YOU ARE INVITED!

COME TO THE

MTERMAT ONAb ASSEMBLY

OF JEHOVAH'S W TNESSES
Dodger Stadium
1000 Elysian Park Ave.
Los Angeles, Calif.
Dates: July 14-20
A drnission Free. No Co8lections.

Rooms for assembly delegates may be listed with:

Watehtower Convenfion, 5921 Eeko St., kss Angeles, Calif. 90042
Phone: (Area code 213) 254-3044

For details about the assembly and the organization that i s sponsoring it, read:
PAGE
Assemblies That Are Delightfully Different 3
Special Features of This Assembly 8
Largest Rooming Hun) i n History! 9
People Who Really Believe the Bible 12
The World Headquarters 15
Here Are the Assembly Cities 19
The Program 32

Published by:
*
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. Printed in U.S.A.
 "Peace o n earth!" Who would n o t like t o see t h a t ? Y o u witnesses. ,Thez have the right
yourself can see a foregleam of that very thing during a week way and make* Sense."
immediately ahead. Horn s o ? Because you a r e invited t o t h e about A news reporter who walked
the grounds of this as-
"Peace o n Earth" Christian sembly wrote in his paper:
1
assenibly that is coming t o ~ a r t vattended a n assemblv of "Therr a r e no parades, no ban-
your ciiy. T h e delegates Xo it ie1l&ah3s witnesses in that Goun- ners. There were onl$ persons,
n o t only practice peace them- try to write down anything that young and old, quietly trying to
might be said against his party. better themselves in t h e pyes of
selves b u t foresee f r o m Bible He heard nothing of that na- God. To one walking around the
prophecy peace o n e a r t h world ture. I n fact, he was so aston- Fairgrounds during the evening
wide in t h e n e a r f u t u r e . ished a t what he heard and a t program it was a cross-section
finding that there mas no bad of America. There were teen-
Where will these assemblies language and no that he agers with neat haircuts, matrons
be h e l d ? They will be held in began studying the Bible with with three or four children in
t w e n t v - f i v e ~ r i n c i ~ acities
l the Witnesses. tow, men in working clothes and
a r o u n d t h e woGd. ~ c a l ee all ~ A businessman who was shown others ..
in well tailored suits. .
One of the most striking fea-
international assemblies. A n d around the convention grounds tures was the good behavior of
a t Allentown, Pennsylvania, in
you a r e invited t o attend. But 1967, was so impressed that he the children."
what will you see a n d hear promptly phoned , a friend in a Thus these persons were im-
that will make them delightful- nearby TV station and said : "In- pressed with what they saw a t
l y different ? stead of the newspapers and TV a n assembly of Jehovah's wit-
s ~ e n d i n gtheir time showing news nesses. If you attend one this
Expressions from Outsiders of war< robberies, rape, and so year you also will End it to be
forth, they should come here to refreshingly different from the
Allentown and see Jehovah's usual run of conventions.
outsiders, public officials, news
reporters and others who have
found these assemblies to be de-
lightfully different.
When city officials toured the
convention facilities used by Je-
hovah's witnesses in Pasadena,
California; in 1963, their espres-
sions were : "Amaaing !" "DZar-
velous!" "Never saw anything
like i t in my life!" A person a t
City Hall said: "It is amazing
to have more than 100,000 visi-
tors in a city for niore than a
week and not one incident from
the group to be reported to the
police."
I n Oxford, England, a stadium
official said: "I'm amazed to see
a happy spirit and willing co-
operation between all your work-
ers and especially when they a r e
not being paid for what they
a r e doine." I n Zambia. Africa.
a secretary of a local ' political Live dramas of Bible events are part of the program
3
4 "PEACE Q N E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
I n fact, many persons \vho at-
tend a n assembly of Jehovah's
witnesses for the Grst tirue tind
it so delightful that they decide
to take in more than oue sessiorr.
4 man in Columbus, Georgia, had
this experience with an assem-
b l ~held in that city. The as-
senlbl~ such an imWet on
him that he came back for every
session. Another lnan who at-
tended the Allentown assembly
was so amazed a t what he saw
and heard that he arranged to
attend another assembly of Je-
hovah,s witnesses held two weeks
later in Trenton,
He "This has to be
vah's organization ; I've been in
the world, and from what I see
Jehovah's witnesses a r e a mir-
acle."
m e Prograna
At all assemblies of Jehovah's
witnesses, the program is dif-
ferent every day. There is vari-
ety in the progra:n, Bible talks
being iilterspersed witll
a1 experiences and thrilling Eli-
ble clra~nas.A live, costnmed Bi-
ble drama will tilake any inter-
national assembly of Jehovah's
witnesses that you attend this
year a delightfully diRerent ex-
perience for you if you have
never attended one before.
The fine Bible tallis a t the as-
sembly biiild up respect for the
Bible as being God's Word. Thrg
help delegates tu expand their
kl~owledgeand understanding of
it. Oftentimes new aids to Bi-
ble study are released.
The program always t ~ a ssome-
thing in it for' e v e r g o n e y o ~ l n g
people, adults, single persons
and married persons. I t strength-
ens their faith, helps them to
cope with personal problems and
temptations. I n 1968, there \\*as
a tv70-hourdrama entitled "'What
Young Folks Are Doing in the
'Ilinistry." With a cast of about
thirty characters it frankly and
dramatically portrayed the prob-
lems facing modern-day Chris.
counsel for them.
The assembly progra~nusually
begins each day in the afternoon
9 : 05 p.m. Music from an orches-
t m of volunteer players and
Observing their interracial har-
mony a t an assembly in Florida,
The People
them to be wide-eyed fanatics,
IN A L L P A R T S O F T H E WORLD tN 1969
gether.' The Jehovah's Witnesses
don't sing about it, they just
practice it. Not only has the con-
vention been a massive example
of racial harmony with black
and white worshiping together,
but i t h a s tucked some 700
Spanish-speaking Witnesses into
its programs without a murmur."
At international assemblies of
Jehovah's witnesses there a r e
usually delegates present in the
native costumes of their coun-
tries. I n the series of around-
the-world assemblies in 196.3 such
delegates were a most interest-
ing sight to all who attended
these assemblies, I n Stockholm,
Sweden, many of the local peo-
ple went out t o the assembJy
grounds just to have a good look
a t these unusual costumes.
You will be impressed by the
great many young people in at-
tendance and a t how Well be-
haved they are. This in itself
makes the assemblies of Jeho-
vah's witnesses different in these
days when so many young people
a r e rebellious, noisy, violent and
not the least bit interested in
religion.
Regarding the young people
present a t a n assembly in Den-
mark a local newspaper ob-
served: "This is not a n old peo-
ple's affair-there a r e many
younger married couples and sin-
gle young people, youths, teen-
f o r international assembly of Jehovah's Witnesses in'1968
agers and children. A11 listen 111 t h e series of around-the-
attentively a n d confidently to the world assemblies held by Jeho-
talks and Biblical explanations vah's witnesses in 1963 there
given by their elders. There is were 16,653persons baptized and
no youth rebellion among Je- acknowledged by the Witnesses as
hovah's witnesses." fellow ministers of Jehovah God.
You will a l s o see whole fam- Before candidates for baptism
ilies a t t h e assembly because Je a r e accepted they a r e required
hovah's witnesses do things to- t o meet certain qualifications.
gether a s families. Commenting One of these is that they have
on t h e presence of families a t a n accurate understanding of the
a n assembly in Rochester, New truths of God's Word.
York, the newspaper Democrat I n the big New York assembly
and Chronicle of July 13, 1968, of 19.58, there were 7,136 per-
said: "The Witnesses give the sons baptized a t a nearby beach.
impression of living their reli- Reporting on this, t h e New York
gion daily. Walking among them Times of July 31, 1958, said:
and watching them a t worb "With a precision t h a t would do
makes i t impossible not to be justice to the military, 7,136 Je-
aware that these a r e warm, ani- hovah's witnesses were baptized
mated, clean-living people. At a by total immersion yesterday in
time in our society when so a two-and-a-half-hour ceremony.
many parents and children seem . . . There were no emotional
to go their own ways, the prom- outbursts, no horseplay in the
inence a t the assembly of family water. Each Witness gave the
groups is noticeable. It's a plea- impression of a person bent on
sure to have them in town." a serious mission. The only voices
raised were those required to
Baptism direct the baptism traffic."
At every assembly arrange-
ments a r e niade for the baptism Honesty
of persons who have studied I f you lose something of value
with the Witnesses for a while while a t the assembly you will
and want to demonstrate their most likely find i t a t the Lost
dedication to God a n d their will- and Found Department. The
ingness to do his will. They do honesty of Jehovah's witnesses
this by being completely im- is another factor t n a t makes
mersed in water a s Jesus was. their assemblies different and
His baptism set the example. t h a t impresses outsiders.
 6 "PEACE O N E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY Q F
Delegates enjoy warm associstion in assembly cafeteaia,
During an assenibly a t @rock-
ville, Ontario, Canada, a dele-
gate went to make a purchase
in a local store but found that
her wallet was missing from her
purse. She espleiiicd to the clerk
that perhaps she had accidental-
ly dropped i l a t the assembly
place? and she hurried back to
see if it had been turned in to
the Lost and Found Department.
Sure enough, i t was there. Si:e
returned to the same store and
to the same clerk to con~ylete
her pnl-chase. The clerk was as-
tonished that the mallet had been
found and turned in.
I n Pomona, California, a dele-
gate to an assernblg of Jeho-
vah's witnesses there lost $1,000
worth of camera equipment.
After notifying the police he tlis-
covered that the equipment had
been found a t the assembiy arid
turned in to t h Lost
~ and 'onnd
Department. H e promptly noti-
fied tlle police that it had been
found, and a police officer came
to the assembly grounds to reri-
f y this. The officer sairl: "If I
hadn't seen this, I wouldn't be-
lieve it." At that very nloment
s young child tnmed in some
money he had fonnd. The officer
remarked : "If people ever)-where
were l i l e this, I wouldn't have
a job very long."
Cafeteria
F o r the convenience of the
fhonsa.nds of delegates in atten-
dance a t a n asseiubiy of ,Jeho-
vah's \vitnesses, volnnteer work-
ers prepare three meals a day.
T h e ~ eare served in a temporary
cafeteria that they set np under
tents or in some other suitable
location on the g:otuicls. The
rafeteria is so well organized
that tho1:sands of people car1 be
scrrcd a hot meal in a rery
short time. During a x~eek-long
conrention in London in 1903,
there Tere 2,000 volunteess who
serred regular meals ro 50.000
delegates. The bole serving ar-
rangement malrit:ii~ied a n aver-
age of allnost 500 meals a minute
a t the busiest moments.
During their big S e w York as-
sembly in 1958, t ~ o cafeterias
mere prepared to feed the 150.-
000 persons present for the daily
sc!ssiotls. They mere capable of
handling a s many as 67,000 per-
sons a n hour. The ability of the
Witnesses to feed huge cro\vds
a t :i gheliomell~l spccd has
arolisecl the interest of officials
of tlie Civil Deferlse and Rt?d
Cross. .4t an assenrbly in Costa
Xesa, Californ.ia, the c:rfeleria
operation was observed by ofi-
ciais of these oi.gnnizations. They
fired question after question a s
they v i e ~ e d tile mass-feeding
operation, the kitchen, food prep-
aration, tray washing and bak-
cry. They were d e e ~ l yimpressed
By what they saw,
Allhongh many tons of food
are processed during the course
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
of an assembly so a s to provide
meals in the cafeteria, the Wit-
nesses have 110 problems with
food poisoning o~ other sickness
from the food serred. A high
degree of cleanliness is main-
tained in connection T~ith the
preparing :tnd serring of food.
When a 5,000-pound shipment of
turkey was found to be slightly
soured a t one assembiy. t h e whole
shipment was set aside and not
used. The menu was prolnptly
changed to safeguard the health
of the delegi~les.
Llurinz the 1963 assembly in
New York representatives of the
Health Drpartmn~ltendorsed the
cleanliness of the Witnesses. They
said that they rollld grant griv-
ileges to the convention organi-
zation f a r hepond what theg
mould to others, because, a s theg
stated? "you hnvc such interest
in your people thnt rou would
do nol!lil:g thnt mould jeopardize
their health."
R%en visiting the cafeteria
you will see Inany serving lines
with food being served on trays
in nil assembly-line manner.
Prom the ,~ervinglines each del-
egate carrics his tray to waist-
high tables where he eats the
food rvllile standing.
Volua~tserWorkers
Ko matter how large a n as-
sembly might be, all the work
neccssarx for nialrinq i t a suc-
cess is done by volunteer work-
ers Witnesses with skills voiun-
teer their help to rnstall the
sourld sy-tern, to erect a n attrac-
tive platform for the speakers,
to itlstall steam Irettl~s,to lay
piping, to cook for the cafeteria,
and so forth. Others operate t h r
cafeteria and refreshment stands,
direct traffic, help people find
seats, sweep the floors, clean the
rest rooms. asbig11 rooms for thc
delegates, and do any number of
other tasks that are llecessary
for the successful operation of
a n assembly.
Much work is necessary hefore
a n assembly eren begns. Tne
stadium or auditorium has to be
thoroughly cleaned, and all the
equipment set up for operating
the various departments of the
assembly. Gleauing lhe audito-
rium or stadium is a standard
practice v i t h the Witnesses. Re-
gardlna the huge assembly held
In Yankee Stadium in Xen- Torl;
in 1958 a t mhich 250,000 people
were in attendance on the lasr
IN A L L PARTS O F T H E W O R L D IN 1969
day, the 1959 Arena, Auditorium
B Stadiuq Guide stated:
"Not so much a s a match stick
or discarded candy wrapper could
be found in the stadiums and
other areas they had rented.
Thousands of their members,
men, women and children, made
up a committee to leave every
square foot of area as clean or
cleaner, than they had found it."
Every night during the 1963
assembly a t Yankee Stadium
four hundred volunteer workers
pitched in to sweep the entire
stadium. Within an hour and a
half the job was done. Regard-
ing a n assembly held in Winston-
Salem, North Carolina, the news-
paper Twin-Citu Sentinel of July
16, 1968, quoted the coliseum
manager a s saying : "Without
reservation, that's the cleanest,
most orderly bunch of people
that has been in the coliseum in
the nearly 10 years I have been
there."
I n connection with another as-
sembly, a t Lewiston, Maine, the
Lewiston Daily Sun of July 9,
1968, reported: "And when the
three day convention had ended,
the lawns and grounds of the
two public buildings were a s
clear of litter a s could be, in
sharp contrast to their condition
after far-smaller gatherings and
events are held there. . . . Re-
gardless of one's religious belief,
and whether it agrees with the
feelings of the witnesses, this
was a n unusual demonstration
of faith which was in itself up-
lifting."
AU work at the assemblies is done free by volunteers
Financial Support
No collections are taken a t as-
semblies of Jehovah's witnesses.
Perhaps you wonder, then, how
the assemblies a r e financed. I t
is expensive business to rent a
big auditorium or a huge sta-
dium such a s Yankee Stadium
for a week. But it is not just a
matter of only one stadium. I n
1968, a total of 120 district as-
Semblies mere in the
ern Hemisphere encorn-
passing twenty-five countries.
Despite the expense, you will
never hear a single plea for
money a t any assembly you may
attend. All expenses a r e covered
by unsolicited voluntary contri-
butions.
Other Features
Oftentimes the assembly pro-
gram is multilingual. I n the
United States there is frequently
a simultaneous Spanish progrgm
for the Spanish-speaking Wit-
nesses. This is put on in an ad-
jacent building or tent. At the
1958 assembly in New York there
were separate language meetings
for parts of the program p r e
sented in Arabic, Dutch, Fin-
nish, French, German, Italian,
Portuguese, Spanish, Albanian,
Danish, Greek, Hungarian, Po-
lish, Slovak and Ukrainian. Del-
egates from 123 lands attended
that assembly.
At the Stockholm assembly in
1963, a special platform Was built
in the shape of a four-leaf clo-
ver. From each of the four leaves
7
of the platform the program was
translated simultaneously into
the languages of the four Nordic
countries. Each language was
broadcast to a specfic section of
the stadium that was set aside
for that language. Several of
the 1969 assemblies will have
Spanish sessions.
provisions are even made for
deaf-mutes to benefit from the
fine piogram. At Yankee Stadium
in 1958 there were six Witnesses
who were deaf-mute interpreters.
They took half-hour turns to re-
lay the convention talks to those
persons unable to hear or speak.
They did this by means of sign
language, translating what was
said from the platform almost
a s rapidly a s it mas said.
Accept the Invitation
I n many ways you will find
the "Peace on Earth" h t e r n a -
tional Assembly of Jehovah's
Witnesses delightfully different
from any assembly you ever at-
tended. A man who went to an
assembly of the Witnesses for
the first time in Sedalia, Mis-
souri, remarked : "It warms my
heart to see you people. I t is so
different frhm what I have
read." A local businessman in
Shreveport, Louisiana, who went
to an assembly there observed:
"It's so different from any other
time I have been to the fair-
grounds, it just doesnY Seem like
the same place. ... you people
have I certainly wish
I had."
Their assembling - together
- reg-
ularly is in accord with the
Scriptural admonition a t He-
brews 10: 24, 25, which says:
"Let us consider one another to
incite to love and fine works, not
forsaking the gathering of our-
selves together, a s some have the
custom, but encouraging one an-
other, and all the more SO as you
behold the day drawing near."
The fact that the program of
each assembly does indeed incite
those present to "love and fine
works" makes the assemblies of
Jehovah's witnesses delightfully
different.
-4ccept the invitation to at-
tend a n assembly of Jehovah's
witnesses. It will cost you noth- '
ing, but you will gain much in
a s ~ i r i t u a l way from the ex-
perience.
 wrong? How many solid argu-
ments do you know that prove
that the Bible is not merely the
writings of men but that i t real-
ly is the Word of God? This
program will fortify your faith.
The Book of Revelation
When did you last try to read
the Bible book of Revelation?
Did you wish you could under-
stand it? You can. The talk
"Final Woes to Enemies of Peace
with God," which focuses at-
tention on Revelation, can help
you. Be on hand to hear it.
Problems of Family Life
By means of talks and dramas
"THE APPROACHING PEACE OF A THOUSAND PEARS" with modern-day settings. this
-t,his is t h e title of a thrilling one-hour talk t o be given o n "Peace on Earth" assembly will
t h e last day of this international assembly ! D o you long f o r en- come to grips with the problems
d u r i n g peace ? T h e n don't miss of family life. Is your homelife
really happy? Do the members
t h i s p r o F a m . It will b r i n g you If possible, why not be on hand of your household truly commu-
comfort, encouragement a n d the very first day of the assem- nicate with one another the way
great hope in these bly when the keynote address is they should? Do problems that
delivered. The subject : "Ac- arise in connection with your
days. quaint Yourself with God and children cause you anxiety? We
For weeks prior to the assem- Keep Peace." believe that you will appreciate
bly, and during the assembly the portions of the program
week itself, you will see this Bible Dramas that discuss these matters in a
discourse advertised everywhere. Almost every day of this in- straightforward way.
Posters around the city will draw ternational assembly will in-
attention to it. Lapel cards worn clude, not only lively discourses, Attitude Toward Authority
by assembly delegates will fea- but also a Bible drama. Some Another problem ,that has
ture it. Tens of thousands of of these will have modern-day pressed itself on the attention
handbills will be distributed to settings; others will be put on of people everywhere is the mat-
invite all interested persons to in the dress of Bible times. For ter of respect for authority.
attend. I n addition to the out- example, you will be able to see Youths are in rebellion against
ofitown delegates, thousands from a drama featuring King Saul parents and teachers. Adults
the assembly city are expected and his son Jonathan, David the openly defy government officials.
to be on hand to hear this prin- son of Jesse, and lovely Abigail. You are affected by these things,
cipal talk of the program. Will And a s you watch, yon will come but do you know what the Bible
you he among them? We sincere- to realize what it all means to says about the course to pursue
ly urge you to plan now to be us today. in the midst of them? Regard-
present. I n a different kind of drama, less of your position in life, you
Not only this important part by means of audio presentation, will benefit greatly from the dis-
of the program, but all sessions you will be able to live the un- cussion of this subject on the
of the assembly are open to the usual experiences of the prophet assembly program.
public, and no collections are Jonah; also those of Daniel a t International Reports
ever taken. Iiing Belshazzar's court just be- Another colorful portion of the
- fore the collapse of the Babylo-
When to Come nian Empire. And, remember, assembly will be firsthand re-
Every session of the assembly there is no charge to attend any ports from all parts of the earth.
features a different program, of these dramas. Today there a r e fast-moving
alive with practical value, and developlnents in the Eeld of reli-
you are invited to attend them The Bible Is God's Word
gion. The lives of tens of thou-
sands a r e being dramatically
all. Living as we do in a n age when changed each year as a result
On most days the program will the Bible has been subjected to of Bible education. Eyewitness
begin in the afternoon a t 1:40 constant attack to undermine reports a r e part of the program.
and close a t 4 : 35. Evening ses- faith, it is most appropriate that Yes, there is much a t this
sions begin a t 6 : 30 and end a t a full afternoon of the assembly assembly that is of intense inter-
9 : 05. On some days, as shown be devoted to a discussion of the est to you. The program is prac-
on page 32, there is a program evidence that the Bible really tical, enlightening and encour-
in the morning too. If you want is the Word of God. When you aging.
You are invited! Why not
to come for the entire day, you hear others say that parts of the mark the assembly dates on your
a r e welcome to have your meals Bible are just "myth," or are calendar right now. Details as
with us in the assembly cafe- unscientific, can you produce to the day and time of each
teria. facts t o prove that they a r e program are on page 32.
 in History!
T h e largest rooming hunt in t h e history of t h e world i s under the Rooming Department mere
way. Y o u r city is n o doubt involved. Good, clean Christian given free by the hospitable peo-
ple of t h a t city.
people will be looking f o r rooms.
C a n you offer a r o o m ? If I Why Rent Your Room 2
so, please contact t h e Watch- have sleeping quarters for you. Of course, your reaction to in-
tower C o n v e n t i o n Rooming I've had mei~ibersof your group viting strangers into your home
in my home during three con- may be a negative one. This is
Department. ventions and would be pleased understandable in this era of
Rooms a r e needed for the del- to have them this year. I've al- crime and violence. You have a
egates to the "Peace on Earth" ways found your group, those right to be concerned for your
International Assembly of Jeho- I've met, very sincere, and a life and property; in fact, you
vah's Witnesses. For how long credit to any place they go to. should be. But, a t the same time,
will they need a room? About a I've been more than pleased to does this mean that one should
week, and in some cases less have them." lock up all the fountains of good-
than a week. The delegates will A business couple a t Americus, ness within himself to survive
be a t the assembly most of the Georgia, was approached by one these fearful times? No, it does
day, and they will have their of Jehovah's witnesses. The man not mean that a t all.
meals a t the assembly grounds, spoke and said, "My wife and To live in such a fearful way
but they do need a place to sleep. I wereuptalking about you people not only would be ignoring the
Hotels and motels in your area the other day." After telling commandment of God to be hos-
will not be able to accommo- about another religious group pitable but would be doing in-
date all the convention delegates, that left his motel in a mess, he jury to oneself. The Bible, there-
so rooms are needed in private said : "My wife and I said, Why fore, wisely advises : "Follow
homes I n the city of Milwaukee, couldn't they have been like Je- the course of hospitality." "Do
Wisconsin, where some 34,217 hovah's witnesses? When they not forget hospitality, for through
delegates came to a convention were here they left their rooms it some, unknown to themselves,
of Jehovah's witnesses in 1963, so neat entertained angels." (Rom. 12 :
13,010 were accommodated by have to and clean that we didn't 1 3 ; Heb. 13 :2) Yes, the course
hotels and motels, but a total sembly. do much after their as-
Even the maids men- of hospitality is a wise one, a
of 21,207 delegates had to be tioned the difference godly one, when judiciously ex-
housed in private homes. Pro- vah's witnesses. We're inso Jeho- glad tended.
portionately the same generally The people coming to this con-
holds true for other cities where to have you folks backl" vention a r e Christians who sin-
conventions a r e planned. Some At another place, the lady in cerely endeavor to live in harmo-
rooms a r e offered free, others a t charge of a motel said: "I would ny with the wholesome principles
nominal cost. like to ask one favor of you. of the Bible. And, a s you have
What kind of people are the I would like you to send the already noted in the expressions
delegates to these Christian as- same people in here a s I had from those who provided rooms
semblies? Perhaps the best way a t your last assembly. They were for them in 'the past, this makes
to answer that is by expressions the nicest and neatest people them pleasant =ests to have in
of people with whom they have 1 ever met!' Of course, that one's home.
stayed. could not be promised, but she Having some of the delegates
was assured that others of Je- in your home can also bring a
Expressions by Others hovah's witnesses would be just special blessing to you. How so?
One householder wrote the as nice and neat. She replied: Well, if you are a person who
Watchtower Convention Room- "I'm sure that they will be just would like to get a better under-
ing Department, saying : "We had the same, but I just thought so standing of the Bible, they will
the pleasure a few years ago much of the others that I want- be glad to take time during their
of having a family of your or- ed to have them back." stay in the city to assist you.
ganization living with us. The The Daily Pilot of Costa Me- They do not press their religion
party left good memories for us. sa, California, editorially stated : on those with whom they stay.
All your members a r e good and "The hospitality (of Costa Dle- But they are glad to go out of
gentle people. I now can offer sans) is m a f anted. I n their their way to answer the ques-
you again my two bedrooms with previous convention here, the Je- tions of those who want to know
four beds." hovah's witnesses have proved what the Bible says.
"Your representative 'made such happy to have them back." I n
.
Another , householder s a i d : to be welcome guests . . We're Also, there will be delegates
from other lands a t this assem-
a wonderful impression that .we Costa Mesa, 47 percent of the bly, a s well as from all parts
rearranged our plans to t r y to rooms listed in private homes by of your country. It can be en-
I0 "PEACE ON E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

joyable to get acquainted with esting experiences. For example, with Jehovah's witnesses, he
people from other places. one girl was rudely turned away told h e r : "By all means list
We hope t h a t you will be able from the door by a man who them, and with no charge." H e
to rent a spare bedroom to one did not even give her an oppor- said that Jehovah's witnesses
or 111ore of the convention delp- tunity to esplain why she had a r e the only people that he would
gates. Such generous gestures called. The next clay he stopped trust in his home.
a r e not overlooked either on her on the street and apologized One kind landlady offered her
earth or in heaven. Jesus Christ by saying that he thought she rooms free, a s well a s free meals,
derlared: "Whoever gives one of was one of Jehovah's witnesses happy over the prospect of hav-
these little ones only a cup of but Inter had learned that she ing real Christians in her home.
cold water to drink because he was looking for rooms. H e had "It is a small thing to do for
is a disciple, I tell you truly, he a room, he said, and if she want- God who has been good to me,"
will by no means lose his re- ed it, she could have it. The she said.
ward." (Matt. 10:42) If a cup girl thanked him, disclosed t h a t At &ledicine Hat, Alberta, Can-
of cold water warrants a re- she was one of Jehovah's wit- ada, one lady told a young wit-
ward from the heavenly Father, nesses, explained about the co!l- ness of Jehovah that, though
how much more so will your vention and said she would still unable to offer a room for the
oeering of a bed! be glad to list his room. Shocked, use of our visiting delegates, she
he reconsidered for a moment. wished she could. The house-
Volunteer Workers Then he said he did not wish to holder continued, "You see, the
The job of Ending rooms for make another blunder and hap- minister of our Dutch Reformed
thousands of convention dele- pily let her have the room. Church told the congregation
gates is all done by volunteer When a rabbi's wife asked her t h a t they should give rooms to
workers. This means that thou- husband about listing some rooms Jehovah's witnesses a s they were
sands of Jehovah's vitnesses
spend many thousands of hours
hunting for rooms. City hlock
after city block is carefully
searched. Some blocks a r e worked
three to six times!
The people, a s a rule, a r e quite
sympathetic. They seem to un-
derstand the need for the many
calls. Often they respond by urg-
ing their own relatives and
friends to open their homes. I n
fact, these later calls yield more
accommodations than the first
calls prinlarily for this reason.
Also the assemblies usually re-
ceive additional publicity by
means of radio, newspapers and
television. And, too, people know
by the second, third o r fourth
tirrle around whether they will
be going on a vacation or not,
if they will be having visitors
during the week of the assem-
bly, and so forth.
One of t h e greatest boons to
the rooming search is the land-
ladies themselves who remember
Jehovah's witnesses from pre-
vious assemblies. A Witness in
charge of the rooming work in
R'ew York said: "A very large
number of our accomn~odations
were called in to u s by land-
ladies. Our phones were kept so
busy that some of them waited
till after midnight to get a call
through, or sent us a wire. Many
others just came to the Rooming
Department in person to offer
us accommodations." What is i t
like to engage in this rooming
hunt?
Those who engage in this Witnesses arriving at home where accommodations have been
rooming hunt have many inter- provided for assembly delegates
 +-

IN ALL P A R T S OF THE W O R L D I N 1969 11

teaching about God's kingdom." ventioner who will be staying tories. I n this way the K i t n e s s s
I n this same city another land- a t her home. The date of the were able to make room for 41,-
lady unable to list rooms gave delegate's arrival is also given. 286 persons. he German people
the Witness who called $5 as a The delegate is thus able to showed their appreciation of the
donation to cover the cost of a communicate with the landlady. privilege of being hosts to a
room elsewhere. A ~ S Ospecial attention must be Christian assembly in many
A householder in Trenton, New given to the requests of the del- ways; some of them sheltered
Jersey, asked if the delegates egates who might be blind or in their homes from twenty to
would pay for the rooms. She deaf or ha& some other handi- thirty Persons-
was assured that they would. cap. The job of obtaining enough
She thought she might get her ~ h ,last few weeks prior to rooms was no small problem
children to double up, but was the convention the ~~~~i~~ D ~ - in Milan, Italy. House-to-house
not certain. Then she gained partment is about the busiest rooming work had never been
courage and listed three rooms. place in the whole city. ~~f~~~ done in Milan before. This is
She also gave an address of an- one recent assembly, from eight because the law of the land for-
other woman, who had her son in the morning till nearlymid- bids private families to receive
sleep on a mattress on the floor night it was difficult to reach guests or roomers in their homes
so that the room could be avail- the Rooming headquarters on on payment, even for just one
able for Jehovah's witnesses. any of its telephones. night. So in order to surmount
This was amazing because her One after trying for this legal barrier it was neces-
own Baptist church was having three days to call on the tele- there sary for Jehovah's witnesses
an association meeting,, at the phone, finally took a subway from sion from to obtain special permis-
same time and they were in need home and spent an hour Rome. The government the government in
of rooms too. But she said that authori-
she would rather list her rooms traveling across town, just to see ties readily appreciated our prob-
with Jehovah's witnesses. if the telephone could actually
be that busy. She absolutely lem and granted special permis-
When a householder was ap- astourlded a t the whirl of ac- sion for a house-to-house search
for rooms in private homes. The
proached in Salina, Kansas, she tivity that she saw.
said that out-of-town guests were response mas very gratifying.
arriving and that she could not Rooms Needed Accommodations were offered for
possibly list any rooms. After Throughout the Earth 10,027 conventioners !
the Witness left, the householder sinceinternational assemblies theI n Republic
1963 Jehovah's witnesses in
decided to write to her guests of Jehovah,s witnesses will be of the Philippines
and explain to them that she held in twenty-five principal tit- sent out some 600 volunteers
would be having her house filled ies around the world this year from many congregations in
a t the time with other guests, the great rooming hunt will bd search for rooms. They located
Jehovah's witnesses. She told carried on in each of them. some enough accommodations for 9,000
them that they could arrange to of the excitement can be recap- delegates, and the majority of
stay somewhere else, because tured by reflecting on what has these mere offered free of charge.
there was always a possibility happened at past conventions. In Some Witnesses even built ad-
of having them but she could not ~ ~ ~ ~ sweden, k h ~it was l ~ ex- , ditions to their houses a t great
always have Jehovah's witnesses petted that the job of finding cost to themselves so that they
in her home. Eight delegates rooms for delegates would take gates. could accommodate more dele-
were housed. a t least four months. ~ u the t The chief of police of
response on the part of the Swe- Manila, a s well as the wife of
Rooming Headquarters dish people was so generous that the may0r Of the city, made
& "Beehive" arrangements to house dele-
the rooming work was brought
At the Rooming headquarters to a close four ahead of gates. A businessman in Caloo-
there is a hum and efficiency schedule. ~~d there were 3,000 can City offered accommodations
like those of a beehive as beds available in case of for eighty delegates!
volunteers take care of the cleri- The largest rooming hunt in
cal details. The volunteer work- is On- The is
ers carefully match accommo~a- TO overcome a shortage of ac-
for rooms !Will you express your
tions and requests, a s to price, commodations in the cities of by Offering your spare
location, arrangement of rooms, Korea where assemblies were
held, dormitories were set up in free but
and so for*. pamilygroups have at a rate?
to be kept together. convention- Kingdom Halls, school classrooms If You have not already availed
ers from countries with currency and judo halls. Patiently Jeho- yourself of the opportunity to
restrictions may have to be vah's witnesses put up with the
housed in free rooms. inconveniences of having families accommodate some of Jehovah's
split up so that men and men
The landlady's interests are Could be in separate dormitories. witnesses in your home during
also looked after. A cross-refer- this assembly, why not do so
ence card is typed out and filed I n SO doing, they reflected the the next time they call a t your
under the landlady's name. Two fruitage of God's spirit, namely, door to ask if you have a spare
notification cards are made out. love, kindness and mildness. room to rent to their delegates?
One card goes to the convention I n Munich, West Germany, the Better still, seek them out by
delegate, and the other is sent city officials allowed Jehovah's telephone. You will have assisted
to the landlady, giving her the witnesses to use ninety-one of in the largest rooming hunt in
name and address of the con- the Munich schools a s dormi- history.
 W h a t distinguishes t h e delegates that you m a y m e e t a t t h e Jehovah's witnesses believe in
""Peace o n Earth" Interfiational Assembly of Jehovah's W i t - using God's name, especially
Eesses? Y o u will find t h a t it basically lies in the fact t h a t t h e y since Jesus Christ said: "I have
really believe the Bible t o be
made your name known . .. and
will make i t known." ( J o h n 17:
t h e Word of God. T h e y a r e the Bible when i t tells then, t h a t 26) I n fact, Jehovah's witnesses
unlike g r e a t numbers of pro- the Creator is "the living God," Bet their own name from the
fessed today, in- that He i s "from everlasting to Bible, a s a t Isaiah 43 : 12, where
everlasting" and "the King of it says: " 'You are rnT wit-
eluding many clergynlen, who etertlitv."-Heb. 10 : 31 ; ps. 90 : nesses,' is the atterance of .Te-
consider t h e Bible t o be old- 2, ~fl;'l Tim. 1:17. hooah. 'and I am God.' "
fashioned o r fiction. T h e y be-
God's Name They See
lieve that w h a t J e s u s C h r i s t a Paradise for the Future
Additionally, Jehovah,s wit-
spoke is indeed 'the t r u t h that nesses believe that God has a Today many scientists fear for
be h e a r d f r o m God.'--John personal name, just a s the Bible the future of the earth a n d hu-
8 :40. shows. Perhaps you have seen mankind. Among the grounds for
such fears a r e nuclear weapons,
T~~~el]ristian witnesses of Je- this name in your Bible. Many contamitlation of the earth, sea
hovah thus believe the sixty-six churches and cathedrals, ewe-
and air, and the population e s -
books comprising the Bible to cialls those dating back to the p!osion. Recently Professor Bich-
be the inspire,j \Tor,j of God. sixteenth and seventeenth cen- a r d A. Falk of Princeton Uni-
N~~ ollly that, but they believe turies, feature the divine name
in folloiving the Bible as their in Tetragrammaton forrh (;lm '1.
versity said :
guide in life. Yes, fax, from con- The Tetragrammaton i s defined "Man may be skeptical about
sidering the Bible to be a s "the four Hebrew letters following the flight of the dodo
fashioned, the Q T are toll-
~ usually
~ transliterated
~ ~ YHWH~ or ~ into extinction,
~ ~ but the evidence
rinced that i t is as up-to-date JHVH that form a biblical prop- points increasingly to just sneh
as today,s newspaper. They be- e r name of God." Many churches a pursuit. The planet and man-
lieve that Jesus Christ knew in Europe have tinis name of kind a r e in grave danger of ir-
what he was talkillg about when God in frescoes and murals t h a t reversible catastrophe if the po-
he stated of his Word: litical structure t h a t now prarails
"Your word is truth,"-John is not drastically changed dur-
17 :17. ing the next few decades. . . .
To the Witnesses the There a r e four interconnected
conclusive testimony that the Bi- threads to the planet-wars of
ble deserves to be believed is the mass destruction, overpopulation,
accuracy of its prophecies. KO pollution, and the depletion of
human can accurately foretell
resources. . . . The basis of all
f o ~ problems
~r is the inadequacy
the future, but the Bible has of the sovereign states to man-
done this ever so many times. age the affairs of mankind in
Thus numerous prophecies fore- the 20th century."-New YorB
told outstanding events in the Times,April 7, 1960.
history of God's ancient people
Israel. Ever so many prophecies B u t the witnesses of Jehovah
give details regarding the life of do not share such fears, real
Jesus Christ. And other prophe- though such dangers are. Why
cies describe in detail the events not? Because they really believe
of our own day. what the Bible says about a
change in government for the
No Uncertsbty About Goa whole earth a n d that this change
Great i s the uncertainty about bY means of God's kingdom will
God today. Many noted theolo- make i t a Paradise,
gir~nsteach a death-of-God the- What reason do they have for
ology. But the Witnesses believe entertaining such a hope? Well,
12
"PEACE ON EARTH" INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
did not Jesus tell his followers
to pray for God's will to be done
on earth a s in heaven? He cer-
tainly did. (Matt. 6: 10) Can
you imagine what that will mean,
God's will done on earth as in
heaven? What is God's will for
men? That they love Jehovah
God with all their heart, mind,
soul and strength and that they
love their neighbor as them-
selves. When that is done world
wide there will be no violence,
no crimes, no injustices, no war.
-1sa. 2 :4 ; Mark 12 :29-31.
But that is not all. Jehovah's
witnesses believe that it never
was God's will for man that he
should suffer from many kinds
of diseases, grow old and then
die. I t is only because of the
sin of the first man, Adam, that
we do. (Rom. 5 : 12) Jehovah's
witnesses thus teach that God's
original purpose was that man
should live forever in perfect
health in a Paradise earth. That
was the prospect held out to
Adam and Eve while in Eden.
And so God's Word assures us
that as a result of God's King-
dom rule, "he will wipe out ev-
ery tear from their eyes, and
death will be no more, neither
will mourning nor outcry nor
pain by any more."-av. 21 : 4.
The Christian witnesses also
believe what else is implied by
such promises. And what is that?
That this earth will abide for-
ever. I n their ministry the Wit-
nesses often quote the inspired
psalmist who said of God: "He
has founded the earth upon its
established places; i t will not be
made to totter to time indefi-
nite, or forever."-Ps. 104 :5.
But do Jehovah's witnesses be-
lieve that the blessings of that
Paradise a r e limited only to those
who happen to be living when it
begins to hold sway over the
earth? No, they believe that the
Bible holds out hope for untold
millions that have died and are
sleeping in the grave. And what
is that hope? That they will
come back to life through a res-
urrection, just a s Jesus Christ
promised: "Do not marvel a t
this, because the hour is coming
in which all those in the memo-
rial tombs will hear his voice
and come out.''-John 5: 28, 29.
But perhaps you wonder why
Jehovah's witnesses believe this.
since you may have been taught
that man has an immortal soul
that a t death goes either to heav-
en or to a fiery hell. However,
Jehovah's witnesses really be-
lieve the Bible when i t plainly
tells us that a t the time of man's
creation he became a living soul.
(Gen. 2 : 7) They really believe
it when the Bible says that "the
soul that is sinning-it itself
will die." (Ezek. 18 : 4) They
believe that the first man Adam
really died and went back to the
dust from which he came.-Gen.
3 : 19.
Jesus Christ Is Their King
Unlike many persans today
who believe that Jesus Christ
was simply an ordinary human,
a fine humanitarian, Jehovah's
witnesses believe that he is real-
1s the Son of God. And they
believe that Jehovah God wiil
use Jesus Christ to bring about
Paradise on earth. (Luke 23:
43) So Jehovah's witnesses teach
from the Bible that Jesus Christ
. had a prehuman existence, and
that he came to earth to bear
witness to his Father and die
for the sins of humankind.-John
8 : 58 ; Phil. 2: 5-8.
Jehovah's witnesses really be-
lieve in Jesus Christ, but not
that he was God incarnate, or
clothed with flesh, o r that he is
a member of a Trinity, coequal
and coeternal with his heavenly
Father. Why do the Witnesses
not teach that Jesus is part of
Fsnxidj- Si~1s
sfvxil; i e a r.~gmPat!
13
a Trinity? Because the Bible
tells us that Jesus is God's only-
begotten Son, "the first-born,"
and the beginning of God's cre-
ation. So he could not be co-
eternal with his Father. And
further, Jesus referred to his
Father a s "my God" and said
"the Father is greater than I
am." So by no means could he
be coequal with his Father a s
the Trinity doctrine teaches.
-Col. 1 : 1 5 ; John 1:14; 20:17;
14 :28 ; Heb. 5 : 7, 8 ; Rev. 3 :14.
These ~ e o ~ who l e reallv be-
lieve the - ~ i b l ealso teach- that
Jesus Christ is now ruling a s
' God's appointed king in heaven
and that 144.000 others will be
associated with him in the heav-
enly kingdom.-Rev. 3 :21 ; 14 :
1, 3 ; 20: 4-6.
Striking Changes Coming Soon
All these blessings of Christ's
Kingdom rule are not f a r off, Je-
hovah's witnesses strongly stress.
How can they be so certain of
that? Because Bible prophecies
show that we a r e a t the end of
this system of things. Jesus him-
self foretold how we could tell
that the end of this old system
of things is a t hand. H e said
there would come upon one gen-
eration great wars, famines,
earthquakes, increased lawless-
ness; and this same generation
would also have the good news
of God's kingdom preached to
it.-Matt. 24 :3-14.
pmctice l a 3Vif r1s.s~Zsmfies
14 "PEACE O E A R T H " INTERNAPEONAL ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
--
So .TehorahVswitnesses believe ~ h a tGod made out of one man So Jehovah's witnesses put
that Jesus' prophecy is having all. that live on this earth. They first the doing of what Jesns
fulfillment in our day and has welconle to their Kingdom Halls prophesied for these "last days."
been since 1014. We therefore nll who would worship God in And what is t h a t ? H e foretold:
!lave strong assurance that we spirit and in truth.--4cts 17 : 26. "This good n e v s of the k i n g
are indeed in the last days of the nlatter of sexual morals dom \\-ill be preached in all the
this wicked system of things. they also follow ~~e~ w o r d the inhabited earth for a witness to
This wicked system will end in Bible, ~h~~ know they must all the nations; and then the
violence in what God's Word cleanse therllselves from end will come." (Matt. 24 : 14)
calls Armageddon, Gods king- defilement of flesh" and "let mar- This prophecy means preaching
dom destroying all governments riage be honorable among all, good news. But it also implies
in opposition to it.-Rev. 16: 14, and tho rllarriage bed be with- a warning, for i t says that when
16 ; 19 : 11-21 ; Dan. 2 : 44. out defilement,,, since U G ~ ~ the IZingdom preachillg is fin-
judge fornicators and ished then "the end will come,"
They %ve b y the Bible ers,n ~h~~ callnot the end of this wicked system
Jehovah's witnesses prove they certain ,,Iergymen of Christen-
really believe the Bible. not oilly dom a.ho state that there are
by what they teach, but also by "advantagen of adultery," and
horn they live. With the psalmist that homoa,exual relatiolls can
they s a y : "Pour word is a larnp be "quite virtuous." Rather, they
to my foot, and a light to my agree ~ y i t h Word,
roadway." (Ps. 119 : 103) The severely conde~nnsall such prac-
Eible serves a s a lamp and a tices.-2 Cor. 7 : 1; Heb. 13 : 4 ;
light by reason of its divine prin- Rom. 1 : 24-32.
ciples, -laws and comn-iandn~erits. 00 lands and islands. They
I t makes knon-n to thein what I~ the family relationship the
witnesses, recognize the Bibli-
is right and what is wrong; cal principle that the husband
what is wise and \vh:xt is foolish : is the lleaC of the family. He
what is lovinq and kind and has the to lore his
what is hateful a.ntl selfish. As wife a s his own body and to
a result they enjoy improved
conditions in rve1.y kind of hu- rear his children according to
man relationship. Bible principles. The wife, for
her Dart, is to show deep re-
Because of Bible principles spect to her husband and as-
and comnlandments, the Wit- sist him in rearing their chil-
nesses refuse to share in fonent- dren. I n turn, children a r e to
i ~ l g civil strife and disorder. honor their parents and obey
(Rom. 13 : 1-7) Not that the Wit- them in everything. This is
nesses do not feel for those suf- spelled out for them time and
fering injustices. They do. But again in the Scriptures, a s a t
they know that these conditions Ephesians 5 : 22-6 : 4.
a r e primarily dne to the fact That this type of training
that Satan the Devil is the "god brings good results as noted
of this, system of thi!igsU and la,st year by La f i e ~ s e ,Canada's
that he has misled mankind. On- largest French daily, August 7,
ly when he and all his de~non 1QG8. h l o n g other things i t stat-
angels are out of the way mill ed : "Another useful contribution
i t be possible to straighteu out of Jehovah's witnesses is the
mankind's problems. That will accent this group places on fam-
be accoinplished by God's k i n g ily unity, respect for the au-
dom. Then nothing will harm tilority of the falnily head and
or destroy.-2 Cor. 4 : 4 ; Rev. participatioll by adolescents in
1 2 : 9 ; Isa. 1 1 : 9. common enclearors. In these
Jehovah's wit~iessesfollow the three spheres we get the im-
example of Jesus Christ, who pressioll that certain of their
did not mix in politics or agitate ~llethods might be studied and
for social reform. H e said of profitably used by other religious behavior that he asked one of
his followers : "They a r e no part denominations." the n7itnesses what accounted
of the world, just a s I am no for it. The reply he received
p a r t of the world."-John 17 : 16. Interested in Their Fellowman was : "It's just the Bible. We
Following Bible principles, they Today many clergymen a r e iive according to the cornmand-
show no prejudice or discrini- norking for social reform and ments." According to t h a t paper,
ination. Regardless of race or econolnic betterment of the nlnss- "that caused Bolton to think:
skin color, nationality or lan- es. But Jesus a n d his apostles 'If the rest of us could get a
guage, they treat all others a s concentrated their energies on little bit of this rubbecl off on
they themselves want to be preaching the kingdom of God. us, we'd be a better world,
heated. (Luke 6 :31) They know -3Ia.tt. 9 : 35. wouldn't we?' "
 -Sixty Years in Brook
TEINKof 1,155,826 ministers-far outnumbering t h e world- Bethel home, the headquarters
wide army of Roman Catholic priests and all the Protestant of the Watchtower Bible and
ministers in the United States combined! This is, in fa& the
largest single body of preachers
Ft,: $
God.")
~ ~ ~ t ~ e ~ ~ ~
in the world! They devote Up- their worldwide Christian activ- The Watchtower Society is a
ward of 200.000.000
> >
hours i t s is the Watch Tower Bible longtime resident in the -Brook-
yearly in Bible education, and and Tract Society. l y n Heights neighborhood. I t
was in 1908 that they first pur-
this Th,Headquarters in Brooklyn chased property here, and on
and free of charge. At the end of the East River January 31, 1909, they dedicated
THINK of their making 89,- of New Pork's bustling harbor, their new headquarters. This
903,578 return calls on people just across from the famed Wall was some twenty years before
seeking spiritual guidance and Street financial district, is the the well-known Towers Hotel
holding home Bible studies with was built a short distance away.
977,503 persons and families ! Over the years the Watchtower
And all of this is without charge.

