Golden Age, February 27, 1935

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The Golden Age

A JOURNAL OF FACT HOPE AND COURAGE

in this issue

GERMANY UNDER DOMINATION OF SATAN

PLAINFIELD CITIZENS OBJECT

THE ABUNDANT METAL

POISONING BY ASPIRIN

NOTES ON NEWS

PURPOSE OF ALL CREATION

every other WEDNESDAY

five cents a copy

one dollar a year

Canada & Foreign 1.25

Vol. XVI - No. 403

February 27, 1935 CONTENTS

LABOR AND ECONOMICS

What Could One Expect? . . . 336

Shadowed Childhood . . . 337

Water for San Francisco . . . 337

Taxation Borne by the People . . . 337

SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL

In Defense of Fairness . . . 328

Citizens of Plainfield Object . . . 330

Church Membership Increasing? . . . 331

Yes We Don’t Want Intervention . . . 332

Perpetuating a Falsehood . . . 334

A Difficult Case . . . 334

Cardinal O’Connell on Persecution . . . 335

The Ruthless Go-Getters . . . 335

Turkey Ahead of United States . . . 334

Pickets at Broadway Tabernacle . . . 336

The World Foundation? . . . 338

MANUFACTURING AND MINING

Candy with a Kick . . . 341

Camels’ Hair Brushes . . . 346

FINANCE—COMMERCE—TRANSPORTATION

Methodists Repent . . . 336

What Ward Said . . . 336

Precautions Against Marine Disasters . . . 337

POLITICAL—DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN

Germany under Domination of Satan . . . 323

Farley’s Condescension (?) . . . 332

Charged with “Sedition” . . . 332

Coughlin and Monroe Doctrine . . . 334

Still Trying to Get the U. S. In . . . 337

Another Dictator Plot . . . 337

“Mission of National Socialism” . . . 338

AGRICULTURE AND HUSBANDRY

A Good Dancer . . . 339

SCIENCE AND INVENTION

Lifting Forty Billion Tons . . . 339

Testing Dams by Musical Pitch . . . 339

“Photographing” Thought . . . 339

Seven Eclipses in 1935 . . . 339

HOME AND HEALTH

The Quintuplets . . . 340

What the Iceman Says . . . 340

About Comfrey Root . . . 340

Cancer Killed 17,000 in New York . . . 340

The Influenza Patient . . . 340

Probably True . . . 341

The Abundant Metal Again . . . 341

Poisoning by Aspirin . . . 343

TRAVEL AND MISCELLANY

American Bishops Welcome . . . 332

India’s Population . . . 338

Still Want the Money . . . 338

Treasure in the East River . . . 339

Methodist Church in the Depression . . . 351

RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY

In Catholic Quebec . . . 333

The Purpose of All Creation . . . 347

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The Golden Age

Volume XVI Brooklyn, N. Y., Wednesday, February 27, 1935 Number 403

Germany Completely Under the Domination of Satan

GERMANY is completely under the domination of Satan. The present-day fulfilment of prophecy should fully convince all who have a knowledge of the Bible that the battle of the great day of God Almighty is near, and hence the time for the vindication of Jehovah’s name. Jesus uttered this prophecy which is now being fulfilled, to wit: “And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as it were frogs; for they are spirits of demons, working signs; which go forth unto the kings of the whole world, to gather them together unto the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. And they gathered them together into the place which is called in Hebrew Har-Magedon.”—Revelation 16: 13, 14, 16, R. V.

Germany is entirely in the camp of Satan and is openly defying God and His kingdom, as will be observed from newspaper reports and court decisions now being rendered, some of which are herein set out. The Northland Magazine of Germany, a Hitler publication, says:

Those who belong to the past should not worry about the way of German youth. The epoch of Christianity is absolutely done. A new myth arises born out of the battle of words of the twentieth century, a myth of blood which will decide over the fate of this people for centuries. The idea of gathering all peoples under the world-God Jehovah dies with the last generation of an inglorious age. . . . May the representatives of the old spirit finally acknowledge that the church with all her dogmas of the middle ages has lived its span and cannot offer anything further to the youth. The German youth of the 20th century acknowledges proudly that it can live without sin and therefore without grace.

The same paper, in another issue, says:

In the sign of the cross the Orient conquered the North. In the sign of the swastica the north will for ever bring to its knees all Asiadom.

The Christian World, No. 19, page 908, states that President Kube said:

“We will see to it that Germany’s youth will be brought up in the proud spirit of Langemark and not in any confessional spirit. The faith of the German youth is in Germany only. . . . Therefore you should remember one thing in to-day’s confessional controversy: God wishes, my German boy, that on earth you should believe in Germany and in its immortal life and we will enforce the right to such a faith for you. Adolph Hitler yesterday and to-day and for ever.”

The courts are completely under the domination of Satan. The unreasonable and devilish spirit that controls them is evidenced by the decisions recently rendered. For instance, one court sentenced a young man to prison because he showed his lady friend some scriptures in the Bible concerning God’s kingdom. The judicial opinion filed by the said court of Storbeck in the case of Germany vs. Honemann et al is here set out, to wit:

COURT OPINION

S. G. M. 65/34

in connection with

S. G. M. 66/34

In the name of the German people

Criminal proceedings against

1. Wilhelm Hönemann, invalid (formerly assistant railway clerk), of Elster, at present in police protective custody in the police prison in Halle S., born on September 12, 1888, at Dussnitz, Schwiednitz district;

2. Wilhelm Conrad, mill owner, of Elster, born on December 31, 1878, in Pullupönen, Stallpönen district;

3. Mrs. Alma Conrad, formerly Hille, of Elster, born on October 1, 1885, at Elster, Wittenberg district;

4. Hermann Harz, railway laborer, of Elster, born on August 28, 1877, at Riesdorf, Jüterbod district;

5. Mrs. Ernestine Harz, formerly Tauscher, of Elster, born on January 3, 1883, at Kurbitz;

6. Friedrich Gehne, engine-driver, of Zschornewitz, at present in police protective custody in the police prison Halle, born on October 18, 1898, at Nienburg S.; 7. Richard Völker, machine artificer, of Burgkemnitz, at present in police protective custody in the police prison in Halle S., born on December 26, 1899, in Dessau;

8. Emil Mathei, mine laborer, of Zschornewitz, born on April 14, 1897, at Gornitz, Netze district;

9. Ernst Richter, laborer, of Grossmöhlau, born on September 17, 1872, at Pratau;

on account of transgressions against §§ 1, 4, of the Administrative Decree dated February 28, 1933 (Reichs Law Sheet 1, page 83, in connection with the decree of the Prussian Minister of the Interior, dated August 24, 1933) II 1316a (August 23, 1933) and furthermore of the Secret State police office of September 28, 1934 - II B 1. 30621/1667.

