A Marvelous New Teaching Aid

THE new illustrated Bible study book You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth is such an instrument. Although it was released just last summer at the “Kingdom Truth” District Conventions of Jehovah’s Witnesses, already some 10 million copies have been printed in 22 languages.

Many letters have been received reporting on what an extremely effective study book it is. As one Ohio, U.S.A., congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses wrote: “You have done a marvelous job. It reminds us of what the crowds said about Jesus’ manner of teaching at Matthew 7:28, 29. They were simply astounded at such clear, authoritative teaching.”

Fascinating Reading

Yet, at the same time, the book is fascinating reading. “It’s actually fun to read,” a letter from Maine says. “It makes your heart warm up to what God requires of us. The book moves you to love Jehovah more and stirs you to action! This book makes you feel good.”

A writer from Indiana explains: “Please be assured that when I returned home after that final day of the convention I had no intentions of reading the book through in one sitting. However, the very next day, when I commenced with the opening sentence, I did not close my eyes until I completed the entire reading of all 30 chapters. . . .

“Its conversational style of writing has a warm and heartfelt appeal that will surely beckon all readers of honest heart to learn about our loving heavenly Father. . . . To sum it up, I would have to say this new provision from Jehovah is so delicious to me for this main reason: It teaches as Jesus himself taught, in living color for all to understand.”

A letter from Quebec, Canada, declares: “It is one of a kind and no doubt it will have tremendous success. It is striking in the simple way in which deep subjects are explained and made accessible to everyone. . . . In a word, this book is marvelous.”

“I just couldn’t contain my happiness any more about the new book You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth,” wrote a reader from Kansas. “I’ve always appreciated the Society’s aids to learning, but this is so great I felt I just had to write. Praise Jehovah for providing these things at the right time!”

Effective Teaching Instrument

A couple serving as missionaries on a Caribbean island explained: “We have been using the new publication for just two weeks now and have been immensely impressed with the effect it has had on our Bible students. The way it is written, its format and especially the pictures have made it so that our students are able to understand the truth much easier. . . . It’s just the thing we needed.”

Providing an example of how it has proved effective, a Witness from California reports: “I have been studying with an older man who . . . strongly believed in the hellfire teaching. No amount of reasoning would remove this teaching from his belief. . . . Then we studied chapter 9 in the new Live Forever book, ‘What Kind of Place Is Hell?’ We finished the chapter in one lesson. His belief in hell as a place of torment was now his past belief. . . .

“The next difficulty to overcome was his understanding that the soul kept living after the person died and was separate from the body. We had studied other publications and reasoned on scriptures, but all to no avail. Then we studied chapter 8, ‘What Happens at Death?’ I have studied with quite a number of persons in my 10 years in the truth, but I have never seen anyone with a deeply ingrained belief in the immortality of the soul change his belief in one study lesson. Paragraph 7 was the clincher, with Psalm 22:29 the outstanding force therein, especially when his Authorized Version said the same.”

Effective Teaching Illustrations

The new book has over 150 beautiful pictures, most of which are in vivid color. Typical of the words of appreciation is this letter from Florida: “The illustrations in this book are marvelous! And not only because of their color and clarity but also because they are such fantastic teaching aids. I spent an hour and a half just studying the pictures when it was first released and would have spent more had I had the time. As examples of the depth of teaching I cite the pictures on pages 106, 131, 176-177, 227 and 229. . . . One sister remarked, ‘A child could teach from this book!’”

“The illustrations are so real, some of them even bring tears to my eyes,” a letter from Alabama reports. “One of my favorite ones is on page 162. The joy in that lady’s heart is right there on her face for all to see. It moves my heart to know that one day in the very near future we will be able to welcome back loved ones we’ve lost in death.”

The illustrations help make this book truly an effective teaching aid for all age groups. A letter from Texas says: “Our two-year-old grandson is so enamored with this book that we have to read it to him all the time. . . . If a two-year-old child is learning from it, and is so moved by the beautiful illustrations in this publication, how great an aid this book will be in teaching adults!”

A young person from England writes: “I really am going to try hard to serve Jehovah and talk to my friends at school with the help of this book . . . The things in it are explained wonderfully, and the contents have everything in it that you would want to know.”

Truly this new book is an effective teaching aid. As Jehovah’s Witnesses put it to full use in their ministry, it will no doubt help many to come to an accurate knowledge of God’s purposes and requirements.