Have You Entered the Great Contest of Faith?

“Fight the fine fight of the faith, get a firm hold on the everlasting life.”​—1 Tim. 6:12.

 1. What timely questions are asked about the hundreds of millions of persons professing Christianity?

IT IS estimated that today 924,274,000 persons profess Christianity. Do you think that the majority of these persons are running the great race for the faith? Have they taken hold on everlasting life? Or, do you think that the majority of those in Christendom believe that they have gained what life they have through an evolutionary process? Many of Christendom’s schools teach evolution, not creation by God, as the Bible states. Which way do you lean?

 2. How do many in the denominational systems of Christendom view Christ Jesus, as well as the Creation and Flood accounts?

² In the denominational systems of Christendom it is generally understood that Jesus was the founder of Christianity, but today a number of the so-called modernists, and those of little faith, do not accept Jesus Christ as their redeemer from death. They look upon Jesus as an ordinary man who had a very fine philosophy, taught many good things and led an exemplary life. But as for his being the Son of God born of the virgin Mary, and providing the ransom price for all mankind, well, that is going too far for them. And then there is the creation of Adam and Eve by God, and the story of Noah with his ark. Does it take too much faith for you to believe all that also?

3, 4. (a) What was the apostle Peter’s view of the Flood account, and of what concern should that be to Roman Catholics? (b) How did Jesus show his faith in the Flood account and its significance to mankind?

³ Well, what about Peter, who many say was the first pope of the Roman Catholic Church? He believed the Holy Scriptures just as Christ Jesus did and he said: “I am arousing your clear thinking faculties by way of a reminder, that you should remember the sayings previously spoken by the holy prophets . . . For, according to their [that is, the scoffers’] wish, this fact escapes their notice, that there were heavens from of old and an earth standing compactly out of water and in the midst of water by the word of God; and by those means the world of that time suffered destruction when it was deluged with water. But by the same word the heavens and the earth that are now are stored up for fire and are being reserved to the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men.”​—2 Pet. 3:1-7.

⁴ Maybe you do not have faith like Peter’s, but Peter believed the things he wrote about the flood of Noah’s day because he had faith in what was “spoken by the holy prophets” and by Christ Jesus, who said: “For just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. For as they were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark; and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be.” (Matt. 24:37-39) Here Jesus was answering a question put to him by his disciples, namely: “Tell us, When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?” (Matt. 24:3) Jesus Christ, the Son of God, described to his disciples the many things that would happen at the conclusion of this system of things, or, if you prefer the expression, the “end of the world.” Read the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew. It may rekindle a fire in you and you may want to enter the great contest of faith. If you already believe God’s Word it will certainly help you to continue fighting a fine fight for the faith.

5, 6. In whose rule was Jesus primarily interested, and how did he show this?

⁵ Jesus declared that one of the big events that would take place world wide in the last days of this system of things would be a great preaching work concerning the kingdom of God. Jesus prophesied: “And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.”​—Matt. 24:14.

⁶ Jesus startled people by saying something that millions of people are still saying: “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 6:9, 10, King James Version) Were you taught that prayer and have you prayed it once in a while in your life? But how many persons saying these words really want Jehovah God’s kingdom to come to take over the rulership of this earth? Jesus Christ, the Son of God, did! Do you?

IN WHAT IS YOUR INTEREST?

 7. How did Jesus school his disciples in showing interest in God’s kingdom?

⁷ Jesus’ whole interest in life was in God’s kingdom. It still is. In his Sermon on the Mount he said: “Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33) Jesus trained people to talk about this kingdom, and he sent his twelve disciples out to tell other persons about the Kingdom. He said: “As you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.’ Cure sick people, raise up dead persons, make lepers clean, expel demons. You received free, give free.” (Matt. 10:7, 8) Jesus wanted his disciples to help people everywhere to understand that the only hope for mankind to get hold of everlasting life was through God’s kingdom. “Now when Jesus had finished giving instructions to his twelve disciples, he set out from there to teach and preach in their cities.” (Matt. 11:1) After teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum and doing some wonderful works Jesus told his disciples: “‘Let us go somewhere else, into the village towns nearby, that I may preach there also, for it is for this purpose I have gone out.’ And he did go, preaching in their synagogues throughout the whole of Galilee and expelling the demons.”​—Mark 1:38, 39.

 8. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, did the importance of God’s kingdom fade from the minds of his followers? Why?

⁸ For three and one half years Jesus devoted himself to teaching and preaching and his only theme was the kingdom of God and the blessings that it would bring to mankind. Then he died upon the torture stake. But he knew that the good news of the Kingdom had to be preached right on down to the end of this system of things. That is why Jesus, after being raised from the dead, said to his followers: “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”​—Matt. 28:19, 20.

 9. At Pentecost what did Peter preach, and to whom and with what results?

⁹ We learn from the Holy Scriptures in the book of Acts, chapter two, that after Jesus ascended into heaven he sent the holy spirit on the day of Pentecost of the year 33 C.E., and the 120 disciples that Jesus taught and trained were all filled with this active force from God. It was on that day that Peter went out before the great crowds in the city of Jerusalem and eloquently spoke to thousands of persons. On hearing the message that Peter delivered on that day, many got saved from that crooked generation and they were baptized. From that day on, the good news of the Kingdom started to go on to the ends of the earth. There were in Jerusalem at that time “Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, and Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the district of Asia, and Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya, which is toward Cyrene, and sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians.” (Acts 2:9-11) In fact, fifteen nationalities were represented, having come there from many parts of the then known world, and the record shows that many who heard Peter’s message that day were baptized. These Jews and proselytes believed in Jehovah God and now they accepted Christ Jesus and were glad to carry back to their different countries and lands the message that they had heard. They were Jehovah’s Christian witnesses now because they had faith in God’s Son, Christ Jesus, who redeemed them from death, and they believed in the kingdom of God. They, too, were now entering the great contest of faith and would have to stand up against many different religions that people in their lands believed. Christianity was off to a good start. These dedicated, baptized people must now be evangelizers, which meant they would try to convert others to Christianity, and Jesus’ words that “you will be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the most distant part of the earth” must have fulfillment.​—Acts 1:8.

THE EXPANSION BEGINS

10. Show how people in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria received the witness of the truth following Pentecost.