The Special Court of the province Saxony and the country of Anhalt has, in its session held on November 20, 1934, at Halle S., and in which took part

Dr. Fenner, director of the Provincial Court, as president;

Dr. Haberkorn, councilor of the Provincial Court,

Storbeck, councilor of the Provincial Court, as assistant judges;

Rabbow, councilor of the Public Prosecution, as official of the Public Prosecutor;

Heinrich, clerk of the legal authorities as documentary official of the Office,

adjudged as legal and right:

The defendants are each sentenced to three months’ imprisonment on account and by reason of transgressions against §§ 1 and 4 of the Administrative Decree of the Reichspresident for the Protection of People and State, dated February 28, 1933, in connection with the decree of the Prussian Minister of the Interior, dated June 24, 1933.

The defendants have to bear the costs of the proceedings.

Reasons:

By reason of the confession of the defendants and the testimony of the witness Criminal Assistant Nestler, it is established that the defendants have participated regularly in religious gatherings, whereby parts of the Bible have been read and discussed, etc., in a similar way as was customary before the prohibition, after the issue of the prohibition of the “International Bible Students Association” (I.B.S.A., including all its organizations) dated June 24, 1933, of the Prussian Minister of the Interior. As the defendants themselves state it, these gatherings differ from those which were held before the prohibition was issued, in general only in so far as they took place in smaller circles. The defendants no longer call themselves Bible Students. They state: The I.B.S.A. is now dissolved. There are now only Jehovah’s witnesses (vide Harz), they mostly call themselves “witnesses of Jehovah” (as, for instance, Hönemann, Mr. and Mrs. Harz) or “Jonadabs”, that is, “people who stand on the side of God” (as Conrad) or “consecrated Christians” and “followers of Jesus” (as Mathei). They acknowledge on principle only the authority of Jehovah, the laws, etc., of worldly authorities, instance courts, etc., only in so far as these do not, according to their, the defendants’, opinions and ideas, come into conflict with the laws and decrees of Jehovah.

That latter has, as they state, come into contact with them personally, so that they themselves do not need any more teachings or enlightenment (vide Gehne).

It is, however, their duty to visit one another and to gather together as this procedure is prescribed by the commandments of Jehovah (letter to the Hebrews) (vide Mrs. Harz). They will not allow themselves to be hindered in this by any worldly power whatsoever.

They have therefore also come together to set up a petition to Reichschancellor Adolf Hitler such as is to be found in the files, and which, in substance, says that they would come together in spite of the prohibition. . . .

According to the declarations of the defendants, the literature of the kind which was in the possession of various and single defendants, and which was confiscated, was intended for those that were still to be converted. Various defendants receive such literature from Berne, as, for instance, The Golden Age, Escape to the Kingdom, Righteous Ruler, etc. Reference is made to this literature.

The defendants have partly also sent money abroad for such literature. When they received deliveries of this kind from abroad, they regarded them as a present from Heaven.

Although the defendants admit the substantial circumstances, they, after all, believe that they have not rendered themselves liable to punishment. They call attention to the fact that, as members of a religious body, they have been active only in a religious sense. They refer to the Weimar Constitution (Art. 137), as well as to the principles of the National Socialism regarding freedom of religion, and consider the prohibition of I.B.S.A. as contravening the said principles and the Reichs Constitution, and invalid, and point out explicitly that the Constitution could only be altered by a Reichs law which altered the Constitution, but not by a decree of the Reichspresident, such as that of February 28, 1933. They, first of all, lay claim to the fact that the Ministerial Decree dated June 24, 1933, whereby the I.B.S.A., inclusive of all its organizations (Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, Magdeburg, etc.), is dissolved and prohibited in the territory of the Free State of Prussia, was rescinded by the letter of the Reichsminister to the American Consul General, dated September 13, 1934. This, however, is not the case. By the decree of June 24, 1933, the property and monies were also confiscated and sequestrated. In the letter of September 13, 1934, it was mentioned principally that the governments of the countries have received orders to release the property and monies and not to furthermore hinder the printing and distribution of Bibles and other unsuspicious literature. The letter of September 13, 1934, furthermore, however, contains the explicit passage: “On the other hand, every other activity of the Earnest Bible Students, such as teaching and meeting work, as well as the printing and distribution of tracts, leaflets, propaganda bills, etc., must remain stopped.”

In view of this, therefore, teaching and holding meetings and the distribution of suspicious literature is forbidden, just as heretofore, and is punishable in accordance with the decree of June 24, 1933, by reason of §4 of the Administrative Decree of February 28, 1933.

More especially is therewith also every kind of meeting activity of the I.B.S.A., etc., of hitherto, prohibited. The defendants cannot take it that in view of the fact that their meetings no longer have such large audiences as hitherto, and are therefore of a smaller kind, such gatherings are of a different character and therefore do not come under the heading of gatherings which are prohibited.

The counsel for defense has, amongst other things, put forward the Verdict of the Special Court of Darmstadt, dated March 26, 1934, S. G. M. 26/24. In this verdict the corresponding Decree of Hessen has been considered illegal, because it contravened Article 137, paragraph 2, of the Reichs Constitution.

The Special Court has, however, no scruples about the validity of the Prussian regulations mentioned.

