immersion asked: “Is this being done by Jehovah’s witnesses?” When assured that it was, he commented: “I knew it must be; no other organization would ever be seen where a white man would be baptizing a colored man. It must be Jehovah’s witnesses.”

The subject of hell was being discussed in the house of a lover of righteousness in the Dominican Republic by a Witness and an Evangelical preacher. Being unable to refute the Scriptural presentation of the Witness, the preacher jumped to his feet and angrily shouted: “Look! man, God is not a God of love!” He then left, never to return. And what about the householder? He says that now he and his house are for Jehovah!—Josh. 24:15.

A truth-hungry man in Somalia, Africa, complained to the Witness visiting him: “Why doesn’t the local priest tell us these good things instead of spending his evenings playing cards with the boys at the clubhouse?”

In Ghana an overseer and his assistant made a call on one of the Witnesses that was becoming weak spiritually. Others in the same house overheard their remarks, causing one of them to say: “These people are really good Christians; their brother has not been going with them these days, so they came to strengthen him, and now look how happy he has become. If our priest had been doing the same thing we might not have gotten lost from the Church. I am going to look into this religion more fully.”

Witnesses in the Leeward Islands, in the Caribbean Sea, en route to their convention were pleased to hear the immigration officer say: “We will take all of Jehovah’s witnesses first in a group. I know they can be relied on to return when their convention is over. These people never give us any trouble.”

In reply to her request for help in understanding certain Bible doctrines a woman in Czechoslovakia was surprised to hear the following from her Roman Catholic priest: “Dear lady, I am not in a position to give you a thorough answer to these Biblical questions. In fact, we, the church, are really responsible that the people know so little about the Bible, and I know that we shall have to suffer God’s punishment for this. But if you want to know more about the truth of the Bible, there are people living in our town who will be able to tell you a lot about your questions and these [Jehovah’s witnesses] you should see.” This woman had begun studying with Jehovah’s witnesses and was disturbed to find their teaching so different from that of the Catholic Church. But now she no longer had any qualms about continuing to study with them!

Questions From Readers

● In view of the fact that it has been stated in the Watch Tower publications that the works of healing performed by Jesus and his apostles did not depend upon the faith of those cured, how are we to understand Matthew 13:58, which reads: “He did not do many powerful works there on account of their lack of faith”?—N. B., United States.

Today many faith healers, when brought face to face with the fact that they cannot heal a person, claim that it is due to his lack of faith. However, this is merely a subterfuge to explain away their inability to heal. Such, however, was not the case with Jesus and his apostles. There is nothing in the record to indicate that the widow of Nain exercised faith that her son would be brought to life again. Jesus merely noted the mourning mother and comforted her by raising her son from the dead. Thus also Peter and John healed a cripple at the temple gate without any expression of faith on his part. He looked at them expecting to receive some alms, and, to his amazement and astonishment, he was made whole.—Luke 7:12-15; Acts 3:1-8.

What the Scriptures state at Matthew 13:58 is that Jesus did not do many powerful works because of their lack of faith, not that he could not do works there. Apparently few people came out there to see him and to be healed. This was in striking contrast to other places, of which we read: “Great crowds approached him, having along with them people that were lame, maimed, blind, dumb, and many otherwise, and they fairly threw them at his feet, and he cured them.” The very fact of their bringing these to Jesus was a sufficient act of faith. There is nothing to indicate that Jesus quizzed these as to their faith.—Matt. 15:30.

● Is there any objection to a dedicated Christian minister’s belonging to a nudist group or living at a nudist camp or resort?—M. D., United States.

Whether man would have continued naked had he not sinned the Word of God does not explicitly state. However, we do note that after the first human pair sinned Jehovah God made clothes for them, slaughtering animals to provide the skins. (Gen. 3:21) Certainly that was a change from their original nakedness. But since these clothes were provided by the Creator himself, who would dare claim that Adam and Eve would have been better off without them? Certainly throughout the Scriptures we note that God’s servants wore clothing, and oftentimes it is described.

More than that, man is the only creature on earth that has need of clothing, and that for at least three sound reasons. First, as a protection from the elements and nature, from heat and cold, from rough terrain or thorns, and so forth. Secondly, there is the matter of beauty and comeliness. Clothing adds to the appearance, helps give one a measure of confidence and serves to cover one’s unseemly parts, even as the apostle Paul notes at 1 Corinthians 12:23. And thirdly, there is the matter of modesty. Thus we read at Revelation 16:15 that Christians should take care lest they lose their garments and be exposed to shame. True, this refers to spiritual garments, but the illustration would be without force if the nude state were to be preferred to the clothed.

Further, the Scriptures admonish Christian women to be chaste and modest in their attire: “I desire the women to adorn themselves in well-arranged dress, with modesty and soundness of mind.” (1 Tim. 2:9) It would be stretching credulity to believe, as claimed by the nudists, that men and women of the world are of such a high moral tone that in the presence of nude women they would not be likely to transgress along the line Jesus mentioned at Matthew 5:28: “Everyone that keeps on looking at a woman so as to have a passion for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Therefore no dedicated Christian minister can remain in good standing in the New World society of Jehovah’s witnesses and at the same time be a member of a nudist colony or frequent nudist camps.

Announcements

FIELD MINISTRY

In view of the clear information in the Bible concerning our times, there is no need for a person to wonder what his responsibility as a Christian is. Awake to their responsibility, Jehovah’s witnesses will call at homes during May offering the Bible-study aid From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained, on a contribution of only 75c.

DESIGNED TO FIT YOUR NEEDS

Awake! is designed for you! Whoever you are, wherever you are, Awake! is published with you in mind. It covers the world and far beyond and puts you there in a way that is stimulating, enlightening, thought-provoking. It treats of every phase of life, specializing in those things that concern you. It is designed to fit your needs. Send for it. Read it. Enjoy it. One year, $1.

QUEBEC CITY ASSEMBLY

The Courageous Ministers District Assembly scheduled for Quebec City, Quebec, July 27-29 will have an all-French program. There will be no English-language sessions.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS

June 24: The Faithful Creator. Page 297.

July 1: The Name of Jehovah—a Strong Tower. Page 303.