Graduates with a Vital Commission
MARCH 9, 1980, was graduation day for the 68th class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. From the start of the program at 10 a.m. until the diplomas were handed out shortly after noon, the speakers left no doubt in the mind of anyone that all the graduates had an important commission.
Basing his comments on Psalm 91, J. E. Barr urged them never to cease trusting in Jehovah God as the Protector of their spiritual lives. They could also rest assured of the backing and interest of angels in their missionary work.
By means of slides taken in the 11 countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America to which the 45 graduates were being sent, Don Adams acquainted them with what they could expect. In the respective assignments “the harvest is great, but the workers are few.” (Matt. 9:37) Hence, the graduates definitely are needed.
Using Matthew 13:45, 46, Harley Miller stressed the point that the truth is a priceless treasure toward which a person cannot be passive, indifferent or indecisive. ‘In every way and at every opportunity, display and share your treasure,’ he said.
From 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 and ancient history, Dean Songer showed that the triumphal processions of the Roman Empire provide vital lessons. In such a procession, the victorious general was the central figure. The incense that was burned then proved to be pleasant to the sharers in the victory. But it portended death for the cringing captives. In the procession described at 2 Corinthians 2, the focus is on Jehovah God and the grand victory that he has effected through Jesus Christ. The speaker, therefore, encouraged all to diffuse the knowledge of God and Christ by means of the spoken word and the printed page, making sure that their doing so is “sweet” to Jehovah even in the face of negative reactions.
Jack Redford highlighted the value of time. Being a precious gift from God, time should be used in bringing praise to the Creator’s name each and every day. ‘Do not waste a single day,’ Redford said. ‘Those who make wise use of time now in serving Jehovah will be preserved to time indefinite.’
After presenting in broad outline what the students had considered, Ulysses Glass drew on Micah 6:8 for his parting counsel. The ‘exercise of justice’ would require a person’s giving to all their just due. To “love kindness” calls for deeds, responding to the needs of others. Being ‘modest in walking with God’ indicates that a person must be pure, decent and unassuming in continually serving his Creator. Heeding the words of Micah would certainly be an aid in proving oneself to be a good missionary.
Grant Suiter stressed the role of the graduates as special missionary evangelizers. Since the training had been given at the direction of the Watch Tower Society, the graduating class owed a loyalty to this Society and its local branches, and was being sent out to ‘propagate the faith, doctrine and principles’ of Jehovah’s Witnesses—the great body of truth that has been built up over the past century.
The president of the School, Frederick Franz, brought the program to a forceful conclusion. Vividly, he described the prophetic vision set forth in Isaiah chapter 21 regarding the destruction of ancient Babylon on the Euphrates. Why was this particular chapter of Isaiah appropriate? From 1879 to 1938 the front cover of The Watchtower carried the words of Isaiah 21:11, “Watchman, What of the Night?” (Authorized Version) This constituted an invitation for those in the darkness of ignorance to inquire about what was being revealed through the modern watchman class. The watchman class, the speaker pointed out, is still on the lookout. It is necessary to keep on the watch with this class for the next big event—the destruction of “Babylon the Great.” While waiting for this, all need to take up the words of God’s angel: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins.”—Rev. 18:4.
Truly, the Gilead graduation program made it clear that servants of God have a vital work to do. May not just the graduates of Gilead School but all witnesses of Jehovah take seriously the commission to help as many as possible to become a people for God’s name. This should especially be the case because, as F. W. Franz stated, ‘the night of ignorance is passing away, to make way for the morning of the 1,000-year reign of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.’