It is correct that Article 137 of the Reichs Constitution “guarantees the freedom of unity of religious societies”, and that this is still in force. But this can apply only and solely to such societies as do not wish to be and, above all, are really nothing else than religious societies. Only in this sense may and must Articles 136 and 137 of the Reichs Constitution be construed.

The National Socialistic State assures only religious confessions their freedom, under the proviso, as a matter of course valid for every state, that the practice of “religion” does not show up in such a way as to endanger the stability of the State.

Religious societies are therefore protected, in accordance with the Reichs Constitution, in so far only as they do not endanger the State.

The National Socialistic basic comprehension re this is to be seen in No. 24 of the program of the N.S.D.A.P. There we read:

“We demand the freedom of all religious confessions in the State, in so far as they do not endanger the stability of same or infringe the feelings of morality and good breeding of the Germanic race. The party as such take up the standpoint of a positive Christianity, without binding itself confessionally to any certain creed. It combats the Jewish-materialistic spirit in and around us and is convinced that a permanent convalescence of our nation can only result from within on the basis of mutual interest before self-interest.”

The cultural political principles of the N.S.D.A.P comprises, just as it does the aphorisms “Full freedom of religion and opinion” and “Special protection of Christian Confessional creeds”, also the demand: “Suppression and keeping out of all confessional doctrines which go against the German feelings of morality, the contents of which doctrines show a character destructive of state and people.” As with every other law, so can also the Reichs Constitution be interpreted in various ways. When interpreting any law whatsoever, the real sense of the law must be ascertained and fixed. The Court must not stick to single letters or words. It would therefore be quite unreasonable to protect any kind of state-endangering contrivance simply because it appears clothed in the cloak of a religious society.

Every state abandons itself that (and this the more especially if by the terms of its Constitution) supports and protects an organization that fights against it to the utmost. It cannot possibly be desirous of protecting state-endangering endeavors solely for sake of their exterior form.

Were the I.B.S.A., as represented by their advocates living in Germany, only a religious community, and were their members in Germany to concern themselves only with religion, then this work and activity could never be prohibited. More especially the National Socialistic State would not have the slightest interest whatever in going up against these endeavors. The representatives of the I.B.S.A. and their supporters or a similar lot, such as the defendants, are not satisfied, however, with dealing only with religious questions.

As the defendants clearly pointed out to the Special Court, they considered it their duty to convince as large a circle of the people as possible of the correctness of their doctrines, by distributing the literature in question and by propagating their ideas and thoughts.

In these pamphlets, booklets, etc., however, the Third Reich is baited in a very nasty way. The literature which was distributed by the defendants and which was partly confiscated whilst in their possession is full of destructive and decomposing material, of attacks against the government of the Reich and of thoughts which, without the slightest doubt, are of a nature destructive to state and people.

The fact that all these state-endangering and state-hostile ideas are brought out under cover of a trumpeting of religious creed is especially dangerous. Thereby all such as do not know conditions in detail are led astray. But in this case, it is not a matter of belief, pure and simple. It is rather the case that, under the cloak of religion, a systematic, especially bitter struggle is carried on against the state of today, under the leadership of a foreign management abroad, against which the German State has no influence whatever.

A few examples taken from the literature above mentioned will explain this:

The (Swiss) Golden Age, Berne, No. 281 (June 1934, page 15), deals with the only too justified demands of the government to allow the prohibition of meetings to remain in force. These demands are termed as curious and ridiculous. It is pointed out that a well-known high official of the American government has said with regard to the Nazi leaders, that: “Such as the gods will destroy, they first make mad.”

“The vain boasting of the German officials is censured.”

Obviously with reference to the Reichs Chancellor and Leader, after mention having been made of the letters and telegrams addressed to him, it is said that “the enemy Satan tries to destroy such as have the testimony of Jesus Christ. The servant is not above his master”.

“Thus we see that the Devil nowadays parodically imitates the kingdom of God and that he tries to divert the attention of the people from the true Kingdom of God.”

“The above facts clearly prove that the Third Reich does not dare to style itself a component part of the Kingdom of God.”

The “unjust measures of the German authorities” are described with a complete distortion of the real facts to the extent that “our brothers” (sometimes mention is also made of “sisters”) “have been beaten and ill-treated in the concentration camps, and this only on account of their faith in God and Christ”.

(That means a misuse of religious feelings and sentiments, to work up the people against the State.)

Of the “brothers” it is said that they have stood firm in their belief and have given eloquent witness before the cruel agents of Satan, the Devil, who has been “a murderer from the beginning”.

On page 13 “the persecutions of the Christians” are described.

On page 11 these alleged persecutions are compared with the persecutions of the Christians in the Middle Ages. Detailed outrageous news is given as coming from concentration camps.

In a proclamation “to the members and officials of my former congregation” a leader gives vent to the following, on sheet 11, which sums up in “The Kingdom of God is now about to be set up”. “But that, before it is completely set up, Satan’s cruel, oppressive organization, which nowadays completely domineers over all the governments of the earth, and especially over those of ‘Christendom’, must be done away with for ever, in the battle of Armageddon.”

In No. 285 of The Golden Age we find, on page 12, the following poem:

“The training of heroes”—

A whole people must crouch

And bow down under drill;

The press must hush up

And keep as quiet as a mouse;

Right must not show itself;

Truth is hated.

And thus “heroes are trained

That serve their purposes”.

At the same time a picture shows a man swinging a whip over a company of men drilling.

The adherents of the I.B.S.A. are therefore, as is shown by these specimens, without the slightest doubt, hostile and opposed to the State, and most especially to the National Socialistic State, and also operate and strengthen this hostility thereby, inasmuch as they come together in small circles as in former times and stick together, having printed matter of the kind shown above, sent from abroad, and which latter they distribute in this country. As the Special Court in Darmstadt has quite correctly stated, in the above-mentioned verdict on this point, they reject the State altogether as a “work of the Devil”. They are subject to foreign influences which cannot be gone into and examined and show Jewish tendencies.

It is a vital necessity for the new state to protect itself most decidedly against such state-endangering contrivances.

