on seeking first the kingdom and God’s righteousness,’ and to ‘keep strict watch that how you walk is not as unwise but as a wise person, buying out the opportune time for yourself because the days are wicked, at the same time always seeking to perceive what the will of God is.’ Buy out the time by taking it from things that are dispensable and use it for such all-important things as studying God’s Word and associating with other Christians, and then in all things act in harmony with what you learn to be God’s will.—Matt. 6:33; Eph. 5:15-17.

The fact that time is running out for this generation and its system of things should make Christians beware of letting their roots grow too deeply in it. Even as the wise man eats to live and does not live to eat, so Christians should view everything of a material nature as being a means to an end and not the end itself. That will include their choice of secular work, the kind of house they live in, the kind of clothes they wear, the kind of food they eat, the kind of literature they read, the kind of television programs they watch as well as how much time they spend watching television. As the apostle Paul put it: “Those making use of the world as those not using it to the full; for the scene of this world is changing.” Yes, the present system of things is soon coming to its end!—1 Cor. 7:31.

God’s Word tells us of a time when there will be ‘a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness will dwell.’ It will be a time when God will ‘wipe out every tear from the eyes of men, when death will be no more, neither sorrow nor crying, neither sickness nor death.’ It will be an order of things without violence, injustice, wickedness and oppression. Poverty will be no more, but ‘men will build houses and have the occupancy of them, they will plant vineyards and eat the fruits of them.’ And what is more, they will be preparing for and welcoming back from the graves thousands of millions that have died since the days of Abel, the first martyred faithful servant of God Jehovah. All earth will become a paradise.—2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:4; Isa. 65:21; Rev. 20:13.

That is a new order worth hoping for, waiting for, working for and now being urgent about—especially since time is indeed running out!

God’s Service—A Cause for Joy

“The joy of Jehovah is your stronghold.”—Neh. 8:10.

1, 2. What especially impressed David while he was a shepherd, and how did he later express his feelings?

OUT on the Palestinian hills, far from any dwellings, a shepherd can feel close to Jehovah, the great Creator. He has time to meditate and to examine visually the creations of that almighty One. At night when he lies under a star-studded sky, he can marvel at the Creator’s wisdom and power in making the beautiful heavens. In comparison to them he is so small and insignificant that he has reason to rejoice that their Maker is aware of him and is interested in him. King David of Judah had this experience when, as a shepherd boy, he spent many nights out in the open fields caring for his father’s sheep.

² David was a man of keen perception, with a genuine love for his God, Jehovah. As might be expected, he was deeply impressed by Jehovah’s creations, especially the starry heavens, the beauty of which he had enjoyed so much as a shepherd boy. Expressing his feelings, he said: “When I see your heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have prepared, what is mortal man that you keep him in mind, and the son of earthling man that you take care of him?” Then speaking of man’s position as being lower than the angels, he said: “You also proceeded to make him a little less than godlike ones, and with glory and splendor you then crowned him. You make him dominate over the works of your hands; everything you have put under his feet: small cattle and oxen, all of them, and also the beasts of the open field, the birds of heaven and the fish of the sea, anything passing through the paths of the seas. O Jehovah our Lord, how majestic your name is in all the earth!”—Ps. 8:3-9.

3. (a) Explain how man gained dominion over other earthly creatures. (b) What man since Adam was able to exercise this dominion properly, and how did David’s statement point to him?

³ At the time Jehovah God created man he gave him dominion over all the other creatures of the earth, saying to him: “Have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and the domestic animals and all the earth and every moving animal that is moving upon the earth.” (Gen. 1:26) This was a God-given duty to man, which he has not properly exercised in his imperfect state. David’s inspired expression regarding man’s position has special significance because it prophetically pointed to the One who became the perfect man, Jesus Christ. This One was made lower than godlike ones, or angels, by giving up spirit life to become a man. Being a perfect man, he could properly dominate the earthly works of God’s hands. Due to his faithful service to God, he was crowned with honor and glory. (Heb. 2:9) David did not foresee this prophetic significance of what he wrote, but he did see how man had been blessed by God. So for the prominent position that God gave man on the earth and for the marvelous things of creation that man can gaze at in wonderment, David gave glory to Jehovah, saying: “How majestic your name is in all the earth!”

4. How did David show appreciation for the true God?

⁴ David showed his appreciation for the true God by never serving any of the man-made gods of the nations in his day. He found the greatest possible joy in serving Jehovah, the One who created the things at which he marveled. This was like a stronghold that helped to preserve him. Expressing his joy at being able to serve his Creator, David said: “To do your will, O my God, I have delighted, and your law is within my inward parts.” (Ps. 40:8) Throughout his life, David showed that God’s law was indeed within his inward parts, being close to his heart, his seat of motivation. By always striving to obey that law, by letting it guide his actions; and by constantly putting God’s will first in his life, David manifested the joy he had in serving the great Ruler of the universe.

WHAT GOD’S SERVICE INVOLVES

5, 6. What is the chief way to serve God? Give examples for your answer.

⁵ Being thoroughly familiar with what Moses was inspired to write, David was aware that the service of Jehovah involved a number of things, one of which is exclusive worship. This was made clear in what Moses told the twelve tribes of Israel just before they crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land: “Jehovah your God you should fear, and him you should serve, and by his name you should swear. You must no walk after other gods, any gods of the peoples who are all around you, (for Jehovah your God in your midst is a God exacting exclusive devotion,) for fear the anger of Jehovah your God may blaze against you and he must annihilate you from off the surface of the ground.” (Deut. 6:13-15) If they were to walk after other gods by worshiping them, they would be serving those gods. Repeatedly they were warned not to do this: “You must not serve their gods, because that will be a snare to you.”—Deut. 7:16.

⁶ While the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, Moses requested Pharaoh to permit them to leave Egypt that they might serve Jehovah. This Moses did at God’s direction, for God told him: “Go in to Pharaoh and you must state to him, ‘This is what Jehovah the God of the Hebrews has said: “Send my people away that they may serve me.”’” (Ex. 9:1) They would serve him by worshiping him, and this they did when they finally were freed from Egypt. Worshiping Jehovah God is the chief way a person can serve him.

7. Explain the relationship between obedience and God’s service.

⁷ Another way that God can be served is by obeying his commands. The importance of this was brought home to the Israelites whenever they were disobedient, and God caused them to suffer for it. In the Promised Land disobedience often resulted in his giving them into the hands of their enemies. By being obedient they could show that their worship of Jehovah was from the heart and was not empty formalism. For this reason the prophet Samuel said to their first king, Saul: “Does Jehovah have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Look! To obey is better than a sacrifice, to pay attention than the fat of rams.” (1 Sam. 15:22) By obeying Jehovah’s righteous commands a person can serve him, even as a humble servant does his master. Such service of God means that he is walking in the way that pleases the Most High, and it becomes a source of joy as long as he continues in that way. For this reason it is wisely written: “Happy are the ones faultless in their way, the ones walking in the law of Jehovah.”—Ps. 119:1.

8, 9. (a) Explain how the Levites served God in an additional way and why this service was distinctive. (b) How could the Levites’ form of service be regarded as a cause for joy?

⁸ The giving of God service takes in, not only worship and obedience, but also activities that he has directed to be done. In the case of the Levites, their God-given work assignment was in connection with the services at the tabernacle. Jehovah’s presence was represented there in miraculous ways, impressing upon all the importance and the privilege of serving there. So valuable was this privilege of service that it became the Levite inheritance instead of a landholding as in the case of the other tribes. To them Jehovah said: “I am your share and your inheritance in the midst of the sons of Israel.” (Num. 18:20) This was a distinctive service privilege over which the Levites could rejoice.

⁹ One’s being close to God’s house where the miraculous shekinah light shone in the Most Holy, symbolizing his presence, was a delight. Serving the great God of the universe here was something to be desired. Expressing his love for this place that was so closely associated with Jehovah’s worship, David said: “Jehovah, I have loved the dwelling of your house and the place of the residing of your glory.” (Ps. 26:8) Levites that maintained the same attitude found great joy in serving Jehovah God at this place.

SERVICE FOR ALL

10, 11. (a) How were the twelve tribes privileged to serve God with respect to the tabernacle and later the temple? (b) How did they react to this service?

