There are positive signs of an awakening among sheeplike persons in the Roman Catholic Church, among both clergy and laity, as shown by the experience of a special pioneer. “A Catholic lady refused to study the Bible with us unless we first discussed the matter with the priest. Before this could be arranged, we met a ‘Catholic brother’ who said he was not qualified to answer her questions but to see the priest. She was disappointed to hear this from a ‘brother.’ We went to meet the priest, who invited us in and expressed his willingness to answer the lady’s questions. The first question was regarding God’s name. He admitted it was Jehovah. Regarding the next question, he admitted that hell was not a place of torment, but of concealment, the grave. To the vital question, ‘Is it all right to study the Bible with Jehovah’s witnesses?’ he replied that she could go right ahead. He said that the Catholics had made a mistake in not going from house to house to teach the Bible. He already had a copy of the New World Translation and on this occasion subscribed for one of the magazines. Fully satisfied, she started a regular study of the Bible, began attending the meetings, and in April started sharing in the house-to-house ministry.”

That angels, although invisible, are nevertheless very active in the separating work, noting righteously inclined hearts of sheeplike persons, is shown by this experience. “I had been a devout Catholic from my childhood to the beginning of September 1968. As a God-fearing, loyal and faithful adherent of the Catholic faith, I took an active interest in the ‘Lay Apostolate.’ However, I must confess that I entered a state of mental disturbance when open rebellion erupted among the clergy and leading theologians of the Catholic church following the conclusion of the second Vatican council, in 1967. I had none to go to at this critical hour but God alone. I made a fervent appeal to him to guide me safely. I am happy to say that divine light shone on me and my family late in August 1968 when one of Jehovah’s witnesses made a surprise visit on us.”

How was this visit made? Well, the circuit servant who was serving the congregation in the locality where this man lived happened to be working his street. A local publisher pointed to his house and remarked, “They always take the literature but will not go any farther.” The circuit servant reasoned that if they always took the literature they must surely be “sheep” and decided that every effort must be made to feed them. When the call was made, the man’s wife answered the door and received the two publishers hospitably. She listened to the sermon with interest and, true to prediction, readily took the offer of two bound books. Arrangements were made for a return visit the following evening at a time when her husband would be at home. On the return visit, after the introductory formalities, one of the first things he said was, “I am greatly disturbed over the crisis prevailing in the Catholic church today and I want correct advice and guidance.” Asked if he had a Bible, he answered, “No.” A copy of the Douay Version was produced, and he was invited to read what Peter wrote at 2 Peter 1:19: “We have the more firm prophetical word: whereunto you do well to attend, as to a light that shineth in a dark place.” He quickly got the point that the only reliable place to get what he wanted was the Bible. Shown the similarity and yet superiority of the New World Translation, he obtained a copy immediately and a study of it was started. The circuit servant, who happened to be serving congregations nearby the following two weeks, was able to conduct two more studies with him and his family before handing it over to another publisher. They made rapid progress and before long were attending the congregation meetings. He concludes by saying: “I must admit that, thanks to Jehovah and to Jehovah’s Christian witnesses, I, my wife, son and two daughters have at last come to know the truth and the only organization that teaches the pure and undefiled doctrine as mentioned in the Holy Bible, the congregation of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses. My only prayer to our heavenly Father is that he help me to gain mature knowledge as early as possible by persistent study of the Holy Bible and other aid books and thereafter assist this band of lowly and humble apostles in preaching the good news of the Kingdom.” Did Jehovah answer this prayer? Today, less than a year from the time he began studying the Bible, he is a happy, regular proclaimer of the Kingdom good news.

One person wrote, expressing joy for what Jehovah has done for him: “Since boyhood I attended the Catholic church, but it never filled the emptiness that I felt in my heart for God. As the years passed, this emptiness only increased, and I prayed to God for the truth. Shortly thereafter, one of Jehovah’s witnesses came to our home and started a regular Bible study with my wife. When I came home from work, my wife enthusiastically told me the things she was learning. Arrangements were made so that I, too, could sit in on the study, and I found that this was exactly what I was looking for. No longer was there an emptiness in my heart for spiritual things. We quickly arranged our lives so that we could be among Jehovah’s people as a dedicated, baptized family.”