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Japanese Shoeshine PreacherThe Watchtower—1959 | September 15
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Japanese Shoeshine Preacher
THE Osaka, Japan, edition of Mainichi Shimbun, December 18, 1958, carried the following report of the preaching activity of one of Jehovah’s witnesses in that city, together with a photograph of him with Bible in hand:
“SHOESHINE MAN GIVES YEAR-END STREET SERMONS. HOLDS CONVERSATION WITH HIS CUSTOMERS ON BIBLE TEACHING AND MATERIALISM.
“In one week Christmas will be here. There will again be much festivity this year. However, taking no part in all this revelry is a shoeshine man who is preaching, ‘The teaching of the Bible is this.’ Ten years have been like one day to him.
“This person is Mr. Yoshitaka Isobe, 55 years of age, who lives at 2 Sano Cho, Seijo Ku, and who used to be a jazz-band trumpeter at the Minato Cabaret. However, he was disgusted with the world of ‘wine and women,’ and when a missionary who lived at the same Sano Cho happened to preach to him, he started studying the Bible with him. Becoming absorbed in this study, he began to think, ‘I want to convey this teaching to others.’ Hence he chose the shoeshine trade, so that customers could listen to him for the few minutes that he polished their shoes.
“Mr. Isobe immediately opened a shop in front of the subway of Umeda. Eight years have passed. . . . Except for Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday mornings, when he goes preaching from house to house, he is to be seen every day at his stand in the street. He now sits at a corner in front of Naniwa Station, and it is said that some others have also become preachers through listening to his street sermons.
“His family co-operates wholeheartedly in his street sermon activity. In fact, his daughters Mariko (16) and Miyoko (12)—who is in sixth grade at Kanezuka Primary School—are so zealous as to go preaching with him. It is his hope that in the future the four members of his family will pioneer the way with him to the land of Hokkaido [where the need is great] for the preaching work. Today, as usual, he took out his thumb-marked Bible and asked, ‘What do you think of the world of materialism?’ of a young man who sat in front of him.
“Mr. Isobe says, ‘The Bible never said that we may overeat and overdrink. There are only a few who understand the spirit of the Bible. I want to convey this precious teaching to as many people as possible.’”
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Questions From ReadersThe Watchtower—1959 | September 15
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Questions From Readers
● The book “Your Will Be Done on Earth,” on page 120, states that the Persians met with military disaster at Thermopylae. Other sources indicate that the Greeks were defeated in this battle. What is the basis for the statement in the book?—N. K., U.S.A.
As regards the military defeat that the Persians suffered at Thermopylae in the days of Xerxes I of Persia The Encyclopedia Americana says under Thermopylae: “The account of this battle given by Herodotus has been generally followed. Xerxes, ridiculing the number of the Hellenic defenders (5,200, not counting the Locrians, whose numbers are not known), sent against them the Medes and Cissians with instructions to take them prisoners and bring them before him. When, after a day’s fighting, these were unsuccessful, the picked 10,000, called the ‘Immortals,’ were sent forward; but handicapped by the shortness of their spears, they were no match for the Hellenes, of whom few fell, while the Persian loss was on both days excessive. Xerxes was now in great perplexity, when Ephialtes, a Malian, came ‘to tell him of the pathway which led across the mountain to Thermopylae.’ The Persians arrived in the rear of Thermopylae soon after midday of the third day.” It was only by using this pathway and getting to the rear of the defenders of Thermopylae that the Persians were able to overcome them. So they captured control of the pass but it was at the cost of huge losses to themselves. It was in reality a military disaster. Of course, the decisive defeat came later on at Plataea in Greece on September 22, 479 B.C. However, this battle, which decided matters and forced the Persians to quit Greece, is not so celebrated or popularly known as is the military exploit that occurred at Thermopylae. So it was because of huge losses that befell the Persians in the engagement at Thermopylae and because of the celebrated action of the defenders of the pass there that the book “Your Will Be Done on Earth” makes mention of Thermopylae rather than Plataea.
● At Romans 10:18 the apostle Paul quotes Psalm 19:4 and apparently applies it to people, but the context of Psalm 19:4 is speaking of the heavenly creation. How are we to understand Paul’s application of the text?—M. M., U.S.A.
The scripture at Romans 10:18 says: “They did not fail to hear, did they? Why, in fact, ‘into all the earth their sound went out, and to the ends of the inhabited earth their words.’” According to the context of this scripture, the apostle Paul was describing the Jewish nation. They had the oracles of God, and their high priest had retained the knowledge of how to pronounce the name Jehovah. They knew that Jehovah was God, the Creator of heaven and earth. In Ro 10 verse 16 Paul says: “Nevertheless, they did not all obey the good news. For Isaiah says: ‘Jehovah, who believed our report?’” Then he applies Psalm 19:4. The point of this is that even if the natural Jews had rejected the preaching of Christ’s apostles, yet they had a testimony against them, namely, that of creation, the heavenly bodies. Without giving forth any verbal statement or any written statement in themselves, yet they did testify to the creativity of God. Since they did not accept the preaching of the apostles, the creation itself testified against them. And, as Romans 1:20 shows, the invisible qualities of God are set forth plainly by the things that are created and made visible. So if the Jews would not believe the audible, they still had the inaudible heavens to preach to them concerning God and to testify to his universal sovereignty.
● Why does Revelation 4:5 speak of “seven lamps of fire burning before the throne” when there were ten in Solomon’s temple, as shown in 1 Kings 7:49?—S. V., U.S.A.
The difference may be attributed to the fact that in the temple there were ten lampstands, each of which had seven lamps. Thus in 1 Kings 7:49, in addition to mentioning the lampstands, reference is also made to the lamps. This can best be appreciated by reading the pattern for these given in Exodus 25:31-39, which says, in part: “And you must make a lampstand of pure gold. . . . And six branches are running out from its sides, three branches of the lamp stand from the one side and three branches of the lampstand from the other side. . . . And you must make seven lamps for it.” So the lampstand itself had seven lamps.
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AnnouncementsThe Watchtower—1959 | September 15
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Announcements
FIELD MINISTRY
September will witness the completion of the special three-month campaign during which the book “Your Will Be Done on Earth” and a booklet are being offered from house to house for 50c. Appreciating the importance of the valuable and timely information contained in the book, all English-speaking congregations and individuals holding territory not yet worked with this offer will endeavor to cover it before the month ends.
“LOOK! I AM MAKING ALL THINGS NEW”
Men’s efforts to better world conditions continue to fail because men have nothing new to offer. Not so, however, with the Creator of the universe! He has observed human helplessness and has promised to restore obedient mankind to its rightful place. You can share in the fulfillment of that promise. Obtain and read the 32-page booklet “Look! I Am Making All Things New.” It is only 5c, 3 for 10c.
“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS
October 25: Salvation for Your Family as Well as Your Neighbor. Page 548.
November 1: Salvation by Overcoming Proud Tradition. Page 554.
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