¹⁰ Opportunities to serve God in an active way were given to all the tribes. One such opportunity was when the tabernacle was about to be constructed. The people were privileged to make contributions for its construction, and by making such contributions they had the joy of sharing in something that was very important in their worship of the true God. That they found joy in this service privilege is indicated by their overwhelming generosity. The men in charge of receiving the contributions came to Moses and said: “The people are bringing much more than what the service needs for the work that Jehovah has commanded to be done.” (Ex. 36:5) The joy of serving God with valuable things was manifested again by this nation hundreds of years later when contributions were made for the constructing of Jehovah’s temple in Jerusalem.

¹¹ When David made known to the people the plans for building a temple during the reign of his son Solomon, he asked: “Who is there volunteering to fill his hand today with a gift for Jehovah?” (1 Chron. 29:5) Their answer was a flood of contributions—gold, silver, precious stones and copper. They rejoiced at this opportunity to serve Jehovah in an active manner. “The people gave way to rejoicing over their making voluntary offerings, for it was with a complete heart that they made voluntary offerings to Jehovah; and even David the king himself rejoiced with great joy.” (1 Chron. 29:9) But there were other ways that the twelve tribes could serve God with actions.

12. What were other active ways that the twelve tribes could serve God?

¹² It was Jehovah’s purpose that the nation of Israel take possession of the Promised Land as an inheritance from him, but to receive that inheritance they had to engage in activity that was directly related to that purpose. They had to remove from the land the pagan squatters on it and destroy the false gods that those people worshiped. The victories they experienced with Jehovah’s help as they carried out this divine purpose were a cause for joy. They were happy in serving Jehovah God even though they were risking their lives in doing it. And then after they had conquered the land, they were able to serve him actively by coming to Jerusalem three times a year for the festivals God commanded them to observe. This required a great effort on their part, especially for those living a great distance from Jerusalem. Their participating in these festivals was an active service of God that was inseparably linked with their worship of him. Although these were joyous occasions, they were not times for drunken revelry and gluttony, as was the case with the festivals observed by pagans. In a holy manner the Israelites were to observe the festivals of God.

13. What new way of actively serving God was introduced with the advent of Christianity?

¹³ With the introduction of Christianity, the ways of actively serving God underwent some changes. No longer could God be served by the festivals, by the sacrificial offerings the people had been bringing to the temple and by the temple duties of the Levites. With the terminating of the law covenant by Christ’s sacrifice, God brought these forms of service to an end. The Christian ministry became a new way of actively serving the Most High. Publicly proclaiming and teaching God’s truths, purposes and the provision he made for man’s salvation through Christ was a new and an exceedingly joyous way of serving him. In fact, it was a way a person could offer a sacrifice of praise to him. “Let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips which make public declaration to his name.”—Heb. 13:15.

THE JOY THAT COMES FROM GOD’S SERVICE

14. Explain how a person can have joy without audibly expressing it.

¹⁴ The joy that a person experiences from serving God is not always expressed in an audible manner. It can be a pleasurable feeling of satisfaction in knowing that a person is doing what is pleasing and right in the eyes of the Most High God. His knowing that he is doing good work that is benefiting other people, that is advancing Jehovah’s interests in the earth and that is magnifying Him brings a sense of contentment and inner tranquillity that reflects the joy of God. This is a lasting joy that does not require audible expression. But there are times when something noteworthy happens that stimulates a momentary expression of the joy that a person feels inside.

15. Give examples of notable occasions that warranted audible expressions of joy.

¹⁵ When the Israelites moved the ark of the covenant from the house of Obed-edom to Jerusalem, their joy bubbled out in joyful expressions. This was a great occasion in their religious life that filled them with happiness, and so they expressed it. “All the Israelites were bringing up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah with joyful shouting and with the sounding of the horn and with trumpets and with cymbals, playing aloud on stringed instruments and harps.” (1 Chron. 15:28) Another occasion that caused expressions of joy was when Saul and David returned with the Israelite army after a victory over the Philistines. “It came about that at their coming in, when David returned from striking the Philistines down, the women began coming out from all the cities of Israel with song and dances to meet Saul the king, with tambourines, with rejoicing and with lutes.” (1 Sam. 18:6) These were notable occasions that stimulated the Israelites to express their joy in an audible way.

16. What should not be mistaken for audible expressions of godly joy? Why?

¹⁶ Audible expressions of joy that come naturally from a happy heart because of something fine that has taken place in connection with Jehovah’s worship or purposes are not the same as the emotional outbursts by persons in a religious fervor. Their nonsensical shouting and wild singing are not the fruitage of God’s spirit, which, among other things, produces mildness and self-control. It is not the “apparel of the quiet and mild spirit” that a servant of God is expected to wear, but, rather, the expression of wild, uncontrolled emotions that demons find easy to manipulate. (1 Pet. 3:4) On the contrary, the audible expression of joy coming from the happy heart of God’s servants is with their power of reason and is under their control. It is not a regular thing but something that results from notable happenings in the fulfillment of God’s purposes and the furthering of his interests or from pleasant experiences that bring honor to him.

17. How does a person get the long-lasting joy of serving God?

¹⁷ The long-lasting feeling of joy that goes unexpressed is something that a person cultivates as he grows in knowledge and understanding of God’s Word and purposes. As he grows in understanding and faith, his joy also grows. It is nourished by his meditation on Jehovah’s doings and instructions and by his continuing to feed himself spiritually. The person that neglects this can lose the joy of serving God as well as a close relationship with him.

18. (a) Who are the ones God loves, strengthens and preserves? (b) What contributes to their joyful feeling?

¹⁸ A close joy-inspiring relationship with the Almighty is possible for those who dedicate themselves to serving him and who remain faithful to their dedication. By their actions they reveal that dedication. Such are the ones that he loves, strengthens and preserves, just as it is written: “Jehovah is near to all those calling upon him, to all those who call upon him in trueness.” (Ps. 145:18) “His salvation is near to those fearing him.” (Ps. 85:9) Knowing this and being aware that complete trust can be placed in him, the dedicated person can experience the joy that comes from a feeling of well-being and security, a feeling that was expressed in Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk in the valley of deep shadow, I fear nothing bad, for you are with me.”

JESUS CHRIST AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW

19. (a) How did Jesus manifest his joy in serving God? (b) What reveals that he had the joy of serving God before coming to earth?

¹⁹ Of all who have served the true God, Jesus Christ is the finest example of one that found joy in Jehovah’s service. He showed it in a mild and quiet manner, such as in the happiness he manifested in doing his Father’s will as well as in helping people learn about the grand purposes of his Father. In fact, he found joy in God’s service long before he came to the earth. While he was still in the heavens as a mighty spirit creature, the first that God created, he found delight in serving Him. Speaking under the symbolism of wisdom, he says in the book of Proverbs: “Then I came to be beside him as a master worker, and I came to be the one he was specially fond of day by day, I being glad before him all the time, being glad at the productive land of his earth, and the things I was fond of were with the sons of men.” (Prov. 8:30, 31; Col. 1:15; Rev. 3:14) The joy he found in serving God in the heavens he continued to have while a man on earth.

20. How did God’s only-begotten Son react to the privilege of serving God on earth?

²⁰ When Jehovah opened a new field of service for this beloved, spirit Son of his that required him to be born as a perfect human, that faithful Son rejoiced. Regarding this it is written: “Keep this mental attitude in you that was also in Christ Jesus, who, although he was existing in God’s form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God. No, but he emptied himself and took a slave’s form and came to be in the likeness of men. More than that, when he found himself in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient as far as death, yes, death on a torture stake.” (Phil. 2:5-8) Whatever his Father wanted him to do he was willing to do out of love for Him. With this fine attitude Jesus Christ gave a splendid example for all who want to serve the true God.

21. Relate some of the ways Jesus served God.

²¹ While on earth he served God not only by worshiping Him and obeying divine laws but also by publicly proclaiming and teaching the truth about Him. He helped people to transform their thinking and their lives so they might become approved servants of God. He taught them love for God, for one another and for enemies and gave them a hope of a world government of God’s making as well as the hope of a resurrection from the dead. This brought the people close to Jehovah God, intensifying their desire to serve him in an undefiled manner. In this godly service, Jesus found joy. But an especially great source of joy for him was having a part in vindicating his Father’s good name of the reproach that had been cast upon it by His enemies and by worshipers that had proved unfaithful to Him.

22, 23. (a) What was an especially great joy for Jesus, and how did this become necessary? (b) Why has Jesus Christ been an inspiration to worshipers of God?