tent of the Kingdom-preaching
activity carried on by Jehovah's
witnesses in 200 lands in the year
1968 alone !
Without question such a gigan-
tic undertaking indeed takes
precision organization. And the
organization used by Jehovah's
witnesses to produce literature
in 165 languages and to direct
Bethel Home and administrative
offices of Watchtower Society;
1,150 ministers live here
with the
four-story building on Colum-
bia Heights. Now they have two
attractive twelve-story red-brick
buildings, also a brand-new ultra-
modern brick structure of seven
stories, with other adjoining
buildings. Here more than 1,150
 16 "PEACE O N E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

is the first build-

ing of its kind ever
to be constructed .
i n a historical
area anywhere in
t h e United States.
The plans f o r the
building were ap-
proved by t h e
Landmarks Com-
mission. T h i s
home will accom-
modate a hundred
persons, two to a
room.
A happy spirit
pervades the
home. A bell
rouses r e s i d e n t s
at 6 :30 a.m. They
bathe, dress and
assemble in four
dining rooms for
morning worship,
which begins
sharply a t 7. Mem-
bers sit around
tables that seat
ten. The meals a r e
presided over by
Watchtower Society's factory id Brooklyn covers four city blocks. t h e president, if
Bible literature in 146 languages is produced here he is in town. The
day's Bible text
from the Year-
;
men and women, including all the service in all parts of the world. book of Jehovah's WiOzesses is
officers of the Watch Tower Bible B y 1965, graduates had been read and discussed. Various ones
a n d Tract Society, live and work. assigned to 141 lands. who have been asked to prepare
Nearly a hundred of them have The remaining floors accom- 1 comments a r e called upon to
personally lived here for more modate the 100 Gilead studehts speak. The discussion lasts about
than twenty years. Here also is who enroll for the five-month twenty minutes. There is prayer
located the Watchtower Bible course and, of course, the reg- and then breakfast. The meal
School of Gilead. ular Bethel residents. Others live lasts about fifteen minutes. The
From here t h e preachEng of in the older twelve-story build- dining rooms are tied in by
God's kingdom, a s commanded ing across the street, including closed-circuit television, so t h a t
by Jesus Christ a t Matthew 24: the president of the Society, Na- all can see and hear the pro-
14 and Matthew 28: 19, 20, is than H. Knorr. When filled to grams originating in the main
directed through 98 branch of- capacity with two Witnesses to dining room.
. fices earth wide. Two-thirds of a room, the buildings shelter Smoking i s not permitted, nei-
Jehovah's witnesses live outside 1,150 members. No racial dis- ther is profanity. 911 residents of
the United States. Into the tinctions a r e made in living Bethel, from President Knorr to
headquarters office flows a flood quarters. Here Chinese, Japa- the newest member, get the same
of some 950,000 pieces of mail nese, Negroes, Spanish, Ger- allowance: room, board and $14
each year, and 470,000 pieces mans, Italians, Arabs and Jews a month allowance for clothing
a r e sent out t o all parts of the -people representing more than and incidental expenses.
earth in a single year. thirty nationalities--live side by
Bethel, in fact, is a small city side in harmony. Truly a n in- The Watchtower Society's
within the borough of Brook- ternational family and a happy Farms
lyn. I t has its own barber shop, one! Guided tours of the prem- As you can well imagine, feed-
laundry, dry-cleaning plant, kitch- ises a r e regnlarly provided for ing the staff of hard workers
en, shoe-repair shop, dentist's visitors. Eecently a newsman and the Gilead students three
office, infirmary and libraries. after visiting the headquarters times a day is no small task.
The first two aboveground reported: "In three hours of The Bethel family on a single
floors of one of the twelve-story sight-seeing, I didn't meet a sin- day may conSume 500 pounds of
buildings a r e encased in marble gle bored-looking worker. Every- bulk hamburger or 900 pounds
and glass and house the offices body, devoutly convinced he is of turkey or, for breakfast, 150
of Gilead School, with i t s class- doing Jehovah's work, i s happy, dozen eggs! One meal can rep-
rooms, a large lecture hall, and enthusiastic, and eficient." That resent a large steer o r three
other offices. The purpose of this is the way it should be in the hogs or 350 chickens. I n a week's
school is to give special ad- house of God. time the family may eat 12,600
vanced training for missionary The new seven-story structure eggs, 400 pounds of butter and
 PARTS OF T H E WORLD IN 1969 17
- -

drink 1,300 gallons of milk! This The Watchtower Sd&ety's 5,000 tons of papei*, or more than
food is largely provided by the Publishing mant 200 train carloads of 25 tons
Watchtower Society's, farms in Sprawled over four city blocks each!
New York and New Jersey.
~ ~ ~ W ~ oB &~ &
These farms presently total 2,- B~~~~~~ ~ l y ~ a ~ ~ The, " bindery
t t ~ ~ is a fascination
are printing plants of in itself. I t is spread out on
229 acres. Jehovah's witnesses. Tile huge three floors, with the latest book-
About a two-hour drive north Brooklyn industrial operation binding equipment. Bere a r e
of New York city is where the employs 819 persons, I'anging casemakers, embossers, cutters,
1,500-acre Watchtower F a r m is from skilled print@rs to office trimmers, folding and gluing ma-
located. Several hundred feet clerks. chines. From one of thirty-three
back off the road stands a new Here a r e located 22 rotary book-sewing machines (each ma-
four-story colonial-style house. presses and 23 flatbed and job chine averages 2,500 hardbound
This can house a hundred peo- presses. The largest presses each books a day) the assembling of
p l e t h e farm family, construc- print 25,000 Bible magazhes an a book races along a t an amaz-
tion workers, mechanics, and so hour. They each weigh over fifty ing speed to assemblers, gluers,
forth. I n the house there is also tons. They use a five-mile-long, cutters, rounders, casing-in ma-
a cannery, a 20,000-cubic-foot 1,600-pound roll of paper in c h i n a , pressing, drying and pack-
deepfreeze, a dining room that about forty minutes. Eight freight ing. On t h e five production lines
can seat 120 persons, a kitchen, carloads of paper a r e used a 100,000 books a day, with two
laundry, Kingdom Hall, and week; over 10,000 tons per year. shifts, caa be bound on the av-
other facilities. The f a r m is Literature is here printed in 146 erage, with a peak of 144,000!
equipped with a large root cellar, languages. Some twenty other The circulation of the Soci-
a modern slaughterhouse a n d a languages a r e printed in for- ety's publications wlipses all
hog house t h a t uses the latest eign lands. other religious periodicals. I n
pig-raising techniques. The poul- Here also a r e folders and the religious publishing circles
try houses and the Cattle feed- stitchers that can stitch 100,000 a book t h a t sells more than
ing methods a r e also ultra- thirty-two-page booklets per day. 25,000 copies breaks into the
modern. One sees thirty-three linotype best-seller ranks. The Watch
On the Society's three farms machines setting type in haste; Tower Society's book "Let God
on a recent date, there were a composing, matting a n d plate Be True" was issued in a first
368 milking cows, 539 beef cat- department working with the edition of 10,000,000 copies in 30
tle, 464 hogs, 8,812 poultry. A emciency of a beehive. There languages! More than 17,000,000
cheese factory produces 15 tons are storage areas holding over copies of the 320-page book have
of cheese a year. And 8 been distribnted. The So-
tons of butter a r e made ciety's recently released
yearly for the family. A book The Truth That Leads
canning factory prepared to EterrzaZ Life in one
37,924 quarts of canned year's time is i n its 15,000,-
goods a n d 26,369 quarts of 000 edition !
frozen foods last year! I n this Brooklyn plant
There a r e vineyards, vege- nearly 15,000,000 copies of
table gardens, and orchards the Bible in seven lan-
with 435 apple trees, 169 guages have been printed in
pear trees and 400 grape- the last twenty-five years !
vines. Some 8,158 quarts of A complete, hard-cover Bi-
strawberries were picked ble is printed for only $1.
last year ! Other hardbohnd booksare
This fantastically large placed with the public for
operation is managed solely a s little as 25 cents. Last
by ministers of Jehovah's year more than 12,130,990
witnesses and is operated, Bibles and books were sent
not for commercial profit, to 98 branches to serve the
but t o keep the headquar- more than 25,000 congrega-
ters' staff in Brooklyn well tions o f .Jehovah's witness-
fed. By raising much of its es throughout the earth.
own food and employing B u t in the first eight
various economies, the So- months of the 1969 fiscal
ciety maintains a healthy year, more than 17,700,QOO
family a t low cost. I t en- Bibles a n d books have al-
ables ministers to devote ready been p r i ~ t e d . This,
their life and energies to of course, would not be
publishing Bibles, books, possible without dedicated,
booklets and magazines a t volunteer workers. I t be-
comes obvious that no other
very small expense t o the people are more interested
public so t h a t they can in p r i n t i n g , d i s t r i b u t i n g
learn of God's kingdom, and teaching the Word of
the only hope of mankind. Modern new addition to Bet31el Home God than a r e Jehovah's
-Matt. 6 :9, .lo. recently erected in Brooklyn witnesses.
18 " P E A C E O N E A R T H s ' I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S W I T N E S S E S

Tllo Shipping Department is were mailed out of the Brooklyn ation too diffcult to describe in
the very epitome of efficiency. plant! I t takes three trailer words is managed by 135 persons.
Bible literatwe totaling 115 lan- trucks per day to move this
guages is stocked, ready to be mail, and it weighs orer 60,- The Other Departments
shipped. On April 7 of this year 000 pounds. The magazines a r e Comparatively speaking, very
37,562 pounds of literature, rep- mailed to over 200 countries, few people have any idea of the
resenting 83,000 books, was islands and territories. Direct scope of the work that is done
shipped to London, England ; sacks of mail a r e prepared for a t t h e Brooklyn headquarters. I n
43,339 pounds to Rome, Italy, 363 destinations in 44 countries, addition to the operations men-
representing 57,000 books ; 75,401 Thirty-five different language tioned, here is a modern car-
pounds went to Manila: Philip- magazines a r e mailed in 52 dif- penter shop where all the work-
pine Islands, representing 145,- ferent issues per month. This tables, benches, bookcases, and
000 books and 310,000 tracts: 24,- makes the magazines published furniture for the Bethel home
256 pounds was shipped to and mailed in ~ ~ alone ~ are made ~ at a k great saving.
l Here
~ ~
Aucklancl, New Zealand, repre- available to over 60 percent of is a machine shop that has de-
senting 59,000 books and 10,000 the world's populatioll. Proof- signed and built wrapping ma-
tracts-all of this was shipped reading and translatills a r e done chines and endsheeters. P a r t s
out of the Brooklyn plant in in over 20 countries for mags- and gears and repairs a r e made
one day! And it dces not repre- zincs mailed froIll the Brooklyn with a saring of tens of thou-
sent a11 the shipping either. office. Magazines explaining the sands of dollars every year in
About 54 percent of the litera- Word of GO^ can here be set opel'ational expenses, vhich man-
ture produced is exported. in any language using Roman e~ can be used directly to facil-
characters, also Greek, aebrew, itate the preaching work. Here
T h e Magazine Department Russian, Arabic and Armenian. also is an electrical shop, a
Of the four large buildinps Circulation ranges from 1,200 plumbing shop, a sheet-metal
of the Watch Tower Society's -4rmenian magazines per month shop, a cleaning department in-
Brooklyn publishing plant, Build- to English with a circulatioll of volving a k ~ @crew. Here
ing Number 2 is the home of 2,900,000 copies per issue. Hoj~yev- Braille is printed for the blind,
the Watchtower and Awake! er, The Watchtotfier and Aqcake! international coilventions a r e
magazines. From here the map- have a combined monthly cir- planned and the Word of life
azines are processed and mailed. culation of 22,700,000 copies ! is made available to millions.
The Watchtozoer and Azoalie! Some issues t h a t received spe- Here a t Bethel every week,
a r e printed here in thirty lan- cia1 distribution, such a s the eight hours and forty minutes a
guages, sixty-fcur different mag- October 8, 1968, Awake! and day? five and a days a week*
work linotypists, pressmen, bind-
azines being produced every The TYatchtoqoer of October 15, men, writers, tl.anslatol.s,
month, or a t the rate of two to 1968, in English had a total cir- typists, artists, secretaries, mail
three each day. Some days over culation of 12,180,000. If stacked clerks, men of various national-
a million copies of these Chris- one atop another they would ities-all of whom are ordained
tian magazines a r e produced make a pile 55?000 feet high or ministers-so t h a t the Kingdom
and mailed out. o ~ ~ e rmight rencli the public
over 10 miles ~h~ ~ a t c ~ ~ ~ t message
If that sounds amazing, then is printed in 72 languages and at minimum Said a news-
man visiting the plant for the
consider the other figures of this Azcako! in 26 languages. first time: "All this modern
department : New subscription There a r e 2,000,000 zinc ad- technology alld efi-
slips come in a t a rate of 8,000 dress stencils on file. If laid end ciency really jolted me." Per-
to 10,000 a day. They a r e checked to end, they would encircle New haps you feel the same way.
for legibility, typed on metal York city, or some 82 miles! I n Many do. A Catholic writer,
stencils and proofread. During this department over 300.000 ad- William 3. Whalen, said: "1
the first six months of fiscal dress changes a r e processed per have never seen young work
year 1969, 96,013,629 magazines year. This vhole fantastic oper- harder Or at
their lobs than the COmDOSit0rS.
. . .. ... . . lincjt ypist s, pressmen, bintlery,
shippilig 31111 m:iilin,o ~ o r k e ~ . s
a t the \ V : I i ( ~ h t ~ ~f:ictor~.
c~l' Poll
fintl no mnlinycsrinp, no gin-11p
picr~~rcss on the walls, no scl':~ps
of p:lpcsr 0x1 r11e tlotor."
Hut :IS one ric\vs this n~otlerli
printillg plant :lntl the tlctlicnt-
~ t lminis1c.r~ \vl~o Illan it, one
cb:rnl?ot help but :ipl~l,cci:irethat
hkrc is a n organiz:~iion th:lr is
serious :tbout fultilling Jesus'
propi~ccyconce1min.g the pr~:ic'11-
i11.g of the Kingtlom mPss:ige iiu
all the ilihnliitctl e:lrth. The
Maiii building at WatcHatowes Farm, where food for B e t h d Brooklyn Bethel headquarters
family is prodluwd serves this purpose well.
 Twenty-five principal cities a r o u n d t h e world will host t h e Witnesses to meet in beauti-
"Peace o n E a r t h " I n t e r n a t i o n a l Assembly of Jehovah's Wit- ful Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
has frequently been the host to
nesses. E a r l y in J u l y t h e assembly opens in N o r t h America, assemblies of Jehovah's wit-
a n d in A u g u s t it visits five nesses. I n 1063, over 118,000 per-
E u r o p e a n cities. A f t e r several sembly of Jehovah's witnesses. sons attended the international
weeks, t h e assembly resumes But no longer is this the case. assembly in the famous Rose
Bowl in nearby Pasadena.
in october in cities of the Thus, simultaneous with the as-
sembly in New Tork, another one The work of Jehovah's wit-
F a r East. will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, nesses has expanded rapidly in
T h e n t h e assemblv moves t o July 6 to 13. Here the new 52,000- this area. I n 1935 there were 33
Australia, New zealand, and seat Atlanta Stadium will accom- congregations and 4,057 Wit-
otller islands of the pacific. modate a n anticipated 47,000 nesses in t h e city of Los Angeles,
delegates. but now there a r e 89 congrega-
F i n a l l y it concludes in &!Iexico tions and 8,862 Witnesses !
City, December 24-28. Buffalo
Here are the cities> The third city to host the open- Vancouver
ing of the <'peaceon Earth" Jehovah's witnesses in Van-
w i t h news a n d interesting re- International Assembly is Bl1f- couver, Canada, look forward to
ports f r o m these m a o y p a r t s falo, New Tork. From July 6 welcoming upward of 40,000 dele-
of t h e world. to 13 it is expected that about gates for the international as-
--
40.000 delegates will be eniosinz sembly in their city July 13 to 20.
New York City exactly th;? same program a What a contrast this assembly
From July 7 to 13 New yol-kers Bible instruction a t the TVar will be to the one held there by
will be host t o tens of thou- Memorial Stadium in Buffalo a s Jehovah's witnesses back in 1912,
sands of Jehovah's witnesses at- iS being heard in New Pork city when only about sixty persons
tending the "Peace on Earth" and attended. Today there a r e forty
International Assembly in Tan- Buffalo's eight congregations congregations of Jehovah's wit-
kee Stadium. However, this is of Jehovah's witnesses a r e look- nesses in the city-a total of
no new experience for New York- ing forward this summer to host- 3,600 active ministers !
ers, since this will be the eighth ing by f a r the largest assembly
convention the Witnesses have of Christian people ever held in Kansas City
held in this world-fatnous sports t h a t city. Delegates coming to the inter-
stadium. national assembly in Kansas
The largest of these was in Pomona City, Rlissouri, July 18 to 25,
1958, when t h e nearby Polo From July 13 to 20 the "Peace will have the spacious facilities
Grounds was used simulta- on Earth" International Assem- of the 45,500-seat Municipal Sta-
neously with Yankee Stadium. bly moves to three cities in the dium. Jehovah's witnesses used
On t h a t occasion more than a western United States and Can- this stadium back in 1960 before
quarter of a million persons ada. The one in Pomona, Califor- it was enlarged-19,300 then at-
heard the feature Bible lecture ! nia, will be held in the Spanish tended.
I n 1950 there were only 22 language.
congregations of Jehovah's wit- F o r Spanish-speaking persons Chicago
nesses in all New York city. But in other parts of t h e country, The final "Peace on Earth9'
now there a r e 33 Spanish-speak- there will be Spanish programs International Assembly in the
ing congregations alone, and 188 in conjunction with t h e assem- United States opens i n Chicago's
congregations all together. For blies in New York city, Atlanta Wliite Sox P a r k July 21, and
just one special meeting this and Chicago. concludes the following Sunday,
spring, the annual memorial of July 27.
Christ's death, well over 40,000 Los Angeles I n the mid-1930's there was
persons crowded into the meeting While the Pomona Spanish As- only one congregation of Jeho-
places of Jehovah's witnesses in sembly is in progress, more than vah's witnesses for all Chicago
New York city. 60,000 English-speaking delegates and much of the suburbs. But
a r e expected t o gather in Los by 1955 the number of congre-
Atlanta Angeles for a seven-day <'Peace gations in the city alone had
I n 1958 and prior thereto New on Earth" International Assem- grown to 23. And now there a r e
York city had sufficient facilities bly (July 14-20). Although this 63 congregations and 5,525 Wit-
to handle a n international as- will be the first time for the nesses in Chicago!
 Britain for centuries stood a s
a stronghold for Bible lovers.
Names like William Tyndale and
Miles Coverdale spring to mind
a s devoted men who pioneered
the printing and distribution of
the Bible in earlier years. But
this reverence for God's Word
has of late seen a sharp decline.
The man in the street in Lon-
don today gives little evidence of
concern for God or the Bible. He
is much more interested in the
nation's balance of payments and
in how much money he takes
home than he is in worshiping
God. But what is ,so remarkable
is that concurrent with this
religious decadence, the Christian
ministry of Jehovah's witnesses
in Britain has raced ahead by
leaps and bounds, till now they
have 55,278 active ministers.
That is a '46-percent increase
over ten years ago, and ten
times a s many Witnesses a s there
were thirty years ago !
The Watch Tower Society's
branch in Britain is located a t
Mill Hill in northwest London.
I t is called Watch Tower House.
This spacious, modern-looking
building is located on a quiet,
tree-studded nineteen acres of
land. Expansion has come so
rapidly that, though in 1965 an
extension of the facilities was
built, now provisions a r e being
made for further expansion.
The Society's printing factory
in England prints the Watch-
tower and Awake! magazines in
English, Croatian, Italian, Mala-
gasy and Swahili, while other
literature is printed in Yoruba,
Efik and Twi.
But the British branch sends
out more than just literature.
I t has also sent out a great num-
ber of Christian missionaries.
Many Witnesses from Britain
have, over the years, had the
privilege and joy of going to
every corner of the globe, spread-
ing the good news of God's now-
established kingdom. Upward of
300 have gone through the Gilead
missionary school in New York
and then on to their assignments
in more than fifty lands. What
blessings this has brought them l
And what a joy many of these
will have when returning to the
grand assembly a t Wembley Sta-
dium !
Yes, the "Peace on Earth" In-
ternational Assembly in London
opens in the famous Wembley
Stadium, Tuesday, July 29, and
closes Sunday, August 3. In 1951
Jehovah's witnesses from forty
nations met here, and it was a
joy to see a peak of 36,315
present a t the principal lecture.
However, twice that number a r e
expected for this year's assembly.
I n France the Catholic church
is facing the worst crisis of
her existence. Although France
has been called "the oldest
daughter of the Church," and
80 percent of the population a r e
still professed Catholics, few at-
tend church with any regularity
anymore. The average French-
man criticizes the church b e
cause of its riches and its shar-
ing in worldly conflicts.
Nevertheless, a t the same time,
Jehovah's witnesses have been
enjoying phenomenal growth. I n
1939 there were a thousand Wit-
nesses, in 1957 over 10,000, but
now there are nearly 30,000 King-
dom preachers! The work of
Jehovah's witnesses is directed
from a five-story building sit-
uated in Boulogne-Billancourt,
which is on the fringe of Paris.
The "Peace on Earth" Inter-
national Assembly opens in Paris,
France, A u y s t 5, and runs for
six days. Colombes Stadium,
situated in the suburbs about
nine miles northwest of Paris,
will be the assembly site. It is
the largest stadium in France,
accommodating about 60,000 per-
sons. From August 5 to 10 Jeho-
vah's witnesses expect to assem-
ble here to worship God and
enjoy Christian association with
friends from many lands.
The general attitude in Den-
mark is one of a lack of interest
in religion. People are generally
unwilling to discuss religion with
a stranger. They often say, "I am
not interested in religion." ''I
don't believe in discussing reli-
“PEACE O N EARTH" I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES 21

gion a t the door." "I have my

own ideas and I keep them to my-
self." "1 don't beliere in the
Bible." The religion in Denmark
is officially the Lutheran Evan-
gelical Church, but only about
2 to 3 percent attend church.
But attendance a t Copen-
hagen's six-day "Peace on Earth"
International Assembly is ex-
pected to be about 40,000! I t mill
run concurrently with the one
iil Paris (August 5-10). I t will
be held a t Idraetsgark (Sports
Parlc) and the adjacent Bsterbro
Stadium, which a r e located not
f a r from the center of the city.
Besides comiilg from all over
Denmark, manx thousands of
delegcltes will be traveling to there are 25,409 eonpegations modd \vide
Copenhagen from Finland. Swe-
den, or<-ay, and other coiuntries.
Sessions will be presented in
Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish,
Danish and English.
The work of Jehovah's witness-
es has been established in Den-
mark for a long time. The first
president of the Watch Tower
Society, Charles Taze Russell,
visited Denmark in 1891, and
soon afterward Witnesses began
to s p r ~ a dRible literature in the
country. I n 1903 the Danish edi-
tion of The Watchtower began to
be pnblished regularly. Then in
1928 the magazine now called
Awalre! began to be published in
Danist~.Presently both magazines
have a printing of 70,000 of each
issue, twice a month.
By 1939, when the country was
occupied by the Kazis, Denmark Millioaas o f pieces of Bibb literahre %re pdrrtea in
had 1,000 Witnesses. The German eight laneages in Watch Tower's London plant
decisioil to win Denmark a s a
"model" occupied country re-
sulted in their allowing Danes
considerable freedom. Thus the
work of Jehovah's witnesses was
not banned and, with a certain
amount of discretion, it was pos-
sible to continue with meetings
and preaching all during the war.
By the first year following
Worlcl W a r I1 there mere 3,000
Witnesses in Denmark. Within
ten years the number had grown
to 9,000. The growth to a little
over 11,300 has been slower since
then. But now, one out of every
428 persons in the country is a
Christian witness of Jehovah.
By 1955 it mas deemed ad-
visable to build a branch office
with a printery, so t h a t magz-
xines and other preaching mate-
rial could be produced in Den-
ma]-k. Land was purchased in The assembly program ~JI Copenkage;: in 1 x1 1% aa 1,;r-seirte3. s h d -
5
Virnm, a t t h e northern outskirts taneously from five speakers' platforms in B t o language3
22 8'PEACE O N E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

tration camps following World

War 11, they looked for a place
to have a n assembly. To their
surprise they were directed to
Nuremberg's Parteigelaende
(party grounds), also called Zep-
pelinwiese. This is the parade
grounds where Hitler would call
his faithful annually for a t r e
mendous display of propaganda.
This is where the so-called "Nu-
remberg laws" were enacted that
meant execution for millions of
Jews.
The assembly was planned for
September 38 and 39, 1946. Run-
ning parallel with the assembly
preparations was the famous
trial that went down in history
as the Kriessvevbrecher-Prow
Watch Tower Society's bran& office and printery in Germany (Nuremberg Trial). The court
'

decision was to be announced on

of Copenhagen, and in 1957 the
building was finished. Since then
there have been printed and dis-
tributed from this factory many
millions of magazines, tracts and
booklets.
Legal action to hinder the
preaching work has resulted in
several cases being taken before
the Danish Supreme Court. As a
result of one decision, it is now
illegal to accept contributions for
literature a t the time of presen-
tation. This means that orders
must be taken for later delivery
of literature. To counteract this
decision, the Witnesses decided to
support economically the work of
magazine distribution, and this
has resulted in a greater public
witness in Denmark than ever
before.
When Hitler came to power in
Germany, Jehovah's witnesses
were hunted down like wild ani-
mals, until there were more than
10,000 of them in concentration
camps. To get Jehovah's wit-
nesses to renounce their faith,
some Witnesses were bound and
hung for hours on a stake or
beaten with steel rods. I n winter
weather cold water was splashed
over them. Often they were
denied food and warm clothing.
I n one instance more than
40,000 prisoners in the infamous
Sachsenhausen concentration
camp had to gather a t the parade
ground to witness the execution
of one of Jehovah's witnesses
who had refused to take weapons
and fight against his fellowman.
Also the witnesses of Jehovah
who were confined in this camp
had to take their place directly
in front of the executional area
apd from close range see their
Christian brother shot down.
Among them was the fleshly
brother of the one executed.
Afterward the remaining pris-
oners were allowed to leave the
grounds, whereas Jehovah's wit-
nesses had to remain. The offi-
cials were convinced that the
M'itnesses' determination to con-
tinue serving Jehovah would be
broken. I n answer to the question
if they wanted to continue being
witnesses for Jehovah, all of
them answered "Yes!" to the
consternation of their Nszi task-
masters. This resulted in inde-
scribable tortures that lasted for
hours. Finally, their enemies
gave up.
Shortly after Jehovah's wit-
nesses came out of the concen-
September 23.
Later it was decided to extend
the assembly one more day, so all
congregations of Jehovah's wit-
nesses were informed that Mon-
day, September 30, would be the
last day of the assembly. Shortly
after this announcement was
made to Jehovah's witnesses, it
was announced to the entire
world that pronouncement of
judgment a t the Nuremberg
Trials was postponed until Sep-
tember 30.
Thus, the peculiar situation
arose that a t the very hour when
the death sentences were being
pronounced upon those who
wanted to silence Jehovah's wit-
nesses, the public lecture of Jeho-
vah's wituesses was being given
here a t Hitler's former parade
grounds ! There were 6,300 in at-
tendance.
Since that time Jehovah's wit-
nesses have held much larger as-
semblies on these very same
grounds. But the largest may be
this summer, August 10 to 17.
About 120,000 delegates are es-
pected to be in attendance.
Among these will be many from
other countries. Therefore, ses-
sions in various languages will be
arranged, including German,
Dutch, Greek, Croatian, Serbian
and Turkish.

107,164 persons from 35 lands attended 1963 assembly of Jehovah's witnesses in Munich
I N A L L P A R T S O F T H E W O R L D IN 1969
Especially significant is the
fact that some of those who were
present a t the first assembly held
in Nurernberg, September 28 to
30, 1946, will be present this
summer.
Now there a r e over 81,000 Wit-
nesses in West Germany alone,
and 1,097 congregations.
The large printing plant and
bindery of Jehovah's witnesses
in Wiesbaden, Germany, supplies
the zealous German Witnesses
with millions of books and maga-
zines each month for use in the
ministry. The book bindery has a
capacity of more than 10,000
books a day. And for just one
special issue of Awake!, the April
8, 1969, issue, well over seven
million copies were printed and
mailed out !
From only about 100 active
ministers in 1946, Jehovah's wit-
After a n intermission of eight
weeks, the "Peace on Earth"
International Assembly resumes
Korean Witness
offers Bible literature
nesses in Italy have grown to
over 14,000 preachers of God's
kingdom in 1969. Back in 1946,
when they began in a n organized
way the house-to-house ministry
in Italy, Jehovah's witnesses
were not welcomed in many
places. They were stoned and
assaulted by violent mobs stirred
up by the local clergy. Often
they were reported to the au-
thorities, and falsely accused
and misrepresented. However,
upper courts. in hundreds of
court proceedings, legally con-
firmed the right of Jehovah's
witnesses to declare ,publicly
their religious faith both by word
of mouth and by printed matter.
So now the preaching work of
Jehovah's witnesses i s carried on
for the most p a r t without inter-
ference.
The predominant religion in
Italy, of course, is Rorrlan Catho-
lic. I t is also the State religion.
During the past sixteen cent;ries
i t has permeated every aspect of
in Seoul, Korea, October 12 to 16.
Here several hundred foreign
delegates are expected to join
some 10,000 Korean Witnesses
and their friends in assembly a t
Changchoong Gymnasium. This
is the largest covered stadium
i n the city.
I n the twenty years since the
first missionary graduates of the
Watchtower Bible School of
Gilead arrived in Korea, t h e
ministry of Jehovah's witnesses
has expanded tremendouslj. I n
1949 there was just one congre-
gation, with sixteen Witnesses
preaching. I n 1952, while the
Korean War mas still raging,
this number had grown to 192.
By 1959 there were nearly 3,500.
B u t now there a r e well over
9,400 Witnesses and 220 congre-
gations ! I n Seoul itself there a r e
forty-four congregations and
about 3,000 Witnesses.
A factor in the rapid growth
of Jehovah's witnesses is the lack
of a national religion that is
peculial' to Korea. There is a
Buddhist community in Korea,
but i t is largely dormaht. The
churches of Christendom make
23
the life of the people. Eut, as
admitted by Catholics themselves,
the Catholic people have re-
mained in religious ignorance.
Now there is obviously a big
change near. Many of the Catho-
lic clergy in Italy, a s else\vhere
in the world, a r e i n open rebel-
lion against their church. As a
result, Italians a r e asking where
religion is heading. This has
opened many fine opportunities
for Jehovah's witnesses to an-
swer this question from the Bible
and to point people to God's
kingdom.
The "Peace on Earth" Inter-
national Assembly i n Rome will
be held a t the same time a s the
One in Nuremberg-August 10 to
17. The assembly site is the Pa-
lazzo dello Sport and Palazzo dei
Conzressi. two huge buildings
that lie about a half mile from
each other. Sessions in the Span-
ish laneuaee will be held a t the
~ a l a z z odei Congressi, August
13 t o 17.
up t h e second-
largest religious
group, if a.11 .the
sects a r e listed
together. How-
ever, a t least 80
percent of Korea's
30 million people
do not profess any
organized religion. Instead, they
follow certain customs that cen-
ter around ancestor worship.
which is not considered a religion
i n a n organized sense. Koreans
have a respect for things reli-
gious and, even though professed
Christians are a small minority.
the Bible has enjoyed a very wide
distribution in Iiorea. Thus, Je-
hovah's witnesses find many lis-
tening ears when they visit the
people's homes.
The present mood in Japan is
reflected by recent activity in
front of the Watch Tower So-
ciety's modern, six-story branch
building. Shortly before the 1964
24 "PEACE ON EARTH" INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

Olympics in Tokyo, the city put

down a fine paved sidewalk there.
B u t this spring workmen dug it
all up again. They carted away
the paving stones, replacing them
with a n asphalt sidewalk. Why?
I t is because Japan's oldest
university, Keio, is on a neigh-
boring block. Japan's universities
a r e now in tumult, a n d this
year's riots have shown t h a t
paving stones a r e among the
most destructive weapons in the
students' arsenal. The city is
now moving to double the size of
Tokyo's police force by 1970.
People in Japan a r e beginning to
worry seriously about what is
in store i n 1970 and thereafter.
Where do the traditional reli-
gions stand a s the situation
grows more tense? Buddhism is
about a s lifeless a s Buddha's
image. Both Buddhism and Shin-
toism failed the people in World
War 11, and they have never
made any real comeback. Many
young peopledescribe themselves
a s atheists.
The deadness of traditional
I predict many, woe betide any
who believe differently!
It is now twenty years since
I twenty months in a row, reaching
a new peak of 6,848 in March.
At a series of eighteen small
religion h a s no doubt contributed the first missionaries from the assemblies held recently in Japan
to the rise of the aggressive new mTatchtower Bible School of and Okinawa, there was a com-
religion, Soka Gakkai, whose Gilead arrived i n Japan. The
first two congregations of Jeho-
I bined peak attendance of 9,T33.
Thus, 'more than 10,000 persons,
political arm, the Komeito, is
now the third-largest party in vah's witnesses established were including several hundred vis-
the Japanese Diet. Soka Gakkai, in Tokyo and in Kobe. Now there itors from overseas, a r e expected
contemptuous of all other reli- a r e 25 congregations in Tokyo, for the international gathering
gions a n d ideologies, aims to eight in Kobe and 169 in all of this fall. This "Peace on Earth"
become the dominant political Japan. The number of Witnesses assembly will be held in Tokyo,
power during the 1970's. Then, in Japan h a s increased now for October 14 to 19. The assembly
location will be the Tokyo Kora-
kuen Cycling Stadium. This is
alongside the l o ~ e l y Japanese
garden called Korakuen."
Though damaged by bombs dur-
ing World War 11, t h e garden
retains much of its 300-year-old
beauty.

Taiwan is a 240-mile-long, 90-

mile-wide island about 100 miles
from the Chinese mainland. I t s
population is a n interesting mix-
ture of aboriginal tribes, Taiwan-
ese and mainlanders. Mainland-
ers a r e persons who came here
from Chinarin 1949 when the Na-
tionalist government evacuated
from the mainland. Taiwan is
"home" to the Taiwanese, who,
although of mainland Chinese an-
cestry, have lived here for gener-
ations. But i t is not "home" to
the wai sheng jen ("people from
outside the province") as the
true mainlanders a r e called.
Although many mainlanders
IN A L L PARTS OF T H E WORLD IN 1969 25

have been living in Taiwan for

twenty years, they view their
stay a s only temporary, awaiting
the day to retake the main-
land. Taiwan to them is impor-
tant a s the seat of the National-
ist government and base of
operations for recapturing the
mainland. This strong feeling
and desire permeates the atmo-
sphere of Taiwan. One does not
talk long on world conditions
without realizing t h a t to the
Chinese here the most important
thing in the world i s to drive out
t h e Communists and reoccupy
their homeland.
Among Taiwan's some 13 mil-
lion inhabitants there are a little
more than 1,000 of Jehovah's
witnesses. About 85 percent of
the Witnesses work among the
aboriginal tribes, principally the
Amis. These people live on the
beautiful agricultural valley Buddhism and ancestor wor- kounger' ones' studying the Bible,
ship a r e widely practiced among saying: "When I die you will not
-
plain on the east coast. The re-
maining 15 percent of the Wit- the older generation. However, worship me ; you will forget me."
nesses preach among the Chinese many of the younger ones openly To care for expansion of t h e
and Taiwanese population on the say they do not believe t h e preaching work in this area, t h e
more industrialized west coast. mysticism, superstition and rit- Watch Tower Society has begun
Various factors affect the re- uals associated with it. Never- construction of a new branch
sponse t o the Bible message. The theless, they often follow along ofice and missionary home in
major ones a r e Confucius' philos out of respect for their parents. Taipei, a city of some one and a
o ~ h v .the ~ o l i t i c a l~hilosouhvof Commonly older ones object to half million persons. It is sched-
~ r"sun . Yit-sen, f6undrr -of the -, , - uled for completion in September
ltepublic, and Buddhism, the pre- 1069, some weeks before the in-
dominant religion here. The peo- , / ternational absembly in Taipei.
ple study the3e philosophies in On Saturday, October 18, while
school and more or less pattern " \ .,
',
<.

