The Watchtower — June 1, 1974

What Is Behind This Fascination with the Occult?

MOST “educated” people have generally scoffed at reports about “supernatural” things. They have always believed that these could be explained by what they called “rational, scientific” means. Now some are having second thoughts. Recent years have witnessed a startling resurgence of occultism, most notably in the so-called “civilized” parts of the world.

Many universities and hundreds of high schools not only have professed witches on campus, but also now offer special courses on the Devil and witchcraft. And, according to one news report, there are “more than 600 witches’ ‘covens’ now operating in the United States and including about 100,000 avowed witches.”

In recent years a vast array of books on occultism has appeared. The manager of one California bookstore chain, for example, said that its main store stocks around 2,000 different occult-related books “and there are several hundred more available that we just don’t have any room for.” These books, the manager said, move well, “not only in Hollywood, where you’d expect it, but in all of our stores.”

Business Week magazine reports that even business and government are seriously investigating extrasensory perception (ESP) and other “psychic” powers for possible use in their operations. “And the National Aeronautics & Space Administration [NASA] has financed a Stanford Research Institute program to teach ESP skills to NASA personnel.”

A wave of “exorcism” frenzy recently hit America with the release of a gruesome film on the subject. And the occult is becoming so popular in England that the Anglican Church recently appointed exorcists throughout the country to cope with resulting problems.

Young people all over Australia are reported to be deeply involved in witchcraft and spiritistic séances, sometimes held right at school! “Schoolchildren drinking blood before an upturned cross,” teenage girls “subjected to sexual indignities on so-called ‘sacrificial altars’” and swelling Ouija-board sales cause growing alarm there, reports the Sydney, Australia, Sun. Adult “witches” recruit children who, in turn, persuade schoolmates to join in.

If you are a parent, would you want your children to get into something like this? Do you know whether similar things occur at their schools? Or, do you brush aside this fascination with the occult as harmless entertainment? Do stories about this strange “other dimension” perhaps even fascinate you? Many people are strongly attracted by the occult, especially now. Why?

WHY THE OCCULT?

Understandably, many people are searching for something more to life. The glaring failures of religious, political, economic and scientific institutions leave many hungrily reaching for anything to give life meaning.

Traditional religion has not filled the void. “To many, there is no purpose in life today,” admits a Roman Catholic official, for “they can’t relate what is happening to anything in their faith experience.” The fact that uncontrollable forces seem to be shaping a catastrophic future for mankind causes many to feel that there must be greater powers than allowed by purely materialistic thinking.

So people turn to the occult. And it thrives because so many people actually seem to experience something personally. But do you know what is behind it all?

ARE OCCULT PHENOMENA REAL?

Both science and religion are divided as to whether “supernatural” incidents actually occur. Some believe that claimed occult experiences are merely indications of mental problems or errors in reporting. Others say that, rather than being evidence of the supernatural, such experiences show that mankind itself may have latent “psychic” powers still not understood by science. However, occultists insist that there is a “spirit world” operating through these unusual manifestations.

Many “supernatural” experiences may be illusions or trickery, but does this account for all of them? Recent publicity has spotlighted cases of alleged “demonic possession.” Not all psychologists are convinced that every case has a purely psychological explanation. Dr. Alan Reed, Jr., of Wisconsin’s Milwaukee Psychiatric Hospital, though skeptical, would not rule out the possibility of possession. He says he has “seen people change abruptly . . . so that you have the feeling they are someone else.” These sudden changes involve general appearance, voice quality and personality. “Part of this could be hysteria or some other manifestation, but there are aspects of this sort of thing that I don’t have an understanding of or explanation for,” he said.​—Milwaukee Journal, January 27, 1974.

Similarly, the Encyclopædia Britannica says that, though there is still much debate about the source of spiritualistic phenomena, “there is a general agreement among those who have devoted time and attention to the subject that some of the phenomena are genuine.” The evidence for the existence of unknown forces is such that about two hundred U.S. scientists are now engaged in similar research, a number through government grants.

But does growing credibility make the occult a proper field of investigation for you or your family? There are substantial reasons to hesitate. Why? Because of what the Bible says. It alone provides a satisfying explanation for occult phenomena, and this is discussed in the following article.

The Real Power Behind Occultism

THE Bible identifies the real power behind occultism and its purpose. In its pages you will not find any uncertain theorizing on the subject. It sets out the facts clearly and takes a firm stand in opposition to all occult practices. All other ancient religious writings either lay the basis for occultism, allow for it or encourage it.

In fact, history testifies that almost all early peoples were deeply involved in occultism. Yet just one nation is known to have had a religion that avoided the occult​—the ancient Hebrews of the Bible. Why?

The Hebrew religion was not influenced by superstitions about the unknown, as others were. Their religion was given to them by One who knows the facts, and He made it clear that it was not His power that was behind occult practices. As God said to them through the prophet Moses: “These nations . . . listen to those practicing magic and to those who divine; but as for you, Jehovah your God has not given you anything like this.”​—Deut. 18:14.

In clear terms he specified the practices that they were to avoid: “There should not be found in you anyone who . . . employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead. For everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah.”​—Deut. 18:10-12; compare Leviticus 19:26, 31; 20:6, 27; Isaiah 8:19.

POWER BEHIND THE OCCULT

An experience involving a Roman official, Sergius Paulus, who was proconsul of Cyprus around 47 C.E., sheds light on the matter. The Bible describes him as “an intelligent man.” He was searching for truth. So he asked Saul of Tarsus, a Roman citizen who was also known as the apostle Paul, to tell him about God and Christianity. However, a “magician,” or sorcerer, named Elymas was present and began resisting Paul, no doubt aware that Paul’s message could weaken his own influence with the proconsul and the reputation he had owing to his occult powers.

Paul turned to Elymas and plainly identified the one behind his occult powers, saying: “You son of the devil, you enemy of all true religion, why don’t you stop twisting the straightforward ways of the Lord?” (Acts 13:6-10, Catholic Jerusalem Bible) So the apostle Paul named “the devil,” a wicked spirit person, as the power behind this sorcerer. Some may find the existence of such a creature hard to believe.

But there is eyewitness testimony to his existence. The Lord Jesus Christ came from the spirit realm, and with a conviction born of personal knowledge he spoke of “the Devil,” also known as “Satan.” As to Satan’s origin, Jesus explained: “He did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him . . . he is a liar and the father of the lie.” (John 8:44; Luke 10:18) So at one time this spirit creature was “in the truth.” But chafing under God’s authority to determine what is “the truth” and to require submission to it, Satan-to-be chose to allow desire for power and independence to overcome his wisdom.​—Jas. 1:13, 14; compare Ezekiel 28:13-17.

Then this “Devil” set about to entice others to a similar course. His first overt act was to lie against God, thus setting the pattern for his methods even now. That lie resulted in death to the first human pair and made the Devil “a manslayer when he began,” as well as the “father of the lie.”​—Gen. 3:1-5, 13; Rev. 12:9.

Similarly, Bible history records that other “sons of God,” angels, chose independence from God. They have power and influence over the minds and lives of vulnerable persons, even the ability to “possess” or “obsess” humans or animals and to use inanimate objects for their deceptive purposes.​—Matt. 12:43-45; Luke 8:27-33.

Those who are involved in occult practices themselves recognize that there is danger involved. The book Psychic Discoveries Behind the Iron Curtain reports on the extensive Russian scientific research into ESP and other psychic powers. Illustrating the danger even from this type of investigation, the authors say: “There is one warning that any person who is involved in this work scientifically always gives​—ESP is not to be treated lightly. It can be dangerous even when working with something as simple as an Ouija board. We have seen some of the effects.”

Why the danger? One reason is given by Ed Warren, considered to be a leading expert on the occult: “Using a Ouija board, holding séances, or practicing ESP . . . are invitations to malign spirits, and to eventual possession by those spirits.”

But why all the strange and seemingly contradictory variations of occultism? Why do some appear blatantly evil, others good and still others the result of mere caprice? There is actually one unified purpose, which only the Bible reveals.

PURPOSE OF OCCULTISM

As noted before, occultists like Elymas act as agents or dupes of the Devil. As such, they are the “enemy of all true religion . . . twisting the straightforward ways of the Lord.” (Acts 13:10, Je) So however contradictory and diverse the occult practices, there is a unified purpose: to entice men away from “true religion” and cause them to act independently of God’s “straightforward ways.”

The diabolic wisdom behind this scheme is clear. People are fascinated by unexplainable, seemingly “supernatural” phenomena. The variety of occult practices appeals to different types of people. Some subject themselves directly to the Devil through outright Satan worship, voodoo, witchcraft and the like. Others are deceived into thinking that God has something to do with astrology or spiritualism. Those with a scientific bent often become fascinated with “psychic” powers such as ESP and clairvoyance. There is something for almost everyone.

But what about the works of “healing,” “speaking in tongues,” “exorcising” demons, and others, directly tied in with so-called “Christian” organizations? Does this not show that God is working with them to defeat the works of Satan, just as he helped Jesus and his apostles? (John 10:37, 38; Acts 19:11) Jesus anticipated this very question in his famous Sermon on the Mount.

He said that many people would profess Christianity, but dishonestly so. On what basis would they claim to be Christians? Jesus said: “Many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?’” But would this prove that they had the spirit of God and were true disciples of his Son? Jesus went on to say: “Then I shall tell them to their faces: ‘I have never known you; away from me, you evil men!’”​—Matt. 7:15-23, Je.

Clearly, those occultists who use the name of Christ are as detestable to him as occultism among the Hebrews was to Jehovah. Why? Because the power behind them is the same. The purpose is the same; namely, to draw people away from “true religion,” to entice them to do things condemned by God.

The Bible shows that miraculous spiritual gifts passed out of existence after they had identified the newly established Christian congregation as God’s instrument for spreading true worship. (1 Cor. 13:8-11) But the Scriptures warn that religious impostors would later seize upon such “miracles” to give an air of legitimacy to their own activities. “There is nothing unexpected about that,” says the Bible; “if Satan himself goes disguised as an angel of light, there is no need to be surprised when his servants, too, disguise themselves as the servants of righteousness.”​—2 Cor. 11:14, 15, Je.

This shows that the ability to exorcise, or expel, demons, for example, is not necessarily a sign that God backs up clergymen who profess to have such power. Professed Christians and non-Christians alike claim success at exorcism: Catholics, Protestants, Jewish cabalists and even voodoo worshipers. Is God behind any of them? The Bible says “God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” (1 Cor. 14:33, Je) He certainly does not work against himself by supporting opposing factions.

Also, the very methods employed by most so-called “exorcists” show they are not from God. Jesus could “cast out the spirits with a word,” simply commanding them, and they obeyed, recognizing his authority. (Matt. 8:16, 29-34, Je; Mark 5:7-13; Luke 8:28-33) Yet these religious “exorcists” recite ritualistic, magical formulas, using certain words and pronouncements, which, in themselves, are supposed to have the power to exorcise. The Roman Catholic formula for exorcism found in the Rituale Romanum can take several hours to recite and uses religious relics and other superstitious religious paraphernalia​—in marked contrast to Jesus’ simple commands! Nevertheless, their “exorcisms” often seem to work! Why?

The Bible shows that Satan would use supernatural powers to back up these religious impostors, establishing their credibility and thus furthering his own ends. The Christian apostle Paul foretold that a rebellion against God’s ways would take place on the part of those claiming to be followers of Christ, and that the rebels would seek worshipful honor for themselves, as Christendom’s clergy do. Then he said: “Satan will set to work: there will be all kinds of miracles and a deceptive show of signs and portents, and everything evil that can deceive . . . because they would not grasp the love of the truth which could have saved them.”​—2 Thess. 2:9, 10, Je.