²² The great enemy of righteousness, Satan the Devil, had brought the integrity of God’s creatures into question. This was done in the days of the faithful man Job, at which time Satan told God: “Skin in behalf of skin, and everything that a man has he will give in behalf of his soul. For a change, thrust out your hand, please, and touch as far as his bone and his flesh and see whether he will not curse you to your very face.” (Job 2:4, 5) This challenge was bringing not only man’s integrity to God in question but also the integrity of God’s only-begotten Son, who was in a very favored position in the heavens. Would his integrity collapse under trial as Satan charged that man’s would? The test came when that Son was born as a man. He kept his integrity even to a violent death and proved Satan a liar. His faithfulness was a vindication for Jehovah God. The prospect of vindicating Jehovah’s name was a joy to Jesus Christ.

²³ Speaking of Jesus’ course of integrity, the Bible tells us: “For the joy that was set before him he endured a torture stake, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb. 12:2) The joy of having a part in vindicating Jehovah’s great name enabled him to endure the torture stake to the point of death. As a reward for his faithful service, Jehovah raised him from the dead, restoring him to the realm of the angelic hosts with greater power and honor than he had before. Thus his example of joyful service of God has been an inspiration to all worshipers of the true God down to this day.

24. Explain how joy is a life-preserving stronghold.

²⁴ When we consider how God’s service has been a cause for joy to faithful men throughout the ages past, we can see that such joy is a life-preserving stronghold. For those who cultivate it and maintain it, Jehovah becomes a source of strength and a protection. His truth shields them from the mind-warping falsehoods of this devilish world. He helps them to hold up under trials of their faith; and when this old system of things is swept away by his heavenly forces, he will preserve them to see the new earth he will usher in. Joy helps to keep a strong, protective shield of faith. It can, therefore, be said to them: “The joy of Jehovah is your stronghold.” (Neh. 8:10) It keeps them spiritually alive in a spiritually dead world.

25. Why can we feel the same joy in God’s service that David felt?

²⁵ Like the shepherd David, who was so impressed by the starry heavens that he gave expression to his joy in serving the Creator of them, we today have ample reasons for feeling the same joy. We too can marvel at his wonderful creations, and we can turn to the inspired Scriptures to learn about his activities and to be instructed by him. By cultivating an appreciation for his life-giving truths and magnificent purposes for mankind, we can find in God’s service today a cause for great joy.

[Picture on page 333]

Israelites move ark to Jerusalem with joyful shouting

Finding Joy in God’s Service Today

“My own servants will cry out joyfully because of the good condition of the heart.”—Isa. 65:14.

1, 2. Explain why the person that wants to serve God is a rare individual. (b) What is the world’s attitude toward such persons?

DO YOU want to serve your Creator? Do you want to give him exclusive devotion as did David? Do you want to obey his righteous laws as did Daniel? Do you want to be productively active in work he has commanded to be done as was Jesus Christ? If you do, you are a rare person in this twentieth century. Of the more than three thousand million persons living today, few have any desire to serve the true God. Like past generations, they prefer to serve the false gods of religious imaginations, of political ideologies or of materialism. Regarding such gods a prophet of Jehovah the true God wrote: “For all the gods of the peoples are valueless gods. As for Jehovah, he made the heavens.” (1 Chron. 16:26) Few have been the people to experience the joy of serving this great Creator.

² Following the flood of Noah’s day the percentage of those humans serving Jehovah God, the Preserver of the Flood survivors, diminished rapidly as mankind multiplied, until they became a nonconforming minority in the ancient world. They were the ones that refused to participate with the majority in building the Tower of Babel. They were the exceptional ones that refused to go along with the nation of Israel when that nation turned from serving the true God to the worship of false gods. They were the stalwart few that held fast to Christianity although the majority of the people in the first century spoke evilly of them and persecuted them. Regarding the world’s attitude toward them, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ wrote: “We have become as the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things.” (1 Cor. 4:13) Nevertheless, they had a good condition of the heart because they were doing what was right in the eyes of God. The situation is little different today. True to Jesus’ prophecy about our day, God’s servants are still disliked by the majority of the world. “Then people will deliver you up to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be objects of hatred by all the nations on account of name.” (Matt. 24:9) Despite this persecution, there are good reasons for finding joy in serving the true God today.

3. What knowledge of the future does God give us that is a cause of joy?

³ One’s knowing that the great Creator will, at his appointed time, bring a permanent end to wicked people and free the earth for those who serve him to inhabit in peace is a cause of great joy. Imagine being able to live on this earth with no wicked person to be found as far as you might look! Instead of him, meek persons who love righteousness are what you find. This is what Jehovah has promised, and his promises do not return to him unfulfilled. “Just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more; and you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be. But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.” (Ps. 37:10, 11) This knowledge certainly is an incentive to serve the righteous Creator joyously, but it is only one of many things he has given as incentives for such joyful service.

4, 5. Explain how the truth and the bearing of Jehovah’s name are causes for joy.

⁴ It is evident from the intricate marvels of creation and the wonders of the starry heavens that there exists an infinitely wise Creator. But little can be known about him personally by studying such creations. To supply man with further information he has provided his written Word, the Holy Bible. Here he has given us a great amount of information about himself, his great works in the past and his purposes for mankind. This fund of information provides sound reasons for joyfully serving him rather than the false gods of the nations. It is truth, and just the possessing of it can be a cause of joy, especially since it contributes to a good condition of the heart. Spiritual freedom it brings to those who hungrily reach out for it, and length of days to those who embrace it. Certainly freedom from thought-twisting falsehoods is unquestionably a reason for joy, and it is promised to those who serve Jehovah God. Regarding it Jesus Christ said: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”—John 8:32.

⁵ Upon the rare persons that serve the true God, Jehovah, he has placed his name, blessing them by identifying them as his people. This too is a cause for joy. He is not ashamed to be identified with them, although they are regarded by the world as “the offscouring of all things.” (1 Cor. 4:13) This close relationship with the Creator indicates that they have his goodwill, and that can mean for them the gift of eternal life, a gift that only Jehovah God, the great Life-giver, can give. Realizing what a grand blessing it is to have the name of the Almighty God associated with him, the prophet Jeremiah said: “Your word becomes to me the exultation and the rejoicing of my heart; for your name has been called upon me, O Jehovah God of armies.” (Jer. 15:16) Maintaining an awareness of this favorable relationship with the great Life-giver is important to finding joy in his service.

6. What expression of Jehovah’s undeserved kindness is a source of joy to us?

⁶ Out of his kindness, which man does not deserve, Jehovah God has provided a ransom sacrifice so that those that serve him might be set free from Adamic sin and might regain the perfection that Adam lost. “God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more, therefore, since we have been declared righteous now by his blood, shall we be saved through him from wrath.” (Rom. 5:8, 9) This magnificent provision for the salvation of those serving the true God is still another cause for joy to such ones. Expressing their feelings, the apostle Peter wrote: “Though you are not looking upon him [Jesus Christ] at present, yet you exercise faith in him and are greatly rejoicing with an unspeakable and glorified joy, as you receive the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Pet. 1:8, 9) Thus Jehovah has provided many causes for finding joy in his service in these modern times.

RIGHT MENTAL ATTITUDE

7. Why is the right mental attitude important to finding joy in God’s service?

⁷ With all that God has provided for finding joy in his service, joy can easily be found today, provided that a person has the right mental attitude. That attitude is important, as it builds appreciation for the Creator and for his Word. Without appreciation he will not feel grateful for what God has done or for the good things God has promised to do. He will not have the desire to do what is pleasing to that great Ruler of the universe. But a good mental attitude causes him to appreciate all that Jehovah has done and will do. It stimulates the right desire to serve God. The Christian ministry is a very important way to fulfill that desire.

8. How does the right mental attitude toward the ministry help to cultivate joy?

⁸ As demonstrated by Jesus Christ, the Christian ministry involves the preaching of Scriptural truths to others so as to convert their hearts to the undefiled worship of the true God. Such public proclaiming and teaching of the truth is an important feature of the way Christians serve the great Life-giver. The Christian apostle Paul said: “For with the heart one exercises faith for righteousness, but with the mouth one makes public declaration for salvation.” (Rom. 10:10) With the right mental attitude toward this work a person will appreciate the good it does in transforming peoples’ lives by bringing them into harmony with the high moral standards of God’s word. He also will appreciate how it is a life-preserving work that directs people in the way that leads to preservation through the coming war of God that will destroy the present wicked system of things. It is a work that is causing an increasing number of persons to turn from false religion to the service of their Creator. Having a good mental outlook toward this fine work that Jesus began, a person is able to cultivate joy in this way of serving God.

