imposing cathedrals, choirs, archaic language and dead tongues. This hides their bare cupboard, but does not hide the effects of the famine—spiritual apathy! Jesus preached a clear, inspiring message, the Kingdom the hope of the world. Today Jehovah’s witnesses are bringing to the hungry people the good news of God’s kingdom. Soon Armageddon’s war will wipe out heathendom and Christendom. (Jer. 25:29, 33) God’s new world will be ushered in. So now is the time to stop ‘spending money for that which is not bread.’ Now is the time to flee from Christendom’s famine-stricken churches! Now is the time to feed upon solid spiritual food. Yes, now is the time to awake to the hope that never-ending life in Jehovah’s paradise new world can be yours.—Isa. 55:2; Rev. 18:4; 21:1, 4; 22:17.

“Observe the Commandment in a Spotless and Irreprehensible Way”

SEVERAL years ago a heavyweight boxing champion knocked out his opponent, but he lost the title because he struck a foul blow. In the last Olympic games one of the runners in a race was disqualified because he got out of his lane. The apostle Paul likened a Christian to one competing in an athletic contest, a fight or a race, saying: “Do you not know that the runners in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may attain it. Moreover, every man taking part in a contest exercises self-control in all things. Now they, of course, do it that they may get a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible one. Therefore, the way I am running is not uncertainly; the way I am directing my blows is so as not to be striking the air; but I browbeat my body and lead it as a slave, that, after I have preached to others, I myself should not become disapproved somehow.”—1 Cor. 9:24-27, NW.

An athlete in training refrains from certain foods and activities, and at the same time makes sure that other foods are on his menu and certain exercises are faithfully performed. He adheres to a rigid self-control that amounts to a browbeating of his body so that he can run or fight at peak efficiency and effectiveness. If he slacks off, his athletic performance will suffer and he will not gain the approval that comes to the victor. Similarly, one who runs the Christian course must stay in the narrow and cramped lane that leads to life. He must not get out of line, must not waver or wobble or run uncertainly, because if he does get off the course marked out in the Bible he is disqualified, regardless of any burst of speed he might show in field service. The Christian engaging in godly warfare does not swing wide of the target and hit only empty air, nor does he become guilty of striking low or foul blows that would result in his being disqualified and disfellowshiped. He runs straight and true to the Christian course and his blows land clean and hard on the Scriptural targets.