¹⁰ There is much evidence in the Word of God to show that Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria received a very fine witness. Philip the evangelizer went down to the city of Samaria, and the crowds paid attention to what he had to say. Peter started things going with the Gentiles by talking to Cornelius, who got baptized and, being begotten by holy spirit, proved that he, too, was a Christian. We also read about Paul and Barnabas and their ministry in these words: “Accordingly, after being conducted part way by the congregation, these men continued on their way through both Phoenicia and Samaria, relating in detail the conversion of people of the nations, and they were causing great joy to all the brothers.” (Acts 15:3) There was great expansion work going on in those early days of Christianity, and people who listened to the truth from the Word of God got together in congregations and became very active in doing God’s will. Acts 9:31 tells us: “Then, indeed, the congregation throughout the whole of Judea and Galilee and Samaria entered into a period of peace, being built up; and as it walked in the fear of Jehovah and in the comfort of the holy spirit it kept on multiplying.” This peaceful condition occurred before the conversion of Cornelius, and even though Gentiles were converted after this particular time it did not disturb the Jewish Christian congregations in any way because now they understood that a worldwide evangelizing work must be pushed forward.

11. What good advice did the apostle Paul give young Timothy concerning the preaching work?

¹¹ The apostle Paul was the faithful Christian that helped the young man Timothy to take a firm stand for the truth and to “fight the fine fight of the faith.” It must have given Paul a lot of satisfaction to see a young man like Timothy become so zealous and reach out for the office of overseer in a congregation of God and do so well in his work. Being a man who had such a firm hold on everlasting life, Paul could also admonish Timothy to “preach the word, be at it urgently in favorable season, in troublesome season . . . keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.” (2 Tim. 4:2-5) There were many men like Paul and Timothy preaching the good news of the Kingdom in those early days. Today likewise there are many dedicated men and women doing this work.

12. (a) How might some reply to the words of Jesus, “Exert yourselves vigorously to get in through the narrow door”? (b) How only can one gain Christ’s approval?

¹² What would you do if you were to meet Jesus journeying from city to city and village to village? Would you, like a certain man, say to him: “Lord, are those who are being saved few?” In reply to this man and those with him Jesus said: “Exert yourselves vigorously to get in through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will seek to get in but will not be able.” Would that answer disturb you and would you say, like many people today: “I know Christ Jesus. I go to church. I eat and drink at the Communion in remembrance of Christ.” That certain man heard Jesus say of those professing to know him: “I do not know where you are from. Get away from me, all you workers of unrighteousness!” (Luke 13:23-27) It takes a lot more than just talk and an outward appearance. A person must show his faith and works if he is going to get favor from Christ Jesus. He must exert himself vigorously to get in through the narrow door. He must “fight the fine fight of the faith” in order to get a “firm hold on the everlasting life.” Do you? Is your religion easy? James said: “Faith without works is dead.”​—Jas. 2:26.

13. What were Paul’s words regarding the need to exert oneself vigorously?

¹³ There are too many people in Christendom today who are begging off. They do not want to do the work that Christ Jesus was doing when he was on earth, nor that of his disciples. That is why the apostle Paul so emphatically said to the Hebrews in the letter he wrote to them: “See that you do not beg off from him who is speaking. For if they did not escape who begged off from him who was giving divine warning upon earth, much more shall we not if we turn away from him who speaks from the heavens.” (Heb. 12:25) Do you beg off from what God’s written Word says, and still call yourself a Christian? You should thank God that not everyone has begged off and that there are still some people who are putting up a fine fight for the faith and warning the nations of the impending end of this system of things and announcing the kingdom of God, which is about to rule fully over this earth.

THE GOOD NEWS REACHES AFRICA

14, 15. (a) Why can it be said that Christendom is not vigorously preaching God’s kingdom in Africa today? (b) How did the Kingdom-preaching work of Jehovah’s witnesses get started in West Africa in our day?

¹⁴ In the early days of Christianity when Peter spoke on the day of Pentecost some who heard had come from Egypt and Libya. When we think of these nations we think of the continent of Africa. Is the good news of God’s kingdom being vigorously preached in Africa today? Surely Christendom is not declaring God’s kingdom as man’s only hope, because it says the United Nations organization is man’s only hope. But have Jehovah’s Christian witnesses been evangelizing in this continent, trying to establish faith in Christ Jesus and God’s kingdom? Let us take a look.

¹⁵ It was in 1923 that W. R. Brown, one of Jehovah’s witnesses who later became known as “Bible Brown,” left his native land of Trinidad in the West Indies, along with his wife and young family, and traveled to Africa. He had faith, faith in Jehovah God and his Son, Christ Jesus, and in God’s kingdom. He wanted the people of West Africa to know about God’s kingdom and he went there to preach the good news. He traveled in many countries of West Africa​—Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and others—​and endured many hardships.

16. For what reasons did the preaching activity move forward in Nigeria between the years 1931 and 1946?

¹⁶ In 1931 “Bible Brown” settled in Lagos, Nigeria, and established an office of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. At their first convention, there were only ten delegates in attendance. This did not discourage “Bible Brown.” He realized that, while many people in Nigeria could speak English, no great impression could be made upon these people until literature was available in their native tongues. The Society arranged for the translation of some publications in the Yoruba language, as well as Ibo, Itsekiri, Hausa and Efik. With these publications in their languages the people could be reached and, by having Bible studies in their own homes, faith in God’s Word could be established. By 1939 Jehovah’s witnesses numbered 636. These Christians regularly preached along with “Bible Brown,” declaring the Kingdom good news. Then came the second world war. The government prohibited the importation of the Society’s publications. The ban was lifted in 1946, but during the years between 1939 and 1946, by just using the Bible, Jehovah’s Christian congregation in Nigeria had grown to 3,542 persons.

17, 18. How did graduates of Gilead School help the progress of the work?

¹⁷ During the second world war the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society opened the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. In 1943 the first graduates of this missionary school were ready to be sent out to carry on evangelizing work in all parts of the world. By 1947 the first graduates of Gilead School were allowed to enter Lagos, Nigeria.

¹⁸ Because of the high rate of illiteracy it was necessary to teach many Africans how to read and write, and in 1948 a literacy campaign was launched through reading classes in the congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses. Literally thousands of West Africans have been taught to read and write through these free instruction classes in reading and writing. Now many more disciples have been added to the Christian ministry, preaching the good news of God’s kingdom.

19. What changes did the honest-hearted ones in Nigeria make upon hearing the truth of the Bible?

¹⁹ Tens of thousands of people approached with the Bible message were Catholics and Protestants, but, even so, many were still living in polygamy. Before any of these could become Jehovah’s Christian witnesses they had to adjust their lives to become acceptable. The Bible says a man should be “a husband of one wife” and that each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. (1 Tim. 3:2; 1 Cor. 7:2) Why is it that Christendom’s religious denominations allow their members to live in polygamy when the Bible speaks against this practice for Christians? What a marvelous change has taken place in the lives of these Nigerians and peoples of other nations throughout Africa who made a similar decision to fight a fine fight for the faith. Even though their former religious leaders in Christendom ridiculed them, this did not make any difference to these true Christians because, like the apostle Paul, they wanted to say: “I have fought the fine fight, I have run the course to the finish, I have observed the faith.”​—2 Tim. 4:7.