*
<
',-, , .. the assembly is still in progress
their own lives and thinking ac- (. in Tokyo, the "Peace on Earth"
cordingly. International Assembly begins in
For instance, Confucius taught Taiwan. The assrmlly here is
the system called "filial piety." ' four days, concluding Tuesday,
This means giring absolute obe- ' * ,- October 21.
dienre and respect to older ones
and those in all positions of au-
thoriry. Thus a word from the
senior one in the family or from
one in authority is the law and A strip of Chinese mainland
, -,
some twenty miles wide and
must be given absolurr obcdience. Hong Kong Island make u p the
This, to be sure, has produced *^, ., , tiny British colony of liong
a refreshing circumstance, for .' Ko~ig.There is no shortage here
Taiwan is not troubled with , ,
riolent student demonstrations of people to whom to preach.
and crippling strikes a s are many , ,s ,, :
Jlost of Hong Kong's four million
inhabitants a r e crammed into a n
,.-
I
other nations. On the other hand. , >
*;

some hesitate to accept the 13ible . *

are:+ of twenty-fire square miles.
message bccause of "filial piety." This makes it the most densely
, populated of all the world's big
Orer fifty-eight years ago Dr. % .. cities. According to a town-plan-
Sun Yat-sen set forth the ';;rhree , ~ . : ning espert, Ilong Kong is now
Principles of the People, and - ,\-
*
+
:: building to densities twenty times
'*, .
thus the Itepublic of China was
b o r n The three principles are na- . , -
, A
*
, , *,
. 1

, -
a s high a s those allowed in Lon-
tionalism, national livelihood, - ,?., '
I _/ -2
.'.' .&
.+ .
don! ~ .
Today Rong Kong is a very
and democracy. These are taught ' ' ' 'i. :.>< . ; ‘ , ,. :->;..
~
prosperous place. As one walks
throughout the school system.
Thus patriotism ant1 love for ,:- :.
. ?>,?>I$..
.
:
6

:),:.I.. ..>. down Kowloon's S a t h a n ltoad

country are strong among the
Sationalist Chinese.
,: ->:<, ; >. :,.
<.
,;r *.
7..
9
<.r- ;\w
,3::

?+,As ,*I , They

one sees it teeming with people.
a r e well dressed and most
26 "PEACE O N E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY OF JEHOVAH'S W I T N E S S E S

of them i n Western-style cloth-

ing. The shops a r e full of every
household convenieilce. whlch
can be purchased a t reasonable
prices and on the timepayment
plan. The restaurants and tea-
houses a r e full. People, whether
rich or poor, a r e seeking to ac-
quire more.
Over 200 of Jehovah's wit-
nesses a r e now preaching the
good news of God's kingdom in
this crowded colony. They a r e
all looking forward with keen
anticipation to the four-day
"Peace on Earth" International
Assembly in Hong gong's City
Hall Theater October 48 t o 21.
Especially a r e they happy about
the prospects of welcoming sev-
eral hundred risitors from other
lands to this assembly. Aiding an ancestor-worshiping Buddhist to learn Bibb t r u t h
The house-to-house ministry of
the Witnesses affords opportunity
to meet the people here and learn Sunday, but most of them a r e also serres a s the branch office
something of their thinirii~gand home only on special holidays that h a s orersight of the preach-
way of life. On a typical call such a s Chinese New Year. That ing work in Eoug Kong and
a n elderly Chinese woman ap- is why Jehovah's n~itnesseshere I\lacao, and the branch takes care
pears. She is minding the house arrange for special activity on
these holidays so they can meet of the translation and groof-
a n d caring for the young chil- reading of t h e Chinese publica-
dren, whose parents have both more men a n d introduce the
gone out to work. No, she does Kingdom message t o them. tions. This branch now occupies
not want to listen to the minister, Basically people i n Rong Kong the entire top floor of n large
because she worships her own a r e materialistically inclined. building and has conlfortable ac-
family gods and she i s not going They place highest values on commodations for tmelre mis-
t o make any changes. She will money and material possessions. sionaries.
not even accept a Bible tract Nevertheless, there a r e some who
because she cannot read. There have come to appreciate that the
a r e so many persons like her. true worship of Jehovah God is
At another door a housewife also vital. Many of these a r e now
greets the minister in a very associatiilg with one of the eight A visitor to Manila folloming
friendly manner. But on learning congregations of Jehovah's wit- X70r!d War I1 retorted: "-%11
the purpose of his visit she nesses in Hong Kong.--Matt. about u s we could see t h e de-
quickly replies, '"To see garn." 4 : 4. struction that had been caused by
She has no time to listen. Why The Watch Tower Society oper- shells and bombs. . .. Bloclis
is she so busy? It does not take
her much time to tidy up her
small home. consistine of iust
ates three missionary homes in
Rong Kong. One uf these homes I and blocks of the city t h a t had
been homes of the people were
one room ~ p p r o x i m a ~ l yfour-
teen feet by fourteen feet. R e r
most time-consuming activity is
purchasing food and preparing
the meal.
The averzge Chinese housewife
goes to market twice a day to
get fresh meat, fish and vege-
tables. It takes the entire morn-
ing to buy and prepare the food.
Then when the noon meal is
over, i t is time to thinli about
the evening meal. This way of
life is typical of the Chinese
housewife.
Selrlom a r e men met i n the
house-to-house ministry, for they
a r e a t work, frequently working
seven days a week. I t is cus-
tomary to meet some men on
 N ALL PARTS O F T H E WORLD IN 1969
now cleared-off open country;
it was truly much worse than
anything we had seen in Europe."
As the rebuilding to erase &fa-
nila's w a r damage got under way,
another marvelous transforma-
tion also was beginning. By the
time the war struck the Philip-
pines in 1941, there were 373 of
Jehovah's witnesses here. Since
the war disrupted communica-
tions, much contact was lost
among these Christians. So imag-
ine their surprise and joy when
they grouped together again after
the war and found that their
numbers had swelled to 2,000!
I n 1947, while the city was still
reeling from the effects of the
war, the reorganization of these
Witnesses was put into high gear
by the visit of the Watch Tower
Society's president.
There were just two congre-
gations of Jehovah's witnesses in
Manila a t t h a t time. Xow these
two have multiplied to forty-one,
and more than 3,000 Witnesses
a r e associated with these congre-
gations. Throughout the entire
~rchipelago (the Philippines has
(,I03 islands, but eleven of them
comprise 90 percent of the total
land a r e a ) there a r e now 1,253
congregations. These help over
46,000 Witnesses preach the
"good news of the kingdom" in
Manila a s well a s in every one
of the Republic's sixty-five prov-
inces. What a contrast to con-
ditions twenty-two years ago !
-Matt. 24 : 14.
Visiting people here with the
Kingdom message is a pleasure,
since Filipinos invariably show
hospitality to visitors. They love
to talk, especially to strangers,
and so they quickly learn new
things and broaden their out-
look. Also, most of them fear
the Creator and have a respect '
for God's Word.
There a r e eighty-seven known
tongues used in the Philippines,
although only nine of these a r e
generally referred to a s lan-
guages, the rest being dialects.
The Watch Tower Society has
published bound books in all nine
languages, publishes the Ratch-
tower magazine regularly in
eight (Tagalog, Iloko, Cebuano,
Hiligaynon, Bicol, Pangasinan,
Parnpnlzgo and Samar-Leyte)
and the Awake! magazine in
four. While language does pose
a problem, the fact that English
is spoken by 15 million out of
37 million E'ilipinos eases the
situation considerably.
The big thing on the minds of
the Witnesses here in the Philip-
Pines i s the "Peace on Earth"
International Assembly, October
22 to 26, and how many will a t -
tend. At a series of smaller con-
ventions ending early in 1969 a
total of OTer 57.000 were in at-
temktnce. - k r a ~ g e m e n t s a r e be-
ing made for three distinct pro-
Grams a t the assembly, in the
three main l a n ~ a g e ~of: the
Philippines-Tagalog, lloko and
Cebuano. I n addition, i t i s hoped
to have ~ u m m a r i e sof the main
assembly parts in other lan-
guages during the mornings so
that all will get the benefit of the
spiritual food. The assembly Will
be held a t the Rizal Memorial
Stadium.
Respected elders of P a p u a n village show
interest i n "The Watchtower"
To the south and east of the
Philippine Islands, and just
above Australia, is a large island
that is divided into three coun-
tries-New Irian (also called
Netherlands New Guinea), New
Guinea and Papua. Here in
Papua, in its largest town, Port
Moresby, the "Peace on Earth"
International Assembly will be
held October 24 to 27.
The Watch Tower Society's
branch i n Port Moresby cares for
the preaching work in a string of
islands, including New Britain,
Solomon Islands and Manus Is-
land. This makes up a territory
of almost a million and a half
square miles. Since the preach-
ing work began here in 1951 good
progress has been made. By 1961
the number of Witnesses had
risen from two to 762, and now,
in 1969, a new peak of 1,309 has
been reached !
The people here present a tre-
mendous challenge to those
preaching the Kingdom message.
They a r e divided into different
groups having more than 700 lan-
guages! I n addition, nearly 75
percent of the population of two
and a half million a r e illiterate.
Alreaav more than 325 of the
Witnesses have been taught to
read and write through a special
congregational instruction pro-
gram.
A further challenge is found
i n the ruggec! nature of the coun-
try. I n one portion of the island,
mountain ranges average about
10,000 feet, with other peaks
reaching 15,000 feet. The many
small valleys in these mountains
have kept h i d d ~ usmall pockets
of population that a r e just now
being brought into contact with
the outside world. I n one area
the Witnesses regularly paddle
their canoes for three hours and
then walk for two hours to reach
territory assigned to them for
preaching.
One interested person from the
wild Kukukuku country paddles
 PEACE O N E A R T H
Branch oKice of Watch Tower Society in Australia
his canoe for six hours domn-
river and then wallis for a n hour
and a half in order to attend
congregational meetings. H e ar-
rives in time for the service
meeting and ministry school
Saturday night, stays for the
TVatchtower study Sunday, and
then makes the long trip back
home on Monday. Nothing is
too much trouble for those who
truly love Jehovah God and his
Word and desire to meet with
fellow Christians.
Most of the people here live
in fear of demon gods. But now,
under the influence of Bible
truth, many a r e breaking free.
One who has done so is a former
witch doctor. H e brought all his
equipment of witchcraft and had
a mature Witness dump it into
the sea. (Acts 19: 19) H e is
looking forward to meeting many
of the delegates from other coun-
tries who mill be attending the
Port lloresby assembly. The as-
sembly site is set in the Papuan
bush, with all buildings made
from local materials. What grand
rejoiciog there mill be when the
hundreds of Witnesses in this
area gather for their first inter-
national assembly !
Australia has been called a
country of "miles and miles of
nothing but miles aod miles."
Indeed, it is nearly the size of
the United States, but its meager
12 million population is less than
that of New Pork city and sur-
rounding communities. Austra-
lia's Eve largest cities have
nearly 60 percent of the coun-
try's people! The major popu-
lation pockets are along the coast,
while the interior of the con-
tinent is mostly uninhabited.
From October 26 to 31 Australia's
second-largest city, illelbourne,
will host the "Peace on Earth"
International Assembly.
Back in 1904 the Watch Tower
Society's first president, Charles
Taze Russell, sent a representa-
tive who opened a branch office
in Melbourne. I n 1929 the branch
was moved to a location in Syd-
ney, where it continues until
today.
Traveling minister of Jehovah's witnesses stops for water
before crossing Nullarbor Plain to Western Australia
EHOVAH'S WITNESSES
I n 1930 there were thirty
congregations of Jehovah's wit-
nesses in Australia, with 340
Kingdom preachers. However,
the close of the 1930's saw 1,800
Witnesses proclaiming the King-
dom message. I n those days the
Australian branch had oversight
of the preaching work in China,
Indonesia, Burma, Thailand, Ma-
laya, Singapore, the South Pacif-
ic islands and New Zealand.
Now most of these places have
their o m branches.
During World War I1 opposers
falsely alleged that the Society's
five radio stations were broad-
casting messages to the enemy.
Thus, the preaching work was
banned and the branch office
placed under guard. However, on
June 14, 1943, Jehovah's wit-
nesses were exonerated, the
Australian High Court ruling
that they were not "engaged in
any seditious enterprise." By
1943, instead of only 1,800 Wit-
nesses, there were 3,817, a 112-
percent increase during those
difficult times l By 1955 the nnm-
ber had doubled to over 7,600
Witnesses, and now there are
nearly 20,000 active Kingdo~n
preachers in Australia.
For the international assembly
October 26 to 31 a t the Mel-
bourne Showgrounds more than
21,000 persons are expected. Qne
congregation some 2,300 miles
from Melbourne has seventy-six
Witnesses, but 138 from there
are coming to the assembly.
Another congregation of twenty-
three Witnesses has fifty com-
ing. The zeal of the Witnesses is
IN ALL PARTS O F T H E V ? ~ IDN 1969 29

they have been built of the coral

of sea creatures.
I t is here that the Watch
Tower Society has its Fiji
branch. I t administers the
preaching work in ten separate
territories, including the islands
of E'iji, Niue, Kew Caledonia,
Tonga, Samoa, and others. Had
yon come here a hundred years
ago you would have heard these
islands called by the names Can-
nibal, Savage, Loyalty, Friendly
and Navigator.
The different governments in
this area use nine different cur-
rencies. And the people speak
thirteen .different major lan-'
gnages. Thus a t assemblies of
Jehovah's witnesses there may
be sessions in English, French,
seen by the fact that some five more a r e now under con- Fijian, Samoan, Tahitian and
congregations, such a s Darwin struction. When Jehovah's wit- Tongan, even though there may
and Alice Springs, travel 3,000 nesses and interested persons be only 300 in attendance. Here
miles twice a year to attend local came together to observe the in the small town of Suva, Fiji,
circuit assemblies. For some of memorial of Christ's death on the "Peace on Earth" Inter-
these Witnesses i t will be over April 1, 1969, the Kingdom Halls national Assembly will be held
a 3,000-mile trip one way to in Auckland were crowded with November 9 to 12.
Blelbourne. 'a total of 2,432 persons. Although there were a few
Preaching in the isolated re- Among those who have ac- Witnesses in Fiji prior to
gions of Australia takes a real cepted the Kingdom message here World War 11, the war inter-
pioneer spirit. I t involves driv- are hundreds from the native rupted communications, and or-
ing fifty to eighty miles between Maori population. Of the new ganized preaching a c t i v i t i e s
stations (ranches) in blistering Bible-study aid The Truth Thut ceased. I n 1947 the Watch Tower
heat over inland seas of red dust. Leads to Eternal Life a n elderly Society sent the first two mis-
Each station is a community in Maori lady recently said: "I sionaries here. Then a few years
itself, some of which have their can't go to bed without it, for I later Jehovah's witnesses from
own school. The station owner read i t before going to sleep and Australia and other countries
is first contacted and the mes- when I open my eyes in the moved to these islands to assist
sage presented. Approval is usu- morning and during the day. . . . with the preaching work. Thus,
ally given to speak to residents I t has taught me how to pray to the number of Witnesses has in-
and aboriginal natives. At times God and be heard by him. Yes, creased from nine in 19+7 to
upward of 100 or more gather my God is Jehovah now." nearly 800 today!
together to listen. I n this wag the A number of Maoris even serve This year a new branch build-
Kingdom message is reaching a s presiding ministers in New ing and missionary home has
into the remote regions of the Zealand and others have left been built in Suva. I t is a three-
vast Australian continent. the country to receive missionary story structure that is set at-
training a t the Watchtower tractively among trees and gar-
Society's Bible School of Gilead. dens, and has a fine view of the
I t is a jog to anticipate the re- beautiful harbor.
turn of such ones to this inter- The ministry is carried on
Due east from Melbourne, national assembly. Hearing re-
across more than a thousand somewhat differently in these
ports of their experiences in islands than it is in other places.
miles of the Pacific Ocean, is other lands will be a highlight
Auckland, New Zealand. Here a t of the assembly program. I n Samoa, for example, a minis-
the Auckland Trotting Club's ter may not find any doors a t
racecourse, with its closed-in which to knock. I n fact, he would
stands and comfortable, uphol- not even see any walls to the vil-
stered seating, the "Peace on lage houses. The beehive-domed
Earth" International Assembly Scattered like tiny stepping- huts have plaited coconut-leaf
will resume November 4 to 9. stones across the vast sweep of blinds instead of walls and these
At the close of World War I1 the Pacific Ocean lie the en- a r e generally raised throughout
there was only one congregation chanting isles of the South Pacif- the day. Thus it is easy to see if
of less than a hundred of Jeho- ic. Tiny dots, almost'lost in the anyone is home.
vah's witnesses in Auckland. But twenty million square miles of As the minister approaches the
today there a r e thirteen congre- restless ocean, they seem like home he pauses respectfully and
gations and some 1,200 Witness- beautiful offspring of the surg- waits for a sign of welcome.
es! Six modern Kingdom Halls ing sea. And, indeed, this is just There i t is. A girl spreading
have been built in the city, and what many of them are, for C
a sitting mat inside. I n he Tgoes
30 "PEACE ON E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY
Free home Bible studies are conducted by Jehovah's
witnesses in all parts of the earth
without a word, removing his
shoes before entering. Taking her
time, the householder will now
look up from what she is doing
and say, "You have indeed come,
honored sir." Then she will pro-
ceed in an eloquent vein, thank-
ing him for calling a t her home.
His reply should also be a t
length, thanking her for her
kindness in inviting him in, ask-
ing about her health and that of
her family, and so on. After this,
he can go ahead with his sermon.
I n Fiji, a s in most of the
'" Witness minister calling at hut in Fiji
islands, most houses do not have
walls. So here the minister ap-
pears a t the entrance, and, after
removing his shoes, he steps
right in and sits down on the flax
mat on the floor. It is bad eti-
quette to remain standing in the
presence of someone seated. That
is why if someone comes to the
house to delirer a message he
usually squats a t the doorway.
These island people are truly
hospitable, and many are re-
sponding to the Kingdom mes-
sage. Some have made marvelous
.OF J E H O V A H Y S W I T N E S S E S
changes to conform their lives t o
Bible principles. For example,
one person was notorious in his
town a s a street brawler and was
sometimes jailed for the week-
end. But then he and some of his
friends became Jehovah's wit-
nesses. Later a local businessman
was moved to comment: "The
whole atmosphere of this town
has changed. Now it feels safe
a t night."
There was another person who
had been part of a ring that
systematically stole government
property. But after starting to
study the Bible with Jehovah's
witnesses he came to realize the
seriousness of his wrong and
voluntarily confessed. After serv-
ing his jail sentence, he got bap-
tized. Now he is the overseer of
a local congregation
- - of Jehovah's
witnesses.
If you should attend the Suva
assembly you may also meet a
Witness who once was a fire
walker. Or you may meet the
full-time minister whose great-
grandfather was a cannibal, and
who ate ninety-nine men. The as-
sembly site is the Suva Town
Hall, a brand-new million-dollar
structure.
An assembly also will be held
a t Papeete, Tahiti, simultaneous-
ly with the one in Suva. Tahiti is
a tiny Pacific island of some 85,-
000 inhabitants lying many miles
west of Fiii. The Tahitians. with
their happy mixture of easy Poly-
nesian frankness and expressive
French uninhibitedness, are truly
an effervescent and vibrant
people.
This will be the first inter-
national assembly on Tahiti and
the first time an assembly has
been held other than a t their
Kingdom Hall. This time the
Kingdom Hall will be used as
the cafeteria, and the assembly
will be held a t the Fautaua
Basketball Stadium. This is a
large indoor arena, completely
covered, but very cool and airy.
Tahiti's 134 Witnesses a r e look-
ing forward to welcoming many
visitors to this assembly.
The last stop for the "Peace on
Earth" International Assembly in
the Pacific is Honolulu, Hawaii,
November 11to 16. This assembly
IN A L L PARTS OF T H E ' W O R L D IN 1969
will be held a t the Honolulu In-
ternational Center. I t s main
auditoriuni, where the assembly casion
program will be put on, can ac-
rommodate 8,731 persons in up- mond Head a t the TVaikiki Shell.
holstered chairs.
Actually the entire Hoi~olulu
International Center is a modern
complex containing a coi~cert
hall, evhibiticn hall and main
auditorium. Each section con- ilatio~lal Assembly concludes in grown to nearly 40,000! In 1946
tains superb lighting, a n excel- Mexico City, December 24 to 28. a four-story branch ofice was
lent sound system and is com- I t will be held a t the Mexico completed in Mesiro City. When
pletely air-conditioned.
The exhibition hall will be
used primarily for the cafeteria.
I t s large size and convenient blies in various parts of the
facilities mill make dining to-
gether an additional treat of the
assembly. This will be a fine op-
portunity for the thousands of ex-
pected visitors from other lands
to sample some of the local foods.
The preaching work of Jeho-
vah's witnesses in Hawaii was
organized in 1935 with the con-
struction of the first building in
the world called a Kingdom Hall.
By 1938 the little group of Wit-
nesses had grown t o a congre-
gation of thirteen. But now there
are over 2,800 Witnesses and
thirty-seven congregations in Ha-
waii ! Particularly outstanding is
the fact that 9 percent of Jeho-
vah's witnesses here a r e i n the
regular full-time ministry a s
pioneers. And most of these per-
sons a r e 'in their early twenties.
I t was six years ago that the
only other international assembly
was held i n Hawaii. On that oc-
JuBrez, Monterrey, Tanipico, VP-
racruz, Merida, Tuxtla Gutikrrez,
Acapulco and Guadalajara.
There a r e three cultures i l l
Mexico-the ancient Indian, the
Spanish and the modern. So here
the old meets the new. You see
the slow, h a r d ~ ~ o r k i n gburro
alongside the sleek modern au-
tomobile, and overhead the jet
airliners.
Scattered throughout the coun-
t r y are descendants of the orig-
inal inhabitants-the Toltecs,
the Zapotecs, the Mesicanos, the
Yaquis, the Aztecs, the Mayas,
and many others. Altl~ough the
brown color predominates. there
a r e IVegroes of African descent
a s well a s descendants of white
Europeans and people of Asiatic
descent. However, there is no
segregation.
, I n this atmosphere of ancient
over 6,000 persons from the and moderll and great variety,
many countries aqsembled near teaching work of Jehovah's
the foot of ~ o r l d - f a m o u s Dia- witnesses is finding acceptance
~ ~ ~ g , o,EPkne
",~ :o:A
:$:
earlier years, i t was in 1931 that
a beginning was noted in an or-
ganized way with eighty-two ac-
The "Peace on Earth" Inter- t i r e Witnesses. This number has
these quarters became too small,
Arena. For t h e . conre~lience of a new five-story building v a s
those throughout Mexico, there put up in 1962 and integrated
%I-illalso be nine smaller assem- with the four-story structure.
Although Spanish is the prin-
ccuntry. These will be in the cit- cipal language of the country,
ies of C:iudad Obregon, Ciudad i t is not spoken by everyone. As
one traveling minister observed :
"I had to learn a few ~ ~ ~ o in rds
Zapoteco in order to eat. I also
learned how to present the Icing-
dom message in Zapoteco." I n
these rural areas many are re-
sponding to Bible truths.
Illiteracy is high in Mexico,
and to help people progress in
their knowledge of God and his
purposes Jehovah's witnesses
have provided literacy classes.
I n 1968 alone they taught 1,491
persons to read and write!
Government officials have es-
pressed appreciation for this ser-
vice. Recently a mayor called
the instructor of one such class
and told him : "I want to express
our gratitude for the good you
Young Witnesses inHawaii a r e doing for our people and I
share in spreading have also called you to provide
Bible message whatever you may need."
 Monday, July 14
9 a.m.-12:05 p.m.: R e p o r t s
from Africa.
TVelcome to the "Peace on
Earth" Assembly.
"Come Before Jehovah with
Thanksgiving."
Our Brothers i n Malawi and
Zambia Report They Are
Pursuing Peace.
Acquaint Yourself with God
and Keep Peace.
1:4 0 4 : 35 p.m. : Reports from
lands in the north.
I s the Bible Really the Word
of God?
Loyal Advocates of the Word
of God.
6 :3&9 : 05 p.m. : Reports from
Europe and Asia.
Never Too Busy to Pray.
Ministering in a Fine Manner.
Thorns and Traps Are in the
Way of the Independent One.
Tuesday, July 15
9 a.m.-12 : 10 p.m. : H o w D o
You View Authority?
Making My Bome a Bouse of
God.-Is My Home Whole-
some? As Husband and Wife,
Do We Communicate? Do
Our Children Confide in Us?
A Faithful Course in a
Divided Household.
Wednesday, July 16
1: 4 M : 35 p.m. : Reports from
Europe.
Loving Oversiglit of the Con-
gregation of God-Through
District and Circuit Ser-
vants. Through Congrega-
tion Sepvants. Through
- Min-
isterial Servants.
"With All T h a t You Acquire,
Acquire Understanding."
6 : 30-9 :0.5 p.m. : Reports from
Northern Europe and Central
America.
Aid to Bible Understanding.
Your Bible Questions An-
swered.
Thursday, July 17
1 : 4 0 4 :35 p.m. : Reports from
The Call to Pioneer-a Grand
Personal Opportunity.
I-Io%v to Stay in Full-Time
Service.
Enlarging 011r Privileges of
Service in the Time Remain-
ing.
"The Writing of Correct Words
of Truth!'
6 : 3&9 : 05 p.m. : Reports horn
South America.
What Is Your Security?-Your
Home? Your Bank Account?
Your Job?
Are You a Modern-Day Jonah?
Saturday, July 19
1 :40-4 :35 p.m. : Reports from
Behind the Iron Curtain
Whom Do You Serve?
You Are No P a r t of the World.
Appreciating the Organization
T h a t Is Educating Us for
Life.
Final Woes to Enemies of
Peace with God.
6 :3&9 : 05 p.m. : Reports from
the Pacific.
--.-
~ - ~

How to Stand Firm in This

Using the Gift of Music to
Praise Jehovah.
Show Respect for Jehovah's
Appointments,
1 :40-4 : 35 p.m. : Reports from
the Caribbean.
What Are You Living For?-
Worldly Associations? The
Pleasures of Drink? Oppor-
tunitjes to Toy with Sexual
Immorality? Illicit Satisfac-
tion of Fornication and Adul-
tery.? or Life in God's New
Order?
I 8 ~ 4 5 - 9 :Friday, July 18
Overseers, Carry On a s ;Men.
6 :3&9 : 05 p.m. : Reports from
t h e islands a n d Central
America.
U.S.A. and the Orient.
Should There Be a Generation
Gap in the Christian Home?
Rights or Duties-Which?
Peace with God amid the
"Great Tribulation."
6 : 30-9 p.m. : Reports from Afri-
ca, the Middle East, and the
Americas.
"Let No Man Ever Look Down
on Your Youth.''
3 0a.m.: S e e k i n g t h e
Goodwill of God (Baptismal
talk).
1: 4 0 4 :35 p.m. : Reports from
t h e Indian Ocean.
Time of the End.
Happy Are You When People
Persecute You.
Fortify Yourself so as to Main-
tain Integrity.
Sunday, July 20
9 a.m.-12 : 05 p.m. : "Among the
Congregated Throngs I Shall
Bless Jehovah."
There I s Work Yet to Be Done.
Do Not Miss the Purpose of
Jehovah's Deliverance.
3 p.m. : Public Address : THE
APPROACHINGPEACEOF
A TI-IOUSAND YEARS.
4 :4 5 6 p.m. : Continue t o Live
Peaceably.

Would you like a brief, easy-to-understand presentation o f what the

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That Leads to Eternal Life. Its 22 chapters take you in logical order through
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may also hove upon request a free, six-month home Bible-study course.
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TO order any of the above, send your request and remittance to:
WATCHTOWER 117 ADAMS ST. BROOKLYN, N.Y. 11 201
 OF JEHOVAH" WITNESSES
TWENTY-FIVE ASSEMBLY CITES ALL PARTS O F THE WORLD

Swarming to the assen~blycities i n North America i n J u l y Bnowledge of the truth and plans
are thousands upon thousands of delegates from no less than to attend the Vancouver assem-
1 1 4 lands. Over 11,790 of them planned t o come from places bly. He hopes to remain in
Edmonton for a year to grov
other t h a n the United States spiritually, then return to the
a n d Canada. A t least 45 char- pioneer. He is of the Maya Qui- Arctic to witness to his fellow
ter flights mere scheduled, 38 che Indian people. Eskimos.
Of thenl origillating in Europe From Korea there is a sister E'rom Brazil is a twenty-one-
who is the wife of a former year-old brother, completely para-
and carrying a total of same prime minister of Korea. She lyzed. A number of brothers
6,346 delegates ! carne into the truth when her wanted to help him get to Xew
Delegates have came from husband was prime minister. Yorlr, but he mould need someone
such dates as Austria, Bel- usFrom Israel me have among
a sister fluent in some ten
to help him get around and to
care for his needs. So the
gium, Denmark, Norway, the la~lguages, and able to converse brothers got together and pnr-
N e t h e r l a n d s , L u x e m b o u r g , in another ten or more. She uses chased tickets for both of them.
Sweden, Finland, West Ger- her flair for languages to ad- Mere with us is a brother from
m a n y , S w i t z e r l a n d , I t a l y , sance Kingdom interests. Surinam who came into the truth
France and Spain. They also Eskimo From Canada has come an despite tremendous opposition
who was witnessed to from his wife. His background?
have come from Central and a t the Hudson Bay Company He held a prominent position on
South America. as well a s the Trading Post. He now has a good a rice plantation, was chairman
Pacific area a& from as far
away as India, Australia and
S o u t h Africa.
meet Some of the Delegates
The assembly delegates from
these many lands are of all ages
and from all walks of life. Rere
from Barbados Is a sister eighty-
nine years of age and of the
anointed ; another sister present
f m m Barbados i$ eighty-two
years of age.
From Quezaltenango, Guate-
mala, has come a sixteen-year-old

Published by Watchtower Blble and

Tract Soclety of New York, Inc.

Printed in U.S.A. New York assembly and visit society's headquarters

?
2 "PEACE O N E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
Over a thousand happy British delegates have come
t o t h e assemblies in North America
of a local union, chairman of
a political party, leader of the
boy scouts, and member of a
Freemason society.
Here is a sister from Liberia
who stood firm during three days
of persecution a t Gbarnga, Li-
beria, in 1963. She has supported
herself by operating a coolr shop.
From the profits over the years,
she has managed to save enough
to come.
A brother and sister in Jamai-
ca had to overcome problenis to
get to the assembly. They worked
hard to save enough money.
Then i t was stolen. They saved
again, but next their passports
were stolen. They worked hard
to get replacernents-and suc-
ceeded.
From Santiago, Chile, h a s
Delegates f r o m Nigeria a n d Ghana being welcomed
t o New York b y t h e convention chairman
come a seventeen-year-old pio-
neer. To maintain himself in the
pioneer work he learned how to
work with copper. Now he em-
ploys two other youths, and they
operate his business while he
pioneers. To come to New York
he needed to be in company with
an adult who would be respon-
sible for him. When he found
this out, he determined to make
enough inoney to bring another
brothele with him. Thus he in-
vited a circuit servant to accom-
pany him on the trip, and has
paid the fare for himself and
the circuit servant.
Delegates Arriving
on Chartered Planes
What a show of love the early
arrivals experienced, on June 6,
a t Kennedy International Airport
in New York! About 60 brothers
from Brooklyn Bethel went out
to meet and greet the 58 incom-
ing branch servants and their
assistants, a s well a s mission-
aries.
Brother Knorr, the Watch
Tower Society's president, and
Milton G. Henschel, a director
of the Society and Convention
Chairman a t Yankee Stadium,
were among the reception com-
mittee. So large a welcome was
totally unexpected by the incom-
ing delegates, especially since i t
was near midnight. The enthu-
siasm r a n high. Warm Christian
love and tender brotherly affec-
tion was evident a s brothers
greeted one another heartily. This
made those present feel a s if the
"Peace on Earth" International
Assembly had already begun.
Cars were lined up to trans-
port the branch servants to the
Bethel home, and the mission-
aries to their rooming assign-
ment locations. I t was about
2 a.m. before a brother from
England had a chance to prepare
for bed. H e remarked : "In En-
gland I would be getting up
about this time. Now, here I am
going to bed."
Other charter flight arrange-
ments show that large groups
of delegates planned to flock in
from t h e Caribbean area. Ap-
proximately 1,000 delegates have
planned to be a t Yankee Stadium
from Puerto Rico alone!
A n o t h e r 220 conventioners
made arrangements to come
from ~ u a d e l o u p e ;185 from Mar-
tinique, and 25 from French
Guiana. Jamaica said she was
sending over 800 delegates. And
beautiful Barbados and sur-
rounding islands were sending
145 delegates, while Trinidad
would be represented by about
160.
South and Central America
had plans to send representa-
tives numbering well over 1,300
to the "Peace on Earth" assem-
bly. Sixty a r e expected from
Japan.
Foreign-Language P r o g r a m s
The "Peace on Earth" assem-
bly represents a multilingual con-
vention. I n New York city even
before the English sessions at
Yankee Stadium got under way,
the brothers coming from other
countries were scheduled to hold
meetings i n Kingdom Halls
throughout the city.
IN A L L P A R T S O F T H E W O R L D IN 1969
The large Jehovah's Witnesses
Assembly Hall, where the Gilead
graduations and the circuit as-
semblies are ordinarily held in
New York, was set aside for the
use of our German and Swedish
brothers in assembly. U p ~ a r d
of 2,500 brothers from Germany
and 668 from Sweden Rere
scheduled to meet there July 5
and 6.
At t h e same time, the Dutch,
Danish, Finnish, Italian, Japa-
nese and Norwegian brothers
were all scheduled to have meet-
ings in their own languages in
Kingdom Halls. For these for-
eign-speaking brothers the "Peace
on Earth" assembly had a n early
beginning.
F o r the benefit of visiting
brothers from other countries
certain special language sessions
have been arranged a t Yankee
Stadium on the mornings of
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
and Saturday, July 9-12, from
9 :45 to approximately 11 :45. The
meetings a r e to be in Ara-
bic, Armenian, Chinese, Danish,
Dutch, Finnish, German, Greek,
Italian, Japanese, Korwegian,
Polish, Portuguese and Swedish.
I11 addition, during the entire
New York convention, from Jnly
7 to 13, coillplete convention ses-
sions in French and Spanish a r e
scheduled to be held in tents
near Yankee Stadium. The
French and Spanish programs
a r e to run simultaneo~~sly with
the English program inside the
Stadium. Thousands of French
delegates expect to be present.
They a r e pouring down from
Quebec, Canada, and from other
places. A large numher of dele-
gates a r e due to come from the
Caribbean Islands and from a s
f a r away a s France and Africa.
Some 10,000 Spani~h-speaking
brothers a r e expected to be on
hand early in the assembly week !
From Central and South America
and from a s f a r away a s Spain
they a r e here !
First Week-An Assembly
in Three Cities
Atlanta, Georgia, is 713 a i r
miles from Buffalo, New York,
and 760 a i r miles from New
York city. Buffalo itself is 301
a i r miles from Yankee Stadium.
Imagine uniting these three cities
with a single program and con-
ducting the arrangement a s if
The three principal Watch
Tower Society assembly speakers,
President N. H. Knorr, Vice-pres-
ident F. W. Franz and Secretary
Grant Suiter, a r e the ones whose
work it is to tie together the
3
program by means of a tight
schedule of discourses and travel.
To meet their schedule they have
to be airborne a number of
times between the assembly
points during the week, and
thereafter.
On Sunday, July 6, Brother
I<norr's schedule called for him
to deliver the keynote address,
"Acquaint Yourself with God
and Keep Peace," in Atlanta,
Georgia, while Brother Franz
mas to open the assembly t h a t
day in B ~ ~ f f a l oNew
, York. A
baseball game planned a t Yan-
kee Stadium for Sunday pre-
vented all three assemblies from
beginning a t t h e same time.
The printed program, however,
shows Brother Knorr a t Yankee
Stadium the nest day, July 7,
delivering the k e j l ~ o t e speech.
That afternoon he was to give
the talk "Loyal Advocates of
the Word of God," while the
same talk in Atlanta w a s to be
delivered by Brother Suiter and
in Buffalo by Brother Franz.
On Wednesday, the program
showed Brother Knorr in Buffalo
and Brother Franz a t Yankee
Stadium. The closing days, Sat-
 4. "PEACE O N E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

urday and Sunday, July 12 and

13, Brother Suiter is schedulecl
to be in Buffalo, Brother E'ranz
in Atlanta and Brother Iinors
in New York.
Other North American lized during the assembly. Provision has been made in
Assemblies Paris for the Portuguese, and
On July 13, while the first
three assemblies a r e still in
progress, t h e all-Spanish assem-
bly in Pomona, California, gets
under way.
Also on July 13, the assembly
opens, in Vancouver, Canada, a t
Empire Stadium. Imagine, on
July 13, five assemblies will be
in progress! Brothers Iinorr and
Franz are scheduled to be a t
Los Angeles and Vancouver, re-
spectively, on Xonday, July 14.
I t was originally felt that the
Empire Stadium woulcl be large
enough to handle the expected
35,000 delegates. But a flood of
requests for accommodations
poured in,. and it appeared wiss
to plan for 45,300 conventioners.
So the new Pacific Coliseum was
rented. This is just a ten-minute
walk from the Stadium. Every
one of the coliseum's 15,015 seats
provides a fine view of the plat-
form. As a t Kew Pork's Yankee
Stadium and, Polo Grounds in
1958, the assembly program wil!
be put on a t both of Vancouver's
assembly sites.
On July 14 the assembly opens
a t Dodger Stadium in Los ange-
les, California, and t h e program
calls for Brother Knorr to de-
liver the keynote address. The
flight plan shows Brother ICnorr
shuttling between Vancouver and
Los Angeles, California, between
J ~ i l y16 and 19.
Meantime, on Friday, July 18,
Brother Suiter is scheduled t o
fly to Kansas City, located in the
heart of America's farm area,
to speak a t the city's 35,500-seat
Municipal Stadium.
4 f t e r the Los Angeles assembly
concludes on July 20, Brothers
Rnorr and Franz a r e to be irk
Chicago, Illinois, and Kansas
. Gity on Mondiiy morning.
The assembly in Chicago will
evidently be the largest religious
convention in Chicago's long his-
tory of conventions, going back
to 1833. The site chosen for- the
assembly, the White Sox Eall
Park, is unusual, because i t is
one of the few ball parks that
h a s a double deck all the way
around. T t has a seating capac-
ity of 46,500. to "Peace on Earth" assembly in New York
 shows the reader why the known

The speaker then posed chal-

Loyalty Toward God

and His Word

cents.

