mottled. The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob!’ ‘Yes,’ said I. And he said, ‘Raise your eyes, look! all the he-goats that leap on the she-goats are striped, speckled, and mottled.’”—Gen. 31:9-12, Mo.

Jehovah God here gave Jacob instruction in the modern science of genetics. There were no spotted goats in the flock Jacob tended, yet the vision disclosed spotted goats. How could this be? It is apparent that the spots were not visible, yet their presence in these solid-colored animals was supernaturally revealed to Jacob and doubly impressed upon him by what he saw in the dream and by the angel’s specifically calling his attention to them. Apparently these plain-colored goats were hybrids, that is, they were the result of a cross between the spotted goats and plain goats that ran together in Laban’s flocks. Though these hybrids were uniformly colored themselves, they carried in their germ cells the hereditary factors for spotting and speckling, and, in accord with the laws of heredity discovered by Gregor Mendel in the nineteenth century and clarified and enlarged in this twentieth century, many of the offspring of these solid-colored hybrid goats were spotted and speckled. By the vision God opened Jacob’s eyes to the naturally invisible presence of the hereditary factors for spotting and speckling that were in the plain-colored hybrid goats, and Jehovah could well cause the proportion of spotted offspring to run heavy. Both Laban and Jacob acknowledged Jehovah’s interest in this matter. (Gen. 30:27-30; 31:5, 7, 9, 16) As for the point raised by Genesis 30:41, 42 that the stronger offspring were Jacob’s, it should be remembered that all the speckled and spotted would come from the hybrids, and it is a modern biological truth that hybrids are stronger than uncrossed breeds. Not all the goats in the flock Jacob tended were hybrids, and these feebler ones, without the hybrid vigor, would breed true and produce only solid-colored offspring, and which feebler kids would be Laban’s.

Hence it appears that the Bible does not support the idea that what a mother sees or experiences during pregnancy may mark her offspring. Jacob thought so at the outset of his experiment, but he changed his mind when later instructed otherwise by God. Jacob had God’s approval, and may be commended for acting according to the knowledge he possessed and doing all in his power to effect a good result, and God blessed Jacob. But the manner in which the good result was brought about was revealed by the inspired dream, and not by Jacob’s breeding methods.

Announcements

“PREACH THE WORD” TESTIMONY PERIOD

December, the final month of 1950, has been designated as “Preach the Word” Testimony Period. How could this eventful year be more effectively concluded than by taking the word of God upon your lips and heralding it forth to all who will hear? That is what Jehovah’s witnesses will be doing, in harmony, with Paul’s counsel to Timothy (2 Tim. 4:2, Moffatt), and you are cordially invited to join in with them in this God-approved work. The 320-page book “This Means Everlasting Life” will be offered to those displaying interest in God’s Word, the contribution being 35c. It points out from the Word of God what is required of those who seek life everlasting. That your activity may be included along with that of thousands of others who will be preaching the Word in December, we suggest that you report to us the results of your preaching. We shall be happy to supply you with report cards and any instruction you may require. If there is a company of Jehovah’s witnesses in your community, feel free to call upon them for help.

EVOLUTION VERSUS THE NEW WORLD

Arrogantly the proponents of the theory of evolution have foisted their ideas upon the public. Through the press, schools, clergy and other means their belief has been spread like a blight upon the human race; a blight because it belittles and disputes the Biblical account of creation by an intelligent Creator. Is their case so strong that it defies refutation? Most certainly not! The contradictions of men do not bring to nought the Word of God. Moreover, scientific facts bear out the Bible account of creation, leaving the evolutionists without any tangible support for their mythical theories. A wealth of incontrovertible proof in favor of the Bible record of creation and against the theory of evolution is now collected within the covers of one booklet, Evolution versus The New World. This 64-page, colored-cover brochure will be sent to you, postpaid, for 5c.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES

Week of December 10: New Systems of Things, ¶1-20

Week of December 17: New Systems of Things, ¶21-24; and Beginning the New World Society, ¶1-18.