20. What has happened in West Africa in the last fifty years because of the Kingdom proclamation?

²⁰ Today, nearly fifty years after “Bible Brown” went to Africa to promote true Christian faith, we find that there are over 118,000 of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses declaring the good news of God’s kingdom in seven countries of West Africa.

21, 22. What problems have come upon Jehovah’s witnesses in Zambia, and how have these affected the activity of God’s servants?

²¹ Let us look at a country in Central Africa, Zambia. The preaching of God’s kingdom had its beginning there in 1924. For many years, due to unjust bans, persecution and harassment of Jehovah’s witnesses, things went slowly. It was not until 1947 that things really began to move forward, with 6,114 individuals preaching the good news of the Kingdom. The country was then known as Northern Rhodesia. In 1948 a branch office was established in Lusaka and in just one year the publishers increased to 11,606. The year 1948 also saw the arrival of the first graduates of Gilead School. These came to assist in the evangelizing activity and to aid in organizing the Christian work. They also assisted the congregations in their reading and writing program.

²² Recently the government asked the Watch Tower missionaries to leave the country, and the officials last year announced that Jehovah’s witnesses may no longer go from house to house to make converts to the Christian faith. Now Jehovah’s witnesses may speak about the Bible only to their own associates so as to build them up in the faith, and to those who inquire about their Christian work. In spite of these restrictions on going from house to house and village to village, the report from Zambia for the 1970 service year shows that the people of Zambia want to hear what Jehovah’s Christian witnesses have to say and thousands of newly interested persons are coming to their Kingdom Halls. The actual number of individuals and households interested in having Jehovah’s witnesses study the Bible with them every week this past year numbered 33,699, and 50,655 Christian witnesses of Jehovah shared in declaring this Kingdom good news during 1970. In fact, 157,013 Zambians attended the Memorial of Christ Jesus’ death on the night of March 22, 1970.

23. What outside testimony on how the Kingdom message changes people do we have from The African Weekly?

²³ Directing the minds of the people of Zambia to the Bible has had a good moral effect. In The African Weekly of August 30, 1950, it was reported: “Watchtower Christians in the townships . . . are very active, but I am glad to report that their activities are very good indeed, and are reducing fighting among the Africans in these townships. Once they join the Watchtower . . . those Christians [Jehovah’s witnesses] do not fight among themselves. They do not go to beer halls to be mixed up with other fellows or women.” The moral standard of Jehovah’s witnesses in Zambia is based on the Bible and is the same as that of Jehovah’s witnesses throughout the world. Today, in Zambia, there is one witness of Jehovah for every 89 Zambians. It can truly be said that every family in Zambia has heard the good news of God’s kingdom. Whether they will fight the fine fight of the faith and get a firm hold on the everlasting life is for each one to decide. They can never say, ‘We did not have a chance to hear the good news.’

24. Show wherein progress has been made in Africa during the past thirty years.

²⁴ Nineteen hundred years ago some Christians left Jerusalem after hearing Peter, and went to Egypt, Libya and perhaps other parts of that great continent. Philip talked to an Ethiopian eunuch who was returning to his homeland. Can it be said that the witness of Jesus has been given to the most distant part of the earth, including Africa? The chart below shows what Jehovah’s Christian witnesses have been doing.

AFRICA

Number of Number of

In the Lands where Jehovah’s witnesses Gilead

year work was done preaching graduates

1940 11 6,612 —

1950 29 53,787 46

1960 42 131,321 177

1970 51 250,915 328

ON TO ASIA

25. What problems do Christians face in bringing the Kingdom message to Asia?

²⁵ On the day of Pentecost of 33 C.E. people from Parthia, Media, Elam, Cappadocia and the district of Asia heard what Peter had to say. What about today? The greater part of Asia is non-Christian. The Moslem religion holds sway over a population of approximately 374,000,000, the Shintoists number 70,000,000, Taoists 54,000,000, Confucianists 371,000,000, Buddhists 176,000,000, and Hindus 435,000,000. Throughout all of Asia there are approximately 120,000,000 professing Christianity. But are these showing faith in God’s kingdom? Do they preach it? No! They just belong to a sect of Christendom and in most instances have a second non-Christian religion. But is the good news of God’s kingdom heard in Asia at all now? Yes it is!

26, 27. Despite what type of persecution did Jehovah’s Christian witnesses continue forward in Korea, resulting in what progress by 1970?

²⁶ In 1949 the Watch Tower Society was able to send its first missionaries to Korea, when only thirteen persons in the whole country were doing the work that Jehovah’s witnesses do, namely, going from house to house to preach the good news of God’s kingdom. In those days the missionaries met five Christian women who had stood firm, even in a concentration camp. During the time that the Japanese controlled Korea these five Christian women, bound in chains, refused to bow to the emperor and accept his religion. Their torture was severe, but they continued fighting a fine fight for the faith. They were released following the second world war and were very anxious to continue on in declaring the Kingdom good news. They are doing so to this day.

²⁷ How did the Koreans respond to the good news? By 1960 the Watch Tower Society had sent twenty-two missionaries, and more than 3,800 Koreans had joined them in the work. In 1970 there were 12,267 preaching and teaching the good news of God’s kingdom. It is truly remarkable to see that 6,575 Koreans were baptized during the past three years, which means that one half of all the witnesses of Jehovah in Korea have entered the great contest for the faith since 1967.

28, 29. Why has Kingdom witnessing in India required Jehovah’s servants to exert themselves vigorously?

²⁸ We might look at another country of Asia, namely, India. What has happened there? In 1914 Jehovah’s witnesses had four representatives there. It was not until 1926, though, that the Watch Tower Society opened an office in Bombay. This was done by some very zealous young Christian men from England who believed that India should have evangelizing work done there. They found it very difficult to convince the Hindus that the Bible is truly the Word of God, for the Hindus have been steeped in their religious beliefs for centuries. But progress was made and by April of 1947 the first two graduates of Gilead School were able to enter the country to help those already putting up a fine fight for the faith.

²⁹ India is a country of many gods, many languages, many customs and many ways of life. A missionary must adjust himself so as to reach different personalities. All kinds of people make up Jehovah’s creation. So no matter where they may be on earth they must be given the opportunity to hear about God’s kingdom, even though very few will accept it. Their work has been rewarding, because today there are 3,347 persons proclaiming the kingdom of God in spite of the greatest obstacles. Could you represent and be ‘substituting for Christ’ in a land like India? It certainly would test one’s fighting ability.​—2 Cor. 5:20.

30. (a) What was Brother Russell’s conclusion after visiting Japan? (b) What problems did Jehovah’s witnesses have to face once the preaching work got under way in Japan?

