the points of interest at these two centers of theocratic activity. The new Bethel home had been dedicated January 30, 1950, and the new factory April 3 of the same year.c The full occupancy of these two modernly equipped buildings completed the vast expansion program approved so enthusiastically at the 1946 Cleveland assembly.

The new Bethel building is a well-designed ten-story brick structure with a three-story tower at its top, visible to all river and bridge traffic. Inside Bethel one finds a lovely lobby leading to elevators and also to a well-appointed lounge. Below there is a colorful Kingdom Hall with seating capacity of 500. Next below is the large dining hall, seating 450, and kitchens. The modernistic studios and Watchtower organ of radio station WBBR also are located in this building. On its eighth floor is a delightful library. The home also contains the offices of the Society’s president as well as the offices of its treasurer, the legal department and editorial rooms. In this building, too, are rooms sufficient to house 450 Bethel workers, together with laundry and other household-service departmental quarters.

The new factory building contains the general offices of the Society as the headquarters of the American branch. However, most of this other new building (completed in 1950) is devoted to printing operations on huge presses and other machines of latest design to facilitate efficient high-speed book, booklet and magazine production. The Watchtower and Awake! magazines are printed at and distributed from this plant. Here also is done printing of Bibles and many other publications of the Society.d

(To be continued)

Turning Tables on the Pranksters

● Halloween has its origin in demonism, in the religious teaching that the dead are not dead but are more alive than ever. On that night mischievous youngsters call at the homes of their neighbors and demand a “treat” in the way of food or money or else they will do some mischief, a “trick.” How one of Jehovah’s witnesses handled the situation at the last Halloween is shown in the following:

●“On the night of October 31, a group of youngsters dressed up as witches and goblins called and demanded the usual ‘trick or treat.’ They were told that we did not have the usual treat but that if they returned in a few minutes we would tell them a Bible story. So they left to make a few more neighborhood calls. In the meantime we got our Bible out, but wondering whether they would return or not. Sure enough they did, and they were told the story of King Saul and the witch of Endor, which was tied in to an explanation of the real nature of Halloween. The children enjoyed it so much that they chose to visit a good while and when they left they said: ‘That’s the best “treat” that we’ve had all night.’”

Soviets Printing Bibles

● In spite of the Communists’ official position that religion is an opiate for the people, they have been unable to stamp out the peoples’ need for religion or their clamor for the Bible. Thus the New York Times, September 4, 1955, tells that “the Soviet Union’s printing houses are producing 25,000 Bibles, containing both the Old and New Testaments, on popular request. The printing is being done under the auspices of the Russian Orthodox Church, which also will have charge of distribution.” Just another link in the chain of evidence that “the word spoken by Jehovah endures forever.”—1 Pet. 1:25, NW.