Notice that Paul contrasts the appeal of ‘deceptive signs’ with “the love of the truth.” Jesus identified the real source of truth when he prayed to God and said: “Your word is truth.” God’s “word” is found in the Bible. Genuine “love of the truth” develops from using our minds to learn about that word, to benefit from God’s “straightforward ways” in our lives.​—John 17:17; Acts 13:10, Je.

PROPER VIEW OF THE OCCULT

What does this mean for those dabbling in occultism or those fascinated by the recent publicity given to it? It means that such things are not a safe subject of curiosity or entertainment. They are a means used by Satan the Devil to turn people to practices that are in direct conflict with the clearly stated will of God.

True Christians do not toy with occultism. If they were involved in it in the past, they have now destroyed anything in their possession that pertained to it. (Acts 19:18, 19) They know the value of the Biblical advice: “Oppose the Devil, and he will flee from you.”​—Jas. 4:7.

Jehovah’s Christian witnesses have long followed the Bible’s wise advice on this matter. They have thereby avoided the trap of occultism, especially in the areas of Latin America and Africa where voodoo and juju remain a way of life, even among the supposedly “Christian” populations. Not by practicing any mystical rites of exorcism, but by teaching others the truth from God’s Word the Bible, they have aided honest-hearted ones to break free from the control of wicked spirits. (Eph. 6:10-18) Being guided by God’s Word, which neither discounts the occult nor allows for its practice, they can say as did the apostle Paul: “We will not be outwitted by Satan​—we know well enough what his intentions are.”​—2 Cor. 2:11, Je.

Gaining Freedom from Wicked Spirit Forces

FEAR of spirits has enslaved many people. Others, through involvement with occultism, have come under demon harassment, hearing strange voices. Some have even lost their sanity. Nevertheless, relief is possible. By studying the Bible and applying what they learn, many have been able to gain freedom from enslavement to wicked spirit forces.

In Liberia, a woman spent nearly three months as a prisoner in her own home, fearing to leave. Why? She said a spell had been cast on her and she had been told not to enter or leave her house by the front door for seven months. One of Jehovah’s witnesses called on her and began a Bible study. Soon the Witnesses encouraged the “imprisoned” woman to put her trust in Jehovah, disregard the spell and begin attending meetings at the Kingdom Hall. This she did, and for the first time in months she left through the door of her home. Acting in harmony with the Bible set her free.

In Chile, one of Jehovah’s witnesses visited a young man who had been released from an insane asylum as being hopelessly incurable. The Witness found the young man in one of his more rational moments and succeeded in starting a home Bible study with him. The young man’s mother was glad that someone was taking an interest in her son, but she told the Witness that everything had been tried with no success.

When information about wicked spirit forces was considered during one of the studies, the young man remarked that he had been studying books on black magic and found them useful. The Witness explained to him that black magic was the product of an evil force​—Satan the Devil—​and presented the Bible’s evidence concerning the dangers involved. The man immediately accepted what was said and burned the books. From that day on he made excellent progress. He no longer complained about violent headaches, and could sleep at night without hearing any voices. Soon he began attending meetings of Jehovah’s witnesses and started sharing with others the things he had learned from the Bible.

The neighbors were simply amazed at the change in this young man. In the past he at times became extremely violent, throwing stones at passersby and beating up children. But such violent outbursts came to their end, and he is now striving to maintain peace with fellow humans.

Others have experienced like beneficial changes and personal relief after destroying items associated with the occult and then conforming their lives to God’s will. A woman from the United States relates: “Upon finding that it is against Bible principles to engage in any form of spiritism, I destroyed every book, picture and relic having to do with the occult or divination, and afterward felt as if a great weight had been lifted from my head.”

No question about it, Bible truth, if applied, can result in one’s release from slavery to wicked spirit forces.

Good News for All Mankind

1-3. There is good news for whom, and where only can we find it?

GOOD NEWS! In this world what is good news to one is often bad news to another. And, sad to say, the expression sometimes used in jest, ‘That’s the good news; now for the bad news,’ is all too real in life.

² There is a good news, though, for all mankind, that has no bad news along with it for lovers of righteousness. It is good news for such persons irrespective of their race, color or background.

³ Jehovah God, the Creator of mankind, is the Source of the good news. The Bible is his Word of communication with us. Look where you may, you can find this good news nowhere else. (Gal. 1:6, 7, 11, 12) The apostle Paul, an ordained minister and an apostle, was specifically chosen by Christ himself as a preacher of good news to the non-Jewish nations. As early as Paul’s time, there were some selfish Christians distorting the good news. (2 Cor. 11:4) Paul wrote emphatically: “However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to you as good news something beyond what we declared to you as good news, let him be accursed.”​—Gal. 1:8, 15, 16.

ITS CONTENT

4. Briefly, what is the substance of the good news?

⁴ What is the true good news, as declared by the apostles of Jesus Christ? Briefly, it is this: God has arranged and prepared for a special government to take care of this earth’s problems. It will rule exclusively and undisturbed for a thousand years. During that time it will erase everything that has ever given rise to bad news. All of earth’s inhabitants that want to live in harmony with God and their fellowman will be alive, and the bad news of the past will not be something that will in any way burden their hearts, detracting from their happiness. Prophetically God’s servant Isaiah said: “The former things will not be called to mind, neither will they come up into the heart.”​—Isa. 65:17.

5, 6. (a) Why can it be said that we are now living in a happy time? (b) Why has God not already brought all the good things contained in the good news?

⁵ What God says cannot fail to come true, and he has a timetable for all his works. (Heb. 6:18; Isa. 46:11; compare Galatians 4:4.) If we take time to look into his Word, we find that we now live in a specially happy time as relates to the good news. Why so? Because Bible prophecies and events in fulfillment indicate that God has established his Messianic king upon the throne in heaven and that his thousand-year rule is practically upon us.

⁶ However, someone may say, ‘Why merely keep talking about “good news”? Why hasn’t God already brought all these good things to the earth?’ Because he respects the intelligence and moral freedom he has given us​—the right to decide which way we want to go—​whether to submit to God’s sovereignty or to choose man-rule. God has let men try every conceivable form of government, and by now sensible men should have found out that “it does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.” (Jer. 10:23) Moreover, as heretofore mentioned, God has a timetable in which he works things out thoroughly for the benefit of all. During this time he also allows mankind sufficient time to lay a strong foundation for faith in his Messianic government.

7-9. (a) What was the good news spoken to Abraham? (b) How do we know what the seed was through whom those promised blessings would come to mankind? (c) Why did the Law covenant not invalidate the Abrahamic promise? (d) So why was the Law given?

⁷ How has this been done? Let us see further what the apostle Paul said about the good news with which he was entrusted: “Now the Scripture, seeing in advance that God would declare people of the nations righteous due to faith, declared the good news beforehand to Abraham, namely: ‘By means of you all the nations will be blessed.’ Consequently those who adhere to faith are being blessed together with faithful Abraham.”​—Gal. 3:8, 9; Gen. 12:3; 22:18.

⁸ “All the nations” will be blessed through Abraham. God told this to Abraham the Hebrew before the Jewish nation had come into existence. So, while God later dealt with the Jews exclusively for a time, the real, ultimate blessing is for people of all nations.

⁹ How does the apostle Paul say that this blessing will come? He explains: “Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. It says, not: ‘And to seeds,’ as in the case of many such, but as in the case of one: ‘And to your seed,’ who is Christ.” (Gal. 3:16) The blessing, then, was to come through one “seed” or offspring of Abraham, namely, “Christ.” Paul goes on to say that the Law covenant, made centuries after this promise to Abraham, certainly did not invalidate the Abrahamic promise. “Why, then, the Law?” he asks. He explains that it showed up men to be sinners, needing help from God. It pointed to the great Seed of promise through whom blessings would come to mankind: “Consequently the Law has become our tutor leading to Christ.”​—Gal. 3:19-29, 7-9.

10. How was John the Baptist the first to discern the good news that the Messiah had come?

¹⁰ The arrival of Messiah, then, was certainly good news. When Jesus approached John the Baptist and was baptized, and holy spirit manifested itself upon him in the visible form of a dove, John had proof that the long-awaited Messiah had indeed arrived.​—Matt. 3:16, 17; John 1:32-34.

EXPANDED PROCLAMATION

11. What are some of the ways in which Christ Jesus at his manifestation shed light upon certain features of the good news?

¹¹ Now with the coming to pass of these events the good news was greatly expanded and given a tremendous impetus. Paul says that Christ Jesus by being made manifest “shed light upon life and incorruption through the good news.” (2 Tim. 1:10) From that time on, features of the good news became much clearer. Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah, the one whose sacrifice atoned for the sins of mankind. This One would be the King. His kingdom would rule, not from an earthly throne, but from a heavenly one. Also, it was made clear that there would be a considerable lapse of time before the complete blessings of this kingdom would come to all mankind. Jesus himself said that the nations would have sway over the earth “until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24) This was a reference to Daniel’s prophecy of the “seven times,” which ran from the desolating of Jerusalem by Babylon in 607 B.C.E., down past the time when Jesus spoke, on to the autumn of 1914 C.E.a​—Dan. 4:16, 23, 25, 32.

12. What took place from the time of Christ’s resurrection to the end of the “appointed times of the nations”?

¹² What was to take place during all that time? We are told, at Hebrews 10:12, 13, that Christ “offered one sacrifice for sins perpetually and sat down at the right hand of God, from then on awaiting until his enemies should be placed as a stool for his feet.” After his resurrection and ascension to heaven “Christ entered, not into a holy place made with hands [as in the temple at Jerusalem], which is a copy of the reality, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the person of God for us.” (Heb. 9:24) The foundation had now been laid for the forgiveness of sins, and this good news had to be given wide proclamation, not to the Jews only, but to the entire world. (Acts 17:30) That has been done under Christ’s heavenly supervision right down to our day.​—1 Tim. 2:5, 6.

THE KING ENTHRONED

13. Why is the good news now even better?

¹³ Now, since 1914 C.E., when “the appointed times of the nations” ended, the good news is better than ever. The King is now enthroned, the Kingdom has begun operating! The vision given to the apostle John and recorded in the book of Revelation gives us a glimpse of the “birth” of the Kingdom that is put in the hands of Christ: “And she [God’s heavenly ‘woman’] gave birth to a son, a male, who is to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod. And her child was caught away to God and to his throne.” So Christ was up there among God’s heavenly family, ready to receive kingly power. He was there brought in, presented to the heavenly hosts and enthroned as the Messianic King.​—Rev. 12:5; Heb. 1:6.

14, 15. What occurred immediately after Christ’s enthronement that was delightful news in heaven?

¹⁴ At this point the psalm to which the apostle made reference at Hebrews 10:12, 13 had further features fulfilled: “The utterance of Jehovah to my Lord is: ‘Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.’ The rod of your strength Jehovah will send out of [heavenly] Zion, saying: ‘Go subduing in the midst of your enemies.’” (Ps. 110:1, 2) The Revelation vision expresses the action that followed in this way: “And war broke out in heaven: Michael [Jesus Christ, also called ‘the archangel.’ (Compare Jude 9; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Daniel 12:1.)] and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled but it did not prevail, neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him.”​—Rev. 12:7-9.

