Experiences in Announcing the Kingdom

Appreciation in Many Lands

● At the first district assembly held by Jehovah’s witnesses in Basutoland, in South Africa, there were 376 present for the public talk. Among those attending the lecture were lawyers, teachers and nurses. The brother of the paramount chief, who was also present, was heard to say at the close of the talk: “Our country needs more of this kind of thing.”

● An elderly lady living in the West Indian Cayman Islands, after having had several Bible studies with Jehovah’s witnesses, gave this testimony in her church: “Brethren, I am begging you all not to drive Jehovah’s witnesses from your doors, for they have the truth.”

● In Nicaragua an atheist schoolteacher attended the Saturday night program of an assembly by Jehovah’s witnesses, concerning which he observed: “Not even we have such a well-arranged program as that, and that is our work.”

● Upon receiving correct answers to his Bible questions a young African in the Camerouns exclaimed: “I told you so! One of Jehovah’s witnesses is worth more than two priests and a bishop together!”

● A person of good will in Japan, after hearing the public Bible lecture, “Pay Attention to Prophecy,” was heard to exclaim: “Only Jehovah could know the future like that!”

● In Liberia a Pentecostal man came to one of Jehovah’s witnesses and said: “The thing I see here I’ve never seen before—a white man staying in a black man’s home, associating and eating together. We also have missionaries. They come to preach to us but they never come to our homes to eat, associate and sleep. We often try to criticize you people, but there is one thing we can’t deny—you love one another, and that really is the way of the truth!”—1961 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Truth Makes Africans Free

● Jesus Christ once said: “If you remain in my word, you are really my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31, 32) How true those words of Jesus really are can be seen from the following experience:

● In certain areas of Liberia the bold preaching of Bible truth by Jehovah’s witnesses has encountered superstitious village laws forbidding such things as mentioning the word “leopard” in the community, carrying water except on one’s head, beating rice or burning palm oil after sundown, splitting wood in town, or bringing a wet fishing net into the village. Upon learning Bible truth some of the villagers have no longer subjected themselves to the laws of the credulous. This usually brings pronouncements of dire consequences upon those who have turned to Jehovah, but when nothing unusual happens to them, whole villages gradually turn away from such foolish restraints. After a time the villagers actually express appreciation for this. One old lady, in the habit of offering sacrifices to her dead husband in times past, happily remarked to a Witness: “We are free.”

The Best of Medicines

● A young lady of nineteen years, living in Japan, had been confined most of her life because of a heart ailment. When she learned the truth about Jehovah God and his kingdom she began to preach from door to door once or twice a week. After four months, to the surprise of both her family and herself, she found herself in good health. Then for a time she began to preach every day and all day long and as she did this she began to feel really well for the first time in her life. She has now applied for the privilege of the 100-hour-a-month ministry. She testifies that preaching on foot from door to door is the best of medicines.

● Singapore was the location of a similar experience. A woman of good will toward God was told by her doctor that the reason she was sick was that she could not stand the tropics and hence must return to her home in England. Just then she resumed her study of the Bible, and as she progressed in knowledge and understanding of Bible truth her health also began to improve. She dedicated her life to Jehovah and began to witness full time as a vacation pioneer minister. By making a good schedule, she was able not only to look after her family but to devote 100 hours a month to preaching the good news.