5
6 " P E A C E ON E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L A S S E M B L Y O F J E H O V A H ' S W I T N E S S E S

the clergy," the speaker ex-

claimed. The example was cited
of the Church of England clergy-
man who said:
"Could any intelligent twen-
tieth-century man believe . . .
that Jesus was born of a Virgin
without the agency of a human
father? If everyone who didn't
believe in the Virgin Birth were
asked to leave the Church of
England there would be a n acute
shortage of clergy and hardly
any professors left in our theo-
logical colleges."-The Sunday
Express, August 6, 1967.
What complete lack of faith
in God's Word! What i s wrong
with Christendom's religious lead-
ers? "Do these clergymen believe
only in those events that they
have personally witnessed?" the
spealcer asked. "Do they refuse
to believe that the earth itself
had a beginning, simply because
they were not on hand to see it
happen?"
H e then went on to reason:
"Really, which would be Inore Examining "Word of God" book i n Watchtower factory; 1,500,000
difficult: for God to cause a copies were produced before t h e first w a s released
child to be conceived in the womb
of a living virgin, or for him
t o create the first living human good thing.' And in the Nether- tion of the clergy, he said, "it
from lifeless matter? I t is only lands two male homosexuals is vital to show it." Hundreds
reasonable that the Almighty were 'married' by a Roman of thousands of persons a r e do-
Creator, who designed woman Catholic priest." ing so. "They have quit the
and gave her the dbility to pro- So in conclusion the speaker churches," the speaker empha-
duce children, could also cause told the audience: "Now is the sized, and "they regularly gather
a woman to become pregnant by time to make one's position in for worship in the more than
means of his invisible active relation to Jehovah God and his 25,000 congregations of Jehovah's
force, his holy spirit." Word unmistakably clear." I f witnesses earth wide. They be-
What a contrast there i s be- you do not agree with the posi- lieve what the Bible says. They
tween religio~lists of Christen-
dom and loyal servants of God!
Especially have the clergy
shown their disloyalty to God
by their rejection of what his
Word teaches about sexual mo-
ralixy.
The speaker called attention
t o the assertion of Joseph Fletch-
e r of a n Episcopal theological
school : "There is nothing against
extra-marital sex a s such . ..
and in some cases it is good."
(Cmnmo?~zcjeal,January 14. 1966)
"Not content with that," the
speaker added, Presbyterian rnin-
ister Gordon Clanton said : " 'Now
we must go further and pro-
claim that, properly understood
and lovingly practiced, sex out-
side of marriage is indeed a
positive good.' "-The Christian
Century, January 8, 1969.
Furthermore, "in 1967 ninety
Episcopalian priests meeting in
New York declared that the
church should recognize t h a t 200,000 pounds of convention releases being shipped
homosexuality 'may even be a f r o m N e w York t o Los Angeles assembly
 IN A L L P A R T S O F T H E W O R L D IN 1969 7

uphold its moral standards. ... one and a half miles if the Then a visit of the mother to
What a marvelous future such land surface were smooth. She the doctor's office for her son's
loyal servants of Jehovah have!" explained that she had a n inter- regular checkup was enacted.
esting discussion with two school- I)uring the visit she showed .the
Highlights of N e w Book mates, which was then demon- skeptical doctor the reasonable-
J u s t prior to this feature talk strated. ness of the Bible's miracles. F o r
of the assembly, convention dele- At this point another publisher example, she mentioned that re-
gates were treated to a n hour- stopped in to visit the family. cently many saw astronauts float
and-a-half program of delightful H e told about just making a weightlessly while on trips
information upholding the Bible call upon two college students. through outer space. So, she
a s the Word of God. Little did The family asked what happened, asked, should i t seem incredible
they realize a t the time that and the call was reenacted. The that the One who created water
the material for the entire after- students objected that the Bible and the law of gravity could
noon program was being tak- does not harmonize with ancient control what he created and
en directly from the yet-to-be- hi'tory. However, the publisher make i t possible for Jesus to
released book, Is the Bible Really showed that ancient histories walk on water?
the Word of Cod?
The early p a r t of the after-
noon program revolved around
a family discussion in the home,
including father, mother, son and
daughter: At the outset the fa-
ther remarked about the growing
skepticism toward the Bible. The
family then proceeded to discuss
how t o help persons who have
doubts about the Bible.
As part of this discussion, the
daughter mentioned t h a t in school
the Bible account regarding the
origin of the universe was be-
littled as unscientific. The father
responded t h a t a brother from
another congregation recently
told him about a talk he heard
a t the Kingdom Hall t h a t con-
tained some fine information on
this very matter.
Immediately the attention of
the' audience was diverted to
the other side of the stage. There
the aforementioned brother was
heard giving his talk. H e used
m a t e r i d from the new book to Spanish edition of "Word of God" book being proofread
show that there is no reliable
scientific evidence t h a t discredits
the Bible account of creation. were a t times exaggerated and Finally, the father observed
I n fact, the speaker showed t h a t twisted to 'suit the whims of that, while all the evidence thus
Kahn and Palmer in the 1967 ruling monarchs. F o r example, f a r considered is consistent with
book Qicasars admit: "We a r e King Sennacherib's prism r e the Bible's being God's Word,
almost completely ignorant about cords Assyria's invasion of J u - prophecy is the strongest proof
the early history of the uni- dah and that King Hezekiah of this fact. I n a scene in which
verse." paid tribute, but, a s one might
the visiting publisher portrayed
The son then demonstrated a expect, i t includes no record of a n agnostic, the father presented
call h e made in which the house- Sennacherib's defeat and the
holder asserted t h a t the Genesis slaughter of 185,000 of his war- fine inforination showing the
account of creation mas based riors. So merely because the Bi- amazing reliability of Bible
on pagan myths. The youth, how- ble records certain information prophecy. H e showed how it
ever, was able to show the stark that secular histories do not in- would have been impossible for
contrast between the absurd clude does not mean the Bible Bible prophecies to have orig-
Babylonian myths and the sim- is inaccurate. inated with humans.
ple, factual statements of God's In another scene the group
Word regarding creation. discussed the real practicalness How impressively the entire
Next the daughter told how of the Bible for our day. Bible program demonstrated that the
she was able to use information believers a r e better off, for a s Bible truly i s the Word of God!
in support of the global Flood, a result of applying Bible prin- And how fine i t is t h a t all the
showing t h a t there is, even now, ciples they are more reliable things on this program a r e in-
enough water in the oceans to workers, enjoy better health and cluded in the new book, Is the
cover the earth to a depth of have a superior homelife. Bible Really the Word of God?!
 Yome Before Jehovah.with Thanksgiuing "

O n t h e opening day of t h e "Peace o n E a r t h y y I n t e r n a t i o n a l of verse 7. Yes. all aresent had

Assembly of Jehovah's Witnesses t h e convention c h a i r m a n called reason to j o i n ' i n h y i n g : W E
T H A N K YOU, J E H O V A H ,
o n the conventioners t o "Come Before J e h o v a h w i t h Thanks- WITH ALL O U R HEART.
giving." Right away the re-
I
m a r k s of t h e c h a i r m a n began ence when the chairman conduct-
t o open up w h a t was in store, ed interviews with persons who
Conventionem Welcomed
J u s t prior to the chairman's
r e a d y i n g the audience f o r w h a t mere, until 'ecently knocked opening address, a brief word of
about and bruised amid the self- welcome was offered. The speak-
was t o follow. ish, warring factions of a wick- er expressed the thought that
Reminding them of the reason ed system of things, bereft of peace, when associated with
for their coining to this season peace, hope and real joy. Now God, usually suggests to our
of united worship, h e invited they a r e rejoicing in the peace minds some isolated spot amid
all present to open their Bibles and unity to be found only in the grandeur of creation, while
to Psalm 95. Then a s with one the ranks of Jehovah's $hank- peace, linked with man, usually
voice they read aloud the thrill- f u l worshipers. had to do with the rest of sleep
ing introductory words of t h a t
psalm.
H P -~ Pi--- ---- r,-..- ----
n the n ~ a r e f i i l a
1t m h
Yes, thankful pel-sons from all
w a l b of life a r e g a t h u e d a t / in death, with cemeteries. with
battlefields after the dead have
been buried out of sight. B u t in
spllere of the nsselnbly all corlld these clays a ncw and very real
reflect on .Jehovnh's loring tlc!al- pe:lce can 1)c. offered, one linked
ings with his people of ancient with living hu~tl:~ns--the peuce
times. As the snc!aker bronxht of a Christian assembly.
out, Jehovah h i s often cafied I n fact, it i s the pursuit of
his people together for special peace that h a s brought all these
outpourings of his blessings ant%. thousands together a t this "Peace
spirit. And those gatherings on Earth" assembly. All a r e
were times of peace, peace keen to learn how to use that
among themselves, peace from marvelous peacemaking instru-
enemies ronndabout, and peace ment, the Bible. to greater advan-
with their God, Jehovah. tage. And many others, attracted
by the peace and harmony of
Assembly for true Christians, come to sat-
Thanksgiving Today isfy curiosity and stay to drink
At all of those assemblies, the deeply of the refreshing, peace-
chairman continued, there was imparting Bible knowledge that
thankfulness on the p a r t of is available here.
those present a s they recounted, I t w a s not easy, continued the
not only the past evidences of speaker, for everyone present to
Jehovah's favor on his ~ e o ~ l e . - -
get here for this assembly. It
but also the blessings they were New york convention & m a n , took planning, sacrifices, radi-
currently enjoying. So today, a t M. G. Henschel cal departure from normal sched-
this "Peace on Earth" Interna- ule. B u t it will prove to be well
tional Assembly there is much this assembly to express grati- worth i t all, f o r here we a r e
over which t o rejoice, much for tude, and a t the same time they a t Jehovah's invitation, his spir-
which to offer thanksgiving to receive additional cause f o r it is present to bless and direct,
the Great Provider of good thankfulness. And, a s the chair- and he has prepared a sump-
things. We a r e in the time when man pointed out, all can ex- tuous feast of good spiritual
God's king h a s assumed his press thankfulness for this peace- things for us. With Bible and
Kingdom power, the time when f u l assembly. We can do so by note pad a t hand, a r e we all
the very criticalness of earthly attending each session here and ready to make the most of the
conditions gives powerful evi- attentively listening to all t h a t occasion? the speaker asked.
dence that the end of a wicked i s said from the platform. H i s concluding words consti-
system is near. We a r e i n a "With a pi-ogram like this," tuted a n earnest invitation to
time of grand revelations about said the chairman, after refer- do just that, f o r he urged his
God's purposes and of nnparal- ring to some of its coming high- listeners: "Let's enjoy to the
leled unity in action among J+ lights, ilmho can afford to miss full the keenly anticipated oc-
hovah's people on earth. anything?" Again the whole au- casion, the "Peace on Earth"
Still another prime reason for dience was invited to open the International Assembly, a s an-
thanksgiving today mas graphi- Bible to Psalm 95 and i n unison other timely p r o v i s i p of Jeho-
cally brought home to the audi- read verse 6 and the first half vah God, our Host.
8
 "Re keeps his loving treatment
of [his creatures] in perfect
balance with a just treatment
[of tliem]." Yes, all cbilld agree
with the speaker when he ex-
claimed : 'What a matchless God !
A God of perfect love, perfect
justice, perfect power and per-
fect wisdom. Such a n adorable
personality deserved to be as-
sociated with a brilliance of glo-
r y that was too bright for weak
human eyes to behold or a frail
human body to encounter. . . .
Today, by believing and accept-
ing Moses' vision of divine glory,
we acquaint ourselves better
with this marvelous God Jeho-
vah !'
Isaiah's Temple Vision
Moses, however, did not re-
'Glorious is J e h o v a h a s he rides a l o n g o n his celestial chariot main alone among men in hav-
to t h e execution of his judgments! It behooves m e n t o acquaint ing a miraculous vision of Je-
themselves w i t h t h i s God and m a k e peace a n d keep peace hovah God. As the speaker
pointed out, 736 years later the
w i t h him.' H o w fittingly those prophet Isaiah was somewhat
words, t a k e n f r o m t h e assem- men of Israel. Right after the similarly favored. H e saw Je- I
bly's keynote speech, ':Ac- making of a covenant between hovah "sitting on a throne lofty
quaintyourself with ~~d and Jehovah and Israel these were and lifted up, and his skirts
Keep Peace," the taken up into Mount Sinai and,
as the Bible tells it, "got to see
mere filling the temple. Seraphs
were standing above him."-Isa.
t h e m e of t h e "Peace o n Earth" the ~ o ofd ~ s f a e ~ , yes,
" "got a 6 11-4.
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Assembly ! rision of the true God and ate To emphasize the supreme
This discourse was and drank."-Ex. 24 :9-11. holiness of Jehovah, these ser-
to give all who heard i t a better aphs made a threefold declara-
Moses Uniquely Favored tion of Jehovah's holiness back
appreciation of the awesome
majesty of Jehovah God. More Moses, however, the audience and forth to one another. Ex-
so than other talks about God, next learned, mas favored with plained the keynote speaker :
i t built up a tremendous sense an even more direct and inti- "Already we can see the glory
of awe for the Sovereign of the mate acquaintanceship with Je-
hovah. This is apparent from of Jehovah God in all his mas-
Universe. The keynote speaker Jehbvah's own words when re- terly worlis of creation, both
also stressed the blessing of be- buking Aaron and Miriam for living things and lifeless things.
ing acquainted with Him and complaining against Moses : "Re But the time approaches when
the need for increasing that ac- is being entrusted with all my all the inhabitants of earth will
quaintanceship. H e showed t h a t house. Mouth to mouth I speak join us in discerning Jehovah's
"by getting acquainted with the to him, thus showing him . .. glory in the things that he has
1 Holy Bible a person can get ac- and the appearance of Jehovah
quainted with God, its Author!' is what he beholds."-Num. 12:
created," for "not in vain has
i t been predicted: 'The earth
will be filled with the knowing
Why? Because the Bible gives 7, 8.
instances where God's servants On one occasion Moses wit- of the glory of Jehovah a s the
were favored with miraculous nessed a special appearance of waters themselves cover over the
visions of Jehovah God. Among Jehovah. And although he saw sea.' "-Hab. 2 24.
such favored ones were Moses, but a n af terglom of Jehovah's How did Isaiah respond? The
1 the prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel and glory while hidden in a hole in
Daniel, and the apostle John. a rock and covered by the palm
conventioners learned t h a t the
sights a n d sounds associated
Yes, from the time of Moses of Jehovah, i t was so powerful with this vision of Jehovah en-
on to the closing years of the that afterward Moses' face emit- throned in his temple ,frightened
1 apostle John, i t was brought out, ted light rays, making i t nec- Isaiah. H e even feared for his
certain servants of Jehovah God essary for him to cover his face life because of his unclean con-
I were favored with glimpses of when speaking to his people. At dition But after being cleansed
His supernatural splendor. While the same time Moses heard a by a glowing coal from the altar
i Enoch and Noah walked with wondrous declaration of the per- by which one of the seraphs
the true God, the very first of sonality of God, showing that touched his tongue, Isaiah felt
I these specially favored ones were he i s a God of love, yet also of clean in the divine presence and
i Moses, Aaron and two of his justice. As the speaker went on volunteered t o go on a prophetic
sons, and seventy of the older to note: errand. Then the speaker asked
i
'10 "PEACE ON E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S W I T N E S S E S
of his listeners truly searching
questions: "But what about us?
Do we, on becoming better ac-
quainted with Jehovah God,
readily offer ourselves for His
service, a s Isaiah did?"-Isa.
6 :I-13.
EzekieI Sees dehovah
its Charioteer
The next one to be given a
miraculous vision of Jehovah
God, it was explained, was the
prophet Ezekiel. I-Ie had his first
awe-inspiring vision while a n
exile in Babylonia. H e saw Je-
hovah a s a glorious charioteer,
seated on a throne high above
a colossal chariot t h a t was ac-
companied by four cherubs or
living creatures. The size of this
chariot was so great that i t made
Ezekiel feel rery small. I t was
at the time when Jehovah God
was on the march, a s i t were,
toward execnting his judicial de-
cisions against his unfaithf ll
people. This chariot had no en-
gine or motor, needed neither
steering gear nor brakes. What
made i t go? The speaker em-
phasized: I t was the active
force, the spirit of the One who
rode on it, Jehovah God.
Basing his remarks on Eze-
kiel, chapter 1, the speaker noted
that each of the four living crea-
tures accompanying the chariot
had the face of a nian in front,
t h a t of a lion to the right, that
of a bull to the left, and the
face of a n eagle. Not that such
creatures described actually ex-
ist in heaven, but the features
of their appearance are symbolic
of the good qualities outstxnd-
ingly possessed by man, lion, bull
and eagle. The chariot rider was
pictured a s moving ahead on
a n expanse or platform of trans-
lucent ice or congealed water.
Above this chariot was a throne
with Jehovah sitting upon it.
There was the appearance of
fire, of a rainbow and the
splendor of electrum, that is, of
gold and silver mixed.
Ezekiel found this vision of
Jehovah so awesome, explained
the keynote speaker, that he fell
upon his face, prostrating him-
self. Yes, such a miraculous vi-
sion of God's glory was awe-
some enough to make man quail
and feel impelled to worship.
The following year Ezekiel had
a quite similar vision of Jeho-
vah's glory. And twenty years
later he had still another mirac-
ulous vision of "the glory of the man on earth, the Messiah truly
God of Israel."-Ezek. 10 :I-5 ; enlarged our acquaintanceship
S :1; 40 :1-4 ; 43 :1-4. with Jehovah God.
Daniel Sees Universal Sovereign John Enters Heaven in Vision
Pursuing his theme of the part And finally, the keynote ad-
miraculous visions played i n get- dress brought out, there was the
ting servants of God better ac- apostle John who received a 'ev-
quainted with Him, the speaker elation that portrayed Jehovah
next told how the prophet Daniel God a s no previous men of God
was blessed i n this way. After had seen him in vision. As i t
seeing four huge beasts, pictur- were, John entered right into
ing world powers, Daniel s a w heaven itself to get this divine
thrones placed, one for Jehovah vision. There he saw seated on
and the other, most likely, for a throne One whose appearance
his Son, Jesus Christ. Then he was like jewels. Out of the
beheld in vision Jehovah a s the throne proceeded lightnings and
Ancient of Days : "His clothing voices and thunders, and before
was white just like snow, and it was a glassy sea like crystal.
the hair of his head was like (Rev. 4:l-5) Here also were
clean wool. His throne was four winged creatures of sym-
flames of fire; its wheels were bolic appearance who ascribed
a burning fire. There was a threefold holiness to Jehovah. To
stream of fire flowing and going John's eyes Jehovah sparkled
out from before him. There were like a gem; truly he is light,
a thonsand thousands that kept and there is no darkness in union
ministering to him, and ten thou- with him.-1 John 1 :5.
sand times ten thonsand t h a t
kept standing r'ight before him." Peace by Acquainting Ourselves
-Dan. 7:9, 10. with God
Explaining this vision, the 'Snrely,' the speaker continued,
speaker showed that the wisdom 'now of all times i s the op-
of the Supreme Court Judge and portune time to acquaint our-
Sovereign of the ilniverse is selves with the ever-living God
highlighted by the hair of his who bears the name Jehovah,
head in being like clean wool. the Almighty One. We may al-
His clothing being white just ready be acquainted with him,
like snow pictured the brilliance to some degree, a s Job was, but
of his righteousness in handing just a s Job was brought into
down decisions. The fire asso- a more intimate relationship
ciated with this vision suggests with Jehovah, so likewise we
that fiery judgment is approach- can now increase our acquaint-
ing, even a s a t Psalm 97:l-3 anceship with Him.'-Job 42 :5, 6.
we read t h a t before Jehovah's And how encouraging were the
throne "a very fire goes, and i t closing yords of this keynote
consumes his adversaries all speech: Today a s never before
aronnd!' God's written Word has been
All listening felt like the speak- opened to our understanding. As
er when he exclaimed: "What a result, we can grow in appre-
a n acquaintanceship with God, ciation of him. We can pray
'the Supreme One,' this vision to him with more accurate knowl-
to Daniel gives us! The One edge. We can rely upon him
Jlost High over all creation in with more confidence a s if seeing
heaven and earth is H e ! Pre- him who is invisible. Thus we
siding Judge of the Court of can make this only adorable
Last Instance is He!"The new God a part of our daily expe-
rulership of the earth he gives rience. I t indeed means peace
to his Messiah. for u s to acquaint ourselves with
More than any others, it was this God, a true peace. We want
stressed, the Son of God when the peace of friendship with him.
on earth was able to enlarge our We want to be people toward
acquaintanceship with Jehovah.
F o r he was able to s a y : "EIe whom God h a s goodwill. Then
that has seen me has seen the it will be certain that good
Father also." (John 14 :9) Jesus things will come to u s from Him,
could say this because he per- both now and in God's promised
fectly reflected his Heavenly F a - new order where we shall e s -
ther. By his teachings, his works, perience God's goodness forever.'
his way of life a s a perfect -Luke 2 24.
 PRAISING
JEHOVAH
Scheduled early on the assem-
bly program was the rather
novel talk, "Using the Gift of
Music to Praise Jehovah." This
subject tied in well with the
theme of the assembly, for cer-
tainlv good music is conducive
to peace, and when there is
"peace on earth" mankind will
be using the gift of music to
praise Jehovah.
This talk gave to all a hither-
to little appreciated view of the
prominence of music in the Bible.
I t gave encouragement to all,
regardless of how poor their
voices might be, to share in sing-
ing praise to Jehovah God and
to enjoy listening to such songs
of praise.
Music Uniquely a Gift
The speaker showed how music
uniquely is a gift. F o r one thing,
i t was given only to man. Ani-
mals do not have this gift. The
few notes t h a t birds sing by
instinct in no way compare to
the capacity for music given to
mankind. Nor does music depend
upon "civilization." Some of the
most primitive peoples show
great musical talent, and we are
told that Negro plantation melo-
dies conform to all the rules of
musical composition. This, inci-
dentally, disproves any theory
of the evolution of music.
'What great variety there is
in music !' the speaker exclaimed.
There a r e the various kinds of
male and female voices, a s well
a s the many kinds of musical
instruments. Also a great variety
of moods can be expressed and
forms of composition used. No
wonder t h a t Martin Luther once
stated: "Next to the Word of
God, the noble a r t of music is
the greatest treasure in the
world."
Gift of Music Misused
Even a s with God's other gifts,
the gift of music has often been
misused. I t h a s been used to
idolize creatures, composers and
performers. How unwise this h a s
been can be seen from the fact
that some of the foremost com-
posers and musicians, in both
the classical a n d popular fields,
have been greatly depraved, one
even being described in a book
review a s a "moral monster."
The gift of music is also mis-
used, the speaker went on to
note, when it is employed to
encourage rebellion and exag-
gerate the "generation gap," a s
many popular songs do, a s well
a s when these extol the use of
narcotics and promiscuous sex.
3Iusic is also misused when it
serves to make false religion
appealing.
Right Use of Music
The audience, however, also
learned of the many fine uses
to which music can be and is
being put. The playing of good
music brings comfort a n d joy
into the lives of ever so many
people. Good background music
makes mealtime more enjoyable
and lightens household chores.
This is especially true of the
recorded Kingdom songs, dis-
tributed by the Watch Tower
Society.
J u s t recently great strides
have been made in the use of
music to help mentally retarded
and brain-damaged children, and
that when nothing else was able
to help them. However, the best
and most noble use to which
music can be ,put, the speaker
stressed, i s to praise Jehovah,
even a s the Bible repeatedly
shows. Thus a t Psalm 47:6, 7,
we read : "Malre melody to God,
make melody. Make melody to
our King, make melody. For God
is Ring of all the earth; make
melody, acting with discretion."
The speaker then noted that,
while the audience's paying close
attention contributed to the suc-
cess of any program, this par-
ticular program )feature was
unique: I t had the largest cast
of any in that all the audience
could contribute to its success
not only by paying attention but
also by actively cooperating
How? By them themselves sing-
ing songs illustrating certain as-
pects of musical worship.
Music and the Bible
How highly musical historians
rate the Bible mas indeed news
to most in the audience. Kurt
Sachs, a leading modern musi-
cal historian, once wrote that
"among the world's books few
can lay claim to greater im-
portance for the history of music
than the Bible." Among other
authorities quoted was the one
that stated : "Throughout the
history of the Jewish people we
find music mentioned with a fre-
quency t h a t perhaps exceeds its
mention in the history of any
other people."
Bearing out the truth of these
statements, said the speaker,
were the many references to
music in the Bible. As early a s
Genesis 4 :21 we find music men-
tioned, and seemingly put on a
par with agriculture and manu-
facturing, the basic occupations
of mankind. More than 3,000
years ago the servants of King
Saul appreciated the psychoso-
matic value of music, they hav-
ing a fine harpist, David, play
for Saul when he had spells of
melancholia. Also, a t 2 Kings
3 :I5 there i s recorded a unique
use oA music, for the gift of
inspiration settled on the proph-
e t Elisha upon his hearing the
playing of a stringed instrument
-at his request.
Praising Jehovah with Music
The conventioners were told
that the first use of music to
praise Jehovah. a s mentioned in
the Bible, is by Moses and the
rest of the sons of Israel upon
their deliverance from Pharaoh's
pursuing army a t the Red Sea.
I n the time of King David the
use of music to praise Jeho-
vah, which previously had been
a spontaneous, impromptu affair.
12 "FEACE ON E A R T H ' q N T E R N A T I B N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

became highly organized. I n fact, so ~ b a la11 credil goes to Jeho- then noted a s well a s the lac1
according to one authority, King v a h ; the dropping of all archaic that all continents of the globe
David organized the earliest expressions ; the dropping of all a r e represented in this songbook,
body of official rnnsicians. H e melodies found in other religious examples being given from songs
had a large band or orchestra songbooks. and so forth. At pres- in the Hawaiian, Oriental and
playing a t the time t h a t he ent this songbook is also pub- modern American idiom.
brought the arlr of the covenant lished in Danish, Dutch. French,
to Jerusalem. . And especially German, Italian, Japanese, Por- Music Principles
did King Solomon employ a tuguese, Spanish and Swedish. So that all could better under-
mammoth orchestra and choir a t stand what rnusic v a s about.
the dedication of the temple of The Word Content ihe speaker next briefly touched
.Tehovah. I n particular has there been on the basic essentials of all
I n parlicnlar is singing of progress in the word content of mu~ic-melody, harmony and
praise t o Jehovah made promi- these songs, said the speaker, rhythm. The ral-ious aspects aC
nent i n t h e Bible, the speaker in lreeping with the promise a t music. octaves, scales, harmaag
noted. 111 fact, some 10 percent I'rorerbs 4:lS t h a t the path of and basic rhythrns were iliu$-
of the Bible i s in the form of the rightewe mould shine ever tratea b> recorded piano music.
~ ~ o e t tlmt
r p 1va.s sung. The Gh-ris- brighter nntil the perfect day. The audience also learned
tian Greek S c r i ~ t u r e stell. of Je- These songs direct attention away about the range of the human
nus' singing mirh his apostles from creatures, whether oneself ear. hearing from about 16 tu
and of the apostle Paul's sing- or Jesus Christ, and to tile Gre- 16.000 vibrations per second, and
ing. P a a l in particular commands ator, Jehovab: God. Each one of that the average human v o i ~ e
Christians to sing, in fact, to the nine frnits of the spirit men- had a range of one and a half
teach and admonish one another tioned a t Galatians 5 :Y2, 23 is octaves. This is also the range
with songs, a s a t Ephesians 5: the theme of one 01' m w e songs. of tlie songs in the Witness song-
18-20; Colossians 3 K.6. -4nd one, song No. 94, has sonie- b~bolt
thing to say ahout all. rfne nf
In modem Times these fruits. Properly Ee~mdmingSmlgs
The speaker n e s t traced the Further, ever so many greatly Most practical were the speak-
prominent role that music played belored Bible texts a r e the er's remarks relative to inter-.
I D the history of the inodern themes of songs, such as, "'Come preting or properly rendering
witnesses of Jehovah. Their very to me, all you who a r e toiling songs sung to Jehovah's praise.
first songbook -was published the and loaded down.'! ( J l a ~ t 3. 1 : 2 8 ) H e noted that the elements that
same year I'he SYadchtozuer be- "As for me anil my honsehold, make for good public speaking,
gan to be published, namely, n7e shall serve Jehovah." (Josh. a s f a r a s delivery is concerned,
back in 1579. Since then a num- 24 :15) "Your people will be my also apply to singing. There is
ber of songbool~sh a r e been pub- people, and your God my God." need to gire t h o ~ ~ g htot snfficietit:
lished lk-om time to time, the --Ruth 1:1G. rolume, enthusiasm, warmth and
last to appear, i11 ICnglLsh, being The speake? utlclerscored the feeling. variety in pitch, pacc
p~tblisbedin 1966, entitled 6'Siny.- grea.t blessing of having record- and power, and so forth.
-i.o,g and d c c o n ~ p a n ~ d ? q gYotir- ~ n g 'sof these songs, to serve a s The audieuce was then called
ael,~:es ,ioiZh +lItisic i i b You,/. bacligronnd music in Christian upon to share in the singing of
Hearts." Each of these song- homes and for singing a t social four songs- ( i t had previous17
boolis represented a n improve- occasions. Won. rnnch better to assisted by singing two othe:.
ment over preuions ones. Among have such a songfest, than to be songs), which illnstrated. t h r
th,e progressive steps made by dancing to or singing songs with basic nloods found in these
these was the dropping of all degradii~g words l The interna- songs : Ne. 44 (martial) ; No. 37
uames of composers a.nd authors tional nspect nf all music myas (heartfelt.) ; No. 31 (joyous) :
No. 110 (grand. majestic).
I n conclusion the dpeaker urged
that. even a s Jehovah's: servants
ill ancient tiines were outstand-
ing in the use of the gift of
music to praise Jehovah, ~ C J
should His lilodern servants be.
I t is a part of the formal wor-
ship of Christians, and since it
is done to Jehovah's praise, wc
may rest assured that he i s lie-
~ening. I t should be a n e q r e s -
sion of joy and appreciation. If
all thus enter into the musical
part of their worship, they rvill
bring joy to the heart of Je-
hovah, honor to his name and
rnucl~ joy and benefit to them-
selves. a s they use the gift ot
Singing is part of om worship inusir to praise Jehovah.

N o n e need f e a r rebellion f r o m Jehovah's witnesses. Police
officials, teachers, employers, legislators a n d parents c a n a l l be
confident t h a t Jehovah's witnesses will respect their authority.
W h a t a contrast t h i s is with
the rest of t h e world !
F o r continued peace and har-
mony Jehovah's witnesses, a t
their "Peace on Earth" Inter-
national Assembly, seriously dis:
cussed the need for proper o b e
dience to authority.
The audience Was jolted to
a n awareness that they were
very much involved. "How do
you, personally, view author-
ity?" the speaker asked. 'Have
you allowed the world's disre-
spect for authority to affect you?'
Authority Properly Viewed
"All in the universe, except
Jehovah, a r e subject to some-
one," said the speaker. Jehovah
is a God of order, and, if we
a r e to please him, we must con-
tribute to good order by proper
respect for authority. How en-
couraging and needful such en-
couragement in our day!
The audience was helped to
see that God's magnificent order
of spirit creatures all work har-
moniously together with their
Creator. After that the conven-
tioners were given . a verbal view
of the physical universe in per-
fect operation, all functioning
according to God's laws.
But what about man? On
earth God gave man His per-
fect law. Man, however, chose
to rebel against the lams of God
and the consequence has been
the chaotic world of today.
-Deut. 32 :4, 5.
But what authority is there
now worthy of man's remect?
the speaker queried. We a<e in-
terested in now! With assuring
tones came the answer: A heav-
enly Kingdom government was
established in 1914, and it is now
faithful anointed followers. The
gation to show proper subjection
to them now. Why? Because they
provide valuable s e r v i c e s of
which Christians are beneficiar-
ies. Therefore, taxes should be
paid and laws obeyed.
Not Anarchists
Jehovah's witnesses are not
anarchists, i t was stressed. Never
by word or deed will they lend
support to those showing dis-
respect for authority. They stay
out of the trouble areas, do not
participate in "marches" or riots.
I n fact, rather than rebel against
the authorities, they are com-
manded by God to pray con-
cerning them, which they do.
(1 Tim. 2:l-3) How timely such
advice to Christians! How reas-
suring to world rulers in this
hour of world rebellion !
Teachers, too, have the respect
and appreciation of Christian
parents and students. Other
school authorities and educa-
tional arrangements are also -
to be respected, the convention-
ers heard. Christians need not
join school-sponsored organiza-
tions, but can show appreciation
for their problems. They can co-
operate by getting their children
to obey and make the best use of
their time while in school. h
brief demonstration illustrated
how children can show respect
to their teachers. How distinctly
different the Christian is from
the world at, large !
Employers, too, should find Je-
hovah's witnesses the best of
workers, not only because they
are conscientious, do not steal or
"loaf," but also because they a s
workers find joy in accomplish-
ment and do all things a s to
their God Jehovah. The speaker
encouraged the audience to mas-
ter their secular jobs, become
efficient and thereby maintain
their own self-respect in a world
that has little or none. God is
magnified and glorified by such
honest effort, they heard.
Right Viewpoint:
of Spiritual Authority
But before secular authority
can be fully respected, one must
first have the right viewpoint of
spiritual authority, the conven-
tioners were told. This begins in
the home. All in the Christian
family circle, for example, should
recognize the principle of head-
ship. The husband is head of his
house, his wife, his family. Par-
ents closely supervise the chil-
dren. Bible verses, such a s Ephe-
sians 5 :22-24; 6 :1-4and 1 Peter
3 :1-6 mere quoted in support.
Wives were encouraged to co-
operate fully with their husbands,
for this makes for a happy family
relationship.
This respect is carried over
and refined in the Christian con-
gregation where the servants are
14 "PEACE ON E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

