CIRCUIT ASSEMBLY IN BOUAKÉ

In March 1969 a circuit assembly was planned for Bouaké. The mayor granted the brothers the use of the town hall free of charge. But a few days before the assembly the radio announced that a political party would be conducting meetings there during the days the assembly was scheduled. When the mayor contacted the party leaders, they did not seem to want to cooperate in the matter. However, the mayor told the brothers to go ahead and move in. So they did, somewhat nervously, since there were some party members stationed near the hall watching the proceedings. The last thing the brothers wanted was trouble, like what they had had in 1962!

However, when the assembly started there was no interference. A peaceful assembly was held, and 343 attended the public talk. The assembly received good publicity in the national paper, an article reproducing much of the special Awake! on “Why Does God Permit Wickedness?” So an outstanding witness was given, and the event associated with Bouaké in everybody’s mind was now a successful assembly rather than the previous trouble.

In August 1970 an exceptional circuit assembly was enjoyed in Grand Bassam. On Sunday morning nearly 400 gathered for the text and comments, and almost all of these went out in the witness work. This is a fairly small town, and it seemed that there were groups of Witnesses on every street corner. Also, an excellent crowd of 801 persons came out for the public talk, “Law and Order​—When and How?” It proved to be a particularly appropriate subject in view of the fact that the local newspaper had described Jehovah’s Witnesses as seditious.

While permission had been obtained from the police in Abidjan to hold the assembly, they had apparently neglected to inform the police official in Grand Bassam. He contacted the brothers to find out what the assembly was all about. Afterward, he was well satisfied, commenting that if all people observed the law as well as Jehovah’s Witnesses did the police would not have the troubles that they have in maintaining law and order.