It was to these islands that the Society assigned Brother and Sister Theophilus Klein, a missionary couple, to open up the Kingdom-preaching work in January 1947. The reception was amazing. During the first four months, they obtained 750 new subscriptions for the Society’s magazines. Local residents quickly began to share in the preaching work. In fact, in the first eight months, 29 publishers joined in preaching the good news, not only from house to house but also on the streets with the magazines. On Saturday morning the main street in St. Thomas was often filled with publishers presenting The Watchtower and Awake!

A former staff writer for Life magazine described her impression in this way: “Among the sights which struck us when we first walked through the streets of St. Thomas was the number of men and women standing on street corners wearing canvas bags on which was written THE WATCHTOWER . . . The most vocal of them, a well-dressed, prosperous-looking man in his middle forties, had called on me on board [the boat] the Love Junk once, asking for a few minutes in which to talk. But I was fully occupied with some food on the fire at the time and sent him away; therefore I did not know anything about the Watchtower.

“It was with some surprise that I recognized this gentleman, immaculate as usual in a white suit, stiff-collared shirt and tie, crouched over the engine with Harry. . . . As time went on, and the man did not leave, I began to wonder what was happening to my good Presbyterian husband. If he was being converted, I wondered to what. Perhaps all this was leading up to baptism by immersion; we certainly were in the ideal spot for it. . . . But far from the fire and brimstone oratory I had expected, the words coming out of the Watchtower man were so softly spoken that I could not make out what he was saying. His actions were even less revealing. . . . ‘What’s he doing in there, John-Thomas?’ I asked . . . ‘Is he converting Mr. Harman?’ . . . ‘I doesn’t think so. . . . The Watchtower man hold de wrench for de Chief.’ . . . I saw it all clearly. The Watchtower man was not only a missionary, but an expert psychologist as well. At that particular time, there was no more direct way to Harry’s soul than through his engine.

“Finally the Watchtower man emerged. . . . I could not wait to go into the engine room and talk to Harry. ‘Nice fellow,’ he commented. ‘Offered to come and discuss the Bible with me once a week.’ ‘Who is he?’ I asked. ‘He’s a Jehovah’s Witness,’ Harry said. ‘Certainly do admire his dedication. . . . I had to do something for him in return; he won’t take contributions.’ ‘What, Harry,’ I asked, ‘did you say you would do for him?’ ‘Oh I took a year’s subscription to Awake!’”

[Picture on page 82]

Theophilus and Doris Klein, zealous missionaries serving here since 1947