9, 10. (a) What tends to dampen joy in the ministry, and what compensates for it? (b) What makes it difficult to cultivate joy in the ministry, and how can this be overcome?

⁹ For many persons it is not pleasurable to call upon people by going from house to house talking about the truths of God’s Word, especially when the householders, as a whole, do not like it. While it is not a joy to receive rebuffs from uninterested persons who have no desire to serve their Creator, or who are misinformed about God’s servants, it is a joy to find a humble person that genuinely appreciates the effort made to instruct him in the truths of God’s Word. Watching him grow in knowledge and seeing him shed the shackles of false religion one by one bring a joy that is distinctive to the Christian ministry. It more than compensates for the unpleasant experiences had with unappreciative people.

¹⁰ If you are a servant of the Most High God that engages in the house-to-house ministry, you will not cultivate joy in that service of God by dwelling upon the unpleasant experiences encountered in it. Neither will you find joy in it if your service is reluctant, requiring continual prodding by Christian brothers. In both instances the right mental attitude is needed in order to find joy. Instead of seeing only the negative or unpleasant side of it, look at the positive side. Think how appreciative goodhearted people are of your efforts when you succeed in locating them and cultivating their interest. Think how necessary this work is in acquainting people of all kinds with Jehovah’s purposes, especially with regard to the world-changing forces of God’s coming war. Think how important this work is in separating the people in these last days and in giving a grand witness to the true God and his purposes. Think of how this divinely commanded service is a means for you to manifest your love for God and your faith in his promises. Only by thus cultivating the right attitude toward the Christian ministry can you experience the joy this feature of God’s service can bring.

11. Why is it important not to be overly concerned about your speaking ability?

¹¹ If you think negatively of your ability to tell others about the things you have learned in God’s Word, you are allowing a wrong mental attitude to develop that will rob you of the joy of his service. Do not compare your ability to speak with that of a Christian brother who is adept at speaking. Instead, compare it with the people you meet in the ministry who profess to be Christians, in lands of Christendom, but who do not speak God’s truths to others. No matter how poor your speaking ability is, it is better than theirs, because they say nothing about the Creator. Use what ability you have and strive to improve it. Remember that God has chosen, not the wise men of the world or the great religious orators to proclaim his purposes, but humble people that do not have special oratorical skill. In Jesus’ day they were common people; some were fishermen. With the right mental attitude, the joy of serving God by publicly declaring his truths and purposes to others as Jesus commanded will not be lost.—1 Cor. 1:26-29.

DISCIPLES FOUND JOY IN PREACHING

12. How did Jesus’ disciples react to the Christian ministry, and how did they view persecution?

¹² When Jesus introduced the Christian ministry to his disciples, they were delighted with the experience. Some of the first ones to engage in it returned to Jesus with great elation. “Then the seventy returned with joy.” (Luke 10:17) They went out to proclaim the truths they had learned without misgivings about their speaking ability. Their hearts were filled with the good things they had learned from Jesus Christ, and they were anxious to tell these things to others. Unpleasant experiences and lack of interest among many with whom they talked did not dampen their joy. It was kept alive by the good mental attitude they had toward this form of serving God. Not even popular rejection by the Jewish nation and persecution at the hands of Jewish leaders could stamp out their joy in serving Jehovah God.

13. What effect did persecution by the Sanhedrin have upon Jesus’ apostles?

¹³ On one occasion when the apostles were brought before the Jewish Sanhedrin after having been forbidden to preach the good things they had learned, they told the prominent men of this ruling body: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) After being flogged and warned not to preach any more in Jesus’ name, they went away rejoicing that they had maintained integrity to the truth. Nothing could dampen their joy in serving the true God. “These, therefore, went their way from before the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy to be dishonored in behalf of his name.”—Acts 5:41.

14. What brought joy to Paul and his companions despite the persecution that came upon them?

¹⁴ On his first missionary visit to Antioch in Asia Minor, the apostle Paul and those with him found many persons that were unreceptive to the good news that they preached. They were even mobbed out of town by these people, but this unpleasant experience did not cause them to develop the wrong mental attitude toward their work and thus to lose its joy. On the contrary, they rejoiced because they had found some good people in Antioch who had responded appreciatively to the good news. “After the synagogue assembly was dissolved, many of the Jews and of the proselytes who worshiped God followed Paul and Barnabas, who in speaking to them began urging them to continue in the undeserved kindness of God.” (Acts 13:43) The unpleasantness of having been thrown out of town by a mob was eclipsed by the pleasure of having found some people of good heart who responded favorably to the good things they preached. “The disciples continued to be filled with joy and holy spirit.”—Acts 13:52.

15, 16. What particular element in the ministry is especially helpful in the cultivation of joy, and what helps a person to appreciate this fact?

¹⁵ The fact that the public proclaiming of the good things in God’s Word requires one to give freely to others what is upbuilding, life-transforming and life-sustaining, brings him joy because there is happiness in giving good things to others. This is a principle that the apostle Paul pointed out when he was talking about the Christian ministry. “I have exhibited to you in all things that by thus laboring you must assist those who are weak, and must bear in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, when he himself said, ‘There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.’” (Acts 20:35) As Paul and his associates found joy in giving to others the good things they had learned, so those that serve Jehovah God today can also find joy in doing the same upbuilding work if they maintain the same good mental attitude.

¹⁶ The fine experience of seeing the comfort the truth brings distressed people and the appreciation of those liberated from false religion by it, as well as the happiness of those given a sure hope for which they can live, causes a person to rejoice that God has blessed him with the privilege to talk about His truth. Not until a person has had this personal experience in the Christian ministry can he fully comprehend the happiness that comes from giving his knowledge of the truth to others.

17. Why did Paul tell the Thessalonians that they were a crown of exultation to him?

¹⁷ The apostle Paul, and those who traveled with him, brought the truth to the Thessalonians in Macedonia. The congregation that resulted from their preaching was a source of joy to them. The unpleasant experience of facing hate-filled opposers to their preaching there in Thessalonica was far overshadowed by the joy of seeing the good people in the city respond to the good news. Regarding the feelings of Paul and his associate travelers, he wrote: “For what is our hope or joy or crop of exultation—why, is it not in fact you?—before our Lord Jesus at his presence? You certainly are our glory and joy.”—1 Thess. 2:19, 20.

HELPING ONE ANOTHER

18, 19. (a) What mental attitude should be taken toward positions of responsibility in a congregation? (b) To whom are such privileges given?

¹⁸ Within a congregation of those who serve Jehovah God, there are positions of responsibility. By diligently working at the duties associated with those positions a person is serving God in still another manner, because the congregation is God’s and it is dedicated to his worship and to the educating of people in his Word. With the proper mental attitude toward these positions, the persons assigned to them can find joy in bearing the responsibilities that come with them. Instead of looking only at the work, the responsibility and the problems these positions of oversight have, they should look at the good they bring to their Christian brothers and the need of organizing the public proclaiming of God’s Word and purposes. Much can be done by the persons in these positions of responsibility to help their Christian brothers in maintaining good relations with the true God and in serving him acceptably. This in itself is a source of joy.

¹⁹ A position of oversight in a congregation of God’s people should be regarded as a blessing from Jehovah. It is an opportunity to broaden one’s service of him. Such opportunities are offered to persons that have established a good record for themselves in Jehovah’s service and have manifested spiritual maturity. Because they have used wisely the knowledge of God’s Word that they have gained, and have worked diligently at the service privileges given them in the congregation, they are given greater service privileges with more responsibility. This is in line with the thought Jesus expressed when he said: “To everyone that has, more will be given and he will have abundance.” (Matt. 25:29) Of course, this does not mean that he should go to an extreme and take on more than he can do.

20. What is a factor in making it possible for a person to serve God in a congregation for a long time?

²⁰ It is not manifesting good sense for a person to carry more responsibilities in a congregation than his health will permit him to carry or more than he is able to handle. By taking on more than he is capable of doing, he can kill his joy in serving God in a congregation. So good sense must be exercised. Persons with the right mental attitude will be anxious to fill their work capability, whereas those with little appreciation will seek excuses to avoid privileges of service. To the latter, fewer and fewer privileges will be offered. The Christian servant knows what his physical and nervous capacity is for responsibilities, and in order for him to continue serving joyfully in the congregation for a long time he should not exceed that capacity. By permitting others in the congregation to share his responsibilities, the work load can be kept at a level that will not affect his joy or his health.