¹⁵ What good news this was! A loud voice in heaven announced, rejoicing: “Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God! . . . On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them!” This would bring increased trials to mankind, for the heavenly voice continued: “Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.”​—Rev. 12:10-12.

16. Why is the proclaiming of the good news now urgent?

¹⁶ This good news that the Kingdom is operating and that Satan the Devil, the great adversary of God, has but a short period of time now at the earth, is something worthy of proclaiming to every man and woman on earth. And it takes time to reach the nations. Every individual may not be personally reached and spoken to before the Kingdom begins its undisputed rule over earth. But Jesus said: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.”​—Matt. 24:14.

17. How has the prophecy at Psalm 110:3 been fulfilled in our time?

¹⁷ Now, since Christ has conquered in heaven and has confined Satan and his demon angels to earth’s vicinity, the good news is being given its widest proclamation ever, in 208 lands in the earth, even in countries under Communist domination. This service rendered by many volunteer workers was foretold by the psalmist, as he continued: “Your people will offer themselves willingly on the day of your military force. . . . You have your company of young men just like dewdrops.” (Ps. 110:3) Like young, vigorous warriors, numerous as dewdrops, Jehovah’s witnesses, young and old, men and women, are willingly, zealously telling the people this good news of Christ’s kingly activity. Have you been stirred to action alongside them?

18, 19. How does the book of Revelation depict what Christ is now doing?

¹⁸ The Revelation scene depicts what Christ is doing and will soon do, John recording the picture for us in these words: “And I saw, and, look! a white horse; and the one seated upon it had a bow; and a crown was given him, and he went forth conquering and to complete his conquest.”​—Rev. 6:2.

¹⁹ Christ, having ‘conquered’ in heaven, is now maneuvering his enemies into position where he will “complete his conquest,” cleansing the earth of all the unrighteous, false religions, all political and commercial elements, and all who are determined to oppress their fellowman. Finally, he will put Satan and his demons completely out of action so that their death-dealing influence is gone.​—Rev. 20:1-3.

TO BECOME MAJOR ISSUE

20. Will the great indifference of the people to the good news continue indefinitely?

²⁰ Meanwhile, the good news of the Kingdom is having ever wider distribution and proclamation, and each year scores of thousands more are hearing it with faith. It is true that there is still great indifference on the part of the majority of people. But since the good news involves the truth about Jehovah God’s sovereignty, it is yet to become a far bigger issue.

21, 22. What situation in ancient Egypt finds some similarities today?

²¹ Take, as an example, what occurred in ancient Egypt, when Moses and Aaron, at God’s command, requested that Pharaoh release God’s enslaved people, the offspring of Abraham. This led to the fulfillment of a promise made centuries beforehand.​—Gen. 15:13-16.

²² We can see a similarity today. Just as in Egypt, honest-hearted people today are oppressed religiously, politically and commercially, all through the influence of the Devil, who is seeing that troubles increase. What occurred back there in Egypt when the time came for God to liberate his people?

23. What was the reaction of Pharaoh and the Egyptians when Moses first brought God’s demand that the Israelites be released, and did they maintain this attitude?

²³ Moses came to the Israelites with the exceedingly good news that God’s time for deliverance had come. Note that at this time God’s sovereignty was challenged by Pharaoh, who said to Moses: “Who is Jehovah, so that I should obey his voice to send Israel away?” (Ex. 5:2) So what Moses said in the name of Jehovah seemed insignificant to Pharaoh and to his people at first. But it came to be of the greatest importance to them. In fact, the Egyptians were finally forced to take, not an indifferent position, but a very decisive, definite one. How?

24. How did God use Moses in connection with the ten plagues?

²⁴ Well, during the ten plagues God informed Moses ahead of time as to what he was going to do. Moses, in turn, told Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Then it came to pass just as Moses had said. Each plague was foretold by Moses, and then each plague occurred just as foretold, and on time. Finally, with the death of the firstborn ones of Egypt, Pharaoh let Israel go. But he was like Satan, not giving up in his efforts, and he was destroyed with his army as Jehovah delivered Israel through the Red Sea.​—Ex. 14:26-28; Ps. 136:15.

25. Why was Moses’ proclamation of the plagues ahead of time essential to God’s purpose, and what did it accomplish?

²⁵ The news proclaimed by Moses was good news to the enslaved people of God, and good news also to those Egyptians who heard with faith. These, a “vast mixed company,” went up out of Egypt with Israel. (Ex. 12:38) It also played a large part in letting the Egyptians know that “there is no one else like Jehovah our God.” (Ex. 8:10) It proved before all that Jehovah was ‘executing judgments on all the gods of Egypt.’ (Ex. 12:12) Moses’ proclamation was very essential. If God had acted in bringing the plagues without prior announcement, the Egyptians might well have concluded that they had offended their own gods, among whom were gods over the fruitage of the field, over cattle, gods of the sun, the rain and the firstborn, and so forth. But when the plagues came, they knew better, because the plagues occurred in the time and in the way that Moses had previously announced. Their gods were powerless to protect them.

26. How is there a similarity in the proclamation of the good news today, and in the reaction of the nations to it?

²⁶ Likewise, the good news about the established kingdom of God and its deliverance of mankind in this generation is most essential and is being heard, particularly in the lands called Christendom. In the eyes of the people, it is not the BIG issue yet. But God is going to force the nations to take a definite position. For all the nations desire their own national sovereignty. But the proclaimers of the good news stand for God’s sovereignty. The nations “will also have to know that a prophet himself had proved to be in the midst of them.”​—Ezek. 33:33.

27. What does Daniel’s prophecy show that the “king of the north” will do toward the proclaimers of the good news?

²⁷ As an example of the seriousness with which the nations will take the proclamation of the good news, note the action that the prophecy says will be precipitated on the part of the dictatorial, totalitarian bloc of nations, spoken of in the Scriptures as the “king of the north.” Daniel’s prophecy states about this “king”: “There will be reports that will disturb him, out of the sunrising and out of the north, and he will certainly go forth in a great rage in order to annihilate and to devote many to destruction. . . . and he will have to come all the way to his end, and there will be no helper for him.” (Dan. 11:44, 45) Commenting on this passage, the Watch Tower Society’s book “Your Will Be Done on Earth” states:

“Up to now . . . [Jehovah’s witnesses] have been reporting on Jehovah’s universal sovereignty, on the establishment of his kingdom by Christ at the close of the ‘appointed times of the nations’ in 1914, and on the coming ‘war of the great day of God the Almighty’ . . .

“Since the reports really issue forth from Jehovah and through his reigning King Jesus Christ, it is Scripturally well said that the reports are out of the north and the east. . . . (Ps. 75:6, 7; 48:2; . . . Isa. 46:10, 11) So, not merely the reports, but also the forces of destruction will come from those directions upon the king of the north. As the reports must reach this king by means of Jehovah’s visible earthly channel of newsreporting, so as to infuriate the king to his ruinous course, this prophecy makes one thing clear: Jehovah’s sanctuary class and their great crowd of fellow worshipers will persist in obeying Matthew 24:14 by preaching ‘this good news of the Kingdom’ in all the inhabited earth.”

28. How did the activities of Jesus and Paul produce a reaction similar to that which the good news will produce upon the nations?

²⁸ These reports not only have been proclamations of the good news, but have been accompanied by records of the great number of persons running into the strong protective tower of Jehovah’s name, and worshiping at his great spiritual temple. (Prov. 18:10; Isa. 2:2-4) These reports instill fear, not only in the “king of the north,” but also in the opposing bloc of nations, the “king of the south.” The reports become a big issue, moving them to action. It was a similar attitude that the Jews took toward Jesus, saying: “If we let him alone this way, they will all put faith in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” (John 11:48) Again, they said, in fear: “See! The world has gone after him.” (John 12:19) Also of Paul and his companion preachers of the good news, they said, in Thessalonica: “These men that have overturned the inhabited earth are present here also.” (Acts 17:6) So in order to stop the proclaimers of the good news the nations will act, to their final destruction.

29, 30. How do the declarers of the good news feel about the coming attack of the nations?

²⁹ Therefore, it is nothing unexpected that the nations of earth will attack those who declare the good news, because these nations hate God’s sovereignty. But the preachers of the good news know that they are standing for the right side of the issue, the successful, God-backed side, and they continue to give the fullest possible publicity to the all-important good news.

³⁰ Where do you stand in this matter? Are you one who believes the good news? Do you have the spirit of declaring it to others? How and where? This will be the subject of the following discussion.

[Footnotes]

Do You Have the Evangelizing Spirit?

1. Why is the work of proclaiming the good news one of the most important works done on earth?

THE work of proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom is one of the most important works that has ever been done on earth. Why? Because it is the “touchstone” by which mankind is judged. Acceptance of and obedience to the good news result in salvation; rejection and disobedience mean destruction.

2, 3. (a) Give an example of how the good news reveals the real attitude of a person. (b) What questions regarding the good news can a person beneficially ask himself?

² For example, a person may be very religious. He may appear to have a fine personality, to be generous, humanitarian. But his reaction to the good news reveals whether he is really a friend of God. For God knows the hearts of men. “Every way of a man is upright in his own eyes,” says the writer of Proverbs, “but Jehovah is making an estimate of hearts.” (Prov. 21:2) A Christian must have a fine personality, but regardless of that or any other characteristic, if he does not have love for God and for his fellowman, he is nothing.​—1 Cor. 13:1-3.

³ Do you accept the good news? Are you obedient to it? Do you desire to tell it to others? Is it necessary for you to proclaim the good news in order to be obedient to it?

IMPORTANCE OF THE EVANGELIZING SPIRIT

4. Why should we want to proclaim the good news?

⁴ Anything we receive as good news we naturally want to tell to others, and we often do so out of the sheer joy of speaking it. However, the good news of the Kingdom prompts us to tell it to others, not only through joy, but also through love for our fellowman. The evangelizing spirit is one of love for God and neighbor. The good news means life to the receiver, and so it is essential that it be proclaimed far and wide. The apostle Paul wrote, in one of his earliest inspired letters, that at Christ’s revelation from heaven “those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus” would “undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction.”​—2 Thess. 1:8, 9.

5. How did the apostle Peter show the importance of the good news?

⁵ The apostle Peter stressed the importance of knowing and obeying the good news when he spoke of Christians being judged, saying: “Now if it [judgment] starts first with us, what will the end be of those [professed Christians] who are not obedient to the good news of God?” He added: “And if the righteous man is being saved with difficulty, where will the ungodly man and the sinner make a showing?” (1 Pet. 4:17, 18) Accordingly, the spirit that the proclaimer of the good news must have is, not merely to proclaim it, but to get it firmly fixed in the hearts of the hearers. Why? Because even the righteous man among professed Christians will be saved only “with difficulty.”

6. How does the Bible use the term “evangelizer” in a special sense?

⁶ The Greek word used in the Bible for “good news” is eu·ag·geʹli·on, or “evangel.” The Bible uses the term “evangelizer” with respect to certain designated ones, for it tells us that Jesus, when he ascended to heaven, gave gifts in men, “some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelizers, some as shepherds and teachers, with a view to the readjustment of the holy ones, for ministerial work, for the building up of the body of the Christ.” (Eph. 4:11, 12) These “evangelizers” appear to have been given God’s spirit in a specially strong way in preaching, training and building up others. Philip was one of these.​—Acts 21:8, 9.

7. How should all proclaimers of the good news be, in a general sense, evangelizers?

⁷ Nevertheless, all proclaimers of the good news are, in a general sense, evangelizers. They should certainly have the evangelizing spirit. They should declare the good news, but not stop there. They should do all they can to train and build up others so that these, in turn, can have the same strong spirit. To accomplish this they will need to use every occasion and opportunity to talk about the good news. The first-century Christians provide many examples for us.

PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS IN THE FIRST CENTURY

8. How and where did Jesus do evangelizing work?

⁸ Jesus himself “went journeying from city to city and from village to village, preaching and declaring the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him.” (Luke 8:1) Nearly all Jesus’ travels were on foot. He on occasion sent his disciples ahead of him so that the village or city would be expectant and ready to listen to him. (Luke 10:1) He taught where he could reach people. It might be in a village, at the temple in Jerusalem, in a private home, in his own place of residence, in the synagogues, on the seashore, on a mountain. And he spoke to those he met on the road, or while resting​—in short, at any time and place where people were.​—Matt. 5:1; 13:1, 2; 26:6-13; Mark 2:1, 2; 3:1-5; John 4:6-10.

9, 10. How did Philip do evangelizing, and how might he be compared to certain of Jehovah’s witnesses today?

⁹ Some of the evangelizers in the first century did quite a lot of traveling. They went to places where God revealed there was a need for their services. We read that Philip went down to Samaria. After he had done good work there he was directed by Jehovah’s angel to go to the south to the road that led from Jerusalem to Gaza. There he explained the good news to an Ethiopian eunuch. God’s spirit directed him from there to Ashdod and “he went through the territory and kept on declaring the good news to all the cities until he got to Caesarea.” (Acts 8:4-40) There we find him later in a home, a man with a family.​—Acts 21:8, 9.

¹⁰ Philip might be compared, in a way, to the “pioneers,” “special pioneers” and missionaries among Jehovah’s witnesses, who have a special commission to preach. But a fine evangelizing spirit is shown by those who move their homes to places where there is a greater need for some to preach. Some of these have families, as did Philip.

11. How did Paul do evangelizing?

¹¹ Paul was one of the greatest evangelizers. He traveled widely in Asia and Europe, declaring the good news everywhere he went. He tried to preach mainly where the good news had not been declared. In some places he stayed for quite a time, to establish and strengthen congregations. It is interesting to note that in this evangelizing activity Paul supported himself financially by working at a trade.​—2 Cor. 10:13-16; Acts 18:1-4; 19:8-10; 1 Cor. 9:15-18.

EVANGELIZING DOES NOT NECESSARILY INVOLVE TRAVELING

12. Is traveling an essential part of evangelizing?

¹² While it is true that these evangelizers, for the most part, did considerable traveling, it is not necessary to travel to another location to preach if we have the evangelizing spirit. For the spirit of evangelizing is not the spirit of travel and adventure. Where a person is free from obligations that would prevent his moving, and offers himself to do so, he may be assigned, through those having charge of the preaching work in a country, to a specific place where his services are most needed. There his traveling may end, for he may settle down there, as Philip did in Caesarea, and continue to declare the good news, building up the congregation in that locality. He may remain there for many years, even for a lifetime, as have many of the missionaries of Jehovah’s witnesses.

13. What example shows us that we can do evangelizing without moving from our home locality?

¹³ But some persons may not be able to move, because of family obligations, health or for other reasons. Nevertheless, if they have the evangelizing spirit they can accomplish much good right in the area where they are living. As an example of this, there is a small congregation in the state of Arkansas, United States. A Witness there has lived in the area for many years. His conduct has been such that everyone for miles around knows of his Christian personality, and he has a fine reputation for honesty and uprightness. The congregation is small, but if all those who heard and accepted the good news by reason of his preaching and example had remained in the area, there would be a congregation of great size for that small community. But this man and his wife worked so hard, and set such a fine example of love and Christian living, and did such good training of new ones who accepted the good news, that they instilled the evangelizing spirit in their hearers to the extent that they, in turn, moved out to places where the need is greater. A surprising number have gone from this congregation to the Gilead missionary school and have been sent to foreign lands to serve. Should this man and his wife be discouraged because they could not travel to places where the good news did not have such intensive publicity? By no means. Jehovah has richly blessed them, and their work at home has had a worldwide effect.

14. If you have the evangelizing spirit, how do you have plenty of opportunity to preach right in the locality of your home?

¹⁴ So, wherever you are, you have unlimited opportunities to preach. There is the door-to-door preaching of the good news. Then there are those whom you may rarely, if ever, meet at their homes. These you may see in your daily work, at your shop or in your travels. You find them sitting in cars in parking lots, gasoline filling-station lines, in parks. If you have the spirit of wanting to share the good news with others, you do not always have to have a formal arrangement, or a set time. You are a witness of Jehovah all the time! You tell others the good news because it is in your heart, and you find yourself talking about it or making opportunities to talk about it under all circumstances.​—Jer. 20:9.

EVANGELIZING MEANS MORE THAN MERE PROCLAMATION

15. How is there more to the evangelizing spirit than merely telling the good news to others?

¹⁵ Now, there is more to the evangelizing spirit than merely telling others the good news. There is much depth of meaning in the good news, and some things are “hard to understand.” (2 Pet. 3:16) It requires thinking on your part to determine how to put these points across to your student of the good news. Not only this, but it is one thing to help to get mental knowledge and another to get things into the heart. You will notice that, in Jesus’ illustration of the sower, the seed fell where? On hearts. You as a preacher of the good news want to cultivate that seed in the heart of your student.​—Matt. 13:19.

16. How was Paul a fine example of a real evangelizer?

¹⁶ An evangelizer must have affection for people, even as the apostle Paul demonstrated, and which he describes, saying: “Having a tender affection for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not only the good news of God, but also our own souls, because you became beloved to us.” (1 Thess. 2:8) Paul and his associates exerted every fiber of their being toward those in Thessalonica who accepted the good news. Paul’s time and energies were theirs, and he wished and tried with all his heart to make them have the same all-consuming love of the good news by living it in every aspect of their lives.

17. If you have the true evangelizing spirit, how will you view and work with those to whom you declare the good news?

¹⁷ Do you feel and work that way toward those to whom you take the good news? If so, you will not be selfish toward them. You will not count them as your “sheep,” but will care for them as belonging to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Chief Shepherd. (1 Pet. 5:1-4) You will try to instill in them the spirit of God. You will try to acquaint them as much as possible with others of the congregation, for you realize that “there are varieties of gifts, but there is the same spirit; and there are varieties of ministries, and yet there is the same Lord; and there are varieties of operations, and yet it is the same God who performs all the operations in all persons. But the manifestation of the spirit is given to each one for a beneficial purpose.” (1 Cor. 12:4-7) You will appreciate that you do not have all the abilities nor all the manifestations of Jehovah’s spirit. But you know that by association with the congregation, newly interested persons will be where Jehovah’s spirit is most concentrated and will be brought along to maturity by that association.

BUILDING AND TRAINING

18. At what are you aiming in studying the Bible with a person?

¹⁸ The evangelizing spirit is not measured in the amount of time devoted to preaching to others. It includes the effectiveness of one’s building up and training others. A person with whom you study may be grasping some of the fundamental doctrines, such as the truth of an earthly paradise, the fallacies of such doctrines as immortality of the human soul, hellfire of torment and the Trinity. He may get a good head knowledge about these things. He may be able to answer the questions in the study quite well. But you are not aiming principally at the head but at the heart. What, then, are the things you want to instill in his heart to make him a sound, mature Christian?​—Heb. 6:1-3.

19. (a) Name some of the very vital things that you will keep in mind to inculcate into your student’s heart. (b) How should he come to view God?

¹⁹ You will want to check constantly and keep ever in mind the following vital points, and it is up to you to work hard to help the one you are studying with to see them: Is your student coming to know Jehovah, that is, does he understand why Jehovah is having the good news brought to him and to others? Does he understand why God has let wickedness continue for a time and why he does not act according to human desire, to wipe it out immediately? Does he see clearly the issue of Jehovah’s sovereignty, and the loving-kindness of God in allowing time to be taken in settling the issue? Does he see that the things that are happening in the earth hurt God much more than they hurt us? that God, though able to bring an end to bad things, restrains himself for mankind’s own benefit? (Compare Genesis 6:3, 5-7.) Does he discern that all the good qualities that we possess to some degree, God has to a far greater degree​—love, appreciation, feeling, considerateness, mercy, patience? Does he view God as a close friend, as one willing to do whatever is good for him? He must come to know God as an Appreciator of those who serve him even in the smallest service that they render from the heart. He that pleases God must believe that he is the Rewarder of those who seek him. (Heb. 11:6) He is that kind of God. All those with the true evangelizing spirit know this to be true, and so they endeavor to instill this same desire in others to love and serve Him for his matchless qualities.​—Ex. 34:6, 7; Ps. 145:8-21.

20, 21. (a) What do we want our Bible students to gain? (b) How can we help them to develop a personal relationship with God, rather than looking to us as their teacher?

²⁰ So, when teaching and training those accepting the good news, you should ever keep these things uppermost in mind, and constantly be inculcating them in the hearts of your hearers. You want them to gain maturity, which includes the ability to discern both right and wrong. (Heb. 5:14) Whatever you teach them, whatever point they learn, relate it to Jehovah’s love, mercy, compassion and other qualities. Bring them to see that Jehovah is the one interested in them, that he is the one helping them, and that all they learn comes from that great Source, and out of his consideration for them.

²¹ Lead your students to know that they can have a personal relationship with God. It is not impersonal doctrine they are learning, nor is it because of their own intelligence or goodness that they are able to understand. It is God’s interest in mankind that has brought them to see the good news. Show them what a divine favor it is that God has seen fit to permit them to see and understand; without the operation of his spirit the good news would never have been made understandable to them. The wise men of this world are highly intelligent, but they cannot understand the good news. (Matt. 11:25; 1 Cor. 1:19-21) Let them know that you are only an instrument to bring things to their attention. It is Jehovah who is the Grand Instructor of his people.​—Isa. 30:20; 54:13.

22. How can we equip our student for the persecution he will face?

²² You realize, when you are teaching and training a newly interested person, that he is going to encounter opposition, even persecution. Prepare him for this, and show him why persecution comes, and why God allows it. Help him to understand Bible texts showing that those receiving persecution are highly favored. It is a proof of God’s spirit upon one. It is not something to be ashamed of or downcast about, but, rather, something over which he should leap for joy. (Matt. 5:11, 12; Phil. 1:27, 28; 2 Tim. 1:8; Jas. 1:2, 12; 1 Pet. 4:12-14) Strengthen him against possible opposition from family or friends with Jesus’ words at Mark 10:29, 30. You can encourage him to endure in faithfulness in the hope that he may eventually be able to bring salvation to those near and dear to him.

23. What important thing should we not overlook before encouraging Bible students to engage with us in the field service, and how can we handle this matter?

²³ Since the evangelizing spirit includes training, we, in making disciples to be like their Master Jesus Christ, must see that they qualify to become preachers of the good news. People should not be invited to engage with the members of the congregation in preaching before they fully clean up their lives so as to qualify. They must understand that all must be clean who bear the vessels of Jehovah. (Isa. 52:11; 2 Cor. 7:1) They must see that having the “mark” of the Christian personality is what pleases God and prevents his anger from coming upon them.​—Ezek. 9:4-6; Eph. 4:23, 24.

24, 25. (a) What kind of people only does God want to serve him? (b) Can we demand that a Bible student stop all his bad habits and practices at once, or what?