shown proper respect. Appoint- faith-strengthening, unifying and 1

lier a n d her worship of God.
ments a r e viemec; a s coming by upbuilding such a call for oneness One's duty is first to God.
holy spirit. (Acts 20:28) The and support in these critical Abigail showec: her apprecia-
congregation recognizes this and times ! tion of Jehovah's appointments
fully cooperates, even a s wives A11 overseer or someone else by giving David due respect and
in a position of responsibility in thus firmly established her re-
cooperate with husbands, hus- lationship with Jehovah. By her
bands with Christ and Christ God's organization may commit a
wrong, a s King Saul did. But not wise course she saved her hus-
with God. Such a n arrangement, to recognize the office that such band's life and her household a s
when carried out, works for the one fills or the authority that he well. She also proved a blessing
good of all. possesses by refusing to show re- to David, because her generous
The speaker appealed to the spect or by opposing such one and kind behavior had a calm-
audience to give evidence of their is to compound the wrong, not ing effect on David a n d his
proper view of authority in these right it. Of course, under these warriors, preventing them from
trying times. Jehovah God re- circumstances, a Christian should becoming bloodguilty before God.
quires it. Disrespectful persons not violate righteous principles The position Jehovah took was
will not inherit the earth. also clenrlv seen in that
but the respectful will: h e punished Nabal and re-
Those who embrace the warded Abigail. Nabal died
C h r i s t i a n view of au- suddenly. Abigail then be-
thority now a r e training came David's wife. Da-
then~selvesfor life in the vid's warrn appreciation
new system of things, for her can be seen in that
where all authority will he considered her to be
be exercised perfectly to a gift from Jehovah.
the praise of God forever- The assembled audience
more ! could see how the prin-
ciples of that drama of
6%howRespec%for ancient times could be ap-
Jehovah's Appointments" plied today in the Chris-
Not entertainment, bur; tian congregation. There
instruction, was the pur- a r e times in our daily
pose of the drama bearing worship, the participants
the above title. David and related, when decisions a r e
King Saul, Abigail and not easy to make. HOT:-
hlabal, Jonathan, Abishai ever, if we allow uur-
and AbiathaiS all sprang selves to be guided by Bi-
to life in the drama. And ble principles, primarily
the entire program under- the principle that Jeho-
scored the need for Jeho- vah makes the appoint-
vah's people to respect His rnents and removes un-
appointments. worthy ones, then we can
The convention atmo- learn much in the way of
sphere echoed with the long-suffering, putting up
voice of King Saul raging Though her husband scorned David, Abigail with one another in love
a s if possessed of a demon, wisely respected dehovah's anointed one and appreciation of Jeho-
"I will 1-et pin David . . . vah's way of doing things.
yes, I will y e t pin David We wiil not be prone to
even to the wall and rid my 83111 nor join the wrongdoer in his re- r u n ahead of God.
forever of this ngony t h a t is bellion. Wait on God to remove I n the modern setting those
within me." the rebellious one iu his own way in the audience were shown that
David, though hunted by Saul and time. wrong conclusions are reached
like an animal, did not strike Women also were greatly ben- when one does not have all the
back, eve11 when opportunity af- efited by the drama. They were facts. Where true love exists
forded itself. "I shall not thrust shon-n how they, too, can show and where there is trust in Je-
out my hand against my lord, respect for Jehovah's appoint- hovah's appointments, there is
for he is the anointed of Je- ments by imitatiiig t h e w i s e also no cause for opposition to
hovah," said D a v i d of S a u l , course of Abigail, wife of n'abal. any appointment originating wit11
-1 Sam. 21 :lo. Abigail viewed t h e a n o i n t e d God.
The Bible book of First Samuel David a s an appointed servant of Conventioners may remember
came alive, and the lesson of Jehovah, wl~omher hnsbanc: dis- and forget many details about
respect for Jehovah's appoint- respected. Even though Nabal the drama, but one point un-
merits was driven home in a tell- was her husband, she could not doubtedly will outlive them all,
ing way time and time again. condo~ie his disrespectful ac- namely, that respect for Jeho-
One learns that, despite any per- tions, because he was opposing vah's appointments must be
sonal feelings that one might David, Jehovah's anointed. Abi- shown regardless of the trying
have, no matter what the cir- gail did not violate the principle circumstance, a s was exempli-
cumstance, Jehovah's appoint- of headship in this matter, be- fied in. the lives of David a n d
ments miast be respected. How cause Nnbal had come betveen Abigail.
 Among the congregated throngs
attending the "Peace on Earth"
International Assembly a r e the
missionaries who have graduated
from Gilead School. From far-
flung sections of the earth over
1.500 of them will be Dresent
a't the varioi ssembly- c
What has m this POSE
Why, the generous contributions
of their brothers around the
world for the very purpose of
paying the travel expenses of
these full-time preachers.
At the New York assembly
alone, 488 missionaries from
seventy-seven lands plan to be
on hand. Another 122 a r e plan-
ning to go to Vancouver, British
Columbia, and 107 more to Los
Angeles. Many others a r e at-
tending a t Atlanta, Buffalo, Po-
mona, Kansas City and Chicago.
F o r just these assemblies in
North America, over 980 will be
resent !
I n addition, hundreds more
have been assisted financially to
attend the "Peace on Earth"
assemblies in Europe-in London,
Paris, Copenhagen, Nuremberg
and Rome. Here they will see
Bnd be able again to fellowship
briefly with dear relatives and
frlends until they return to their
missionary assignments. To Lon-
don alone, 182 missionaries from
forty-four lands have planned to
return for the assembly.
Many of these missionaries of
Gilead School have spent fifteen,
twenty or more years in their
assignments. They have expended
themselves fully in doing the
will of God, spearheading the
preaching work in many parts of
the earth. Frequently they have
seen just a small handful of in-
terested persons in these places
grow into a mighty throng of
thousands of praisers of Jeho-
vah. What a blessing to have
them here in assembly with us!
A Missionary Grandmother
One of the 488 missionaries at-
ten&ing the New York city as-
sembly is Gertrude Steele. When
she learned the truth i n the
early 1920's she had three infant
sons to rear. But a s they grew
older and entered school. she
arranged to pioneer nine months
of the year. Finally, when they
A But what about the future?
,-
, T '
were grown, she offere& to be
sent wherever she was needed.
After pioneering for some years keep it afire for so many years?
i n various places in the United
States she was invited to attend
Gilead School, and later was as-
sigfied to Puerto Rico. At the
time there were but thirty-five
Kingdom publishers and two
congregations on the whole is-
land.
"We often wondered," she ob-
served recently, "how long i t
1 would take to get the first 1,000
publishers. Well, it took ten
years. Then six years more for
the second thousand, and four
years for the third. But in the tend the Atlanta assembly is
past four years we have grown Doris Thompson. Her nearly
to a peak of 5,247 publishers twenty years in t h a t missionary
and eighty-eight congregations !" assignment have been happy and
What a marvelous increase!
G. Steele, serving in
Puerto Rico since 1948
Sister Steele notes: "With so
much interest in God's Word we
a r e not worrying about what
1975 will bring. Rather, we a r e
concerned with how to help all
these 5,000 see the urgency of
helping yet additional thousands
come over to Jehovah's side."
Such fervent missionary zeal,
and her example i n implanting
this same zeal in her children
(one of her sons has spent many
years in the missionary field and
i s now branch servant in Korea),
a r e certainly marvelous to be-
hold. J u s t what is i t that assists
one to develop this zeal and
Sister Steele made this re-
vealing comment : "One thing
t h a t has done this has been the
habit during all these forty-seven
years of making a quick reading
of The Watchtower a s soon a s
it arrives. There is nothing like
it to keep one qualified to preach
and teach and build up apprecia-
tion."
Making a Wise Choice
Returning from Brazil to at-
richly rewarding. However,
making a wise choice was neces-
sary in order to realize these
blessings.
At the age of seven Doris
began working by herself in the
ministry. She continued to pro-
gress, and a few years later was
conducting Bible studies. But, a t
the same time, she was excelling
in her schoolwork. Thus, she was
faced with a choice on finishihg
high school--either of accepting
a college scholarship or of pur-
suing a s a career the full-time %
preaching work.
"The choice I made," she ex-
plains, "was a disappointment
for my teachers (worldly ad-
visers), but has been a happy
one for me and my parents. I
received my regular pioneer ap-
pointment in September 1944,
almost a quarter of a century
ago, and started out worlring in
Chattanooga, my hometown,
Later I went to Louisville, Ken-
tucky, from where I was called
to Gilead."
16 '[PEACE O N E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L A S S E M B L Y O F J E H O V A H ' S W I T N E S S E S
Sister Thompson's first assign-
ment in Brazil in 1949 was in
Rio de Janeiro. Later, in 1958,
she was assigned to the city of
BelBm. At the time there were
only sixty Kingdom publishers in
the local congregation.
"Now we have five units,"
Sister Thompson observes, "and
in April we had a report of 357
publishers ! Also, congregations
have been formed in areas out-"
side the city a s a result of the
work by pioneers and publishers.
One of these special pioneers is
a young sister r h o was one of
my first Bible students ill BelBm."
The J o y of Seeing It Grow
A speciaJ joy that missionaries
have is in seeing persons with
whom .they have studied become
publishers and, some, full-time
pioneer ministers.
Consider the preaching work
in Japan. When twenty-six Gilead
graduates arrived in Japan in
1949 and 1950 there were less
than 100 Kiigdom publishers in
the entire country. But now there
is a peak of 7,284 publishers,
with 1,632 of these sharing in the
pioneer work this April! Many
of the first missionaries to ar-
rive a r e still busy, experiencing
joy day by day a s they see the
number of Jehovah's praisers
rapidly grow.
One of these missionaries,
Gladys Gregory, related recently
the type of experience that brings
so much joy: "I started a Bible
study with a young housewife
whose husband, while doing part-
time work, was continuing col-
lege postgraduate study in prep-
aration for teaching. One day he
was home and I happened to
meet him. He said that one rea-
son for his desire to continue
his education was that there
must be some Or politica1
which be the
answer to mankind's problems.
Now, however, - h e was not so
sure.
asked him if he had thought
about a theocratic government,
and then poillted out why only
such a governme,nt with the
needed power, yet incorruptible,
could .bring about a peaceful
world. H e was amazed and
agreed that such a government
would fill the bill: but, sf course,
he had never even considered
such.a thing. How about investi-
gating the Bible to see whether
serving in India
- One of our most enthusiastic
erelritness to this increase. TVhile
in New Pork city to attend the
international assembly he ob-
served:
"In September a f 1947 the
Society invited me to take up
the Servant to the Brethren
work (now called circuit work).
1 felt unqualified a s did young
Jeremiah, and so prayed to Je-
hovah for strength and direction.
H e has not failed me, for Je-
hovah has blessed the preaching
work.
"I have had the pleasure of
seeing the circuit g r o r from ten
congregations to ten circuits.
Eack in 1947 a t Calabar, t h e r e .
were 400 that turned up for the
first assembly in my assignment.
Early this year there was a dis-
trict assembly a t the same city
and 10,709 listened to the public
address. My heart was filled with
joy and satisfaction to see Je-
hovah's blessing so manifest on
the work done in this territory."
Overcoming Difficulties
There are frequently difficult
problems and tests connected
with missionary work. There is
generally a new language to
learn, a different climate, health
problems, and so forth. What
would be your reaction if you
received a missionary assign-
ment to India?
T. H. Sanderson, who has spent
many years in that country, rem-
inisces about his first thoughts.
"I wondered if I could even sur-
vive three years in the assign-
ment," he observed. "I thought
what a blessing it would be to
get a serious illness and thereby
have a legitimate reason to leave
the country. But time has
changed my views.
"Not that I can say I have
grown to like the continuous tor-
rid heat, the hunger of the people,
the depressing poverty that can
be seen everywhere . day after
day. But what joy there is in
seeing the spreading of God's
Word in this land! It is like a
bright light shining in a very,
very dark place, releasing lovely
people from the grasp of this
stronghold of Babylon the Great !
"While it is true that most
of our increase has come from
nominal Christians, niany sincere
Hindus a r e acceptfng the tr'uth.
ntiiue to stand .up?'
y we missionaries exer-
er care with our health,
d that we are not con-
not happen a s regards sickn-ess.
Now my health is good in I g i a ,
but could I say that if I had re-
mained in Australia? On a recent
visit there I saw many sick
people, so maybe I am better o f
where I am."
 P e r h a p s you have had guests over f o r a n afternoon and eve- I i45,000 square feet of area, which
ning. There was quite a h i t involved in preparing f o r them, wasn't amounts to 3$ acres. Here the
t h e r e ? J u s t imagine, then, w h a t is involved in p r e p a r i n g f o r
t h e a r r i v a l of a s many as
100,000 o r m o r e g u e s t s ! And hley Stadium and get them op-
w h a t if y o u had only one night
t o move into the facilities
where You were g o i n g t o enter-
tain them ?
This gives you some idea of
the situation frequently faced b y
Jehovah's witnesses in setting up
their large assemblies. The mag-
nitude of the operation is diffi-
cult to conceive.
The Short Time Available
Consider, for example, the as-
sembly in New Pork city, where
a s many a s 100,000 persons may
attend.
A New York Yankee baseball
game was scheduled for the
afternoon of Sunday, July 6. Not
until this was over, and the fans,
ball players and park personnel
left, could Jehovah's witnesses
move into Yankee Stadium to
set up their convention depart-
ments. This would allow only
twelve to fourteen hours before
assembly delegates were to begin
arriving for their breakfast and
the sessions that begin early in
the morning.
I n Chicago there will be even
less time to move in, for Chicago
and Kansas City a r e playing a
doubleheader ball game on Sun-
day, July 20. And the first session
of the assembly begins earlg the
following morning.
Of course, if the ball games
were rained out, this would allow
more time to move in. When this
possibility mas mentioned to the
General Manager of the Chicago
- White Sox, E d Short, he un-
hesitatingly replied: "If anyone
can arrange that, i t would be
you people, because you have the
proper connections."
I n London, too, only a short
time will be available to move
assembly departments into Wem-
, Bible dramas enacted. Tents pro-
A Busy Night
I t is planned t h a t s o m e thirty-
five trucks will be poised for de-
livery of equipment as soon a s
the baseball crowd clears out on
Sunday night.
First, huge tents must be
brought in and set up on the
parking lots. This involves un-
loading 65,000 pounds of tenting,
sinking holes through the asphalt,
driving by hand some 950 large
stakes two feet into the hard
earth, a n d finally raising these
huge tents. No easy task indeed !
The erected tents a r e to cover
17
Spanish and French delegates a r e
to meet to listen to the program
in their own languages and see
vide covering, too, for the cafe-
teria, dishwashing equipment and
several refreshment stands.
During the night some 17,000
chairs must be trucked in and
set up for use by the Spanish and
French delegates. Also, trucks
carrying some 1,200 plywood
tabletops need to be unloaded.
Most of these tops a r e eight feet
by two feet in size and, all to-
gether, weigh some 34,000 pounds !
Legs must then be attached to
these tabletops, and about 700
tables a r e to be set up in the
cafeteria. The rest go to refresh-
ment stands and other assembly
departments.
Perhaps one of the most difi-
cult jobs is equipping a n d stock-
ing the refreshment stands. There
eventually a r e to be about sev-
enty-nine of these serving food
to delegates. What a rush against
time to have most of them
equipped and operating by morn-
ing! Wholesalers a r e to s t a r t
bringing in foodstuffs around
midnight. Included among items
to be served a t the various stands
a r e hamburgers, hot dogs, hot
pastrami sandwiches, soda, coffee,
ice cream, fruit, fruit juices, a n d
so forth.
Another crew will be busy
setting up the loudspeakers-
some 255 in all! Not only will
there be English, French and
Spanish programs, but individual
sound systems must be hooked
up for the fourteen other lan-
guage programs a s well. These
a r e to be held i n the stadium
when the English program is not
in session. All together, 48 loud-
speakers will be used for those
programs held i n languages
other than English.
Inside the stadium 70 Ioud-
speakers a r e to carry the English
program. But scores of others
18 "PEACE O N E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
are to be set up in the corridors,
kitchen, cafeteria and in the
various departments so all will
be able to hear.
I n addition, there are to be
some forty closed-circuit tele-
vision sets scattered among the
different departments so that
workers can both hear and see
the program. Also, an intercom
system is to be installed to pro-
vide communications between
various departments. This means
that, in all, more than three miles
of wire is to be strung through-
out the stadium to facilitate
communications of one kind or
another.
Still another big job that night
is moving in and setting up the
huge sixty-by-thirty-foot stage.
I t has been prefabricated, so that
it can be loaded on trucks in
sections, carried into the park,
and assembled on the playing
field around second base. The
platform features a watchtower,
some 30,000 artificial flowers-
carnations, lilies, peonies, roses,
magnolias, asters, and so forth-
and a kidney-shaped pool about
ten by fifteen feet in size.
There is to be much other con-
struction going on throughout
the night a s well. A large canopy
to cover the orchestra must be
installed. I n addition, many par-
titions need to be set up in
various departments, extra toilet
facilities installed, and even
dressing areas constructed for
use by actors in the Bible dra-
mas. Also, a huge one-hnndred-
J. Groh at Yankee Stadium to arrange for assembly operations
by-eleven-foot banner must be
put up on the stadium's facing
, header ball game and before the
to advertise the public talk, "The
Approaching Peace of a Thou-
sand Years." Two other banners
four feet by sixty feet will be
located for observation by city
bus riders and elevated train
crowds.
Since Jehovah's witnesses last
used the stadium it has received
a new paint job inside and out.
So it has a fine, clean appearance.
Nevertheless, after the ball game
it will no doubt be covered with
litter left by the ball crowds.
Therefore, a large crew of volun-
teer n-orkers will be needed to
clean the stadium to have it pre-
sentable for the assembly's open-
ing.
Another busy place this night
will be the Watchtower building
a t 77 Sands Street, the conven-
tion headquarters in New York.
Equipment from forty-two cir-
cuits of Jehovah's witnesses is
being brought here. I t is checked
in, labeled and inventoried. From
here the trucks pick up the equip-
ment for delivery to YanBee
Stadium. All night long before
the assembly they will shuttle
back and forth to the stadium
carrying supplies.
In the Chicago area, too, the
convention trucking department
has been busy collecting equip-
ment from the various circuits
of Jehovah's witnesses. But how
can they possibly, on that final
night, get everything moved into
White Sox Park after the double-
sessions begin just a few hours
later?
True, the task normally would
be impossible. Yet, i t will be
done ! A warehouse containing
7,000 square feet of space has
been rented a t a location only
two blocks away from White
Sox Park. The kitchen equipment
and the platform will be set up
in sections a t this warehouse the
way i t will be a t White Sox Ball
Park. Then, when the double-
header ends on Sunday night, the
areas a t the ball park will be
marked and the kitchen equip-
ment and the platform will be
transported there in sections and
merely set in their places. I t
will be much like moving pre-
fabricated homes, which are made
in one location, then transported
to another and set in place.
Other problems are connected
with moving into the Canadian
assembly in Vancouver. How-
ever, customs officials a t the
border have shown cooperation
about the transporting of equip-
ment from the United States into
Canada. I n fact, one official even
provided the convention manager
with his private telephone number
in the event that any trouble
arises when the tractor trailers
loaded with equipment arrive a t
the border. H e said that he will
be glad to come down, no matter
what time of the day or night
i t is, to assist in making sure
that the equipment arrives a t
the Stadium with the least
amount of difficultv.
More than 250 volunteers with
fifty trucks, besides tractors and
foi-lrlifts, are readying them-
selves to receive and distribute
the tons of equipment arriving
a t Vancouver from a s f a r away
a s Winnipeg, Manitoba.
There can be no question about
it! Setting up an assembly in-
volves much planning, organiza-
tion and effort. Yes, and it re-
quires Jehovah's spirit and help
to accomplish so much in such
a short period of time. This spirit
of God is what motivates the
many, many thousands of volun-
teer workers who labor so zeal-
ously to prepare for the arrival
of the convention delegates, their
guests. Many of them will keep
right on the job all night long
to see that all the details in con-
nection with setting up the as-
semblies a r e cared for.
 H a v e you ever asked yourself, 'What am I living for?"
On i n t r o d u c i n g a symposium of discourses o n this thought-
provoking theme, t h e c h a i r m a n observed: "It is an especially
timely question in this, day
and age w h e n m e n a r e 'lovers become involved with worldly as-
of themselves, lovers of money,
... lovers of pleasures r a t h e r
than lovers of God.' "-2 Tim.
3 :2-4.
"The world of mankind of
today in general," h e said,
seeks "self-gratification and
self-satisfaction. It has as its
theme, 'Be good t o yourself.' "
T h i s prevailing a t t i t u d e re-
quires that a C h r i s t i a n p u t u p
a hard fight f o r t h e faith. H e
needs continually t o watch
himself and examine his mo-
tives. This part of t h e program
was designed t o help persons
m a k e this self-appraisal.
Worldly Associations
I n the first talk, "What Are
You Living For?-Worldly As-
sociations?' the speaker observed
that there a r e godly associates
and worldly ones. So he asked:
"Which association will benefit
you most a s a Christian? Which
one can be encouraging, upbuild-
ing and faith-strengthening?"
It is true that worldly asso-
ciations cannot be entirely avoid-
ed, since we a r e generally sur-
rounded by workmates, business
associates and classmates who
a r e not Christians. The trouble
is, however, situations arise
where brothers feel t h a t worldly
associations a r e desirable.
F o r example, the speaker not-
ed, a brother may have a secu-
l a r business, and he may feel
that i t is necessary to entertain
worldly persons a n d attend so-
cial functions with them. Or,
dedicated Christians a t times seek
marriage mates in the world.
Also, Christian youths sometimes
share in sports a t school and
sociates. I n addition, reading im-
moral literature, matching TV
programs that feature violence
and attending sexy movies can
involve one in worldlv associa-
tions.
What about all these worldly
associations? They are danger-
ous, the speaker emphasized. I n
time they can cause spiritual
values to be replaced by mate-
rial ones.
The examples were cited of
a person who sought to climb
the ladder of material success,
of a Christian youth who be-
came involved in sports and of
a sister who married a non-
believer. No longer a r e these per-
sons Christians, the speaker
said. Their good habits were
spoiled by worldly associations.
-1 COY. 15 ~ 3 3 .
So be on guard, he urged. Rec-
ognize such association for what
i t is+orldZg. And remember,
'Whoever wants to be a friend
of the world is making himself
a n enemy of God.'((Jas. 4:4)
Therefore, fellowship with mem-
bers of the Christian ,congrega-
tion. Counteract loneliness by
getting absorbed in spiritual ac-
tivities. "Why live for worldly
association that could alienate
you from friendship with God?"
the speaker asked. "Keep com-
pany with Jehovah God and be
his companion for eternity."
Pleasures of Drink
The second speaker, handling
the subject, "What Are You Liv-
ing( For?_The Pleasures of
Drink?" acknowledged that the
matter of drinking intoxicating
beverages is a personal one. I t
is not condemned in the Bible,
though overindulgence is, So the
question is: "Are we living for
this pleasure and longing day
by day for the pleasure we get
a s a result of drinking alcoholic
beverages ?"
Alcoholic beverages can be very
dangerous, the speaker stressed.
Therefore, caution should be ex-
ercised in using theq. The prob-
lem can arise, he said, t h a t
drinking becomes a crutch upon
which a person leans, some-
thing t h a t he cannot do without.
The speaker went on to re-
late truly shocking statistics
that drove home to the audience
the dangers of alcoholic bever-
ages. I n Sweden 5,000 persons
die yearly of illnesses caused by
alcohol. Also, 24 of 25 prostitlltes
in that land interviewed by a
researcher admitted that they
were under the influence of al-
cohol when they started a s pros-
titutes.
I n France some 22,500 persons
die each year from cirrhosis of
the liver and delirium tremens.
Alcoholism in France ranks a s
the number three killer, after
heart disease and cancer.
I n the United States there a r e
approsimately three million al-
coholics who spend some $7,500,-
900,000 annually on alcohol ! Aud
in Chile, 70 percent of all traffic
accidents occur a s a result of
alcoholic intoxication.
ATo wonder, the speaker con-
tinued, t h a t the Bible condemns
drunkenness. ( 1 Cor. 5 :11; 6:9,
10) I t shows the stupidity of
one who overindulges in alco-
holic drink.-Prov. 23 :29-35.
So we should examine our-
selves. "Do you find that you
desire a drink the first thing in
the morning?" the speaker asked.
"Do you fiud your pleasure in
living is always to have intoxi-
cating liquor available, whether
alone or with others? ... Do
you find that your only friends
a r e those who share your at-
titude about drinking and that
your social gatherings include
only those who will drink with
you? ... Do you view your
Christian brothers who abstain
a s somewhat stuffy, or overly
righteous ?"
20 "PEACE O N E A R T H s ' I N T E R N A T I O N A L A S S E M B L Y O F JEHOVAH'S W I T N E S S E S

I f this is the case, the speaker /

I n time they began petting, and
said, you a r e either getting into eventually they started toying
difficulty or you are already in with each other naked. They re-
difficulty. You a r e finding that frained froin fornication, hut she
your pleasure in life i s in drink- became distressed, nervous and
ing intoxicating beverages. "It is irritable. She confessed their
time for a change in your think- wrongdoing, and both of them
ing and in your habits," he said. were put 011 probation.
I n conclusion, he pointed hie
audience to the Bible's directive,
EIe cited another example of
a dedicated youth who slept in
urging then1 to follow the in- a bed with a worldly boy, a rel-
spired advice : "Therefore, wheth- ative. They began toying with !
e r you a r e eating or drinking each other, and this led to
or doing anything else, do 211 sodomy. H e became a habitual
things for God's glory."-1 Cor. sodomite and had to be disfel-
10 :31. lowshiped from the Ghristian
congregation,
I
Toying with SexIlaP ~ ~ ~ 0 r a ~ i How t y vital i t is therefore, the
The third part of the sympo- i speaker stressed, t h a t circum-
fact that in the United States
alone 16,199persons had been dis-
fellowshiped for fornication and
adultery between 1952 and 1968.
This does not mean that the
organization is immoral. Kot a t
all. Hather, the organization ad-
vocates morality and expels the
I comparatively few llnrepentant
~rongdoers.
/ Row does immorality occur?
Frequentljr, the speaker observed,
3. coliple meet alone to watch
a suggestive T V show, or sit i n
a parked car. They hold hands,
one thing leads to another, and
soon they a r e engaged in heavy
petting. Passions a r e aroused,
control is lost, and. fornication
results. (Pror. 7:6-27) What

I
sium was entitled: "'What Are stances be avoided that might
You Living For?--0pportunitics lead one into loose condi~ct!
to Toy with ~ e x u a In~morality?"
l From offstage the voice of a
What i s toying with sexual in]- 1 youth was heard: "But Dad, I'm
morality? ! 16, and she i s in the truth. w h y
1
'To toy,' the speaker explained, can't I borrow the car and take
'means to amuse oneself, a s with her to the drive-in theater Sat-
a plaything. So toying with sex- urday night? I'm not getting se-
ual immorality is playing with rious about her. And besides, all
i t without actually committing the other kids in school have
fornication or adultery. It is been datiiig for a couple of years
loose conduct.' /
already. m7hat's wrong with one
I n the Bible loose conduct is . dste?"
condemned, the speaker st:ressed. "What about this teen-ager's
It is wicked. H e read the scrip- question?" the spealcer asked.
ture a t Galatians 531). Here, H e went or1 to show that dating
he noted, a distinction is rrlade I is not recreation, like playing
betveen loose conduct and for- ball. I t properlp s h o ~ l dbe done
nication. But both a r e shown to with marriage in view. There-
be activities that bar one from fore, if one is too young to mar-
everlasting life. Therefore, if
,I
ry, or is not planning to marry,
habitually pra,cticed, loose con- why date?
duct is a ground for disfellom- The speaBel. concl~ldedb~ es-
shiping from the Christian con- I horf:inp the audience to avoid
gregation. 1 liring for opportunities to toy
How does toping with sexual wirh, sexual immorality. Rather,
I
immoralib- s t a r t ? The speaker keep bury in Jebornhs service.
observed that there a r e mans he said, and receive his reward.
factors that can lead to it. For
example, he explained, watching
immoral movies, reading sexy
1 F~snicationand Adultery
The nest part of the sympo-
illg for God's New Order

books, looking at pornographic sium, "What Are You Living

1-iterature or listening to obscene For?-Illicit Satisfaction of For-
jokes. nication and Adultery ?" drove
A~SO, I
he said, dating or "going home to the audience the dan-
steady" lvhen too to nlarry gers in the,se "last dags" of fall-
can lead to loose conduct. SO ing into i m ~ ~ l o r a l i t ~ .
can certain types o f dancing, es- 'The present system i~mores
pecially when there is close hcdy Jehovah?~ standards and does
contact. Another thing that can not view fornication or adultery
lead to loose condi~cti s flirting a s illicit, or unlawful,' the speak-
or putting one's arms around a ilce true joy and happiness in living.'
person of the opposite sex other ian he said. What is more, one is
than one's marriage mate. flood.' (Gen. 65-5, 11, 1 2 ) And, s ~ a r e dthe awful pain and sor-
Toying e t h sexual immoral- he added, they will continue to row that come to those who
ity, the speaker emphasized, can SCr , disregard God's Word and re-
bring upon oue tremendous trou- / quirenrents f o r life.
ble and grief. H e cited the eu- So there is a vital need for
ample of a couple. both dedicated u s all to be on guard. To em-
/ The speaker then described the
blessings t h a t God holds oiit to
Christians, who 'started dating. phasize this he pointed to the 1 those who serve him. Think of

I N ALL P A R T S O F T H E W O R L D IN 1969
it! Eternal life in perfect health
and happiness! No more sin to
war in one's body against the
mind and heart. Perfect control
of one's faculties. Yes, provisions
to satisfy every normal and
proper desire.
However, to enjoy all of this
and much more, the speaker not-
ed, we must live upright, moral
lives. We cannot be led astray.
Are not eternal life and end-
less blessings from God worth
making every effort to do His
will? Are they not worth even
cutting out of our life what may
be a s dear to us as an eye or
hand if this interferes with 0111-
obeying God's requirements? the
speaker asked. &Tost certainly!
-Matt. 5 29, 30 ; 1 Cor. 9 24-27'.
To obtain the prize of life
Unity was restored to congregation in Corinth when
needed counsel was given by the apostle Paul
in God's new order, the speaker
urged, prove your sincerity by
learning the divine law now and
living by it. Choose upright,
moral associates. those who will
be in the New Order. Whole-
heartedly share in the ministry,
really making God's service fill
your life.
Remember, he concluded. each
one will reap as he has sown. If
you sow to the flesh, you will
reap death. If you sow to the
spirit, eternal life in God's new
order mill be your reward!
Overseers, Carry On as Men
T h e hour-and-three-quarters,
tivc-part symposjum was followed
I
by a forty-minute program that
was designed to encourage and
strengthen overseers to care for
problems that a t times may arise.
1, a brief opening talk the
chairman noted the organiza-
tion's progl-ess in purity of doc-
trine and practice. I n 1938, he
said, theocratic procedure was
fully established. Then, in the
early 19508s, The Watchtower
for the first time dealt exten-
sively with the rnatter of a clean
organization. I t set forth the
principles and the methods by
1 which to keep the organization
clean.
Sillce that tirne, the chairmail
observed, the increase has been
phenomenal. And many, many
more thousands are leaving false
religion and flocking into Jeho-
vah's organization. This places
a heavy responsibility upon ap-
pointed overseers and their as-
sistants to lreep the congrega-
tions morally and spiritually
clean and in God's favor.
As a result, it mas noted, an
overseer sometimes becomes dis-
couraged and downhearted when
confronted by a number of prob-
lems. "But, brothers, this should
not be our attitude,'' the chair-
man said. To illustrate the mat-
ter, he invited the audience to
loolr in on a meeting of the
congregation servants with the
circuit servant and district ser-
vant a t a circuit assembly.
During this meeting, portrayed
21
on stage, the attention of the
congregation overseer, Brother
Downhearted, was directed by
the district servant to the Chris-
tian congregation a t Corinth. I t
was shown that the apostle Paul
had many problems to deal with
in that congregation, including
dissensionst S2xual immorality,
brothers haying la!vsuits against
One another, failure to ~ecognize
christiarl headship, eating meats
sacrificed to idolS, impl*o~erpar-
taking Of &! Lord's evening
meal, disputes about the resur-
rection, and so forth.
The district servant then sug-
gested looking in on a first-cen-
t l l r ~setting. SO, as the modern-
day overseers watched, persons
portraying mernbers of the early
Corinthian congregation were ob-
served discussing some of these
matters causing trouble in the
congregation.
For example, one Corinthian
brother was heard to say: "Well,
this case of Clopas here in our
congregation. It's disgusting! To
think, he's taken his own father's
wife and he's living with her."
EIowever, another brother in
the congregation, reasoning im-
properiy, responded : "It just
shows how great our Christian
freedom is."
Sharply differing opinions al-
so were expressed over other
matters, such as the propriety
of buying meat from a market
that obtained its meat from a
pagan temple.
The apostle Paul many miles
away heard about these prob-
lems, and he wrote the congre-
gation the letter of First Co-
rinthians. The next scene showed
the fine response among these
Corinthian brothers to this let-
ter. They accepted the divine
counsel and responded to it.
After seeing this portrayal of
the problems existing in the
first-century Corinthian congre-
gation and how they were han-
dled, Brother Downhearted was
strengthened. FIe could see that
they had many more problems
than he did in his own congre-
gation. Yet Paul did not berome
discouraged by them. He handled
them with trust in Jehovah God.
Really, what practical. up-
building information this was for
the benefit of modern-day over-
seers! I t truly mas encourage-
ment for them to carry on a@
men.

Branch Serrants Assemble
During the first week in June
branch servants and their assis-
tants began arriving a.t BrooBlyn
Bethel from the far-flung parts
of the earth. On June 6 alone
over fifty of them landed at
Kennedy International Airport.
I n time, 133 representatives --ere
on hand from over 90 branches
for the beginning of a special
four-week course of instruction
on June 9.
They had come from all con-
tinents and many islands of the
seas. Those from such places
a s India, Thailand, Palcistan,
Ceylont Indonesia and Singapore
traveled halfway around the
globe to be present. Others had
come from the distant reaches
of the Southern Bemisphere--
Australia, New Zealand, Argen-
tina, Chile and South Africa.
In all, they had traveled a com-
bined total of nearly three-
quarters of a million niiles l
What a happy reunion it was
for these brothers to assemble
again a t headquarters! Many of
them had been present for a
similar instruction program prior
to .the 1958 Divine Will Inter-
national lssernbiy. Also, the
majority had attended one of
the ten-month Gilead courses at
headquarters in the early 1960's.
So there Tere many acquaint-
ances to renew, a s well a s ex-
~ a n d e dfacilities of the factory
a.nd home to examine.
The school opened on Mon-
day morning, June 9, with Broth-
e r Knorr's talk on the snbject
"Qualifications and Responsibil-
ities of Branch Servants." In
i t he explained that the purpose
Branch servants and missionaries leaving Belgium on chartered flight t o New York
lire d a s was devoted to con-
j1
sidering zone servantsVlisits.
Another day was spent discuss-
ing lr~tssionary service and spe-
of the course was to equip those cia1 pioneer work. And on still
present to care for the spiritual allother day suggestions were
needs of the "sheep" i n their considered on developing good
countries. This was followed by programs for congregation meet-
the discussion "'Older Me11 Who i ~ l g sand for circuit and district
Preside in a Right Way." assemblies.
I n the course of thc four weeks Early in the final meek eon-
practically every aspect of work centration was placed on cov-
in connection with operating a erage of territory, and especially
branch and facilitating the preaching the good news under
preaching work was considered. difficl~ltconditions. fin all^^ on
For example, on the first day July 4, Brother Knorr spoke on
G e ~ r g e Couch, the Brooklyn the subject "What: Lies Ahead"
Bethel Home Servant, discussed and offered concluding com-
housekeeping, laundry, purchas- ments. E e urged the servants
ing, maintenance, cost of meals, to gut into operation the sug-
and so forth. This mas followed gestions given a t these meetings.
by a tour of the Bethel homes. and enconraged all to build up
During the remainder of the the brothers spiritually to ac-
first ~r-eek,headquarters person- cornplish the work yet to be done.
nel gave helpfnl suggestions on The program was greatly np-
handling mail, checking sub- preciated by the branch servants
scriptions, corresponding with and their assistants. "What I
circuit and district serra.nts, lilced abollt the course," observed
keeping magazine accounts! car- Charles Eisenhower, branch ser-
ing for regular and vacation pio- vant of Argentina, "was the em-
neer applications, and so forth. phasis placed upon getting the
Members of the writing depart- ICingdom message preached. I t
rnent gave suggestions on an- was repeatedly stressed that the
sweriug branch correspondence. work in the branch offices simply
1
And Brother Knorr talked on contributes to this objective."
where to print magazirles, mail- / yarious ones also ,:orsllnented
ing . cnsts
. and the of sub- 1 on the note of urgency sounded.
scriptlons.
/ The branch servant o? C ~ ~ r a c a o ,
The second rreelr was a dopli- Rlissell Yeatts. ~ o i n t e dto Wroth-
cation of the weelc-long course I er KhorY1s conuneut that 1975
provided in May for all Circuit , simply markq what rrlag be 6.000
and district servants in the years since Adam's creation. But
United States. The branch ser- 1 it does not necessarily mean the
vants were askea to take careful I end of this system will come
notes on this instruchve pro- by then. be said, Therefore, we
gram, especially if they wished should not and will 11ot dom
to institute this program in their do,, 01% ,tog planning for fur-
Own c o u n t r ~when the^ rcturn. ther expansion of the preaching
During the third week an en- work.
 Ptlrsiziiiy Peace
Early on1 the first day of the
assembly it was a pleasure to
hear about the faithfulness of
our brothers in Malawi and
Zambia.
I n Malawi the government
banned the work of Jehovah's
I witnesses in October 1967. A
wave of terrorism followed.
It was claimed by the Minister
of Transport that Jehovah's wit-
nesses would not pay taxes. And
the Attorney General and Sec-
retary to t h e President said
t h a t Jehovah's witnesses showed
antipathy toward self-help proj-
ects in the country. But what
a r e the facts?
The speaker explained: "Je-
hovah's witnesses hape always
paid their taxes i n Malawi.
When t h e government was asked
to give instances of those who
had not paid their taxes they
were unable to do so. Also, a
report received from the brothers
in Malawi listed over 500 exam-
ples of various self-help schemes
t h a t Jehovah's witnesses have
assisted on over the past Eve or
six years, building schools, post
offices, roads, helping on new dis-
pensaries, and even building
bridges. So none of these accu-
sations were true."
"The real truth of t h e matter,"
the speaker continued, "was t h a t
Jehovah's witnesses were being
persecuted for refusing to buy
political party cards." I n one
instance when two brothers re-
fused to buy these cards, he
said, ''they were both literall;
chopped to death with a n ax.
Describing recent opposition,
the speaker said : "In November
1968, a t t h e villages of Garnett
a n d Mambala, some sisters were
tied, stripped and raped because
they had no party cards."
Political elements in Malawi
certainly a r e not pursuing peace
toward Jehovah's witnesses. But
what about t h e response of Je-
hovah's witnesses? The assembly
delegate reported :
"Despite all this maltreatment
Jehovah's witnesses i n Malawi
a r e pursuing peace with their
brothers and with their neigh-
bors in Malawi. Not one has
been arrested for retaliating or
taking the law into his own
hands. The brothers in Malawi
a r e standing Erm for the good
news."
I t was explained that the
Society has kept the congrega-
tions, supplied with copies of
The Watchtotoer, and visits by
the circuit servants a r e continu-
ing. Also, material provisions
were contributed by brothers
around the world to the amount
of $98,400, and this was used
to purchase hundreds of thou-
sands of pounds of foodstuffs
and clothing f o r the Malawian
brothers.
What about conditions in Zam-
bia? "Opposition began to build,"
the speaker explained, "due to
the firm stand by young Chris-
tian6 in school who refused to
Growth in Face of Obstacles
I n a number of countries there
a r e obstacles of one kind or
another to carrying on the
preaching work. Yet i t is mar-
velous how, with the help of
Jehovah's spirit, these a r e over-
come, and the growth in King-
dom publishers moves ahead
unchecked.
"What would your personal
reaction be if the Christian
society of Jehovah's witnesses
were denied legal recognition by
your government, and if King-
dom Halls-for publicly praising
God by word and song-were not
permitted?" This is the situation
in Spain, noted a n assembly
delegate. Nevertheless, the num-
ber of Kingdom publishers has
grown from less t h a n a dozen
following the second world war
to 8,255 fearless Kingdom preach-
ers now praising Jehovah in
Spain !
What a close parallel to the
rapid growth of the early Chris-
23
sing the national anthem and
salute the national flag. As many
a s 5,700 were expelled from
school for this reason." Further
persecution was sparked by t h e
refusal of Jehovah's witnesses
t o take part in political elections
or buy political party cards. Re-
cent repdrts indicate t h a t as
many as 100 Kingdom Halls have
been burned and close t o 1,000
houses of the brothers destroyed.
Have the brothers in Zambia
pursued peace under these cir-
cumstances? The speaker report-
ed : "Jehovah's witnesses have
not retaliated under these at-
tacks nor have any of them been
arrested for taking the law into
their own hands. This h a s been
so outstanding t h a t the com-
manding officer in one of the
trouble! areas made the state-
ment: As f a r a s peacefulness
is concerned, Jehovah's witnesses
a r e outstanding.' ''
What a fine example our
brothers in Zambia a r e setting!
And how Jehovah's blessing has
been upon them! "In spite of
the opposition and pressures,"
observed t h e speaker, "a new
peak of 44,655 publishers was
reached in April, a 20-percent
increase over last year's average.
This means there i s now one
witness to every 92 of the popu-
lation of Zambia."
tian congregation in the face of
obstacles ! The assembly delegate
drew attention to this, saying:
"Just like Jesus' apostles when
the authorities tried to impede
their ministry, Syain's publish-
ers have replied: As for us, we
cannot stop speaking about the
things we have seen and heard.'
"For this reason, 13,620 studies
a r e presently being conducted
with persons interested in the
Bible's message. Packed meetings
held on a small scale in private
homes average an attendance of
140 percent in relation to the
number of publishers. And at-
tendance a t the Memorial of the
Lord's death reached 21,249."
The obstacles faced in Portugal
a r e similar, yet the growth en-
joyed has been a s marvelous a s
in neighboring Spain. "In Por-
tugal there are no Kingdom
Halls," the delegate representing
t h a t country explained. "There
a r e no large gatherings for cir-
24 "PEACE O N E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S W I T N E S S E S

cuit assemblies and association. the Society in dozens of places small groups and in limited
But the work goes on unhindered. throughout Yugoslavia.' numbers !"
Jehovah's spirit is'equal to ally A high point of the past ser- Yet, despite the obstacles faced
situation." vice year was when 1,800 broth. in doing the preaching work in
Giving a n idea of the mar- ers from Yugoslavia attended a Greece, the "sheep" are being
velous growth in Kingdom pub- district assembly in Austrla. gathered. "Here is what the
lishers, the delegate said: "Por- However, even more of them will figures show," the delegate es-
tugal has been thrilled to report attend the assembly in Nurem- plained, "1950, total publishers
a new publisher peak every berg in August 19G9. There 2,676 ; 1960, total publishers
month of this service year. I n sessions will be held in both 7,337; 1969, April peak of pub-
April we had an extraordinary Croatian and Slovenian for their lishers 13,194 !"
report of 40-percent increase over benefit. I n Turkey, too, there are ob-
last year. Now there a r e 6,037 What about the preaching of stacles. Perhaps the greatest one
Kingdom publishers in Portugal. the good news in Greece? 'It is the fact that 99 percent of the
But that's not all. There was is carried out with great zeal population is Moslem. "Preach-
a new peak of 8,369 Bible studies and with endurance,' the as- ing to a Moslem is not easy," it
this year. What a wonderful har- sembly delegate reported. Is it was explained, "becanse he con-
vest lies before us!" a n easy task? "Hardly !" was the siders the Koran a s the last
To illustrate the changing atti- response. Are there obstacles? revelation of God, and therefore
tudes of persons in Portugal, "Many !" was the answer. Espe- superior to the Bible. So the big
the experience was 'elated of a q u ~ s t i o nhas always been : Would
cially is there opposition by the a Moslem ever accept the truth?"
very opposed lady who told two clergy. Can assemblies be held?
of our sisters : "I'm a Roman Happily, the answer is, Yes!
"No l" What about congregation For today in Turkey there a r e
Catholic and your visit is an meetings7 "Oh, yes," the dele-
insult. I'm telling you right now more than 100 publishers who
t h a t I'm going to phone the police gate answered again, "but in were formerly Moslems.
station across the road and ask
them to come and pick you UD."
The door was slammed,-and be-
fore the sisters could leave the
apartment, the police were there
to arrest them.
Later, however, this Catholic
lady was deeply shaken by things
occurring within the church.
Finally, she decided to invite into
the home the next Witness that
called. Shortly after, two dif- There a r e now 87,9l9 of Je-
ferent sisters called on her. A hovah's witnesses in just ten
home Bible study was started. I n countries of West Africa. An in-
a matter of several months, the dication of the impact of the
lady symbolized her dedication
to Jehovah by water baptism. is seen in this year's Memorial
How thrilled she was to have
present on this occasion the two
sisters whom she previously had
caused to be arrested! .
When we hear of Yugoslavia
we perhaps think of Commnnist
control and the Iron Curtain.
However, explained a n assembly
delegate, "Yugoslavia does in-
deed make an exception in the
Communist world. Our brothers
thew, enjoy a considerable Pree-
dom.
"It is true," the speaker con-
tinued, 'we cannot work from
house to house, but nonetheless
the brothers a r e very active.
They put in just a s many hours the Yea,~book.'
in the service a s do the brothers
in Western countries. They have
their own Kingdom Halls in
many places where they can meet
freely. They also give public lec- speaker answered : the householder did, finally find-
tures the same a s in other coun-
tries. And for some time we
have been showing two films of
 -
IN A L L PARTS O F T H E W O R L D IN 1969 25

- I n Ghana, a n assembly dele-

gate reported, a large Protestant
agency asked thousands of per-
sons throughout the country :
"What religious magazines have
you read in the last four
weeks?" I t came a s quite a
shock to them to find that more ,
people in Ghana read The
Watchtower and Awake1 than
those who read any other reli-
gions magazine. I n fact, it was
discovered that over 40 percent
of all religious magazines dis-
tributed in the country are The
Watchtower and Awake l
This moved the agency to write
in its official two-volume report :
'This represents a challenge. I t
is a pity our church members
cannot exhibit the same zeal a s
Jehovah's mitnesses in distribut-
ing religious literature.
Thus, i t was reported: "Every-
where one turns in Ghana the
impact of Jehovah's witnesses The assembly delegate reported
can be felt and thousands have
been flooding into our Kingdom
Halls. I n April we had a 22-
percent increase. We are now
12,678 strong and still moving
vigorously forward."
Near Ghana is Dahomeyi
where the number of publishers
has doubled in the past six
ye,ars. Fetish priests have op-
D O S the
~ ~ areachine: of Jehovah's
witnesses. ar hey caused m much nesses living in refugee camps "Just recently, while buying
disturbance, even threatening and hiding in the 'forests, but food a t the market from a Wit-
bloodshed, that the Government they a r e preaching. Somehow ness that sells there, a man
found i t necessary to arrange a they manage to hold the meet-
meeting a t which both fetish ings, even circuit assemblies a t next to him said to me: 'Do
priests and representatives of which they baptize many new you only buy from your brother?
Jehovah's witnesses appeared be- ones. They greatly appreciate the Couldn't, you also buy from us
fore them. The district governor food you sent to them to relieve Babylolzians sometimes?' "
asked the uriests : " ~ h f a r evou
so much against ~ e h o v a h ' swit-
nesses but you a r e not against
the other religions here?"
The priests answered : "Be-
cause when people become Jeho-
vah's witnesses they throw away
their fetish gods and refuse to
practice our religion with us.
They separate from us. None of
the other religions do this."
Later, even the governor said
to one of the representatives of
Jehovah's mitnesses : "We hope
you will convert all these people.
Then we will have peace!"
How thrilling the report was
concerning the expansion in the
next country, Nigeria! Practical-
ly everyone in the world is ac-
quainted with the civil war rag-
ing there between Nigerian and
Biafran forces. Yet, during all . ..

this trouble, the number of Branch servants discuss reports to b e given at assembly

