Footnote

a That there is grave danger of failing to endure as a Christian is demonstrated by the facts. During the 1970 service year, to take one country as an illustration of the problem, the United States showed a total of 13,732 who became inactive as to public preaching of the good news, this requiring attention spiritually from the local congregation overseers. There were 4,332 other persons disfellowshiped for serious violation of God’s righteous laws. That some who are disfellowshiped repent and eventually gain readmission to the congregations is borne out in the total of 1,642 who had been put out in former years and who were reinstated during the service year 1970. All together, in the United States in 1970, 13,469 were reactivated. While these figures are small in comparison to the United States’ peak of 388,920 Kingdom proclaimers, they should serve to alert everyone to pay attention to spiritual things and keep himself strong spiritually.​—1 Tim. 4:16.