with the birth of Samuel and five other children; Peter’s denial of the Lord was not unpardonable; Paul’s pressed-down feeling gave way to rejoicing and Thomas’ doubts did not disqualify him in the race for eternal life. Neither must depression or any other test be allowed to disqualify you. Rather, as Paul declared, “no temptation has taken you except what is common to men. But God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but along with the temptation he will also make the way out in order for you to be able to endure it.” (1 Cor. 10:13) No less is this true of depression. So do not give up in doing what is right. And “may the God who gives hope fill you with all joy and peace by your believing, that you may abound in hope with power of holy spirit.”—Rom. 15:13.

Clerical Celibacy—Weighed in the Balances

“POLISH BISHOP UNFROCKED.” Thus read the heading of a Warsaw, Poland, dispatch in the New York Times, December 21, 1961. Concerned was one Bishop Rode, who, “in spite of the law of celibacy by which he was bound, dared to contract marriage, incurring thereby the penalty of excommunication by canon law,” said the report. Rode had previously split with the Roman Catholic Church of Poland, refused allegiance to the Vatican and defied it by cooperating with the Communists. But it was not for these things that he was excommunicated; it was because of his contracting marriage.

Placing like emphasis on clerical celibacy, the present pope, John XXIII, early in 1960, expressed grief “that some people should talk excessively about the possibility or even the convenience, of the Catholic Church’s giving up what has been for centuries, and still remains, one of the noblest and purest glories of her priesthood.”

Does this stress on enforced clerical celibacy have a Scriptural basis? What is its origin? What has been its history? When it is weighed in the balances, what is seen to be its effect on both priests and laity?

Clerical celibacy finds no support in the Scriptures. The faithful men of old who are mentioned in the Scriptures married. The Levite priests had to marry to keep the line of priests intact. As for the prophets, only Jeremiah was commanded not to marry.—Lev. 21:1, 7, 13, 14; Jer. 16:2.

Coming down to the time of Christ, it appears that marriage was general among the apostles, for Paul wrote: “We have authority to lead about a sister as a wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas, do we not?” He also stated that overseers and ministerial assistants should be, not persons bound by vows of celibacy, but monogamists, “husbands of one wife.” In fact, Roman Catholic authorities are agreed that the law of compulsory clerical celibacy is