Gilead Class Appreciates “What Has Religion Done for Mankind”
October 10, 1951
Mr. N. H. Knorr, President,
Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society,
124 Columbia Hts.,
Brooklyn 2, N. Y.
Dear Brother Knorr:
Having just completed a thorough and comprehensive study of the Society’s latest publication, What Has Religion Done for Mankind? we the students of the 18th class of Gilead desire to express to you our gratitude to Jehovah God and to His “faithful and discreet slave” for this excellent provision.
We have found that What Has Religion Done for Mankind? strikes a universal appeal. It has been written for sincere persons, not only of Christendom but also for those of heathendom. From the sound foundation laid in the introductory chapters it traced for us the history of religion for the nearly sixty centuries of mankind’s existence. We learned how the mimic god, Satan, stealthily infiltrated apostate religion to corrupt true worship before the Flood, again in Nimrod’s day, then among the children of Israel, and finally after the death of the apostles in this era since Christ. With joy we watched the triumph time and time again of the true religion over the false kind and its demon gods. Its ring of confidence and the assurance it holds out that pure religion will survive the battle of Armageddon, along with those who practice it, convince us that this is from the hand of Jehovah to guide His people in these crucial days.
The excellent Scriptural argumentation and sound reasoning identify for us undeniably the one pure worship, made known to Jehovah’s servants in a series of divine revelations. We rejoice that these revelations have been faithfully recorded and preserved for us in the Bible. How comforting and assuring to know that the complete victory of true worship is near at hand, when once again throughout all the universe there will be just one true religion, pure and undefiled.
By a study of What Has Religion Done for Mankind? along with the Bible, any honest person will be able to identify all false religion, for here are presented concisely and fairly the fundamental doctrines of the major religions of the world, enabling the seeker for truth to eliminate all false religions and hold fast “the faith that was once for all time delivered to the holy ones”. With this instrument Jehovah’s servants will be equipped for service in any part of the world, among all peoples. Surely Jesus’ promise has been fulfilled: “I will give you forceful speech and wisdom which all your opposers together will not be able to resist or dispute.”—Luke 21:15, NW.
Our appreciation of the truth and of the privileges that are set before us has been enhanced immeasurably. Truly in the words of the final chapter: “[Jehovah is] a God worthy of the gratitude, affection and worship of all creatures with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength. We can love a God like this. Drawn to Jehovah by his matchless loving-kindness, we want to worship and adore such a God as He is.”
We are glad to be the first class at Gilead to have had this publication as one of our textbooks. Being free from bondage of this old world, which is due to end shortly, we have been stirred to desire men of all kinds to obtain this knowledge and to get free. To aid in our obtaining many future home Bible studies in this publication we are particularly pleased with the new feature at the end of the book, entitled “How to Follow Up Your Reading of This Book”. This certainly should move many honesthearted ones to welcome studies. We are resolved to go forward to a more abundant life, helping others to learn the clean, undefiled worship of their Creator through the Anointed Seed, Christ Jesus.
Yours for clean worship,
THE 18TH CLASS AT GILEAD