Explaining Our Stand

The drive to outlaw the activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses continued apace. The branch wanted to explain our neutral stand to the government. Smart Phiri and Jonas Manjoni were selected to make a presentation before many government ministers. During the presentation, a minister verbally lashed out at the brothers. “I would love to take you outside and beat you!” he said. “Do you realize what you have done? You have taken our best citizens, the cream of the crop, and what have you left us with? Why, the murderers, the adulterers, and the thieves!”

The brothers quickly responded: “But that is what some of them were! They were thieves, adulterers, murderers, but because of the Bible’s power, these very people have made changes in their lives and have become Zambia’s best citizens. That is why we appeal to you to let us preach freely.”​—1 Cor. 6:9-11.

[Box/​Picture on page 241, 242]

“How Can We Stop Preaching?”

Jonas Manjoni

Born: 1922

Baptized: 1950

Profile: Served at Zambia Bethel for over 20 years. Currently an elder and a regular pioneer.

In the middle of the second world war, my brother returned from Tanzania with a Bible and several books including Government and Reconciliation. With publications of Jehovah’s Witnesses still under ban, I was interested to see what all the fuss was about. I read Reconciliation but found it hard to understand. Some years later, I visited my brother and went with him to a congregation meeting. There was no Kingdom Hall; the meeting place was a cleared area, fenced off with bamboo. No printed outline was used, but how satisfying it was to hear a lecture taken directly from the Scriptures! The explanation of the Bible was quite different from that presented at the church I went to, where those attending were eager to salute the flag and to beat drums. Why, in church, squabbles arose over tribal differences and in what language they should sing! At this meeting, however, I heard beautiful songs giving praise to Jehovah and saw whole families seated, taking in spiritual food.

I got baptized and continued my secular work as a medical orderly, which took me from town to town in the mining areas. In 1951, I took two weeks’ leave and spent the time helping at the branch office in Lusaka. Soon afterward, I was invited to serve at Bethel. At first I worked in shipping, and later when the office moved to Luanshya, I helped in correspondence and translation. Though political change began brewing in the early 1960’s, the brothers continued to produce good fruitage and to maintain their neutrality amid political upheaval.

March 1963 was one of several occasions when I met with Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, who was soon to become president of Zambia. I explained why we refused to join political parties or to purchase party cards. We requested his assistance in ending intimidation from political opposers, and he requested more information. Some years later, Dr. Kaunda invited us to the State House where we were privileged to speak to the president and his principal ministers. The meeting lasted late into the evening. While not objecting to Jehovah’s Witnesses as a religious group, the president asked if we could just meet like other religions, without preaching. “How can we stop preaching?” we replied. “Jesus preached. He did not simply build a temple alongside the Pharisees.”

Despite our appeals, a ban was imposed on features of our ministry. Nevertheless, as always we found ways to give credit and honor to Jehovah, who uses his servants to accomplish his purpose.