The Special Court has convinced itself, by the impression it got in the Chief Session, of the personalities of the defendants and their manner of appearance before the Court, how very right the Prussian Minister of the Interior was, when he states, in the decree of June 24, 1933, that “their methods of contest are characterized by a fanatical influencing of their adherents”.

As is furthermore stated, an astonishingly large number of adherents of former communistic and marxistic parties and organizations have been received into the ranks of the Bible Students.

There can consequently be absolutely no question of the prohibition of the I.B.S.A., etc., as having infringed upon the Constitution of the Reich. For Articles 135 and the following ones, in view of their aforementioned, alone possible sense and purpose (and that is what really comes into consideration, not the single letter), cover and protect only purely and exclusively religious societies, but not associations like the I.B.S.A. or the “witnesses of Jehovah”, which are assuredly also religious societies, but apart from that are furthermore eminently state-endangering unions. The Prussian prohibition, rather than being a violation of the Constitution, was an urgent necessity, because elements hostile to the State had joined up under the cloak of a religious society to develop activities hostile to the State.

The defendants have therefore to be punished in accordance with §4 of the Administrative Decree of February 28, 1933, by reason of contravention of the decree of the Minister, dated June 24, 1933, for renewed activity in the sense of the I.B.S.A. The law provides for imprisonment for from not under one month up to five years or for a fine up to Marks 15,000.

The Court has taken into consideration the fact that, with the exception of one of the defendants, all of the latter have hitherto been without punishment. On the other hand, however, the danger which indeed is to be perceived for the German community had to be considered.

A penalty of three months’ imprisonment seemed therefore to be the necessary but also quite sufficient atonement for the deed.

The decision regarding the charges is based upon §§ 464, 465, Criminal Law Regulations.

(Signed) Dr. Fenner Dr. Haberkorn Storbeck

Both by word and by act the government and the courts of Germany show that they do not care what the commandments of Jehovah God may be. They boldly condemn honest men and women for the perfectly reasonable and proper stand that human laws can be properly obeyed and enforced only if they are in accord with the divine law. The issue is clearly drawn. Other servants of God than those already mentioned are similarly unjustly condemned and punished. The Westfalische Landeszeitung Rote Erde of November 13, 1934, calling Jehovah’s witnesses “fanatical sectarians, the religious garb for international movements”, says:

Mrs. Lydia Herrmann, 22 years of age, whose husband is also accused and in a concentration camp as a former communist, and Mrs. Luise Schwedler, 42 years old, both from Castrop-Rauxel, had to appear before the Dortmund Court and account for the distribution of forbidden literature of the International and therefore dissolved Association of the “Earnest Bible Students”.

Mrs. Lydia H. appeared rather challenging and assured the Court that in calling upon Jehovah she would in the future also do her duty in this, that she would call the attention of her fellow-men to the Kingdom of God and the near establishment of the Kingdom of Christ Jesus on earth.

For this great offense the court of justice (?) sentenced Mrs. Herrmann to one year in prison, and her fellow witness to nine months. The sentence was made severe because the accused “showed no repentance”. Such is religious liberty in Germany today. But Satan is not limiting his activities to that land. In America, England, Canada, and other countries where a measure of freedom of speech still obtains, desperate efforts are made to control the freedom of speech and the publication of the truth. Unreasonable laws, cunningly framed, are advanced to suppress the liberties of the people and to make them amenable to the arbitrary and shortsighted policies of fallible men in contravention of the Word of God. We may expect to see these priceless liberties, bought at such great cost, shortly taken away from the people.

But what is back of all this retrogression, this turning back to Dark Age methods and practices? What power, unseen but clearly in evidence, is limiting and circumscribing the rights, privileges and liberties of the people? What is back of it all? The Scriptures answer, It is the power of the demons. These, under the leadership of the rapacious Gog, are seeking to bring together, and do bring together, the ruling powers of the earth in a determined stand against righteousness and truth, and, above all, against Jehovah, the eternal God. Only recently The News of the World, London, carried an article in which Lord Riddell told how Lloyd George and Winston Churchill believe themselves to be under the guidance of unseen powers or spirits. The article reads, in part, as follows:

We (Lord Riddell and Mr. Lloyd George) walked along the shore (at Criccieth), and sat for some time on the rocks watching the waves. L. G. gave me an insight into a curious side of his character.

He showed me a letter he had received from a palmist and soothsayer, who stated, among other things, that L. G. was beset by many dangers, but would be protected by unseen spirits until he had accomplished a great mission he was destined to perform.

L. G. said: “That is a remarkable statement, because I am myself convinced that nothing will be allowed to happen to me until I have accomplished some great work for which I have been singled out. I feel that I shall be quite secure until then.”

I said: “But what is to happen afterwards?”

“Ah,” he replied, “afterwards! Well, afterwards, I suppose I shall share the fate of all other men who have been selected to perform great works. I shall be left to my fate. I shall be deserted.”

In January, 1914, when he was fighting a ding-dong battle in the cabinet for a stronger navy, Mr. Winston Churchill also confided to Lord Riddell that he was “watched over”.

“Think,” he said, “of the perils I have escaped.”

Hitler, too, is considered as under the direction of some “spirit”. In a German illustrated magazine there appeared a reproduction of a picture which hangs in the Brandenburg Hall of the City Hall of Berlin-Schoneberg. The title of the picture is “The divine mission of National-Socialism”. It represents Hitler standing upon a mountain, and in the sky appears an angel offering him a globe upon which appears the swastika. Other prominent men and leaders in the financial and political field, as well as in ecclesiastical circles, are known to have communication of one kind or another with invisible powers. Spirit mediums frequently figure in their lives, while others have great faith in horoscope readings, occult revelations and what not. All these things, according to the Holy Scriptures, are definitely of the Devil and his invisible cohorts.