²⁴ God wants people to serve him who are Christians through and through. He is not interested in quantity, in merely having a great number of preachers of the good news. But he is drawing out from this corrupt system of things those who will clean up. His spirit, which he puts upon those who obey him, is a force for cleanness. If a person follows any course that is unclean, he is going contrary to the purpose for which God sends forth his spirit, and that spirit will not back him up.​—1 Thess. 4:7, 8.

²⁵ So it is wise to implant these principles of right living in the hearts of interested persons from the beginning. Of course, they cannot be expected to clean up their lives at once, but the steady drive toward that goal is yours if you have the true evangelizing spirit. This can be done with kindness and tact and without unduly prying into their lives. Your purpose is to know your student and to help him where he needs help. Then you can take him with you, training him to share in proclaiming the good news.

26. What is essential before encouraging a new one to be baptized?

²⁶ Similarly, baptism should not be encouraged until you know that the individual has really cleaned up his life and has lived in this clean condition long enough to indicate that he will not turn back to former bad habits and practices.

27. What are the rewards of having the evangelizing spirit?

²⁷ The evangelizing spirit is one that brings the greatest happiness. There is no greater joy now than being able to uphold Jehovah’s name in an ungodly world, and to bring light and hope to others. And then, when you see those whom you are helping coming to know and to appreciate Jehovah and Jesus Christ and what they have done, your joy is increased. The evangelizing spirit does away with the spirit of jealousy or envy. It rejoices in the spiritual advance of others, particularly of those whom you are helping. You feel in this respect as the apostle Paul desired Timothy to feel: “The things you heard from me with the support of many witnesses, these things commit to faithful men, who, in turn, will be adequately qualified to teach others.”​—2 Tim. 2:2; 1 Cor. 10:24.

28. If you feel somewhat lacking in the evangelizing spirit, what can you do to obtain or increase it?

²⁸ Consequently, all true servants of Jehovah desire to cultivate the evangelizing spirit in themselves and in others. If you desire to intensify this spirit within yourself, associate closely with those who have this fine attitude, and enlist the aid of the elders in the congregation. They will be happy to help you, for they know that it glorifies God and works toward the salvation of themselves and those whom they help.​—1 Tim. 4:16.

[Picture on page 336]

Philip had the evangelizing spirit . . .

[Picture on page 337]

. . . Do you?

Insight on the News

Victory over Crime?

● In 1972 the United States enjoyed its first reported drop in the crime rate in 17 years. The 2-percent decrease stirred talk of a start in ‘winning the war against crime.’ But victory talk faded away when the figures for last year were tallied. Serious crime​—such as murder, rape, aggravated assault, burglary and auto theft—​had jumped 5 percent during 1973. That means that over 6,100,000 crimes took place, about 19,400 for each day of the year.

Now a recent survey released by the federal Law Enforcement Assistance Administration and Census Bureau shows the problem to be more mammoth than police figures indicated. The survey reveals that the amount of crime reported and the amount taking place are two different things. Twice as many serious crimes actually happen in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Detroit as are reported. In Philadelphia the amount of crime was five times as great as police records showed.

Can new laws, bigger police forces, new detection methods for preventing crimes turn the tide? No, since crime, as an editorial in “The Wall Street Journal” said, is “an outward expression of a society’s character, attitudes and beliefs.” Pointing this up is the fact that the value of things stolen by supposedly “honest” employees annually runs to seventy times more than that taken by outright criminals! It will take a genuinely new society​—one based on love of God and love of neighbor—​for crime to be conquered. That is what the promise of ‘new heavens and a new earth [a new earthly society] in which righteousness is to dwell’ will mean for this planet.​—2 Pet. 3:13.

The Other Détente

● Détente (French word describing “the easing of strained relations”) generally brings to mind the diplomatic maneuverings of the United States with Communist Russia and China. But other maneuverings for détente have kept pace with those of these political nations.

This other détente is that developing between the Vatican and the Communist countries, particularly in eastern Europe. It began back in 1963 when Pope John XXIII, shortly before his death, gave a papal audience to Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev’s daughter and son-in-law. Since then the Vatican has received visits from such leaders as Soviet president Nikolai Podgorny (in 1967) and Romanian president Nikolae Ceausescu. It has negotiated agreements with Communist Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland, and exchanged envoys with Yugoslavia. In Hungary, three priests who had been excommunicated for joining the Communist Parliament were reinstated in 1971.

Then, in February of this year, another major step was taken when Pope Paul removed anti-Communist Cardinal Mindszenty from being religious Primate of Hungary. As the Italian newspaper “II Messaggero” reported, the action was taken to remove the “main obstacle to the development of relations between the Holy See and . . . the [Hungarian] Communist government.” Vatican sources expect diplomatic overtures to Marxist rulers to continue.

All of this represents quite a flip-flop from a quarter of a century ago when Pius XII decreed excommunication for all “atheistic Communists.” Like apostate Israel of old, the Vatican is now casting out “feelers” in many directions in a vain hope of finding security.​—Hos. 7:11; Ezek. 16:26, 28, 29.

Making Ends Meet

● Back in 1937 the average United States family of four needed about $30 a week to cover living costs, according to a Gallup Poll taken that year. Now the figure is $152. Food prices especially keep rising. People in Europe, Japan, Canada and other “advanced” countries are similarly affected. Meat on the table becomes steadily scarcer.

But, of the one billion persons living in the wealthier nations of earth, how many realize that they feed and fatten their livestock with just about as much grain as another two billion humans on earth eat directly for food?

The period may be near when we will all have to recognize that what we rightly ask for is, not ‘our daily cut of meat,’ but simply ‘our daily bread.’ (Matt. 6:11) With a right viewpoint, however, if we have “sustenance and covering, we shall be content with these things.”​—1 Tim. 6:8.

What Prevents You from Getting Baptized?

HAVE you been studying the Bible with one of Jehovah’s witnesses for some time? Have you become convinced that what you are learning is the truth? Do you associate with the Witnesses at their Kingdom Halls, and, as you have opportunity, are you telling others what you are learning? But have you until now let something prevent you from getting baptized?

You probably attended one of the 140 “Divine Victory” assemblies that were held during the past twelve months. At these, a total of 81,830 Bible students took advantage of the opportunity to get baptized. This year even more district assemblies will be held, some sixty in the United States alone. At each one of these there will again be an opportunity for persons like yourself to get baptized​—in most cases, on the Friday morning included in the assembly dates.

True, for you to get baptized will not be a case of following the line of least resistance. You may have obstacles in your way. But nothing worth while comes easy. Overcoming the obstacles will demonstrate your sincerity of belief. Are you up in years? Old age did not keep a ninety-five-year-old Russian woman, together with her sixty-two-year-old daughter, from getting baptized at Yankee Stadium last year. Neither did it keep another person eighty-five years old from getting baptized along with his sixteen-year-old grandson.

Or do you have family opposition? This obstacle also has been overcome by many. Thus one woman went ahead with plans to get baptized even though her husband threatened to divorce her if she did. As a last resort, he took her to see a Jesuit priest. The priest told him, ‘The Witnesses love God a little more than we do, so leave your wife alone.’ The priest also told him, ‘If you divorce your wife you really are not a Christian.’ The upshot was that the husband stated, “I’ll live with it, but I won’t change my religion.” Among others baptized at these assemblies was a husband who, at one time, had threatened to kill his wife if she became a Witness. Her not holding back in fear resulted in his getting baptized, just a year after she did.

Does a physical handicap seem to keep you from getting baptized? Well, more than one wheelchair candidate was baptized at one of these past assemblies, they being lifted in and out of the water. One of these was a young man who was paralyzed from the waist down, due to a bullet wound he once received from his own mother when he was trying to kill her with a knife while he was under the influence of drugs. Cerebral palsy did not prevent a mother of three children from getting baptized, nor did blindness prevent a seventy-two-year-old retired truck driver from symbolizing his dedication by baptism.

Even as the Gentile army officer Cornelius accepted Christianity and was baptized in the first century, so in this twentieth century a number of men of the military resigned from the armed forces so as to be able to get baptized, in keeping with Isaiah 2:4. One of these was a master sergeant who had only four more months of service before he could retire on a fine pension, another soldier after having served seventeen years, and another after having served twenty years resigned and was baptized.

What about your former religious background? Does it make you hesitate? Then consider what others have done. A formerly devout Catholic, having been reared in a convent, was baptized at an assembly this past year. Also, a man who had taught religion for years in a Catholic school was baptized; another who had been a Baptist preacher; and a woman who had been an Indian medicine practitioner. Still others had been “Jesus freaks,” atheists, Buddhists, practicers of yoga, of spiritism, and so forth. There were also some who had formerly made money their god, had piled up great wealth or were ambitious to become millionaires.

In the past have you had a moral problem? Many others have overcome these problems in order to be baptized. Quite a number had once belonged to such notorious motorcycle bands as “Hell’s Angels,” others had been promiscuous hippies, quite a few had been drug addicts, some even peddlers of the same, others had been alcoholics from youth up. One had been a go-go girl, another a Spanish flamenco dancer whose job required her to entice men in a cabaret. Others had lived in fornication or were bigamists. Some had been burglars and thieves. And most of these had also been enslaved to the tobacco habit, which they had to overcome, but not without great effort. This calls to mind what the apostle Paul wrote. After enumerating various vices that keep people out of God’s kingdom, he concludes with the observation, “yet that is what some of you were.” But even as did those Corinthian Christians in the first century, so these who were baptized at one of the “Divine Victory” assemblies made a radical change in their way of life and are now rejoicing in their dedicated service to Jehovah God.​—1 Cor. 6:9-11.

You understand, of course, that one does not qualify for baptism overnight, as it were. You should not get baptized on the spur of the moment because of hearing some eloquent appeal by an emotional speaker. No, you must first take in knowledge of Jehovah God and of Jesus Christ for a period of time. You must learn that Jehovah is the one true God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, and that his Son Jesus Christ died for your sins so that you might gain eternal life.​—John 17:3.

This knowledge brings with it an invitation to repent, to change your attitude toward your past course. You must feel deep regret and so stop going in the wrong, selfish course. You must reject it and determine to take a right course; true repentance involves both a change of mind or viewpoint and a change of heart, of feeling and of motive. Such repentance, however, is needed in regard to more than such uncleanness as sexual immorality, and addiction to drugs and tobacco. One must also reject a selfish, self-centered attitude and way of life, for that also is sin.

Such genuine repentance leads to conversion, to turning about-face and going in the opposite direction. Now you are concerned as to what God commands and what God forbids you to do, and you are endeavoring to bring your life into harmony with God’s requirements for you. If you have come this far you are in position to make a valid dedication of yourself to do God’s will and to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and be baptized. Yes, Jesus now invites you: “If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself and pick up his torture stake and continually follow me.”​—Matt. 16:24.

If you have no serious impediment to your getting baptized, such as a lack of basic knowledge of God’s will for you, or a way of life that is out of line with Bible principles, but you profess to love God and yet you hold back from Christian baptism, really your course is inconsistent. How so? In that getting baptized is a command: “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them . . . teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:19, 20) Likewise the apostle Peter commanded the repentant Jews who had heard him preach on the day of Pentecost, “Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.” (Acts 2:38) He also commanded that Cornelius and his family be baptized. (Acts 10:48) Likewise after Ananias witnessed to Saul of Tarsus, at which time Saul regained his sight, Ananias said to him: “And now why are you delaying? Rise, get baptized and wash your sins away by your calling upon his name.” In fact, we cannot get a good conscience with Jehovah God unless we dedicate ourselves to do his will and get baptized in symbol of such dedication.​—Acts 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21.

