and more patience and persistence, too, are needed in this land, because it does have some difficulties not found in many other countries in the way of travel, accommodations, etc. But it must be said that the people are humble and, it is believed, ready to accept the truth.

WORK IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

The Society has a branch office in Puerto Rico and this office looks after the work in the island of Puerto Rico and also the Virgin Islands. The Society’s president had never been to the Virgin Islands, but missionaries had been sent there some years back and they have been doing splendid work. It was decided that the district assembly should be held at Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. A number of brothers from Puerto Rico chartered a Pan American plane and 52 of us flew from San Juan on Friday morning, December 29, to St. Thomas and there we were greeted by the conventioners from St. John, St. Croix and St. Thomas who were already assembled. The meetings were held in the Kingdom Hall on Garden street and there were 120 persons present enjoying this small assembly on this little island.

The city of Charlotte Amalie—there are perhaps 10,000 people on the island—certainly got a witness, because all of the publishers from Puerto Rico, many of them being missionaries, witnessed along with the local brothers. They utilized handbills, placards, magazines, and some door-to-door work was done. Everybody in town had read in the papers that Jehovah’s witnesses would have a big gathering and the field service left no doubt in anyone’s mind. It was interesting to work with the publishers in the market place where on Saturday morning people come from all parts of the island with their goods to sell. The natives of the island are well acquainted with the truth, because the missionaries who have been there for four years have certainly made their presence known by their earnest endeavors to preach the gospel of the Kingdom, and they took all the magazines the publishers had to offer.

On Saturday the convention moved from the Kingdom Hall to the Charlotte Amalie High School. The high school was built many years ago on a small peninsula which juts out into the harbor. Its location is a favored one. The island of St. Thomas has one of the prettiest harbors you can find. While it is not the largest by far, it is almost a full circle of land with a comparatively small mouth, and it is very deep. The island is very hilly, which makes the land rise from the water’s edge right up to meet the clouds. Hotels and homes dot the hills, which are very green in the month of December. On some hills we could see the smooth surfaces of water catchments, for the Virgin Islands depend upon rain for drinking water. Yes, St. Thomas is a small green jewel in a setting of crystal-clear water—a tourist’s playground of the best type.

The fine location of the high school meant there were always cool breezes for the enjoyment of those attending the meetings. On New Year’s Eve, December 31, the public meeting was held and there were 320 persons present, a very fine number for that day of the year. They showed excellent interest and undoubtedly the witness work will continue to progress on this island and other islands of the Virgin Islands group. It was certainly a pleasure to be associated with all of these missionaries and the company publishers and local pioneers and to see their zeal. For some time in the Virgin Islands it was difficult to convince the brothers that Jehovah’s witnesses were there to stay, and they had a longing to hold back to the church organizations. But now they have pulled free from the churches and the brothers and sisters are getting baptized and going out in the field and making proclamation there, as all other witnesses of Jehovah are doing throughout the world. This, of course, has caused a disturbance among the churches because many of the good church workers have left.

On Monday morning, January 1, the conventioners who had come over from Puerto Rico were all assembled at the airport awaiting their chartered plane, a DC-4, and 54 persons traveled back to San Juan and they enjoyed a very pleasant flight. The municipally-owned Teatro Tapia in downtown San Juan—truly a beautiful opera house—had been engaged for a public assembly that afternoon. First, Brother Henschel talked to the publishers who had gathered at San Juan on New Year’s Day. There were 281 brothers there. Brother Knorr gave his public talk and the branch servant interpreted. There was a short intermission of fifteen minutes and then Brother Knorr spoke to the brothers again, on the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. It was certainly a joy to have the opportunity to visit with the Puerto Rican brothers once more. Puerto Rico seems to be one of the junction points for traveling to South America and the islands of the Western Hemisphere. So it has been Brother Knorr’s pleasure to be with these brothers a little more often than with other branches.

Arrangements were made to fly back from Puerto Rico to the United States and this flight was effected on Wednesday, January 3, a rapid change from tropics to winter.

And so we see that the islands, through their inhabitants, cry out praise to their Creator, Jehovah God, as the theocratic expansion reaches out to affect even small portions of land that are but a speck on a map. It is a wonderful thing to see how the spirit of Jehovah has gone throughout the earth, operating in His witnesses, to draw to Him and the theocratic organization the ones who love righteousness and believe his promise of the new world. We are pleased that people of all kinds, all nationalities, are coming into line for the blessings of life and taking up the preaching of the good news. And as we see the good news stretch out to insignificant islands in these days of mighty world political powers we have good cause to rejoice, for we know that when the good news has been preached in all the world for a witness the accomplished end is sure to come.

“With Stammering Lips and Another Tongue”

Regardless of how strange a foreign land and tongue may seem to a missionary, the Lord’s blessing will be upon sincere efforts, as the following experience from Peru clearly shows: “Breaking the ground in brand-new territory with a brand-new language, I thought I’d never live through my first day trying to preach the gospel in the Spanish language. But I did, and a happy surprise was awaiting me just around the corner. While knocking at a door during our second day of work here I said a little prayer and hoped that these poor people would get something out of the testimony that I must give in very poor Spanish. At this home the mother and daughter showed a great deal of interest, especially when they were shown from the Bible the real meaning of ‘hell’, the condition of the dead, etc., and a home Bible study was arranged for the following week. Imagine my surprise when I went back and found not just two people but ten ready to study. This study has continued without interruption ever since, and at times as many as thirteen have attended at one time. After three months of study and association with this dear family five became active preachers of the gospel and some of the others will join shortly. Much to our joy, several others in this neighborhood have become active Kingdom publishers too, and now this home is a regular assembly point where groups of ministers gather for gospel-preaching activity.”