My Treasure Find in the “Land of Promise”
as told by DEMETRIUS PAPAGEORGE
IN THE tiny mountain village of Papingon of northwest Greece is where I was born. That was in October 1891, some seventy-five years ago. At the time our home was in Turkish territory. My father was a schoolteacher. But shortly after my birth he was ordained to serve as a priest in the Greek Orthodox Church. However, difficult times forced my father to leave our village, and he finally settled in the city of Philadelphia in Asia Minor.
While at school, I was often assigned to read portions of the Bible in church. These parts were generally from the Psalms and the writings of the apostles of Jesus. At the age of fourteen, upon finishing grammar school, I went to Athens, Greece, to find work. After being there for approximately three years, I moved on to Smyrna, and from there to Philadelphia, where I met my father.
I told my father that I desired to study for the priesthood, as he had done. But he discouraged me! He told me frankly that he was very disappointed with his priestly profession. “There is something definitely lacking about it,” he would say. He confessed that he was searching to see what the other creeds had to offer. Later, at the time of the Spanish flu epidemic in 1918, my father died.
With the turn of the century, Europe was in a somewhat subdued upheaval. In 1909 the Young Turks overthrew Sultan Abdul-Hamid II. A new constitution was formed requiring all nationalities to serve in the Turkish army. Not being militarily inclined, I decided to leave the continent at the first opportunity and seek a life elsewhere. Not many days thereafter I was on my way to America. We landed in New York in May 1910.
America was my imagined “land of promise.” Here is where I had hoped to find financial security and happiness. But the “land of promise” held many shocking surprises for me. Riches were not so easy to come by. For twelve hours a day I worked in restaurants and was paid only a dollar a day! And in the evenings I hurried off to school to learn the English language.
STRIKING IT RICH
However, after some three years I finally did strike it rich! While I was vacationing in the Catskill mountains of New York in the summer of 1913, a tract called “The Bible Students Monthly” was handed to me. I read it carefully. Even though my understanding of English was very limited at the time, nevertheless, I was aware that here was a very rare treasure indeed.
The next day I met the person who handed me the pamphlet. She was a schoolteacher and a capable Bible student. In the course of our conversation, she asked me about my convictions. She wanted to know what I believed. From what I recall, the conversation went something like this:
“Do you pray the Lord’s prayer, Mr. Papageorge?”
“Of course I do,” was my answer to her. “I learned that from the time I began to talk.”
“Then you believe that Christ Jesus is coming back?”
“Sure.”
“Can you tell me why he is coming back?”
“Not in so many words. But I do know his coming will mark the end of the world.”
“Is that right? What do you understand the end of the world to be?”
“Well, I understand it to be just that—the end of the world. There will be destruction, confusion, many people will die. As I understand, the dead will be raised. And from what I gather, it will be a real bad time. Don’t you think so?”
She smiled softly and then said, “So you’re praying for Christ to come to destroy the whole world?”
I hesitated for a moment, for I had never thought of it just that way before. Then I remember remarking: “It doesn’t make much sense, does it? What do you think Christ meant by the end of the world?”
She then opened up her Bible and read to me from the Bible book of Acts, chapter three, where it says: “Repent, therefore, and turn around so as to get your sins blotted out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the person of Jehovah and that he may send forth the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven, indeed, must hold within itself until the times of restoration of all things of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets of old time.” (Acts 3:19-21) “So you see,” she continued, “Christ Jesus will bring blessings, ‘times of refreshing,’ as the Bible says, and not just destruction in the time of this world’s end.”
That certainly sounded wonderful to me. Since it was in the Bible, I was convinced that it was the truth. Prior to this, I had not seen a complete Bible. This encounter did something to me. I knew, from that moment on, that I would have to learn more about the Bible.
Arrangements were made for me to meet some Bible students who spoke the Greek language. When we returned to the city, this was done. My first impression after meeting these students was that, if there is any Bible truth revealed, these people must have it. They were so sincere zealous and thorough in their searching of the Bible.
I obtained a Greek Bible and what other literature was available to me and started to study. But there was not enough spare time for studying! So I quit my job and used all my time digging into the Scriptures, reasoning on its truths. This I did as long as my saved-up money lasted. Then I would look for a job and save again. When there was ample cash accumulated, I would quit and get back to what I enjoyed most in life, namely, studying the Bible!
TRUTHS THAT THRILLED ME
The truths I learned from my studies thrilled me! The Bible truly became a treasure mine. Instead of the earth being destroyed at the Lord’s return, I learned that under God’s Kingdom rule it will be transformed into a paradise; that under Kingdom rule there will be only one religion throughout the whole world.
As a child I was taught that death was to be dreaded, since God tormented some people forever and ever in a flaming hell. Now in my Bible studies I learned that God torments no one in a hellfire, that Jesus spoke of death as a sleep, that people who have died the sleep of death will be resurrected and will live right here on earth. How often I had heard Jesus’ words at John 5:28, 29 read at funerals! But I never realized the wealth of their meaning until now. The fact that Jesus used the term “memorial tombs” (mnémeion) impressed me. Jesus did not use the two common words for grave in Greek, namely, taphos, meaning “grave,” or lakos, which means “pit” or “ditch.” I knew by this that those in the memorial tombs would come forth someday in a resurrection. What a thrill that was to me!
