overanxious spirit. They are patient. They are willing to wait until the storm breaks, for they know that between now and the time of that final battle a great work must be accomplished. It is the great work of preaching this good news of God’s kingdom in all the world for a witness, and while they are doing it they are going to worship Jehovah in holy array.

21. Despite what do we continue to preach, and how under circumstances like those of Jehoshaphat’s day?

²¹ So now they have a big work on their hands, and they know the religionists of all lands are against them in getting their work done. They know that the rulers of all nations are against their message. The Communists refuse to let Jehovah’s witnesses preach concerning Jehovah God’s kingdom, for the Communists believe there is but one form of government that should exist on this earth and that is the communistic form. Why then allow anyone to speak of God’s kingdom and its rule of peace? Communistic opposition or anybody else’s opposition does not dishearten Jehovah’s witnesses. They continue to preach despite all the persecution. They are just like Jehoshaphat and his subjects in his day: “They rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem: believe in Jehovah your God, so shall ye be established: believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed them that should sing unto Jehovah, and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks unto Jehovah; for his lovingkindness endureth for ever.” (2 Chron. 20:20, 21, AS) His people did not slack the hand then, nor will they now, in singing praises to the Most High. They have the grand privilege of preaching the good news to the poor and bringing forth those who are prisoners of the god of this world. Satan is his name.

22. How do we offer ourselves in Jehovah’s service, and what yeartext do we carry out?

²² The time is here for preaching and comforting the peoples of the world and telling them of the God of the new world. Jehovah is his name. God’s servants are offering themselves in his service willingly. They are joyful in going forth. They are mindful of Psalm 110:3 (AS): “Thy people offer themselves willingly in the day of thy power, in holy array.” With real joy and gladness Jehovah’s witnesses go forward in their work today in unity with one another and as one man to sing the praises of the Most High. What joy is theirs because they listen to the voice of Jehovah! So, in the words of the text which Jehovah’s witnesses have chosen for their 1953 calendar, they will “worship Jehovah in holy array”.—Ps. 29:2, AS.

“Few Read the Bible”

Under that heading a New York newspaper reported the statement of Dr. Robert J. McCracken of New York’s Riverside Church that “the Bible-reading habit is passing away”. “Too much should not be made of the fact that the Bible is the world’s best seller,” he said. Also, “All the evidence goes to show that in a disconcertingly large number of homes it is consulted as rarely as the collected works of Shakespeare or the volumes of the classics presented as dividends to members of book clubs. It serves more as an ornament than as an instrument. Brides carry it to their wedding and then put it away among their souvenirs. Politicians swear on it when they take office but seldom swear by it afterwards. Even where church members are concerned, the Bible is largely an unknown book. It is a fact that the majority of the people in this country have only the haziest notion of what the greatest book in the world teaches.”