the communistic governments, individual publishers of the good news of God’s kingdom have stuck to their ministry and preached to people whenever and wherever possible. So in the 1951 service year new peaks of workers were established in Czechoslovakia (3,705), Hungary (2,583) and Yugoslavia (617) in the face of violent opposition and the jailing of hundreds. More than 15,000 reported in Poland, too. Publishers are at work in the other “red” countries and occasionally they are heard from. All this stands as proof that the message of final warning is being sounded, even as Jehovah foretold in the Bible prophecies, and the fearlessness and faithfulness of Jehovah’s witnesses as they stand for clean, undefiled worship before God’s enemies and theirs “is a proof of destruction for [the enemies], but of salvation for [Jehovah’s faithful ones]; and this indication is from God”.—Phil. 1:27-29, NW.

Publish Uplift and Comfort for the Poor

TODAY poverty is the lot of the great majority of mankind, nearly all of whom look upon material prosperity as the chief good in life. But why set your heart on something unlikely of realization? And even if realized, what have you? Burdens, anxieties and temptations that plunge men into destruction.—1 Tim. 6:9, NW.

Spiritual poverty is even more widespread than lack of material riches, but those who appreciate their spiritual poverty are truly wise. How so? Because God has made it possible for these to become spiritually rich.

Jesus illustrated this change from spiritual poverty to spiritual felicity and prosperity in the parable or illustration of the rich man and Lazarus.a A parable? Yes, for “without an illustration [Jesus] would not speak to them”, and to take it literally involves us in many inconsistencies and absurdities. For one thing, note that nothing is said about the rich man as being wicked or the poor man as being good. Certainly it is inconceivable that such all-important facts would have been overlooked if the account were to serve as a warning to evildoers.—Matt. 13:34; Luke 16:19-31, NW.

Briefly, the illustration shows the following: When Jesus began his ministry he found a class of men who were like the rich man in that they were rich in honor, position and spiritual advantages, the scribes, Pharisees, lawyers and priests. They were proud, haughty, self-righteous, and considered themselves the custodians of the sacred pronouncements.—Matt. 23:2; John 8:39; Luke 16:15; Rom. 3:2, NW.

On the other hand, Lazarus, whose name means “God is helper”, fittingly pictures the poor and humble lovers of righteousness who appreciated their spiritual need. These, in the eyes of the religious leaders, were morally diseased and fit company for dogs, uncircumcised Gentiles.—Matt. 15:26, 27; Luke 18:9-14; John 7:49, NW.

The ministry of Christ Jesus brought about a great change in the condition of each, well pictured by their death. The spiritually poor were comforted by the truth, and by reason of their faith and consistent course of action were brought into God’s favor, well pictured by Abraham’s bosom. (Matt. 5:3-12; 11:28-30; Luke 22:28-30; John 13:23, NW) On the other