explains the significance of this happening and applies it to our ministry as follows: “Moses would put a veil upon his face, that the sons of Israel might not gaze intently at the end of that which was to be done away with. But their mental perceptions were dulled. . . . when there is a turning to Jehovah, the veil is taken away. If, now, the good news we declare is in fact veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through. For God is he who said: ‘Let the light shine out of darkness,’ and he has shone on our hearts to illuminate them with the glorious knowledge of God by the face of Christ.”—2 Cor. 3:12-14, 16; 4:3, 4, 6.

This glorious light, which they have received from God through Christ, Jehovah’s witnesses are faithfully reflecting. And they have, to quote further the apostle’s argument, “renounced the underhanded things of which to be ashamed, not walking in craftiness neither adulterating the word of God, but by making the truth manifest recommending [themselves] to every human conscience in the sight of God.” (2 Cor. 4:2) So if any persons are having the light of truth veiled from their sight, it is certainly not the responsibility of Jehovah’s witnesses, but it is their own.

Especially is this so in view of the statement at Revelation 18:1: “I saw another angel descending from heaven, with great authority, and the earth was lighted up from his glory.” When this prophecy went into fulfillment by the Lord Jesus’ coming in his kingdom power, the prophetic command at Isaiah 60:1, 2 became effective: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon thee. For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but Jehovah will arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” And since 1919 Jehovah’s earthen vessels have been active accordingly, with the result foretold in Isa 60 verse 3: “And nations shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.”—AS.

So let each one of the remnant and of the “other sheep” keep on shining as illuminators in the world (Phil. 2:15), in grateful appreciation of their grand and most unique privilege of service, the priceless treasure that they have in their earthen vessels.

Associations Produce Effects

The Bible principle “Bad associations spoil useful habits” illustrates how people are influenced by the association with the wrong kind of people. On the other hand, good associations are conducive to producing and preserving useful habits. Writing in Christian Life and the Unconscious, Ernest White speaks of “the way in which we affect one another in the ordinary relationships of life.” “Long and close friendship with another person,” he says, “often alters us in ways which are imperceptible to us but which may become evident to others. Friendship has a transforming power which is more than the conscious effects of companionship. This transforming influence steals upon us unawares, and it sometimes comes as a surprising revelation to discover how much we have been influenced in our ways of thinking, or even in our habits and our ways of acting, by long years of close companionship with some man or woman whom we love. Similarly, there can be little doubt that parents and teachers may pass on their buried complexes to the children under their charge. Neither the parent nor the child is conscious of this, but it shows itself in reactions of behaviour.” How important that teachers and parents set right examples in thoughts and actions!