Besides, from what you have learned about the greatness and goodness of your Creator, Jehovah God, you have love for him, do you not? Would you not consider it a privilege to bring joy to his heart? God’s Word tells us that it makes Jehovah’s heart rejoice when we take a wise course, which, first of all, includes our dedicating ourselves to do his will and getting baptized. “Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice, that I may make a reply to him that is taunting me.”​—Prov. 27:11.

True, even though it is a divine command and his expressed will, yet Jehovah God does not force anyone to serve him. He gives you the opportunity to choose between life and death, between the blessing and the malediction, between the course that is right and loving and the course that is wrong and selfish, even as he gave the Israelites of old the opportunity to choose. And because of his love for you he urges you to make the wise and loving choice.​—Deut. 30:19, 20.

Or are you delaying to be baptized because you fear that having once left off all the works of the flesh, including such things as the tobacco habit, you may yet return to them and suffer the consequences? Such an attitude shows a lack of faith and understanding. How so? Because Jehovah has promised: “No temptation has taken you except that which is common to men. But God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but along with the temptation he will also make the way out in order for you to be able to endure it.” What more could you want?​—1 Cor. 10:13.

Yes, take the step of faith, and back up your faith by works. Then you will find Jehovah God true to his promise. He will help you. As the apostle Paul found true in his own life, so will you be able to say: “For all things I have the strength by virtue of him who imparts power to me.” (Phil. 4:13) Jehovah gives us guidance and strength through his inspired Word, the Holy Bible, by means of his holy spirit or active force, and through his visible organization, the local congregation and its body of elders.​—Zech. 4:6; Matt. 24:45-47.

With the help of these you will be able to live up to your dedication to do God’s will in spite of the inborn weaknesses of your flesh, in spite of the machinations of the Devil and his demons, and in spite of the temptations brought on by this wicked system of things.​—Eph. 6:11-18.

If after reading the foregoing you see your privilege of getting baptized, then the thing for you to do is to see the presiding overseer of the congregation with which you are associated for further information. Do not be like one Bible student who got baptized at the “Divine Victory” assembly but who first heard the Kingdom message back in 1951 and yet waited twenty-two years, not getting baptized until 1973. Remember, time now is really running out! Let nothing prevent you from getting baptized!​—Matt. 24:34.

A Question Settled Never to Rise Again

CAN you be sure of what your attitudes and loyalties will be in the future? You may at present be very conscientious, faithful and loyal to what you believe. But can you be so sure of yourself as to say, “I know I’ll be the same ten or twenty years from now”?

People who have served God have always recognized their imperfections and the unreliability of their hearts. The prophet Jeremiah said: “The heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate. Who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9) The apostle Paul said that he had to carry on a constant fight against his own imperfect inclinations in order to maintain a firm, loyal standing before God.​—1 Cor. 9:27; Rom. 7:15, 16.

But cannot a person attain to a state of knowing that he will remain faithful forever without deviating from loyalty to God? Can he know that God will never have cause to use His power to put him to death?

Jehovah God purposes to provide such assurance for those who love him. He is able to arrange a test that is as perfect as are his creative works. Those who successfully pass that test will demonstrate thereby that they are of ever-enduring faithfulness. The test will come, however, not on imperfect, sinful people, ‘the inclination of whose hearts is bad from their youth up.’ (Gen. 8:21; Jas. 4:5) Instead, the test will come on people recovered from sin​—perfected people on a righteous earth.

In recent issues of this magazine we have discussed the destruction of the present wicked system of things and the thousand-year reign of Christ to follow. During that thousand-year period the survivors and the billions of resurrected mankind will have full opportunity to be relieved of the sin that Adam brought on the human race, causing imperfection and death.

What will be the conditions on earth at the end of the thousand-year reign of Christ? The human family will stand perfect before Jesus Christ. Those who were rebellious during the thousand years will have been destroyed. (Rev. 20:12, 15) The obedient ones, who formerly had “beastlike” personalities, will have made over their personalities and will be fully in harmony with the laws and conditions of that righteous system of things. (Eph. 4:23, 24) The animal creation will again be brought into complete subjection. All animal life will have the fear and respect for man restored as it was originally. (Gen. 1:28; Hos. 2:18) As it was in the beginning in Eden, even the wild animals will bring no harm to man or his possessions. (Isa. 11:6-9) Peace will reign among all living things.​—Psalm 148.

The death inherited by mankind from sinful Adam will have been ‘brought to nothing.’ (1 Cor. 15:26) Thus, no longer will anyone die of Adamic death. It will have been done away with, as illustrated in another way in the book of Revelation. There death is shown as being hurled into the “lake of fire,” to its own “death,” its destruction.​—Rev. 20:14, 15; compare Revelation 21:1-4.

In the light of these facts we can understand the parenthetical statement in Revelation 20:5: “(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.)” The ministrations of Christ and his 144,000 associate kings and priests, who shared in the “first resurrection,” have brought them, “the rest of the dead,” to real, actual fullness of perfect life at this point of time.

JEHOVAH’S DIRECT KINGSHIP COMES

As humankind will then stand before Christ they will be in a condition similar to that of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They will possess perfect life. But the question remains: Who will be worthy of the grant and guarantee, the assurance of everlasting life in the paradise earth? With perfect control of all their faculties, will any of them do anything of their own accord, willfully, to deserve death under Jehovah’s judgment? The apostle Paul describes what next takes place:

“Next, the end, when he [Christ] hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power. For he must rule as king until God has put all enemies under his feet. As the last enemy, death is to be brought to nothing. For God ‘subjected all things under his feet.’ But when he says that ‘all things have been subjected,’ it is evident that it is with the exception of the one [Jehovah God] who subjected all things to him. But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him, that God may be all things to everyone.”​—1 Cor. 15:24-28.

Up to this point Jesus Christ has been judging mankind. His Messianic kingdom has been operating as a subsidiary kingdom to God’s kingdom, for God’s sovereignty is always supreme. But now there remains no subsidiary kingdom intervening between Jehovah and mankind. How will mankind react to God’s direct Kingship? They stand wholly before God, with no priest between. Will they have their names permanently written in the “scroll of life”? It is only God who can determine that. Only God can say who has the right to live in his universe forever. Such faithful ones will be revealed by a test of heart integrity and allegiance. This test will enable God and also all intelligent creation, including the angelic hosts, to know them thoroughly, in every aspect. He will be sure of their unbreakable loyalty.

That Jehovah can be fully confident in those whom he “knows” in this way is illustrated in the case of Jesus Christ. This Son of God had lived for untold ages with his Father in heaven before coming to earth. (John 1:1; 8:58) His love and obedience were such that God could go so far as to foretell in advance, without any doubt, that this only-begotten Son of his would remain faithful through the severest trials of integrity.​—Rev. 20:12, 15; Isa. 53:10-12; Rom. 8:33.

How is the test for everlasting life carried out? Revelation 20:7-10 describes it:

“Now as soon as the thousand years have been ended, Satan will be let loose out of his prison, and he will go out to mislead those nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war. The number of these is as the sand of the sea. And they advanced over the breadth of the earth and encircled the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city. But fire came down out of heaven and devoured them. And the Devil who was misleading them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulphur, where both the wild beast and the false prophet already were; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

Satan the Devil and his associate demons have been out of action for the thousand years, unable to interfere with the dispensing of justice and righteousness during that period. Earth’s population has been without such interference from the Devil, the one who, through violent means at his disposal, could keep mankind in general ‘through fear of death subject to slavery all through their lives.’ (Heb. 2:14, 15) Now, for the purposes of the test, Satan will be loosed for “a little while.”​—Rev. 20:1-3.

SOME WILL ATTACK GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY

The issue that Satan will bring up is the same one that he raised in the Garden of Eden, namely, the rightfulness of Jehovah’s sovereignty, which requires absolute obedience of human creatures to God’s laws and prohibitions.

Who are the ones the Devil misleads? They are persons from among perfected humankind who become rebellious. They are “as the sand of the sea,” meaning that they appear to be numberless. This does not imply that the majority of mankind will rebel along with the Devil. The Bible uses this expression with regard to a number indefinite but large enough to make an impression of a big crowd.​—Compare Joshua 11:4; Judges 7:12.

The misled ones are called “nations,” not in the sense that national or racial divisions exist among earth’s perfected population. Rather, it indicates that these rebellious ones separate themselves from the loyal majority, refusing to recognize Jehovah’s sovereignty and attempting to establish an earthly sovereignty of their own, like a national sovereignty. They may even be disunited among themselves, as is generally the case with selfish people grasping for power. So they may have diverse group sovereignties. They are united in one thing, however; that is, in opposing Jehovah’s sovereignty, just as the nations had done a thousand years earlier in the war of Har–Magedon that destroyed the old system of things.​—Rev. 17:13, 14.

These “nations” are said to be in the “four corners of the earth” because they are far off from God’s sovereignty. In a spiritual sense they are far away from those who are loyal to God. God does not become “all things to everyone” in their case.

Their being termed “Gog and Magog” is to describe the spirit they have and the action they take, like that of “Gog of the land of Magog.” The prophet Ezekiel, centuries beforehand, had pointed out that Gog (the Devil), by means of a crowd of people making up the political and military forces of the nations, would attack Jehovah’s people. This took place when Jehovah’s people had been spiritually restored and were dwelling in peace, without literal walls, but trusting in God as their protection. It is now a thousand years since that crowd was destroyed at Har–Magedon. But now a comparable attempt is made. So it is not by a resurrection of people of the Gog-and-Magog nature that the war is waged against God’s sovereignty. Rather, the same spirit manifested by the Gog-and-Magog crowd of a thousand years previous is aroused in some of the perfected humans.

HOW AND WHY THEY MAKE THEIR ATTACK

What do these Gog-and-Magog-like “nations” attack? They cannot reach God in heaven to attack his sovereignty. No, they attack the “holy city.” This is the New Jerusalem. However, this “city,” too, is heavenly, so they cannot literally attack it. But this “city” has, during the thousand years, brought about certain effects, good, righteous effects on earth. The Devil-gathered “nations” want to destroy these effects and thereby to efface God’s sovereignty from the earth, turning all mankind against it.

The prophecy says that these rebellious “nations” will encircle the “camp of the holy ones and the beloved city.” God loves the New Jerusalem, the heavenly city, the name of which is written upon the 144,000 joint heirs and kingly associates of Christ. There are also “holy ones” on earth that love this “city,” namely, those of restored mankind who keep their integrity through this all-deciding test. These are not in the “city” in heaven, but are on earth, in the “camp,” as in a war camp outside a city attacked by enemy warriors. The earthly seat of government representing the heavenly “city” among the “holy ones” during the millennium has been made up of the “princes.” These have been the visible representatives of the heavenly governing body.​—Ps. 45:16; Isa. 32:1, 2.

The “nations” come together for “war” against the holy ones and the beloved city. Is this a war using nuclear weapons or other sophisticated means of destruction? No, for earth’s inhabitants will not have stockpiled such weapons or have learned such war anymore. (Isa. 2:2-4) It will be a war of deceit, misleading propaganda, appeals to selfishness in disloyalty to the Universal Sovereign.

How could such a thing succeed in gaining adherents among people who had lived under the righteous Messianic Kingdom government during the thousand years and who had obediently progressed to perfection? Just as Satan’s effort did with perfect Adam and Eve. Though perfect, they exercised their moral freedom in making a wrong decision. They did not maintain loyalty to God’s sovereignty but let themselves entertain wrong desire, which brought forth the fruitage of sin and death.​—Jas. 1:13-15.