Revelation, a p a r t of the in-
spired goocP news, was written
on a n island called Patmos. And
the early Christians preached the
good news on many islands, such
a s Cyprus, Sicily and Malta. To-
day, too, the people on ever so
many islands a r e hearing the
good news.
A speaker reDresenting Puerto
Rico told t h a t the past April saw
a 22-percent increase, with 5,247
publishers i n the 6eld. Among
those hearing the good news is
a man who came to the branch
office and said: "I have come to
a crisis in my life and can see
t h a t there is nothing in t h e
Church. I am a n Episcopalian
Priest and have already sent in
my resig~lation to the Bishop.
The only thing t h a t makes sense
to me and that gives me hope
is the Watclitower magazine."
H e subscribed for the 7Vatch-
tower and Azoulce! magazines and
obtained the Truth book. I11 a
few days h e returned and said
he had read the book and wanted
the 'Iw~possibleto Lie' and the
Life E,verlnst,i?agbooks.
A report from Guadeloupe told
of the fine impression Jehovah's
people a r e making on outsiders.
When needing some large -con-
struction equipment for building
their Kingdom Hall the brothers
went to a contractor. H e not only
loaned t h e equipment free of
charge but added: "I tell you, if
everybody i n Guadeloupe could
be one of Jehovah's witnesses,
we would not know,, all the
troubles we have now.
The brother speaking for Bar-
bados also called attention to the
good name Jehovah's witnesses
have there. When arranging a
charter aircraft to bring 108 of
the 1,200 publishers to the New
York assembly, there w a s the
problem of getting visitors' visas
ihis island is hearing the good
news can be seen from the fact
that, while in 1051 there were
but 5 publishers on the island,
this April they had a peak of
372, a 29-percent increase over
last year's average. And there
were 827 present a t the i\Iemorial,
two and a half times their
iota1 publishers.
I n spite of certain obstacles
the good news is being heard
in Cuba by ever more persons.
True, many of the Kingdom
Halls have been closed, and in
one province only ten halls a r e
open for 200 congregations. B u t
in Havana there a r e 40 Kingdom
for all the brothers. T h e s e can Halls where meetings a r e freely
be difficnlt to obtain because so held, and the branch office con-
many do not return wheu their tinues to operate there. I n one
visa e q i r e s , but illegally remain month a s many a s 2,000 shared
in the vacation pioneer work.
Obtaining literature, i t was re-
ported, i s the real problem, a s
it cannot be sent into Cuba by
mail in quantity. Some receive in-
dividual copies, which they gladly
share with others. On one oc-
casion, with the help of a friend-
ly oflicial, i t was even possible
to print chapters of the Truth
book on Communist presses. B u t
now, for the most part, brothers
have to copy the material by
hand or by typewriter.
The good news is also being
heard by increasing numbers in
the Dominican Republic, where
for so long the work was under
ban. But because of maintaining
their neutrality the brothers a r e
en.loying great freedom today and
the work i s moving ahead rapid-
ly. I n 1964 there was a peak of
1,450 pnblishers, and now, just
five years later, a peak of 3,052.
From the report given about
the preaching work in Haiti, i t
is obvious that the good news
is being heard there too. This
is especially apparent from the
meeting attendance, which is
usually Prom three to four times
the number of publishers. I n one
congregation with 10 publishers,
it was reported, the average
public meeting attendance is
more than 100, and for the cir-
cuit servant's public talk 400
were present! One Catholic
priest, from Limonade, said to
hi? flock: "Do you want to know
what genuine Christianity is? I
a m sincere enough to tell you.
Exactly a s Jehovah's witnesses
a r e doing, yes, this is really true
Christianity." H e too, had heard
the good news !
26
 Well h a s JesusJ parable of t h e prodigal son been t e r m e d t h e the Waywardsons found them-
finest s h o r t story ever told. T h i s h e a r t w a r m i n g parable came t o selves. This counsel proved to
be clear and convincing and
life in t h e d r a m a "Thorns and T r a p s A r e in t h e W a y of t h e struck a responsioe chord in the
I n d e p e n d e n t One." O n t h e one Waywardsons, who decided to
hand, t h i s drama underscored his father counseled him and return to God's organization and
t h e folly of those who pursue then granted him his request for never again "doubt Jehovah's
love and mercy," a s Mr. Way-
an independent course and, his tance.
share of the family inheri-
wardson put it.
On the other hand, it showed The fact that the father of
Scene Three forcefully yet
how mature Christiane can sympathetically presented the the prodigal went out to meet
h e l p recover those v h o t a k e miserable and wretched condi- the repentant one with open
su& an independent course. tion into which the independent arms has a significance for us
younger son had come. IIaving who rejoice to be slaves of the
The first scene opened show- spent all his money in loose Most High. We, too, can go out
ing Mr. and Mrs. Waywardson, living and there being a famine to those of this class, even search
the independent ones who had in the land, he was driven to them out, and extend to them
started studying with Jehovah's caring for pigs and s~ibsisting an offer of warm fellowship
witnesses some twenty years ago, on within the congregation of God.
but only for a short period of ate.the carob pods that the pigs
Greatly bemoaning his lot,
time. Though now prosperous, he came Never Too Busy to Pray
they were very unhappy. There to return to hisc senses, decided
Previous to this drama's pre-
was complaining about taxes, forgivenessto and his father, beg his
sentation the audience heard the
about the demands of union em- for him a s a hiredoffer to work
laborer. Bible talk, "Never Too Busy to
ployees and about other bnsi- Pray." I t was a no st timely
ness problems. "I feel like I'm Scene Four showed the loving
discussion in view of the im-
caught in a trap," 1qr. Way- father first receiving bad news portance of prayer and the ten-
wardson said. The course of ma- regarding his son and then see- dency to neglect it because of
terialism had not brought them ing him in the distance return- the modern rush of things. The
JOY. ing. Upon the son's arrival the
speaker stressed its importance
Then the doorbell rang, and fathel. welcomed him with open
arms and ordered a feast to be in keeping spiritually alive and
who Should be calling but Jlr. prepared to celebrate his retnrn. avoiding temptations. He also
and Mrs. Strougheart, whom told of the need to teach others
they had not seen in years! The older son heard abont this
to pray and how to go about it,
They also had started to study and resented all this welcoming
of his wayward independent the necessity of finding time each
with the Witnesses twenty years brother.
ago but had continued on to the fatherThe scene ended with
pleading with the old-
day for prayer and that prayer
dedication and spiritual matu- er son to join aids Christians.
rity. Eow active in the circuit in the festivities. The speaker emphasized that
work, they were very happy. .In Benefiting from the Parable there a r e great tests of faith
the course of their conversat~on that each one must face. Some
Mr. Strongheart endeavored to Scene Five reverted to the of those tests a r e part of our
revive the interest of the Way- modern setting, with Will Strong- daily lives now; others a r e yet
wardsons in a study of God's heart explaining the parable. H e to come. Prayer can help us
Word. H e noted that there was showed that the two sons pic-
a n analogy between their course tured two groups of people: the to be overcomers. Jehovah hears
a n d that of the prodigal son of older son, those of the anointed the prayers of his servants.
Jesus' parable. with heavenly hopes ; the youn-
ger son, those who did not appre- "Ministering in a Fine Manner"
Prodigal Son Parable ciate spiritual things but inde- This talk immediately fol-
Scenes two to four presented pendently wanted to have their lowed. I n it the speaker pointed
the parable of the prodigal son own way. This way of indepen- out that ministering in a fine
in Biblical costumes. Scene Two dence was bound to come to manner includes proper conduct,
strikingly portrayed the differ- grief, even a s Proyerbs 22 :5 neat personal appearance, pre-
ence between two sons of a cer- puts i t : "Thorns and traps are sentable literature and keeping
tain man. The older was happy in the way of the crooked one." a n accurate record. H e especially
and contented to work for hls There just is no escaping the
father, but the independent outworking of Bible principles! stressed the need of being men-
younger son chafed a t his fa- But now, Will Strongheart tally and spiritually prepared ;
ther's su~ervision. Selfish and vointed out, God, as indicated for example, being well prepared
self-willed, he wanted to leave a t Revelation 3:17 and Malachi to refer to Bible texts and spe-
home. Remonstrances by his old- 3 :7, is calling on these to be- cific paragraphs in literature that
e r brother, his father and by come aware of their spiritually will arrest attention. I n conclu-
a faithful hired servant were wretched condition and to re- sion he noted the inlportance of
all in vain, Since he was deter- turn to Him. All this was shown right motives if one hopes to
mined to go his independent way, to apply to the situation in \rliicli have a fruitful ministry.
 "You know, I wouldn't have
anybody but Jehovah's witnesses
in my home," exclaimed a n
eighty-one-year-old nurse in Bnf-
falo, N.Y. Then she recalled the
times when Witnesses stayed
with her in the past : "Why.
when they left, it felt like the
angels had left !"
Similar rewarding experiences
mere h a d by t h o u s a n d s of
brothers a s they shared in the
mammoth search for rooms in
the various convention cities.
Real sacrifices were made in
order to perform this service of
love. Why, in many locations
five to ten or more hours of
searching were needed, on the
average, to secure each accom-
modation !
One New York sister spent
fifty hours persistently searching
for rooms before she finally lo-
cated some. Another sister did
not cease her search even though
she had to go to the hospital.
F r o m t h e r e s h e telephoned
friends and neighbors and ex-
plained the urgent need for
rooms. She obtained four ac-
commodations-from her hospi-
t a l bed! And one member in the
Brooklyn Bethel family took half
of her annual vacation so a s to
have a greater part in the vital
search.
I n London, the eishty-one con-
gregations and five hundred
pioneers were putting forth a
notable effort, but it was evident
t h a t more workers were needed.
So another two hundred pioneers
from all parts of the country
were invited to share in rooming
work for three months prior to
the assembly. They gave up
their part-time jobs and spent
150 hours a month looking for
rooms, knowing t h a t the target
figure was 50,000 accommoda-
tions.
The requests t h a t came in to
Atlanta were so much beyond
expectations-skyrocketing to a
thousand a day-that more than
9,000 had to be returned. Since
there were not facilities to seat
all who wanted to come, those
north of the Ohio River and
west of the 3Iississippi were
asked to try to attend other
assemblies. Still, eighty congre-
gations in a hundred-square-mile
a r e a around Atlanta searched
and re-searched for rooms to ac-
commodate their spiritual broth-
ers.
Large-Scale Success
The results of persistent ef-
forts in many cities often soared
above expectations. A publisher
in New York spoke with one
young woman who said she did
not have any rooms to list. When
the urgency of the need was
stressed, the woman mentioned
that the sister might contact t h e
superintendent a t her university,
since there were some dormitories
vacant during t h e summer
months. The sister followed up
the lead and eventually the 'oom-
ing department was able to ar-
range f o r 200 accommodations
a t the university!
A Witness who w a s graduated
from West Georgia College was
able to aid the Atlanta rooming
department to secure the use of
five dormitories, involving 796
accomn~odations. F o r the same
assembly, officials a t the Uni-
versity of Georgia arranged for
four buildings that would provide
for over five hundred conven-
tioners. But things did not stop
there ! They also offered one floor
of a new air-conditioned dormi-
tory and worked to complete
renovations on others that would
bring the total to over 1,200 ac-
commodations. Next, on his own.
one of t h e officials contacted a
private housing authority and
secured space for 450 more.
Similar cooperation in Canada
by officials a t the University of
British Columbia resulted in pro-
visions for more than a thousand
delegates.
I n many places the question
arose a s to how far outside the
convention city delegates would
need to room. But a t Vancouver
the question might well have
been, 'How high?' Many brothers
delighted in the answer, for they
had rooms in a ski club chalet
situated a t the 4,000-foot level
of beautiful Mount Seymour.
From this vantage point, just a
25-minute drive from the sta-
dium, the conventioners could de-
rive pleasure from a panoramic
view and get have easy access to
the assembly.
28
As had been hoped, large num-
bers of accommodations were
found i n hotels and motels, but
this too involved a great deal
of work and organization. For
instance, away back in August
1968 workers in London began
to visit all hotels i n the conven-
tion a r e a to make block reserva-
tions for thousands of delegates.
The rooming committee re-
served a block of 1,200 rooms i n
one New York hotel a n d 1,000
in another. Especially satisfying,
too, was the fact t h a t these were
a t unusually low rates. When
brothers wrote directly to these
hotels, their requests were re-
ferred to the rooming committee.
However, i n some convention
cities delegates who wrote per-
sonally to hotels and motels had
to pay higher rates than those
arranged for by the brothers.
A motel manager i n Georgia
listed 90 percent of his rooms for
the brothers, and on top of that
he moved out of his own apart-
ment to make it available. One
sales manager from a large motel
near convention headquarters in
Buffalo stopped by and was
amazed a t the work done in the
rooining office in arranging for
accommodations.
Hospitable People
Many, many hospitable people I
kindly opened their homes to the
delegates. A Catholic man did
not want to hear about t h e
teachings of the Witnesses. yet
he said that even his priest had
commented on their good con-
duct. Then the pioneer who was
speaking with him explained :
"I did not come to preach to you.
We a r e appealing to the hospi-
table spirit of the people of Po-
mona. We need accommodations
for delegates to our Bible con-
vention.'' The householder re-
plied: "That's different. You can
have my whole house. My wife
and I will be on vacation during
that week."
A New York doctor was happy
to have Jehovah's witnesses stay
in his home while he was on
vacation, feeling that, in addition
to assisting them, he would have
protection against burglars. A
sister in England was too young
 "PEACE O N EARTH" I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
to share in the house-to-house
search. so she talked to com-
panions a t school. A s a result,
I byshe60lowered
the parents of one of them of-
fered their spacious home, since
they would be away on a holiday.
Thus thirteen mere accommo-
dated.
A Spanish brother who is a
carpenter in California told the
owner of the apartment house
,where he was working about the
need for rooms. The landlady
said t h a t she would be on vaca-
tion but t h a t if the delegates
were his "brothers" and a s honest
a s he was, he could have the
keys to t h e eight units in the
building and bring in a s many
Witnesses a s possible-complete-
ly free !
As a stimulus to share in the
rooming work, a congregation
in Brooklyn discussed the work
a t the service meeting. The
program drew on the experience
of Paul when shipwreclced on
the island of Jfalta, highlighting
how the people showed benevo-
lence and hospitality. The next
day one of the brothers who
heard that palet was in the mom-
ing work. A young woman said
no rooms were available, but a s
he left her mother rushed out
saying she had overheard and
could accommodate four. While
writing up the nice accommoda-
tion, the brother commented on
the unusual last name. "I'm from
the island of Malta," she replied.
When he read to her from the
Bible what happened t o Paul,
Volunteers worked hard to process room requests
cents a day!
the price per person tions. I t was an immense task,
Rooming Department
While thousands of Witnesses
were putting forth a magnificent
effort t o find rooms, others
worked diligently a t the rooming
department. They received phone
calls from persons offering rooms,
opened mail containing requests
for rooms and matched the re-
quests with the accommodation
slips turned in by t h e publishers
in the field. When a request
matched a n accommodation, a
card was mailed to the delegate
to inform him of the name and
xddress of the householder. Also,
the holiseliolder was notified a s
to who would be staying a t his
home.
When a man in New Pork
was informed by phone that four
Witnesses from Sweden were go-
ing to stay with him and the
time of their arrival, he offered
to pick them up a t the airport.
I n fact, he also said that they
could stag- a s long a s they want-
ed. I n another instance a
German-speaking family w a s so
delighted with- the prospect of
having delegates from Germany
staying with them that they
offered six free accommc>dations.
As a n example of what oc-
curred in city after city, in the
New Pork rooming department
over one hundred brothers and
sisters worked hard to process
the thousands of requests and
to care f o r all the other work
associated with rooming opera-
29
1 butOther
they were happy to do it.
acts of love were per-
formed in order to aid t h e dele-
gates to get t o their accommoda-
tions. Chartered buses brought
to the Society's factory in Brook-
lyn thousands of brothers ar-
riving by plane from foreign
lands. If they arrived late a t
night they were made comfort-
able in the factory until the
morning. Many mere helped to
get to their rooms by subway.
I n other cases, local brothers who
owned cars delivered the dele-
gates right to their doorsteps,
tspecially when it would have
been difficult to get there by
subway or bus.
Some of the brothers who ar-
rived from foreign countries
would have had problems under-
standing directions and informa-
tion in English. So local brothers
from the Spanish and French
congregations served a s inter-
preters. Others interpreted for
those coming from the Scandi-
navian lands a s well a s Ger-
many, Portugal and t h e Nether-
lands.
These many brothers and sis-
ters who worked in the rooming
department, a s well a s the other
preconvention workers, needed to
be fed. I n New P o r k this was
lovingly cared for by the local
congregations. One by one many
of the 189 congregations in the
city took a turn a t preparing
meals. I n some instances two
would collaborate on one meal
so the financial burden and the
work would be less. The sisters
especially appreciated t h e oppor-
tunity to use their talents in be-
half of the workers, and went
a t it with gusto, even to the
point of having to be asked t o
fix less food. Of course, with such
delicious home-cooked m e a l s
available, the hardworking mem-
bers of the rooming department
did their part with gusto too !
Similar love was shown by a
congregation i n England, for they
provided 420 meals a week for
twenty pioneers specially called
i n to do rooming work.
But whether the brothers
worked a t rooming headquarters
or out in the field ringing door-
bells in search for rooms, the ef-
forts mere out of love. The
mammoth search was carried
out so that the visiting delegates
would have clean, comfortable
places to sleep.
 high, including basements, and
the most recently built one, sev-
en stories. In the latter bnilding
there a r e provisions for sauna
baths and a pool for baptisms.
I n these three buildings there
is room for about 1,200 persons.
Of the 1,052 members of the
Bethel family 79 profess to be
of the anointed remnant. About
100 persons have been members
of the Bethel family upward of
20 years, 36 of these more than
40 years. More than 200 others
have been serving from five to
twenty years.
As to their various duties:
About one-fifth a r e busy in the
home, one-fifth work in offices,
and three-fifths work in the
factory producing and shipping
T h e activities of Jehovah's witnesses throughout t h e e a r t h out the literature.
a r e directed f r o m their headquarters known as Brooklyn Bethel.
Indicative of t h e interest t h a t t h e Witnesses have i n their Printing Plants
headquarters a r e t h e large The printing plants cover four
city blocks. They are sitnated
numbers t h a t visit it. O n a 47; Luke 12 :42-44; John 10 3 6 ; a t the foot of the Brooklyn
S a t u r d a y o r legal holiday as Rev. 7:9-15; 12 :17. Bridge, about a ten-minute walk
many as twenty-one busloads Kot that there a r e not also from Bethel. Here the produc-
tion of 1iteratlli-e is carried out.
a n d close t o 2,000 persons have
the
~'~n~~","br~~~';fi~,","',"f :i:
Society throughout the earth. If
Copy for the literature is checked.
translated and proofread. On 33
a n d factories. D u r i n g t h i s past the branch is large enough to linotype machines the copy is
May a g r o u p of ninety-nine require a full-time office force, set, in a s many a s 120 different
witnesses from &lilwaukee live if not also a printing force, they languages. The type is put in
in a Bethel home. Other- forms and mats are made. These,
chartered a plane just for the wise theirs is a missionary home. in turn, are used to make curved
purpose of visiting head- plates for the rotary presses.
quarters. Brooklyn Bethel Home By giving these plates a coat
At present the Brooklyn Eethel of nickel they will stand up to
Because of this great in- home consists of three buildings more than a million impressions.
terest, t h e Watch Tower 80- that are connected by spacious Twenty-two rotary presses (an-
ciety arranged f o r such tours underground tunnels. Two of other is just about ready to op-
before and during t h e tirne of these buildings a r e twelve stories erate and six more a r e on order)
t h e "Peace on Earth" assem- and 23 other kinds of presses
are used to do the printing. The
bly a t Yankee Stadium. Visit- rotary presses use $10,000 worth
i n g hours included a l l d a y of roll paper a day-12,000 tons
S a t u r d a y a n d Sunday just last year. The three largest ro-
before t h e assembly a s well tary presses, which cost $400,000
apiece, can each produce 25,000
a s forenoons o n Wednesday, magazines per hour. These re-
Thursday a n d S a t u r d a y of t h e quire four men, but all the other
assembly week. rotary presses a r e handled by
only two men each. After be-
The Governing Body ing printed the magazines a r e
trimmed, wrapped and addressed,
The Erooklyn Bethel is "head- and shipped out, a t the rate of
quarters" for Jehovah's witnesses a s many a s a million a day.
because i t is the location of Several large post office truck
the governing body of Jehovah's trailers a r e needed each day to
witnesses. This governing body move them out.
consists primarily of the board After the book sections have
of directors of the Pennsylvania been printed they a r e gathered
corporation of the Watch Tower by three automatic collating ma-
chines. Then they are sewed, 41
Bible & Tract Society. From here sewing machines being needed,
the spiritual food and directions and bound on six production
flow for both the "remnant" and Each day at Bethel begins with lines. I n two shifts these lines
the "other sheep."--Matt. 24 :45- comments on day's text can produce upward of 100,000
 "PEACE ON E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES 31

books a day. After books a r e

bound they a r e boxed and shipped
throughout the world, from a
shipping department equipped
with the latest laborsaving de-
vices, some of which have been
invented on the premises. I n a n
average day 15 tons of literature
is shipped out, i n addition to
the magazines.
Located in these printing plants
a r e also the departments for
making ink, for the production
of home and office furniture,
and a machine shop where re-
pairs a r e made and new ma-
chinery is built. There a r e also
complete plumbing, electrical and
sheet-metal departments.
Zealous and Joyful Workers
- h--
T a -t Rethe1
- ..- members serve
for the love of the work is ap- Monday evening is time for family study a t Bethe!;
parent even t~ outsiders who TV enables those in other halls to see and hear program
take tours. The joy and satis-
faction they get from their work
they show by their smiling faces, by working a s hard a s they all they can, like the widow
their zeal, and in other ways. I could, even cutting short li~nch- whom Jesus commended. Not a
time and working overtime-for few keep putting in full days
Thus they a r e ever inventing
machines and gadgets to expe- I the love of it-produced 144,000
boolrs, a number full of mean-
although between seventy-five
and eighty years old. One who
dite the work. At present they
a r e building three more wrap- ing for all Witnesses ! (Rev. 14 : is ninety years old spends two
ping machines and one more end- 1, 3 ) Similarly those cutting hours el-ery rnorning and every
sheeter in their machine shop. magazine-subscription stencils on afternoon helping out i n the of-
Typical is their solving in 20 one day produced 24,762, a n av- fice. Another, who is i n his
minutes a ventilating problem in erage per person of 149 stencils ninety-fifth year, on many days
connection with their' new laun- per hour, whereas a good hour's works for a n hour in the morn-
d r y after outside technicians had work is from 100 to 125 stencils. ing and a n hour in the after-
tried in vain f o r three weeks And two of these once set a noon doing clerical work.
to solve it. Their zeal is also goal of 3,000 for a day and man-
seen i n their once erecting a aged to reach it by working Daily Table Discussions
rotary printing press i n twelve sixteen out of the tn-enty-four Making possible such a fine
working days ; outside i t usually hours, three good days' work spirit is the spiritual food t h a t
takes twelve weeks. in one! Thus also one worker the members of the Bethel fam-
They also take delight i n hav- one day sewed 13,000 books, ily get regularly. Each day be-
ing peak productions. Whereas whereas from 8- to 9,000 is a gins with a discussion of the
100,000 books was considered a good day's work. day's Bible text, which usually
good day's production for two Nor does their zeal slaclren lasts twenty minutes and is con-
shifts, one day these two shifts, with age. They keep on doing cluded with prayer. It is pre-

I Increased pace of activity in field ministry Shipping department handles 15 tons

has required enlargements in bindery of literature a day
32 "PEACE ON E A R T H " l N T E R N A T l O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
>P.* a

sided over by the president of tu-enty h a r e been published in

the Society, N. H. Knorr, except The Watchtower. Thus one
when he is away from Bethel. wrote: "I am sure the greatest
This takes place before break- bank account in the world can-
fast is served. During breakfast not bring the satisfaction t h a t
there i s a reading from three we have enjoyed and still enjoy
t o five minutes from the Yea.ia- in the glorious treasure of ser-
boob or some similar publica- vice t h a t God h a s granted us."
tion. During the noon meal re- And a young man in his h e n -
ports a r e given or experiences ties who has been serving a t
a r e related, so t h a t a t these two Bethel for six years put it this
meals the Bethel family i s fed way: "If you came to give rath-
well, both spiritually and physi- er than t o get, you'll have Je-
cally. While all discussions take hovah's blessing and be happy
place i n the main dining room, whatever you a r e given to do.
by means of closed-circuit tele- I t is the richest life I have
vision those in t h e other three had." Another who came a s a
dining rooms can see a s well teen-ager and is now in his
a s hear those speaking. sixties stated : "I've enjoyed
many privileges a t Bethel, hav-
The Family's Own Meetings ing done just about everything
The Bethel family is further from cleaning toilets to writing
provided with spiritual food by and have found satisfaction in
their own weekly study of I'he whatever i t happened to be my
Watchtower and their own Theo- lot t o be doing a t any one time!'
cratic Ministry School. Each And one of the board of direc-
Monday night these meetings tors who has been serving at
overflow froin their main as- Bethel for thirty-nine years not-
sembly hall, which seats 462, ed: "Over the years if there is
t o a number of other assembly one thing t h a t has been im-
halls, classrooms and dining of pressed upon me i t is the fact
rooms. Additionally, there i s a n kingdom and making dis- t h a t this is Jehovah's organi-
intensive six-month course called zation and not man's. He places
the "Primary School," in which the ones in his organization a s
a11 new members of the Brook-
Iyn Bethel a r e enrolled and
How They Fee1 About It
I
How Rrthel members feel I i t pleases him, a n 6 a s a result
his organization h a s prospered
which covers the entire Bible about their privileges has been
i n those six months. I t requires stated time and again in their
considerable homework and is I life stories, of which more than i in spite of all the opposition
that the Devil's crowd could
bring against it."

Already we have had a grand

spiritual feast, but there i s more
t o mme-much more! B e sure
to check your convention pro-
gram so t h a t you do not miss
any of it.
To whet your spiritual appe-
tite, here a r e just a few exam-
ples: A full day t h a t features
t h e theme "Call Ont for Under-
standing Itself." Understanding
i s something t h a t we all want,
isn't i t ? Special features in both
the afternoon and the evening
highlight this.
The program for the next day
is directed to youths, consider-
ing the problems facing them. preciate t h e work yet to be done.
"Letyour
on No Manyouth,,Ever is Look Down
the title of This is a Of
the good things yet to be en-
a vivid and helpful drama on joyed. Every portion of the pro-
that day. And what about t h a t g m h a s been prepared f o r o m
talk "Peace with God amid the
'Great T r i b u l a t i ~ n"?
' You may
 When the three astronauts in their man-
made spacecraft orbited around the moon
ten times a t Christmastime of the year
1968, they observed that things were very
peaceful at the moon just seventy miles
away. When they returned safely to our
earth, they reentered a world in
which wars raged and
where great fears were be-
ing expressed of the break-
ing out of a third world
war, a nuclear war. Yet
they were most happy to
get back to our troubled
earth. And why not? Who
is it that wants to go to the
moon in order to enjoy
planetary peace? The thing
that ordinary people want
is world peace right here
' on earth, where we belong.
This desire of their hearts
is not misplaced, for right
here on earth is where they
will enjoy a peace of a thou-
sand years, and this begin-
ning right soon. What if
you should live to see it be-
gin? You would consider
yourself to be most highly
favored indeed.
World conditions today
will no doubt prompt you
to ask, "Who 'will usher in
and maintain this peace of
a thousand years?" After
all the display that men of
world affairs have made of
themselves as peacemakers
and peace-keepers, you have
properly lost confidence in
the ability of men to do
such a colossal thing. To
you the obstacles in the way
of establishing a lasting
world peace seem insur-
mountable for men. You are
aware of the explosive increase in
the earth's human population, and
you read the full-page advertisement in
the newspaper, with t$e headline: "The
Population Bomb Threatens the Peace of
the World," ads of this sort being repeat-
edly published by the "Campaign to Check
the Population Explosion." (New York
Times, February 9, 1969) Also, under the
3
shocking headline "Briton Foresees a Hell '
on Earth" you read the statement made
a t London, England, November 23, 1968,
by Lord Ritchie-Calder, president of the
Conservation Society, in which he said,
in part:
"I am always appalled when I hear
people complacently talk-
ing about the population
explosion as though it be-
longed to the future, or
world hunger as though it
were threatening, when
hundreds of millions can
testify that it is already
here-swear it with panting
breath. . . . My concern is
to conserve the human spir-
it not from the hell here-
after but from hell upon
earth."-New York Times,
as of November 24, 1968.
This only serves to con-
firm what Julian Huxley,
former director general of
the United Nations Educa-
tional, Scientific and Cul-
t u r d Organization, said in
the same city fourteen
years earlier (September
7, 1954) to the conference
of Parliamentarians for
World Government, name-
ly, that "the world's most
pressing problem was the
growth of population, which
is threatening to outstrip .
a food supplies." (New York
Times, September 8, 1954)
A thoughtful person, there-
fore, asks, What will the
population and food situa-
tion be fourteen years from
now? What we are reason-
ably led to expect does not
give us any peace of mind.
The settling of minor
wars, as in Vietnam and in the
Middle East, cannot change the over-
all picture. The hostility of the two
great political groups still remains. In dis-
cussing the "Nation's Business," the New
York Times of December 6, 1968 (page
.
96, paragraphs 4, 5), said: " . . the cold
war, though vastly changed, is far from
over. Its perils are not diminishing. If any-
4 "PEACE O N EARTH" INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSEQ

thing they're to help lead the world a t last out of the

o n t h e in- valley of turmoil and on to that high
crease." It ex- ground of peace that man has dreamed
pressed t h e of since the dawn of civilization. If we
fear that con- succeed generations to come will say of
tinued disinte- us now living that we mastered our mo-
gration of the ment, that we helped make the world safe
Soviet bloc of
nations may for mankind. ...Our destiny offers not
tempt the Rus- the cup of despair, but the chalice of op-
sians into new portunity. So let us seize it, not in fear,
and desperate but in gladness-and 'riders on the earth
measures. This together,' let us go forward, firm in our
reminds us faith, steadfast in our purpose, cautious
that the Soviet of the dangers, but sustained by our con-
Union's next- fidence in the will of God and the promise
door neigh- of man."-New York Times, January 21,
bor, Commu- N. H. Enosr, president of 1969.
nist China, is Watch Tower Society, Possibly the president .had in mind the
a big problem t o deliver this public famous words of the Man of whom he
for her, yes, address throughout claims to be a follower, as recorded by
and for much ~ o r t America
h Jesus' biographer Matthew Levi: "Blessed
of the rest of and Europe are the peacemakers: for they shall be
the world. Add- called the children of God." (Matthew 5:
ed to the awesomeness of her tremendous 9, AV) But at least the president had in
population is the disquieting fact that Com- mind an ancient prophecy of the eighth
munist China is now a nuclear power with century before our Common Era. How
t h e capacity of launching long-range mis- can we be sure of this? Because, when
siles. By continued success in the missile being sworn in with upraised right hand,
field and by beginning to stockpile her he had his left hand resting upon two
weapons in the year 1972, and then keep- family Bibles, held one on top of the other
ing this up, the Communist Chinese by his wife and opened a t the prophecy
"should be in a position to deploy 15 or of Isaiah, chapter two, verse four, which
20 Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles by reads: "And he shall judge among the na-
about 1975."-New York Times, February tions, and shall rebuke many people: and
3, 1969. they shall beat their swords into plow-
Truly the problems that need to be shares, and their
solved for world peace by human means spears. into prun-
are formidable, and yet there are men who inghooks: nation
offer themselves t o tackle such problems. shall not lift up
One such appears to be the thirty-seventh sword against na-
president of the United States of America. tion, neither shall
In his address following his inauguration they learn war
on January 20, 1969, he said: any more." (AV)
(New York
"I have taken an oath today in the Times, January
presence of God and my countrymen, to 20, 1969, front
uphold and to defend the Constitution of page, l a s t col-
the United States. To that oath, I now add umn) Having his
this sacred commitment: I shall conse- left hand at that
crate my office, my energies and all the Bible verse was,
wisdom I can summon to the cause of not accidental,
peace. ... The greatest honor history can but of design. In G . Suiter, secretary-
bestow is the title of peacemaker. This that Bible verse treasurer. s~eaker
honor now beckons ~rnerica-the chance was expressed in B&& e
-
a
IN A L L P A R T S O F T H E W O R L D IN 1969
"the will of God" of more than two mil-
lenniums ago, and now the president was
adding "the promise of man."
DEPENDENT UPON POLITICAL RULERS?
Certainly if the prophetic words of
Isaiah, chapter two, verse four, bespeak
the will of Almighty God, they will with-
out fail come to reality and there will one
day be universal peace. But does the ulti-
mate realization of those prophetic words
require a condition? Is their realization
conditional upon the "promise of man"?
Does their realization depend upon the
"promise" of the political rulers of the
nations and people? If it were, well, then,
would a warless world ever come to earth?
Prominent, influential men of the world
may see the final state of the world that
God has willed. Moved with religious emo-
tion, they may in all sincerity promise to
use their political office, their energies
and all the wisdom that they can summon
to work for realizing that world state as
willed by God. But what if such men,
when making their promise, have in mind
working for it in their own way according
to the wisdom of this world, and not in
God's way according to his wisdom as set
forth in his written Word, the Holy Bi-
ble? Have we reason to believe that God
will prosper their efforts to fulfill their
"promise" in their own self-determined
way? Or, may it be true that such men
of "promise" will really be working against
the "will of God"? Has man's way up till
now for bringing in a lasting universal
peace been God's way? The apparent lack
of God's blessing upon man's way of doing
it till now would answer No! But through
the same prophet Isaiah God himself an-
swers this vital question, saying:
"My thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, saith the
LORD.For as the heavens are higher than
the earth, so are my ways higher than
your ways, and my thoughts than your
thoughts. For . . . so shall my word be
that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall
not return unto me void, but it shall ac-
complish that which I please, and it shall
prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
-Isaiah 55 :8-11, AV.
God's spoken and written word will nev-
s
e r fail. But what about the word of "prom-
ise" made by men in political power? At
the close of World War I in 1918 such
men were bent on preventing the occur-
rence of another world conflict. What was
the way that the political men who had
to do with the peace treaty decided upon
to prevent it? By embodying in the peace
treaty the so-called Covenant of the League
of Nations. When the peace treaty went
into force, so did the League of Nations.
Through that League of Nations the
men support-
ing i t promised
much. Seem-
ingly the
League of Na-
tions was ac-
cording to the
will of God, be-
cause the reli-
gious clergy
of C h r i s t e n -
dom backed up
t h e League.
The Federal
Council of the
C h u r c h e s of
Christ in Amer-
ica said as if it
F.W. Franz, vice-president, were a spokes-
speaker in Atlanta man for God:
"Such a
League is not a mere political expedient;
it is rather the political expression of
the Kingdom of God on earth. . . The .
Church can give a spirit of good-will, with-
out which no League of Nations can en-
dure. . . . The League of Nations is root-
ed in the Gospel. Like the Gospel, its
objective is 'peace on earth, good-will to-
ward men."'-Federal Council Bulletin.
Vol. 11, No. 1, as of January 1919, pagei
12-14.
Evidently those churches of Christen-
dom were wrong about this, for that
League of Nations did not endure. The
very thing that it was designed by man's
wisdom to prevent was the thing that put
i t out of action, namely, World War 11.
The League turned over its effects to the
United Nations, the world peace organiza-
tion that came into existence on October
24, 1945. Once again this international or-
ganization for world peace and security
6 "PEACE O N E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F J E H O V A H ' S W I T N E S S E S
would seem to be according to the "will
of God," inasmuch as the clergy of Chris-
tendom piously support it. Even the popes
of Vatican City have come out in support
of it, Pope Paul VI personally addressing
it on one occasion at its New York head-
quarters. Today one hundred and twenty-
six nations are members of it, imclnding
the nation that recently inaugurated its
thirty-seventh president. The new presi-
dent has indicated how he will fulfill the
"promise of man," and that is by working
with the United Nations, together with
other but smaller international alliances.
But the blessing of the clergy of Christen-
dom gives no more guarantee that this
United Nations will endure than it did for
the League of Nations.
History cannot bestow upon the League
of Nations the honor of bearing the title
of peacemaker. There is no basis for his-
tory to honor the United Nations with the
title of Peacemaker. While the United Na-
tions mouths great words of peace and
carries on negotiations to restore or keep
the peace in different areas of the earth,
its member nations are preparing for war.
The strongest members of its Security
Council are the most mightily armed na-
tions in all human history. World peace
today, such as it is, is a peace of terror,
a peace maintained only because of the
terrorizing fear of nuclear, bacteriological
and radiological war that spells the doom
of modern civilization. Where, then, is the
fulfillment of the words that are carved
prominently on a wall at 42nd Street fac-
ing the plaza of the United Nations amidst
New York city? What words? These:
"They shall beat their swords into plow-
shares, and their spears into pruning
hooks; nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn
war any more."
N O T C Q N D I T I B N E D ON "PROMISE OF MAN"
Regardless of what human history as
written by uninspired men may do as to
honoring men and nations with titles, God
himself does not purpose to bestow the
"greatest honor" of the title of Peace-
maker upon any politician of this last half
of the twentieth century. This honor at
His hand is not now beckoning to any
member of the United Nations or to any
nation outside it. Not a single one of the
nations and peoples of the world is accept-
ing from God's mouth what the prophecy
of Isaiah 2:4 says would precede the beat-
ing of swords into plowshares and spears
into pruning hooks and the learning of
war no more by the nations. Those open-
ing words of this prophetic Verse read:
"'And he shall judge among the nations,
2nd shall rebuke many peo~le."
A prophecy of that same ancient .time
that corresponds with that of Isaiah 2:4,
the prophecy in Micah 4:3, reads: "And
he shall judge among many people, and
rebuke strong nations afar off; and they
shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruninghooks: na-
tion shall not lift up a sword against na-
tion, neither shall they learn war any
more."--AV.
The nations are not letting themselves
be judged by the Lord God. They
submit their problems to the Gen-
eral Assembly or the Security
Council of the United Nations or
to its International Court of Jus-
tice at The Hague in the Nether-
lands. They do not go by the judg-
ments that are set down in God's
written Word, the Holy Bible. The
nations, even the "strong nations"
that are "afar off" from where the
prophets Isaiah and Micah lived,
do not take any rebuke from the
Lord God as set out in his written
Word or as quoted by his mouth-
pieces from that written Word. If
they did accept and heed his judg-
IN A L L P A R T S O F T H E W O R L D I N 1969 7

ment and his rebuke, they would beat

their swords into plowshares and their P ~ b l i Address
c
spears into pruning hooks and not lift up
the sword of war against one another or
Widely Advedised
even learn war anymore. But everybody
knows that tbey are not doing so. Hence,
regardless of the "promise of man," no
lasting world peace can be hoped for from
the nations, either in a united organiza-
tion or singly. No political ruler or nation
will yet step forward and be the one that
divine history will greatly honor with the
title of Peacemaker.
Nothing in the way of a disarmed, peace-
learning world can be expected from the
"promise of man9' that pursues fke way
and wisdom of man, not God's way and
wisdom, which are heaven-high above
man's. The Almighty God, Creator of
heaven and earth, is not dependent upon
the "promise of man." His prediction of
the future is not conditioned upon it. His
word a t Isaiah 2:4 is an unconditional
prophecy. Even though the people and
strong nations of today are planning and
acting against it, that glorious prophecy
will come true. God will see to that; for
what man, what people, what strong ma-
tion can succeed against Him? From this
sure fact let all persons who yearn for
everlasting universal peace as foretold in
God's Word take comfort.
God does not change with regard to his
stated purpose. For almost two millen-
niums now he has had the one whom he
has anointed or consecrated to serve as
Peacemaker for all mankind. By the proph-
e u s a i a h God foretold the disarming of
earth's inhabitants and the learning of
war no more. By the same prophet God
foretold this Peacemaker. We have already
considered Isaiah, chapter two, verse four.
Turn now to chapter nine, verses six and
seven, and read of the birth and work of
this Peacemaker:
"For unto US a child is born, unto us a
son is given: and the government shall be
upon his shoulder: and his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty
God, The everlasting Father, The Prince
of Peace. Of the increase of his govern-
ment and peace there shall be no end, upon
the throne of David, and upon his king-
dom, to order it, and to establish it with
judgment and with justice from hence-
8 "PEACE O N E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S W I T N E S S E S
- - --

forth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD not prove to be a liar as regards this
of hosts will perform this."-AV. prophecy either. He is the "God, that can-
Hear again those prophetic words: "Of not lie."-Titus 1:2 Hebrews 6:18, AV.
the increase of his government and peace
there shall be no end." In those words is SOMEONE GREATER. THAN KING SOLOMON
given God's unbreakable promise of an un- God's mouthpiece, the prophet Isaiah,
ending government of endless peace. I t is continued to prophesy on into the reign
the government of a child born into the of King Rezekiah of Jerusalem, but Heze-
family line of King David, the son whose kiah did not prove to be the promised
name was to be called "The Prince of ''child" or "son" who was to be honored
Peace." His life -will have to be as long as with the title of Peacemaker, The Prince
his peaceful government-endless, immor- of Peace. Neither did the seven kings who
tal. The fact that his name was also to be followed Hezekiah urson the "throne of
called "The everlasting Fa- David" i t Jerusalem, down
ther" bears this out. This to the last king, Zedekiah,
would result in his being the prove to be the promised
Permanent Heir of King Da- Prince of Peace. In fact, in
vid, inasmuch as the divine the eleventh year of the reign
prophecy says that this peace- of King Zedekiah the holy
ful endless government would city of Jerusalem and its
be "upon the throne of Da- temple as built by the ear-
vid, and upon his kingdom, lier King Solomon were de-
to order it, and to establish stroyed by the armies of
it with judgment and with pagan Babylon, and the con-
justice from henceforth even quered people were deported
for ever." It is to the reign as exiles to far-off Babylon.