³⁰ In comparison with many other parts of the earth, Japan had to wait longer to hear the good news of the Kingdom. In the year 1912 the first president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Charles T. Russell, visited Japan as the head of a committee of the International Bible Students Association, investigating the religious field in the Orient. They noticed that the missionaries of orthodox Christianity were considerably discouraged and Pastor Russell concluded that what the Japanese people needed was the gospel of the Kingdom, the announcing of the second coming of Christ and the establishment of his righteous kingdom. However, it was not until 1927 that an American-Japanese person was sent to Japan to try to open up the work. With the aid of a number of pioneers working hard, a peak of 110 ministers was reached in 1938. In that year, 1,125,817 copies of the Golden Age magazine, forerunner of the Awake! magazine, were distributed among the Japanese people. Then, on June 21, 1939, all of Jehovah’s witnesses were arrested. Other members of so-called Christian organizations were not arrested, because the government did not object as long as those who belonged to their so-called Christian churches also worshiped the Shinto gods, of which there were eight million. However, Jehovah’s witnesses were frowned upon for their noncompliance in worshiping the Shinto gods. And so they were charged with “advocating a Jehovah monotheism.” Through a long trial, held behind closed doors, those who refused to renounce their God Jehovah were sentenced to prison for five years, and some were sentenced again after the first term expired. Those still in prison at the time of the American occupation in 1945 were released.

31, 32. (a) Give evidence to show that the work of Jehovah’s witnesses has moved forward since 1949. (b) Show wherein progress has been made in Asia in the past thirty years.

³¹ The Society had hopes of opening up its Christian work again among the more than 82 million people in Japan and did so in 1949, when a number of Japanese Hawaiians trained at the missionary school of Gilead reached Japan. By 1950 the Watch Tower Society sent twenty-six missionaries to Japan and by 1960 there were seventy missionaries. By 1970 there were eighty. Did those preaching the good news of the Kingdom have good success? Today the number of Japanese people doing the work Jesus said would be done totals 9,478.

³² The Society started printing the Watchtower magazine in Japanese in 1951 and then the Awake! magazine in 1956. And today we are printing upward of 7,400,000 magazines every year in Japan. There are now 228 Christian congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses there. Look at all of Asia by means of this chart and see what has happened in thirty years.

ASIA

Number of Number of

In the Lands where Jehovah’s witnesses Gilead

year work was done preaching graduates

1940 7 541 —

1950 15 1,485 69

1960 26 11,568 265

1970 28 30,693 257

ON TO EUROPE

33. To what extent is God’s kingdom being preached in Europe today, and how have Jehovah’s witnesses proved to be different from the denominations of Christendom?

³³ On the day of Pentecost of 33 C.E. there were some people in Jerusalem from Rome, and undoubtedly they took back the message of the Kingdom to others in Rome. But much later Paul and other disciples of Christ Jesus carried the message to Greece, Italy and perhaps Spain, as well as other parts of Europe. Today the good news of God’s kingdom is being preached throughout all of Europe, in all the countries of that continent. Even during World War I and throughout World War II when all religious denominations of Christendom were at war with one another, cutting one another’s throats, the true Christian witnesses of Jehovah were busy preaching the good news of God’s kingdom. They suffered for it because they would not join in killing their neighbors, and in Germany thousands were put in prisons or sent to Hitler’s concentration camps.

34. What position did Hitler and his government take toward Jehovah’s witnesses?

³⁴ When Hitler took power in January of 1933 it became apparent that he was determined to wield his power ruthlessly against Jehovah’s Christian witnesses. He did ban their work in 1933, and thousands upon thousands of Jehovah’s witnesses were hunted down like animals and arrested. For many months special courts were busy sentencing people who prior to that time had never appeared before a court for any wrongdoing. Terms of imprisonment were for five and more years. Later many were sent to concentration camps, and from all outward appearances it looked as though Jehovah’s Christian witnesses were to become extinct.

35. (a) Between 1932 and 1946 what happened to Jehovah’s witnesses in Germany? (b) Since that time how has Jehovah blessed his people in that land on both sides of the Iron Curtain?

³⁵ In 1932 when the last report was received from Germany and before the ban was placed on Jehovah’s witnesses, there were 14,453 sharing in the Kingdom declaration. By 1946, following the collapse of the German war machine and the opening of the gates of the concentration camps​—but not the graves—​there were 11,415 dedicated Christians still in the great contest for the faith. Ten years later this number grew to 50,530, and by 1970 in Western Germany there were 86,252 Christian witnesses of Jehovah. The survivors never gave up! They preached! There is another group in West Berlin, now numbering 5,396 Christian witnesses, going from house to house. And in East Germany, where the witness work is carried on behind the Berlin wall and Iron Curtain, there are many more thousands of Witnesses telling East Germans, now under Communistic rule, about God’s kingdom, but not with the same freedom of speech as Jehovah’s Christian witnesses have west of the Iron Curtain. Proving faithful to right principles brought death to thousands of Jehovah’s witnesses in Germany, but the survivors brought salvation to tens of thousands, and they are still helping people to get a firm hold on everlasting life.

36. How have the people of France been helped to hear the good news of the Kingdom?

³⁶ France has always been a staunch Catholic religious center. History shows how powerful cardinals often ruled in French politics. However, in the “last days” the good news of God’s kingdom had to be preached, and it began to be around the year 1904. It had a small beginning, and by August 27, 1919, the work of Jehovah’s witnesses was legally recognized. In 1940, because of Hitler’s take-over, the 320 publishers of the good news were forced underground. But after the war in 1947 when the ban was lifted, there appeared on the scene of action 2,380 persons. Even under years of difficult conditions the preaching had continued with fine success. At the first international assembly held in Paris, in the Palais des Sports in 1951, 10,456 persons came out to hear the Society’s president talk on the subject “Will Religion Meet the World Crisis?” In that year there were 7,136 of Jehovah’s witnesses preaching God’s kingdom throughout France. Today, just about twenty-three years after Jehovah’s witnesses were again legally recognized in 1947, we find a fast-growing organization, with 36,721 ministers giving a mighty witness to Jehovah God and his Son, Christ Jesus.

37. When did the preaching work begin to move forward in Italy, and what problems have Jehovah’s witnesses had to meet and surmount?

³⁷ A new and flourishing era opened up in Italy for Jehovah’s witnesses immediately after World War II. Even while the second world war was on, the Society invited some Italian-Americans to attend Gilead School and to prepare themselves for service in Italy as soon as it was possible to send evangelizers in. The first one arrived in October 1946. There were only 120 of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses preaching in that land then. In this Catholic-dominated country where Communism is growing very rapidly the people are very unsettled and, strange as it may seem, are anxious to know what the Bible really teaches. In 1970 there were 372 congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses scattered throughout Italy from the tip of the boot up to the border of Switzerland, with 18,636 Christian witnesses of Jehovah telling the people the truth from God’s Word, and exposing the error of the crumbling organization of Christendom. It takes faith to stand for God’s kingdom and against the Hierarchy of the Vatican.

