“My kingdom is no part of this world.” (John 18:36, NW) And we know this, too. We have been warned concerning these conditions, and despite them all we will interest ourselves only in the assembly of the “other sheep”, for this is in vindication of Jehovah’s name.

15. What rule of faithfulness should we apply now, and in view of what future demands of service upon us?

¹⁵ If we are to gather persons of good will into the unwalled city now because it is Jehovah’s time, and that at a rate of 34 per cent increase over the previous year’s peak, Jehovah’s witnesses want to be prepared to take care of them. By the kindness of God his servants have been faithful in the work entrusted to them, and we remember Jesus’ words at Luke 16:10 (NW): “The person faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and the person unrighteous in what is least is unrighteous also in much.” Those who have taken up the faithful service of the Most High must be faithful in all their work, large or small. The little details relative to house-to-house witnessing are just as essential to faithfulness as the looking after a large company. We have greater work ahead of us, the gathering of a big crowd of the “other sheep”; for they are coming in now in greater numbers than ever before and we must be in position to receive them. Should we cringe back and say it is too much for us when ten persons take hold of our garments and demand our time to tell them the truth because they have heard about our God and that he is with us? No! We will be glad they have joined in the song, “Praise Jah, you people, because Jehovah our God, the Almighty, has begun to rule as king.”—Rev. 19:6, NW.

16. With what assurance of protection do we press on?

¹⁶ When these thousands, yes, maybe millions, someday come into Jehovah’s unwalled city before Armageddon, he will protect them no matter where they may be on the face of the earth. When the opposers of Jehovah’s kingdom harm one of these his little ones it is like touching the pupil of his eye, for “Jehovah knows those who belong to him”. With this assurance Jehovah’s witnesses press on in the grand work of preaching the good news of Jehovah’s kingdom, all to his honor and in true worship of our Sovereign Lord.

It Was All a Bit Confusing

If forced to explain any number of worldly ceremonies taken for granted but never investigated, many would find themselves in the state described by the above title. It proved a fitting caption for an item appearing in the London Catholic Herald of April 14, 1950, in reference to such a ceremony in the midst of this world’s political upheaval. The item follows:

“A letter received in Hong Kong from a village in Communist-held China tells of an odd ceremony at the opening of a new term at the little Catholic school. The Communist flag was hung on the classroom wall. Then a large holy picture was hung in front of it. Three bows were made to the flag—and three to the holy picture. The new national anthem was sung, followed by three Hail Marys. A Communist official made a speech, and then came a talk by the Catholic teacher. Finally ‘God bless China’ rang out amidst the traditional burst of fireworks.”