GOOD CONDITION OF HEART

21. (a) How are God’s servants experiencing a good condition of heart? (b) Explain how joy in God’s service can be lost.

²¹ Through the prophet Isaiah, Jehovah foretold: “My own servants will cry out joyfully because of the good condition of the heart.” (Isa. 65:14) Throughout the world today, the relatively few persons who are serving Jehovah God are experiencing that good condition of heart. Their hearts are not embittered by racial or political differences. Their hearts have not been made bad by the world’s moral breakdown. Their hearts are not soured by atheistic philosophy or false religious beliefs. The upbuilding truths of God’s Word, his righteous laws, his comforting promises for the future, and the work of love that he has given them to do give them a good condition of the heart. But it is up to each individual to maintain that good condition. If one permits a wrong mental attitude to develop toward any feature of his service to God, he can lose the joy of that service and his good heart condition can begin to deteriorate. It was with good reason, therefore, that God’s Word warned: “More than all else that is to be guarded, safeguard your heart.” (Prov. 4:23) Maintaining a good mental attitude, with keen appreciation and enthusiasm for Jehovah’s truths and purposes, is important to safeguarding good heart condition.

22. Of what is joy a fruit, and how is this made evident?

²² The joy that is felt by those who have a good heart condition is actually evidence that God’s spirit is operating through them, for joy is one or the fruits of the spirit mentioned in the fifth chapter of Galatians. God puts his spirit upon those who serve him, those who give him exclusive devotion. It operates upon his modern-day witnesses, causing them to do a tremendous, worldwide work of proclaiming the same liberating truths that were proclaimed by the apostles. Operating directly upon them as well as through God’s Word and organization, the holy spirit helps them to build up a good condition of heart, and it helps them to get motivated into the public proclaiming of Jehovah’s purposes. Thus the joy a person cultivates as a result of this is actually a fruit of the spirit.

23. What should you permit God to do to you by means of his spirit?

²³ If you are one of those rare persons that wants to serve the Creator today, that wants to give him exclusive devotion, that wants to do work that is pleasing in his eyes, that wants to receive his approval and his gift of life, then let Jehovah, by means of his spirit, cultivate in you the good condition of heart that is a mark of his people. Open your heart to his instructions. Let them develop a right mental attitude in you toward his service. Let the good news of his Word and its life-transforming truths stir you to cultivate the distinctive joy that can be found in serving the Great God of the universe.

Anger Is Dangerous

According to Dr. J. A. Schindler’s book How to Live 365 Days a Year, “The heart rate goes up markedly during anger, often to 180 or 220, or higher, and stays there until the anger has passed. The blood pressure rises markedly and steeply from a normal of 130 or so to 230 or more. This is a manifestation that often produces dire results.” Clearly, those who heed the Bible’s counsel to “let anger alone and leave rage” and to cultivate the fruits of the spirit are wise.—Ps. 37:8; Gal. 5:22, 23.

Can You Avoid the Mark of the Beast?

EVERYONE desires freedom. No one wants to be a slave to men. But in olden times literal slavery was widespread and buying and selling of slaves was a common practice. It is said that in the days of the apostles half the population of the Roman Empire were slaves. Anciently it was a practice to identify a person as a slave of someone, or as a worshiper of a certain god, by a mark on the forehead or hand. Though such a practice may not be found in the world today, there is nonetheless an attempt made to bring into slavery, not half the population, but all the population of the world. This, of course, includes you, the reader of this article. It is a slavery more oppressive and binding than slavery of the past, and it has its mark.

The Bible states the rule that we are the slaves of the one whom we serve. (Rom. 6:16) What we believe in or support and what we do identifies us as following a certain ideology or way of life, right or wrong. The fight is on today to capture men’s minds. While hot wars spring up here and there, the great cold war that holds the nations in its grip is a war of ideologies. The effort is to control the minds and therefore the actions of men. If you let yourself be persuaded and indoctrinated with a certain ideology so that you mentally support and actively perform services, you can be said to be marked in the mind, which does the thinking, and in the hand, which does the acting or the work for you. Communism, for example, tries to increase its slave holdings by brainwashing people in an effort to wash out one kind of mark and substitute the mark of its own ideology.

YOU ARE IN DANGER

It is a desirable thing to you to keep free from such a mark, which actually means slavery. It is not an easy thing to do. For example, American soldiers thoroughly indoctrinated in democratic principles were not able to withstand brainwashing during the Korean war and were changed in mind to support actively the Communist ideology. Communism is cited here as an example, but it is by no means the only effort at marking men for slavery. Would you avoid receiving such a mark? and, if so, can you avoid it? If such is your desire, then please read the next few paragraphs, which describe from God’s Word the real origin of the attempt to enslave men today, the danger that exists and the way of escape.

At Revelation, chapter 12, we are told that the cause of the troubles on earth in these times is that the Devil has lost a war in heaven with Christ Jesus and has been thrown down to the earth. (Rev. 12:7-12) It tells us that since that time the Devil, knowing his finish is near, has directed his energies at making war upon a group of persons who are themselves doing a marking work, namely, those “who observe the commandments of God and have the work of bearing witness to Jesus.” These are telling the people that they should look to the kingdom of God for peace on earth with righteousness.—Rev. 12:17; Matt. 6:9, 10, 33.

In sign language the book of Revelation describes the instrument that Satan the Devil uses to fight against these bearers of witness to Jesus and to oppress all who live on earth: “And I saw a wild beast ascending out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, and upon its horns ten diadems, but upon its heads blasphemous names.” This composite beast has the features of a leopard, a lion and a bear. It is not a literal beast, but is a sign or symbol of something to which the Dragon, the Devil, gives power and throne and great authority. (Rev. 13:1, 2) We do not have to guess what the beast represents, for in a similar vision the prophet Daniel saw wild beasts having characteristics of the same animals. God himself explained to Daniel that these represented kings, governments.—Dan. 7:4-6, 17; 8:20-22.

However, the wild beast of Revelation is one beast having seven heads. The dragon also has seven heads. (Rev. 12:3) While the wild beast is something that is not invisible or spiritual like Satan the Devil but is earthly, visible, it reflects the vicious traits of its creator Satan. It was brought up out of the sea of humankind alienated from God. (Isa. 57:20) It symbolizes Satan the Devil’s visible earthly political organization in its continuing form under various, successive headships throughout the centuries until now. The seven heads have ten horns, which the beast uses to push and to fight. They wear diadems and act for the seven world powers that have waged war upon God’s holy ones. In historical order they are (1) Egypt, (2) Assyria, (3) Babylon, (4) Medo-Persia, (5) Greece (Macedonia), (6) Rome and (7) the joint Anglo-American World Power.a

THE NAME-NUMBER 666

Blasphemous names appear on the seven heads of the wild beast. This is because all of them have been against God and against his people and have claimed to do that which only God’s kingdom can accomplish for mankind. However, the beast as a whole has a name, and its name has a number. “It is a man’s number; and its number is six hundred and sixty-six.” (Rev. 13:17, 18; 17:5) Six is one short of the Biblically complete number seven, just as six days would come one day short of a complete week. It pictures incompleteness, imperfection. One of the giants of Gath who fought against God’s people had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, a genetic monstrosity. (2 Sam. 21:20) The number is a “man’s number.” So it stands for fallen man’s imperfections and shortcomings. God uses six to the third (emphatic) degree in the wild beast’s name (6 + 60 + 600), emphasizing powerfully the inadequacy, imperfection and deficiency of the human political organization and how foolish it is to put any hope and trust in it for man’s everlasting welfare.

A good many readers may agree that communism and dictatorial governments could easily be represented by such a beastly thing, but may doubt the application to democratic governments, since some of them have gone on record as being Christian nations. The fact is that the democracies do not even claim God as their source, but recognize that they spring from the operation of political science. The Encyclopædia Britannica says, under the heading “Democracy”: “The modern concept of democracy . . . finally emerged as a result of the perennial search for the best and most equitable form of government.” The Britannica goes on to recount how the ideologies of men, such as Aristotle, John Locke, Charles Montesquieu and other political theorists, gradually shaped democratic government toward what we have today.

