Despite the pests, a missionary explains that the work was enjoyable: “I was walking along the road one day when I met a young Ethiopian man and stopped to speak to him. Upon learning that I was a missionary, he asked, ‘Please, Sir, tell me about Jesus Christ.’ I invited him to our home the following day, and within ten minutes of his arrival, a study in the book “Let God Be True” was in progress. He returned the next day for another study, bringing with him another young man. These two became the first Ethiopian publishers.”

A Student Priest Lays His Hand to the Plow

One of those who responded well to the Kingdom message was a student priest who could not speak a word of English. His first discussion with one of our missionaries was through an interpreter. When controversial points arose, the student priest would check his Bible in the ancient language of Geez. It shocked him to learn that his favorite support for the Trinity at 1 John 5:7 was not in his Bible. Other wrong doctrines were quickly exposed with this Bible.

He came for studies three or four times a week, bringing others with him. When he left the seminary to move in with a Witness, the school clerk of the seminary came with a policeman and dragged the student priest away. Later, when he was locked up in the seminary for four days, he sent a note telling the brothers not to feel sorry for him, since he was rejoicing that he was a prisoner for the sake of Jehovah. “Do not think I will go with them,” he said. “No man who has put his hand to the plow looks at the things behind.” After his release, he moved to the capital city, where he attended meetings and came to be among the first Ethiopians baptized as Witnesses of Jehovah.