“Good News for All Nations” District Assemblies

“IN ALL the nations the good news has to be preached first,” declared the great Prophet, Jesus Christ. (Mark 13:10) Jehovah’s witnesses, who are keenly interested in bringing the Kingdom good news to all nations, as well as other interested persons will be glad to know that the Watch Tower Society has now completed most of the arrangements for the 1968 assemblies, the “Good News for All Nations” District Assemblies.

This will be a four-day assembly, the program getting under way early Thursday afternoon. You will want to be there in time for the chairman’s address, which will be of special interest. In fact, the whole program Thursday afternoon is going to be one with exceptional features that none of you will want to miss; and we are sure that any of you who have attended a convention in recent years will know what we mean. So if you are not there the first day, you will learn later that you have missed out on a most delightful portion of the spiritual feast being provided.

Of course, not all that is of special interest will take place on Thursday. On Friday something is planned that will not only delight you but also no doubt surprise you, for it will have considerable influence on the work that we will be doing during the years to come. And with the weekend, things will not slow down, for there will be more fine features that none of you will want to miss.

So plan now; seek Jehovah’s blessing on your arrangements that you may be able to attend all four days of this grand spiritual feast. Unless otherwise indicated, the programs for the assemblies will be in English, but, as you will note, some of the assemblies will provide a program in Spanish or another language. Assemblies for all of the United States, Canada, Bermuda and the British Isles are listed below.

UNITED STATES

July 4-7: Corpus Christi, Tex. (Spanish only); Omaha, Neb.; Ft. Worth, Tex.; Milwaukee, Wis. (Spanish also); Sacramento, Calif.; Toledo, Ohio.

July 11-14: Billings, Mont.; Detroit, Mich.; Pueblo, Col.; Rochester, N.Y.; San Angelo, Tex.; St. Petersburg, Fla. (Spanish also); Washington, D.C. (Spanish also) (tentative); Winston-Salem, N.C.

July 18-21: Fairbanks, Alaska; Minot, N.D.; Pawtucket, R.I.; San Bernardino, Calif. (Spanish also); Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii.

July 25-28: Albuquerque, N.M. (Spanish also); Memphis, Tenn.; Muskegon, Mich.; Portland, Me. (tentative); Spokane, Wash.; Ventura, Calif.

August 1-4: Charleston, W. Va.; Greenville, S.C.; Honolulu, Oahu; Tulsa, Okla.

August 8-11: Indianapolis, Ind.; Inglewood, Calif.; Santa Rosa, Calif.

August 15-18: Bakersfield, Calif.; Burlington, Vt.; Eureka, Calif.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Kaneohe, Oahu.

City Definite; Dates Later: Columbus, Ohio.

Tentative; No Dates Set: Medford, Ore.

BERMUDA

August 1-4: (Tentative)

BRITISH ISLES

June 27-30: Cardiff, Wales.

July 11-14: Sheffield, Yorks.

July 18-21: Belfast, Ireland; Bolton, Lancs.

August 1-4: Edinburgh, Scotland; London.

CANADA

July 4-7: Kitchener, Ont.

July 11-14: Chilliwack, B.C. (tentative); Haney, B.C.

July 18-21: Victoria, B.C.

July 25-28: Kamloops, B.C.

August 1-4: Glace Bay, N.S.; Moose Jaw, Sask.

August 8-11: Ottawa, Ont. (French and Italian) (tentative); Winnipeg, Man.

August 15-18: Calgary, Alta.

Questions From Readers

● Did the Mosaic law actually call upon the Jews to hate their enemies, as Matthew 5:43 might suggest?—R. I., U.S.A.

No, the Law did not require the Jews to hate anyone who appeared to be a personal enemy. Quite to the contrary, it called upon its adherents to show love to such.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: “You heard that it was said, ‘You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’” (Matt. 5:43) Please note that Jesus did not say that all of this was part of God’s law given through Moses; rather he observed, “You heard that it was said.”

The part about loving one’s neighbor could be found in the Law at Leviticus 19:18, reading: “You must love your fellow as yourself.” But the portion about hating one’s enemy was not from God. Possibly some of the religious leaders unjustifiably inferred from the obligation to love one’s neighbor that they were supposed to hate every non-Israelite as an enemy. The Cyclopædia by M’Clintock and Strong comments: “The Pharisees had restrained the meaning of the word neighbor to those of their own nation or to their own friends, holding that to hate their enemy was not forbidden by the law.”—Vol. VI, p. 929a.

However, the Law actually enjoined upon the Jews acts of love even to a fellowman who, because of his unloving actions, might seem to be a personal enemy. (Ex. 23:4, 5) And the Hebrew Scriptures advised: “When your enemy falls, do not rejoice; and when he is caused to stumble, may your heart not be joyful.” (Prov. 24:17) Of course, being joyful at the downfall of God’s enemies, not personal enemies, was another matter.—Ex. 15:1-21; Judg. 5:1, 31; Ps. 21:8-13.

It may be that there was a common expression in Jesus’ time that carried the import of his words. In The Authentic New Testament, Jewish scholar Hugh Schonfield translates Matthew 5:43: “You have heard how it was declared, ‘You are to love your neighbor, but hate your enemy.’” Then he links the second part with an obligation listed in one of the manuscripts found with the Dead Sea Scrolls. In the non-Biblical Manual of Discipline, generally connected with the Jewish sect called the Essenes, the readers are encouraged “to love all the sons of light, each according to his lot in the counsel of God, and to hate all the sons of darkness.”—The Dead Sea Scrolls, by Millar Burrows, page 371.

Despite the attitude that may have prevailed among many then, Jesus urged: “Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those persecuting you; that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens.” (Matt. 5:44, 45) He even backed this up with his parable of the good Samaritan. Though the Jewish priest and Levite passed by without assisting the man who had been beaten by robbers, a Samaritan (a people despised by the Jews) stopped and helped. He proved to be a real neighbor. And this well illustrates the loving attitude recommended by God and taught by Jesus.—Luke 10:29-37.

This same spirit of loving one’s neighbor, even if he is a persecutor of true Christians, is cultivated by witnesses of Jehovah today. They recognize that they are not the ones to judge individuals, so they try to help all learn the way of life. As a result former persecutors, ones who were acting like enemies, have been aided to become Christians. (Acts 9:17; Gal. 1:13) And Christians will continue to do this until God himself acts to eliminate those enemies of his who hate him. He will thus clear his name of reproach, and that will be a cause for rejoicing.—Ps. 68:1, 3.

Announcements

FIELD MINISTRY

Many persons today express a desire to have contentment, but very few really have it. Why? Because real contentment comes from knowing and serving the true God, Jehovah. Jehovah’s witnesses enjoy this contentment and are happy to aid others to possess it. During February, as they share in their Christian ministry, they will offer to all persons the outstanding aid to godly contentment, The Watchtower, with three booklets on a $1 contribution.

FACT OR FICTION?

Myths are generally viewed as impractical in this modern, scientific space age. Yet the origin of man is still a highly controversial subject. Did Man Get Here by Evolution or by Creation? That is the title of a book that opens your mind to a practical and factual consideration of this vital subject. One or the other is a myth. Which is it? Have you considered all the evidences on both sides? Read this thought-provoking book. Send only 25c.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS

March 17: Husbands, Assume Your Responsibilities of Headship, ¶1-22. Page 108. Songs to Be Used: 60, 73.

March 24: Husbands, Assume Your Responsibilities of Headship, 23-30, and Working What Is Good Toward Those in the Faith, ¶1-15. Page 112. Songs to Be Used: 81, 36.