Truth Found in Garbage Heap

IN June, 1954, the Watch Tower Society received the following report from two missionaries stationed in Trois-Rivières, Quebec:

“Upon advice from the Society we made a call on Mr. and Mrs. B————. They welcomed us in, he greeting us with a smile, saying: ‘You have come just in time,’ because his phonograph was just concluding the playing of a symphony. Thinking that there might be some mistake, we stated, ‘We are Jehovah’s witnesses, you know.’ ‘Oh yes, I know,’ he replied, although he had never seen us before. ‘I’ve been expecting you and when I saw your brief cases, I was sure you were Jehovah’s witnesses.’

“He told us that he had read the Book of Mormon and was going to return it as it did not interest him. He had also read the Adventist book The Great Controversy, and while in some respects it impressed him, there were many points in it he differed with. Then he had started to read the books of the Watch Tower Society and has been reading them ever since. What particularly impressed him about its books was the way they kept referring to the Bible for proof on every point.

“He seemed to be remarkably well-informed for one who had never spoken with one of Jehovah’s witnesses before and upon being asked the reason why, he told the following: About three years before, he had lived in an apartment in Montreal and someone had thrown out with the garbage the book Enemies. As at this time he was collecting books for his library (he belongs to a number of ‘Book of the Month’ clubs), he picked it up and added it to his library although not reading it at the time. Then his sister acquired two more of the Watch Tower Society’s publications, which he likewise added to his library without reading. But in the spring of 1954 he began to read the first book he had acquired, Enemies. He liked it so much that he read it through again and then read the other two books he had, ‘Let God Be True’ and ‘The Truth Shall Make You Free’.

“He then sent to the Society for various Bible translations and other Bible study aids and subscribed for The Watchtower. He has been reading the books at every opportunity and has been talking so much about the things he reads that everyone at the place where he works calls him one of Jehovah’s witnesses. ‘Of course, I’m not,’ said he, ‘as I consider that a real honor. You know,’ he continued, ‘this is beginning to interfere with my work, because I have no interest in business any more. When I have any spare time, instead of learning more about my business, I just read one of these books on the Bible. I’m so glad that you have come so that I can get in touch with a Bible study class.’

“Next he asked about the door-to-door activity. ‘If I were to go from door to door, I wouldn’t know what to say. Isn’t there some sort of training to learn how to do this work?’ We explained about the theocratic ministry school and the service meetings at which Jehovah’s witnesses receive training for the ministry and he was pleased to hear about them. He kept asking many discerning questions and appeared satisfied with the answers we gave him. He also brought up the subject of smoking tobacco and said that although he had quit smoking two months ago he had started in again, as he saw no reason for giving it up. After being told of the Scriptural and medical arguments against it, he said: ‘You know, I kind of thought that all along. Besides, I have been thinking that a lot of money is wasted that could be used for other purposes, such as for buying more of these books.’ We started a Bible study with him and his wife and they promised to come to our congregational meetings.”

The foregoing was written in June, 1954. And since then? Since then they have been diligently studying the truth as well as telling others about the things they have learned, especially their own relatives, as a result of which some of these are now also studying the Bible with Jehovah’s witnesses. Before the end of the year both were engaging in the field ministry and at the first opportunity, at a circuit assembly held at the beginning of this year, they both gave public testimony of having dedicated themselves to Jehovah, by being baptized. The missionaries state that it is a real joy to note their progress and zeal, both in the field and at the congregational meetings.