The Bible tells us that efforts would be put forth to place the mark of this composite, imperfect, deficient political ruling organization upon the foreheads and on the hands of men, who will not “be able to buy or sell” unless they are identified in mental support and in activity as slaves and worshipers of the wild beast. (Rev. 13:16, 17) So the political rulers put on pressure to the extent that they would make existence almost impossible for those who refuse to worship them or the political State. It is most evident in the rising tide of nationalism. In the days of Rome people were required to burn incense to the emperor. An increasing number of rulers today are demanding worship of themselves or their flags, placing their political government higher than the kingdom of God, as one ex-dictator of Ghana, who erected a statue with the inscription to the effect that his subjects should ‘Seek first the political kingdom and all things would be added to them.’ The well-known British historian, Arthur J. Toynbee, said of nationalism:

“It is a state of mind in which we give our paramount political loyalty to one section of the human race, to the particular tribe to which we happen to be tribesmen. Insofar as we are captured by this ideology, we hold that the highest political good for us is our own nation’s sovereign independence; that our nation has a moral right to exercise its sovereignty according to what it believes to be its own national interests, whatever consequences this may entail for the foreign majority of the human race; and that our duty, as citizens of our country, is to support our country, right or wrong.”b

THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST

But just to worship the beast itself does not prove to be enough. In the same way that Babylonish religionists think they must worship God through some image or idol, political rulers and statesmen feel that the wild beast of political rulership must be worshiped by means of an image. It is true that to date the wild beast has not made a very good appearance or reputation for itself before the people. Some kind of image must be set up in order to perpetuate it, something that makes the ferocious beast have a benevolent, peaceful appearance.

What, then, is the image of the wild beast? Between World War I and World War II it was the League of Nations, which at one time had as many as sixty member nations. People looked to it to bring peace to the earth, but the League died when it was proved ineffective to stop World War II. Since World War II, however, the image has been revived in the form of the United Nations, which is composed, at this writing, of 117 member nations. Will it do better and accomplish that which the League failed to do? No, for it is also only an image, as imperfect as the human governments for which it stands.

The making of the image is something that cannot be overlooked as a mere mistaken effort of men, for it was set up in direct disobedience to the outcry of the first angel with the everlasting good news: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of the judgment by him has arrived, and so worship the One who made the heaven and the earth.” (Rev. 14:6, 7) This has been proclaimed world wide by Jehovah’s witnesses, and the rulers of the nations are not ignorant. They are well aware of this proclamation and know that it is directly from God’s Word, the Bible. By supporting the image they are turning their worship and that of millions of followers away from Jehovah God and his Messianic kingdom.

RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS WORSHIP THE BEAST

What about Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion? Does she worship the beast and its image? Consider these facts: In all the nations, the religions of Babylon the Great turn the people to their own nationalistic governments for hope of life and peace. In many places the Church is united with the State. The most aggressive member in Great Babylon, namely, Christendom, heartily backed up the formation of the League of Nations as proposed by the Anglo-American World Power in 1918. In January of 1919 the National Council of Churches of Christ in America termed the proposed League of Nations “the political expression of the kingdom of God on earth.”

That the chief representative of Christendom worships the image of the beast and wants all his spiritual flock to do so was made certain to millions of television viewers and newspaper readers on October 4, 1965, when Pope Paul VI made a special flying trip to New York city to speak for this political body. He represented himself as the “bearer of a message for all mankind.” He said that his presence at the United Nations fulfilled a desire nourished “ever since the command was given us: go and bring the good news to all peoples.” He declared that his message was a “ratification, a solemn moral ratification of this lofty institution,” the United Nations, and: “This organization represents the obligatory path of modern civilization and of world peace.” He said: “The peoples of the earth turn to the United Nations as the last hope of concord and peace. We presume to present here, with their tribute of honor and of hope, our own tribute also.” He added: “Hearken now to the continuation of our message. It becomes a message of good wishes for the future. The edifice you have constructed [the U.N.] must never fail; it must be perfected.”c How timely, in view of such idolatry, is Revelation’s warning:

“And another angel, a third, followed them, saying in a loud voice: ‘If anyone worships the wild beast and its image, and receives a mark on his forehead or upon his hand, he will also drink of the wine of the anger of God that is poured out undiluted into the cup of his wrath, and he shall be tormented with fire and sulphur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever, and day and night they have no rest, those who worship the wild beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name. Here is where it means endurance for the holy ones, those who observe the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.’”—Rev. 14:9-12.

Babylon the Great suffered a fall in 1919 and began drinking the undiluted wine of God’s anger. Jehovah’s witnesses were liberated in that year and since then more than a million persons have had their eyes opened to her ungodliness and have joined Jehovah’s witnesses in proclaiming the good news of God’s established kingdom. Babylon’s world empire of false religion and her worshipers are undergoing a torment, for they are plainly seen to be in God’s disfavor. They display their anguished condition by their desperate use of the political beast wherever possible to suppress, imprison or even kill Jehovah’s witnesses, who sincerely proclaim the judgments as a warning. But this torment cannot go on forever, for neither Babylon nor the worshipers of the beast are immortal. Their torment will end in their destruction. The smoke, representing the evidence of their torment, that is, of God’s judgment upon them, will exist for all times as a warning to all who live of the futility of such blasphemous course of action, just as a supreme court judgment stands as a precedent conclusive for deciding all later cases of a similar nature.

SEEK GOD’S HELP TO AVOID THE MARK

How can you avoid the mark of the beast? As the Bible seriously warns, it takes courage and endurance. Those who refuse it must be men of principle. It is much easier to receive the mark than to resist it, for force is used by men who wish to plant the mark on the forehead and hand of those who do not willingly receive it. It takes spiritual strength, which can be obtained only from God through a study of his Word. Jesus said: “Pay attention to what you are hearing,” and, “Pay attention to how you listen.” (Mark 4:24; Luke 8:18) Listen to what God’s Word tells you; give attention to the message that is being proclaimed regarding this very thing now by Jehovah’s witnesses. There is no middle ground. Jehovah’s witnesses know this, and they know that they must keep their spirituality at a high level by watching their course of action every day. From 1919 onward they have refused to join in this international worship of the political State and the League of Nations and its successor the United Nations. They have observed the “commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”—Matt. 4:8-11.

True, it means a continuing test of endurance for the holy ones, the remnant of the 144,000 of Christ’s spiritual brothers on earth and for their companions who hope to live forever on earth under God’s kingdom. But it means that they avoid drinking the cup of God’s wrath and of suffering permanent destruction that comes upon all worshipers of the beast and its image. And the rich reward is God’s favor that leads to life. Do you wish to avoid being with the fighters against God and suffering their fate? Turn NOW to God’s Word. Jehovah’s witnesses, who have put into your hands this copy of The Watchtower, are glad to help you, free of charge, to learn of God’s provision for delivering those who endure so as not to receive the mark and for saving them to everlasting life in his righteous new order.

[Footnotes]

[Picture on page 344]

The symbolic wild beast ascending out of the sea

(1) EGYPT

(2) ASSYRIA

(3) BABYLONIA

(4) MEDO-PERSIA

(5) GREECE

(6) ROME

(7) BRITAIN-AMERICA

666

Inviting Hungry Ones to God’s Banquet for All Peoples

A BANQUET awaits the people of earth. Who says so? None other than the Almighty God, Jehovah. He “will certainly make for all the peoples, in this mountain, a banquet of well-oiled dishes, a banquet of wine kept on the dregs, of well-oiled dishes filled with marrow, of wine kept on the dregs, filtered.”—Isa. 25:6.a

When will that banquet actually take place? This banquet has its beginning in our very day. (Isa. 25:7, 8; 1 Cor. 15:51-57; 1 Thess. 4:14-17) And where will this banquet be prepared? From the context we learn that it will be in heavenly Mount Zion, the “Jerusalem above.” (Gal. 4:26; Heb. 12:22) This banquet will be enjoyed right here on this earth, because this earth is the realm over which God’s kingdom rules. By means of that Kingdom, paradise will be restored world wide.—Luke 23:43.

This banquet assures that mankind will never have to go hungry again! They will have an abundance, even as foretold. (Ps. 65:1, 9-13; 72:6-8, 16; Rev. 21:4) But this banquet will not be limited to material food. In fact, its spiritual food comes first both in time and in importance. We need God’s Word, his instructions and commandments telling us what to do. Living in harmony with his Word and the doing of his will serve as rich life-sustaining food and drink, even as with Jesus. (John 4:34) By growing in the accurate knowledge of God and living in harmony with this spiritual food, earth’s inhabitants will gain everlasting life, for ‘death will be swallowed up forever.’—Isa. 25:8.