In this connection attention is called to the booklet Angels, published by the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, Brooklyn, N. Y., which booklet clearly sets forth the position and the activities of these demons, or fallen angels. A clear understanding of this matter is now possible, and is of the greatest importance to those who would be found on the side of Jehovah God in the great conflict that is fast approaching. There will be only two sides in that great final battle. Satan’s forces, under the leadership of Gog, will fight against the hosts of Jehovah, under the direction of Christ Jesus. On which side will you be? Knowledge is of the greatest consequence. Satan will deceive all who do not love truth and righteousness and who refuse to obey Jehovah God, but the Lord has made provision for the enlightenment of the meek and honest-hearted, the people of good will. These, like Jonadab of old, will be in heart harmony with Jehovah’s King, the Greater Jehu, and will ‘ride with Him, in His chariot’, as He vanquishes the hosts of wickedness for all time.

In Defense of Fairness

THAT a few clergymen are not entirely blind to common justice and fairness is evident from the fact that at the trial of two of Jehovah’s witnesses in Quebec recently, Louis Abram, a United church pastor, appeared as a defense witness. He stated that while he did not agree with all the teachings in the books distributed by Jehovah’s witnesses he was not of the opinion that they were of a nature to incite the people to revolt. It was another clergyman, L. M. Pepperdene of the Anglican church, who made such a charge, saying that the writings in question were “subversive to law and order and held in contempt all constituted authority”. He said he testified with the sanction of the bishop of Quebec as a representative of the Anglican church.

The Witness and Canadian Homestead of Montreal, in its issue of November 28, 1934, discussing the trial, said, in part:

Freedom of speech and religion in the province of Quebec received another body blow last week by the imposition of fines or imprisonment upon members of the sect calling themselves “Jehovah’s witnesses” on charges of sedition. The “sedition” consisted of severe animadversions upon modern governments and the churches, Roman Catholic and Protestant, contained in booklets which the accused people were selling in the city of Quebec. . . . Critical as they are of most human institutions, they have not been shown at any time to have urged violent overturning of these—preferring as they do to predict that God himself will destroy that which is unworthy. What they said about the various Protestant churches is pretty much what ardent Roman Catholic apologists have themselves said on repeated occasions. It is difficult to resist the suspicion that it was their inclusion of the Roman Catholic church in their condemnation and their references to the pope that prompted the prosecutions. Freedom of speech as a principle must be upheld even for the protection of a truculent minority. Because of their unpopular opinions, this particular minority’s plight has been ignored by many who would have leaped to the defense of any orthodox religious body whose elementary rights were menaced. But it is not freedom at all, if it is denied to the weak and unpopular. It is indeed painful to see a Church of England clergyman with, as he claimed, the approval of the Anglican bishop of Quebec, joining in the attack by taking the witness box to testify that what the pamphlets contained could fairly be described as sedition. It ought surely to be evident both to the rector and to his ecclesiastical superior that the proceedings at Quebec are merely another phase of the same brand of intolerance which in Montreal is bringing before the courts an Anglican brother clergyman on a charge of blasphemy for saying in public and in print what all three believe of a distinctive Roman Catholic doctrine, and which also in Montreal is dissolving legally celebrated marriages upon the strength of Roman Catholic ecclesiastical decrees against which Bishop Lennox-Williams of Quebec has himself made emphatic protest. Open freedom of speech is far safer than subterranean whisperings.

This impartial comment brought forth the following observation from Allan H. Ferry, a clergyman of Corbetton, Ont., which appeared in the December 12 issue of the Witness and Canadian Homestead:

SIR:—May I compliment you on your editorial in the issue of November 28 under the caption “This Freedom”? I cannot help wondering whether we are embarking on an era of religious persecution in Canada, when I read of such cases as the one referred to by you, and others that are known to some of us but which have not reached the publicity stage. . .

In the same issue appeared a long letter from the "Rev." L. M. Pepperdene, who evidently got hot under the clerical collar when he read something that seemed to favor even a measure of fairness and impartiality. In this letter Pepperdene included several alleged quotations from books distributed by Jehovah's witnesses. These excerpts were so arranged as to give the impression that Jehovah's witnesses denied the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, a glaring misrepresentation. If Pepperdene had lied outright his object could not have been more patent. He sought to shock the religious susceptibilities of the readers of the Witness and Canadian Homestead so that they would ever thereafter be thoroughly prejudiced against them. Pepperdene, both in his testimony and in his letter, was a "false witness"; for his unfairness is evident even to the Witness and Canadian Homestead, as will be seen from their comment on Pepperdene's letter. Judge Rutherford has charged that Catholic and Protestant clergymen are in a conspiracy against Jehovah's witnesses and their work. Pepperdene's letter shows that this charge is in no sense an exaggeration. The Golden Age quotes at length from Pepperdene's letter and from comment thereon appearing in the Witness and Canadian Homestead as follows:

(To the Editor of the Witness)

SIR:—I have read and reread your editorial of November 28, regarding the recent conviction of the self-styled "Jehovah's witnesses" in the Quebec court during the previous week, with much interest.

I feel that you are not conversant with all the facts of the case. In the first place you write as though his lordship the bishop and myself were the only Protestant clergy who had taken action in this matter. I should like to advise you, out of fairness to my bishop, that the action which I took was the outcome of a conference of the Protestant clergy in Quebec at which every Protestant church was represented with but one exception. At that conference, besides myself, representing the Anglican church, there was the Rev. Dr. Gordon of the Presbyterian church and the Rev. Mr. Matheson of the United church. We discussed the matter very fully, not even forgetting the case of Mr. Rahard of Montreal, and finally came to the conclusion that there was no comparison between the two cases, the one in which we as Christian ministers were interested here in Quebec, and the one in Montreal in which we are all also interested.

For reasons which are of little interest to anyone other than ourselves, I was asked if I would take the stand as representing the group. This I did only after further very serious consideration and prayer.

Personally I cannot feel that the question of freedom of speech is so vitally involved in this case. The trouble with so many people is, that they will confuse freedom of speech with license. These people have not been denied freedom of speech; they have never to my knowledge tried to hold a meeting and address the public in decent language. They came to Quebec under cover of early morning darkness and proceeded to scatter abroad literature which attacked everything which a Christian ought to hold most sacred. Literature which I would not have fall into the hands of my own children were they old enough to read it, under any consideration. . .

