work has brought it about that Northern Rhodesia has one Kingdom publisher for every 81 persons; Nyasaland, one for every 194 persons; and Southern Rhodesia, one for every 245 inhabitants. Three years ago a large Bethel home and factory was opened up in Johannesburg, South Africa, where over two million Watchtower and Awake! magazines a year are printed in nine African languages. No longer can Africa be labeled the dark continent, spiritually speaking.

ISLANDS OF THE SEA

The Kingdom message has even penetrated to the far-flung islands of the Atlantic, Caribbean, Mediterranean and the Pacific. In many of these islands, including the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand, the good news of the Kingdom has enjoyed a warm reception. Whereas back in 1942 there were only 5,570 Kingdom preachers on nine islands, ten years later the number had increased to 44,111 preaching on 27 islands. But now the number of preachers has doubled, rising to over 89,000, who are carrying the good news to more than 60 islands and groups of islands of the sea.

A letter received recently from the Solomon Islands gives an idea of what a remarkable reception is sometimes given the Kingdom message. Some villagers had become dissatisfied with the religion brought by Christendom’s missionaries and so set up their own. As they were interested in religion, when they heard about the work of Jehovah’s witnesses they sent some representatives to the capital city of Honiara to investigate. These brought back a favorable report. In fact, one of them was so impressed that he built a Kingdom Hall in anticipation of the time that Jehovah’s witnesses would come.

Finally, when four Kingdom publishers arrived, over 450 of the native folk assembled to hear the public talk. Afterward arrangements were made to conduct a teaching program during the following week. Classes were held with about 150 in attendance. They began at 6:30 in the morning and continued till after midnight. The result? “After much convincing and argumentation that is impossible to put into one letter every last one of the teachers and pastors decided for the truth. The twenty-odd churches were renamed Kingdom Halls and all twenty-eight villages are studying the nine sermons left with them. All of them were really enthused and they sent twenty pounds with me to buy blackboards and chalk. The former teachers and pastors are now publishing and teaching the others through the sermons. They have left all of their rituals and are trying to follow the way we do things as closely as possible.” And so it is that the Kingdom message reaches into the remote islands of the sea.

SOUTH AMERICA

After centuries of Roman Catholic control illiteracy is the general rule among the people of this continent, illegitimate children are many and consensual marriage is the normal practice. Under such an atmosphere Kingdom preaching had a slow start, with only 807 ministers in 1942; by 1952 these had increased to 11,795, but now over 45,000 are busy preaching in all the countries of South America. In recent years the work of Jehovah’s witnesses has gained widespread public attention in every country of South America.

In the city and suburbs of São Paulo in the south of Brazil, for example, there are over 70 congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses and more than 5,500 Kingdom preachers. Weekly the Kingdom message is kept before the attention of the people of this area by means of a television program that is calculated to have 1,500,000 viewers.

This January when Jehovah’s witnesses held a national assembly in São Paulo the officials welcomed them and helped to overcome various problems in connection with the assembly. By means of radio, TV and 3,900 column-inches of news publicity the assembly was well advertised. What was the public response? Amazing! Although there are fewer than 30,000 Kingdom publishers in all Brazil, over 48,000 turned out to hear the public talk “When All Nations Unite Under God’s Kingdom”!

NORTH AMERICA

In North America, where the headquarters directing this worldwide preaching work is located, steady increases have been realized, not only in the United States, but also in Canada, Mexico and Central America. The number of preachers has grown from 75,589 in 1945, to 168,752 in 1952, to over 345,000 who are now carrying the message of God’s kingdom to the peoples from Alaska to Panama.

Throughout the world the number of Kingdom preachers is well over 950,000. Every week they contact tens of millions of persons, and with many of these they hold Bible discussions in their homes. “In all the inhabited earth” this good news of the Kingdom is being preached, in imitation of the example set by Christ Jesus and in fulfillment of his prophecy concerning our day. It is not being done in a perfunctory manner, but with the greatest urgency, because, as Jesus said, the preaching of the Kingdom good news will be followed by the end of this wicked system of things at God’s war of Armageddon.—Matt. 24:14; Rev. 16:16.

Hundreds of thousands of dedicated men, women and youths, moved by love of God and love of neighbor, are zealously sharing in this vital work, regardless of the obstacles with which they are confronted. Tens of thousands more are joining them in the work each year. Now is the time for you too to avail yourself of the opportunity to take your stand for Jehovah God and his kingdom and so come in line for the everlasting blessings of his righteous new world!

Announcements

FIELD MINISTRY

Like refreshing dew and copious showers, Jehovah’s witnesses bring refreshment to persons who are of goodwill toward God. This they do by making known the truths of God’s Word. As a part of this work, during October they will feature the Awake! magazine. A year’s subscription for Awake!, with three Bible study booklets, will be offered for $1.

TWO MILLION IN ONE YEAR!

Two million copies of a single edition of the complete Bible—printed and distributed in one short year! That is the amazing record of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. But if you could hold a copy in your own hand, open it and read just a few pages, you would understand why. It is in modern English, printed on thin Bible paper and bound in a gold-embossed green cover. It contains 1,470 pages and a comprehensive concordance with maps and drawings. It is only $1! Send for your copy today.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS

November 25: Take Courage—God’s Kingdom Is at Hand!, ¶1-27. Page 612.

December 2: Take Courage—God’s Kingdom Is at Hand!, ¶28-52. Page 619.