who had met many witnesses of Jehovah while in prison. In December, 1953, one of Jehovah’s witnesses, who had been sent to a Russian prison camp in 1948 because of having witnessed to two Russian soldiers, was released on account of ill health, being over sixty years of age. He told of his witnessing to the Russians while at the camp and of meeting some witnesses there who were overjoyed to meet him.

Then, in February, 1954, several articles appeared in The Observer, London, England, on conditions in Russian work camps, written by a German journalist, Frau Brigette Gerland, who had just recently been released from one of them. She had been arrested in 1946 in Eastern Germany and sentenced to seven years at forced labor in Communist prison camps. Eventually she was sent to Vorkuta, capital of Arctic Russia, where there are some half million prisoners.

She gave a fine report of the prisoners at Vorkuta. Among those she described were “the believers, who, refusing to work for the state on grounds of conscience, had, after years of bitter struggle, forced the camp administration to respect their scruples and so employed them only in work that was for their fellow prisoners. Their success proved that resistance was possible within the camp.”

She made special mention of one woman believer, a trained technician who had once been a member of the Communist Youth movement but was not contented. Accidentally stumbling across a “New Testament,” she was converted thereby to Christianity. At her job in a factory she met a young woman who believed in the gospel and who introduced her to others that likewise did. The two young women abandoned their jobs and went to Central Asia, Siberia, where they worked in a hospital and preached the Bible. The secret police heard of their activity and sentenced them to fifteen years of hard labor for religious agitation. Says Frau Gerland regarding them: “The story of their conversion [preaching activity] and arrest is typical of the fate of hundreds whom I met and of thousands of others, and it is a story of a movement that is still alive outside the camps.”

In reply to an inquiry regarding Jehovah’s witnesses in Russia, Frau Gerland replied: “I met a lot of them in the Arctic camps. Most of them had been Western Ukrainians [formerly Polish] or people of the Baltic States, but there were among them also Russians and other Soviet peoples, even Tartars and Armenians. I think that in the camp district of Vorkuta alone there must have been more than two thousand, maybe even three thousand. They have been very kind and helpful people and all the prisoners liked them. By the camp chiefs they were not bothered because of their beliefs.”

The foregoing record of Jehovah’s witnesses’ defeating persecution in Russia calls to mind the confidence expressed regarding them in the 1950 Yearbook, that, “regardless of where they are, they continue to preach the good news. Jehovah’s witnesses everywhere will offer prayers to Jehovah to the end that he will bless and guide and direct these faithful brothers that they too may have a share in the vindication of Jehovah’s name by maintaining integrity despite the distressing times they endure. Their outstanding faith is a stimulus and inspiration to all of Jehovah’s witnesses, for they are faithfully continuing in the service of Jehovah.”

And what does it take to defeat such persecution today? First of all, knowledge. Without knowledge of Jehovah and his attributes, purposes and will for them and why he permits them to suffer they could not have resisted the Red terror. And that knowledge must result in a living faith, for one ‘can have strength for all things’ if he has faith, for it all is “according to your faith.” And it also takes hope, for hope is to the Christian what an anchor is to a ship and a helmet to a soldier, namely, a protection in time of danger.—Phil. 4:13; Matt. 9:29; Heb. 6:19; Eph. 6:17, NW.

To defeat persecution also requires Jehovah’s holy spirit, for it cannot be accomplished by human might or power. (Zech. 4:6) And, above all, it requires love, for without love we are nothing. Besides, “there is no fear in love, but perfect love throws fear outside.” (1 John 4:18, NW) Yes, true Christians can and do defeat persecution even as is demonstrated by the witnesses of Jehovah throughout the world.

Why Many Church Pews Are Empty

FOR a month in a certain California newspaper appeared the following advertisement: “WANTED men, women and children to occupy slightly used pews, Sunday morning, 10 to 12, at Armona Methodist Church, corner of 14th Ave. and Hanford-Armona Hwy.” The following experience may throw some light on why the pews of this church were unoccupied Sundays.

“I attended this church for twenty-five years and each time a minister asked the question, Why are the churches failing? I would feel more convinced that something was wrong with the churches. A year and a half ago I asked the minister, who had placed the above advertisement in the paper, to explain Armageddon to me and also parts of Revelation. Both he and his wife, who is also an ordained minister, told me they did not know, nor were they interested in Revelation, as we were not supposed to know. I was also told that I would lose my mind if I studied with Jehovah’s witnesses, as they are the worst false witnesses in the world.

“I had been studying the Bible for a few months with a young witness of Jehovah who had called at my door and she assured me that I would not lose my mind if I kept studying with her. After four months I was baptized, and it is amazing the progress I have been able to make, starting at the age of fifty-four as a Bible illiterate. Now with the help of Jehovah I am able to preach from door to door and conduct Bible studies. At my very first door I obtained a subscription for The Watchtower. I feel that it has been worth every bit of the tests, criticisms, etc., that I have had to go through. Incidentally, the minister and his wife, who had told me I would lose my mind if I studied with Jehovah’s witnesses, had to leave their church because of friction. P. S. My mind actually has been much improved!”

No wonder church pews are empty! Why take the trouble to go to church if we are not supposed to understand the Bible? And if we are, it is apparent that we must look elsewhere than to the places of worship where such ministers hold forth.

Something Hard to Understand?

Do you find an occasional article in this magazine that seems a little deep for you, a little difficult to understand? Did you ever stop to think why that material is there? The apostle Paul stated the principle to the Hebrews: “For everyone that partakes of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their perceptive powers trained to distinguish both right and wrong.” (Heb. 5:13, 14, NW) Thus the mature Christian must use his perceptive powers, must meditate upon and discuss difficult matters. So do not ignore an article because it is difficult, but take advantage of it to aid your progress toward spiritual maturity.