Let me assure you, my dear sir, that the group of clergymen whom I represented in the witness box at that trial would be just as zealous, if not more so, to defend any orthodox Christian, or anyone else, for that matter, whose fundamental rights were menaced. But to spread among a peaceful community literature which is seditious, libelous and slanderous, is not a fundamental right of any citizen, and more especially when it is imported from a foreign country. It is not British. It is not Christian.

Your article of November held a very prominent place in your paper. I hope that you will publish this letter in an equally prominent place.

Sincerely yours,

L. M. PEPPERDENE.

NOTE:—Mr. Pepperdene makes the very common error of confusing defense of a principle with support of the beliefs of those for whom application of that principle is advocated. St. Paul's warfare for the faith was purely spiritual and polemic. We have yet to learn that he sought the aid of the civil power, or called for the exercise of force against those who taught "another gospel". Liberty is not liberty at all unless it is extended to all alike. It becomes a mockery when refused to an unpopular minority. It includes the right of talking nonsense, such as we believe the peculiar doctrines of "Jehovah's witnesses" to be. The appearance on the witness stand of a Protestant clergyman in support of the case for the defense shows that not all Quebec Protestantism was prepared to lend itself to the aims of an intolerant majority. It will hardly be argued that this minister's testimony—that he did not look upon the literature dispensed by the accused as "seditious"—implies that he agrees whole-heartedly with its contents. Literature which in Mr. Pepperdene's phrase, is "sedition, libelous and slanderous" is proscribed by the laws of every civilized country. It is strange that the literature under review has not encountered legal inhibition in any parts of Canada or the British Empire other than in Quebec, where the courts have been called to the aid of religious intolerance. A recent dispatch from Germany tells of a jail sentence imposed on a member of the sect in Berlin. It would be interesting to know how many of the clergymen who lent their aid to this prosecution bestirred themselves when, in 1933, a young "orthodox Christian" was brought to trial in the same city for blasphemy for selling or distributing a pamphlet written by a Baptist minister of Ottawa. True, the Christian church ought to expose heresies—even such as are hugged by the dominant majority in this province. And is there no distortion or suppression of truth among Protestants? Experience since the days of the early church has shown that the least effective method of extirpating error is by persecuting it. A martyr now and again strengthens the cause for which he suffers. Do Mr. Pepperdene and his fellow-pastors really think that the propagation of the errors of "Jehovah's witnesses" will be in any way checked by this invoking of the arm of flesh, even should the appeal of the convicted persons be rejected by a higher court of law? Nothing the erroneous sect can do will impair the Christian church so much as the negation of Christ by its members in everyday individual and national life. The Witness has long and earnestly looked for the closer coming together of all who profess and call themselves Christians, but the kind of co-operation of denominations which Mr. Pepperdene cites in his letter is one that it is to be hoped will not be repeated. Better isolation than to unite in what, were the shoe on the other foot, would rightly be regarded as a conspiracy against the operation of a sacred principle. Understanding the meaning of that word we cannot silently see it so violated that free speech is limited to those with whom we are in agreement.

Citizens of Plainfield Object

THE clergy and police of Plainfield, N.J., continue to oppose and interfere with the circulation of the Kingdom message in that city. But many of the citizenry are beginning to tire of the needless trouble and expense resulting from these unlawful interferences with the people's rights. This is evidenced by the following item which appeared in the Plainfield Post, January 25, 1935, and the "PROTEST AND REQUEST" which, together with a facsimile copy of a letter written by Assistant Attorney General Harvey Rothberg, also were given prominent places in that paper. These items will be of great interest to Golden Age readers, and are therefore reproduced herewith:

CITIZENS RESENT ARREST OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

RESIDENT TAXPAYERS INSIST NEEDLESS EXPENSE FOR PROSECUTION CEASE AT ONCE

During the past week public-spirited citizens of Plainfield have been stirred deeply by facts brought to light concerning the misleading stories circulated from time to time by members of the Plainfield police force with co-operation of the Courier-News regarding the arrest and imprisonment of Jehovah's witnesses who occasionally call at homes in all parts of the city.

As an example of public opinion, the Post reproduces in this issue the letter of Harvey Rothberg, a resident who is the State's assistant attorney general.

In the public interest, we take pleasure in presenting also in this issue the complete text of a "PROTEST AND REQUEST" which has already been signed by hundreds of resident taxpayers who disapprove of the expenditure of public funds for needless prosecution of inoffensive persons who are doing a good work in the community.

PROTEST AND REQUEST

To THE MAYOR and the Common Council by the Inhabitants of the City of Plainfield:

GREETINGS

WE THE UNDERSIGNED resident taxpayers of Plainfield, New Jersey, possessing the right to learn of and to hear broadcast by radio such programs as we may desire and to read such printed matter as is pleasing to us, and this without interference or hindrance from or by the officials or non-officials of this city, do hereby vigorously protest against the persistent and wrongful interference with our said rights by the police and clergy or others of this city who do so interfere by causing the arrest and arresting and prosecuting certain harmless persons known as Jehovah's witnesses and who call at our homes with radio programs and other printed matter.

The Watchtower radio programs and the publications of and concerning the kingdom of Jehovah God are of great interest to us and it is our desire and we do hereby request that the persons known as Jehovah's witnesses should call at our homes from time to time and exhibit to us such radio programs and publications concerning the Bible testimony of God's kingdom which right so to do is guaranteed to all persons by the Constitution of this state.

We therefore respectfully call upon you STATE OF NEW JERSEY

STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION

HARVEY ROTHBERG

ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL

January 22, 1935

To the Mayor and Common Council

City of Plainfield

I have read some of the literature distributed by the Witnesses of Jehovah in Plainfield, and have found it interesting and enlightening.

I am in favor of its circulation in Plainfield without the necessity of any police permits.