38. (a) What prophecy of Daniel is in course of fulfillment now? (b) How much progress has been made in Europe in the past thirty years?

³⁸ Jehovah’s Christian witnesses are growing fast in three of the strongest Catholic countries of Europe. But this is true for all of Europe. Jesus said that the message he gave to his disciples should be preached to the most distant part of the earth. It is being done today and thousands upon thousands of persons now know that the prophecy of Daniel is having fulfillment wherein it states: “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.” (Dan. 2:44) Do you believe what Jehovah God inspired Daniel to write? This chart should help you to see that hundreds of thousands of dedicated persons do.

EUROPE

Number of Number of

In the Lands where Jehovah’s witnesses Gilead

year work was done preaching graduates

1940 13 17,414 —

1950 24 142,675 101

1960 26 337,053 305

1970 30 442,707 339

ON TO THE ISLANDS OF THE ATLANTIC, CARIBBEAN AND MEDITERRANEAN

39, 40. Where else has the Kingdom message gone in modern times, and why do Jehovah’s witnesses feel a heavy responsibility in this regard?

³⁹ The disciples of Christ Jesus visited the islands of the Mediterranean. But as for the islands of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and the western hemisphere, these were parts of the world unheard of. But today all these places are included in “the most distant part of the earth.”

⁴⁰ Jehovah’s witnesses feel the responsibility to preach and teach and want to ‘make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them, teaching them to observe all the things Christ commanded.’ (Matt. 28:19, 20) So a great preaching and teaching work must reach out to the islands.

41, 42. (a) How was interference brought to bear against the Kingdom preaching of Jehovah’s witnesses in the Dominican Republic? (b) To what extent were they persecuted in that land?

⁴¹ The Dominican Republic received its first missionaries from the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead in the year 1945. When these missionaries arrived, there was no one known to be a witness of Jehovah. Up until 1949 there was very little opposition to their evangelizing work. But in that year a Roman Catholic priest opposed the activity and threatened to have some of the missionaries put out of the country. By this time there were twenty-two missionaries in various cities of this land. The Catholic priests were warning their parishioners not to have anything to do with Jehovah’s witnesses. Later they induced the police to take the names of those of their church attending the meetings of Jehovah’s witnesses. By June of 1950 the branch servant was called to the office of the Secretary of the Interior and given instructions to the effect that the propagating work of Jehovah’s witnesses was against the law of the land and was banned.

⁴² During the period of this ban the Witnesses met in private homes of interested people. For a short time in 1956 the opposition lessened, but then suddenly a great persecution fell upon all of Jehovah’s witnesses throughout the Dominican Republic. The Witnesses were sought out, beaten and jailed. The Roman Catholic priests took the lead in heaping reproach upon them. They used sound cars, beginning early in the morning telling the people not to talk to Jehovah’s witnesses and to burn their literature or to give it to the priest to burn. Some of the homes of Jehovah’s witnesses were stoned by Catholic youths egged on by the priests. The missionaries were expelled. The reason​—telling the truths that Jesus spoke in his day.

43. Then what changes took place, resulting in an expanded witness?

⁴³ After a few years the government changed, the Catholic church lost much of its hold and influence, not only with the government, but with the people. The Watchtower missionaries were allowed to return in 1960. Today there are thirty-five missionaries in the Dominican Republic and a fine Christian organization of 3,591, and the people are listening. In this little island of the Caribbean Jehovah’s witnesses suffered much, but the joy of returning and enlightening the people is worth it all. They entered the great contest for the faith and stayed with it. Jehovah blessed his witnesses, and today they are preaching the good news of God’s kingdom everywhere throughout the island.

44. (a) When was the first congregation of Jehovah’s witnesses organized in Cuba, and what progress was made up until 1959? (b) What does the report show since then?

⁴⁴ Cuba, too, has an interesting history as a Catholic country. As far back as 1918 the good news of the kingdom of Jehovah God reached this country. The first congregation was organized in 1922, and there was a convention attended by 100 persons in Palma Soriano, Oriente. The preaching of the good news continued to make steady progress, and by 1944 it was possible to send some of the graduates of the Watchtower School of Gilead to Cuba. By the end of that year there were 1,260 Witnesses. The work grew steadily, and by 1959 there were 12,140 of Jehovah’s witnesses in the island, with twenty-two missionaries. Then came a change in government, and for a few years there were no particular difficulties. Finally, however, the importation of all literature was held up and local printing was stopped. But the work of giving the witness to God’s kingdom continued in private homes through the Bible study work. Pressures grew against the preaching of God’s kingdom, and many Kingdom Halls were closed and some burned, but still the ministry continued. There are many more of Jehovah’s witnesses in Cuba today than there were back in 1965 when the last report of their activity appeared in the Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses. At that time there were 18,078 regular workers. From 1959 to 1965 the number of Witnesses grew from 12,000 to 18,000. No matter what the handicaps in a land may be, a true, live Christian is going to preach and teach and keep a strong grip on life.

45-47. (a) What early history do we have concerning Cyprus, and who went on their first missionary tour there? (b) What has happened in modern times? (c) Give a résumé of the preaching work in the past thirty years in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Caribbean islands.

⁴⁵ Cyprus is in the Mediterranean and was visited quite often by early Christians. Congregations were established there. The persecution of Christians that followed the martyrdom of Stephen and the subsequent dispersion resulted in some disciples’ going to Cyprus, where they witnessed to the resident Jews. Certain Cypriot Christians went to the city of Antioch, opposite Cyprus near the Syrian coast, and preached with much success among people who, like themselves, were Greek speaking. (Acts 11:19, 20) When Paul and Barnabas, accompanied by John Mark, were sent out from Antioch on their first missionary tour, their initial territory was in the home island of Barnabas, namely, Cyprus.

⁴⁶ Today eight evangelizers from Gilead School have been sent to the island. Twelve congregations are established and 562 ministers of God’s kingdom speak peace to the inhabitants of a troubled land.

⁴⁷ Here is a progress report for the islands of the Atlantic, Caribbean and Mediterranean over a span of thirty years.

