They Found the Key to Peace

THROUGHOUT the earth many people are filled with bitterness. They do not enjoy peace with their fellowmen. Persons of one nationality, race or skin color feel animosity toward individuals of another nationality, race or skin color, often because of injustices committed in the past. Can such persons overcome their animosities?

The experience of a minister of Jehovah’s witnesses in California shows what can be done. He was engaging in the house-to-house ministry, speaking with people in the neighborhood about God’s purposes. He says:

“At one door, a six-foot-tall man answered. As soon as I introduced myself, he interrupted, saying, ‘I don’t talk to white people!’ Sincerely wanting to speak with him, I asked him what the problem was. He told me that he was an American Indian and that the whites had taken their land and killed off his people.

“I acknowledged that a great wrong had been done. I also informed him that I was Armenian and that if I wanted to take the same attitude, I could feel the same way about the people who had massacred thousands of Armenians. But I assured him that I was placing my trust and faith in Jehovah God, knowing that he would soon rectify matters through his heavenly Kingdom government. Then I assured him that this is why I was at his door, to explain how present world conditions gave proof that soon God’s kingdom will end injustice, prejudice and wickedness throughout the earth.

“That so appealed to him that he accepted a Bible study aid designed to help people understand God’s purposes. When I returned on a later occasion, we began a regular study of the Bible. Since then he and his wife have come each week to the meetings at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses and are making rapid progress in learning the Bible’s sure hope for the future.”

Even persons trained for war can change their ways and begin pursuing peace. A man from Belgium relates:

“I was a mercenary in the African Katangese army and faced many perilous situations. In one campaign the Katangese army killed every creature, man and animal. Fearful of losing my life, I vowed, ‘If I get out of here alive, I will go back to church.’ I came out alive. Katanga was defeated and, as if by a miracle, I escaped death.

“Many years previously I had left the Catholic Church. But now I went back. The first time I went back they preached about hell. The illogical comments of the aging priest gave me such a shock that I left the church immediately. Later, I went back on Christmas night. I arrived just at midnight. The church door was locked. After knocking, I was let in. In the rear, amidst drunken Christmas celebrators, I felt fully absolved of my vow made on the battlefield. I left the church, never to return.

“However, from that time onward I thought more about the existence of God. I prayed to God to reveal himself to me by means of a sign so that I could fulfill the vow I had made to him.

“Then something happened. One of Jehovah’s witnesses came to our door and I took everything that he offered to me and read it with keen interest. I examined, compared and studied.

“Soon afterward, I decided to test out what I had learned by visiting the Kingdom Hall. Impressed by the friendly and happy atmosphere, I soon became a regular attender. Never in my whole life, eventful and colorful though it was, with much travel, had I found the love and unity that I found in this Kingdom Hall.”

This man had tremendous changes to make. As he put it: “All my life I had been trained for carnal warfare and now I had to learn to become a spiritual soldier of Christ.”

Truly, then, a good relationship with the Creator, based on accurate knowledge of his Word, is the key to peace with fellowmen. If you are disturbed about the bitterness and prejudice existing today, why not take the opportunity to speak with Jehovah’s witnesses. Find out from them what sure proof there is that God will soon terminate national and racial prejudice, as well as war earth wide. And also learn what steps to this end are already being taken by hundreds of thousands of Christians all over the globe.