fields. We left England on the last day of that year’s May, the voyage to the U.S.A., on a 14,000-ton ship that rocked about on the Atlantic rollers like a matchbox, taking fourteen days. Then followed attending the first postwar international assembly at Cleveland, Ohio, and from there to attend the first international class of students at Gilead to receive five months’ strenuous training for foreign service. Those are days long to be remembered.

Having spent the early part of my boyhood among London’s slums at the time when tramcars were drawn along by horses and education was not so advanced as it is today, I became anxious about graduating from Gilead successfully. But with trust in Jehovah and by hard work, plus the president’s counsel (”don’t worry but work”) at the opening of the eighth class, together with the great assistance of the instructors and brothers at Gilead, I successfully graduated with merit, equipped to meet my ambition for missionary service. During the course the question arose: “Since we have only a one-way ticket, where are we going from here?” By graduation day that question was fully answered. My foreign assignment, together with an Australian brother, was to be the Fiji islands. Before departure to Fiji we were privileged to spend a few days at the Brooklyn headquarters and factory to learn office procedure, etc.

Finally we left the U.S.A. shores for our new homeland, taking with us many happy memories of our association and grand days spent with our zealous and generous American brothers. After a fourteen-day sea voyage we arrived on Fiji in April, 1947, eight weeks after graduation day, and six years almost to the day after symbolizing my dedication to Jehovah’s service.

Geographically the Fiji islands are situated in the tropics, so the climate can get very hot at times, especially in wet or hurricane season from November to April. We arrived during the wet and hot spell—incidentally, a day before the Memorial celebration. Arrangements were made and the meeting was held in the Kingdom Hall in Suva, the capital. This meeting afforded us the opportunity of seeing our new brothers and sisters with whom we were to work and serve. Four days later we started out in full sway in the house-to-house work. Each month cartons of books and booklets would be placed, together with many magazines and the obtaining of subscriptions.

Then came my first test, the hot climate, for I have always had a liking for dry cold weather. This is best illustrated by recounting an experience after graduation day, six weeks before our arrival at Fiji, when I dived into the icy water of the pond at Gilead while brothers were cutting ice for storage. The reason for doing this was to show and prove to a few of the American brothers that I could stand up to their wintry weather, in reply to their friendly teasing. However, the first year’s service in Fiji was most thrilling and interesting, working and living among such a mixed population, including Fijians, Indians, Chinese, Europeans, Eurasians, and people from Samoa and other Pacific islands. But the second year came as a kind of challenge; for now the new surroundings, customs of the people, and so on, began to become commonplace. Also, a little “homesickness” set in, the wanting of cooler climate. Then at that time the government became unfriendly by putting restrictions on the importation of the Society’s literature and other irksome actions. This trial of endurance was made harder when my partner left Fiji to return to his former homeland, Australia, because of ill health and to marry. Further, I contracted a disease known as “self-pity.”

Happily I can report that by the close of the third year (1950) this seemingly big trial or combination of difficulties had been overcome. How? By leaning heavily upon Jehovah and his mighty theocratic organization, by keeping busy in His service and by being determined to stick by my post as “the right kind of soldier.” Coupled with this was the encouragement received from headquarters and from the Australian branch, as well as from other brothers overseas. Truly, I have ‘tasted Jehovah’s goodness’ all these past eight years of missionary service.

Yes, what great joy I have received by sticking to my God-given assignment! Happiness in seeing my work’s fruitage that Jehovah has given—that of people whom I contacted during those “trying” years dedicating their lives to Jehovah, then symbolizing such by water immersion and, further, to train them in such happy service! Some hold servant positions in the Suva congregation, and a few have taken up regular and vacation pioneer service. I had to continue alone as a missionary, due to the government not allowing entry of other Watch Tower missionaries to assist us, but the local brothers responded well to the call for pioneer assistance. Three young congregation publishers, Eurasians, a brother and two sisters, joined the happy ranks as Jehovah’s full-time servants. So year after year increase in numbers of the New World society has been manifest. By 1955 we had a congregation of over fifty strong, an increase of 500 percent over 1947, the year of my arrival on Fiji.

Soon afterward I began working in isolated territory on the main island, Viti Levu (Fiji Big), among the Indian sugarcane planters and the Fijians, conducting, on an average, twenty-three home Bible studies a week. These folk become happy when given my reply to their propounded question about my returning to England—that I have no desire to leave Fiji, for there is no better place on earth for me. Also, I become happy when learning of such remarks as that of a dark-skinned Fijian to those who were taunting him because of his interest in Jehovah’s witnesses: “He may have white skin, but, boy, he’s got a ‘black’ heart!” This goes for all the “white” witnesses.

As I write this my partner is at Gilead School and I am looking forward to being present at the 1958 Yankee Stadium assembly to see him graduate. He will be the first Fijian graduate in the history of Gilead. In the meantime I am continuing as missionary and congregation servant for our group at Lautoka. Certainly the years spent here in missionary work have been happy ones and richly blessed. The work is growing rapidly now and we hope some of the brothers who are willing to serve where the need is great will be able to join us here.

I firmly believe that by accepting the Scriptural counsel at 1 Timothy 4:16, of staying with or sticking to one’s assignment, I am laying a “right foundation for the future,” yes, for post-Armageddon assignments of service in Jehovah’s new world.

Methodists, Take Note

In 1754 John Wesley completed his “alterations” of the Authorized Version of 1611 together with his “Explanatory Notes.” As an honest student of the Scriptures Wesley rejected the trinitarian spurious text of 1 John 5:7 as found in the King James translation.—See Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament, by John Wesley, reprinted edition of 1948, p. 917.