Respectfully,

Harvey Rothberg

as officials of this city to immediately take proper and necessary steps to prevent such hindrance and interference with our rights to have persons known as Jehovah's witnesses call at our homes as aforesaid and for the purpose aforesaid and that the use of the taxpayers' money to prosecute Jehovah's witnesses cease now and for all time.

Paul Revere No. 2

THE police towing car was advancing through Germantown (Pa.) to capture parked autos. But a modern Paul Revere, in an automobile, rode ahead of the police car, dashing up to houses and warning owners of parked cars, who moved them in time to avoid a $6 fine for all-night parking. On and on went "Paul Revere", and as the police car passed through the territory not a parked car was in sight. Neither was "Paul Revere".

Church Membership Increasing?

DR. GEORGE L. KIEFFER, who is the president of the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, says that during the last 134 years the population of the United States had increased 22 fold, and church membership 80 fold. According to that, Americans were anything but churchy in the beginning of the nineteenth century. These figures sound imposing, but the fact remains that less than a third of the people in the United States are connected with the churches.

Jannes and Jambres on Their Last Legs

Yes We Don’t Want Intervention

THE Catholic hierarchy is trying its best to get the United States mixed up in Mexico’s internal affairs, meanwhile declaring loudly that the Catholic church “don’t want intervention in Mexico, nohow”. One of the Hierarchy’s representatives, J. S. Holgan, is all “het up” because Mexico is going to have just plain Mexican schools and will not let the church interfere. Mexico has the right idea and wants to give the children a real opportunity to start life with a fairly sane outlook. General Calles had said, “We must enter into and take possession of the mind of childhood, the mind of youth.” The United States ambassador thought that was a good idea, and happened to express his thought too publicly. Now the Catholic hierarchy is trying to have him recalled. Soon, no doubt, we shall have Catholic societies sending resolutions to Congress or to the president, just as they sent resolutions to newspapers and radio stations in the case of Judge Rutherford in their effort to get him off the air. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, particularly to the Hierarchy. And to have others adopt their scheme of getting possession of the mind of childhood is just too much for those who thrive on ignorance and superstition. We do not see, however, how anyone could do more harm than the Hierarchy has done in getting possession of the minds of the children. The Hierarchy would dearly love to see the United States do something about the Mexican situation, while they cry “Intolerance!” and other similar expressions of dismay. But it is very much like the boy who cried “Wolf!” too often. No attention is being paid to the Hierarchy’s loud and bitter howls. People just don’t believe what the Hierarchy tries to tell them. Confidence is not instilled by mere assertions. There must be something back of them. The Catholic church has not delivered the goods. The countries where she has exercised greatest power are the countries where she is least trusted. The United States government will do well to keep its eyes open.

Farley’s Condescension (?)

WE CANNOT quite make out a picture which appeared in the press just lately. It caught the postmaster general of the United States in the act of getting down on his knees. The reason for it is not clear, but he is doing it in front of a little man; and as Farley himself is quite big, it may be that he was just getting down to the level of this other man, whose name is Amleto Cicognani and who is called an “apostolic delegate”. Perhaps it was just to be on speaking terms with the little fellow that the postmaster general was so condescending as to stoop so low. It certainly cannot be, and yet it might, that the postmaster general was doing obeisance to the little man, and that it is all a part of the game. If that be so, and if Al Smith had been made president of the United States, Americans might have had the edifying (or mortifying) example of their president kneeling to a little representative of a little state in Italy. (There is no record that Cicognani said, “Stand up; I myself also am a man.”—See Acts 10: 26.) And now they say Farley is going to resign as postmaster general.

American Bishops Welcome

MR. RATTI, of the Vatican, familiarly known to Golden Age readers as Ambrose, likes to have the American bishops call on him. Every time an American bishop calls, papa gets a nice present, some bishops bringing as much as $60,000, and that amount is not to be sneezed at these days, not even by papa Ambrose. Last year the proceeds from these visits netted him over a million dollars. One of our subscribers, commenting on this fact, says, “Please note — $1,000,000 to Ambrose. Why not use this swag in the U. S. A. — in Ohio, for instance, where the Catholics are asking taxpayers to use State money to keep their propaganda schools going?” This answer to the question is fairly obvious.

Charged with “Sedition”

THE Daily Mail and Empire of November 24, 1934, contains the following item: “Sentences of two months in jail and fines of $300 each were to-day imposed on George Brodie, Toronto, and G. C. Barrett, Belleville, Ont., convicted on charges of being parties to a seditious conspiracy. Their lawyers have announced an appeal will be taken against the conviction.”

The item does not state that the “sedition” consisted of a distribution of Bible literature. Since the incident occurred in Quebec, which is strongly Roman Catholic, it is clear why the distribution of Bible literature is considered “seditious”. It is well to remember that Jesus was crucified for “sedition”.

The Prisoner in the Breadbox

DID you know that there are people who worship a god who is kept prisoner in a breadbox, a very fancy and ornate breadbox, to be sure, but a prisoner nevertheless? And did you know that this god, should you see him taken out of his breadbox prison, would present himself to you as a wafer, a piece of bread, or several wafers? Such is nevertheless the case, and all the ceremony of the "temples made with hands" in which this god, duplicated a thousand times, dwells, centers around the idea that he is really there, in the breadbox, a prisoner. Before the breadbox burns a candle or taper continually. And, does it not surprise you to learn that the people who worship this "god" call themselves Christians at times, though they are more generally known as "Roman Catholics"? That the prisoner in the box is really the big power back of the priestly control of the people is not generally known. For only the priest can "create" this "god", and the only way the worshipers can ever get out of purgatory or escape eternal torment is to eat him, while they are alive, or to have somebody else eat him for them after they die. All this comes from a literal and material interpretation of Jesus' symbolical words, "He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life."

The Eucharistic Quarterly tells about this prisoner in the breadbox: "He who is greater than all is left alone, with none to keep him company to while away the weary hours of the day and the dreary watches of the night—none but the tiny taper with its flickering light like a guard before the tabernacle door behind which is detained the prisoner of love... in chains in our tabernacles."