Those who choose to side against God’s sovereignty when Satan is loosed had realized, while they were yet under the Messianic government, that they needed the benefits of Christ’s priesthood and the application of the atonement sacrifice to get rid of the sin and imperfection that was in them. If they had not been wholly willing and obedient, really genuine, the King, Priest and Judge Jesus Christ would have been hesitant to turn them over to the final test. So they are perfect. But, just as it was presented to Eve, so the Devil will make it appear that here is opportunity now to step out on their own, to decide for themselves what is right and wrong. They will be induced to feel that, with their perfection, and with the Messianic Kingdom government no longer over them, they should be allowed to govern themselves as they please. They will strike out, as Adam and Eve did, for independence.

As the “holy ones” stand firm for Jehovah’s sovereignty, desiring it to continue over them forever, God, through Christ, will act against the rebels. Fire will come down out of heaven and devour them.

For passing the thoroughgoing test of their whole-souled integrity to God, the faithful and loyal ones are rewarded with the precious right to have their lives protected and prolonged to all eternity in happiness. They will know that God “knows” them intimately, as he knew his only-begotten Son on earth​—that they are persons of unchanging, unbreakable faith and loyalty forever. They can be sure that they will continue a faithful course pleasing to God and supporting his sovereignty for all the billions of years in the never-ending future.​—Rom. 8:21.

What about the demonic fighters against God? The prophecy of Revelation points out that Satan and his demons are hurled into “the lake of fire.” What this denotes will be the subject of discussion in the next issue of The Watchtower.

Come to the “Divine Purpose” Assembly!

NO QUESTION about it, the purpose of Jehovah God will succeed. It is therefore in our interest to learn how that purpose affects us personally. With that in view, we warmly invite you to attend the “Divine Purpose” District Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

All in attendance will greatly benefit from hearing discussed Biblical information that can prepare them for what we may yet face in the short time remaining before the end of the present system of things and the incoming of God’s new order of righteousness. Recognizing where we are living in the stream of time, we encourage you to get the full benefit from the entire program, not missing any part of it.

Many people today are depressed and disappointed by what they are seeing and experiencing in the world. They ask, ‘Is this life all there is?’ Any who might feel that way can be certain that the program will be most upbuilding and encouraging to them. They will rejoice in coming to know just what has been taking place in the outworking of God’s “eternal purpose.”

In view of all the difficulties and disturbances in the world, you will delight to hear the many sound reasons for putting confidence in God’s purpose. These will especially come to the fore at the climax of the assembly, on Sunday afternoon when the public talk will be delivered. The stirring theme under consideration then will be “Human Plans Failing as God’s Purpose Succeeds.”

Other delightful features of the assembly program include three moving Bible dramas, each with its vital lessons for our time. Doubtless your enjoyment of these dramas would be enhanced by reading beforehand Ac chapters 8 to 28 of the Bible book of Acts, 1 Kings 12:25–13:34, Exodus 12:21–15:25, Numbers 12:1–14:45 and Nu 16:1–17:13.

Each day of the four-day “Divine Purpose” District Assembly two sessions will be held. At most of the assemblies the first session will begin at 9:55 a.m. and last until 1:00 p.m. The afternoon session will begin at 2:55 and last until 5:30 p.m. We encourage you to be on hand each day when the program starts, and to stay until the concluding prayer of thanks has been offered.

Throughout the British Isles, Canada and the United States upward of eighty-five such assemblies will be held, beginning in June. Doubtless one of these assemblies will be within reasonable traveling distance from your home. Now is the time to make definite arrangements to attend.

Do not let yourself be easily discouraged from attending because of obstacles. Last year 2,594,305 were present for these assemblies throughout the world. Among them were many who made sacrifices, but they rejoiced greatly in the spiritual blessings received.

Below are set forth the assembly locations and dates. Watchtower Convention “Rooming” addresses are given for those needing accommodations. It would be well for you, if possible, to make your request for rooms about six weeks before the convention date. Rooming request forms are available at each Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Be assured of a spiritually upbuilding and joyful time as you attend the assembly; the greater your spiritual appetite, the more you will enjoy this spiritual feast.​—Matt. 5:3.

BRITISH ISLES

July 18-21: Sheffield, Yorkshire, Sheffield Wednesday Football Ground, Hillsborough. Rooming: 205 Gibraltar St., Sheffield, S3 8UA.

August 1-4: London, Rugby Union Ground, Whitton Rd., Twickenham. Rooming: Rugby Union Ground, Whitton Rd., Twickenham, Middlesex, TW2 7RQ.

August 8-11: Edinburgh, Scotland, Murrayfield Stadium. Rooming: Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, EH12 5PJ. London, Rugby Union Ground, Whitton Rd., Twickenham. Rooming: Rugby Union Ground, Whitton Rd., Twickenham, Middlesex, TW2 7RQ.

CANADA

July 11-14: Brandon, Man., Keystone Centre, Exhibition Park. Rooming: 834 10th St., Brandon, Man. R7A 4H1. Nanaimo, B.C., Civic Arena, 48 Arena St. Rooming: 305 Prideaux St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2N4. Ottawa, Ont., Civic Centre Arena, Lansdowne Park, Bank St. Rooming: 150 Donald St., Ottawa, Ont. K1K 1M9.

July 18-21: Terrace, B.C., Terrace Arena & Recreation Centre, 3320 Kalum St. Rooming: 2822 Tetrault St., Terrace, B.C. V8G 2W8. Vancouver, B.C., Pacific Coliseum, Exhibition Park. Rooming: 3280 Grandview Hwy., Vancouver, B.C. V5M 2G2.

July 25-28: St. Catharines, Ont., Garden City Raceway, Glendale Ave., off Queen Elizabeth Hwy. Rooming: 134 Louth St., St. Catharines, Ont. L2S 2T4. Toronto, Ont. (English and Greek), Woodbine Race Track, Hwy. 27 & Rexdale Blvd., Rexdale Ont. Rooming: 1 Holley Ave., Weston, Ont. M9N 2C4.

August 1-4: Edmonton, Alta., Edmonton Gardens, Exhibition Grounds, 118th Ave. & 75th St. Rooming: 11845 77th St., Edmonton, Alta. T5B 2G3. London, Ont., Grandstand, Western Fairgrounds. Rooming: 1587 Caledonia St., London, Ont. N5W 2W8. Moncton, N.B., Moncton Coliseum, Killam Dr. Rooming: 15 Granville Dr., Moncton, N.B. E1C 3G5. Saskatoon, Sask., Exhibition Grandstand, Exhibition Grounds. Rooming: 536 2nd Ave. N., Saskatoon, Sask. S7K 2C5.

August 8-11: Québec, P.Q. (French only), Pavillon de la Jeunesse, Parc de l’Exposition. Rooming: 215, rue Anna, Québec, P.Q. G1N 3K5.

August 15-18: Calgary, Alta., Stampede Corral, Exhibition Grounds. Rooming: 804 12th Ave. S.E., Calgary, Alta. T2G 4M2. Montréal, P.Q. (French only), Centre Paul-Sauvé, 4000, rue Beaubien, E. Rooming: 7200, av. Louis-Hébert, Montréal, P.Q. H2E 2W4. St. John’s, Nfld., Feildian Gardens, Pennywell Rd. Rooming: 49 Morris Ave., St. John’s, Nfld. A1C 2M1. Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., The Sault Memorial Gardens, 269 Queen St. E. Rooming: 608 Korah Rd., Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. P6C 2S1.

August 22-25: Montréal, P.Q. (Italian only), Aréna Saint-Michel, 3440, rue Jarry, E. Rooming: 6940, av. Stuart, Montréal, P.Q. H3N 2B1. North Bay, Ont., Memorial Gardens, 100 Chippewa St. E. Rooming: 496 Kehoe St., North Bay, Ont. P1B 5V6.

UNITED STATES

June 20-23: Baton Rouge, La., L.S.U. Assembly Center, Louisiana State University. Rooming: 4405 Hatcher Ave., Baton Rouge, La. 70806. Detroit, Mich., Tiger Stadium, Corner of Michigan & Trumbull. Rooming: Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall, 10709 Grand River Ave., Detroit, Mich. 48204. El Paso, Tex., Sunland Park Race Track, Sunland Park, N. Mex. Rooming: 305 Bird Ave., El Paso, Tex. 79922. Jacksonville, Fla., Memorial Coliseum, 1145 E. Adams St. Rooming: 5135 College St., Jacksonville, Fla. 32205. Laurel, Md., Laurel Race Course, Rte. 1. Rooming: Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall, Sunrise Beach Rd., Crownsville, Md. 21032. Omaha, Neb., Omaha Civic Auditorium, 18th & Capitol Ave. Rooming: 9201 Q St., Omaha, Neb. 68127. Puyallup, Wash., Fairgrounds Grandstand, Corner of Meridian St. & 9th Ave. SW. Rooming: 308 4th St. NE., Puyallup, Wash. 98371. San Antonio, Tex., San Antonio Convention Center, S. Alamo & Market Sts. Rooming: 1603 W. Lullwood Ave., San Antonio, Tex. 78201.

June 21-24: St. Petersburg, Fla. (Note: Friday through Monday), Bayfront Center, 400 1st St. S. Rooming: 4340 78th Ave. N., Pinellas Park, Fla. 33565.

June 27-30: Charlotte, N.C., Charlotte Coliseum, 2700 E. Independence Blvd. Rooming: 1900 Tom Sadler Rd. Charlotte, N.C. 28214. Cincinnati, Ohio, Riverfront Stadium, 201 E. 2nd St. Rooming: 1915 Amsterdam Rd., Ludlow, Ky. 41016. El Paso, Tex. (Spanish only), Sunland Park Race Track, Sunland Park, N. Mex. Rooming: 305 Bird Ave., El Paso, Tex. 79922. Evansville, Ind., Roberts Municipal Stadium, 2600 Division St. Rooming: 941 N. Boeke Rd., Evansville, Ind. 47711. Hammond, Ind. (Spanish only), Hammond Civic Center, 5825 Sohl Ave. Rooming: 636 Conkey St., Hammond, Ind. 46324. Houston, Tex., Sam Houston Coliseum, 810 Bagby St. Rooming: 2029 Harold St., Houston, Tex. 77006. Laurel, Md., Laurel Race Course, Rte. 1. Rooming: Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall, Sunrise Beach Rd., Crownsville, Md. 21032. Little Rock, Ark., Barton Coliseum, Arkansas Livestock Show Grounds, Roosevelt Rd. Rooming: 230 Smokey Ln., North Little Rock, Ark. 72117. Miami, Fla. (Spanish only), Dinner Key Auditorium, 3360 Pan American Dr. Rooming: 2280 SW. 11th St., Miami, Fla. 33135. Milwaukee, Wis., County Stadium, 201 S. 46th St. Rooming: 3879 N. Port Washington Ave., Milwaukee, Wis. 53212. Mobile, Ala., Municipal Auditorium, 401 Auditorium Dr. Rooming: 4059 Halls Mill Rd., Mobile, Ala. 36609. Pullman, Wash., Performing Arts Coliseum, Stadium Way. Rooming: Rte. 2, Box 884, Pullman, Wash. 99163. Puyallup, Wash., Fairgrounds Grandstand, Corner of Meridian St. & 9th Ave. SW. Rooming: 308 4th St. NE., Puyallup, Wash. 98371. St. Petersburg, Fla., Bayfront Center, 400 1st St. S. Rooming: 4340 78th Ave. N., Pinellas Park, Fla. 33565. Springfield, Ill., Fairgrounds Grandstand, Illinois State Fairgrounds. Rooming: Illinois State Fairgrounds, P.O. Box 576, Springfield, Ill. 62705. Utica, N.Y., Utica Memorial Auditorium, Oriskany St. W. Rooming: 910 Kellogg Ave., Utica, N.Y. 13502.

