that adopted the Resolution that resolved faithfulness and separateness from the world.

Thanks to the timely and wise counsel given by the Society through its publications and with the help of Jehovah’s spirit, I have been able to pursue my purpose in life for the last thirty-eight years, twelve of which have been spent in a foreign land. Never would I pursue any other course in life. The longer I enjoy this great privilege the more I thank Jehovah for being kinder than any other master could possibly be and for having kept me and guided me. I want only to please him forevermore as I continue to pursue my purpose in life.

Questions From Readers

● In the twenty-third chapter of Acts, verses one to five, Paul calls the high priest Ananias a “whitewashed wall.” Then he in effect apologizes, saying, “It is written, ‘You must not speak injuriously of a ruler of your people.’” How can we justify the seething denunciations The Watchtower makes concerning the rulers of Christendom, since, although we, as Paul, realize they are false priests, they still are rulers of the people?—F. W., U.S.A.

In the first place, let us note that God’s Word never contradicts itself. While it is true that at Exodus 22:28 the people of Israel were told not to curse a chieftain among their people, it is also true that time and again God’s prophets were commanded to speak very strong denunciations of the rulers of Israel. Besides, the Watch Tower publications are justified in making “seething denunciations” concerning the rulers of Christendom in the light of Jesus’ own references to rulers in Luke 13:31-35, Matthew 23:1-37, John 8:44, and Revelation 1:1 and Re 13:1 to 18:9. To these references are to be added all those made by the ancient Hebrew prophets.

Consequently, when Paul, in his apology, quoted Exodus 22:28 he must have been referring to the faithful rulers of Jehovah’s people. Certainly wicked rulers are not above criticism and denunciation, particularly when the people need to be warned against them. As Jesus once said: “Blind guides is what they are. If, then, a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” (Matt. 15:14) In Paul’s case he was before the Jewish Supreme Court and he would not want to show any contempt for that court. Hence when he found that he had really called its chief justice, the high priest Ananias, a whitewashed wall, he apologized in order not to prejudice his case before it. Accordingly, he was later able to win part of the court to his side by crying out, ‘Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of a Pharisee; over the hope of resurrection of the dead I am being judged.’ Thus Paul acted wisely, with tact and, it might be added, in line also with the principle set down at Ecclesiastes 10:20 about not calling down evil upon the king, lest word thereof reach his ears.

In a similar way, whenever we are before rulers and judges of the land we will conduct ourselves courteously toward the representatives of the land and of the law. We would hardly call those to whom we are addressing ourselves by the denunciatory terms that are used in the various publications that we distribute. Not unless we wanted to bring on immediate martyrdom upon ourselves as Stephen did when, according to Acts 7:51-53, he said to the Supreme Court of the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem: “Obstinate men and uncircumcised in hearts and ears, you are always resisting the holy spirit; as your forefathers did, so you do. Which one of the prophets did your forefathers not persecute? Yes, they killed those who made announcement in advance concerning the coming of the righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become, you who received the Law as transmitted by angels but have not kept it.” Stephen was justified in what he said, as was evidenced by the fact that Jehovah God sent him a heavenly vision just at the time he was being stoned to death.

In summing up it might be said that the command at Exodus 22:28 was directed to individual