In Catholic Quebec

IN QUEBEC Jehovah's witnesses are arrested and charged with "sedition" when they go around telling the people about the kingdom of God and the blessings it will bring to the world. In that same benighted province the priests of the Catholic hierarchy rule with a high hand. The following letter is a fair sample of the treatment they accord their parishioners when they do not come across with the cash demanded for the "support" of the rector. If there is a note of clemency and kindness in the letter, we have failed to detect it. The rector does not make allowance for parents who are having all they can do to make both ends meet. Jesus' description of the scribes and Pharisees of His day exactly fits the clergy of the present. The exceptions are so few that they cannot be taken into consideration. The letter, translated from the French, follows:

Lac Cayamont, Que., August 27, 1934.

DEAR PARISHIONER:

Each year several do not occupy themselves in settling their question of support owed to the rector, and there are only a few to pay their support. To the end that all be treated with justice and equality here is what has been decided:

(a) Beginning January 1, 1935, those who will not have made a settlement for their support already due, namely, for the years 1934, 1933, etc., etc., ... will see themselves refused by me all exterior religious service, as call for the sick and others....

(b) Beginning January 1, 1935, every head of a family will have to settle the question of support before January 1 of each year, so as not to undergo the same penalty as the one indicated at No. (a).

(c) Beginning January 1, 1935, every man being 21 years of age and who is not chief of a family will have to pay a support of $1.00 each year or he will be subjected to the penalty indicated at No. (a).

Please communicate the contents of this letter to the members of your family who are interested to know it.

If this letter needs explanations, I will be able to give them to you at the visit of the parish which will take place in the month of September.

Yours in J. C.

(Signed) J. A. LATOURELLE,

Rector.

The Diamond-Studded Chalice

TO COMMEMORATE the Lord's poverty when on earth, the Roman Catholic hierarchy keeps a large part of its membership poor. To commemorate the riches which the Lord left to redeem mankind, the priests and other members of the Hierarchy live in the greatest splendor. This was forcibly brought to the attention of the public when three golden chalices were stolen from the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Victory, at Throop avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. Each of the chalices was studded with diamonds, and the three were valued at $5,000. It is a very convenient arrangement to have the poor remember the poverty of the Lord, as the pope admonished the unemployed to do, while he and his assistants the world over forget that the Lord left His riches to become poor for the sake of fallen mankind, and especially to honor and vindicate His Father's name.

Coughlin and the Monroe Doctrine

"FATHER" COUGHLIN seems to be slightly confused, as he is trying to stir up the people of the United States against Mexico and to claim that the Monroe Doctrine makes it incumbent upon the United States to interfere. He is all mixed up. What the Monroe Doctrine says is that no European power shall interfere in the affairs of any independent government in the Western Hemisphere; and that would seem to indicate that the shoe is on the other foot; and that the United States, if it did anything, would call upon Vatican City to desist from interfering in the case of Mexico's internal problems. The Monroe Doctrine reads as follows:

"With the existing colonies or dependencies of any European power, we have not interfered and shall not interfere. But, with the governments who have declared their independence and maintained it, whose independence we have, on great consideration and on just principles, acknowledged, we could not view any interposition for the purpose of oppressing them, or controlling in any other manner their destiny, by any European power, in any other light than as the manifestation of an unfriendly disposition toward the United States."

Since the Vatican is a temporal European power, its interference in Mexican affairs through its tools in any part of the world is apparently in conflict with the terms of the Monroe Doctrine.

Charles Coughlin vs. Wm. O'Connell

WILLIAM O'CONNELL, otherwise Cardinal O'Connell, celebrating his birthday in Boston, observed that Coughlin and "all clergymen, no matter what creed, tread hazardous ground" when trying directly to solve political or economic problems. To this "Father" Coughlin replied: "If he spoke as a churchman as he did on the three occasions when he publicly rebuked me he has done nothing more than to usurp the power which belongs to the apostolic delegate in America." He goes on to say that he himself was carrying out the instructions of Pius XI and Leo XIII. Coughlin may come to the point where he will recognize that both of these gentlemen have usurped an authority which was never given them by the only sources of authority in the church, Jehovah God and His Son Jesus Christ. Another observation by Coughlin is of interest, to wit: "For more than forty years William Cardinal O'Connell has been more notorious for his silence on social justice than for any contribution he may have given either in practice or in doctrine toward the elimination of those glaring injustices which permitted the plutocrats of this nation to wax fat at the expense of the poor. Now he castigates me for doing what he was ordered to do."

Perpetuating a Falsehood

IN A REVIEW of Catholic activities during 1934 the Providence Visitor says:

The year saw further radio stations banning the broadcasts of "Judge" Rutherford, but it also saw petitions favorable to the retention of Rutherford broadcasts on the air descend upon members of Congress in great numbers. Investigations made in three separate cities showed that a large number of persons signing these petitions had no clear understanding of the petition they signed; that many had never heard "Judge" Rutherford's broadcasts; that the names of some appeared on the list without their knowledge; that in a number of cases one person signed for a number of persons, and that many who signed were surprised to learn later the nature of the Rutherford broadcasts.

It need only be added that these "investigations" were made by Catholic agents who had no business to have the petition, in the first place, and whose words are not to be relied upon, in the second place. Members of Congress who turned over some of these petitions to the agents of the Romish priests thereby showed that they were not serving the people but the interests of a foreign meddler who is now trying to stir up trouble between Mexico and the United States to protect its own unrighteous schemes of extortion.

A Difficult Case

IT IS not often that stories of the escapades of Catholic priests get into the papers, but censors apparently had difficulty in handling the case of "Father" John J. Leonard of Lawrenceville, N. J., murdered by a jealous husband. The story reads: "The five shots which Steinmetz allegedly poured from an automatic into the bodies of his wife and the priest brought hotel employees quickly to the room. Opening the door they saw the student lying in what they described as a 'drunken stupor'.... Beside him lay the bodies of the wife and Father Leonard—fully clothed." The addition of the last two words was probably the best the censor could do, considering the fact that the lady and the priest were found together in his bedroom.

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