‘Spoiling Their Pastures’

Some colored people of Winnabow, North Carolina, whose Methodist preacher speaks to them only once in four weeks (he having three other “churches” to look after) requested that one of Jehovah’s witnesses speak at their church. Arrangements were made for one Wednesday evening at 7:30, and 47 came to hear. In view of the scattered population this was good. The one giving the lecture reports:

“All were very attentive during the entire discourse. Before dismissing them a few prominent men wished to speak to the audience. It being their ‘church’ and since I was but a guest, I agreed. One rose, faced the audience and told them that he had never heard so much of the Bible explained in one hour in his whole life, and that it was all true. He said that he couldn’t understand why their preachers hadn’t told them of these things and why they didn’t ‘explain the Bible so we could understand it’, as this talk had done for them.

“Another man rose and said that during the talk he was thinking about all the different religions and how none of them explain the Bible like Jehovah’s witnesses and that he has come to the conclusion that Jehovah’s witnesses were the only ones that were right.

“Another elderly man pointed out that he had gone to church many years and that this was ‘the best Bible sermon that I ever heard, and the first one I’ve been to that was free’. He added that he had learned more from this free sermon than from the ones he had to pay for. Their preacher had to be guaranteed so much money before he would preach. One friendly lady spoke up: ‘Dat’s right, No money, No preacher!’ All voiced their approval of what was said, expressed their appreciation, and invited us back to give some more talks. It has not yet been ascertained as to what was the reaction of their ‘hired preacher’ to this activity in ‘spoiling his pasture’.”