“Jehovah’s Spirit Made Us Fearless”

During 1927, Jehovah’s people were encouraged to spend a portion of every Sunday in group witnessing. Immediate legal opposition was raised. Within a few years, arrests began to mount—268 in the United States alone in 1933, 340 in 1934, 478 in 1935, and 1,149 in 1936. On what charge? Actually, on various charges, including selling without a license, disturbing the peace, and violating Sunday sabbath laws.

So, early in the 1930’s, they struck back by going on the offensive. How? By means of special preaching missions known as divisional campaigns. Thousands of volunteers throughout the United States were organized into divisions. When Witnesses were arrested in one town for house-to-house preaching, a division of volunteers from other areas soon arrived and “besieged” the town, giving a thorough witness.e

Those divisional campaigns did much to strengthen the local Witnesses. In each division, there were qualified brothers who had been trained to deal with the authorities. It was a great encouragement to the brothers living in a trouble area, perhaps in a small town, to know that they were not alone in proclaiming God’s Kingdom.

It took a great deal of courage to share in the divisional campaigns of the 1930’s. In the midst of the Great Depression period, jobs were scarce. Yet, Nicholas Kovalak, Jr., a traveling overseer for some 40 years, recalls: “When the call came to cover a trouble spot, the ‘service director’ would ask for volunteers. Individuals were told not to volunteer if they were afraid of losing their jobs. . . . But we were always happy to see 100% affirmative response!” Observed John Dulchinos, an overseer from Springfield, Massachusetts: “Indeed, those were thrilling years and their memories are precious. Jehovah’s spirit made us fearless.”