Gilead Graduates—“Letters of Recommendation”
ON THE Sunday morning of March 4, 1,995 gathered at the Assembly Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the New York City borough of Queens. It was graduation day for the 40 students of the 76th class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. Prior to graduation day, on Friday, 1,040 gathered at the Watchtower Society’s farm, about a hundred miles north of New York City, got to preview some of the graduation program. They also heard talks by Leo Greenlees and Theodore Jaracz, both members of the Governing Body.
Waving a white baton, Karl Klein began the Sunday graduation program by leading the audience in singing Song 155 from the Watchtower Society’s new songbook. (The rest of the songs were also from the new songbook and greatly enjoyed.) After prayer by Daniel Sydlik, the chairman, Carey Barber, drew on Peter’s question to Jesus: “We have left all things and followed you; what actually will there be for us?” He applied Jesus’ answer to the missionaries: “Everyone that has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive many times more and will inherit everlasting life.”—Matthew 19:27, 29.
Former missionary in Japan, Lloyd Barry, encouraged the students to apply themselves to learning a new language. “At first,” he said, “the new words would be swimming in your head, guruguru (round and round) as the Japanese say, as you learn it botsubotsu (little by little). But your eyes could start to pikapika (sparkle) as you begin to speak it, and finally being able to do so perapera (fluently).”
Milton G. Henschel revealed the “real secret for success” and for increased happiness. “It is simple,” he said. “Go and share the good news with somebody. You will be following Jesus’ advice that ‘there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.’” Charles Woody then exhorted the missionaries to view unreceptive territory “as a challenge of your skillfullness.”
Since part of their missionary schooling entails working two and one half hours almost every afternoon, Monday through Friday, Vernon Wisegarver thanked them for the work done in the Society’s 14 different offices or departments, and encouraged them to “keep holding to the pattern of healthful words.”
The two Gilead instructors, Jack Redford and Ulysses Glass also spoke. Redford, a former missionary in Vietnam, reminded the missionaries of the importance of wisdom. He asked them: “Will you put your knowledge to work in a good way? Be determined to learn all through your life; learn by bearing life’s indignities with dignity.” Then, Glass, pulling a replica of a gold bar from a brown paper bag, said: “The tested quality of our faith can be of value greater than gold. Although our flesh, like a paper bag, may crumble from wear, age, sickness, it can still carry the gold—our faith.”
A Bethel family member for over 63 years gave the morning’s concluding talk—Frederick W. Franz, the president of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. He reminded the missionaries that their authority to preach the good news will be challenged by the clergy. “Jesus Christ was challenged,” he said. “The apostle Paul was too. Paul pointed to those he taught and who became disciples of Christ as his living letters of recommendation.” Franz said that the missionaries can point to similar letters and that “Jehovah will be glad to display your letters to the whole universe and have them be Jehovah’s letter of recommendation to the resurrected dead.”
The morning was capped with the handing out of the diplomas. The graduates will be going to assignments including Africa, Central and South America, and the islands of the sea—to 16 different countries in all.
In the afternoon, following the Watchtower study supervised by David Olson, the students presented a musical review that helped all to get a taste of missionary life. Then came a stage drama highlighting the need to reach out for special privileges in sacred service.
The program ended with a warm prayer by John Booth for Jehovah’s rich blessings upon the missionary work of each graduate.