And, too, for the first time I saw that Jesus Christ himself prophesied about his second presence and that he gave a sign of many features to help us recognize the time of its fulfillment. These portions of the Bible were never read in church. The clergy usually preferred their own opinions and terrifying predictions of things to come. What a relief to be freed from misconceptions! Bible truth really does set one free from such superstitions and falsehoods, as Jesus said it would, at John 8:32: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
TRAINED FOR THE PHOTO-DRAMA WORK
The truths of God’s Word, I was convinced, must be told to the people. To that end I dedicated my life to God. There was a baptismal service and an immersion to be performed at the Brooklyn Bethel headquarters of the Watch Tower Society. The Society’s president, Brother C. T. Russell, gave the baptismal discourse. That day I symbolized my dedication by being immersed in water. I felt happy about having made my decision to serve God the rest of my life. This was in the fall of 1913.
There was then a class of brothers studying electricity so that they could obtain a license to operate a movie projector to show the Watch Tower Society’s film “The Photo-Drama of Creation.” Brother Russell kindly let me join in the training, and I must say that I was very grateful for the opportunity. In about a month we passed our examinations and obtained a license.
We were then trained to operate the motion-picture machine and the slide projector in connection with the phonograph records that explained the slides. These were shown in the Brooklyn Tabernacle, which was located on Hicks Street. The Tabernacle could seat about 700 people. Tea and sandwiches were served on Sunday afternoons so that those in attendance could stay for the evening services.
Early in the spring of 1914 the Photo-Drama began to be shown in New York city, and from there it spread throughout the United States. At times there were upward of a hundred cities viewing the Photo-Drama simultaneously. We licensed operators traveled about from state to state showing this striking film. We enjoyed this privilege of service immensely.
When World War I broke out in July 1914, we Bible students were not exactly shocked. For some time we had been waiting for evidences concerning the end of the Gentile Times. When the war erupted, we recognized it at once as a sign and as proof that we were right. Our joy was great, for we were expecting great things to happen. At the time I was with Brother A. H. Macmillan in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Brother Macmillan gave the two final talks at the conclusion of the film showing. The first one was “Pastor Russell’s Teachings Examined,” and the second discourse was “The Second Coming of Christ.” Brother Macmillan was at his best! He reflected in those lectures the thrill and joy all Bible students felt in seeing Bible prophecy being fulfilled right before their very eyes! We were right. 1914 was a marked year!
THE WAR YEARS AND THEREAFTER
Because my parents were badly in need of assistance, I left the Photo-Drama group. I found employment in Duluth, Minnesota, where I worked for the Street Railway Department. In April of 1917 I was drafted into the United States Army. When I was ordered to go to Camp Dodge for training, I informed the draft board authorities that I was a follower of Jesus Christ, that as such I could not engage in violence of any kind. I told them that Jesus came to save life, not to destroy it. A military court martial handed me a stiff fifteen-year sentence at hard labor! But after twenty-three months in some eight different prisons, I was released in September 1919. I returned to Duluth and then moved to Minneapolis, where I found employment. It was a joy to be associated with the Christian congregation there and to work with them.
Because of military complications, I barely missed being deported to Greece. Retired General W. P. Hall interceded in my behalf. At the memorable Cedar Point, Ohio, convention of 1922, where I was privileged to attend, he was also in attendance. I had the opportunity to meet him there and thank him for his kindness.
At this time the full-time preaching work was being reorganized. In the spring of 1923 I entered this full-time service. Then, in the autumn of that year, the Watch Tower Society offered me the opportunity to take care of its supply depot in Chicago. Of course, I gladly accepted. There I stayed until I was no longer needed, when the depot was closed in February 1930. After this I was invited to return to the Watch Tower Society’s headquarters in Brooklyn. I arrived in March 1930.
Now, some thirty-seven years later, I am still serving here at the Brooklyn headquarters. After my return to Bethel, for some eleven years I had the pleasure of working in the shipping department in our new factory. Then for a few years I worked in the cleaning department and also in taking care of the steam boilers. Later I was assigned to take care of the beautiful garden in the recent addition to the Bethel home. It is nicely designed, and at least two architects stopped and remarked about the fine arrangement. In fact, one day one of two mothers who wheeled their baby carriages through the garden was heard to say: “My, this is like a paradise.” The other said: “It is like an oasis in New York!” Recently I was assigned to the factory to do some light work. I must say that there I am thrilled with the sight of so many dedicated ministers, including many young ones, serving Jehovah joyfully with a whole heart.
As I look back over the years and reflect upon the past, as most older people do, I can honestly say that I am grateful for the opportunity of having served God while I was still young and had the strength of youth. I was only twenty-two when I learned about the great Jehovah. Now I am seventy-five. All these years have been full of rich blessings. Serving Jehovah is indeed a great treasure. It is not only having the joy and happiness that the knowledge of the new system of things brings, but it is also the experience of having Jehovah’s favor for doing his divine will. This is the unspeakable treasure that I found in this “land of promise.”