ISLANDS OF THE ATLANTIC, MEDITERRANEAN AND CARIBBEAN

Number of Number of

In the Lands where Jehovah’s witnesses Gilead

year work was done preaching graduates

1940 6 803 —

1950 16 12,938 148

1960 43 25,508 187

1970 42 49,337 163

ON TO THE ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC

48. After Charles T. Russell preached in the Philippines in 1912, how did people respond?

⁴⁸ The islands of the Pacific are numerous and Jehovah’s witnesses have not reached them all. Looking first at the Philippine Islands, we find this country made up of 7,100 islands extending 1,150 miles north and south and 682 miles east and west. Eleven of the islands comprise the bulk of the area. Only 462 islands have areas of more than one square mile. Going back to the year 1912, we find that Charles T. Russell visited Manila and delivered a public address in the Manila Opera House. The interest aroused by his lectures caused many persons to write the Watch Tower Society in America for literature for themselves and many of them, so convinced that what they heard was the truth, took up the distribution of the books to friends.

49. How did Jehovah’s witnesses preach in the Philippine Islands during World War II?

⁴⁹ On December 7, 1941, war broke out in the Pacific. The Japanese invaded the Philippine Islands. The branch servant, an American citizen, was interned by the Japanese. The branch office was closed. Jehovah’s witnesses were hunted down. But many kept themselves free and continued to declare the good news of the Kingdom right straight through the war by preaching in small towns and in the mountains where many witnesses of Jehovah fled with the refugees. A good work was done.

50. What has contributed to the expansion of the Kingdom work in the Philippines since 1947?

⁵⁰ In 1947 N. H. Knorr, president of the Watch Tower Society, visited the newly reestablished branch office and gave a public talk to 4,200 persons. In that year 2,902 ministers were engaging in house-to-house work. It was not long before many of the Society’s publications were published in the numerous languages of the Philippine Republic. Then many Filipino brothers were called to Gilead School. These were trained and sent back to the Philippine Islands to help in better organizing the preaching work. By 1960 there were 31,608 associated with Jehovah’s witnesses in preaching the good news, and in 1970 there were 54,789. They are established in 1,309 congregations.

51, 52. (a) How were pressures brought against the work of Jehovah’s witnesses in the Fiji Islands? (b) What has been the situation since 1945?

⁵¹ The Fiji Islands of the South Pacific are well known, and travelers to the islands find Fijians to be a very interesting people. Some of Jehovah’s witnesses from Australia visited these islands in the “twenties” and it was not long before a healthy congregation was established. This small group of Christians did not pass unnoticed by the opposers of the Bible truth. Clergymen began denouncing the message. In 1932 the governor of the islands even jailed one of the Witnesses for being a Christian. Legislation was soon passed prohibiting the entry of Bible literature of the Watch Tower Society. Even books that had been shipped into the country were gathered up and burned. However, by January of 1941 the prohibition order against the importation of the Society’s literature was made even more stringent and severe penalties were imposed upon those found with literature in their possession.

⁵² After the end of the second world war the prohibition on literature was eased, and in 1945 the government proclamation was that literature approved by the government could be allowed in the country. Public meetings are now freely held. It proved to be a long, steady and persistent fight for the faith on the part of Jehovah’s witnesses in Fiji, but a good witness is being given, and November 9 to 12, 1969, an international assembly was held in Suva with 1,621 attending.

53. Show wherein progress has been made in the South Pacific during the past thirty years.

⁵³ The people of the South Pacific have a love for righteousness and a love for life. They have a right to be given the opportunity to learn about life everlasting. Does your faith move you to offer your help? The following chart tells of the progress made by Jehovah’s witnesses in this area, which to many seems to be the most distant part of the earth.

ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC

Number of Number of

In the Lands where Jehovah’s witnesses Gilead

year work was done preaching graduates

1940 4 3,819 —

1950 6 16,807 25

1960 17 52,671 82

1970 30 91,782 150

ON TO NORTH AMERICA

54. (a) Why did many persons begin fleeing from Europe to America from and after the fifteenth century, resulting in what religiously? (b) What had its beginning in 1884, resulting in what religiously?

⁵⁴ In the fifteenth century a “new world” was found, and in the centuries that followed, inhabitants of Europe journeyed westward. Many persons interested in freedom of religion fled to North America. They looked for a new land free from governments where the church and the state were lovers and together oppressed their subjects. Many new religious denominations were formed over the years and now the United States alone has over 270, most of them seeking freedom from the traditions of powerful religious leaders. In 1884 a small group of earnest Bible students incorporated what is now the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. It was chartered to disseminate Bible truth in various languages with emphasis on preaching the good news of God’s kingdom. The Watch Tower Society had a very small beginning, but it has grown in eighty-six years and now its associates are capable of giving the worldwide witness Jesus said should be given in these “last days.” Charles T Russell, its first president, was a great preacher and a fighter for the true faith. He traveled the length and breadth of the United States and lectured in many countries around the world, declaring the second presence of Christ and God’s kingdom by Christ Jesus as man’s only hope for salvation. He also showed that the religious teachings of the orthodox clergy, Protestant, Catholic and Jewish, were based on traditions of men. He proved from the Bible that there is no hellfire and brimstone for human souls after death. In fact, it was often written that Russell took the fire out of hell. He proved from the Scriptures that man does not have a soul, but that he is a soul and that when man dies he goes into the common grave of mankind and there he remains until the resurrection of the dead to a paradise earth. He proved there is no Trinity. What Pastor Russell did was revive Bible study, and he got people to put their faith in God and his written Word rather than the theories and fiction of men. This brought the wrath of the clergy down on his head and on the heads of all working with him. But Jehovah’s Christian witnesses are still here, still declaring the truths of the Bible.

55. How did the pressures of World War I affect the preaching of God’s kingdom by Jehovah’s witnesses?

⁵⁵ During World War I, J. F. Rutherford, the second president of the Watch Tower Society, was put in prison in 1918 along with other prominent members of the Society because of his energetically preaching God’s kingdom as man’s only hope. The clergy were the instigators of that action, but by 1919-1920 through the Court of Appeals the charges against them of being seditious were all dropped and these faithful men were once more seen in public declaring to thousands the good news of God’s kingdom.

56. Did the persecution against Jehovah’s Christian witnesses stop their preaching work during and after World War II? Why?

⁵⁶ During the second world war Jehovah’s witnesses were again persecuted. Many were put in prison in the United States. Kingdom Halls were burned and many of Jehovah’s witnesses were chased out of cities and towns for going from house to house telling the people the message of the Bible. From 1939 to 1945 Jehovah’s witnesses went through some of their most difficult years. But, nevertheless, they fought a fine fight of faith. When the second world war began in 1939 there were 41,902 publishers of the Kingdom in the United States. But by 1946 there were 65,922 associated and now there are 388,920 Witnesses. Have you met some of them? Did you listen to what they had to say when they called at your door? They will continue to try to reach you in 1971, and as long as “this good news of the kingdom” has to be preached.