_
of this Permanent Heir of Only seventy years later did
King David as The Prince the city of. Jerusalem and a
of Peace that we must look temple for God's worship be-
for the approaching peace In New Pork gin to be built by released
of a thousand years. He is t o hear this talk exiles.
Hildsgara SeEgeq
the One whom the Lord God imprisoned 9 years b y the
Well, then, was the "zeal
honors with the title of Nazis years the of the LORDof hosts" frus-
Peacemaker, and not some CommuGsts beca,use she trated and cooled down? Not
politician or some nation of tola bthers that G Q ~ at all! Despite this apparent
this twentieth century. could bring lasting peace failure of Isaiah's prophecy,
I t is true that more than God's zeal was as hot as
two and a half millenniums have passed ever for the performing of the proph-
since that prophecy was uttered and writ- ecy. The "throne of David" was never
ten down by God's prophet Isaiah, and again set up at Jerusalem, but that did
here we are in a time when nations are not matter. The line of the royal family
trying to stave off the world war that of King David was not blotted out but
would be the greatest and worst of all continued on. Then five hundred and thirty-
human history. But we must not lose five years after Jerusalem began to be
faith in the coming true of Isaiah's rebuilt Isaiah's prophecy began to be ful-
prophecy of the Peacemaker and of eter- filled by the birth of the promised "child,"
nal peace on earth. The zeal of the Lord the "son" who was to be the Permanent
of hosts is behind this prophecy, which Heir of King David. This occurred in the
He himself inspired by his holy spirit. The second year before the start of our Gom-
prophecy closes by saying: "The zeal of mon Era; in other words, in the year
the LORDof hosts will perform this." His 2 B.G.E. It occurred at the birthplace of
zeal has not cooled off by now regarding, King David, namely, Bethlehem-Judah, in
the prophecy, for his own name and repu- fulfillment of Micah's prophecy ( 5 :2).
tation are at stake in connection with it, In order to prove that his ancient proph-
He has never lied in anything else; he will ecy had come true, the zealous Lord of
IN ALL PARTS OF T H E WORLD IN 1969
hosts would certainly have witnesses to
the birth of the promised Prince of Peace.
First of all he made angels witnesses to
the child's birth. Then he made shepherds
of Bethlehem witnesses of the event. By
night in the early autumn of the year
2 B.C.E. the angel of the Lord God ap-
peared to those shepherds watching over
their sheep in the field near Bethlehem.
An investigator of the facts of the birth,
a medical doctor by the name of Luke,
though not himself delivering the child,
reports: "An angel of the Lord flashed
upon them, the glory of the Lord shone all
round them. They were terribly afraid,
but the angel said to them, 'Have no fear.
This is good news I am bringing you, news
of a great joy that is meant for all the
People. To-day you have a saviour born
in the town of David, the Lord messiah.
And here is a proof for you: you will find
a baby wrapped up and lying in a stall
for cattle.' Then a host of heaven's army
suddenly appeared beside the angel, extol-
ling God and saying, 'Glory to God in high
heaven, and peace on earth for men whom
he favours!' "--Luke 2:8-14, Moffatt.
Doctor Luke tells us that the shepherds
went and found the newborn baby, and
thus they became eyewitnesses of the birth
of "the Lord messiah," along with the
heavenly angels. Doctor Luke closes, say-
ing: "Then the shepherds went away back,
glorifying and extolling God for all that
they had heard and seen-as they had
been told they would."-Luke 2 :15-20, No.
Forty days later the God-fearing man
Simeon and then the prophetess Anna saw
and identified the child when he was
brought to the temple a t Jerusalem. In
this way they also became witnesses to
the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy con-
cerning the Prince of Peace.--Luke 2:
22-38.
The angel spoke of the child as "the
Lord messiah." Greek-speaking Jews of
that day would say "the Lord Christ," for
"messiah" and "Christ" mean the same
thing, "anointed one." That is to say, God's
anointed one. According to God's instruc-
tion to his virgin mother he was given the
personal name Jeshua; but the Greek-
speaking Jews like Doctor Luke called him
Jesus. So with his title he was called
Jeshua Messiah or Jesus Christ. (Luke
- --- -
-
i:26-33; Matthew I : I, 20-25) Because he
was a descendant of King David he was
also called "the Son of David." Why was
he given the personal name Jesus? The
Dictionary of the Bible, by Dr. William
Smith (page I346), edition of 1894, says
that the name Jeshua or Jesus means
"Help of Jehovah," or "Saviour." This
corresponds with what God's angel told
his foster father, carpenter Joseph at Naz-
areth: "'You must call his name Jesus, for
he will save his people from their sins."
-Matthew I :18-25.
Among the royal forefathers was the
wisest man of ancient times, King Solo-
mon the son of David. His name means
"Peaceful," or 'Teaee." Quite appropriate-
ly, he reigned at Jerusalem, the name
of which means "Possession of Twofold
Peace." Despite this combination of names
Solomon's reign did not usher in a millen-
nium of peace. At most it brought in a
peace of forty years. Despite his wise start
as king of Jerusalem, he turned out bad
in his old age. He became oppressive to
the people of Israel. He yielded to the
pressure of his many foreign wives and
joined them in worshiping other gods than
Jehovah God. He thus lost his peace with
the one living and true God, who ex-
pressed his indignation by ripping ten of
the twelve tribes of Israel away from the
kingdom of Solomon's successors. (I Kings
1119-12 :24; Nehemiah 13: 26,29) But dur-
ing the more than half of his forty-year
reign that Solomon was faithful to Jeho-
vah as God and wrote three books of the
Holy Bible, Solomon was used as a pro-
phetic figure of the true Messiah or Christ.
Unlike Solomon, Jesus Christ as a per-
fect man on earth never proved unfaithful
to God. He worthily bore the name Jeshua
or Jesus, which means "Help of Jehovah,"
or 'Salvation of Jehovah." Solomon his
ancestor had been anointed with holy oil
to be king over all Israel, but Jesus was
anointed with holy spirit from heaven at
the time of his water baptism in the Jor-
dan River, God's voice being heard by
John the Baptist, saying: "This is my be-
loved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
(Matthew 3: 13-19, AV] Jesus thereby be-
came God's Anointed One or Christ in a
sense superior to Solomon. Without ego-
tism or exaggeration Jesus could speak of
40 "PEACE ON E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L A S S E M B L Y O F J E H O V A H ' S W I T N E S S E S

himself as being "something more than the execution stake outside the walls of
Solomon." (Matthew 12:42) By his faith- Jerusalem, Jesus Christ lives! On the third
fulness he maintained his right to the day of his death the Almighty God Je-
"throne of David" or the kingly rulership hovah raised him from the dead to life as
over all Israel that such throne symbol- his spiritual Son in heaven, clothing him
ized. But God never gave with immortality and in-
the anointed Jesus that corruption. As Jesus Christ
"throne of David" on earth. manifested himself to his
(Luke 1:32, 33) First, God disciples after his resurrec-
tested Jesus' faithfulness to tion from the dead, during
the limit, letting him die forty days before his as-
as a perfect human sacri- cension to heaven, there
fice on an execution stake, came to be upward of five
that thus Jesus might "save hundred eyewitnesses to the
his people from their sins." resurrected Jesus Christ.
-Matthew 1:21. (Acts 1:1-5; 2:22-36; 1Co-
The anointed Jesus kept rinthians 15:3-9) He now
his peace with Jehovah being alive forevermore, he
God clear to the end of his can indeed become "The
earthly life. Shortly before everlasting Father" to the
he was betrayed and turned dying world of mankind. Al-
over to the executioners so, of his peaceful govern-
he said to the elever, faith- ment over mankind there
ful ones of his twelve apos- does not need to be any
tles: "I leave you peace, I end and there "shall be no
give you my peace. I do end."(Isaiah 9 :6, 7,AV)
not give it to you the way
that the world gives it." He is the heavenly Ruler
(John 14:27) Hours afterm W. Mills, from Nigeria, for 38 able to usher in upon war-
ward, when standing be- a teacher of God,s torn mankind the peace of
fore the trial judge, the word, present to hear a thousand years". The Unit-
Roman governor Pontius this discourse ed Nations cannot do so!
Pilate, the peaceful Jesus
said to him: "My kingdom is no part of THE MILLENNIA% PEACE UPROACHING
this world. . . . my kingdom is not from When, though, does the Prince of Peace
this source." I t was not at Jesus9 request start his government sf an endless peace?
that Pontius Pilate put over the head of Righteously disposed people today are cry-
Jesus on the execution stake the notice ing out for such a government. Does not
reading: '"esus the Nazarene the King of the very world situation mark this as the
the Jews." (John 18:36; 19:16-22) Jesus epoch in which it would be most fitting
refused to accept kingship at the hand of for Jehovah God to bring in such a gov-
Devil or man. He died on the execution ernment according to his unbreakable
stake, waiting on his God Jehovah to give promise of Isaiah 9:6, 7? Apparently so.
him the "throne of David his father9' to But first the obstructors of peace must be
which he was the Permanent Heir. (Mat- cleared out of the way. The greatest ob-
thew 4:B-11; Luke 1:32, 33; John 6: 14, structor is one over whom neither the
15) He died true and loyal to what he had United Nations nor any singIe nation or
preached, namely, "The kingdom of God people have any control, for he is super-
has drawn near."-Mark 1:14, 15; Mat- human. He is the one who offered Jesus
thew 4: 12-17. Christ all the kingdoms of this world if
Today, after almost three millenniums, he would turn away from worshiping Je-
unfaithful Solomon still sleeps in death hovah as God, worshiping the great Tempt-
with his forefathers. (1 Kings 11:41-43, er instead. This greatest peace obstructor
AV) Today, after more than nineteen hun- is named Satan the Devil. He is the prince
dred years from his sacrificial death on of legions of devils or demons. (Matthew
IN A L L P A R T S O F T H E WORLD I N 1969 91

4:s-11; 12:24-28, AV) Jesus Christ called He remarked upon the approach of things
him also "the ruler of this world," where- of interest to Americans and to all Chris-
as the Christian apostle Paui calied him tendom. In the eighth paragraph of his
"the god of this system of things." The speech the newly sworn-in president said:
apostle John says: "'The whole world is "'Eight years from now America will cele-
lying in the power of the wicked one.'-rate its 200th anniversary as a nation.
-John 12:31; 14:30; 2 Corinthians 4:4; And within the lifetime of rnost people
1John 5:19. now living, mankind will celebrate that
I t will take more than all men together great new year which ccknes only once in
to put that greatest obstructor of peace out a thousand years-the beginning of the
of power over mankind. This the heavenly third millennium." The president was re-
Jesus Christ will do, for, according to the ferring to A,Da 2001.
several names by which he was- to be
called, he is u ' ~ mighty
l ~ ~ ~ d . This
" he The next remarks of the president
will do after first doing away with the showed that he expected there to be an
visible peace obstructors here on earth. America in the first year 9f that third
(Revelation 19:11 to 20 :3) This requires millennium. But for God-fearing students
him to be first a Warrior King, reigning of the Holy Bible containing both the an-
in the midst of his earthly enemies, finally cient Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian
subduing them completely, just as foretold Greek Scriptures, there is a more impor-
by King David in Psalrn 110:l-6. He has tant millennium that compels their atten-
had to do this because, since the end of tion. That is the seventh millennium! No,
the "times of the Gentiles" in the year not the seventh millennium measured from
1914, the nations and em- AD. 1,but the seventh mil-
pires of this world have re- lennium of man's existence
fused to yield over peace- here on earth, the seventh
ably their earthly kingship millennium measured from
to him, even Christendom God's creation of perfect
refusing to do so. (Luke man and woman in the gar-
21:24; Psalm 2:l-6) Till den of Eden. This is usually
this year, after more than measured according to the
half a century, the nations Anno Mundi rule or "In
have refused to do so. What the Year of the World" cal-
will this mean shortly for endar, the world of man-
all mankind? This: the out- kind being here meant.
break of the "war of the Does this fact have any
great day of God the 81- bearing on the approach
mighty9' a t the world sit- of the peace of a thousand
uation called Har-Magedon years or of a millennium?
or Armageddon. (Revela- Very apparently Yes! Ac-
tion 16:14, 16) That war cording to the calendar of
will remove all human ob- the Orthodox Jews, the new
structors to peace. American president deliv-
After this taking away ered his inaugural speech
of all human and demon ob- at the beginning of the fifth
structors of world peace lunar month of the year
there will come the reign M, 8aa, isomJapan, to heas ,5729 A,M., this date being
of the Prince of Peace over ithis message about wosla peace based on the ancient He-
all the earth. God's fixed brew Scriptures alone. But
time for this is' approaching, and aiong according to chronologers or time check-
with it the peace of a thousand years. ers who take into account also the in-
A thousand years equals a millennium. spired Christian Greek Scriptures, the
This reminds us of something said in the Jewish calendar is more than two hun-
aforementioned inaugural speech of the dred years behind time. In certain edi-
American president on January 20, 1969. tions of the Holy Bible, Catholic and
12 ' T P E A E O M E A R T H " i;NTEZ( N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F J E H O V A H ' S W I T N E S S E S
Protestant, there have appeared dates ac-
cording to the chronology of the noted
Irish Anglican prelate, Archbishop James
Ussher (1581-1656 C.E.) . Ussher's date
for man's creation is 4004 B.C.E. By this
reckoning six thousand years or six'mil-
lenniums of man's existence would end
in the autumn of the coming year of
1996 C.E. after which the seventh millen-
nium of man's existence wo.dld start.
More recently earnest researchers of the
Holy Bible have made a recheck of its
chronology. According to their calculations
the six millenniums of mankind's life on
earth would end in the mid-seventies. Thus
the seventh millennium from man's cre-
ation by Jehovah God would begin mithirr
less than ten years.
Apart from the global change that
present-day world conditions Indicate is
fast getting near, the arrival of the sev-
enth millennium of n~an's existence on
earth suggests a gladsome change for war-
stricken humankind. According to the first
two chapters of the 93oly Bible man and
woman were created toward the close of
the sixth creative day. We are now liviag
in the seventh creative day, and on this
seventh day Jehovah God haas been rest-
ing from earthly creation. To run paralie1
with this resting of Gcsd oil his seventh
creative day, he gave the Ten Command-
ments to his prophet Moses, in the fourth
one of which God commanded. that his
chosen, people should rest on the seventh
day of the week. (Exodus 20:8-11) That
day was therefore the weekly sabbath day,
the day of desistance from human toil.
The Lord Jesus Christ, the yrospective
Prince of Peace, pointed forward to a
greater Sabbath Day. Pointing forward to
this, he said on a certain weekly sabbath
day when he came under criticism: "Lord
of the sabbath is what the Son of man is,"
(Matthew 12:l-8) He was ref?rring t o his
peaceful reign of a thousand years. Jeho-
vah God measures human affairs accord-
ing to a tho~~sand-year-length rille, He in-
spired the prophet Moses to write, in
Psalm 9 0 ~ 4 : "A thousand years are in
your eyes but as yesterday 'when it is
past." He also inspired the Christian apos-
tle Peter to write: "One day is with the
Lord as a thousand years? and a thousand
years as one day," (2 Peter 3:8, AV) In
prophetic vision the apostle John saw Sa-
tan the Devil and his demons bound and
abyssed for a thousand years, during which
t h o u s a ~ dyeaas Jesus Christ reigned with
his victorious disciples o\7er all mankind.
(Revelation 5:9, 10; %0:1-9) So, accord-
ing to God's viewpoint of time, that thou-
sand years of his Son Jesus Christ would
correspond with merely ""one day."
In order for the Lord Jesus Christ to be
"Lord even of the sabbath day," his
thousand-year reign :vould have to be the
seventh in a series of thousand-year pe-
ricds or millenniums. (Matthew 1 2 ~ 8AV) ,
Thus it would be a sabbatic reign, Since
early ira the existence of mankind Satan
the Devil has been on the loose, making
the human family to toil in hard bondage,
causing the earth to be filled with violence
before the global Good of Noah's day and
inducing the same old earth to be filled
with even greater violence today. Soon
now six millenniums of his wicked exploit-
ir,g of maskind as his slaves will end, with-
in the lifetime of the generation that has
witnessed world events since the close of
the Gentile Times in 1914 till now, accord-
ing to the prophetic words of Jesus in
Matthew 24: 34. Woe;ld not, then, the end
ofssix rnille~niumsof rnankind.'~laborious
enslavement under Satan the Devil be the
fitting time for Jehevah God to usher in
a Sabbath millennium for all his human
ereatures"bes, indeed! And his Xing Je-
sus Christ will be Lord of that Sabbath.
In ancient times, when God's chosen
peopie %rereunder the Ten Commandments
given through his prophet Pdoses, the
weekly sabbath was a peaceful day. To
agree with God's 0m7n desistance from
earthly work on his seventh creative day,
his people were under divine command to
desist from the hard work of the preced-
ing six days, likewise their domestic ani-
mals. (Exodus 2@:1-91) In like manner
Christ's sabbatic reign for a thousand
years will be a peaceful .time for this earth
and its inhabitants. It will be a time of
rest from all the warfare and violence of
the previous six millenniums. Swords, sym-
bolic of rnmrderov.s warfare, will have been
beaten into plowshares, and spears into
pruning hooks for the grapevines. Life
IN A L L PARTS O F THE WORLD IN 1969 13

apply. Why? In order that the hu-

man survivors of the "war of the
great day of God the Almighty"
may use their plowshares and prun-
ing hooks in transforming this war-
scarred earth into the glorious
Paradise that Jehovah God told
man originally to make it. (Gen-
esis 1:26-28; 2:8-14) God's word
will not return to him void, unful-
filled. No, but under the thousand-
year reign of his Son Jesus Christ
Group arriving on chartered plane from Netherlands to this entilre earth will be cultivated
attend the New Pork assembly; at least 45 chartered into an everlasting Paradise filled
planes brought delegates from abroad with liberated, perfected human
creatures. Within that seventh
will not be dull in that restful millennia1 sabbatic millennium the King and Lord of
sabbath. It will not be a time of idleness. the sabbath day will undo all the work of
The Sabbath Lord, Jesus Christ the King, that greatest of all peace disturbers, Sa-
will not be idle, neither will he let his tan the Devil.-Luke 23:43.
earthly subjects be idle. As under the operation of the Ten Com-
Why was it that Jesus Christ, when on mandments among God's ancient chosen
earth as a Jew under the Ten Command- people all violators of the sabbath day
ments, did so many of his miraculous were killed, so those not rendering obe-
works on the weekly sabbath day, healing dience to the Lord of the coming sabbath
the sick and the crippled? Not only to millennium and disturbing the peace will
show that it was right to do good on the be destroyed. (Numbers 15:32-36; Exodus
sabbath. It was also to foreshadow how, 31:13-17) After Satan the Devil and his
during his sabbatic reign, he will deliver demons are let loose from the abyss and
humankind from bondage to Satan the once again try to disturb the peace of our
Devil and his demons and relieve them earth, they will be destroyed, and with
of the deadly effects of the sin and imper- them all those who try again to make this
fection inherited from our first human earth a battlefield, a war arena. (Reve-
parents, Adam and Eve. War and violence lation 20:7-10, 15) Those who keep peace
during the past six millenniums have with God will remain in the Paradise earth
brought millions of humans to untimely as its eternal caretakers.
death and the grave; but the Lord of the Then it will not be necessary to take
Sabbath, Jesus Christ, will bring up the a rocket to the moon to find a peaceful
thousands of millions of dead humankind planet, for then the prayer in behalf of
from the graves, exactly as he prophesied the Greater Solomon, Jesus Christ the
that he would do. (John 5 :28,291 It was no King, will be fulfilled, as recorded in Psalm
mere idle phrase when his truthful apostle 72:7: "In his days the righteous one will
Paul wrote that God's sabbath law had a sprout, and the abundance of peace until
"shadow of the good things to come." the moon is no more.'' That peace will
-Hebrews 10:1; Colossians 2 :16, 17. never end, any more than the moon. The
earthly peace thus established and main-
PLOWSHARES, PRUNING HOOKS FOR PARADISE tained during the Messiah's sabbath of a
Already, even during this war-endan- thousand years will continue on forever.
gered time, Jehovah's Christian witnesses Jehovahys Christian witnesses of today
have conformed to the prophecy of Isaiah are joyfully preparing for that approach-
2:4 and beaten swords into plowshares ing peace of a thousand years. who
and spears into pruning hooks. After the yearn to enjoy that foretold "peace on
universal war of Har-Magedon and the earth for men whom [God] favours" are
binding and abyssing of Satan and his heartily invited to join them in getting
demons, this prophecy will continue to ready for that blessed millennium of peace.
 1 en before the release of the new
' "ATPyster'~ of God" hook. Who
are the enemies of man's gain-
ing peace with God?
The speaker wasted no time
in answering this question. "The
most strenuous enemies of peace
with God today," he said, "are
hypocritical followers of Jesus
Christ, so-called Christians, par-
ticularly their religious clergy,
<r Catholic, Qrtnodox and Protes-
On this happy occasion it beconies very appropriat,e to intro-
duce to you the new publication of the Watch Tower Bible tant." But also included among
those enemies of wan's gaining
& Tract Societ'y of Pennsylvania,, this 384-page homld book with peace with God are the godless
the title 'Then Is Finished the radical elements of earth.
Nystery of God.' " contain messages to the "angels" What are the final woes crpon
This thrilling announcemellt responsible for the congregations these enemies? These final noes
came after the adoption by the of these sealed ones. come upon them in connection
vast audience of a strongl.lf word- h'est, the slgnificance of the riith the proclamation coneern-
ed Declaration against Christen- sounding of the series of seven ing God's kingdom and the ac-
dom a n d in favor of the king- symbolic trlirimpeta i s taken up. tion that i t takes in crushing
dom of God. These trumpet blasts a r e shown all of its opposers out of exis-
to be a calling attention to the tence. "Both to Christendom and
The Book's Arresting Title secret things of God, things to radical elements," the speaker
w h a t is the '"mystery of God" which have now been revealed exclaimed, "the preaching of
mentioned in the book's title? to God's servants, and which God's vengeance has been dev-
And n7hat is the point in time things are now occurring or will astating and painful like the
sig.nified by "then"?-Rev. 10: yet Occur in the future. effects produced by heavenly
7, AB. I n proceeding to its conclu- ailgels soundi~lg loud trumpets!
Without mincing matters the sion, the book describes the as described in JiLevelation, chap-
new book supplies the answers, birth of God's lIessianic Iring- ters eight through eleven."
offering in evidence the Scrip- dom, and clearly identifies the What proves to be the final
tures themselves and the facts earthig foes of this heavenly woe npon God's enemies? the
fulfilling Bible prophecy. I t ex- government. speaker asked. "It is the 'king-
plains : -" 'The mystery of God' dom of our Lord and of his
'Vind Woes to Enemies Christ,' " he answered. By means
proves to be the Xessianic king-
dom of pod in which the mys- of Peace with God" of His kingdom Almighty God
terious seed' of 'the woman' The above is the title of the v i l l clean all wicked opposers
snoken of in Genesis 3 3 5 must stirring discourse that was giv- from the eartli.
~ -
With the arrival of the year
1914 C.E. an& God's time for
Christ Jesus to assume office
a s king, the mystery was brought
to a finish by the installatiou of
thn Atessianic kingdom of God.
Its Bthdatimg Contents
The "kIysier.&,~of God" h001i.
i s a gripping verse-by-verse dis-
cussion of the first thirteen chap-
ters of Revelation. It opens ap-
propriately with the vision of
God recorded in Revelation chap-
ter four. Then jt mores on 10
chapters fire a n d six, which
speak of a mysterious scroll
sealed with seven seals. It i s
shown that the scroll contains
the things that have long been
secret in connection with God's
foreknowledge. Thus, with t h e
opening of each of its seals,
there i s a revealing of these
things that God has foreknown.
After discussing the 144,000
sealed ones, the book goes back
t o a coverage of the first three
chapters of Revelation, which book fresh from the printing press
Ewdslaeets for C6Mystey"
 At each of the "Peace on Earth" assem-
blies around the earth in 1969, Jehovah's
witnesses are taking the occasion to set
forth the following Declaration of their
position and attitude in this most tur-
bulent period of human history:
P E A C ~ with the Creator of heaven
and earth, by means of his long-promised
kingdom of his Messiah-this is what we
hold to be the key to an enduring peace for
all the world of mankind. When we keep
our peace with God, we can never be a t war
with our neighb~rswho are fellow crea-
tures of God; peace with ~ o and d peace
with ouy fellowman go together. In order to
be children of God and loyal subjects of his
Messianic kingdom we are obliged to be
peacemakers. (Matt. 5:9) We therefore
disclaim all connection with the professed
Christian realm known as Christendom, for
her history proves her to be a fomenter of
carnal warfare between even fellow reli-
gionists, staining her skirts with their
blood. She has persecuted with torture and
violent death those1who have differed from
her in religious conscience. She has not
promoted the interests of ~ o d ' sMessianic
kingdom, notoriously failing in this regard
since the outbreak of World War I in 1914.
We can have no part with her, for it is now
clearly manifest that the judgments of God
as expressed in the Holy Bible are against
Christendom and will shortly be executed
upon her.
The types of political government that
obtained previously down till the world
conflict of 1914-1918 have faile!d to main-
tain the stability of the world of mankind.
Since then world revolution in favor of
radical forms of government has been at-
tempted and is still being pursued. Much of
earth's population has been brought under
Communist domination, to a large extent
unwillingly and not by free popular vote.
The issue of whether to have a revolution
and establish a radical government has
been hurled in among the restless people.
We, however, still maintain as heretofore
our strict Christian neutrality toward the
15
political controversies of this world. From
the start we have pointed to the written
Word of God to show that long life with
peace and prosperity will never be brought
by radical political governments of men
who are not a t peace with God. According
to the unerring prophecies of God's Word,
political radicalism must fail as a world
remedy-
We will continue to disapprove of the
dividing Up of the religious people into cler-
gY and laity- We have the Bible behind us
in this position. The clergy and exalted re-
ligious leaders of Christendom have fallen
short of their obligations toward people
who look to them/to guide them into peace-
ful relationship with God. Once holding a
heaven-high position in which they could
have shone like stars with spiritual enlight- f
enment for their parishioners, they have
fallen to earthly, materialistic levels, lack-
ing real spiritual uplift. They have brought
no life-sustaining refreshment to Christen-
dom, not to say the rest of mankind. They
have made bitter the potion ,that they have
caused their people to drink, both by their
sectarian doctrines and by the course in
life into which they have directed the peo-
ple. Because of this embitterment spiritual
death has resulted to untold numbers.
We hold fast to the declaration that
Christianity, not Christendom, is "the light
of the world." As dedicated, baptizedchris-
tians we recognize our united obligation to
serve as "the light of the world." (Matt. 5:
14-16) This obligation we, as ~ehovah's
witnesses, will continue to discharge by
preaching and teaching His written Word.
In this Scriptural manner we shall keep on
trying to brighten the darkness for as
many Persons as possible in ~hr.istendom,
which the clergy and high religious leaders
have failed to enlighten spiritually or to
bring into the light of God's favor.
We recognize Jesus Christ as our God-
given religious Liberator. He has released
us from religious subjection and deadness
under Babylon the Great, the world empire
of false religion, including Christendom. In
16 "PEACE O N EARTH" INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
-
his own days on earth Jesus Christ spared
not the religious feelings of the men who
claimed to be God's ordained teachers and
guides of the people. In imitation of him,
we cannot hold back from pointing out to
the trusting people of Christendom the de-
linquency of their clergy and other reli-
gious leaders before God. Even though this
hurts the religious sensibilities of those re-
ligious leaders and is a woe to them, we
shall continue to do this as long as we live
and they are around in influential positions
over Christendom. We will not join them in
putting our hope and trust in any man-
made international organization for world
peace and security, but will continue to
declare the doom of such organization.
We hold ourselves a t God's disposal for
his service at any time according to his ap-
pointment. He has untied us, loosed us
from captivity to Babylon the Great, the
figurative mistress of the Euphrates River.
Our religious liberty being due to Jehovah
God through Jesus Christ, we must use it
in harmony with his will a t this most cru-
cial time in human history. In obedience to
his Holy Bible we confess ourselves to be
under orders to reveal to the people that
there is no possibility for spiritual life now
and everlasting life in the future in or by
means of Christendom. She spells spiritual
death for her tremendous church member-
ship now and literal death for them in the
fast-approaching "day of vengeance on'the
part of our God." We Christian witnesses
of Jehovah are few in comparison with the
977,383,000 members of Christendom. But
God has increased our capabilities as pub-
lishers of his present-day message a hun-
dredfold, yes, double that. Through his own
earthly organization he has supplied us
Regular family Bible discussion and meeting attendance unite Witness families
hundreds of millions of printed pieces of
literature, Bibles, books, booklets, maga-
zines, tracts, as vehicles for us to ride in
spiritual warfare against the strongholds
of error in spiritually dead Christendom.
By means of .these myriads of publicity ve-
hicles we shall carry out to the end our du-
t y to declare the "day of vengeance on the
part of our God," as a "woe9' to Christen-
dom.
Mankind's only hope for peace, happi-
ness, prosperity, life, yes, resurrection of
the dead, is God's Messianic kingdom. Hap-
py is our privilege to announce to all na-
tions the establishment of that kingdom in
the heavens at the end of the Gentile Times
in 1914. We join our voices with those in
heaven in saying that the kingship of the
world of mankind has become the kingship
of our Lord God Jehovah and of his Mes-
siah or Christ. We publicly thank Him that
he has taken his great power and begun his
everlasting reign by his Messiah, his Son
Jesus.
We know that this kingdom means final-
ly a disastrous woe to the political nations
a t the climax of the day of God's ven-
geance, but we will not fear their wrath
because of this. Loyally we will, to the end,
give our unqualified allegiance to God's
Messianic kingdom. We will obey our reign-
ing King Jesus Christ and carry out fur-
ther his command to preach "this good
news of the kingdom" everywhere for a
witness to all the nations until their end
comes. We will without letup turn teach-
able people to God's Messianic kingdom for
realization of the hope of 'glory to God in
the highest with peace on earth forever for
his men of good will.'
 Practical Suggestions
for ~arnilJLiving

In a world in which many families are plagued with disunity, in attendance, he pointed out that
problems and even tragedies, Jehovah's organization consid- television, radio and the faster
modes of travel have played a
erately set aside a portion of the assembly program t o present part in it. Years ago parents and
timely information t o parents their young ones did things to-
on family living. of parents to face the problems gether. Today in the world they
of their children realistically. Do go their separate ways.
A Wholesome Home all Christian parents have the What can young Christians do
"Is My Home Wholesome?" courage and take the time to to avoid this generation gap? The
was the subject of the first talk, provide a firm and loving guide speaker explained that Bible
discussed from the standpoint of that is needed so desperately by principles form an excellent bul-
the parents. The speaker stressed their children in these critical wark against this danger. Use
that a wholesome home is one in times?-this‘ was the question. them to decide on recreation and
which the members of the family Demonstrations were presented associations. The speaker also
have a genuine interest in one that enabled the audience to see highlighted the need to show
another as persons. True, they how a child's confidence could be respect for mature persons be-
have different likes, dislikes, gained by taking time to discuss cause of their experience. They
problems, feelings and desires, problems in an understanding can benefit young folks. 'Make
yet they enjoy being together. TO way. The speaker emphasized friends with older persons,' he
have such a wholesome home, the that permissiveness will not en- told them, 'and do not stick just
father must take the lead in a courage confidence and that dis- with young folks!
loving way and exercise empathy. cipline is vital.
By doing things together a Rights o r Duties-Which?
family is drawn more closely to- Divided Households This hour part of the program
gether and loyalty develops. The final part of the sympo- was truly deli.ghtfu1 and so rele-
sium drew the audience's atten- vant to the times in which we
Communication Between Mates tion to the subject "A Faithful live. The speaker informed the
The second part of the sym- Course in a Divided Household." audience that the Bible does not
posium dealt with the subject The key point stressed by the stress rights but duties. Hence,
'LAs Husband and Wife, Do We speaker was that Witnesses who Christians should not think that
Communicate?" I n this talk, the live in divided households should because something is common
need was highlighted of married manifest godly qualities and ad- they may insist on such "rights."
persons' c o m m u n i c a t i n g with here to Bible principles. By doing A highly interesting demon-
each other so as to deal under- this, Jehovah's infiuence is in- stration was presented that en-
standingly with each other. c r e a s e d in such homes. I t abled the audience to grasp the
The speaker underscored the promotes household peace and point of rights and duties. I t
fact that communication is made mutual understanding. dealt with a father handling the
easier when there is love, because A believer's respectful loyalty matter of his son's growing long
it means that there is genuine to Jehovah's principles is a fine hair and a beard. I t was inter-
concern for each other. To com- recommendation of Bible truth esting to hear the youth's at-
municate effectively one needs to to a n unbeliever. Yet the believer tempts to justify hi$ course of
speak, hear and observe. Yes, should understand the feelings of action, especially his argument
i t means talking things over so his unbelieving mate and that that beards were worn in Bible
that one can know what is on the changes the truth brings may times. His father explained why
the mind of one's mate. disturb him. He might feel a the Israelites wore beards. I t
The speaker warned against loss and may resist in fear of was because cutting their hair
barriers to communication such losing what he has. Always keep would have made them look like
as stubbornness, pride, anger the lines of communication open, their pagan neighbors who cut
and depression. He also warned said the speaker to believing their hair for their false gods.
against taking one's mate for marriage mates, and discuss your The father helped his son to
granted. Communication enables feelings and the reasons for your realize how his appearance was
a husband and a wife to enjoy actions. affecting the congregation It was
living together. I t builds and also affecting his opportunity
maintains warmth. Should There Be for privileges of service in the
a Generation Gap ? congregation. His long hair and
Getting Children What accounts for the genera- beard classified him with rebel-
to Confide in Parents tion gap ,today? ?hat was the lious groups.
The third speaker, discussing question posed by the one who This program strengthened us
the theme "Do Our Children Con- gave this timely talk. Directing all to seek to please our neigh-
fide in Us?", highlighted the need his remarks to the young folks bors in what is upbuilding.
17
 it is needed. This can create a
good spirit among the servants
because it shows that the over-
seer is not unreasonable in what
he expects of them.
I t was acknowledged that a n
overseer cannot do everything.
F o r that reason the overseers
were urged to train other ser-
vants so they can help them.