Today there are more than a million persons who have already begun to feast on this banquet. Should these keep their present benefits to themselves? How could they if they have love of neighbor, for today there are many who are spiritually hungry? Jesus also said, “Happy are those hungering and thirsting for righteousness, since they will be filled.” But how? By Christians’ inviting them to partake of God’s banquet for all peoples. Are you having a share in doing this?—Matt. 5:6.

There are many ways in which you can invite hungry ones to God’s banquet. You can do so by going from house to house, calling on people, telling them about this banquet. As you do, make certain to reach the occupants of each home, calling back repeatedly if necessary to find them home. Invite people by offering The Watchtower and Awake! on the streets. Thereby you will reach many you could not otherwise reach, such as those living in hotels, those working nights, and so forth.

God’s Word tells us that in connection with this feast he will remove the ‘envelopment that is over all people’ and that results in people’s being confused, perplexed, unhappy and hopeless. While God’s kingdom will remove this envelopment, the woven web work of condemnation restraining men, it is the privilege of God’s servants to direct the attention of persons to this divine provision for relief. However, it takes time, patience and tact, all prompted by love and guided by insight or empathy. Nevertheless, the results are worth the effort, seeing others enjoy this banquet! Try it and find out for yourself.—Isa. 25:7.

[Footnotes]

Dwelling in the House of Jehovah All the Days of My Life

As told by W. ELDON WOODWORTH

AS I read the invitation for the Bible lecture to be held in my little hometown in Illinois in May of 1911, I had no idea at all what it would eventually mean to me. How could I have known that it would lead me to forty-five years of blessed and joyous service at the crossroads of God’s visible organization?

However, as I listened to that speech, I knew I was hearing something good—unquestionably it was the truth! So the next Sunday I took my mother and eight-year-old brother with me to the theater where the next talk was to be given. There we found answers to the questions that puzzle many people who really love their Creator. Hearing mention of God’s promise to Abraham that “by means of your seed all nations of the earth will certainly bless themselves,” we were sure that we wanted to share in its fulfillment.—Gen. 22:18.

In no time at all the three of us were traveling by trolley car to surrounding towns so we would not miss any of the Sunday lectures. Could I keep the Bible truths I heard to myself? Not at all! I remember on one occasion I went up to my Baptist Sunday-school teacher and asked him to explain Matthew 11:11: “Truly I say to you people, Among those born of women there has not been raised up a greater than John the Baptist; but a person that is a lesser one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he is.” Since his church put great stock in John as a Baptist, and here Jesus said that John would not go to heaven, this was a distressing question for a twenty-year-old lad to ask. Of course, the teacher had no reply.

Having been baptized as a boy, I never thought that I might be lacking in this regard. But in 1913 I went to Madison, Wisconsin, for my first convention of the Bible Students, as Jehovah’s witnesses were then known. It was also a chance to hear Brother Russell, the president of the Watch Tower Society, speak. Many times I had read of the traveling speakers from Bethel, the Society’s headquarters in Brooklyn, so I looked forward to an opportunity to hear one. When Brother Russell gave the talk on baptism I realized that my church baptism did not picture my full dedication to Jehovah, so I went to the lake with the rest who were being baptized and symbolized what had actually taken place in my life. And I can honestly say that never for a moment in the past fifty-three years have I regretted my dedication to God.

So that we could have regular meetings in our town we rented a small room over a candy store and had a sign painted on the window, saying that here was the place where the International Bible Students met. The congregation grew until we had thirteen attending. However, my thoughts were turning toward Bethel. I knew it was the earthly crossroads of theocratic activity. Would it be possible that someday I could ‘dwell in this house of Jehovah’? (Ps. 27:4) I could only hope.

For some years I had been a substitute mail carrier for the town Post Office, but in 1918 I was drafted into the army. At that time our understanding of a Christian’s responsibility to the “superior authorities” was not clear, so I accepted limited service as a conscientious objector. My assignment was to handle mail on the military post not far from our town. How well I remember when the armistice was signed on November 11, 1918. It was past 10 p.m. and the camp was dark. Then the lights came on, men began yelling and everything was in an uproar. Yes, the people longed for world peace. I longed for it too, but was confident that Jehovah would bring it, not men.

LIVING IN THE ‘HOUSE OF GOD’

At a convention in Chicago in 1920 I told a brother that I wanted to go to Bethel. Following his suggestion, I wrote to the Society’s president. To my amazement, in four days I received a letter inviting me to come. I still have that letter and cherish it highly. Think of it, just fifteen days after applying, I entered Bethel. And by Jehovah’s undeserved kindness I am still a member of the Bethel family. What a privilege! How kind of Jehovah to let me live in Bethel! Why, the very name means “house of God.” No one can begin to appreciate this sacred place until he has lived here for a time. Individuals may occasionally disappoint you, but Bethel is always far better than your imagination can conceive. And it grows better all the time.

‘They do the impossible here.’ That thought has often crossed my mind as I have seen the dedicated ministers here tackle things that few would ever think of doing. An early example of this occurred shortly after I began working in the Society’s factory. Our plant was first in a store building on Myrtle Avenue. Then in 1922 we moved to our next factory, on Concord Street. Up to that time we had been having the curved printing plates for our rotary press made by an outside firm. We wondered: ‘The technique of making plates by electrotyping is very involved. Could we learn how to do it? Could we make our own plates?’ ‘Impossible,’ many businessmen thought. Electrotyping was a closed trade, and no one wanted to teach us the complicated process.

But Jehovah provided. A brother from Canada who was an electrotypist came to Brooklyn and taught us the fundamentals. Then a few of the Bethel family went on tours of some electrotyping establishments, keeping their eyes open and their mouths closed. Before long we were doing our own platemaking. The man who sold us our first batch of chemicals for the electrotyping said later that he thought it would be our first and last order. He figured it would be impossible for amateurs, as we definitely were, to learn the technique without years of training. But he had discounted Jehovah’s spirit. We made our own plates, and we are still making them.

A PLACE FOR WORK

Though I worked in the plate department for a while, and even helped print some of The Harp of God, the first book the Society printed and bound in its own plant, my main job at Bethel was in the composition department. After the type slugs are set on a Linotype machine, they have to be “composed” into a magazine or book. For seventeen years, from 1938 to 1955, I composed all the foreign magazines printed in the Brooklyn factory. That was up to twelve different magazines a month. I have never been a speedy worker, but always a steady one. Anyway, at the end of the day, I have never been ashamed that I have not done my share of the work. We always endeavor to do our best in the Lord’s organization.

Now I have a job that does not require standing all day. That would be a bit too much for a man of seventy-five years. But still there is plenty to do. Putting my experience in the Post Office to use, I now work at sorting and deciphering names and addresses on handwritten subscription slips.

Last September the Society made arrangements for all of us who work in the Bethel home and offices to spend a few hours one afternoon on a tour of the factory. Instead of three rented floors in a store building, as when I came in 1920, now the Society’s factory takes up three tall buildings, and plans are in progress for a fourth. While I was walking through the composing room, one of the young workers said: “Here, Brother Woodworth. How about cleaning some of this type?” Even after doing other work for the last eleven years, scraping the burrs off the type slugs seemed as natural to me as breathing.

Bethel is a place of variety. Though there is always an abundance of work, it takes many different forms. As long as one is willing to work, and I mean work hard, life at Bethel is a wonderfully interesting experience. Duties in the home or factory, activity in a New York city congregation, traveling out on weekend speaking assignments, yes, there is plenty to do. But I set my heart on Bethel and it has never disappointed me.

Back in 1923 I shared in some extra work that brought a great blessing into my life. The Society obtained a tract of land on Staten Island in order to build radio station WBBR. Many of the Bethel family worked Saturday afternoons and Sundays clearing the land and building the station. While working there on weekends I met Florence Parker. We met again at a convention in Philadelphia where she hoped to be baptized. But she missed the baptism there. Back in those days we had a small immersion pool in Bethel, so I mentioned that we would be having a baptism at Bethel the next Sunday. She said that she would be there.

