These gatherings of Jehovah’s Witnesses have attracted much attention. A contributing factor has been the prevailing spirit of brotherhood and unity. For instance, writing in The Times​—Picayune, Wesley Jackson described the Witnesses as “good people, leading extremely high moral lives, which makes them very family-oriented.” He also stated: “The many thousands of Witnesses here this week, and they come in all different shapes and sizes, colors and nationalities, are basically very devout Christians whose religious beliefs differ somewhat from the rest of the Christian community. That they are close-knit is obvious from the large throngs which have converged on this city for the first of two international rallies being held in New Orleans.”

The spirit of brotherhood and unity evident among Jehovah’s Witnesses also was noted in an editorial appearing in the Washington Afro-American of June 24, 1978. It stated:

“Although much progress has been made in improving race relations, some researchers have recently seen causes for discouragement. Their appraisal: few blacks and whites sit in the same church pews.

“During sessions of the ‘Victorious Faith’ International Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses it is apparent such a division does not exist. The 48,000 delegates to the meeting under way at the R. F. K. Stadium eat, worship, and associate together with no racial distinctions.”

Friday morning of the “Victorious Faith” International Convention is being devoted to activities in the field. Equipped with literature carried in colorful kits advertising the convention, the delegates are witnessing from house to house, at business places, on the streets and elsewhere. For instance, upwards of 20,000 Witnesses participated in this activity in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and its suburbs. At New Orleans, Louisiana, more than 30,000 took part in this work.

In various cases, television or other news media personnel accompanied the Witnesses in their Friday morning field service activity. Cheryl Ernst, a staff writer of the Everett Herald, wrote in that Washington state newspaper: “They marched forth from the Kingdome [in Seattle] 40,000-strong, like Joshua’s army . . . Faith was their armor, the Bible their weapon and words their ammunition.”

What impression was made by this special activity? In St. Louis, Missouri, a man approached a Witness doing street work and remarked: “I’ll say one thing about Jehovah’s Witnesses: Your women dress like ladies.”