57. How is Canada’s story similar to what happened in the United States, and what blessings has Jehovah given?

⁵⁷ Canada has a similar story to tell. The Canadian government banned the work on July 4, 1940, when there were 6,813 of Jehovah’s witnesses in the country. The branch office in Toronto was closed. All of the literature was seized, but the Christian witnesses worked in their ministry with the Bible alone. Whatever publications they may have had in their own homes they also used. The ban against the Society was finally removed in Canada in 1944, and when the reports were received again from all the congregations many more were shown to be a part of the organization, for now 10,345 were associated. While underground for four years they put up a hard fight for the faith and they had success. The record shows they are working just as hard now and showing real faith. Canada now has 46,808 witnesses of Jehovah.

58. Show how thirty years of preaching in North America has resulted in a great increase in the number of persons who have entered the great contest of the faith.

⁵⁸ For a moment consider the increase in North America, for it speaks well of the house-to-house preaching and the conducting of home Bible studies. Maybe if you listen carefully to God’s Word you too will want to enter the great contest for the faith.

NORTH AMERICA

Number of Number of

In the Lands where Jehovah’s witnesses Gilead

year work was done preaching graduates

1940 7 65,577 —

1950 12 138,108 492

1960 12 319,560 858

1970 12 498,736 823

ON TO SOUTH AMERICA

59. What educational problem have Jehovah’s witnesses met in their Kingdom preaching in South America, and how have they overcome the problem?

⁵⁹ South America, religiously speaking, has always been a stronghold of the Catholic church, but their citadel is crumbling. The education that the Catholic organization gave its people in the United States and Europe it failed to give its people in South America. Why did the Catholic church deliberately keep its people uneducated and illiterate for centuries? Hundreds of evangelizers from the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead learned the Spanish and Portuguese languages and then taught thousands of Catholics in Latin America to read and write so that they could put faith in God’s written Word, and they are doing so today. Practically the entire organization of Jehovah’s witnesses in South America is made up of former Catholics. They are now fighting the fine fight of the faith.

60. What increases of activity has Argentina enjoyed?

⁶⁰ In 1945 there were 415 associated with Jehovah’s witnesses in Argentina. In 1947 when the first missionaries were sent there the work moved ahead very rapidly. Excellent progress was made even though the work was banned due to religious pressure in 1950. Then in 1955 there was a revolution in the country and, following that, Jehovah’s witnesses gained more freedom to preach from house to house. In the year 1970 there were 18,763 proclaiming the good news from house to house.

61. (a) Outline the increase in the number of those preaching God’s kingdom in Brazil from 1923 to the present. (b) How has thirty years of preaching affected South America?

⁶¹ The Catholic people of Brazil are hungry for the truth from God’s Word. In 1923 there were only eight persons in that vast country that were preaching God’s kingdom as man’s only hope. The Society’s evangelizers were able to get into Brazil in 1945 and at that time the record shows there were 394 witnesses of Jehovah in the land. These few ministers moved out in all directions and continued to preach to Catholics, and they listened to what Jehovah’s witnesses had to say. What an ingathering in Brazil for lovers of truth! By 1960 there were 20,321 persons in the congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses. The organization has now grown to 64,199 in 1970, a great loss to the Catholic church. But now these many new ones are helping other Catholic people to establish their faith in God’s Word and to fight the fine fight of the faith. South America, too, could be called part of the distant parts of the earth. But let the following chart speak for itself as to the progress made because of sending witnesses of Christ that far.

SOUTH AMERICA

Number of Number of

In the Lands where Jehovah’s witnesses Gilead

year work was done preaching graduates

1940 8 561 —

1950 13 7,630 205

1960 13 38,651 381

1970 13 119,260 501

WITNESSING AROUND THE WORLD IN 1970

62. (a) What qualities are needed by those who preach God’s kingdom? (b) What does the worldwide report show in regard to: lands hearing the Kingdom message and persons exhibiting faith and preaching? (c) To what extent were home Bible studies freely conducted in the past year, and what procedure was followed in such studies? (d) How many new ones have been baptized, and what did that mean for them in their personal lives?

⁶² Jesus said the field is the world. (Matt. 13:38) So Jehovah’s witnesses have the responsibility and are declaring the good news of the Kingdom around the world. It takes stalwart, faithful and determined men and women to keep at this work year after year. Paul wrote Timothy and said: “Pursue righteousness, godly devotion, faith, love, endurance, mildness of temper. Fight the fine fight of the faith, get a firm hold on the everlasting life for which you were called and you offered the fine public declaration in front of many witnesses.” (1 Tim. 6:11, 12) That is good counsel, and Jehovah’s witnesses have “offered the fine public declaration in front of many witnesses.” Can it be proved that they did so in 1970? Let the worldwide report on the activity of Jehovah’s witnesses give the answer. Are these Christian witnesses today doing what Jesus said they should do, namely, be “witnesses of me . . . to the most distant part of the earth”? (Acts 1:8) First let it be noted that the reports show that Jehovah’s witnesses have been active in 206 lands, and this includes all the principal countries of the world. Secondly, no less than 1,483,430 persons engaged in this worldwide witness work during 1970 and they devoted 267,581,120 hours to talking about the Bible from house to house, and included in their message was the good news of God’s kingdom. But much more was done. Persons truly interested in the Bible were helped with free home Bible studies conducted by Jehovah’s Christian witnesses. Many of these were arranged for, and the annual report shows that 1,146,378 weekly home Bible studies were conducted. That means that the teacher is invited into the home and he sits down with the interested ones with Bible opened, and together they study some Bible subject every week for at least one hour for a six-month, or twenty-six-week, period. These Christian witnesses of Jehovah take the time to explain what the Bible has to say and to answer questions. What have the results been through this home Bible study method of preaching in 1970? They have been remarkable. There were 164,193 persons who left their former religious affiliation, changed their way of living, and took their stand on Jehovah’s side, dedicating their lives to the doing of Jehovah’s will. They became disciples of Jesus Christ and, of course, were baptized in water just as Jesus was. These 164,193 recently baptized witnesses of Jehovah are already preaching the good news of God’s kingdom world wide. They have come from all races, peoples and tongues, and they will meet with the Witnesses three times a week and learn more during the five Bible study sessions in 26,524 congregations in all parts of the world. Would you be interested in that kind of weekly program? If you are going to put up a fine fight for the faith you must get involved in Bible teaching work.

63. (a) State the difference between Christendom’s religions and Jehovah’s witnesses. (b) Who are included in doing the discipling work?

⁶³ There is a great difference between those persons who belong to Christendom’s religions and Jehovah’s witnesses. Christendom requires little or nothing of their members except to make contributions to the church. At Christmas and Easter time much larger numbers than usual attend the church services. But as to one’s beliefs and moral habits, it does not matter. There is no dedication of peoples’ lives to the doing of God’s will, or walking in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. The church members of both Catholic and Protestant denominations, as well as their clergy, do not know anymore what Jesus meant when he said: “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them . . . teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:19, 20) This was no meaningless statement on the part of Christ Jesus. He meant that every follower of his should be a witness of him wherever he lives, and that many would go to the most distant part of the earth to preach and make disciples. That is how Jehovah’s witnesses feel about it. They take their commission seriously. That is why all of them must ‘fight the fine fight of the faith and get a firm hold on the everlasting life.’

