hand, they consist of right conduct, keeping strict watch that how you walk is as a wise person, so that instead of bringing forth the works of the flesh you will be bringing forth the fruitage of the spirit, “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control.” And on the other hand, these works consist of activity in fulfillment of the Christian’s preaching commission by your preaching the good news of God’s kingdom, buying out the opportune time to do so.—Gal. 5:22, 23; Eph. 5:15, 16.

During the month of July the Christian witnesses of Jehovah will have many opportunities to demonstrate their faith by faithfulness in their preaching commission, to the preserving alive of their souls. Among these will be offering Bible-study aids in preaching from house to house, even doing some of this witnessing in territories where there are no Witnesses organized into congregations. Also, for many in the United States and in Europe July will afford opportunity to attend the round-the-world convention of Jehovah’s witnesses before it moves on to the Orient. Will you be among those present?

Water-witching and ESP

AFTER reading the article “Protection from Wicked Spirit Forces,” in The Watchtower of November 15, 1962, the president of The American Society of Dowsers, Inc., wrote a letter taking exception to the conclusion reached in the article; namely, that because of the link to extrasensory perception or spiritism Christians do well to abstain from water-witching or divining for water or minerals. Nonetheless, the president of The American Society of Dowsers, Inc., does give that society’s view as to how dowsing works. He writes: “The point of the article is, perhaps, well taken. We agree with the theory that dowsing is a form of ESP and that engaging in any form of ESP can lead to ‘possession’ or the involvement with ‘wicked spirit forces’ unless proper precautions are taken. . . . We prefer the positive approach of warning people interested in dowsing of the dangers.”

Even though the American dowsing society sincerely believes that dowsers can take precautions to avoid “possession” and that much good can be accomplished through forms of ESP, the thing that Christians must keep in mind is that any form of divination or spiritism is condemned by God because of its very nature. It is not holy angels that are behind this ESP but wicked angels or evil spirit creatures whose objective is to mislead mankind. Abstaining from ESP in all its forms is not only proper Scriptural precaution but it is also obedience to God.—Rev. 21:8.

Questions From Readers

● Would it be correct to say that the “royal priesthood” refers only to the anointed Christians but that the term “general priesthood” includes both the remnant of anointed Christians and the “great crowd” of praisers to Jehovah?—V. K., United States.

The teaching concerning a “general priesthood” is a doctrine in Christendom and as such it is also called “the priesthood of all believers.” It is defined by Webster’s Third New International Dictionary as “a doctrine of the Protestant Christian Church: every individual has direct access to God without ecclesiastical mediation and each individual shares the responsibility of ministering to the other members of the community of believers.” The term basically carries the thought that every Christian should tell others about God’s Word and purposes and not leave the responsibility up to a “clergy” class. “This doctrine,” says The Interpreter’s Bible, “is a declaration not so much of right as of responsibility.” (Vol. 11, p. 619) Viewed from this standpoint—every Christian’s taking on the responsibility of preaching—it can be said that this principle, implied by the term “general priesthood,” has application to all Christians.