Persevering Despite Opposition Brings Rejoicing
As told by A. J. Joseph
WHEN Jesus sent his disciples out to preach, he told them to expect opposition. He also said that the holy spirit would help them to overcome this opposition and that they could actually rejoice when persecuted.—Matt. 5:10-12.
I have experienced such opposition during my fifty years of service to God in India. I have also experienced the help of Jehovah’s holy spirit. In addition, I have had much occasion to rejoice, even when persecuted, content in the knowledge that I had done the right thing and pleased God as the ancient prophets had.
CALLED TO THE MINISTRY
It was in 1905 that I came in touch with literature published by the Watch Tower Society. I was then living with my parents in Travancore, one of the provinces of Kerala State, South India.
I had begun to suspect that some of the doctrines and practices of the Church of England, to which my parents belonged, were not Scriptural. However, neither my parents nor any of my religious friends could throw any light on my questions. My father suggested that I write to a man who was in charge of a church organization in South India and ask if he had any books that could explain the trinity doctrine that I questioned. I did this. What did this man send me? Why, it was the fifth volume of the Watch Tower Society’s publication Studies in the Scriptures, entitled “The Atonement Between God and Man.” From this book I first saw the truth regarding Jehovah’s supremacy, the relationship between God and Jesus Christ, and the meaning of the holy spirit. It was not long until I acquired more of such publications, including the Watch Tower magazine.
Toward the close of 1906 I had a severe illness, which necessitated my going to live at Cuddapah, near Madras. Here I had the opportunity to study intensively, and as I recovered from my illness I began spreading the message of the Kingdom by means of tracts obtained from the Watch Tower headquarters in Brooklyn. I secured a job to support myself and spent the next few years witnessing to “Christians” in that area.
As a regular reader of the Watchtower magazine, I learned that the president of the Watch Tower Society, C. T. Russell, was going to visit India in 1912 in connection with his world tour. When he arrived I had the opportunity of hearing him speak. I asked to talk to him in private. In spite of his busy schedule he spent two hours with me. He invited me to take up the work of preaching the good news as a full-time occupation. I pleaded, like Jeremiah of old, that I was quite inexperienced to undertake such a responsible work. He advised me that Jehovah would help, strengthening me as he does all his servants. I accepted the privilege.
I traveled far and wide in South India by rail, stopping at every station to distribute tracts in the surrounding villages. I had to travel by bullock cart to other villages that were far in the interior. I walked long distances where road facilities were not available. In water-logged areas I used the primitive country barges to reach the people.
The field for preaching in India was large and I realized the need for help. I asked the president of the Watch Tower Society to send someone from America or England to organize the work on a wider scale. A brother was sent from the London branch and another was reassigned from Malaya. This was about the middle of 1913.
The work progressed well in Travancore, particularly in the central and northern part of the state. Well-advertised talks were given in practically all the “Christian” centers. We stayed a week in each place and held meetings every evening. Opportunities were allowed for the audience to ask questions. Sometimes these discussions continued until late in the night. Soon small groups of interested persons were organized for regular Bible study.
When the first world war broke out, the British brothers were called back home and I had to carry on the best I could. I traveled to the locations where small groups had accepted the truth as a result of the public talks and conducted Bible studies with them. I was very much encouraged by the grand fruitage manifested.
OPPOSITION
It was not long before great opposition was instigated by the religious leaders of the various “Christian” denominations. They incited mobs to create disturbances when I found people who showed interest. If it was not for Jehovah’s help by his spirit, I might have quit because of this heavy opposition.
One clergyman of the Church of England challenged me to a debate on the doctrine of the immortality of the soul. There was an audience of about 300 for the debate. Quoting only one scripture from the Bible, he failed miserably to prove man has an immortal soul. By my using the Scriptures, the audience was able to see the correct viewpoint on this doctrine. After the debate some came forward and expressed the desire to know more. As a result, a new congregation was organized at that town called Thottakkad.
On another occasion I was conducting a public meeting in the town of Pallam, south of Kottayam. Before I had spoken fifteen minutes, a strong man jumped at me and pulled me to the ground, dragging me along while some in the crowd beat drums. However, this humiliating incident did not dampen my zeal. I could only rejoice that I was counted worthy to suffer this shame for the name of Jehovah. A passerby who noticed this incident came to my residence the next day and expressed deep sympathy, inviting me to conduct public meetings for a full week at his own premises, where he would put up a temporary hall. I accepted, and these meetings were well attended by from 300 to 400 people. Soon another congregation was formed.
As the work progressed, opposition intensified, especially from the religious organizations of Christendom. During one talk at the town of Pullad a missionary from one of these sects interrupted me. I kindly requested him to sit down, but he would not. He influenced his followers to tear down the temporary shed we had put up for this meeting, creating an uproar. But the next day we put up the shed again and received police protection. The meetings continued for the entire week.
Several other attacks instigated by clergymen followed. At Kundara I hired a place to hold public meetings. A few brothers distributed handbills announcing the lectures. I began one of my talks at the set time, but twenty minutes later a prominent clergyman from one of the churches stood up before me and gave a signal to his crowd to beat empty tin cans and to shout loudly. This minister, a professed “Christian” leader, further instigated his unruly mob to throw cow dung and dirt upon me. A respectable Hindu gentleman of influence who was near the place came to see what the noise was all about. He asked the clergyman whether that was the example set by Christ for Christians to follow, or whether his opposition to me was the example set by the Jewish religious leaders of Jesus’ time. The clergyman blushed and retraced his steps, whereupon I continued the talk.
In the face of all this opposition I was greatly encouraged by a letter that I received from the president of the Watch Tower Society at that time, J. F. Rutherford. His letter included this paragraph: “You may expect increased persecution from those who have the spirit of the adversary, because he sees his kingdom is rapidly falling. All the followers of the great King of kings should be encouraged to push forward now with renewed zeal as we behold his Kingdom dashing to pieces Satan’s empire and the establishment of righteousness at hand.”
In December of 1921 Brother Rutherford wrote me to arrange for all the congregations to hold public meetings on a Sunday afternoon early in 1922. Everyone was to use the subject “Millions Now Living Will Never Die.” This grand public lecture was given at almost every village or town in our territory. This thorough witness embittered the clergy all the more, but the work prospered.
PERSEVERING DESPITE TRAGEDY
In 1925 a great calamity occurred in my family. Because of a severe type of dysentery three of my children died. This was a great shock to me and my wife, but we were comforted by our firm faith in the resurrection. Jehovah sustained us both to bear this calamity with courage and fortitude and to press ahead with the work.
How thrilled I was that I had persevered, when, in July of 1926, I received a letter from the Brooklyn headquarters informing me that Brother F. E. Skinner was being assigned to India to open a branch office at Bombay and asking me to carry on my work under the direction of this branch. My dream had come true! Especially from that time on, the preaching work has made steady progress in India as the branch office has offered practical suggestions regarding the methods to be adopted in organizing the congregations and witnessing to the people. Year by year there has been a steady gathering of sheeplike persons under the Fine Shepherd Christ Jesus, until today there are two thousand in India associated with 74 congregations, all united in worshiping Jehovah God.
As I look back at the past fifty years of my service to Jehovah in India, I rejoice that the Almighty God has been good to me and has helped me to persevere all this time despite intense opposition. Although my physical frame now is weak because of advanced age, I am happy as I look forward to the further fulfillment of Jehovah’s purposes.