64. (a) What are the activities of special pioneers, congregation publishers and regular pioneers as Jehovah’s Christian witnesses? (b) What shows that many are interested in their work?

⁶⁴ Many men and women who are Jehovah’s witnesses feel the urgency of spending all their time in preaching the Kingdom good news, and 13,426 have been assigned to what is called the special pioneer work. That means they spend 150 hours or more every month in preaching the good news in territory where they are needed, and often where there is no congregation of Jehovah’s witnesses. In addition, there were, on the average, 1,295,911 congregation publishers who cannot spend all of their time in the ministry. They really do the greater part of the work in all parts of the earth, because they average anywhere from 10 to 20 hours a month in talking about the Bible’s message. After doing their secular work and home duties they use all the time they can in the preaching of the good news of God’s kingdom. Then there were 75,445 pioneers, who spend about 100 hours a month in this God-assigned work. This makes a grand total of 1,384,782 Witnesses on the average engaging in the ministry every month. This is marvelous, is it not? There are many more people interested in Jehovah’s witnesses and their activity, and they showed it by attending the Memorial of the death of Christ Jesus. This was celebrated on March 22, 1970, and the worldwide attendance was 3,226,168.

65, 66. (a) What part do Bible literature and return visits on interested persons play in the work of Jehovah’s witnesses? (b) What does the worldwide report of the past thirty years show?

⁶⁵ Readers of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines will be interested in knowing that during the past year Jehovah’s witnesses around the world obtained 2,464,196 new subscriptions for these magazines. In addition to that, they distributed 204,758,521 individual copies to interested persons who are not subscribers for these two fine publications.

⁶⁶ The people with whom Jehovah’s witnesses place literature are entitled to have return visits so their questions can be answered if they have any. In this activity Jehovah’s witnesses made return visits during the year to the number of 121,226,605. The reason for all this activity is to build faith and help others to get a firm hold on the everlasting life. Over the years this is what has been done. (For details see the complete chart of activity on pages 26-29.)

WORLDWIDE REPORT

Number of Number of

In the Lands where Jehovah’s witnesses Gilead

year work was done preaching graduates

1940 56 95,327 —

1950 115 373,430 1,086

1960 179 916,332 2,255

1970 206 1,483,430 2,561

67, 68. (a) Who does the printing of the Bible publications for Jehovah’s witnesses? (b) How extensive was the printing of Bible literature? (c) Why is faith so necessary to do this work?

⁶⁷ The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society has numerous printing plants throughout the world, and all of them are staffed by Jehovah’s witnesses. The main plant is in Brooklyn, New York. They also have printing plants in Canada, England, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Switzerland, South Africa and Australia, as well as smaller plants in other parts of the world. They also use outside printing plants in some parts of the world to get their literature printed for distribution.

⁶⁸ Their total production in bound books for Bible study during the twelve months of the 1970 service year amounted to 29,138,291, booklets 13,965,784, Watchtower magazines 177,038,027, Awake! magazines 171,719,337. What a joy it has been for these Christians to print all this literature and help in its distribution! They feel like the apostle Paul, who said: “I am not ashamed of the good news; it is, in fact, God’s power for salvation to everyone having faith.” (Rom. 1:16, 17) Those who love righteousness today must turn to God’s Word and keep studying it. You cannot shrink back. Paul said: “‘But my righteous one will live by reason of faith,’ and, ‘if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.’ Now we are not the sort that shrink back to destruction, but the sort that have faith to the preserving alive of the soul.” (Heb. 10:38, 39) Paul knew that that kind of faith was going to be needed down through the centuries, and that kind of faith is needed now. This is no time to give up or even slow down. Remember what Habakkuk said: “For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it keeps panting on to the end, and it will not tell a lie. Even if it should delay, keep in expectation of it; for it will without fail come true. It will not be late.”​—Hab. 2:3.

69. (a) How are we to be assured that what Jehovah prophesies comes true? (b) But what is required of us?

⁶⁹ Look back a minute. It was without fail that the prophecy concerning Judah’s destruction by Babylon came true, and it was without fail that Babylon itself was captured by the Medes and Persians. Without fail the children of Israel were delivered to their own homeland again. Without fail the one that the Jews rejected and had nailed to the torture stake, the Son of God, was raised from the dead by his Father, Jehovah. Peter was not hesitant in telling the Jews there in Solomon’s colonnade at the temple in Jerusalem that they killed the Chief Agent of life, but God raised him up from the dead, of which fact the disciples were witnesses. (Acts 3:15) Without fail the temple of Jerusalem and the city of Jerusalem were destroyed, just as Jesus said: “Truly I say to you, By no means will a stone be left here upon a stone and not be thrown down.” (Matt. 24:2) Did not all of these things come true? What Jehovah God said would happen in days gone by did happen. But how do you know unless you have studied God’s Word?

70. What self-examination are we now called upon to undertake?

⁷⁰ Did not Jesus give the full answer to the disciples when they asked him the question, “When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?” (Matt. 24:3) Have you read and do you now believe that the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew is having its greater fulfillment and that you are living in the “last days”? Do you believe that Christ Jesus has returned, and is present in his heavenly kingdom, having been seated upon his throne in the new heavens? (Acts 2:34, 35; Rev. 11:17) Do you not see that the conclusion of this system of things is very near its close? Do you still pray, and believe, that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven? Without fail will you continue to ‘fight the fine fight of the faith and get a firm hold on the everlasting life for which you were called and offered the fine public declaration in front of many witnesses’? Do you believe that the vision “will not tell a lie”? Do you have the faith that Habakkuk said we should have, namely, even if it should delay, keeping in expectation of it, for it will come true without fail? Recall, too, please, what Peter said: “However, let this one fact not be escaping your notice, . . . Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.”​—2 Pet. 3:8, 9.

71. What is required if one is to have Jehovah’s approval, and what will Christians continue to be and do?

⁷¹ It takes faith to be a Christian, for Christians walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Cor. 5:7) The Christian witnesses of Jehovah, no matter where they are, will continue preaching God’s kingdom because they will be fulfilling Jesus’ words: “You will be witnesses of me . . . to the most distant part of the earth.” At the same time each one has the opportunity to prove that he can “fight the fine fight of the faith, get a firm hold on the everlasting life,” and help thousands of other people to do the same thing.​—1 Tim. 6:12.

[Chart on page 26-29]

1970 SERVICE YEAR REPORT OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES WORLD WIDE

(See bound volume)