CONGREGATION To Work as a T e a m
Splendid counsel was given to
the ministerial servants by the
third speaker in the symposium.
He urged them to work a s a
team, each one giving "what is
T h e thousands of servants p r esent at t h e assenlbly benefited needed" just as is the case with
f r o m this three-part symposium t h e theme of which was help- the members of Christ's body.
i n g others in t h e congregation by exercisiiig 10,ving oversight. Teamwork among the servants
helps a congregation to be pro-
These were urged n o t just t o ficient in the ministry. (Eph,
tell others what t o do b u t to made to build u p , not tear down. 4:16) H e went on to emphasize
give help as it i s needed. H o w When this is done the visit of that, although the ministerial ser-
this c a n be done was denion- these brothers to a congregation vants may be of widely varying
can help to strengthen it. ages, different backgrounds and
strated repeatedly.
A further requirement for good either married or single, all
The conventioners learned that results
in the United States there are sel alongis with to give practical coun- should have the same goal of
31 district servants, 336 circuit stration of zeal a personal demon- caring for the spiritual welfare
servants, 5,365 overseers and ministry. in the field of the "sheep."
tens of thousands of ministerial I t was pointed out by the
servants. The three talks im- The speaker reminded the speaker that, since the assistant
congregation servant and Bible
pressed upon these servants their audience that district end circuit study servant, along with the
responsibility to provide "lowing servants a r e humans jcst a s they overseer, form the congregation
oversightv for the flock of God. are and should not be feared. committee, they have to make
I n carrying out that responsi- Fear prevents some publishers decisions that affect the lives of
bility much is required of them. from cooperating with them in
the ministry. So the speaker others. They, therefore, need to
Show Empathy said: "We can make their work be undelata?ldi?ig men. They must
use discernment. I n their efforts
-4ddressing the district and cir- more gratifying and joyful If to keep the congregation clean
cuit servants, the flrst speaker we cooperate with them" a s the they need to temper justice with
in the symposium urged them to Scriptures admonish a t Hebrews mercy. I n support of this the
understand the circumstances in 13:l'i. They would then be able speaker quoted James 2 3 3 .
the congregations they serve so to make their visit mc;re bene- Each ministerial servant was
they can manifest real empathy. ficial to individual publishers. admonished to be a slave to his
For them to get the best results, Overseers Colmseled brothers, diligently caring for his
h e said, there a r e several things
they need to recognize. One of Following this fine talk the duties, not in a mechanical may
these is that they must be ap- nest speaker in the symposium but with genuine love for the
proachable and available to the discussed the congregation ser- "sheep." They were encouraged
to visit the publishers in their
brothers and sisters. How else vant. H e pointed out that Jesus homes, work with them in the
can they exercise loving orTer- was the perfect model for the field, help them attend meetings
sight? Christian overseer. Like him the
and visit them when they are
District and circuit servants overseer must be first a servant sick. The servants need to un-
also need to have genuine appre- of Jehovah and second a servant derstand the personal problems
ciation for what the servants of his brothers.
are doing in the congregations The overseer, i t was stressed, of the brothers without intruding
in addition to discharging their needs to show loving consider- into personal lives.
responsibilities to their families ation a t all times. I n dealing with I n conclusion the speaker called
and secular employers. Such ap- matters he should ask himself: upon each servant and publisher
preciation is encouraging to the "What would be the loving wag to see his part in loving over-
servants and h e l ~ sto cultivate a to handle this?" sight and obedient submission.
wholesome attitcde. Gbod counsel was directed to To these servants he expressed
When counseling or working the overseer on how he can exer- the feelings of those under their
with the servants, publishers and cise loving oversight of the ser- care by saying: '(We deeply
pioneers, the district and circuit vants in the congregation. He appreciate the servants for their
servants need to be loving, the cannot accomplish this by just love and understanding. Are we
speaker said, not demanding and telling them what to do but not happy that we have such
harsh. Every effort ought to be rather by giving them help as men?"
 What a fine instrument to aid us all
to grow in understanding! This provi-
sion is the 544-page Erst volume of the
publication, Aid to B i b l e Understaqzditzg.
When conlpleted, the work v i l l contain
thousands of articles arranged alphabeti-
cally, beginning with "Aaron" and con-
tinuing on through "Zuzim."
J u s t think of the benefits of this pub-
lication! I n the complete work, the So-
ciety will endeavor to consider every
person, place, plant and creature men-
tioned in the Bible. Thus, whenever you
come across a Bible term t h a t is un-
familiar, or about which you are not
fully infor~ned,you will find i t very prof-
itable to look it up in this publication.
For example, say that you were read-
ing the Acts of the Apostles. Did you
realize that in this Bible boo!< alone
there a r e a t least 109 different geograph-
ical regions and places mentioned? Think
how much greater your appreciation of
the ministrr of Peter, Paul and other
faithful witnesses of that time can be if
you learn something about each of these
places and understand their relationship
to one another.
The new d i d volume was released a t
the conclusion of the hour talli "With
All That You Acquire, Acquire Under-
standing." At the outset the speaker not-
ed the tremendous explosion in man's
scientific lcnon~ledge in recent tiines, and
asked: "Has it led people to healthier,
happier, more secure, peaceful and pro-
ductive lives? Has i t helped man to get
along better with his neighbor?" Really,
i t has not..
Thus, an increasing number of persons
are looking elsewhere for answers. They
seek a guide to help solve the everyday
problen~sof life. Such a guide, the speak-
er observed, can be found in the Bible.
But people need to understand what they
rea.d.
T o assist in filling this need, prep-
aration of A i d t o B i b l e U?zdersfandi?tg
was undertaken. Five Sears ago, the
speaker explained, the Watch Tower So-
ciety began its preparation. Some 250
brothers in more than 90 countries mere
invited to contribute to the research in-
volved. Within the course of a year the
material they gathered was sent to the
headquarters of the Society. A special
staff then began the checking of this
material and doing much additional re-
search. Now, five years later, there is
still n ~ u c hwork to do.
One may wonder why such a time-
consuming project was undertaken. Are
there not many reference worlcs arail-
able today in the form of Bible com-
mentaries and dictionaries and other en-
cyclopedic publications? This is true, the
speaker acknowledged. But while these
works contain much that is helpful, they
also include much t h a t is unreliable,
inaccurate or even false.
I t mas pointed out that although older
reference works generally support the
Bible's authority, they often proceed on
the assumption of the reliahility of reli-
gious tradition3 and doctrines not men-
tioned in or supported by the Bible. So
a good portion of the material in these
publications is colored by sertarian doc-
trines and religious creeds. And in more
I ecent Bible dictionaries, the spealier
said, there is usually a trend toward
higher criticism. I n fact, in many of
these the accuracy of the Bible is openly
denied.
T h e spealier drew attention to a n ex-
ample of this in The I?tcerpt.eter's Bzble,
Volume 1, paqe 501. Comnienting on chap-
.
ter 3 of Genesis, i t states:
"Nan u-as forbidden on pain of death
to e a t of [the tree of life and the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil],
the reason for the prohibition being God's
fear that man, acquiring knowledge of
good and evil, might beconle like him
and, approaching too near his throne,
might endanger his suprenlacy. But the
serpent, a demon hostile to God, told
the truth. H e was thus no subtle tempter
but, in intention, a t least, a benefactor
of the human race."
What a contrast this is to what the
Bible teaches! The apostle Paul wrote
early Christians: "I am afraid that soale,-
h o ~ a, s the serpent seduced Eve by its
cunning, your minds might be corrupted
a w i y from the sincerity and the chas-
tity that are due the Christ." ( 2 Cor.
11 :3) Also, Jesus Christ called the orig-
inal serpent, Satan the ,?evil, a "liar
and the father of the lie, as well a s a
20 EfPEACEOM E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L A S S E M B L Y O F J E H O V A H ' S LVITNESSES
Not only in title, but in actuality, new book
proves itself "Aid t o Bible Understanding"
"n~anslayer." (John 5:44) He did not call him
a "benefactor of the human race."
The tendency in modern i.eference ri-orks i s
to discredit say interselition or direction of
matters by God.. The opinions and assertions of
worldly "authorities" frequently a r e held forth
in thern a s of greater reliability than I\-hat God
says in his Word. I n this regard, A i d t o Bible
lJndemtalzdi?~gdiffers from all other publications
of a simildr nature. For i t consistently accepts
the Bible a s the principal authority and is guided
by it.
The new d i d publication also is careful to
avoid the error that many reference works make
in giving exaggerated importance to archaeolog-
ical finds. It recognizes that many of the ar-
chaeologists' conclnsions a r e based on conjecture,
even imagination. How unwise, therefore, to try
to build understanding, conviction and faith on
a n archaeological foundation !
To illustrate this, the example call be cited of
Ezion-geber down by the Gulf of Aqabah. A
prominent archaeologist snine years ago rIaimed
to have uncovered here ruins of a huge ccopper-
smelting industry of King Solomon's time. This
interpretation of the evidence was accepted f o r
many years. But with the acculnulation of more
evidence the archaeologist acknowledged that his
interpretation was incorrect. The Bible itself
makes no mention of a. copper industry a t Ezion-
geber.
The editing staff of Aid to Siii7e U.~zdersta+zditzg
has endeavored to stay true to Bible facts, yet,
a t the same time, i t has taliea into account other
soi~rcesof infonnation. We can be happy indeed
to have a n aid that holds closely to God's Word
and builds tip our faith and confidence in it.
Demonstrathg Its TJse
During the evening 'session following the re-
Pease of the Aid book a n hour program demon-
strated various mays in which this new pul~lica-
tion can be used. Of course, the Society plans
for us to cove]. a t least its major subjects in the
Theocratic Ministry School nexi: year. But we
need not wait ulltil then to becorne acquainted
with this nem instrument.
Rather, n-e do well to familiarize onrselves
with its contents a s soon as possible. This can
be done simply by going through it, looking a t
each page, noting subject headings, pictures,
charts and maps. I n this may we will obtain a
colnprehensire view, and thus be alerted to use
it when needed. Next we might begin reading
articles that attract our attentltion.
The program enlploged two families to illus-
trate how n ~ a t e r i a l in the A i d volume can be
covered and profitably used. The father of one
family explained that during his lunch hoar he
piclcs out major articles to read, such as the
ones on Architecture ; Bank, Banker ; Bread ;
Cheese and Coppe:.. H e is able to ase information
from such articles in iucidentill 3-itnessinp to
fellow woixlrers.
I t was also noted t b a h h e n reading the daily
text a word may be a~entionedconcerning R-hich
one desires more infor~liation. F o r example, the
coilllnents or1 the test for July 9 speak-of An-
tioch a s the city to rrhich Paul r81irned after
/ his second nlissionary tour and from which he
bezan his third tom. One mav w o n d ~ rwhat hind
/ of -city this was that Par11 chose a s his "home
base.'.
The A i d book explains that i t was the third-
largest city in the Eoman Empire! I t was a
commercial center located on a ma.jor trade route.
('ertainly Paul e s e ~ e i s ~wisdom
d in choosing this
city. It reininds one of the present-day use by
the Watch To:ver Societv of the conlmercial
I center I\'ew YorIi citr fro& which to direct tile ~ ~
world-vide Icingdon1 preachiilg.
By means of demonstl-ation i t mas illustrated
how the l i d book can assist youths in preparing
school reports. For example; should a n assign-
ment be given to pregare a reQort on trees, there
are interesting Aid articles on Acacia, Almond,
,4gple, Balsam, Cassia, 1)aTe and Ebony trees
that might be utilized. And when false ideas are
presented in school, these can be corrected by
Aid articles such a s Alphabet ; Assyria ; Creation ;
Earth ; E g ~ p t ,Egyptian and Chronology.
Really, there is no end to the p~ofitableinfor-
mation in this scholarly new publication. If we
just remember to use i t when we desire addi-
tional or background infonnation on any Bible
snbject that arises on any occasion, Ire will in-
deed be greatly enlightened and benefited.
 Conventioners, a s they lis-
tened i o i h e talk entitled
"Peace w i t h C o d anlid t h e
'Great Tribulation,' " had t h e
privilege of taking a fresh look
at t h e vital, prophetic words
of Jesus recorded a t N a t t h e w
24 :3-22.
As the speaker developed his
theme i t became apparent that
a11 the events there mentioned
by Jesns had a literal applica-
tion upoil the Jewish nation.
And this led up to the "great
tribulation" experienced by Judea
and Jerusalem in the year 70
C.E. That "tribulation" did not
begin with General Cestius Gal-
lus' abortive attack on the city.
I t started when the le,'wioas un-
der General Titus closed in on
the city, completely cutting it
off from outside help an& lead-
ing on to its destruction.
But what of the duration of
the tribulation? I t mas "cut
short." (Matt. 24 2 2 ) I t as
very brief. In fact, history tells
us it lasted somewhat less than
six months. For the sake of his
"chosen ones," Jesus' follo\vers,
Jehovah did not permit Jeru-
salem's "great tribulation" even
to begin until his genuine wor-
shipers had hed beyond Jndea's
borders. Once that had taken
place, God permitted the execu-
tion of his purpose against
faithless Jewry to go forward
swiftly. Kot a long-drawn-out
carnage that would snuff out all
c~fthe besieged. So, because some
Jewish "flesh" was to survive.
And survive i t did, for some
97,000 Jews were carried off into
slavery. Not all Jewish 6'flesh''
perished in Jerusalem's tribu-
lation.
Another striking point made by
the speaker mas that there was
no real clividing point between
Jesus9 words a t verse 6 and
those a t verse 7. IIistory tells
us that Judeans of that time
not only heard reports of dis-
tant wars, but also were directly
involved in wars arid revolts.
But was Matthew 24:14 a n
exception, something to be ful-
filled only in a later age? No,
hecause the preaching of the
"good news" by those zealous
f i st-century
~ Christians spread
throughout all the then known
world. (Col. 1:23) That preach-
ing, the signal for flight from
Jerusalem, and the actual flight
beyond the Jordan, were all
events that must take place be-
fore the city would be enveloped
in her greatest of all tribula-
tions. And they all did take place.
A Modern AppEcatlom ?
I n view of this, are we wrong
in applying this entire prophecy
by Jesus to the period from 1914
C.E. to the battle of the great
day of God the Almighty? The
answer of the speaker mas, No!
Why?
First, because, in answer to
the three-part question, Jesus
mas also referring to the time
of his second "presence." (Matt.
24 :3) Further, the Gentile times
were to continue after Jerusa-
lem's destruction in 70 C.E. down
to 1914 C.E. (Luke 21 :24) Also,
it is to be noted that there were
other features of Jesus' proph-
ecy, running through to Mat-
thew 26:46, that were not ful-
filled a t Jerusalem's destruction
in 70 C.E. Thus i t becomes
c!ear that Jesus, in giving his
prophetic discourse, also had in
nliild something immensely bigger
than the destruction of literal
Jer~lsalem.He employed unfaith-
ful Jerusalem of his day a s a
type of the antitypical unfaith-
ful Jerusalem, namely, Christen-
dom. So what took place a s re-
gards Jerusalem and all Judea
nineteen hundred years ago tells
us about a modern application
now swiftly nearing its climax.
Notice how both periods have
been marked by the same fea-
tures, though the modern paral-
lel by inore far-reaching events
on a scale unprecedented in hu-
man history.
Now, though engulfed in the
ever-worsening anguish and dis-
tress that Jesus foretold, Chris-
21
tendom still faces the '"eat
tribulation." Hers will be a trib-
ulation that is bound to affect
her political associates and pa-
trons world wide.
So, what, then, is the "great
tribulation"? I t has not yet be-
gun. As the speaker declared:
"The 'great tribulation' such a s
will not occur again is yet
ahead, for it means t h e destmc-
tion of the world empire of false
religion (including Christendom)
followed by the 'war of the great
day of God the Almighty9 at
Armageddon against the political
allie;, of Babylonish false reli-
gion.
And how is the "great tribu-
lation" cut short? Not by being
cut in the middle, a s we once
thought, but by God's concen-
trating i t within a cut-short time
period. I t will not be a long-
drawn-out period of time, but
God can make it 'a swift work,'
a s the speaker said. H e can bring
an end to this wicked system
"in a speedy way, in no pro-
longed order.'' This will permit
the saving of 'some flesh,' since
ordinarily frail human 'flesh'
would, without divine protection,
be unable to endure the length-
ening too long of this ''great
tribulation."
With this more accurate urn-
derstanding of Jesus' prophetic
words a t Uatthew chapter 24,
ministers of God's Word will be
better equipped to enlighten
honest-hearted persons. Knowing
that Jesus' words had a literal
application upon Jerusalem and
Judea, they will be able to meet
the objection often expressed
that these conditions also existed
prior to the year 1914. They can
also encourage listeners with the
knowledge that 'not all flesh will
perish' in that "great tribulation."
Jehovah has in view those lovers
of truth and righteousness who
may be hid in the day of his
burning anger-people who may
survive and pepulate the earth,
which he made to be a paradise
home for obedient humans.
 A live two-hour
drama entitled "Let
No Man Ever Look
Down o n Your
Youth" vividly fo-
cused attention on the
problems confronting
yonths and parents and
their struggle to lead moral
and upright lives in today's
world.
The drama was the climax of
a n entire day devoted to young
people a t the "Peace on Earth"
International Assembly of Je-
hovah's Witnesses. I t was a day
filled with frank talks, engross-
ing discussions and demonstra-
tion% topped off by the drama,
in modern setting.
The Dl%Una and Its ckLaracters
The story centers principally
around five young persons. The
principal character, Tim, dem-
onstrates by his own course of
action and the coLlnsel that he
gives to Other young people
that there are those in God's
Organization who are good ex-
amp1es and who can be Illature
even though young in years. And
What a blessing it is to have
such youths among us today!
By way of contrast, parents
of two of the other youths in
the drama a r e shown to have
failed in their responsibility. The
result is that their youngsters
become involved in the world
and are disfellowshiped. These
parents demonstrated extremes
in parental care.
I n one instance, Molly, the
mother of the girl Diana, was
too permissive. On the other
hand, BUZZ'parents were overly
restrictive and tried to protect
him from the reality of life
itself. Both of these youngsters
had the fine association of youths
in the New World society, but
they did not appreciate it. Their
dress and language showed them
to be still worldly. They scoffed
a t making over their personal-
ities. Buzz was told that his
language was disrespectful. But
he laughs a t the counsel and
thinks himself smart, superior.
Diana, on the other hand, was
told that her short skirts and
familiarity with worldly boys
would lead to no good. But she
mastnrbation and re-
bellion were a l l
treated with frank-
ness.
The parents were
made to feel deeply
their responsibility as
Christians, that theirs is
he obligation to train and
guide their young in pathways
of righteousness, that this i s to
be done first by example, then
by counsel and guidance.
The congregation, too, through
i t s . servant body should stand
ever ready to help the youths in
the New World society. All of
this direction and concern should
be reinforced by means of a
failing to heed the sound counsel regular study of the Holy Scrip-
of God's Word! tures and the Society's publica-
tions. Those who take advantage
of these provisions a r e helped
to walk uprightly, serving a s
fine Christian examples during
these trying times.
Young people whose actions
resemble those of Buzz or Diana
mere warned that unless they
set out promptly to make se-
rious changes in their lives, they,
too, will be headed for certain
and serious trouble and ruina-
tion of their lives. "We cannot
toy with immorality in any form
and not eventually fall into sin,"
they were told. "The pressnres
of this system's corrupt stan-
dard are too great to resist if
~ v eincline a t all in that direc-
tion," was the clear warning.
A~ appeal was made to par-
ents not to wait for their child
to make a serious niistake be-
fore they realized that he needed
their help and love. "Pour chil-
dren a r e your responsibility.
Jehovah has placed that
responsibility your
among young people. I t did not they were
uphold or recomniend the s l a n g , cannot give that responsibility
and the bad speech used. The away, nor can i t be talren away
desirable language was expressed from you. So see that your chil-
by Tim and Cathy and their dren a r e marked with a Chris-
overseer Myron. tian personality before Armaged-
The point of the drama was ~ Q Ustrikes.-Ezek. 9:,5, 6.
to spotlight the problerns facing
youth, and this it did. The dan- A Close RdationsMp Needed
gers of drug addiction in schools Cultivate a warm and confi-
flashed frighteningly before the dential relationship with your
' parents' eyes. The smoking of children. Teach them to take yoc
marijuana by teen-agers, steal- into their confidence. If you hare
ing, homosexuality, fornication, this loving understanding, p c
22
have gained a great treasure.
Cherish it. Use it to their last-
ing good.
The work of parents and ser-
vants in the Christian congre-
gation i s not to take children
out of this world by over-
shielding them, Their job is to
keep children from becoming a
part of the world's system. This
can be done, not only by teach-
ing them the principles of God's
Word and how to make right
decisions, but also by setting
before them a true Christian
example. I t is important that
their lives be filled with whole- '
some activity and their minds
occupied with matters that are
morally strengthening. Also, show
them the dangers of toying with
any kind of immorality.
Parents were counseled to in-
form their children about the
dangers of masturbation or self-
abuse. "In almost 100 percent
of those cases of homosexuality
uncovered in the congregations,
those involved had first fallen
victims of the practice of habit-
ual self-abuse, many from early
childhood," it was pointed out
devote energy to Jehovah's aervice
at Watahbwer pfinting plant
to the aqdience. "This
can be prevented or
cured," they were told.
When you return home
from this assembly, why
not sit down with your
and study the
"Questions from Read-
ers" in the September
1, 1959, Watclbtower,
which deals with self-
abuse? Also study the
articles on self-control
in the July 1967, is-
sue of The Watchtower.
Look up all the scrip-
tures and talk about
their application to the
problems a t h a n d
'If what you have
seen in the last couple
Of hours appears
what Overplayed Or ex-
aggerated,' the nar-
rator of the drama,
'well, i t wasn't.' I n fact,
it barely suggests the
extent .of the problems
encompassing youth to-
day. The raw makes good use of Bible
details a r e too
shocking t o
ence heard as the narrator sum-
portray on stage. There-
fore, parents were cau-marized the drama in a fourteen-
Honed not t o minimize minute conclusion. "Don't ever
the reality of youth's make the mistake of thinking he
problems at hand and [God] has lost sight of you or
the depth, of the cor- has forgotten you. Not unless you
ruption of this wicked have forgotten him or have tried
system of things, What to get away from his sight."
the apostle Paul wrote Youths were encouraged to es-
to the Bomans (1:26- tablish a close, personal rela-
32) applies. in every tionship with Jehobah, to go to
detail today, and the him regularly in prayer, to seek
young a r e involved. God's mind on everything and
always ask 'themselves before
comton ~ , , d ~Care
s becoming involved, "Would Jesus
Never stop growing do this'"
spiritually. Never stop I n closing, the speaker de-
%cognizing the need to clared: "So, all you fine young
use your minds wisely, men and women in Jehovah's
t assem- organization, listen to the apos-
the ~ o u e h a the
bu were told, because tle Paul, who was like a father
the ,mind and heart are to Timothy, and to you too. Lis-
,
the sources of your ten carefully to what he said:
'Let no man ever'look down on
(Matt' 15:18; your youth. On tile contrary, be-
prov. 5:1r 2 , And re- come a n example to the faithful
member, God cares. He ones in speaking, in conduct, in
is interested in every love, in faith, in chasteness.' And
one of the youth who Jehovah will certainly bless you
turns to him, the audi- richly as you do."
 A Goad Time To Be Baptized
This "'Peace on Earth" Inter-
national Assembly was a splen-
did time for newly dedicated per-
sons to be baptized. Since a n
international assembly is a n es-
ceptional event for Jehovah's
witnesses, i t is fine to have i t
associated with one's baptism.
To the baptism candidates
gathered in a roped-off section
of seats a t this "Peace on Earth"
assembly a speaker directed corn-
ments about mhat they had done
so a s to be there and of the re-
sponsibilities resting upon them.
He observed that home there may
have had to alter their way of
life to briiiq it into harmony
with God's high moral require-
ments.
Having recognized that Chris-
tians follow the pattern set by
Jesus with regard to baptism,
these lovers of righteousness had
proceeded to take the steps t h a t
lead to baptism. After complet-
ing the required course of study,
they approached the congregation
overseer a n d expressed their de-
sire to be baptized. I l e began
to review them on the basic
teachings of the Bible a s out-
lined in t h e '*Lampv book to see
if they were qualified. This was
a beneficial procedure a s it as-
sured that they knew what they
were doing and were qualified
to be acknowledged a s ministers
of Jehovah God.
A brief demonstration showed
how the overseer had done this.
Those in the audience who had
not as yet been baptized were
thus able to see mhat the review
involves.
Congregation sewant sevimvs basie Bible teachings
wit11 baptismall carneli&te&es
A Serious Step
The speaker reminded the can-
didates that baptism is a serious
step because of its meaning. I t
signifies the ordination of those
baptized. I t marks them a s min-
isters of Jehovah God. This does
not mean, the speaker observetl,
that their ordination comes from
the one doing the baptizing or
from the Watch Tower Societr.
I t comes from Jehovah God. That
he has ordained them is indicated
11s the fact that his organization
has accepted them a s being quali-
fied and has baptized them.
H e emphasized the fact that
Jehovah expects those who prom-
ise to serve him faithfully a s
his ministers to fulfill that prom-
ise. This is a 'easonable ex-
pectation in view of all the
benefits that come from him.
(Ps. 116 :12) Regularly engaging
in the ministry is a very im-
portant way to show theg are
keeping their promise. The speak-
e r also remarked that once they
a r e baptized a l l of Jehovah's
witnesses can in a full sense call
them "brothers" and "sisters"
because they become God's '"en
of good will."
After answering Yes to the two
questio~lsput to all candidntcs
for baptism, they and the audi-
ence bowed their heads in prayer.
Then they proceeded to the place
for their baptism. The closing
words of the speaker expressed
the feelings of the thousands
who ~ a t c h e dand listened : "We
a r e verg- happy for you and
wish Jehovah's blessing on you
throughout eternity."
24
I .,,,,,,,
BIBLE QUESTlONS
W get-together in the home of
a n overseer was the setting for
a discnssion of Bible questions.
The question of whether a
Christian would attend a church
funeral came up. I t mas shown
that various factors must be
weighed. For instance, a wife in
a dil-idetl household would have
to consider her husband's heacl-
ship, jnst a s Kaaman considered
his orders from the Syrian king.
("'2. 5 :18) B u t the dangers of
attending were emphasized, in-
cluding the pressure to share in
idolatry and the possibility of
stumbling others. (Phil. 1:lo)
As a n alternative to attending,
visiting the bereaved a t the
funeral parlor or a t their home
was mentioned.
The next question dealt with
the meaning of the prayer: "Do
not bring us into temptation."
(Matt. 6:13) James 1:I3 was
cited as evidence that Jehovah
does not try anyone mith evil.
I t was concluded that Bod does
"not bring us into temptation"
in that he alerts u s to tempta-
tion and he strengthens us so
we can avoid or endure it.
When discussing the proper
attitude toward a member of
one's family who is disfellow-
shiped, stress was laid on the
counsel a t 2 John 9-11. I t
was explained that even if the
disfellowqhiped person was in
the sanie household, such a s one's
wife, spiritual fellowqhip would
cease. And if the disfellowshiped
~ l a t i v ewas outsicle the house-
hold, then Me faithful Christian
would not want to talk to that
one a t all. There might be some
rare and absolzrfcll~ necessary
family business, but the Chris-
tian would bear in mind the re-
quirement to 'qnit mising in
compahy with such a one.'
The final question clealt mith
the exciting prophecy about the
"king of the north" a n d the
"king of the s o ~ ~ t h . A11
" mere
reminded that the Bible does not
allow for a nuclear World War
111 tinat would destroy humanity.
Rather, Daniel shows that these
two "kings" will exist down till
Armageddon. (Dan. 11:45 : 8 :25)
But for Christians there yet re-
mains the vicious attack of Gog
of Magog. They %,ill need to en-
dure that attack with God's help.
organization. Can you share
m o r e fully in this final in-
gathering w o r k ? C a n you en-
large y o u r privileges of ser-
vice? These were questions
set squarely before t h e a,,ssem-
bly delegates during n very
thought-provoking program.
The Call to Pioneer
I n the half-hour talk "The
Call to Pioneer-A Grand Per-
sonal Opportunity," the speaker
explained that the number of
publishers in Jehovah's organi-
zation had )swelled to a peak
of 1,221,504 in 200 lands. Just
last year nearly 83,000 persons
were baptized, he said. How
different from the churches of
Christendom where clergymen
by the hundreds a r e leaving the
ministry! P e t there is still a n
urgent need for full-time work-
ers in Jehovah's organization.
There a r e many counties with
populatioris of over 10,000 that
a r e unassigned, he said. And ac-
cording to the Society's service
office : "There a r e congregations
that a r e urgently in need of
help. .. . There is still much
work to be done in this country"
for those who can make room
for the pioneer service.
So there is a grand personal
opportunity to share more fully
in God's service. The call to
pioneer is still being extended.
Jehovah God himself is issuing
the invitation. Appreciate the
grand opportunity, the speaker
urged, and act now. If i t is a t
all possible, enter the pioneer
work.
Staying in Fdl-Time Service
Responding to the call of the
full-time service, however, is on-
ly the first step. I n the following
talk, "How to Stay in Full-Time
Service," the speaker explained
that i t takes real determination,
personal organization and plan-
ning to stay i n it.
Full-time service is not for
lazy persons, i t was stressed. I t ther should we look down on
'equires initiative. One must common labor if i t can support
plan a schedule of a ~ t i v i t yand us in the full-time service.
stick to it. The speaker sug-
gested getting a n early start in Enlarging Our Privileges
the day ; also putting in 30 hours Regardless of whether our cir-
a week early in the month. This
cumstances allow us to pioneer,
will assure exceeding the 100- we can all have a n increased
hour-a-month goal. By doing share in the ministry. This was
this, he said, a pioneer will be the point stressed in the next
able to meet his goals should half-hour discourse, "Enlarging
sickness or other circumstances Our Privileges of Service in the
interfere with his serrice later Time Remaining."
in the year. I t was pointed out t h a t per-
The speaker pointed to the haps we can put full davs in the
ministry on a regular basis. May-
be, too, we can vacation pioneer
a t times during the year. Or
we might find that we can move
to a place where the need for
ministers is greater.
Also, we can increase our ef-
fectiveness in the ministry. Es-
pecially can we improve in our
teaching ability, the speaker
said. Perhaps we can take on
another Bible study by conduct-
ing two in a n evening.
The time remaining is very
short, the speaker emphasized.
We should want to do all we
can to assist sheeplike ones to
God's place of safety before i t
Will and Editha Pohl, when is too late.
teen-agers, were in concen-
tration camp for their What Is Pour Sqcurity?
faith; have persevered
The course of life m e pur-
in full-time service sues reveals to what he looks
since 194'7 for security. I s i t money and
the things money can buy, or
is i t God's promise of everlast-
wise counsel of the pioneer J& ing life? The half-hour talk
sus, who said 'not to be anxious "What Is Your Security-Pour
over material needs but to seek Home? Your Bank Account?
the Kingdom first.' (Matt. 6: Your Job?" raised direct ques-
3133) True, he observed, ob- tions for each one in the au-
taining suitable part-time work dience to answer personally.
to provide needed income is often
a big hurdle. Yet there a r e many How much time and interest
possibilities for employment- are you giving toward a home?
sewing, cleaning, painting, wash- the speaker asked. Are you con-
tinually concerned with improv-
ing windows, and so forth. ing it, wanting the latest fur-
The apostle Paul, he noted, nishings, and so forth? Are you
did not consider sewing tents discontented and trying to keep
beneath his dignity in order to up with the Joneses?
support himself in the ministry, Maybe, he added, you plan to
despite his legal abilities. Nei- buy a home, thus burdening
 26 " P E A C E ON E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L . A S S E M B L Y O F J E H O V A H ' S W I T N E S S E S

But Jonah reasoned: "Why,

that's a 500-mile journey across
the desert! .
. . What benefit
could possibly come from going
up there to that city filled with
bloodshed? . . I know what .
I'll do! I'll get a s f a r from
Nineveh a s I can get. I'll go first
to the port of Joppa. There ...
I can find a ship going to Tar-
shish."
At this point the circuit ser-
vant interrupted to ask: "Par-
ents, a r e you overprotective and
actually putting your son or
daughter on the road to Joppa?
.
Are you . . instilling in them
a Jonah-like attitude, t h a t a n as-
signment outside of your sphere
of influence might be too bur-
densome for them? . . .
"Or perhaps you're a n inter-
ested [but undedicated] person
who has been studvine for auite
Bemo Burczyk has stayed with his service some time, alreidyY speaking
about the truth of God's king-
assignment at Brooklyn Bethel for over 45 years dom . ..
You, too, could be
following a Jonah-like course. . ..
yourself with monthly payments. money and the things that i t "Will you [who have recently
Will you still be able to put can buy? There is only one wise graduated from school] seriously
Kingdom interests first? Can you course to take, the speaker con- and fully travel on the road to
forgo a new home a n d perhaps cluded, and that is to listen to Nineveh, as commanded? Or will
serve where the need is greater? God's Word and trust in Him you get on the road to Joppa, in
h e asked. Which would really for security. order to become less involved in
provide the most lasting secu-
Are You a Modern-Day Jonah?
the service of the ICingdom? ...
rity? "Think, those of you who are
Advertisements of the world To sum up these points and planning to enter into the mari-
say real security is a financial drive them home to the audience, tal arrangement. . . Where will
"nest egg," a substantial bank a penetrating hour-and-thirty- your marriage be leading you?
.
account. But is i t really? The five minute drama was presented To a settled foundation anchored
speaker pointed to the instabil- that assisted each one to e s - into a modern home and its
ity of the economy, and how alnine his own attitude t o ~ a r d comforts that you really cannot
fast the value of money can Jehovah's service. The experi- afford?
disappear. H e asked: What sit- ences of Jonah, in the Bible, road to Kineveh, to responsi-
..
. Are you choosing the
uation do you want to be in a t laid the basis for the drama. bility, spirituality and availabil-
the time of Jehovah's anger-to The modern-day setting was ity to the service, or the road
have little or no money in the a t a congregation just before to Joppa?"
bank and an acceptable record a talk by the circuit servmt. The following scenes of the
in God's service, or a large bank All proceeded to their seats as drama (only the voices being
account and a poor record of the program began. The circuit heard) showed Jonah purchas-
service? servant's subject was "Are You ing his ticket for the 2.000-mile
EIow about your job? Do you a Modern-Day Jonah?" R e point- trip to Tarshish, and the storm
consider i t to be real security? ed out that, although Jonah was and Jonah being cast overboard.
O r are you willing to change God's prophet, he was human Finally, additional scenes por-
your job for a better service and had imperfections. Jonah trayed Jonah in Nineveh preach-
schedule? the speaker asked. describes his own shortcomings ing, the repentance of the Nine-
What comes first, your job or in the Bible. So, the circuit ser- vites and Jonah's experiences
. congregation meetings and ser- vant continued: "We will dis- with the bottle-gourd plant. After
vice 7 cuss the lesson the account itself each sce'ne the circuit servant
Sometimes the circumstances has for each one of us here a t made brief points of application
arise where one is offered orer- this very time and in the con- to the Jonah-like course persons
time work with more pay. AC- ditions that surround us." in the modern Christian con-
cepting this may mean that The drama was not acted out, gregation could be taking.
more material things can be pur- but oniy the voices of the vari-
chased. ous characters were heard. First, The conclusion of the drama
So the question i s : Which will there was the voice of God's contained scenes portraying the
you place first-a t t ~ n d a n c e a t angel commissioning Jonah to effect that this material had up-
congregation meetings and a full go to ATineveh to preach to the on the publishers who heard the
share in the field ministry, or Ninevites. talk.
 Diaglott. Well, it should be noted
that the Diaglott retains archaic
expressions. I t does not always
give the basic, literal weaning
of the Greek words, and so quite
often the English of its inter-
linear rendering and that of its
finished translation is identical.
This, a t times, can produce dif-
ficulties.
I t is good to know, too, that
one does not have to defer to
the pretensions of clergymen who,
a s the speaker at the convention
stated, "come along and try to
overawe sincere Bible students
What a pleasure to have released to us at this "Peace on by claiming to know the original
Earth" International Assembly of Jehovah's Witnesses The Bible language." It will be a
simple matter for users of this
Eingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures! This Kingdom Interlinear Tralzsla-
1,184-page clothbound volume tion to compare the claims of
will greatly add to our ef- through personal study of the such men with the basic thought
fectiveness as ministers of the Scriptures. They had the ad- presented by the Greek words.
Word of God. Now one can ~ i z g$ ~ ~e i ~~ :st*
2:;;
Even to those familiar with
~ the Watch
~ Tower ~Society's reg-
~
check on the basic meaning of that was published a t least a ular policy of mabing Bible-study
the original Greek words, with- hundred years later than that aids available a t nominal cost
out necessarily having a knowl- used in that other well-known to all interested persons, it was
edge of the ~~~~k language. phatic interlinear translation, The Em- a pleasant surprise to receive
Diaglott. They could thus this valuable volume on a con-
This is possible because this avail themselves
new publication presents the erable strides made of the consid- tribution of only $2.
literal English translation below scholarship. in Greek As the speaker indicated, to
each Greek word in the left Jehovah must go the credit for
column of the page, while in the Right away* we are directing men's minds toward
right column is provided a re- interested in knowing how this a clearer understanding of His
vision of the flew World Trans- new with the Word of truth.
lation. Thus, a t a glance the
reader can compare the basic
idea of the Greek word with its
counterpart in the finished En-
glish translation.
The speaker who announced
release of this new interlinear
translation during the talk "The
Writing of Correct Words of
Truth" pointed out from the
Holy Scriptures themselves that
"words of truth" are necessary
in explaining or translating the
life-giving message of the Bible.
Truthful translation must be
free of preconceived ideas on the
part of the translator. He also
reminded his listeners that in-
terlinear translation has had a
long history, some notable works
having been published in the
seventeenth century. However,
The Kingdom Interlinear Tram-
lation, has distinct advantages.
During their five years of labor
on this translation the New
World Bible Translation Com-
mittee had ready access to sev-
eral of those older works Though
claiming no direct inspiration
for their production, they do give
credit to Jehovah* God for his N. R Knon and F. W. Franz making plans for
guidance of their thinking release of "Kingdom Interlinear Translation"

going to do it?'
'The apostle Paul tells us how
to come off winners,' the speaker
continued. Attention was direct-
ed to the forceful and timely
counsel of Paul concerning the
need to 'put on the complete suit
of armor from God and to stand
firm.' (Eph. 6 :11-18)I n order to
impress the vital importance of
being clad with each part of the
Christian armor a series of grip-
ping experiences were enacted.
Keeping Zntegrity Under T-ls
The first scene showed a young
woman In a concentration camp,
cold and alone. She has already
spent two years in that rat- and
bug-infested glace, but she con-
tinues going over scriptures in
her mind. Thus, she holds fim
in spite of the urgings of one
who has compromised and who
tells of the comforts she now
enjoys. Nevertheless, instead of
being set free a s she had ex-
pected, the compromising one is
executed.
This scene certainly under-
scored the wisdom of pursuing an
uncompromising course. At its
conclusion tlie speaker noted that,
true to his promise, God does
not permit u s to be tried beyond
the limits w e can bear--1 Gor.
10 :13,
Next, the importance of keep-
on the "breastplate of righ-
ren;lanessWwas emphasized by the
q s a k e r . Just how some have
~ i o n eiiis and others have failed
about servacts in the congrega-
tion, thus raising unwarranted
suspicions about their conduct.
'This certainly is no way to keep
one's feet shod with the good
news of peace,' the speaker said.
The im~ortance of wearing
the "helmet of salvation" was
nest shown by a report from
Eibcria. I t told of a numher of
Christians who, by keeping their
minds fixed on the prize of eter-
nal life, endm.ed nineteen days
of cruel persecution. One of the
prisoners, a fifty-six-year-old sis-
ter, was even congratulated by
And finally a dramatic true-
life episode of a thirteen-gear-old
girl suffering from leulieiuia was
reenacted. I t showed vividly how
"the sword of the spirit," the
Word of God! enables Christians
to come off victoriolls.
The doctor claimed that only
blood transfusions could save
little Renate. She answered him
kindly, but courageously : "Thank
you for offering to help me, but
I mould rather, die faithful to
Jehovah God than to violate his
command in order to live a
little while longer."
- I n conclusion the speaker ex-
horted : "Therefore, brothers, put
on the whole suit of armor; we
need all of it. Fortify yourselves
so as to maintain i n t e ~ i t y . "
W t n e s s 8 Years $5' T ~ ~ ~ I I Q ,
still zealous in full-time Sfanding Fim
service, now as district Though Persecuted
servant in D o ~ r m i e a n Very appropriately, this stir-
E&epublI~ ring program was immediately
preceded by two half-hour dis-
courses that also were designed
to make the sign of the cross, to fortify Christians to main-
and attend church service with tain integrity.
us, and believe none of it." Fi- The first was entitled "How
nally, the youth's firm stand for to Stand Firm in This Time of
Christian principles won the re- the End." The speaker urged all
spect of his professor, and he to prepare now for the coming
arranged matters so that the boy of persecution. This can be done,
could complete his schooling with- he said, by regular personal study
out compromising. of God's Word, by participating
To illustrate the further coun- in meetings and carefully follow-
sel to have 'feet shod with the ing what is sxicl. Also, by con-
good news of peace,' a scene tinually praying to Jehovah for
showed two sisters gossiping help in caring for theocratic
- 28
 "PEACE O N E A R T H " I N T E R N A T I O N A L ASSEMBLY O F JEHOVAH'S W I T N E S S E S
. assignments, and by learning to
fix our mind on the hope of
eternal life in his new system.
Then should severe persecu-
tion actually come, what is the
key to standing firm? Even
though we may be restrained
from possessing a Bible, we can
meditate on the Scriptures, going
over in our mind the things
we have previously studied. Also,
we can draw close to Jehovah,
praying to him as did Paul, Silas
and Daniel. (Acts 16 :25: Dan.
6:lO) And we can dwell on the
hope of life ahead. This will
take our mind off the suffering
and dispel fear.
If our work is banned, the
speaker observed, then meetings
can be arranged in small groups,
with persons arriving a t the place
singly or in twos. To avoid at-
tracting attention, the singing
can be dispensed with. 'In carry-
ing on the preaching,' the speaker
explained, 'call on one house in
a block, and then call on another
, somewhere else.'
The second talk, "Happy Are
A 50,000 now in full-time service?"
You When People Persecute
You," showed the need of having
the right attitude toward per-
secution. The speaker made clear
that, although suffering itself
does not make a Christian happy,
suffering because of doing God's
will does, for it glorifies God
and assures one of His approval
and everlasting life. I t was also
stressed that the persecuted
Christian should not have a
vengeful attitude, but one of for-
giveness, desiring sincerely that
persecutors will change and be-
come believers.
Three-Part Symposium
Earlier the same day a sym-
posium of three twenty-minute
talks made clear just what course
of life is pleasing to God and
is in harmony with his Word.
The first, "Whom Do You Serve?",
stressed that we actually have
a need t o serve God and that
service means obedience, which
i s better than a sacrifice.
The second talk, "You Are No
P a r t of the World," emphasized
the need of Christians to keep
separate from the world.
And the third talk, "Appre-
ciating the Organization T h a t Is
Educating Us for Life," showed
why we should appreciate God's
organization, a s i t is the only
one t h a t can direct us to eternal
life. Such appreciation does much
to help us maintain integrity.
Zeal for the Work Yetto Be Done
On the last day of the "Peace on EarthJ' assembly i t was force-
fully impressed on all present that the Kingdom preaching is not
yet completed. There is still much work to be done.
This point was particularly
stressed in the half-hour dis-
course "There I s Work Yet to
Be Done,,, The speaker asked:
'Why has not Armageddon come
before now? I s i t because the
world is not yet bad enough?'
NO, this is not the reason, the
speaker explained. Rather, it is
because that part of the "sign"
about giving the "witness to all
the nations" has not been ful-
filled sufficiently. Only when this
is accomplished will the end
come.-Matt. 24 :14.
~h~ speaker then urged all to
be zealous for
in the time yet remaining. "Work
hard at what God gives us to
do," he said. "Preach and teach.
Why not join the more than
Then, directly addressing the
younger ones, he asked: " H ~ &
many of you school-age ones will
vacation pioneer this summer?"
H e reminded them that there is
still time to sign up.
I n the session's other half-hour
talk, entitled the Con-
gregated Throngs I Shall Bless
Jehovah," the speaker stressed
the need to demonstrate seal by
attending the five weekly meet-
ings of the Christian congrega-
tion. 'And while there,' he urged,
actively listen and participate by
commenting a t the meetings.'
Zealously Benefiting
from Deliverance
The need to demonstrate zeal
for Jehovah's service was also
driven home in the thought-
provoking hour-and-a-half Bible
drama a~~ ~~t ~i~~the purpose
of Jehovah's Deliverance."
The drama opened up with a
modern setting, a t the home of
s t a n and Rita Firm, who had a s
guests the Steadfast couple. The
Steadfast couple have zeal for
Jehovah's work, and so a r e go-
ing t o serve where the need is
greater, whereas Brother Firm
is wondering about accepting a
large pay raise that might cut
into his theocratic activities. He
has a n enthusiastic daughter,
and a grown son who is ir-
regular a t meetings and in pub-
lishing but who be a
pioneer'
T O tim mu late zeal in the Firm
family, Brother Steadfast points
to something in the ''Babylon"
book. I t has to do with the fall
of Babylon the Great and what
it means for Christians. Brother
Steadfast then draws attention to
the parallel between ancient Bab-
ylon's fall and that of modern
Babylon, and suggests: "Let's
try to Picture i t like this. Sup-
pose Daniel mere sitting in his
home, talking to some of the
in
The scene that immediately
f o l l o ~ s shows a group with
Daniel in Babylon. The discus-
sion drives home the point that
the reason why Jehovah spared
the Jews in Babylon from de-
struction and had Cyrus proclaim
their release was that they could
to
true worship there. This point is
made the benefit
Of a Jew who
"Ot intend to return to
salem because of selfish reasons.
By failing to leave BaBylon h e
screly would miss the purpose of
~~~j~ deliverance and would risk
losing his faith in God.
The final scene returns to
modern times and applies the
lesson. Brother Steadfast points
out that all Christians who do
not zealously serve Jehovah a r e
missing the purpose for which
God set them free by the fall of
Babylon the Great. That pur-
pose is to heed Matthew 24:14
by preaching God's kingdom.
He also stressed t h a t fleeing
Ezt ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ nFs",:
t h t ;"owf
, l; " ~
from ancient Babylon. Why? Be-
cause one's eternal destiny is
involved. All destroyed with her
or a t Armageddon will not have
a resurrection. No question about
it, this drama also drove home
to all who heard i t t h a t there is
work yet to be done, and that we
should all now zealously share
in doing it.
 now been given in mare than
380 towns and cities never be-
fore reached. Doubtless this
made i t possible for the new
peak of Witnesses to be reached,
namelv.
~ " , 57.641-a
~ ,- ~
22-oercent in-
crease over the pre;ious year.
In Peru the Bibles and Bible
literature are also going out.
With 3,523 Witnesses in this
land, the attendance of 11,500
a t the &fenlorial celebration in
April points to a wonderful po-
tential for the future.
There is rejoicing in Bolivia,
too, over the fact that Indians
who speak the Aynlara and
Quechua languages have now

yes, throughout Central and

South America the Kingdom Wit-
ness goes with
fying success. I n Spanish, in

the people who come!

So great is the increase in
Venezuela that congregations are

30
"PEACE ON EARTH" INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
Fiji branch newly interested
ones show a definite readiness
to attend meetings after just
a few studies, the convention
audience heard. As a result, the
862 publishers, in the ten fas-
cinating island countries under
the Fiji branch, rejoice to ob-
serve 1,460 a t their weekly
Watchtower studies. The pub-
lishers set a fine example in
appreciation for the meetings.
Some walk for many hours,
crossing hills and rivers, to get
to the Kingdom Hall. One broth-
er and his wife walk 16 miles
to and from meetings, often ar-
riving home a t 2 a.m. I n a delta
area one brother sets out early
with his boat to gather together
the brothers so all can be a t
the Sunday-morning meetings,
and once they get together they
spend the entire day in happy
association.
New Zealanders, too, a r e ex-
periencing blessings, as their
report a t the assembly showed.
During 1968 they averaged 4,-
700 publishers, but over ten
thousand showed up for the
Memorial. "One congregation of
130 publishers had 317 come
along," the speaker said. "There
was no room in the Kingdom
Hall for many of them so the
overflow crowded around the
opened windows and listened
from outside."
"Thailand or Siam is a friend-
ly and peaceful country and the
work of preaching the good news
has been carried on freely for
the past thirty years," the rep-
resentative of t h a t land said.
"But this is the situation:
Ninety-four percent of the pop-
ulation is Buddhist, with a few
Islam, Confucianist and Hindu.
Less than one percent is nominal
Christian. So the majority of
the people we preach to a r e to-
tally unfamiliar with the Bible
and even with the idea of a
personal God. The Thai language
does not even have a word that
would be the exact equivalent
of the word 'god' and Babylon-
ish traditions are deeply in-
grained in the minds of the
people. I t takes much endurance
on the part of the publishers
to persevere in preaching and
teaching Bible truths. But the
sheep a r e found." I n April 350
publishers reported, and 62 of
them were in the pioneer ser-
vice. Indeed, Jehovah is blessing
the work of his people in all
parts of the earth.
BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN
Reports on the progress of
the Kingdom-preaching work b e
hind the Iron Curtain are of
keen interest to Jehovah's wit-
nesses. I n brief interviews a t
the assembly, the situation in
eastern Europe was revealed.
From East Germany, for ex-
ample, where authorities have
long been trying to promote /a
Communist-controlled organiza-
tion of Witnesses, it was report-
ed that this enemy strategy is
not succeeding. Loyal brothers
still meet together, but in small
groups, because of strict sur-
veillance of their movements.
On April 1 they assembled to
commemorate the memorial of
Christ's death. Gradually there-
after reports trickled in, ewn-
tually showing that the total
attendance was 84 percent over
last yeaiJs average number of
publishers in East Germany.
The continued activity of Je-
hovah's people underground in
Hungary h a s resulted in a fine
witness of itself, for the Wit-
nesses have become widely
known. They were even high-
lighted in a play that was broad-
cast over the national radio.
Based on real-life experience,
the play depicted a young teach-
e r who had not been well taken
care of by the Communist party.
Only when, through some Wit-
ness children in her class, she
obtained the assistance of their
parents, did she manage to get
a suitable place in which to
lodge. The atmosphere of the
Witness home broke down all
her prejudice, and she became
a Witness herself. Of course, the
purpose of the play was to bring
home to Communists the need
to take good care of their people.
I n Poland, it was reported, af-
ter several years of a n easing up
in the government's attitude to-
ward their work, Witnesses were
now noting indications of a re-
turn to sterner measures. One
public prosecutor complained that
the Witnesses would flood the
country with their literature. But
the brothers in Poland say: "We
hear everywhere about much in-
terest. . . . The number of Bible
studies is still on the increase."
How did Czechoslovakia's re-
cent critical situation affect the
Witnesses and their work? A
31
spokesman reported that the
Witnesses showed themselves
completely neutral, and this
drew attention to them and their
work. Typical of the reactions
to the peaceful stance of the
Witfiesses were these words of
a high official to one of the
Witnesses: "It is you, Jehovah's
witnesses alone, who h a r e proved
to take a wise course. We have
a high opinion of you." Mean-
time, under stress of local con-
ditions many a r e the honest-
hearted ones who a r e turning
to the Bible's message of hope.
I n Communism's own home-
land, the U.S.S.R., how a r e Je-
hovah's witnesses faring? It was
learned t h a t they too have their
conventions in a suitable fash-
ion, in such places and circum-
stances that they do not draw
undue attention to themselves.
Last year, one convention group
of about seventy Witnesses was
surprised by police, who imme-
diately demanded t o know who
was in charge of the meeting.
Tactfully the Witnesses replied
that Jehovah God - and Christ
Jesus a r e in charge of all such
matters. The officers jotted down
the names of some brothers and
left quickly. There was no fol-
low-up on their part.
At the end of 1968 arrests and
resulting prison terms were re-
sumed, apparently ending a cer-
tain period of "peaceful coexis-
tence." Nevertheless, the month
of March brought with i t a peak
of publishers surpassing last
year's average bg 21 percent.
Romania and Bulgaria were
other lands from which the con-
ventioners listened to reports.
Very little literature is available,
and the secret police watch every
step of those known to be Wit-
nesses. Yet they faithfully carry
on, exercising caution, and giving
forth the Kingdom's message of
hope whenever opportunity pre-
sents. Witnesses in those lands
ask their spiritual brothem else-
where, "Pray for us !" Their faith
in Jehovah is strong.
I n a message to this "Peace
on Earth" International Assem-
bly, the Wihesses behind the
Iron Curtain joined in declaring
of Jehovah: "An arm with
mightiness is yours, your hand
is strong, your right hand is
exalted" !-Ps. 89 93.
 I S THE BIBLE REALLY THE V4ORD OF GOD?
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KINGDOM INTERLINEAR TRANSLATlQN OF THE GREEK SCRbPTURES

With this volume you can delve directly into the basic meaning of
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