July 4-7: Binghamton, N.Y., Memorial Arena, Stuart Pl. Rooming: 126 S. Washington St., Binghamton, N.Y. 13903. Knoxville, Tenn., Civic Auditorium, 500 Church Ave. SE. Rooming: 1702 Harris Rd. NE., Knoxville, Tenn. 37914. Macon, Ga., Macon Coliseum, 200 Coliseum Dr. Rooming: Corner of Joycliff Rd. & Joe Lynn Dr., Macon, Ga. 31201. Oklahoma City, Okla., Myriad Convention Center, One Myriad Gardens. Rooming: 4620 S. Santa Fe, Oklahoma City, Okla. 73109. Pawtucket, R.I., Narragansett Park Race Track, Rte. 1-A. Rooming: Narragansett Park, 49 Manton St., Pawtucket, R.I. 02861. St. Paul, Minn., Civic Center, 143 W. 4th St. Rooming: 1329 Maryland Ave. E., St. Paul, Minn. 55106. Salt Lake City, Utah, Special Events Center, University of Utah Campus, 20th E. & 4th S. Rooming: 1606 S. 1000 West, Salt Lake City, Utah 84104. San Diego, Calif., San Diego Stadium, 9449 Friars Rd. Rooming: 2035 Adams Ave., San Diego, Calif. 92116. Shreveport, La., Hirsch Memorial Coliseum, State Fairgrounds. Rooming: 7033 Brandtway, Shreveport, La. 71108. Tulsa, Okla., Tulsa Assembly Center, 100 Civic Center. Rooming: 63 N. Yale Ave., Tulsa, Okla. 74115. Utica, N.Y., Utica Memorial Auditorium, Oriskany St. W. Rooming: 910 Kellogg Ave., Utica, N.Y. 13502. Wailuku, Maui, Baldwin High School Auditorium, Kaahumanu Hwy. Rooming: 466 Laau St., Kahului Hawaii 96732.

July 11-14: Allentown, Pa., Fairgrounds Grandstand, 17th & Chew Sts. Rooming: Ehrets Ln. & Harriet Ave., Allentown, Pa. 18103. Anchorage, Alaska, Anchorage West High School, Romig Auditorium, 1700 Hillcrest Dr. Rooming: 420 W. 54th Ave., Anchorage, Alaska 99502. Butte, Mont., Civic Center 1340 Harrison Ave. Rooming: 3220 St. Ann St., Butte, Mont. 59701. Hallandale, Fla., Gulfstream Park Race Track, U.S. Hwy. 1. Rooming: 5632 SW 27th St., Hollywood, Fla. 33023. Lincoln, Neb., Pershing Municipal Auditorium, 15th & N Sts. Rooming: 3700 Vine St., Lincoln, Neb. 68503. Pawtucket, R.I., Narragansett Park Race Track, Rte. 1-A. Rooming: Narragansett Park, 49 Manton St, Pawtucket, R.I. 02861. Portland, Ore. (English and Spanish), Portland Civic Stadium, SW. 18th Ave. & Morrison St. Rooming: 3390 SE. Milwaukie Ave., Portland, Ore. 97202. Roanoke, Va., Civic Center Coliseum, 710 Williamson Rd. NE. Rooming: 823 Whitney Ave. NW., Roanoke, Va. 24012. Rochester, N.Y., Memorial Auditorium, 100 Exchange St. Rooming: 274 Merchants Rd., Rochester, N.Y. 14609. Tucson, Ariz., Tucson Community Center, 260 S. Church Ave. Rooming: 207 W. Flores, Tucson, Ariz. 85705. Tuscaloosa, Ala., Memorial Coliseum, 10th St. & Hackberry Ln. Rooming: P.O. Box 1715, Tuscaloosa, Ala. 35401.

July 18-21: Camden, N.J., Garden State Park Race Track, Rte. 70 & Haddonfield Rd., Cherry Hill, N.J. Rooming: R.D. 1, Box 667-A, Sicklerville, N.J. 08081. Fort Worth, Tex., Will Rogers Memorial Center, 1 Amon Carter Sq. Rooming: 3417 Sydney St., Fort Worth, Tex. 76119. Greenville, S.C., Greenville Memorial Auditorium, 300 E. North St. Rooming: 1000 Rutherford Rd., Greenville, S.C. 29609. Hampton, Va., Hampton Roads Coliseum, 1000 Coliseum Dr. Rooming: Hampton Roads Coliseum, P.O. Box 7309, Hampton, Va. 23366. Hilo, Hawaii, Hilo High School Auditorium, 556 Waianuenue Ave. Rooming: 70 E. Kahaopea St., Hilo, Hawaii 96720. Jersey City, N.J., Roosevelt Stadium, Danforth Ave. & Rte. 440. Rooming: 3316 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, N.J. 07307. Oakland, Calif., Oakland-Alameda County Stadium, Nimitz Fwy. & Hegenberger Rd. Rooming: 1739 8th Ave., Oakland, Calif. 94606.

July 25-28: Jersey City, N.J. (Spanish only), Roosevelt Stadium, Danforth Ave. & Rte. 440. Rooming: 3316 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, N.J. 07307. Los Angeles, Calif., Dodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave. Rooming: Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall, 4310 S. Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90008. New York, N.Y. (French only), Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall, 44-17 Greenpoint Ave., Long Island City, N.Y. Rooming: Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall, 44-17 Greenpoint Ave., Long Island City, N.Y. 11104. Pittsburgh, Pa., Three Rivers Stadium, 420 Stadium Cir. Rooming: 1462 Brookline Blvd., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15226. Pleasanton, Calif. (Spanish only), Pleasanton Fairgrounds, Pleasanton Ave. Rooming: 878 Herman Ave., Livermore, Calif. 94550. San Antonio, Tex. (Spanish only), San Antonio Convention Center, S. Alamo & Market Sts. Rooming: 3023 Monterey St., San Antonio, Tex. 78207.

August 1-4: Honolulu, Oahu, McKinley High School Auditorium, 1039 S. King St. Rooming: 1228 Pensacola St., Honolulu, Hawaii 96814. Queens, N.Y., Aqueduct Race Track, 108-10 Rockaway Blvd., Ozone Park, Queens, N.Y. Rooming: 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201.

August 8-11: Honolulu, Oahu, McKinley High School Auditorium, 1039 S. King St. Rooming: 1228 Pensacola St., Honolulu, Hawaii 96814. Inglewood, Calif. (Spanish only), The Forum, Manchester & Prairie. Rooming: Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall, 3341 W. 43rd Pl., Los Angeles, Calif. 90008. Queens, N.Y., Aqueduct Race Track, 108-10 Rockaway Blvd., Ozone Park, Queens, N.Y. Rooming: 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201.

August 22-25: Lihue, Kauai, Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall. Rooming: P.O. Box 204, Kapaa, Hawaii 96746.

Questions From Readers

● Is it proper for a Christian to accept medical treatment involving a serum prepared from blood?​—Germany.

The Bible is plain as to God’s high regard for blood, showing that He views it as representing the soul or life. (Lev. 17:11, 12, 14) Understandably, then, the divine command given to our common ancestor Noah stated: “Only flesh with its soul​—its blood—​you must not eat.” (Gen. 9:4) Noah and his descendants, including all of us, were not to sustain their lives by using blood as food. And this important outlook was even repeated, showing its application to true worshipers today, for Christians were told: “Keep abstaining . . . from blood and from things strangled.” (Acts 15:29) For this reason we cannot endorse the many modern medical practices employing blood. And we have repeatedly shown that accepting a blood transfusion would unquestionably be contrary to the Bible’s prohibition on the using or eating of blood to sustain one’s life.

Some Christians, though, have been urged on occasion to accept a serum injection prepared from a small quantity of a blood fraction. In order to evaluate this matter, it is helpful to understand just what serums are and why they are used. It is also helpful to understand how serums differ from vaccines.

In the normal course of life humans come in contact with viruses or bacteria that cause disease. For instance, a person may at one time or another be exposed to mumps, measles or tuberculosis. To fight against the assault or attack by viruses or bacteria, the body produces substances called antibodies that attempt to neutralize or reduce the harm done by these invading germs. A person who has these antibodies in his blood for a particular disease is temporarily or permanently safe from contracting this disease.

To provide advance protection, scientists have developed vaccines (toxoids) or inoculations that stimulate a person’s body to produce antibodies against certain diseases. Smallpox, polio, tetanus, cholera, rabies, typhoid fever and yellow fever are some of the diseases for which vaccines or inoculations have been prepared. These vaccines, designed to make one immune to such diseases, are not produced from blood. (For details, see Awake! of August 22, 1965, pages 18 and 19.) Often vaccinations or inoculations, which are not made from blood, are required when children enter school or when tourists or missionaries travel to foreign countries. The objective is to stimulate the producing of antibodies in advance to prevent a person from contracting a certain disease should he be exposed to it.

But what if a person has recently been exposed to a disease or has definitely contracted diphtheria, tetanus, viral hepatitis, rabies or some other disease? Before his body has time to produce the needed antibodies, he might become seriously ill. So doctors have devised a way of providing immediately the antibodies that would help one to resist the disease’s assault. Serums or antitoxins are used. These are obtained from the blood of humans or animals that have already developed the antibodies for fighting the disease. Usually the blood is processed and the blood fraction (gamma globulin) containing the antibodies is separated and made into a serum. When this is injected into the patient it gives him temporary passive immunity.a This is temporary, for the antibodies do not become a permanent part of his blood; when these pass out of his body he is no longer immune to the disease. It can thus be seen that serums (unlike vaccines) contain a blood fraction, though minute.

As initially stated, out of full respect for what the Bible says about blood, we refrain from endorsing any use of it outside the body of the animal or human to whom it naturally belongs. We believe that the use of blood as a transfusion, or the use of a blood component to accomplish a similar purpose, is obviously in conflict with the Scriptural command to “abstain . . . from blood.” (Acts 15:20) What, then, of the use of a serum containing only a minute fraction of blood and employed to supply an auxiliary defense against some infection and not employed to perform the life-sustaining function that blood normally carries out?

We believe that here the conscience of each Christian must decide. Some may feel that accepting such a serum does not constitute an act of disrespect for the sacredness of life and of God as the life Source, that it does not constitute a flouting of God’s expressed will concerning the use of blood to feed the body. On the other hand, the conscience of others may call on them to reject all such serums. Each must answer to God as his or her judge with regard to the reason for one’s conscientious decision.​—1 Cor. 4:4; 2 Cor. 5:10.b

We trust that this review of Bible principles will be helpful and aid in viewing the initial question and related questions in a considerate way. While refraining from approving or condemning in such areas where we believe the decision must be left to individual conscience, we do, nevertheless, urge all to seek to maintain their conscience clean before God, never showing deliberate disrespect for his Word.​—1 Pet. 3:16; 1 Tim. 1:19.

[Footnotes]

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Aid to Bible Understanding is a 1,700-page alphabetical reference work that helps make Bible history meaningful. The volume includes archaeological evidence, such as this engraving of Jewish captives carrying the lampstand on Rome’s Arch of Titus. Under more than 4,000 subject headings its publishers have endeavored to discuss every person, place, plant, river and animal mentioned in the Bible. Only $7, postpaid.

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