a brother a stumbling block or a cause for tripping.” Let each one use the spirit of a sound mind. Let each one seek the spiritual advantage of others. Let each one conduct himself as he would in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ and the holy God, Jehovah. Then “whether you are eating or drinking or doing anything else,” you will “do all things for God’s glory.”—Rom. 14:13; 1 Cor. 10:31.

REFERENCES

¹ New York Times, October 19, 1961.

² Life, November 24, 1961.

³ Time, October 20, 1961.

⁴ New York Times Magazine, December 3, 1961.

⁵ New York Times, January 4, 1962.

⁶ Newsweek, December 4, 1961.

⁷ New York Times, November 15, 1961.

⁸ Ibid., issue of October 21, 1961.

⁹ New York Times Magazine, December 17, 1961.

Appreciation for “New World Translation”

AT A MOTEL

A pioneer minister in Colorado writes: “I went on a call with a sister where people have a motel. While I was using my New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, the man noticed it and asked why it was plainer than his Bible. So I explained. He said: ‘I want one, and, by the way, I want one for every room at the motel. How much are they?’ I told him one dollar. He said: ‘Bring me a case.’”

WAITING FOR THE BUS

A pioneer sister in Louisiana entered into a discussion with a woman while waiting for a bus. “I told her I visited the homes of the people daily encouraging them to read the Bible more, because the Bible is our Guide. She said she did not read it much because the words were too hard to understand. I told her I had a modern-English translation. We got on the bus and sat together and I discussed the sermon with her. Then I read a few verses where the word charity is used, such as at 1 Corinthians 13:1, in the King James Version. I asked her what she understood that word to mean. She spoke of donations. I showed her from the New World Translation that the word really meant love. She asked how much the Bible cost. I said $1. She gave her name and address so I could deliver it to her house. To a different person I showed the ‘Table of the Books of the Bible,’ where one can learn who wrote each book, when and where. He took a copy. So by using the various suggestions of the Society, I placed 17 Bibles.”

IN OFTEN-COVERED TERRITORY

A report from a congregation in Texas tells about their ministerial work on December 25, last year: “Eighteen assembled at the Kingdom Hall, some of whom were able to spend a full day in service. Thirty-one Bibles were placed! What kind of territory? Territory that has been covered at least once each month and often once every three weeks! One householder commented: ‘Several in my Sunday-school class have a copy of that Bible, and I have been looking in all the stores for one. I’m glad you came.’”

TO THOSE GOING TO CHURCH

A congregation report from east Texas tells how the people were amazed at the low price of $1 for the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. What about those householders getting ready for church? A short presentation of the Bible was made, which “sent many to church with the New World Translation. In one small town four persons went to one church possessing their green Bibles.”

AT HIS PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT

From South Carolina comes this experience: “I work for a large automobile company and I usually keep a copy of the New World Translation in my desk drawer. One day a salesman, looking in my drawer, saw the Bible and began to thumb through it. It interested him very much, so he came to me and asked if he could get a copy. In turn, he put the Bible in his desk drawer. Another salesman came along and looked in his desk drawer and was greatly interested in the Bible. He came to me and wanted to know if he could get a copy also. This circle continued, and I was able to place seven Bibles in the office. Also, I offered the Bible to my manager. He said that he liked the King James Version and that he was afraid to try something new because he liked the poetic expressions of that version. However, he told me that he would take a copy home and look at it and either bring me the Bible back the next day or a dollar. The next day he came in without the Bible and had $2. He wanted another copy. In the shop I placed a Bible with the service manager. He was extremely interested in this modern-language translation, so he gathered several mechanics and even some customers together and asked me to demonstrate the Bible to them, making comparisons between the King James Version and the New World Translation. This I did, and among the mechanics and the customers I was able to place twelve additional Bibles, bringing the total for the month to twenty eight.”

Questions From Readers

● The opinion has been expressed by some that the coming of Armageddon can be hastened by Jehovah’s people engaging more zealously in the witness work, since all the “other sheep” are to be gathered before it begins. Is this the correct understanding?—W. S., United States.

With reference to the beginning of Armageddon Jesus said: “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father. For just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be.” From this we may gather that Jehovah has set a definite time for Armageddon to begin and that it waits upon no human activity.—Matt. 24:36, 37.

Today Jehovah’s people are in a similar position to that occupied by Ezekiel. Even as Jehovah warned Ezekiel that he would be held responsible for the destruction of the wicked if he failed to warn them, so Jehovah’s people today will not be free from the blood of all men if they neglect to warn the wicked. But if Armageddon were to wait until all had been warned, then failure to assume responsibility by Jehovah’s people would merely make it necessary to postpone Armageddon.—Ezek. 3:16-21.

In times past some have construed the words at 2 Peter 3:12 (AV, margin), “Looking for and hasting the coming of the day of God,” to mean that the day of God, here referring to Armageddon, could be hastened. But not so. The New World Translation gives the correct thought: “Awaiting and keeping close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah, through which the heavens being on fire will be dissolved and the elements being intensely hot will melt!” There is, however, a sense in which God’s people may be said to hasten the day of God and that is by preaching its urgency, getting people to realize that it is nearer than they think!

● Can Satan and his demons read our minds?—M. C., United States.

There is nothing in the Scriptures to indicate that Satan and his demons can read our minds or thoughts. Rather, the implication of the Scriptures is that only God can read the mind of man: “Mere man sees what appears to the eyes; but as for Jehovah, he sees what the heart is.” Further we are told regarding God: “There is not a creation that is not manifest to his sight, but all things are naked and openly exposed to the eyes of him with whom we have an accounting.”—1 Sam. 16:7; Heb. 4:13.

However, most likely the demons can, because of higher intelligence and better powers of observation, note what is in the mind of man because of his actions and facial expressions. Thus when a man goes contrary to Matthew 5:28 it may be apparent on his face, and so one could tell what is in his mind even though being unable to read it. So they may take advantage of weaknesses that one makes evident and tempt him to sin.

This underscores the importance of right thinking and dependence upon Jehovah. When wrong thoughts enter the mind they should be rejected at once; they should not be entertained, opening the way to sin. (Jas. 1:14, 15) Rather, draw close to God through prayer and meditation on his Word, because in this will be found protection against wrong desires and against the temptations of the Devil and his demons.—Jas. 4:7, 8; Phil. 4:8, 9.