38. As being what were all those 840 candidates baptized, and there has since been a large participation in what event at the various assemblies of Jehovah’s witnesses?

³⁸ They were baptized by total submersion of the body in water as dedicated disciples of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, in obedience to Matthew 28:19, 20. This was regardless of whether Jehovah would later reveal to them that he had assigned them to be of the “little flock” of Christ’s joint heirs or had assigned them to be “other sheep” who make up the present-day “great multitude” or “great crowd.” The Lamb’s shepherding of this “great crowd” of the “other sheep” is beautifully described in Revelation 7:16, 17. Baptismal services with a notably large participation by newly dedicated persons have since taken place at the circuit, district, national and international assemblies of Jehovah’s witnesses down till now.

39. Since World War II, how many have thus been baptized, and in what work are these now taking part and under whose supervision?

³⁹ Since the end of World War II in 1945 more than a million newly dedicated persons have thus been baptized world wide as disciples of Jesus Christ the Fine Shepherd. During the 1970 service year alone of Jehovah’s witnesses, 164,193 were thus baptized in symbol of their dedication to Jehovah regardless of where he chooses to place them within his theocratic organization. This increasing “great crowd” of baptized disciples of Christ are now aiding the modern-day ‘man with the inkhorn,’ the small remnant yet on earth of the 144,000 joint heirs of Jesus Christ. Under the supervision of this anointed remnant they are sharing in the work of marking the foreheads of those who are “sighing and groaning over all the detestable things” that take place in the midst of Christendom. Even in lands outside Christendom the marking goes on.

40. How extensively active are Jehovah’s witnesses at present, and who besides those of Christendom are now getting marked in their foreheads symbolically?

⁴⁰ Indeed, in 206 lands and island groups around the globe Jehovah’s witnesses are active. Many adherents of non-Christian religions are hearing and taking heed to the good news of God’s kingdom and are forsaking such non-Christian religions in response to Jehovah’s call for those who desire to be his people to get out of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion. By accepting Christ’s teachings and by dedication and water baptism these also are qualifying to be marked in their foreheads as being true disciples of Jesus Christ.

42. What indicates whether the marking work inside and outside Christendom will be fully accomplished, and for what would the man with the inkhorn have been held accountable had he failed to carry out his commission?

⁴² In the vision given to the prophet Ezekiel the lifesaving work of marking foreheads in doomed Jerusalem was brought to an end. Just as surely, then, although the marking work has been going on now for more than thirty-five years, it will come to its end throughout the earth, inside and outside of Christendom. The certainty of this is forevisioned by what the prophet Ezekiel says as to whether the man charged with the marking work carried out his commission or not: “And, look! the man clothed with the linen, at whose hips there was the inkhorn, was bringing back word, saying: ‘I have done just as you have commanded me.’” (Ezekiel 9:11) If the man had failed to carry out his commission he would have been held responsible for the slaughter of those “sighing and groaning” men whose foreheads he had not marked. He would have been like Ezekiel, who would have been held accountable for the blood of the executed Israelites if he had failed to give them warning from Jehovah as a watchman.—Ezekiel 3:17-21.

43. What are the anointed remnant of Jehovah’s servants determined to carry on doing, and to that end what do they continue doing?

⁴³ The anointed remnant of Jehovah’s servants today are determined to be just as faithful as was the linen-clad man in the vision. With that end in view they continue, despite opposition and persecution, to go from house to house, presenting the good news of God’s kingdom, to get in touch with all persons who are “sighing and groaning over all the detestable things” that are being done within and without Christendom and that are detestable to Jehovah the one living and true God. Jesus Christ prophesied: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) When that “end” does come and the marking work is completed, the anointed remnant desire to be able to bring back word to their Commissioner, Jehovah, and to say: “I have done just as you have commanded me.”

44. What are the “other sheep” now desirous of doing, and why must they keep the “mark” upon their foreheads, and how?

⁴⁴ The “other sheep” who are cooperating with them in the work of marking foreheads are no less desirous of proving faithful at the side of the anointed remnant, the present-day man “clothed with linen, with a secretary’s inkhorn at his hips.” For these “other sheep” to be spared by Jehovah’s executional “six men” in the approaching “great tribulation” they must keep this symbolic “mark” in their foreheads, that the “six men” may never come near them to use their smashing weapons upon their heads. They can retain this lifesaving “mark” on their foreheads by loyally and obediently sharing in the marking work with the anointed remnant who are clothed with the symbolic linen of God’s righteousness. This will ensure that the “great crowd” of these marked “other sheep” will “come out of the great tribulation” and enter into Jehovah’s further service in His new system of things under the Lamb Jesus Christ.—Revelation 7:17.