For example, in 1936 a young man in Beirut named Jamil Sfeir was contacted by the Witnesses at his place of business. Within a short time he was associating with God’s people, but he encountered strong opposition. His uncle was a Maronite (Catholic) priest.

The priest, along with other members of the family, sought to pressure Jamil into breaking his association with Jehovah’s Witnesses. His parents went so far as to inform him that if he persisted in his activity with the Witnesses they no longer would consider him their son; they would view him as dead. His response? He offered them his condolences for their dead son. Shortly thereafter, in April of 1936, he began to preach the good news from house to house. This stirred up such a controversy among his relatives that they made efforts to have him put in an insane asylum, but without success.

Jamil now decided to go back to his village and share the good news with friends and relatives there. He covered the village thoroughly with the Kingdom message, distributing a great quantity of literature. Later, the bishop, who had his headquarters in that village, instructed the priest to collect the literature from the people and burn it. Some persons gave their publications to the priest, but others said they were free to do what they wanted to in their own homes and would not give up the literature. The bishop was so infuriated by this development that he issued a decree of excommunication against Jamil, thereby saving him the trouble of resigning from the church. This happened before Brother Sfeir was baptized in 1937.

About mid-1937 Brother Sfeir became a pioneer or full-time preacher. A few months later, while preaching in an apartment building, he was invited into an apartment where he talked to a group of people, including a Jesuit priest. The discussion became quite heated and Jamil decided it was time to leave. As he stepped out the door, the householder gave him a strong push, causing him to fall down the stairs and break his leg. The householder went back inside and left him lying on the stairs. Jamil began to shout to people passing by on the street a couple of floors below. However, the householder shouted from the balcony of his apartment, telling the people not to render aid, saying that the man calling out was crazy.

Finally, someone passed by who knew Brother Sfeir personally, and he was taken to a hospital run by priests and nuns. Only after they had set his leg did they learn that he was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Then they began to ridicule and threaten him, also saying that if he would abandon Jehovah’s Witnesses they would put him in a first class room without charge. Of course, these threats and the offer had no effect. Finally they expelled him from the hospital. He was obliged to hop up the road for about 200 yards (180 m) on one foot before he could get a car to take him back home.

Brother Sfeir also encountered priestly opposition at a later time when he was working among the villages in Lebanese territory. Though this was a solid Maronite Catholic area, people were willing to listen to the Kingdom message. But when the priests learned of his presence, they began to make trouble, forcing him to keep moving from village to village. Thus, much Kingdom seed was sown in these territories.