MacAlister and Watzinger, followed by all others, nearly always set their dates too low, while in Egypt dates were generally placed far too high. Here we have the curious spectacle of an archaeological chronology being progressively raised in Palestine, while in Egypt it has had to be progressively lowered.”

From the foregoing the Christian may draw several conclusions. First and most important of all, the fact that the chronology of the Egyptologists does not harmonize with that of the Bible is no cause for concern or alarm; such a discrepancy need not be taken seriously. Secondly, that it appears that the Egyptologists were likely to be less conscientious than were the Palestinians. On the other hand, the archaeologists of Palestine were so conscientious that they leaned over backward in not assigning an older date than was absolutely necessary.

● Could you help me find the statement, supposedly in the Bible, that “it is better for a man to put his seed in the belly of a whore than to cast it upon the ground”?—M. P., United States.

This is a question that has been repeatedly asked and almost invariably it has been quoted by a Roman Catholic. According to the Knights of Columbus Information Service, this statement does not represent the Roman Catholic viewpoint. But on the other hand a priest, speaking in behalf of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, observed that it was more natural to put one’s seed into the belly of a whore than to spill it on the ground although there was no scripture to that effect. This is the type of thinking employed by Roman Catholic priests in certain parts of Italy, for they have gone on record as excusing fornication and adultery so long as birth control was not practiced.

Obviously, the statement runs counter to all that the Scriptures have to say on the subject of sexual intercourse. Nevertheless, it may be that the saying is a corruption of the Scriptural record regarding Onan, who wasted his seed on the ground rather than perform the duty of levirate marriage toward his deceased brother’s wife, because of which he was slain by Jehovah.—Gen. 38:9.

Announcements

FIELD MINISTRY

Devoted servants of God stay spiritually awake in these critical times. (Luke 12:37) They keep busy doing the work assigned them by God. In fulfilling their God-given commission, during September Jehovah’s witnesses will be offering to all persons the latest Bible-study aids published by the Watch Tower Society.

NOW IN ONE VOLUME

The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, produced in six volumes over a period of ten years, is now available in one volume. It is a revised text, printed in clear legible type, two columns to the page. Comprehensive concordance, appendix, maps. Hard-bound green cover with gold-embossed title, special Bible paper, 1472 pages, size 7 5/16ʺ x 4 7/8ʺ x 1 1/8ʺ. New also is the highly informative hard-bound book “Let Your Name Be Sanctified.” 384 pages, complete scripture index. Orders are now being filled! Send at once! Both for only $1.50.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS

October 15: Respect for the Sanctity of Blood. Page 553.

October 22: Using Life in Harmony with the Will of God. Page 559.