Resolution, Leicester, England (1941)
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RESOLUTION
Two thousand of Jehovah's witnesses residing in Greater London, in assembly at the Golders Green Hippodrome, Sunday, January 19, 1941, considered and unanimously adopted the following resolution:—
WHEREAS the press has reported that the activities of Jehovah's witnesses have been considered subversive in Canada, New Zealand and Australia and that their legally constituted organizations, namely, the WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY and the INTERNATIONAL BIBLE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION, registered in London, have been declared illegalday by using the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God. and are wholly determined to continue to fight against the Catholic-Nazi-Fascist element.
BE IT RESOLVED—
That we greatly deplore the action taken by the Canadian, New Zealand and Australian governments in recently banning the Christian activities of Jehovah's witnesses in those lands.
That the charges of being "disloyal," "causing disaffection," "deliberately calculated to destroy morale and hamper the war effort" and "denouncing citizens of the British Empire as followers of Satan" cannot be true and must be without foundation.
That as Jehovah's witnesses we are loyal law-abiding citizens of Britain and fully render unto Caeesar the things that are Caeesar's and render unto God the things that are God's.
That we are not engaged in a work of spreading disaffection. Our Christian activities are confined solely to preaching the Gospel of Christ's Kingdom, the Theocracy. which is the only hope of mankind.
That the purpose of our Christian service which has been carried on in this country for the past sixty years is to bring comfort, hope and consolation to peoples of good-will who love righteousness; that this Christian work conducted in Britain during the past sixteen months of the war has strengthened the hopes and courage of thousands of persons who had lost faith in God because of the hypocrisy of religion.
That as an organization. Jehovah's witnesses have not counselled nor encouraged its associates to become 'conscientious objectors'; that such a charge, when made, is wholly false as well as any charge that we have 'hampered the war effort.' (There are many in the forces today who favour the message of the Kingdom of God under Christ yet are loyally serving in the various services.)
That the policy of the Society representing Jehovah's witnesses is never to denounce a person for his beliefs. The Society has never violated that principle and has never denounced any citizen of the British Empire or any citizen of any other government. Jehovah's witnesses have denounced the evils of organized religion and the religious efforts of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy at Vatican City in supporting such wicked forms of gangster rule as Nazism and Fascism.
That Jehovah's witnesses are not pacifists; but believe in combating and exposing the evils of this
That Jehovah's witnesses in Britain who themselves have lost thousands of pounds' worth of property and goods, and some of them even life itself, are co-operating with their friends and neighbours in defending their homes and property against the wicked Nazi demons' air warfare.
That the false accusations brought against Jehovah's witnesses in Canada, New Zealand and Australia have evidently been brought about by leading Catholic religionists in those lands; that such continued persecution of innocent Christians in those countries will certainly bring upon such the disfavour of Almighty God. (Do Canada, New Zealand and Australia desire to follow the fascist policy of the Catholic controlled countries of the continent where they have suppressed the activities of Jehovah's witnesses because of their stand for true Christianity? Do Canada, New Zealand and Australia desire to join Nazi Germany in their wicked persecution of Jehovah's witnesses? In Germany alone six thousand of Jehovah's witnesses lie in Hitler's concentration camps, and some have been foully murdered, martyrs to their Christian cause. See Sir Neville Henderson's report in the British White Paper Cmd. 6120.)
That as Jehovah's witnesses we commend the stand of the British Government against the religioustotalitarian combine and appreciate their kindness in permittig us to faithfully carry forward our Christian work of preaching the Gospel and in continuing to grant us the right of the freedom of assembly and worship.
That as Jehovah God's servants we champion his name, and are this day resolved to renew our covenant relationship with him, the Almighty God, and are determined to be found faithful unto the end in performing his commands; that we will faithfully continue the work of the Apostles, and the Protestant reformers in exposing the iniquity of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, and continue to help people of good-will to serve Jehovah's glorious heavenly government, the Theocracy under Christ.
Unanimously Adopted this 19th day of January 1941.
Copies sent to the governments of Canada, New Zealand, Australia and to the Home Office, London.
Signed,
A. PRYCE HUGHES,
(chairman).