As it happened, though, the brother who was to give the baptism talk asked me if I would do the immersing. Hence, I baptized the girl who was to mean so much to me from then on. We were married in 1928; after that Florence served in the full-time ministry in the New York city area. She preached to businessmen in the Empire State Building and other skyscrapers on lower Broadway. To me this seemed almost an impossibility, but she did it. For thirty-four years she was everything a good wife could be. Finally, she became ill and, in August 1962, died faithful to the heavenly calling for which she had been working.

APPRECIATING THE CROSSROADS

In the years since her death, I have come to appreciate Bethel even more. As I mentioned, Bethel can be considered a crossroads, the crossroads of Jehovah’s people. We are continually meeting people from everywhere, going everywhere. Twice a year there are a hundred students coming here to attend Gilead School. There are visiting missionaries and traveling representatives of the Society. Also, of course, there are the members of the family itself to meet. That is no small task, since the family has grown from the 107 that were here when I came in 1920 to almost 700 now. So you can see that I have my hands full. Yet I can greet five out of every six of the family by name.

I have always liked to get to know people. With the busy schedule we have here, there is little time for visiting, but think of the joy of being able to talk to people from all parts of the world at the supper table. Why, just recently I received a card from some missionaries who were sent to Taiwan, the Republic of China. After forty-five years here I am always meeting people I know or who share mutual acquaintances. My family of friends spreads round the globe.

Here we are used to big things. Think of the conventions we have held that were so large they stagger the imagination. Often I participated in the immersions at the assemblies. Between two and three thousand persons symbolizing their dedication to God is a sight to behold.

Being at Bethel has not restricted my ability to travel to the assemblies. In fact, it is just the opposite. In 1947 I was able to go all the way across the country to attend a convention in California. Then in 1955 it was my privilege to go to Europe for a series of conventions. We went to Canada and there started our trip on the ship “Arosa Star.” In nine days we reached England for the first assembly. Then it was on to Paris, Rome, Berne, and Nuremberg, Germany, where we used what used to be Hitler’s parade ground for the convention. How wonderful to see our Christian brothers from so many lands in their native costumes and to know that they too had turned to Jehovah’s house and were inquiring of him at his spiritual temple! Would that mail clerk in Illinois ever have gone on such travels as a mail clerk? Quite unlikely. No, I can say with assurance that no one ever loses a thing by being a member of the Bethel family.

There are so many features of life at this remarkable place that, over the years, have drawn me even closer to Bethel, “the house of God.” Imagine being able to start off each weekday with a mature discussion of a Bible text at the breakfast table. In fact, that is one of the “musts” if we are to be strong enough to live under the pressure of much work and active preaching. The head of the Bethel family has always stressed that the right way to begin a day is to hear and share in a discussion of the Scriptures.

A number of the family here have spent nearly all their lives serving the true God. As with myself, their physical strength is ebbing away due to old age, but still they speak about Jehovah’s kingship, “to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts and the glory of the splendor of his kingship.” (Ps. 145:12) The apostle Paul wrote: “Even if the man we are outside is wasting away, certainly the man we are inside is being renewed from day to day.” (2 Cor. 4:16) This brings us great joy. For example, recently I was standing on a busy street corner offering persons copies of our journals. A man stopped and accepted the magazines. Then he said: “I like you people. You’re a happy people.”

And I am especially happy for having had the privilege to dwell in Jehovah’s house these forty-five years. I am thankful that I attended that first meeting, which opened up to me this full life. Truly, how pleasant it has been to “dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life”!—Ps. 27:4.

Are You Planning to Come?

WE TRUST that you are diligently making plans to attend one of “God’s Sons of Liberty” District Assemblies this summer, and we would like to impress upon you the importance of arriving at the convention location of your choice by the first day of the assembly. Why? Because right from the opening day there will be delightful portions of the program that no one will want to miss. For example, there will be vivid portrayals of Bible accounts that are filled with meaning for us all in this day. These will thrill you with their graphic and accurate presentation of vital lessons.

In addition, outstanding Bible discourses will be heard, effectively spread throughout the days of the assembly. You will want to hear them all, for each one will play a vital part in thoroughly equipping you for life and service in the days that lie just ahead. Consider some of these fascinating topics that will be presented on the program: “Building on a Right Foundation with Fire-Resistant Materials,” “Making Grateful Use of a Penny,” “Liberty-giving Worship and Freedom of Worship,” and “Preach a Release to the Captives.” Then, too, there will be the widely advertised public talk, “What Has God’s Kingdom Been Doing Since 1914?” Be sure to come early and reap the benefit of each day’s full and informative program.

BRITISH ISLES

JUNE 8-12: Blackpool. Football Ground, Bloomfield Rd. Rooming: Kingdom Hall, Victoria Road W., Cleveleys, Blackpool.

JULY 6-10: Cardiff. Football Ground, Ninian Park. Rooming: Kingdom Hall, York Street, Canton, Cardiff.

JULY 27-31: Glasgow. The Ice Rink, off Glasgow Rd., Paisley. Rooming: Kingdom Hall, 21 School Wynd, Paisley, Glasgow.

AUGUST 24-28: London. Rugby Union Football Ground, Whitton Rd., Twickenham, Middx. Rooming: Same address.

CANADA AND UNITED STATES

JUNE 22-26: Toronto, Ont. (English; some Italian sessions) Grandstand, Exhibition Park. Rooming: 959 College St., Toronto 4, Ont.

JUNE 29–JULY 3: Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Humber Gardens, Ball Diversion. Rooming: Kingdom Hall, Wellington St., Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii. Elsie H. Wilcox Elementary School. Rooming: R.R. 1, Box 255 A, Kapaa, Hawaii 96746.

JULY 6-10: Halifax, N.S. Halifax Forum, 2901 Windsor St. Rooming: 5519 Almon St., Halifax, N.S.

JULY 13-17: Honokaa, Hawaii. Honokaa High School Auditorium. Rooming: Box 427, Honokaa, Hawaii 96727. Montreal, Que. (English) The Forum, 2313 Ste. Catherine W. Rooming: 1637 Ste. Catherine St. W., Montreal 25, Que. Montreal, Que. (French) Marche Atwater, Atwater & Notre Dame. Rooming 1637 Ste. Catherine St. W., Montreal 25, Que.

JULY 27-31: Honolulu, Hawaii. McKinley High School Auditorium. Rooming: 3840 Kaimuki Ave., Honolulu, Hawaii 96816. Winnipeg, Man. Winnipeg Arena, Empress St. & Rapelje Ave. Rooming: 1338 Main St., Winnipeg 4, Man.

AUGUST 3-7: Dallas, Tex. (English & Spanish) Market Hall, 2200 Stemmons Freeway. Rooming: 234 S. Patton St., Dallas, Tex. 75203. Newark, N.J. (Spanish only) Newark Armory, 180 Sussex Ave. Rooming: 129 Morris Ave., Newark, N.J. 07103. San Francisco, Calif. (English & Spanish) Candlestick Park Stadium, San Francisco, Calif. Rooming: 3435 Alemany Blvd., San Francisco, Calif. 94132. Vancouver, B.C. Empire Stadium, Exhibition Park. Rooming: 3280 Grandview Hwy., Vancouver 12, B.C.

AUGUST 10-14: Anchorage, Alaska. West Anchorage High School Auditorium, 1700 Hillcrest Dr. Rooming: 1438 Medfra St., Anchorage, Alaska 99501.

AUGUST 17-21: Baltimore, Md. Baltimore Memorial Stadium. 33d & Ellerslie Ave. Rooming: 7824 Eddlynch Rd., Baltimore, Md. 21222.

AUGUST 24-28: Miami Beach, Fla. (English & Spanish) Miami Beach Convention Hall, 1700 Washington Ave. Rooming: 6620 N. Miami Ave., Miami, Fla. 33150. Mobile, Ala. Municipal Auditorium-Theater, 401 Auditorium Dr. Rooming: 4059 Halls Mill Rd., Mobile, Ala. 36609.

BERMUDA

JULY 28-31: Hamilton, Bermuda. Kingdom Hall, Ewing St. Rooming: Box 72, Hamilton, Bermuda.

Announcements

FIELD MINISTRY

Jehovah God is the Provider of a banquet for all peoples. Already men of all nations are feasting on the satisfying spiritual provisions he has made, and it is the privilege of those who do so to invite others to join them. This Jehovah’s witnesses will do during June by offering to others the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures along with the book “Things in Which It Is Impossible for God to Lie,” and two booklets, for $1.50.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS

June 26: God’s Service—A Cause for Joy. Page 329.

July 3: Finding Joy in God’s Service Today. Page 335.